Fate, Love & Loyalty: (A Havenwood Falls Novella) Read online

  About This Book

  Welcome to Havenwood Falls, a small town in the majestic mountains of Colorado. A town where legacies began centuries ago, bloodlines run deep, and dark secrets abound. A town where nobody is what you think, where truths pose as lies, and where myths blend with reality. A place where everyone has a story. This is only but one . . .

  Aster McCabe couldn’t be happier with her job managing Coffee Haven and baking blueberry scones the whole town raves about, especially her sweet and sexy boyfriend Patrick. She loves her simple, small-town life in Havenwood Falls. At least, until her sister suddenly shows up with trouble not far behind.

  The sisters’ relationship has always been volatile, especially with the pressure of being the alpha’s daughters and the expectation to be perfect. Reeve never failed in that department, and Aster grew up in the shadow of her sister’s success. But when Reeve left for college, Aster blossomed. So she’s dealt a painful blow the moment her sister walks in the door and meets Patrick—a mountain lion’s call to its mate couldn’t be any more obvious. Neither can it be controlled or refused.

  When an unstable alpha from another den claims Reeve as his mate, Aster, bitter over the recent betrayal, practically draws the guy a map to Reeve’s location, unknowingly putting her entire family and den in danger. Aster must figure out how to right her wrong and save her family. But loyalty and love are further tested when a stranger appears with the potential to forever change Aster’s fate.

  Fate, Love & Loyalty

  A Havenwood Falls Novella

  E.J. Fechenda

  Contents

  Other Havenwood Falls Books

  Books by E.J. Fechenda

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Other Havenwood Falls Books

  Forget You Not by Kristie Cook

  Old Wounds by Susan Burdorf

  Covetousness by Randi Cooley Wilson

  More books releasing on a monthly basis

  Also try the YA line, Havenwood Falls High, launching October 2017

  Stay up to date at www.HavenwoodFalls.com and subscribe to our newsletter

  Books by E.J. Fechenda

  The New Mafia Trilogy

  The Beautiful People

  Clean Slate

  Endings & Beginnings

  Enforcer (a prequel novella)

  The Ghost Stories Trilogy

  End of the Road

  Havoc

  Copyright © 2017 E.J. Fechenda, Ang’dora Productions, LLC

  All rights reserved.

  Published by

  Ang’dora Productions, LLC

  5621 Strand Blvd, Ste 210

  Naples, FL 34110

  Havenwood Falls and Ang’dora Productions and their associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Ang’dora Productions, LLC.

  Cover design by Regina Wamba at MaeIDesign.com

  Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the owner of this book.

  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  This book is dedicated to Annette and Carrie. You may have lost your battles this year, but you fought until the end. You taught me to not take anything for granted and to persist, no matter what.

  Chapter 1

  The bell above the front door chimed, and Aster McCabe looked up from the espresso machine, anticipating her boyfriend since she’d been counting down the minutes all morning. They were going away to celebrate their six-month anniversary with a long overdue trip to her family’s cabin located in a remote area in the mountains. There they’d be able to shift and run and hunt together, away from the watchful eyes of the community. With Patrick being new to the den and new to Havenwood Falls, there were some who viewed his attachment to Aster as more of a strategic political move. Being the alpha’s daughter placed Aster and anyone she became involved with under more scrutiny—a fact that she hated. She always felt she was being held to a higher standard than the other members of their den, and her perfect sister, Reeve, had raised the standards even higher. At the thought of her sister, Aster scowled. The last time Reeve had been home was for Christmas, right before Patrick had shown up in town, and they’d fought constantly.

  Instead of Patrick, Aster’s boss, Willow Fairchild, walked in cradling her swollen belly—the reason why she’d been showing up later and later for work. A gust of wind followed her in, carrying the sweet fragrance from catalpa trees that were in full bloom. The town square across the street was home to several of these towering trees, which had more fluffy white blossoms than leaves.

  “How are you feeling?” Aster asked, deftly steaming milk without even looking at the machine.

  “Good. Tired. The baby kicked up a storm last night.” Willow eased into a chair at one of the few empty tables near the front counter.

  “I can cancel my weekend away if you’re not up to running the shop,” Aster offered as she handed a latte to a waiting customer.

  “No, no. You and Patrick have been planning this. I’ll be fine, and Paisley is able to work some extra hours.” Willow dismissed Aster with a wave of her hand before resting it back on top of her baby bump. With her white-blonde hair and pixie features, Willow looked barely old enough to be pregnant. While her fae heritage gifted her with a youthful appearance, she was really six years older than Aster. After Aster graduated from college in December, Willow promoted her to manager—a timely decision, since Willow found out a month later that she was pregnant.

