Winterlust (COMPLETE)

Mate

Violet

Violet hears familiar voices off in the distance, and she struggles to release herself from her groggy slumber. As the voices get louder, Violet feels her body is cradled in a soothing embrace. The smell of cinnamon fills her senses as she becomes more aware of her surroundings. This feels heavenly.

“We will come with you, Alpha”, she hears. It’s mother and Aunt Mur- grandma? - talking. Violet hears their steady heartbeats. They aren’t afraid. Violet looks up at the man cradling her. It’s YOU! “Mom? Is this the man that Ellie told me to trust?” “It is, sweetheart. Who is Ellie?”

The man is looking down at her, smiling. His eyes are twinkling, and his heartbeat has quickened. He seems happy to see me. Mate. “I didn’t see her, but I think she’s my wolf”, Violet answers as she buries her face into her mate’s chest.

“Are you my mate?”, she asks shyly. Travis throws his head back and lets out a huge belly laugh, “Well yes I am, little Peanut. Do you know what that means?” Violet nods slowly, “I think so, kind of.” Violet leans back to get a better look at the most handsome man she has ever seen in her entire life.

“I’ll tell you the most important thing that it means, little Peanut. It means that I promise to cherish you and protect you. It means that I would give my life to save yours”, he smiles as he boops his pointer finger on her nose. Violet lets out a small giggle. “Now listen, Peanut. We have to get going right now. Do you think you are okay to get up and get moving?” “Is my dad coming after me?”, she asks, hugging her mate a little tighter. “He is, yes”, Travis nods sombrely. “What’s your name?” “My name is Alpha Travis James of Crimson Moon. But you little Peanut, you can call me Trav”.

Travis swoops Violet into the air and sets her down gently, holding her arms until he’s certain she’s steady. “Alright, let’s go”, Travis says, standing. Violet shyly reaches for his hand to hold, and he looks down at her with surprise. “Okay, Trav”, she giggles.

Travis

Muriel and Evelyn set to work emptying the fridge and freezer. They hand all the perishable food over to the warriors, who take it out back and throw it into the woods for the wildlife. “I have to go check on my gamma, little Peanut”, Travis says to Violet. “Can I come with you? He got hurt protecting me.” “Of course you can. Someday you will be his Luna.”

“What about my inn?”, Muriel asks suddenly. Travis thinks for a minute and then his eyes glaze over to black. Moments later, one of the warriors comes into the kitchen, followed by Janie. “Yes, Alpha?”, the warrior asks. “Philip Caldwell, I’d like you to meet my future grandmother-in-law, Muriel Morrison. Phil, I need you to hang back a few days and hire some help for Mrs. Morrison’s motel”, Travis commands. “Yes, Alpha”, Philip nods and escorts Muriel back to the living room.

“Janie, I need you to get over to Evie’s first thing in the morning and see to it that Evelyn has enough help for her gym. You and Phil can keep the SUV you arrived in. I’ll send Owen to join you as soon as he wraps up a meeting in the city tomorrow morning. Hopefully Muriel has a room for you at the motel to stay in for the next few days.” “Yes, Alpha”, Janie nods. Evelyn sits down at the kitchen table, motioning for Janie to join her. “Now, about Peter”, Travis says as he heads for the motor home.

After Travis is satisfied that Peter will be alright, he links another warrior to join them in the motor home. “Chris, you will drive the motor home back to the packhouse”, he commands. “Yes, Alpha.” “Now that all of that is sorted, how would you ladies like to travel?”, Travis asks Violet. “I’d like to come with you, Trav”.

Outside in the driveway, everyone piles into their assigned vehicles. Muriel and Evelyn get into the SUV with the three remaining warriors. Travis swoops Violet up in his arms and sets her gently into the front seat of his pickup truck. “Violet, wait!”, Muriel calls as she walks quickly toward the truck. “Here. You’re going to need this”, she says, handing Violet the hardcover book on trains. “A book about trains?”, Violet asks with a confused face. Muriel pulls the plastic cover off, revealing a very worn brown book. It’s completely bare except for the gold embossed “Werewolves” on the cover. Violet leans out and kisses her grandmother on the cheek. “Thank you”.

“Where do you live?”, Violet asks Travis once they’re on the road. “My packhouse is on the other side of Lakeview in a town called Hemlock. It’s about three hours away.” Travis tells Violet the story about how he became the Alpha of Crimson Moon, and Violet hangs on to his every word.

“Now listen, Peanut. We have our whole lives to get to know each other, but right now I need to make some phone calls to the packhouse. You should probably dig into that book your grandmother gave to you. Is that okay?” Violet nods and puts her buds in her ears. She cracks the battered and dusty book open and begins to read.