At 28 Rosalie Summers has still not found her mate, she has all but given up looking. With her brother now Alpha of the pack, Rosalie is free to follow her own path. But when her path takes her to the heart of the rugged English countryside her life changes in more ways than one. Has her mate been hiding in a completely different century? What will she do when she discovers him, return home to her own time and loving family, or give up everything to live in a more rugged and simplistic way.
Some steps need to be taken alone.
It's the only way to figure out where you really need to be.
-Mandy Hale
Prologue
There are often times when I wonder how I got to be where I am in my life right now. At 28, I'm the oldest unmated she-wolf in my pack by at least 5 years.
Its not through lack of trying. For over a decade my parents shipped me off to every ball, picnic and diplomatic meeting that, not just the US, no, the world had to offer. All in the hopes that I would find my mate. I think I can safely boast that there is not one pack that I have not either visited or attended some form of function with. Either my mate died young and I never got the chance to meet him, or has not yet come of age. If it is the latter I might as well shoot myself now because I'm pretty sure that would make me the definition if the word cougar.
No, I'm pretty sure my mate is just not out there. Which makes me the main focus of everyone's sympathy in our pack. I hate it. Even widows and orphaned children don't receive the sad looks, and "are you OK dears" that I receive on a daily basis.
There are often times when I wonder how my life would have been different if I had of met my mate. I watch my brother, now an Alpha ruling over the pack, his Luna by his side and he is happy. The love that shines on his face for his wife and children is the most wonderful thing. My heart aches to feel just a fraction of the happiness he possesses.
On the other hand, I am not bound to anyone or anything. I am free to come and go as I please. I feel blessed to have experienced the world and see things that no one else in our pack would dare to dream about seeing. I have met some amazing wolves along the way, wolves that have become lifelong friends.
So yes, I have a lot to feel sad about, but I have so much more to feel joyous about.
No, I will not meet my mate, but maybe I can still have a chance at feeling love?
It was on my 28th Birthday that I decided that I had spent too much time waiting for my mate to appear. I was going to take life into my own hands.
I know my parents are going to be so upset when I tell them, but I have to do this for me, before I'm too old that no one will want me.
Two summers ago, my parents sent me to a pack in the south of England. The Eclipse Pack. The English packs are much smaller that here in the US, but it was during my stay with them that I met my best friend. Steph Black. We clicked straight away. She was bubbly and bright. Like me she was the oldest daughter to the Alpha and we had so much fun together. She had been widowed several years after finding her mate. She had no children. Just a zest for life that was contagious.
Many wolves who loose their mates, young or old, end up giving up on life. Some even die of a broken heart, half of your soul dies along with your mate, and that must be one of the most difficult things any wolf will have to overcome. Steph never let it get the better of her, her mate told her that if anything ever happened to him, that he wanted her to keep on living. That is exactly what she did.
I think that is why I clicked so well with Steph, she was the complete opposite to everyone in my pack. She wasn't happy to dwell on the past or missed opportunities.
The one thing that did not happen whilst I was with the Eclipse pack, I did not get one single sympathetic look or pat on the shoulder. I was just accepted for who and what I was. Treated like any other member of the pack. I didn't want to leave.
Steph's parents offered me a place in their pack if I ever wanted to come back to them. Richard and Joanne Black were the most down to earth Alpha and Luna I had the pleasure to meet. There whole ethos seemed to differ from the rest of the werewolf community.
To start with, they didn't get hung up on titles. Everyone in the pack knew who they were, and they gave them the respect they deserved because of how amazing they were at leading, not because they demanded it of their pack. They had easy going nature, their home was everyone's home. It was the hub of the community, wolves coming and going. Food was always waiting for the next hungry wolf to walk through the door. It was like one big family.
Some may deem this as a weakness, an easy target ready for the taking. Richard knew how to defend his land. His warriors were ready to charge into battle at a moments notice. Every wolf from the age of 12 was trained to defend themselves. Those that showed an altitude for fighting would go up in the ranks and become a warrior.
