Christmas is the most magical time of the year, right? That may be true for most people but not Julia. Julia has never had an easy life, she has been homeless for as long as she can remember and now she is raising a three-year-old the same way. She wants more for them both but she has no way of changing things, besides she's soon going to have to leave the only place that she's ever called home to keep them both safe. If anyone finds out her secret her world will be blown apart and that's something that she can't allow to happen. Riley has had the best life imaginable. He has loving parents, grandparents and his best friend Joshua has been by his side since he was a young child. He also runs several successful businesses and has everything he wants in life except for one thing... love. He wants someone to love, to cherish but his past still has a tight grip on him and holds a secret that not even he knows about. What will happen when both worlds collide? Can Julia get the Christmas that she has always dreamed of for her and her little girl? Can Riley learn to forget his past so that he can move forward and when Juila's secret is revealed and blows both of their worlds apart, will it bring them together or tear them even further apart and destroy Julia's world, just like she has always feared it would?
Julia
The snow beneath my feet crunches with every step I take, and a cloud of smoke leaves my mouth as I take a breath while the cold night air wraps around me like a blanket, only there's no comfort from it, it only makes my fingers and nose burn even more with how cold they are.
I wrap my arms around my body as tightly as I can, but I only have on a tee shirt and hoody, so there's not much hope of me getting warm anytime soon. Any feeling in my fingers and toes stopped ages ago, and I'm pretty sure that if it was possible, my nose would fall off at any second. I swear it feels so numb that you'd think that it was frozen.
The holes in my shoes are not helping my situation, and neither is the fact that I'm wearing the thinnest pair of leggings that I have ever owned, but beggars can't be choosers and, unfortunately, for me, begging is part of my life.
As I walk across the front of a coffee shop, I stop in my tracks and take a moment to just enjoy the sight that's in front of me. The place is full of people just enjoying their day while Christmas music plays in the background. A waitress walks in my line of sight with a box overflowing with Christmas decorations and for the first time today, I smile.
Christmas is my favorite time of year and even if I haven't been able to celebrate it in a long time, I will never not love it. As the waitress starts decorating a tall tree in the corner of the coffee shop, I continue to look around. The place looks so cozy and warm that the sight alone makes my whole body ache. What I would give to just sit in that place, just to feel the warmth, even for just a few moments.
I've loved Christmas since I was a little girl, the magic and happiness that it brings and everything else, but more than anything I've always loved a white Christmas. Seeing the streets of New York City covered in a blanket of snow always makes this time of year just perfect.
Well, I used to love a white Christmas, but now a white Christmas makes my life even harder, and this year... well, this year we are having the worst snow that New York has seen in almost ten years, and I'm struggling... struggling to survive it. As I feel tears glaze my eyes, I turn and walk away from the coffee shop and down the dark dingy alleyway that runs along the side of the coffee shop. As I make it to the end, I turn and head for the five tall trash cans that are at the back entrance and I get stuck into my nightly routine. Looking for food.
I've been in pretty much every trash can in this city, but this place always gets rid of the best food. On a good day, I'm usually able to find some meals still in the containers and everything is always still in date and fresh. Hopefully, I can find enough food for the others too. They've been struggling to find food lately because it's so cold that it's freezing before we get to it, which is why I'm here now at this time. Usually, I only come here after the place closes to be careful, but right now I can't afford to wait too long, or we won't eat tonight and, more importantly, neither will Nina.
Within half an hour, I am walking out of the alley with a bag full of food and feeling insanely grateful for it. I have enough for everyone and I know that they will appreciate it. I take my time getting out of the alley without being noticed, then make quick work of heading back home. I come to a crossing and start walking across the road when a sudden loud screech makes me jump and almost drop my food right before a car comes to a sharp stop right beside me.
"What the fuck!" I give him the middle finger and carry on walking across the road eager to just get home to Nina and warm up. "Hey, Miss." I turn when I hear a deep voice calling out only to find a guy getting out of the back of the car that just almost hit me. "I'm so sorry about that. I distracted my driver." he steps closer to me with a sheepish look on his face and I feel the air leave my lungs and, for once, it isn't because of the cold.
