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  MOUNT ROXBY

  BOOKS 1-3

  Aimie Jennison

  Mount Roxby: Books 1-3

  Copyright © 2018 Aimie Jennison

  Cover by Sloan Johnson at Sloan J Designs

  Formatting: Aimie Jennison

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Aimie Jennison is in no way affiliated with any brands, songs, musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  CONTENTS

  A NOTE FOR THE READER

  PRIDE TO PACK

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  1. NEW BEGINNINGS

  2. UNWANTED ENCOUNTERS

  3. VAULTING BARS

  4. BLOODTHIRSTY WEREWOLVES

  5. PAIN OF THE PAST

  6. WITCHY PERKS

  7. HALF BLIND DATE

  8. TESTY WOLVES

  9. DECLARATIONS

  10. HUNT

  11. CONS OF A TIE

  12. SECOND DATES

  13. WOLFING OUT

  14. STALKER STATUS

  15. FRIENDS

  16. ALLIES ATTACK

  17. POTENT STEAM

  18. VANISHING ACT

  19. LOYALTY

  20. HEART TO HEART

  21. TAKEN

  22. CONTACT

  23. REUNION

  24. SEEKING CONTACT

  25. ONE TRACK MIND

  26. UNEXPECTED GUEST

  27. EXECUTIONER

  28. FACING DOWN THE WOLF

  29. PRIVATE CELEBRATION

  FOREVER YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  1. AN UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL

  2. SEEDY BARS

  3. BOSSY BROTHER

  4. BOYS’ NIGHT OUT

  5. THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER

  6. UNWANTED GIFTS

  7. HANGOVERS AND FLASHBACKS

  8. MEDDLING CHICKS

  9. TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM

  10. BBQS AND BACKYARD CRICKET

  11. CONFESSIONS OF A FIRST DATE

  12. BARBARIANS AND DRAGONS

  13. SCARRED FOR LIFE

  14. THE ONE

  15. FROM HEAVEN TO HELL IN A SECOND

  16. PUSHING THE WOLF DOWN

  17. UNEXPECTED HEART TO HEART

  18. SHOPPING MAKES HUNGRY MEN

  19. BLACKNESS DESCENDS

  20. GIFT FROM HELL

  21. CALLING THE ENEMY

  22. THE WORLD SHATTERS

  23. REBORN

  24. PEEPING TOM

  25. HOT-TEMPERED PUP

  26. CALMING THE STORM

  27. BACK TO LIFE

  28. HENS, PENISES, AND REVELATIONS

  29. THE ROMANCE OF A WEDDING

  30. FALLING INTO PLACE

  31. HEROES DON’T ALWAYS WIN

  32. BROKEN HEARTED

  RECLAIMING THE ONE

  DEDICATION

  1. INVITATION HOME

  2. DELECTABLE HONEYSUCKLE

  3. EXPLAINING THE PAST

  4. SORROW AND PAIN

  5. ALPHA DUEL

  6. SIN BEFORE MARRIAGE

  7. TOO MUCH INFORMATION

  8. CAT’S DON’T LIKE BAGS

  9. PRECIOUS CARGO

  10. PART OF THE PACK

  11. IT’S THE HORMONES

  12. DIE TRYING

  13. MINE AT LAST

  14. CLAIM ME

  15. PACK MAGIC

  16. WE BELONG

  17. SURPRISES SUCK

  18. VISITORS

  19. HOME AT LAST

  20. OURS

  21. FIERCE FEMALE

  22. FACE OFF

  23. SAFE AT LAST

  24. OUR FAMILY

  ALSO BY AIMIE JENNISON

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  A NOTE FOR THE READER

  This book has been written using UK English and is set in Australia. I apologise if there are words or phrases you do not understand. Please feel free to contact me for further explanation, or to discuss the meaning of a particular phrase or word, via my email or any of my social media.

  PRIDE TO PACK

  MOUNT ROXBY SERIES: BOOK ONE

  Copyright © 2014 Aimie Jennison

  Cover by Sloan Johnson at Sloan J Designs

  Formatting: Aimie Jennison

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Aimie Jennison is in no way affiliated with any brands, songs, musicians or artists mentioned in this book.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  DEDICATION

  To Nana June.

  Thank you for always being my cheerleader.

  I will miss you and I will never forget you.

  PROLOGUE

  Rosabel - Six Years Ago

  “Bel, get your butt down these stairs now,” Uncle Jack bellows from the basement.

