CRIMSON I groggily open my eyes; my body is stiff and frozen. I feel worse than when I woke up in the cold and dark cell of Tolba. I wasn’t sure what I would wake up to or where when my eyes finally focused. Frozen like an ice cube or not, I was relieved to find I was still out in the open. I shake my head a little, the wet snow falling from my face and head. As I focus, the bright, blinding winter sky has me squinting as big fat flakes fall around me. “Shit,” I groaned trying to muster the strength to move my frozen limbs. How long had I been laying here? What the fuck happened? The memories come flooding back all at once, the dirt bikes, the crash, the blood. I hastily check myself out, already knowing my wounds had healed. But what in the goddess’s name did those people hit me with? I thought they were coming to help, but all I remember is the agonizing sting of electricity shooting throughout my body. I felt weak. Drained. But I couldn’t lay here any longer. My clothes were

TAWNY Snow began to fall from the black sky, hiding all the stars and blocking out the moon. A blanket of white covered all our human side sins. Giving the streets a fresh and untainted look. I gazed out the sitting room window watching each fat flake fall and blend with its sisters. A sliver of light from mother moon broke through the haze of white, illuminating the street just outside. The snow made everything look innocent, fresh, clean - virgin. But I knew better. Underneath that cover of purity were the sins of men. The dirty truth of who we are. The white winter months could only cover our true nature for so long before the cover fell and melted away. Revealing our true nature. What were the chances that a murder would take place on the eve of Tala’s coronation? Wolves are unforgiving by nature; their pack is only as strong as their leader and their leader is only as strong as their resolve. They hunt together. Fight together. Play together. They are family, the Alpha being

CRIMSON­ Hunji crosses his arms over his wide chest and stares me down “You can wait your ass here. You’re not going anywhere until I say you can.” A menacing growl rips from my throat and jump up from the chair. My fists clench and re-clench, my nostrils flare - I feel my beast bursting to come out. I try to reign him in, as I know if I let go and let my temper take control, I was going to kill Hunji. He was standing in between me and getting to Tawny. Through my haze of aggravation, a delectable and sweet smell tickles my nose when I breathe in trying to calm myself. The scent, one of the gods. Nectarine. A scent I wanted to rub myself all over one that had my manhood twitching as he too recognized the peachy honey scent of his mate. “Let me out Hunji,” I say slowly and pointedly. A warning behind my words. “No.” He states flatly. This time my growl is louder, longer and I pounce at him. Determined to plow through him if I have to. He wasn't going to stand between Tawny and me

TAWNY In the days that followed arriving back in Cambiador, Gillian went overboard, as I suspected. Her excitement that we were both pregnant together, was too much on most days. She had planned a double announcement and celebration. She went into full planning mode not only for the children but also for mine and Crimson’s upcoming marriage and crowning. We still planned to hold the ceremony at the end of January and hoped we wouldn’t have to push the date back. I had made sure it was planned around Lamia and Mathias's own official ceremony. Dare I say, Gillian had become more overbearing than Crimson any would think it was her cubs I was carrying. Crimson set up talks with Tolba, he and Arik finding a common ground and pushing their differences aside, after all, they were cousins. We were going to help Tolba grow and that started with building a bridge over the ravine. It would take time, but it was a start. Tomislav had moved into the Maydor manor with his mother, he and Gillian

***Thank you for reading The Crimson Grimalkin, Tawny's story. Thank you to all my readers for your continued support and involvement. Please remember to leave me a review on the book details page. By doing this you help readers find my books and enjoy the stories just as much as you have. For updates and chapter teasers, check my i*st*gr*m >>> authorjwgstout Or my F_B group for readers >>> Author Jwgstout *** The Beta & Jewel Thief Chapter 1 – The Job LYRICI look around, peering down one end of the street and up the other. The last thing I need is for anyone to see me. Us. I grip the tiny hand in mine a little tighter. I raise my other hand and knock on the worn and cracked door, quickly glancing around at our surroundings again. For the millionth time. All the while listening for movement from the other side of the door. I knock again when I hear nothing. Tap, tap, tap. My nerves ramp up as I wait, listening, looking, “Hurry up” I whisper sigh. The bite of cold nipping at u