Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2)
Read Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2) Online
Authors: Theresa Hissong
Tags: #paranormal romance, #werewolves, #shifters, #shiftershaper, #werepanthers, #shifters romance, #shifters cat, #werewolves alpha males
Winter
Rise of the Pride, Book 2
by
Theresa Hissong
Dedication
To Missy and Gina
Thank you for keeping me sane on the nights
that life just got in the way…
#Shenanigators
License Notes
This eBook is
licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be
re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share
this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy
for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not
purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please
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Disclaimer:
This book is a work of fiction. Any
resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely coincidental.
The names of people, places, and/or things are all created from the
author’s mind and are only used for entertainment.
Due to the content, this book is recommended
for adults 18 years and older.
Copyright 2016 Theresa Hissong
Cover Design:
Custom eBook Covers
Editing by:
Heidi Ryan - Amour the Line Editing
Formatted by:
Wayne Hissong
For more information or how to contact Theresa
Hissong, please visit:
http://authortheresahissong.com
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For exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming
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Other Books by Theresa Hissong:
Fatal Cross Live!
Fatal Desires
Fatal Temptations
Warriors of the
Krieger
:
Blood & Roses
Blood at Stake
Rise of the
Pride
:
Talon
Winter
Book for
Charity
:
Fully Loaded
Contents:
Chapter One
A storm raged outside as Nova stomped down
the hallway and took a sharp left, heading for Liberty’s office at
the back of the bar. Her temper was getting the best of her and
she’d had enough. She didn’t even bother knocking as she pushed the
door open wide, startling her sister who was sitting behind the
desk, going over bills. Liberty gasped, but didn’t say anything,
her face looking pale.
“I’ve had it!” Nova yelled, throwing her
hands in the air.
“What’s wrong?” Liberty demanded, her new
ice blue eyes flickering amber. Liberty was now part of the pride…a
shifter. She’d been changed into a panther when a group of
werewolves had held her and one of the young girls from the pride
in a cabin, torturing them until Talon had shown up to save the
day. Liberty had been beaten almost to the point of death. Talon,
her mate, had made the decision to turn her to save her life.
“Pride whores,” Nova snarled. “These women
are in here every damn day, trying their best to get someone from
the pride to mate them. I just had to kick three of them out of
here for trying to get their claws into the Guardians.” She
wouldn’t admit it, but the blonde bitch that was all but humping
Winter’s leg was lucky she didn’t get punched in the throat.
“I don’t know what the hell I have to do to
get them to stop coming in here and chasing the Guardians,” Liberty
cursed, resting her head in her hand. Nova frowned at her sister’s
sudden exhaustion. She’d been working a lot lately, opening the bar
and staying as late as possible.
“Are you okay?” Nova asked, taking a step
toward the desk. When she moved closer, she noticed that not only
was Liberty’s face pale, it looked a little green. “Liberty?”
“Oh, God. I’m going to be sick!” Liberty
squeaked, jumping from her seat. She darted around the desk and
barely made it to the office bathroom before retching up whatever
she’d had for lunch.
“What the hell?” Nova gasped, rushing to her
side. She immediately knelt beside her sister, pulling her long,
brown hair back from her face. “I didn’t think shifters got
sick.”
“They don’t,” Liberty groaned, turning her
head to throw up into the toilet again.
“Then what’s wrong?” Nova was worried,
unsure of what she needed to do.
“I think I’m pregnant,” Liberty cried. “No.
I
know
I’m pregnant!”
“Oh. My. God!” Nova squealed, scrambling
from her spot on the floor. She grabbed a couple of paper towels,
running them under the cold tap before ringing them out. She
returned to her sister’s side and held them to the back of her
neck. “I’m going to be an aunt!”
“Yeah,” Liberty moaned, leaning back against
the wall. “I don’t even know how to explain it. The other females
had told me I would know when I was pregnant. Something about it
being part of my nature. When I woke up this morning, I knew. I’m
so confused. I don’t even know how far along I am. I just started
feeling weird this morning, and then I was so tired. This was the
first time I threw up.”
“What did Talon say?” Nova asked as she
stroked a strand of hair back from her sister’s forehead. “I bet
he’s beside himself with joy.”
“He doesn’t know,” Liberty admitted, closing
her eyes.
