Kasey went home four days later . There was really no reason for her to have stayed the extra day , but Royce had insisted and the staff , whether charmed or bullied by him , had done as he 'd asked . She didn 't care . She just simply didn 't care . It was where they 'd taken her that pissed her off . " I can very well stay on my own or with my uncle . In fact , I 'd rather stay with him . Take me there . I have absolutely no reason to stay with you . " She 'd said this same thing a total of eight times now and she knew she was wasting her breath . " I insist that you listen to me and take me back to my apartment this minute . " " You 're very cute when you get all bossy , " Royce told her with a cocky grin . " But your uncle agrees that you shouldn 't be left alone . I 'm taking a few days off and I 'll be caring for you . It 'll be fun . " Fine , she thought , let him care for her all he wanted , but she wasn 't speaking to him . See how he liked being frustrated . She turned in the seat of his monster car and looked out the window . She just wanted to have some quiet time . She 'd been denied that for the past few days and she wanted it . She 'd nearly lost her baby . She 'd been so very lucky , the doctor told her , and then he 'd explained what she needed to do to keep the baby and to stay healthy . She just needed to take it easy , avoid stress , and make sure that she didn 't lift anything more than ten pounds until the little guy was born . And he told her she was having a boy . She looked up when the car stopped . The house was magnificent . Tall pillars of white graced the front of the long , open porch . There was a beautiful lace - worked railing surrounding it and she could see that someone had set several rockers around it in varying colors . The large urns were filled with bright flowers that spilled over and the floor to roof windows sparkled in the morning light . The brick façade was rich in deep - colored clay and the grout was creamy against each one . She was startled when someone picked her up out of the car and started to carry her . " Put me down , you moron . I can walk . I was told to walk , as a matter of fact . " So much for not speaking to him , she thought . Maybe she 'd just yell , that would certainly piss - " I 'm carrying you because I want to . Now hush up . I want you to take a nap . The doctor said that you 'd need to rest as much as possible these first few days and you 're not to lift anything over - " " I 'm very aware what the doctor said . Even though you tried your best to make me seem like a simpleton , I heard and actually understood every word he said . " He grinned at her as he set her on the porch . " I want you to take me to my uncle 's house if you won 't let me go home . This is ridiculous for you to miss work for me . " " No , " he said as he unlocked the door . When the door opened , he scooped her up again and took her inside . When he set her down , she turned to look around . There were several people standing there looking at them when they entered . " I want you to meet the staff . I 've been very lucky in that I was able to get someone so quickly to help us out . This is Mrs . Apple . She does the cooking when I 'm not in the mood . This is Mrs . Jankins . She helps out around the house and she - " " May I have a word with you ? " She had to tell him that enough was enough . And as much as she wanted to scream at him again , she wouldn 't do it in front of the people who worked for him . She 'd had that done to her enough to know how embarrassing it was . He picked her up again and she squealed . " I 'll just take Miss York up to our room . If you wouldn 't mind fixing her a tray … what would you like , Kasey ? They can - " She leaned into his ear and bit him . Hard . " I want you to fucking put me down and stop carting me around like a bab - " The tears came hot and fast . She buried her face in his neck and didn 't say another word . She knew that he 'd carried her up the stairs . She knew that he 'd spoken to the two ladies there in the hall and the two others she 'd not learned the names of . She wanted to crawl in a hole and simply lay there . The bed beneath her made her roll into a ball and weep . " Royce , let me up . I have to use the bathroom . " He groaned when she punched his arm . " Royce , let go of me . I have to pee . " He rolled and let her go , but before she could get the blanket off and stand , he was there . She wanted to tell him she was fine , but the room tilted a bit and she had to grab onto him or fall . He held her up , speaking to her in low , soothing tones . She laid her forehead on his chest . " I have to pee . " She hated the way her voice sounded small and weak . " I just … I think I 'm fine now . If you 'll just tell me where my clothes are , I 'd like to