Read Online Unwrapping Tess (A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance)(Vegas Mates Book 5): Christmas Encounters by Krystal Shannan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Krystal Shannan
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wolves and cocked her head.
“They are probably latents we haven’t met yet.”
True. She agreed with her wolf’s assessment. Chris and Sarah lived just up the road, and Woodhaven functioned as a training facility for Steven Antipas’ descendants who were latents—wolves that hadn’t learned to shift because they were half human.
Sam and Nicole bounded up and knocked Hallie and her into the snow. Tess shook the cold powder from her face and woofed at her sisters then swung her head toward the forest. She wanted to run. Needed to run.
Sam woofed back and took off toward the trees.
Yes! Finally.
The pack followed the Alpha female. When they were together, it was Sam’s place to lead if her mate, Chase, wasn’t there. Even being away for as long as they had been, Tess knew hierarchy in a pack kept things orderly and peaceful.
Cold wind blew through her fur as they dashed between trees and ran full throttle through the forest. This was what she’d missed in New York. Freedom. Open space. Her human side loved the city’s hustle and bustle, but her wolf couldn’t forget what she’d left.
“We should stay here.”
I can’t leave Hallie in New York.
“You’re both adults. It’s okay to have different lives.”
Tess dodged a fallen tree trunk and landed in a deep bank of snow on the other side. She shook it off and leapt back into a run, catching up with the pack in moments.
Just enjoy it for now.
Her wolf sighed, but Tess could feel her sorrow over the thought of leaving Woodhaven again. It’d become part of them after they left Las Vegas with Margaret and Scott. It was home, even more so than Vegas, where she’d grown up from a child. The forest called to her more than it did Hallie.
Sure her sister missed getting out to run, too, but Hallie loved the business side of things much more. Their aunt had taken Hallie under her wing and was teaching her pack politics. Tess had no doubt in her mind that Aunt Melinda was grooming Hallie to succeed her as Alpha female of the New York pack one day.
“You don’t want to be an Alpha. Your sister does. She always has,” her wolf spoke slowly. And don’t forget that Nicole still lives in New York.
Tess turned sharply to the right to avoid a low-lying branch and growled.
I know. But if I stayed here, I’d be leaving all three of my sisters. Staying just because I want to isn’t a good enough reason to abandon the pack.
“There’s no need to make a choice at this moment.”
So true. This moment was about the joy of the run.
One of the unfamiliar wolves crossed directly behind, nipping at her flanks and growling teasingly. She took the challenge and knocked him off his legs before he could find his stride again.
A throaty bark put him in his place and he lay still on the ground, waiting for her to leave before getting up. She bared her teeth and snapped a warning. She might not be an Alpha, but she was a Demakis and her place in the pack was much higher than his. He had no business nipping at her, no matter how teasing it might appear.
He whined.
She turned away and lifted her nose to the air. The scent of the pack had turned; they were all headed back to Woodhaven.
A few minutes at a flat run brought her to the edge of the trees. The inn stood before her across the wide-open meadow. Scott had cleared at least another quarter-acre of forest, giving the inn a larger sight line. The farther the trees were from the buildings, the harder it was for anything or anyone to sneak up.
The latent wolf exited the tree line a dozen yards north of her. She watched him walk slowly, his head low, and his body tense.
“He’s pissed.”
He needs to get over himself.
Her wolf shrugged. She shook her head, flapping her ears to get the snow off and trotted back to her parked car. Hallie was already inside getting dressed.
She shifted quickly, shivering as the north wind hit her bare skin instead of fur. Pulling at the door handle, she slid into
“They are probably latents we haven’t met yet.”
True. She agreed with her wolf’s assessment. Chris and Sarah lived just up the road, and Woodhaven functioned as a training facility for Steven Antipas’ descendants who were latents—wolves that hadn’t learned to shift because they were half human.
Sam and Nicole bounded up and knocked Hallie and her into the snow. Tess shook the cold powder from her face and woofed at her sisters then swung her head toward the forest. She wanted to run. Needed to run.
Sam woofed back and took off toward the trees.
Yes! Finally.
The pack followed the Alpha female. When they were together, it was Sam’s place to lead if her mate, Chase, wasn’t there. Even being away for as long as they had been, Tess knew hierarchy in a pack kept things orderly and peaceful.
Cold wind blew through her fur as they dashed between trees and ran full throttle through the forest. This was what she’d missed in New York. Freedom. Open space. Her human side loved the city’s hustle and bustle, but her wolf couldn’t forget what she’d left.
“We should stay here.”
I can’t leave Hallie in New York.
“You’re both adults. It’s okay to have different lives.”
Tess dodged a fallen tree trunk and landed in a deep bank of snow on the other side. She shook it off and leapt back into a run, catching up with the pack in moments.
Just enjoy it for now.
Her wolf sighed, but Tess could feel her sorrow over the thought of leaving Woodhaven again. It’d become part of them after they left Las Vegas with Margaret and Scott. It was home, even more so than Vegas, where she’d grown up from a child. The forest called to her more than it did Hallie.
Sure her sister missed getting out to run, too, but Hallie loved the business side of things much more. Their aunt had taken Hallie under her wing and was teaching her pack politics. Tess had no doubt in her mind that Aunt Melinda was grooming Hallie to succeed her as Alpha female of the New York pack one day.
“You don’t want to be an Alpha. Your sister does. She always has,” her wolf spoke slowly. And don’t forget that Nicole still lives in New York.
Tess turned sharply to the right to avoid a low-lying branch and growled.
I know. But if I stayed here, I’d be leaving all three of my sisters. Staying just because I want to isn’t a good enough reason to abandon the pack.
“There’s no need to make a choice at this moment.”
So true. This moment was about the joy of the run.
One of the unfamiliar wolves crossed directly behind, nipping at her flanks and growling teasingly. She took the challenge and knocked him off his legs before he could find his stride again.
A throaty bark put him in his place and he lay still on the ground, waiting for her to leave before getting up. She bared her teeth and snapped a warning. She might not be an Alpha, but she was a Demakis and her place in the pack was much higher than his. He had no business nipping at her, no matter how teasing it might appear.
He whined.
She turned away and lifted her nose to the air. The scent of the pack had turned; they were all headed back to Woodhaven.
A few minutes at a flat run brought her to the edge of the trees. The inn stood before her across the wide-open meadow. Scott had cleared at least another quarter-acre of forest, giving the inn a larger sight line. The farther the trees were from the buildings, the harder it was for anything or anyone to sneak up.
The latent wolf exited the tree line a dozen yards north of her. She watched him walk slowly, his head low, and his body tense.
“He’s pissed.”
He needs to get over himself.
Her wolf shrugged. She shook her head, flapping her ears to get the snow off and trotted back to her parked car. Hallie was already inside getting dressed.
She shifted quickly, shivering as the north wind hit her bare skin instead of fur. Pulling at the door handle, she slid into
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