  “I’m coming. Geez, am I not allowed to even eat breakfast?” I answer, not bothering to shout, knowing he’ll hear me clearly, with his were-lion hearing, even if I whisper. Were-animals have extra sensitive hearing.

  Aunt Lily pats my back as I pass her, heading to the basement door. “He doesn’t want to lose you in this duel, sweetheart. It’s your first duel and he knows how strong Jerome is. It has him worried.”

  I take a deep breath before opening the door and heading down the stairs. The next few hours are going to be painful. Uncle Jack will push me, hard.

  Uncle Jack started training me the day after I arrived, at the age of ten. He knew I needed it because as soon as I reached the legal age of duelling—which happened to be eighteen—I would be challenged, time and time again until one of them killed me. The lions just don’t think a wolf deserves to be part of their pride. The thing is, I don’t even want to be part of their stupid pride.

  I just want somewhere to call home.

  My home was taken away from me when my parents died. My legal guardian, Aunt Lily, is the only tie I have to my parents. At eighteen, I’m old enough to go off on my own, but my Aunt, Uncle, and cousin Benji, are family. I love them and don’t want to leave them.

&
nbsp; * * *

  The basement is set up like any high-end gym, with all the equipment and weights anyone could ask for. The floor is covered in mats to soften the fall when I am sparing with Uncle Jack. I appreciate those mats because I do hit the floor—a lot.

  Uncle Jack is standing in the middle of the mats ready to spar. He’s trained me in all kinds of Martial Arts, so I’m not limited and won’t get stuck if someone fights in some unusual form.

  I take hit after hit knowing that this time tomorrow, I will be fighting to the death. This torture Uncle Jack puts me through is for my own good.

  * * *

  The Pride is assembled in the arena, which is basically an open field surrounded by the forests of the pride land. I call it a field but there is nothing there. It’s just packed dirt. It has seen many duels over the years; the red dirt the Northern Territory is known for is almost black from all the blood spilled on it.

  The lions are circled around the outside of the arena.

  Jerome is already waiting in the centre for me.

  Humans aren’t allowed, it’s too dangerous if the fight spreads towards the spectators. Aunt Lily and my cousin Benji are both human so I only have Uncle Jack, who is one of the lions, there to support me.

  The crowd parts to let me in.

  Uncle Jack gives me one last pat on the shoulder as he stops to stand with the crowd. “You can do this, Bel. Remember your strengths. Forget everything else.”

  I take a deep breath and face my opponent.

  Jerome has a good foot on me in human form. He easily outweighs me. He’s smirking at me like he knows he has this fight in the bag.

  That’s it, Jerome, you keep thinking like that. Let the overconfidence take you that step closer to the body bag.

  Grigori Dorfman, the current Leader of the Pride, steps up to stand between us. “Jerome, you have challenged Rosabel to a duel. Does your challenge still stand?”

  Jerome nods. “Yes.”

  “Very well. Rosabel, since you are the challenged party, you have the choice of whether you want to fight in human or animal form.”

  “Human,” I answer immediately. When fighting in animal form, you only need a tooth or claw to connect in the wrong place and you’re dead. Fighting as a human may take longer and be harder, but you can control your opponent more. Fighting in animal form isn’t a viable option.

  Grigori’s loud voice booms around the arena. “You both must remain in human form at all times. If either of you shift, or even partially shift, your opponent will be declared winner and you will immediately be put to death. This duel is to the death. Do you both understand the rules?”

  “Yes,” we answer together.

  Grigori throws his arms wide and bows his head. “May the best animal win.”

  Jerome and I start to circle each other, weighing each other up. Neither of us willing to make the first move.

  “Come on Jerome, she’s only a little girl,” a male voice shouts.

  Jerome turns, chasing the voice; I take the opportunity to strike him in the side of the head with a round house kick. He hits the ground and shakes his head. I move in with a kick to his jaw. He seems to anticipate it making a grab for my foot; he was a second too late and only manages to knock my foot away.

  I step back and start to circle again as Jerome stands up.

  He jabs his fist at my ribs and connects, causing a crack that I have no doubt means something is broken. He follows with a second jab to the same area.

  Lapping up the attention as the audience cheers, he smirks. During his distraction I grab his outstretched arm, pulling it against the bend in his elbow. It cracks louder than my ribs, and I see some of the spectators flinch at the sound. I can see the shift cross his face, but he fights it off. Pain can be a trigger to shift, just like it’s a trigger for nausea in humans. He did well to fight it off that quick.