take a shower too . " " I don 't think so . Not unless you take one with me . Come on , I 'll help you to the bathroom and then we 'll get you changed . " He held her close , but he didn 't pick her up this time . " I feel fine . I promise to take a quick one . And I won 't lock the door . " He laughed , but said nothing . " Seriously , Royce , this is stupid . I want to … I need to take a shower . I feel nasty . " He stopped walking and she looked at him . He looked so … sad , and her heart thudded in her chest . Before she could tell him that she was sorry that she was being a pain in the ass , he kissed her gently on the mouth . Then he leaned his forehead to hers . " I don 't … I can 't tell you how I felt when my brother called me . He was hysterical with worry that I nearly didn 't know what he was saying . He said you were screaming for your uncle . That you kept telling him that there was so much blood . He 'd thought … he told me later that all he could think about was that someone had broken in and that they had hurt you . I couldn 't breathe for not knowing . I got a ticket on my way to the hospital . " He kissed her again before continuing . " I love you , Kasey . I know you find that hard to believe after what I 've done to you , said to you , but I do . I love you so very much . " He took her the rest of the way to the bathroom and she let him . She didn 't fuss at him when he insisted on helping her with the toothpaste , nor did she say anything when he turned the shower on . She did , however , speak up when he started to peel off his own clothes . " I 'm not taking a shower with you , " she told him as she gripped her own T - shirt over her hips . " I can 't . You have to … Royce , please don 't . I 'm … I 've had … I 'm not ready for this . The doctor said no sex so I can 't take a shower with you . " He stopped undressing and stared at her before he nodded . " Kasey , I 'm not an animal . Having sex with you … well , I was going to say is the last thing on my mind , but that would be a lie . I want you with all my heart . But I 'm still going to get in with you . You take care of whatever it is you need to for five minutes then I 'll get in and clean up too . I won 't … I won 't touch you unless you need me too , but honey , I 'm just as nasty - feeling . I 've not had even a sponge bath in three days and I need a shower too . " She supposed she could have insisted that he take one after her , but she only nodded . Kasey turned her back on him while he brushed his own teeth and she hurried into the shower . She wanted to be clean in the worst way possible . She ducked her head under the shower to get her hair wet again when she heard the door open behind her . Kasey had never had anyone wash her hair for her before . She thought maybe her mom had done it for her as a child , but no one since she 'd become an adult . When Royce took the shampoo from her and started massaging it into her hair , she nearly moaned . When he told her to stand under the spray and rinse , she felt his cock brush slightly against her hip . She froze . Royce wanted her . He wanted her in ways he didn 't understand yet , but was very happy to explore with her . But more than anything , he wanted to simply hold her . She was his world right now and he wanted her to realize that . He knew that she 'd felt his cock . He 'd have to be a dead man not to want her . He wouldn 't hurt her , wouldn 't even touch her because he didn 't want to hurt her . He pulled her to his chest and held her to him . " I know . I just want to hold you . I 'm sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable like this , but Christ , woman , you 're beautiful and sexy to me . " She shook her head and he brought her mouth to his for a quick kiss . " I know sexy when I see it and you are so . Now , let 's get cleaned up so you can get back to bed . I can feel you getting a little shaky . " The shower wasn 't what he 'd hoped for when he 'd thought of getting naked with her like this . He helped her wash her back and she returned the favor . By the time he got out , he was in pain , but he didn 't say anything . He wanted her to know that he wanted her in his life , not only his bed . He gave her one more of his shirts , put her into his bed , and she fell asleep within a few minutes . He kissed her on the forehead and after getting dressed himself , he left her to her quiet to call his mom . " She 'll be fine , Royce . She just needs to rest and take it easy . It can 't be easy for her right now . Poor thing has lost so much . " He felt tears gather in his eyes when he thought of the amount he 'd taken from her all on his own . " She hasn 't said she loves me . I wonder … do you think she ever will ? " He wished he knew , wished he knew that she could forgive him . " She cried