My favourite part about the Eclipse Pack was their location. They were nestled right in the middle of the New Forest. Not only were there vast area or woodland, but also rugged heathland that is covered in wild gorse and pines.
The pack settlement was built within the confines as a what would have been a massive castle once upon a time. The castle itself is long gone and was now just a pile of stones that had a tendency to slip down ever so often, but outer walls, moat and drawbridge are still very much intact.
I have never felt a connection to one place like I did to the Eclipse pack.
So on my 28th Birthday, as I blew out the candle on the cake my beautiful niece made for me, I made a promise to myself. That I was going to move away from home, and I was going to forge my own path.
That is what lead me here, to the Alphas office, waiting for my brother to answer the door. I know he would not be happy. I also knew that he would not stop me. His main concern is my happiness.
I truly believe that the Eclipse pack is where I'm meant to be.
Rosalie has crossed over the void of time, and overcome a mountain of obstacles to find her one true mate Alexander Black. She has given up everything she holds dear to be with him. But fate is now beginning to catch up with the Black family. Whilst Alexander is faced with a rival from the past, baying for his crown, Rosalie is dealing with a foe much closer to home... Rosalie is a white wolf, the Goddess' own assassin and protector of the werewolf species. Will Rosalie find the power within to defeat a new dark evil? In order to save the life she has made for herself in the past, she will now have to once more leave everything she loves behind and venture back to the future to defeat what lurks in the shadows..... Landon Coombes has know that Rosalie Summers was his second chance mate the moment that he laid eyes on her. But when she mysteriously disappeared without explanation, he begins to fear that he will be alone forever. That is until Rosalie reappears just as unexpectedly as she left. Landon finds himself doing all that he can to help Rosalie defeat a new dark evil which threatens to destroy the Eclipse pack forever, all in the hopes of proving how much he cares for her. But Rosalie is nursing a broken heart, can Landon be the glue to hold her together once again, or are somethings just too hard to put back together?
The pagan festival of Samhain is upon us. For Melinda Walker, it will be her first festival where she is of age to partake in the ceremonies. But when she is introduced to a dark and seductive warlock, she willing follows him down a path that leads her to trifle with the veil that separates the mortal and spiritual realms. Can she return the natural order of things before the end of all hallows, or will she be stuck in the realm of spirits for all eternity....
Avalon Taylor is one of the best Hunters that has graduated from the academy in a century. But when her past life collides with her new she realises that the world was not so full of darkness as she was lead to believe. Are the true monsters those who have raised her for the last 10 years? Her fate is entwined with another, will she find out the truth of her parents death before the world of creatures is snuffed out forever?
Julia and Evan were the perfect couple-or so she thought. But everything changed when Evan abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her heartbroken and unable to tell him she was carrying his child. Years later, Julia has built a life for herself and her son, Andy, while Evan has risen to unimaginable wealth and success. Their paths cross again at a chance meeting, but Julia soon discovers Evan has moved on with someone else. Julia is done with the pain. She's fought battles alone, raising a son who deserves the truth about his father, even if Evan doesn't deserve her forgiveness. When Julia told Evan years ago she had something to say, he didn't listen. Now, it's time for him to listen. But is it too late to reclaim what he lost? "We should break up," he'd said, the words cutting through her like glass. The pregnancy test in her pocket stayed hidden, just like the child they would never share. Now, it's Evan's turn to hear the truth-and to face his deepest regret.
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Maia grew up a pampered heiress-until the real daughter returned and framed her, sending Maia to prison with help from her fiancé and family. Four years later, free and married to Chris, a notorious outcast, everyone assumed Maia was finished. They soon discovered she was secretly a famed jeweler, elite hacker, celebrity chef, and top game designer. As her former family begged for help, Chris smiled calmly. "Honey, let's go home." Only then did Maia realize her "useless" husband was a legendary tycoon who'd adored her from the start.