As he comes to a stop right in front of me, I realize how tall he is. I would say he is at least 6ft 4/5 and, compared to my 5 ft 4 height, he looks like a Goddam giant. A Goddam Greek giant. His bright blue eyes feel like they pierce through my soul and, even with layers on, it's clear to see that he is insanely broad and muscular and that thought alone is enough to take my breath away.
"Miss, are you OK? Miss!" Shit, I was so completely distracted checking him out that I hadn't even realized that he was talking to me. "Huh, yeah I'm fine. Thank... thank you." I turn to leave, but he steps in my way and stops me by holding onto my arm. This guy reeks of money, designer labels, and expensive cologne while I'm here wearing second-hand clothes that I found in a dumpster four months ago and have been wearing every day since.
And as for perfume, hell, I haven't worn that in a very long time. These days, I'm lucky if I've managed to have a wash in the public toilets downtown and get to smell of their cheap hand soap for a few hours. Unfortunately, for me, I haven't had that luxury for several days. At first, we couldn't use the toilets due to them being closed for maintenance, then once we could finally get in there, there was only enough soap for one person and, of course, Nina came first.
"Miss, is everything OK?" Fuck, I got distracted again. Letting my mind run away with me has been a trade that I have had all of my life and is an absolute pain in the ass most of the time. "Yes, I'm OK. I'm sorry, I'm... I need to go." I pull my arm free from his gentle hold, smile at him, then get myself away from him as quickly as my short legs can move, then just before I head into my alley, I turn around to find the man still standing on the crossway staring my way.
Why hasn't he left yet? He may be the hottest guy that I have ever seen in my life, but this feels a little creepy. Not wanting him to see where I'm going, I walk past the entrance to the alley and head towards the small corner shop. As I get to the entrance, I look back and see his car drive past me. Thank God for that. As soon as he is out of sight, I turn back around and run for the alley eager to get back.
Once I finally get back to everyone, they are more than happy with the food that I have managed to get tonight, and it doesn't take long for us to all get seated around the fire that Scrapper has made, the heat quickly warming up my toes enough so that they no longer feel numb.
"Mommy!" a small pair of arms wrap around my neck as Nina jumps into my lap and hugs me tight. "Hi, baby girl." Nina is only three years old and the cutest little girl in the world. Her long brown hair falls down to her bum and her brown eyes are like chocolate and, despite our situation, she is the happiest little girl. "Where have you been, Momma?"
"To get this." her little face lights up when she sees how much food I've got and, as always, it breaks my heart just that little bit more. "Come on, let's get your tummy nice and full before bed. And that is how our night went, with full stomachs, warmth from the fire, and a smile on our faces, something that is pretty rare these days...
I'm going to miss this place and these people when we leave, but I have no choice. I have to get Nina out of here, and soon, there's no other way.
Bonnie has spent her entire life being broken down and abused by the people closest to her including her very own twin sister. Alongside her best friend Lilly who also lives a life of hell, they plan to run away while attending the biggest ball of the year while it's being hosted by another pack, only things don't quite go to plan leaving both girls feeling lost and unsure about their futures. Alpha Nicholas is 28, mateless, and has no plans to change that. It's his turn to host the annual Blue Moon Ball this year and the last thing he expects is to find his mate. What he expects even less is for his mate to be 10 years younger than him and how his body reacts to her. While he tries to refuse to acknowledge that he has met his mate his world is turned upside down after guards catch two she-wolves running through his lands. Once they are brought to him he finds himself once again facing his mate and discovers that she's hiding secrets that will make him want to kill more than one person. Can he overcome his feelings towards having a mate and one that is so much younger than him? Will his mate want him after already feeling the sting of his unofficial rejection? Can they both work on letting go of the past and moving forward together or will fate have different plans and keep them apart?