again . " He heard his mother laugh softly . " She will be doing that a lot for the next few weeks . The doctor said her body will have hormonal rushes because she 's pregnant . And honey , crying is the least of your problems . She 's going to be an emotional bouncing ball . " " I want her to be mad at me again . Hell , I 'd take her throwing something at me rather than tears . They hurt more than her punches do . " He smiled . If Kasey heard him say that , she 'd probably make him regret it . " And she 's not eating much . She needs to stay healthy and she won 't be able to do that eating like a bird . I had Margo bake up some sweet stuff to tempt her . " " You should call her uncle . I 'm sure Jay knows something she really likes . Also Bobbie . Bobbie is sweet on Jay and I 'm betting she knows more about that family than anyone . " He heard her say something then come back on the line . " Donald said to tempt her with a shopping spree . He said his wife will do most anything for that . And no , I did not ask him what she 'd do . I believe that goes under the heading of too much information . " Royce started to laugh . His mother was one of a kind . He did think about the shopping trip , though . She would need some clothes while she was recuperating . While he enjoyed her wearing his shirts , he wondered how practical that would be once she was up and about . He made a mental note to see about getting one of the local stores to gather some things up and bring them to her . He wondered how he 'd figure out sizes when his mother spoke again . " Now about her living there . You know I don 't really like it so you 'll either have to make more permanent arrangements with her or send her to her uncle 's . I 'd actually prefer that you marry her . I like her a great deal and your brothers can 't say enough good things about her . But as before , I don 't think you should . You can 't possible think that - " " If she 'll have me after this , I want to marry her . I 'm in love with her . " She didn 't say anything for several seconds . " I am in love with her . I think I have been for some time . She certainly has no reason to love me , but I 'm going to work on that . " He realized then that he really did want her to love him . He 'd been fighting with her and mostly himself for so long that he 'd fallen in love with the most wonderful woman in the world . And he 'd been a complete ass the entire time too . " I should have shut up and listened to you all . But … Mom , you had it so great with Dad that I didn 't want to lose her , I think . I know what it did to you to have Dad die like he did and I didn 't … I 'm an idiot . " " Yes , you are . But you 've finally come to your senses and have finally admitted that you 're going to love her no matter what . And , Royce , you should know that she loves you too . I think she has for some time . " He heard her clear her throat . " Do you have any idea how happy I am for you ? " " No … yes . I 'm happy too . And I want her to love me , but I 'm afraid that it 's going to take me some time to convince her of that . " " Good . Then you 'll need to work faster . You 're not getting any younger and the thought of having a grandbaby just makes me all simple in the head . But don 't you dare rush her . " He laughed at his mom before she continued . " Also , let 's try very hard not to piss her off too much this time , son . And don 't think I 've forgotten that you didn 't practice safe sex with her and that 's how you got yourself in the situation you 're in now . " " Yes , ma ' am . I know . And if she 'll let me knock her up every year for the next twenty , then who am I to turn a lovely lady down ? And just for the record , I know there were only six months between your marriage and my birth . " He disconnected the call with his mother sputtering . He figured he was going to pay for that , but for now he 'd live with it . His next call was to Jay . It just so happened that Bobbie was there too . Emma McBride loves working in the law firm , and hopes someday to hang out a sign that has her on name on it . But for now , she has some proving to do . By the time she is caught up for the day , it 's nearly ten o ' clock . If this doesn 't help her make partner , she has no idea what will . Emma is going to her car when she hears someone coming down the lane she was in . Instead of getting in , being trapped in her car , she pulls out her gun … . Landon McBride owns the ranch next door to the Double Deuce . It is the largest ranch in the state . His health is failing and he figures it 's time to sell . Lord knows , his son Dirk isn 't fit to run the ranch , and Landon can 't think of any person better to buy it than Mason Douglas . Mason is a good man and could manage the large spread better than he could . Mason is