Jaguar's Judgment (8 page)

Turning at the sound of the last mutant falling, Sable met the intense, beautiful, blue-eyed stare of her mate. Desire filled her as he stalked closer.

Jared snaked an arm around her waist and tugged her body flush with his. “I love you.”

Her nose tingled and her vision blurred. Cupping his face, she kissed his full lips softly

“I love you, too. Let’s go home.”

Home is definitely where her heart was.

Sable was living her dream. She had a house with her mate and son, and a healthy, loving Pack, who—well, most of them anyway—accepted her. The reality of what her father had done to so many was a daily reminder. Each life within Ashwood Falls had been touched one way or another by the evil workings of Felix Darwin.

And Sable was a reminder of the monster.

Sadness settled over her, weighing her down. She let out a sigh as she set the tablet on the sofa cushion and went to search for her mate. When she opened the front door, she let out a startled gasp at the sight of Cameron.

“Are you okay?” the female said with her brows drawn together.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Jared isn’t here.” Sable tried to soften her voice, but it came out with a slight squeak. She’d met Cameron a couple of times, briefly. Although the other female was polite, Sable sensed eeriness from her.

“I know. I just came from a meeting with Blaine, Luna, and the Council. Can I come in?” Cameron rubbed her round belly.

Sable stepped aside. “Of course. Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you.”

She led her sister-in-law into the living room and offered her a seat. “Would you like something to drink?”

A shy smile formed on Cameron’s lips. “Actually, do you have chocolate milk? I know it’s an odd request from a guest, but it’s this month’s craving.”

“I do. It’s one of my favorite drinks next to a chocolate martini.” Sable’s muscles relaxed at the shift of tension.

“Yeah? After I deliver the triplets, we have to get together and have a few.”

Sable studied her briefly. The feeling of belonging opened in her heart. “I’d like that.” She turned to kitchen.

After a few moments of silence, Sable asked, “How was the meeting, or is that privileged info?”

Cameron didn’t answer her question until Sable handed her the glass of chocolate milk. “We, and I speak on behalf of your Alphas, as well, believe the war may not be completely over just because your parents are dead.”

“I agree and have given it a lot of thought over the last few weeks. There are rebel groups who may rise up to finish what my parents started. Then there is the fact that Felix had a number of bases he used. The techs and soldiers there may not know of his death, or try to appoint a new Alpha.” Sable frowned. Her mind whirled with the possibilities of what could happen. A whole new war could erupt.

Cameron’s soft laugh stopped the spin of thoughts in Sable’s mind. When her sister-in-law met her gaze, she sobered. “I told Blaine you should have been at the meeting. All those things plus more were discussed. Blaine and Luna want to send teams out to search for the Onyx bases.”

Sable sipped her milk and grinned. “I know where they all are. Ana and I can head up a group.

“Damn. I wish I could go.” Cameron sat back on the sofa and rubbed circles on her belly. “Just be glad you only have one growly mate. Then again, you are mated to Jared.”

Sable laughed at Cameron’s teasing, yet loving tone. “Yeah we know he’s growly enough for three males.”

“Should I be worried that the two women in my life are laughing like they’re plotting world destruction?” Jared’s voice boomed through the lower level of their home, only making Sable and Cameron laugh harder.

Cameron stood and kissed her brother on the cheek. “We
are
actually plotting to take over the world. I’m also going to ask the Alphas to consider recruiting Sable as an enforcer. I need another female to balance out the males.”

Sable opened her mouth then closed it. She hadn’t expected the chance to work in the ranks. In fact, she was content just being Jared’s mate and a mother. “I’m honored.”

Stopping in front of her, Cameron took Sable’s hands in hers. “You made a tough sacrifice. I know it was hard, no matter how twisted, sick, and evil your parents were, they were your only family.”

Sable’s eyes teared up. “I have a new family now, and will do my best to continue to gain the trust of the whole den.”

“They’ll come around.” Cameron drew her into a hug. “We do have to get together regularly to share stories about Jared.”

A low, playful growl came from Jared. “Cam, don’t you have two mates to drive crazy?”

“Yes, I told them this morning we are having triplets. They are going to be very busy redoing the nursery in pink.” Cameron laughed as she let herself out.

Jared moved in behind Sable and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and melted into him. “I like your sister.”

“I’m glad she likes you.”

“Me, too.” Sable twisted in his arms, her heart skipping a beat at the half smile on his handsome face. “What are you doing home so early?”

“I couldn’t focus knowing that my mate was home alone.” He kissed her cheek then drug his lips to her throat.

“Well, when your sister came by, I was headed to your office.”

“Great minds.”

She let out a squeak when he palmed her ass and lifted her off the ground. Staring into his blue eyes she smiled and wondered what she’d done to deserve a second chance to love him. “I love you.”

He crushed his lips to hers, nipping at her lower one in the process. “Love you. Always.”