“Uh, don’t you think it would be a good idea
to tell him?” Nova asked, raising a curious brow.
“The females said he would know just from my
scent, but he was already gone when I woke up this morning. He had
meetings at City Hall again.” Liberty slowly climbed to her feet,
holding the wall for a moment to steady herself. “I don’t want to
bother him.”
“Go lay on the couch,” Nova ordered, helping
her out of the bathroom. “You need to tell him, because if he finds
out you were working and sick, he’s not going to be happy.”
“Okay,” Liberty sighed, dropping down onto
the old couch that sat against the wall in the bar’s office. Nova
frowned. It wasn’t like her sister to not put up a fight when being
told what to do. “I’ll call him later.”
Before Nova could call Talon herself, a
swift knock sounded on the office door. She quickly hurried over,
opening the door slightly. Winter and Dane, two of the pride’s
Guardians, stood there. Dane started to speak, but froze before he
got a word out. Both men’s nostrils flared as they inhaled a
breath, tilting their heads to the side.
Nova stepped back as both men moved forward,
their gazes narrowing on Liberty. Liberty gasped when both men
dropped to their knees beside the couch, but neither one of the men
touched her. They knew it would cause her pain, and Talon would
have their heads if they did anything to cause his mate harm.
“Does he know?” Winter asked, his voice full
of concern.
“What?” she asked, a confused look crossing
her face.
“You’re with young,” Winter said, awestruck,
and ran his large hand over his blond hair. Nova’s brow raised when
both men began to purr softly. They looked at Liberty as though she
were the most beautiful thing in the world. Nova knew it was part
of their panther nature, and had heard about some of their ways
from other females of the pride when she’d been visiting Liberty
one afternoon, but it was really strange to see it first-hand. The
panthers could scent a pregnancy and the men found the scent to be
soothing. A female who was pregnant was the most cherished thing in
their lives.
“You can tell too?” she groaned.
“Your scent.” Winter paused, his brows
pushed forward. “Does our alpha know?”
“No,” Liberty said, shaking her head. “Nova
was just about to call him.”
“I’ll call for you,” Winter offered, pulling
his phone out, but paused when Liberty held her hand up for him to
stop.
“Don’t tell him,” Liberty ordered.
“I would never take that right from you.”
Winter frowned, turning toward the other Guardian who was standing
at attention at the door. “Secure the hallway.”
“What? Why?” Nova asked, suddenly confused.
“What the hell, Winter? She’s pregnant, not in danger.”
“All females with young are protected,”
Winter stated, his eyes swinging back toward her sister lying on
the couch. She’d covered up with a throw blanket that was kept over
the back of the couch. He stared at Liberty a moment before
lowering his voice. “An alpha’s mate is the most protected of all
females, and any male would give their life to save the alpha’s
mate and their young.”
“Okay,” Nova replied.
She tried her best to ignore the man who’d
taken up her every thought during the past few months. That was,
until she’d accepted a date from one of the guys that frequented
the bar. When Winter had found out about it, he’d raised hell,
saying Perry was a loser and wasn’t worthy. Nova had yelled at him
and refused to allow him to watch over the house she lived in
alone. Dane had become her new bodyguard since the wolves, who’d
almost killed Liberty, were still at large. Winter had been
furious, but so had Nova.
Winter’s ice blue stare followed her as she
crossed the room, kneeling beside her sister. Nova didn’t need to
see his eyes to know that he watched her closely. He’d been doing
it for months.
“Can I get you anything?” Nova asked,
stroking the hair back from her sister’s face.
“Ginger ale?” she asked.
“I’ll get it,” Dane told her, his eyes never
leaving Liberty. “You stay with your sister.” The moment Dane took
off down the hall, Winter stepped to the door, blocking anyone from
entering. Nova shook her head, thinking they were being a little
too protective, but didn’t say anything.
The Guardian returned quickly with a tall
glass for Liberty, placing it on the ground so Nova could pick it
up without touching him. She’d become accustomed to the no touching
policy these men adhered to with any females.
“Oh, that’s good,” Liberty sighed, handing
the glass back to Nova. She stood up to place it on the desk when
she heard the sound of her sister’s mate and the alpha of the Shaw
pride bark, “Where is she?”