interested , sure , but knows he can 't afford a spread that large , and tells Landon that . Landon jokes and tells him to marry his daughter and he can have it for free . Mason isn 't amused . Although he 's never met Emma , he knows Dirk , and if the siblings are anything alike it 's not no , but Hell no . Emma is more embarrassed than she is hurting , but the entanglement with those men did a number on her body ― she hurts everywhere . Recuperating at her parent 's ranch seems like the logical thing to do , but with her brother showing his ass and getting kicked out , she 's wondering if she 's not better off in her apartment in the city . But when the man next door shows up and shifts into an angry cougar , all bets are off . The scent , the fear , and the smell of Emma is making Mason 's cat wild . He knows that he is scaring her - hell , he is scared himself … . He growls low , " She 's my mate . And hurt . " Leonard Earl wants no part of Rembrandt 's rag tag team of saviors . Before the cancer he 'd been happy teaching children . But when the mysterious man in black shows up in his hospital room and heals him , he has no choice but to join the group . No one says he has to like it . Jamey has been on her own awhile . It doesn 't take her long to figure out she is different , and that the malefactors can 't change her into one of them . Since the malefactors have taken over her town , she spends her days picking them off with her bow and arrows , or delivering food and water to the remaining survivors . Jamey 's body is also a " host " to a dragon that has been with her for as long as she can remember . He protects her and keeps her safe … . The dragon is leading Jamey to the man he is destined to transfer to . He tells her together they will balance . Jamey is willing to take the dragon wherever he needs to go , but the man she wants no part of … . She will miss her friend . Leo is none too happy to find out that Jamey is bringing the dragon to him and the discovery that she is his mate . He 's already had a woman break his heart and wants no part of this mate business . He takes the dragon to save her life , but that 's where it ends … or does it ? The malefactors are increasing in number and they need to stand together to defeat them . Jamey sees her chance and takes it to defeat their enemy . Will Leo make the ultimate sacrifice to save her ? Find out in the next installment of Blood Brotherhood ― Leonard . Amazon USA http : / / www . amazon . com / Leonard - Brotherhood - Paranormal - Fantasy - Romance - ebook / dp / B014BVSW3U / ref = sr _ 1 _ 1 ? s = digital - text & ie = UTF8 & qid = 1440850782 & sr = 1 - 1 Jul Whitney 's mother , Celeste , has known Annabelle Erickson for many years , and it is high time she pays her a visit . Celeste has just arrived at the Erickson 's when she receives a disturbing phone call from Jul ― he 's been shot . Annabelle insists that Jul recovers in their home . She has granddaughters in the medical field that can take care of him better than any hospital … . Jul loves the Erickson home and is given Emerald 's old bedroom to recuperate in . However , there is something about the Erickson family that 's odd … everyone is friendly enough , but they 're speaking to him very cryptic like he should know something about them , but not . And when Jade tells him that the large wolf playing in the yard by the edge of the woods is part human he doesn 't believe her . He 's thinking at this point he 'd be better off finding a nice hotel room to recuperate in ― like now . He rounds the corner and is hit so hard in the chest that he finds himself soaking wet in the middle of the pool with the most beautiful ― and quite angry ― woman that he 's ever seen . . . . Emerald Erickson didn 't see that coming . The man , human no less , just steps right out in front of her . She hits him so hard that they 're both in the middle of the pool . Now all the fool 's doing is staring at her breasts with a sappy grin on his face . When she looks down she sees that the wet fabric hides nothing . Pissed off only touches the surface of the feelings raging through her body ― he is her mate . Emerald has been avoiding spending time at her sister 's house because they 're all happily mated and she feels like she 's intruding into their happiness . And she had given up finding a mate a long time ago because she only attracts the bad sorts ― men who love to intimate women with their fists . Would this man be any different ? She doesn 't want to stick around long enough to find out … . And just like that , it all come flooding back to her . Everything . The crash , the sex . Even the way he 'd made her feel when he came inside of her . Andrea could hear him screaming at her now , his voice in her head telling her to calm down … . Kasey was