  Shadows under Willow’s eyes, more noticeable because of her porcelain skin, made Aster worry. What if she left and something bad happened? Willow had become more like the sister she wanted, and Aster suddenly felt guilty about leaving. Was it selfish of her to go? She attempted to shrug off the negative thoughts, but it was too late. Willow had already received them. It was hard to hide anything from her boss, one of Havenwood Falls’ most powerful empaths. She sensed emotions from miles away.

  “Stop it, Aster,” Willow said. “You worry too much about what other people think. You need to get out of here and let loose—it will do you some good.”

  Aster smiled and smoothed her apron, wiping at a clump of flour from a batch of her blueberry scones that won Best of Havenwood Falls two years in a row. Streaks of white powder stood out against the black fabric. “I know.”

  Willow’s command was easier said than done. Having grown up in Reeve’s shadow, Aster had years of feeling insecure holding her back. Reeve had moved to Denver and had been gone for more than six years, but the comparisons never stopped. Reeve was high school class valedictorian, she was Miss Teen Havenwood Falls, and she practically walked on water. Guys of all species salivated in her wake. Back then, Aster had been an awkward teenager, and puberty hadn’t been kind. All knobby knees and elbows with carrot-orange hair that stuck out in a riot of uncontrollable curls, she was a far cry from beautiful Reeve. She was even envious that her sister was able to leave Havenw
ood Falls to move to the city, where she lived a glamorous life. Of course, the Court of the Sun and the Moon, the governing body for supes in town, made an exception for her and lifted the spell that usually made other supes and humans forget their time spent in Havenwood Falls.

  “You’re doing it again.” Willow’s voice broke through Aster’s thoughts. “Have you heard from Reeve?”

  “Not lately. She’s probably busy planning some extravagant event for some celebrity.” Aster turned around to open the oven door. Heat blasted her skin, and the sweet aroma of blueberries and cinnamon assaulted her nostrils. She grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out a tray of golden-brown scones, setting them on the marble counter to cool. She loved the old-fashioned counter and that she didn’t have to worry about using a cooling rack or hot pad.

  “Aster, you have carved out your own life here and landed an awesome job with the coolest boss ever. Oh, and you have a hot piece of man meat. Who knows, soon you could be sporting one of these.” Willow patted her baby bump dramatically, making Aster laugh.

  “No! Hell no! I’m not ready for that.” Aster shook her head in denial, her ponytail swishing along her back with the movement. Her once carrot-orange hair had darkened to a light auburn, and the longer she grew it, the more the curls relaxed. These days she had grown to appreciate her locks, but had to keep them pulled back. No one appreciated hair in their scones. While she disagreed with Willow on babies, she did agree with her about having an awesome job.

  Aster surveyed the shop, taking a moment to admire all of her hard work over the past year. Paintings from local artists hung on the red brick walls, adding color to the space. At Aster’s suggestion, Willow had added flower boxes to the large front picture window, and the wildflowers that bloomed were a cheerful greeting to anyone walking by outside. Several hanging plants inside, along with Willow’s crystal collection, added a quirky vibe. Overall, the effect was relaxing and inviting. Combined with the good coffee and food, Coffee Haven was a favorite among locals and visitors.

  “Well, it’s going to happen one of these days, because you’re a catch. Why do you think eighty-five percent of our customers are male?” Willow winked, because at that moment Patrick walked in the door. “And all of them are hot for you. Feelings . . . I pick up on these things, you know,” she said and tapped her temple.

  “Who’s hot for you, besides me?” Patrick said with a growl. He stalked across the shop and around the counter, pulling Aster into his arms. She sank into his warmth and breathed in his musk. He rubbed his cheeks against her hair, an instinctual way of marking her with his scent. She tilted her head up, and he slanted his mouth over hers, sending the message to any male in the coffee shop that she was taken. This sent a shiver through her, though she never would have admitted the whole display of male dominance turned her on. Of course, Willow picked up on it and started to giggle. Aster flipped her off behind Patrick’s back, which made Willow laugh even harder.

  “You ready to go, babe?” Patrick asked when they separated.

  “Yes,” she responded breathlessly. “My bag is upstairs.”

  One of the perks of being manager of the coffee shop was the apartment upstairs, which Willow rented to her at a reduced rate, since having a mountain lion shifter living upstairs was added security. Aster untied her apron and tossed it in the hamper under the sink.

  Just as they were preparing to leave, the bell above the door chimed. Aster turned to see who was coming in and froze in place. What the hell was Reeve doing here? There her sister stood, wearing simple jeans and a black T-shirt, but still managing to showcase every curve. Her hair looked like she had just had it professionally styled; auburn waves framed her heart-shaped face. While Aster was momentarily stunned, Patrick was not, and she watched in disbelief as he prowled toward Reeve.

  “Patrick?” Aster called, and she reached for his arm, but he shrugged her off. “Patrick!” she said louder, and he looked back at her briefly with a dazed look in his eyes.