  The fight goes on for at least twenty minutes, which believe me, when you are fighting to the death is a long time. Both of us have been throwing punches and striking with kicks and neither of us is getting the upper hand.

  Uncle Jack trained me for at least four hours every day. I have the endurance to handle this fight, but Jerome is getting tired. I can see it and so can the Pride.

  “Come on, Jerome. End her,” someone shouts.

  He tries to execute a roundhouse kick to my face in retaliation to those comments. Fortunately, for me, he’s sluggish. I let the momentum in his poorly executed kick take him to the ground before I pounce on his chest and grab his head between my hands.

  I snap his neck.

  The audience is outraged. Not only have I won, I’m still breathing. A wolf. A female wolf just beat one of their strongest male lions in a duel to the death.

  Grigori walks into the arena and states the obvious by announcing me—the only one still standing and breathing breaths that feel like a hot brand being jabbed into my side—the winner.

  The crowd gets louder. He tries to calm them down but it’s no use. He nods to Uncle Jack, signalling him to come and take me home so he can try to calm the pride without my distracting presence.

  I only manage to hobble a couple of steps before Jerome’s brother, Daniel, pushes his way through the crowd.

  He gives me a murderous glare as the crowd falls silent.

  “I challenge the wolf.” He steps into the arena and removes his shirt, preparing to fight.

  No way can I survive another duel so soon.

  I shake free of Uncle Jack’s vice-like grip and settle my feet to show I’m not going to run.

  “I accept,” I reply officially, as required.

  Uncle Jack is red in the face, holding his rage back as he rants at Grigori.

  Jared Dorfman, Grigori’s oldest son and the next in line to be Pride Leader, steps in front of me. I didn’t see where he came from, probably because my eyes are swelling shut and didn’t spot his stealthy approach. He gently holds my face between his hands, assessing the damage.

  I suck in a breath at the concern I see in his golden eyes. My heart pounds a little harder at his soft touch. None of the pride have ever been concerned about me. I start to think I have read him wrong and he’s more concerned about the fact that I’m still breathing, that is, until he speaks.

  “It’s okay, Rosabel. They can’t make you duel again so soon. It’s Pride law. They have to give you at least a day to heal.”

  My stomach plummets. As good as a day reprieve sounds, it’s nowhere near enough time to heal and be fit enough to win another duel. They are just going to prolong my suffering and death.

  * * *

  My day reprieve passed in the blink of an eye. It could’ve had something to do with sleeping through most of it. My body’s natural urge to heal while I slept took over. I wanted to train but my body was having none of it.

  I gingerly walk in the kitchen to give Benji and Aunt Lily a last minute hug goodbye. I’m not feeling very confident today knowing it might actually be the last hug I get to give them.

  Aunt Lily dashes across the room the minute she sees me, taking me in her arms, surrounding me with her floral scent. “It’s an abomination. Making you duel when you are still recovering from the last one. I feel like storming down to that arena and giving them a piece of my mind.”

  “You can’t do that. It will only cause trouble for Uncle Jack. I’ve trained all these years. I can handle it.” I pull away, putting on my brave face. I need to leave now before I crack, causing her to do exactly what she wants—no doubt writing her own death warrant in the process.

  Benji stands from his seat at the table. “Come on, Bel, you don’t want to be late. I’ll walk you down the road. Uncle Jack said he’d meet you at Grigori’s. There was a meeting this morning.” He walks straight out the door without making eye contact with Aunt Lily or me. I can smell his tears so I know the reason why. It’s the same reason I follow him out silently, neither of us want to make Aunt Lily any more concerned.

  Neither of us speaks aga
in until we reach Grigori’s drive, both lost in our own heads. I can’t help looking at all the gorgeous houses, seeing the picket fences and beautiful flower beds, only to think people passing through this town have no idea the very people who keep these houses so beautiful would be trying their damnedest to have an eighteen-year-old woman killed just because she’s another species.

  “Bel,” Benji’s whimper pulls me from my thoughts.

  One look at his blotchy face covered in tears makes me pull him into my arms. “Shhhh. It’s okay, Benj.”

  Grigori’s door opens. Jared, Uncle Jack, and Grigori file out. Grigori walks out the gate not even acknowledging we are here. But then again Benji is a lowly human and I’m a wolf; we already know what the lions think of me. Why should he bother acknowledging us?