standing in her kitchen when the phone rang again . She 'd not answered it all afternoon and she wasn 't planning on it now . She knew it was her uncle ; he wanted to know what the doctor said . Well , she wasn 't ready to talk to anyone just yet . Royce had taken her home that night after he 'd told her he loved her . She remembered thinking her heart was going to explode with happiness when just as suddenly as he 'd said it , he told her he couldn 't be in love with her . It felt as if he 'd broken it . She glanced at the papers on the table and then walked to the refrigerator to get something to drink . She couldn 't look at it or the check that was lying there that Curtis had given her before he 'd left . " I think my brother is an ass if you want to know the truth . " She 'd looked over at him . He 'd taken her to the doctor as he said he would and had brought her home after . " You shouldn 't be mad at your brother , Curtis . You never know what might happen and you 'd never be able to live with yourself if you were mad at him like this and something horrible happened . What 's between us … what 's happening between us is only temporary . I told you what I wanted . " She wasn 't being stupid . She was being smart for the very first time in all her life . She was giving Royce just what he wanted . His child . She sat at the table and picked up the papers . They said that the money was hers to use as she saw fit and that all she needed to do was to give the child his name and put his name as the father on the birth certificate . Picking up the pen with shaky fingers , she signed her name and dated it then she promptly burst into tears . Falling in love shouldn 't hurt this badly . She signed the check and then before she changed her mind , she put it all in the next day air envelope and picked up her phone . She noticed there were seven messages there , but ignored them . She called the courier service and made arrangements for them to pick up her package then called her uncle . She gave a wavering smile . " Yes . I 'm pregnant . I have a due date of February fourteenth . Everything looks fine . The baby is small , but he said that would change . He told me it was too early to tell the sex , but I told him I didn 't care . How are you ? " She nearly lied to him again . It wouldn 't have been easy , but she knew that starting a conversation with , " I 'm giving up the baby " wouldn 't be the best thing for her right now . But she knew that she had to . If nothing else then to give him time to get used to the idea . " Just tell me , girl . You 're killing me . What is wrong ? Is it the baby or is it you ? " She heard him take a deep breath before he continued . " You 've decided to get an abortion , haven 't you ? She felt the tears fall . " No , not an abortion . I couldn 't do that . But I can 't keep it . I 've … I 'm giving it up . It 's better that way . " " You 're the one that has to live with your decision either way . I can 't say I 'm not disappointed , because I am . I think you 'd make a terrific mom ; you 're too much like your mom not to . But I can also see why you 'd feel the need to do this . " He sighed again . " Honey , what does Royce think about this ? " " I 'm signing the baby over to him as soon as it 's born . He doesn 't know . He … I need him not to know until it 's done . You have to trust me on this . " She wiped at the tears as she formed her answer . " He can give the baby the best . Something that I can 't do , like education , opportunities , and everything that it will need . " Those two softly spoken words crushed her . She knew he wasn 't saying it , but it made her feel like a failure - like somehow , she 'd failed not only her child but her family as well . She couldn 't answer him . She hurt so badly that she simply hung up the phone . The courier came ten minutes later and after he left to take the envelope to Curtis , she laid down . It was early yet , not quite six o ' clock , but she felt as if she 'd been run through a gauntlet . She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow . When she woke around two in the morning she felt sick . Her body ached and her head was pounding . Moving to the kitchen she put on her tea kettle and , while it was set to boil , she got down her mug . The pain ripped through her like a knife . The next pain knocked her to her knees . That 's when she noticed the blood . She reached for the phone , knocking it off the table and onto the floor beside her . She reached for it , the pain making her scream out again . Pressing what she hoped was the number two , she prayed for her uncle to answer before the pain took her away . Even as someone answered , she felt her body let go . The blood poured from her as she said help . Royce rushed to the hospital , not even aware if