Book 2 in the Blue Lake series. Book 1 ~ My Omega Slave This book carries on from my 'My Omega Slave' if you haven't read ‘My Omega Slave’ yet I recommend you do before reading ‘An Omegas Hope’ After Emma's first mate died before she even got the chance to meet him she was blessed with a second chance mate only for him to reject her. Relationships with other werewolves have always led to them finding their mates and Emma being left heartbroken and alone. The moment she met Alex she felt an instant connection to him but after being mentally and physically abused by her last boyfriend Jay she loses all hope of ever being happy again. Will letting go of the pain and moving forward be as easy as Emma hopes or will the past always have a heavy hold on her heart? Alex has had his own fair share of heartache and his past is never far from his heart but his love for Emma keeps pushing him forward. He's wanted her from the moment he met her but she needs to heal from her painful past. Can Alex help Emma overcome her hurt and move forward with her or will both of their pasts come back to haunt them and destroy everything they have worked so hard for
Book 1 of the Blue Lake Series Savannah is the daughter of Alpha Jake, at 18 years old she's not in a rush to meet her mate, that is until she takes a trip with her family to the blood moon pack and finds her mate...getting beaten to death. As soon as an Alpha Jack of Blood Moon lays his eyes on Savannah he instantly decides she will be his chosen mate and he will do whatever it takes to get her. Will Savannah be able to save her mate in time or will he die before she gets a chance to know him and how will Savannah handle Alpha Jack and his plans to make her his Luna?
Molly's life was perfect. She was married to her high school sweetheart, surrounded by her friends and family and she was looking forward to the future. But that all ends one tragic night when her whole world is turned upside down. That fateful night leads to Molly and her best friend Tom holding a secret close to their hearts but keeping this secret could also mean destroying any chance of a new future for Molly When Tom's oldest brother Christian meets Molly his dislike for her is instant and he puts little effort into hiding it. The problem is he's attracted to her just as much as he dislikes her and staying away from her starts to become a battle, a battle that he's not sure he can win. When Molly's secret is revealed and she's forced to face the pain from her past can she find the strength to stay and work through the pain or will she run away from everything she knows including the one man who gives her hope for a happy future? Hope that she never thought she would feel again.
Book one of The little wolf series Ashley was the future Beta to the Red Ridge pack that's until his own mother turns the pack against him and leaves him no choice but to run for his life with his father by his side. All Ashley has ever wanted is to meet his mate and have a family but now he's faced with trying to simply survive. Can he and his father make it to somewhere safe or will more heartbreak stand in their way? Gamma Jack has a great life including friends that are more like family but the pain at the loss of his parents is never far away. With no other blood family he dreams of finding his mate and starting a new family but his mate is being hunted and only Jack can save him. Will Jack get to his mate in time or is he destined to forever be alone? The Little Wolf series recommended reading order Loved by the Gamma ~ Jack and Ashley's story His little wolf ~ Liam and Bethany's story
Book two ofThe little wolf series Bethany is 14 years old and a warrior's daughter at the moonshine pack, her life is perfect until that one night that turns her world upside down. Rogues attack her pack leaving her alone to look after herself and her 6-month-old niece Bella. She manages to get away from the pack safely but for how long? There's someone that wants Bethany as his mate and he is willing to go to extreme lengths to get her. As soon as Bethany thinks she is safe, she's proven wrong time and time again. How will she get away from the darkness that is lurking? Will she be forced to be someone's mate or is there anyone out there that can save her? The Little Wolf series recommended reading order Loved by the Gamma ~ Jack and Ashley's story His little wolf ~ Liam and Bethany's story
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Amelia's boyfriend and her half-blood sister were about to get married! So she went to the bar and got drunk. She vaguely remembered she had bumped into a handsome man... The next morning, she woke up and found herself have a one-night stand with a stranger. They parted away at the hotel without giving names. However, when she went to the company, she found her new boss was the man she slept with last night! She hid from his eyes on the meeting, and pretended she didn't know him. Yet when she went to a blind date her father arranged for her after work, the man was her new boss who she picked up at a bar and had a one-night stand with! "Woman, you're mine, in the past, for now, and in the future."
“Do I want a taste?” his voice deeper than he had ever spoken. His eyes pinned on me like I was the only thing that fascinated him. “What do I do?” I thought to myself as he moved closer to me, I wanted to run away, to resist him but I was pinned to the wall by him. “Gosh I hate this man so much” his scent, his body, his beautiful green eyes, he was driving me crazy. I know this is wrong, he has a fiancee and all but that makes me want him even more. “Get on the bed and spread your legs” his cold voice woke me up and then I remembered I was just a maid to him. “Yes master”.
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.