  He blinked once, slowly, before focusing on Reeve again. Aster stared in disbelief as she noticed Reeve’s dreamy expression and how her sister tracked Patrick’s every move. Then she realized what was happening, and her stomach dropped to her toes. She’d seen this before, when their brother Braden met his wife, Kaitlyn.

  “Oh, shit,” Willow said from behind the counter, and Aster looked at her. “I’m so sorry, honey.” Her bright blue eyes shone with sympathy.

  Willow’s confirmation hit Aster like a punch in the gut, and she bent over as if in physical pain. She couldn’t breathe and couldn’t process what was happening. Reeve wasn’t even supposed to be there in the first place.

  “Unbelievable!” she screamed. “You always get everything. Why?”

  She couldn’t bear to look at them anymore as they scented each other and began touching every inch of exposed skin, oblivious to anyone else around them. With a sob, Aster stormed out through the back of the shop. As soon as she was in the alley behind Coffee Haven, she stripped off her clothes, shifted into her cat form, and took off for the woods on the outskirts of town. She didn’t care that running through town as a mountain lion was frowned upon or that there would be consequences. All she cared about was running far away from her sister before she did something stupid, like gouge her eyes out with her claws . . . or kill her.

  Chapter 2

  For Reeve McCabe, meeting her true mate couldn’t have come at a worst time. She wanted to fight it, but was powerless against the attraction. She felt inexplicably drawn to the handsome stranger in the coffee shop, and he became her only focus. She smelled her sister’s scent all over him, and it made her want to pounce on him to claim him right then and there. Aster. The only reason she stopped by the coffee shop to begin with. She broke away from her mate’s gaze when her sister cried out and winced when she saw the hurt on Aster’s flushed face, her red cheeks stained with tears. When Aster took off, Reeve ran after her.

  She called out for Aster to come back, but by the time she reached the alley, Aster was gone, her clothes a discarded heap on the pavement. Reeve started to call her cat forward so she could pursue her sister, but her cat had nothing but mating on her mind and refused to cooperate. She was unable to leave her mate. She didn’t even know his name or where he came from, but that didn’t matter. Now that they’d crossed paths, she knew she’d never stray far from his side.

  She had come to tell Aster she was home for an indefinite amount of time. Life had gone sideways in Denver, and she needed the security, the protection, of the den and her family. Trouble had followed Reeve lately, and sadness weighed heavy on her heart when she realized the source of her sister’s anguish. Her mate was Aster’s boyfriend. Shit. Without even meaning to, she had once again caused her sister pain. With a sigh, Reeve picked up her sister’s clothes and folded them. She brought them inside and left them in a neat stack on top of a cardboard box before returning to her mate.

  “I feel just as shitty, too. Aster doesn’t deserve this. She’s a good person. I’ve seen you in the pictures she has in her apartment. You’re Reeve?” her mate asked in a deep voice that echoed within her soul. He brushed a tear off of her cheek before his hands came to rest on her hips, and she felt the strength they possessed. His eyes were a warm brown, framed with thick lashes. His light brown hair was long on top and tousled. A straight nose brought her attention to his full lips.

  “Yes,” she replied and stepped closer so their bodies were a breath apart. “And you are?” His heart pounded a strong, steady beat, and she was shocked to discover her heartbeat had already aligned with his.

  “Patrick O’Shea.” A hand left her hip and ghosted up her side, lightly brushing against her right breast before cupping her cheek. She leaned into his touch and purred. All thoughts of anything except Patrick disappeared when he touched her. She knew they had an audience in the coffee shop, but she didn’t care. The instinct to fully mate with Patrick clouded her brain. “Please tell me you have your own place, because I
’m staying with my parents.”

  Patrick smiled, his canines already grown longer, and his eyes flashed golden. “I do. Let’s go.”

  They quickly left Coffee Haven, a boatload of pheromones following them out the door.

  Patrick lived in Havenwood Village, an apartment complex located a block away from downtown Main Street. At the speed they ran, they reached his apartment within minutes. He opened the front door, and that’s as far as they got. Patrick pressed her up against the wall and lowered his head to capture her lips. She tilted to meet him and growled in appreciation when they connected. His lips were soft, but the kiss was hard with urgency. She parted her mouth and welcomed his tongue while burying her hands in his thick hair and tugging on it, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. Reeve moved her hips forward, and as if in sync, Patrick did too. His arousal pressed against her belly, and she broke off the kiss.

  “I can’t believe this is really happening,” she panted.

  “Me either,” Patrick said between kisses that he traced from the corner of her mouth and along her neck. She tilted her head back, giving him more access. He brushed her long auburn hair behind her shoulder and gently bit down on at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. His canines just barely broke the skin. The act of dominance triggered waves of lust.

  “Wait, I don’t even know you, and what about Aster?” she asked, trying to retain a grip on reality and not be consumed by her emotions. Reeve’s voice shook as she struggled to form the words.