he stopped at any of the lights on the way . Daniel had said she was hurt and that the doctors wouldn 't tell him anything . Royce remembered asking about her uncle and was assured he was on his way as well . Royce rushed in the emergency room and right into Jay York 's arms . " Where is she ? Is she all right ? " He realized that Jay was speaking to him but couldn 't seem to understand . " Just tell me she 's all right . " " They took her to surgery . She was awake when I saw her briefly , but she … There was … oh God , there was so much blood . All I could think about was her mom . I saw Leah all over again . " Royce held the man as he cried . Blood , Royce thought , so much blood . He wondered if it was an aneurism and tried to shy his mind from that . But he knew she 'd lost the baby , lost their child . she 'd deliver to term . She was so scared and crying . She said to tell you she didn 't do anything to hurt the baby . She wanted you to know that she 'd never do anything like that , ever . I didn 't … she 'll be all right , he said . He said she 'd be just fine . " Royce looked at him . Why would … " I never thought she did . Why would she think something like that ? Why would she have you tell me something like that ? " " Because she had it in her head that all you wanted was the kid . " Royce turned to his brother Daniel as he spoke . " She talked to Curtis today . Everything was set up that you 'd get custody of the baby once it was born . The money you sent to her last week was going into a trust fund for her aunt 's care . And then once she left the hospital she was leaving the area . " Royce sat down in one of the plastic chairs , feeling as though someone had hit him . He rubbed his chest where most of the pain radiated from . She believed that . He knew he had given her no reason to believe otherwise , but it hurt him to know that he 'd hurt her . " The doctor , did he say what happened ? Did he know why she 'd lost so much blood ? " Jay was shaking his head . " Then what happened to them ? " " He said that she 'd been slightly underweight anyway and her body was telling her that she needed to take it easy . He said these things just happen and that she was one of the lucky ones . After a few days in here , she can go home with me then I 'll - " Royce saw his mother come through the doors . He needed her . Needed to have his mother tell him that things were going to be all right . He stood up when she came toward him . Between the three of them , she was brought up to speed and they went up to the surgery floor . The doctor had closed off the small tear in her womb , but it would be hours yet before they would be sure that everything was fine . Two hours later they were all sitting in her room . Jay had cleared it with the hospital that they could be there . Royce had already told them that he was staying until she left or threw him out . He was reasonably sure that he could very well be thrown out , but he was willing to take the chance . He looked up when Kasey made a small noise . She looked right at him . He could see the pain in her eyes and he hurt for her . He moved his chair closer to the bed and took her hand . He kissed it gently and smiled at her . " The doctor said you 're going to be fine . That you might be weak for a few days , but otherwise , you 'd be all right . " She nodded . " Do you need anything ? Food ? Something to drink ? " " Daniel called me when you called him . He thinks you might have hit last called when you picked up the phone . He said you kept calling for your uncle . " " I don 't remember that . I was … I was hurting and I thought I 'd dialed Uncle Jay . I 'm sorry I bothered him . " She turned her head and wiped at the tear with her other hand . " I lost the baby . Your baby . I 'm sorry about that . You don 't need to hang around now . I 'll understand if you - " " No , Kasey , you didn 't . It was close , the doctor said , but you didn 't lose him . You 'll need to be on bed rest for a while , but that … Kasey , I love you . I 'm sorry for the way I 've been - " He put his hand over her mouth gently . " Don 't tell me that I don 't love you . It 's taken me nearly thirty years to figure out that I do and I plan to say it a great deal . So unless you have something profound to say back to me then I want you to hush and get better . " She looked over his shoulder as he felt someone coming near . He thought it was her uncle and moved out of his way so that he could see his niece . Royce didn 't let go of her hand and stayed close enough that he could see her . Royce didn 't want to be rude , but the thought of leaving her right now was something he didn 't want to think about . When Jay kissed her forehead and moved back Royce slid his chair back in front of her . " You should go home . There is no