The End

Keegan Andrews
- Former leopard Alpha, now an Elder of Ashwood Falls. Father of Baline, Alec, Shayna, and Ana. Mated to Addyson Lewis. Story told in Surrendering to the Alpha

Addyson Lewis
- Snow leopard and Pack Scribe. She has no surviving family. Mated to Keegan Andrews. Story told in Surrendering to the Alpha

Blaine Andrews
– Former leopard Marshal, now the leopard Alpha. Keegan’s eldest son. Brother to Alec, Shayna, and Ana. Mated to Graham Griffin and Cameron Nickels. Story told in A Mating Dance.

Cameron Nickels
- Black jaguar, a Sr. enforcer. Sister to Jared Nickels. Mated to Blaine Andrews and Graham Griffin. Story told in A Mating Dance

Graham Griffin
- Puma, architect by trade. Son of Sarah Matthews. Nevan Matthews’s stepbrother. Story told in A Mating Dance

Alec Andrews
– Leopard Beta until another one can be appointed and the new leopard Marshal. Brother to Blaine, Shayna, and Ana.

Shayna Andrews –
White tiger
.
Keegan’s adopted daughter.
The Pack princess and a den mother. Sister to Blaine, Alec, and Ana. Story told in A Tiger’s Claim.

Travis Hunter
– Wolf. Former Alpha to Hunter Ridge until Onyx invaded the den and destroyed his Pack. Now he is the Ashwood Falls Pack Tracker. Father to Jocelynn, aka Josie, and son to Robyn Hunter. Story told in A Tiger’s Claim.

Jared Nickels
- black jaguar, Pack Justice, brother to Cameron.

Zorana (Ana) Darwin-Andrews
– Leopard. Daughter to Keegan.

Kieran Michaels
– Leopard Elder of Ashwood Falls. Former spy inside the Onyx den. No surviving family.

Luna Raines
- Wolf Alpha. Mother to Hayden, Dane and Tanner. Mate is deceased

Hayden Raines
- Wolf Marshal. Brother to Dane and Tanner. Mated to Christa Baker. Story told in Divided Loyalties.

Christa Baker –
Human mate to Hayden. Former rebel hunter. Caretaker to her twin niece and nephew, Brenna and Bryce. Story told in Divided Loyalties.

Dane Raines –
Wolf Beta and an enforcer. Brother to Hayden and Tanner. Son to Luna.

Tanner Raines
, a wolf sentry. Brother to Hayden and Dane. Son to Luna.

Danica Welsh-Matthews
– Leopard Pack Healer. No surviving family. Mated to Nevan Matthews. Story told in Winter Eve

Nevan Matthews
– Human Pack Empath. Stepson of Sarah Matthews and stepbrother to Graham Griffin. Mated to Danica. Story told in Winter Eve

Alpha –
Leader of the Pack

Marshal (First born no matter the sex) –
Leader of the enforcers and sentries. The Marshal will also step in to aid the Alpha in his duties when needed. If there isn’t an heir then a Marshal is appointed by the Alpha

Beta –
Second born to the Alpha and/or second in command to the heir/Marshal. Generally takes care of Pack issues.

Enforcers –
Enforces Pack laws and secures the safety of the den.

Sentries
– Generally guards the outer boarders of the Pack property. They can be called in to aid an enforcer in fighting and enforcing the law.

Trackers
– Skilled in tracking down rogues and eliminating them

Den mothers/maternal females
– Strong and protective, yet not dominate by nature, they watch over the youth in the Pack. Generally work in the nursery and schools and other programs where the children and teens are concerned.

Justice
– Pack lawyer with the special psychic ability to read memories through touch in order to place fair judgment on the accused and see the intent of outsiders that come to the den.

Empath
– Can connect to the Pack though their emotions and offers comfort when needed and advices the Alphas and Marshals of potential issues between Pack members.

Scribe
– Keeps the Pack history through the rare ability to pick up visions through touch. The ability works on objects and people. Many are loners and only like the company of other Scribes.

Rebels
– There are two groups: shifters and humans. Shifter rebels had banned together to stop the Onyx and other rogues by force. Human rebels had banned together after discovering the shifter communities and seek to destroy all of them, good or bad.

Council of Elders
– Past Alphas and Marshals that form a united ruling body over all Packs to ensure the laws of secrecy from humans are kept and enforced.

Lia Davis is a mother to two young adults and three equally special kitties, a wife to her soul mate, and a lover of romance. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers. But it's her home and she loves it!

An accounting major, Lia has always been a dreamer with a very active imagination. The wheels in her head never stop. She ventured into the world of writing and publishing in 2008 and loves it more than she imagined. Writing is stress reliever that allows her to go off in her corner of the house and enter into another world that she created, leaving real life where it belongs.

Her favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties.

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Paranormals

Ashwood Falls Series

Winter Eve

A Tiger’s Claim

A Mating Dance

Surrendering to the Alpha

A Rebel’s Heart

Divided Loyalties

Touch of Desire

A Leopard’s Path

Jaguar’s Judgment

Ashwood World

An Alpha’s Fate

Sons of War Series

War’s Passion

Ashes of War

Artemis’s Hunt

Vampire Lords

It’s A Vampire Christmas

Contemporaries

Pleasures of the Heart Series

Business Pleasures

Single Titles

His Guarded Heart