reason for you to hang around here . I 'm really … I 'm really tired anyway . " Her voice broke as she spoke and he brushed her tears away with his thumb . " Royce , please . " " I 'm not leaving you , honey . I do love you and I want to be here with you . Short of you kicking me out , I 'll just sit outside at the nurse 's station , but I 'm not leaving . " She turned her head and he pulled it back to face him . " I love you , Kasey Marie York . The sooner you get used to hearing me say that , the better off you 'll be . " Emma McBride loves working in the law firm , and hopes someday to hang out a sign that has her on name on it . But for now , she has some proving to do . By the time she is caught up for the day , it 's nearly ten o ' clock . If this doesn 't help her make partner , she has no idea what will . Emma is going to her car when she hears someone coming down the lane she was in . Instead of getting in , being trapped in her car , she pulls out her gun … . Landon McBride owns the ranch next door to the Double Deuce . It is the largest ranch in the state . His health is failing and he figures it 's time to sell . Lord knows , his son Dirk isn 't fit to run the ranch , and Landon can 't think of any person better to buy it than Mason Douglas . Mason is a good man and could manage the large spread better than he could . Mason is interested , sure , but knows he can 't afford a spread that large , and tells Landon that . Landon jokes and tells him to marry his daughter and he can have it for free . Mason isn 't amused . Although he 's never met Emma , he knows Dirk , and if the siblings are anything alike it 's not no , but Hell no . Emma is more embarrassed than she is hurting , but the entanglement with those men did a number on her body ― she hurts everywhere . Recuperating at her parent 's ranch seems like the logical thing to do , but with her brother showing his ass and getting kicked out , she 's wondering if she 's not better off in her apartment in the city . But when the man next door shows up and shifts into an angry cougar , all bets are off . The scent , the fear , and the smell of Emma is making Mason 's cat wild . He knows that he is scaring her - hell , he is scared himself … . He growls low , " She 's my mate . And hurt . " Jul Whitney 's mother , Celeste , has known Annabelle Erickson for many years , and it is high time she pays her a visit . Celeste has just arrived at the Erickson 's when she receives a disturbing phone call from Jul ― he 's been shot . Annabelle insists that Jul recovers in their home . She has granddaughters in the medical field that can take care of him better than any hospital … . Jul loves the Erickson home and is given Emerald 's old bedroom to recuperate in . However , there is something about the Erickson family that 's odd … everyone is friendly enough , but they 're speaking to him very cryptic like he should know something about them , but not . And when Jade tells him that the large wolf playing in the yard by the edge of the woods is part human he doesn 't believe her . He 's thinking at this point he 'd be better off finding a nice hotel room to recuperate in ― like now . He rounds the corner and is hit so hard in the chest that he finds himself soaking wet in the middle of the pool with the most beautiful ― and quite angry ― woman that he 's ever seen . . . . Emerald Erickson didn 't see that coming . The man , human no less , just steps right out in front of her . She hits him so hard that they 're both in the middle of the pool . Now all the fool 's doing is staring at her breasts with a sappy grin on his face . When she looks down she sees that the wet fabric hides nothing . Pissed off only touches the surface of the feelings raging through her body ― he is her mate . Emerald has been avoiding spending time at her sister 's house because they 're all happily mated and she feels like she 's intruding into their happiness . And she had given up finding a mate a long time ago because she only attracts the bad sorts ― men who love to intimate women with their fists . Would this man be any different ? She doesn 't want to stick around long enough to find out … . And just like that , it all come flooding back to her . Everything . The crash , the sex . Even the way he 'd made her feel when he came inside of her . Andrea could hear him screaming at her now , his voice in her head telling her to calm down … . Royce The Hunter Series Chapter 11 is ready to read Chapter 11 Daniel put down the phone and leaned back in his chair . Royce was going to be a father . Daniel had not seen that one coming . . . Royce The Hunter Series Chapter Eight is ready to read Chapter 8 Leah was exhausted . Her head was pounding too . She put her untouched dinner in the sink and went into the living room to watc . . .