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Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series
Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series
Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series
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Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series

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Every life leaves behind a legacy. Every story has a beginning and an end. The Alpha of the Romania Grey Wolves knows this better than most. He also knows it’s the things that transpire to create that legacy and the experiences, triumphs and failures that happen in the middle of the story that matter. His story began a century ago and now a tragedy has led him to his rightful place as Alpha of the Eastern Romania pack. Before he led hundreds, he had to learn to lead a few. Before he sacrificed for all, he had to be willing to sacrifice for any. Before he could be the man destined to save his race he had to be willing to serve them. In order to be raised up he had to first be torn down. There was only one who could do this and live, only one who could light his way when the darkness closed in; his mate, his Luna. This is the building of their legacy, the middle of their story. Their triumphs, their failures, and their tragedy’s that would one day make them strong enough to restore a race torn apart by greed, envy, and fear.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherQuinn Loftis
Release dateJul 2, 2014
ISBN9781310933455
Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series
Author

Quinn Loftis

Quinn Loftis is the author of twenty novels, including the USA Today bestseller Fate and Fury. Her passion is writing character-driven and humor-filled fantasy and paranormal novels, and she believes in happily-ever-afters (but makes sure to evoke every emotion she can before getting to them). Thankful to God and her amazing fans for allowing her to live out her dream, she resides in western Arkansas with her husband, three sons, two dogs, and a cat that thinks he's a dog.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    yep...keep doing this n im gonna go mad with this series that u have to keep on writing bout dis
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    Love Love Love it.
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    This was a great book! I just need book three through 8 and life will be all good

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Luna of Mine, Book 8 The Grey Wolves Series - Quinn Loftis

Prologue

~Romanian Proverb # 0

Prieten adevãrat este acela care te sfãtuieste spre bine,

iar nu acela care îti laudã nebuniile.

I cannot be your FRIEND and your flatterer too.

W e’ve called a girls’ weekend, Jen announced as she strode into the dining room of the Romanian pack mansion as if she still lived there. I’ve had a baby, Jacque is knocked up, Sally is about to embark on some crazy wild goose chase with Peri, and we need some serious estrogen time.

Vasile looked from his mate to Jen and then back to his mate. Is she actually asking for my approval?

Alina laughed. I highly doubt that, Alpha. I think she is just informing you that she’s kidnapping me.

And do you wish to be rescued? he asked her with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes.

Jen scoffed, Psht, as if. You and what army could possibly rescue her from my clutches?

Jen, tone it down a little. I think your post pregnancy hormones are still getting to your head, Jacque piped in, as she dragged out a seat at the table.

Was it too much, Jen asked with squinted eyes.

Jacque held up her hand with her fingers separated by a tiny sliver of air. Just a tad.

I think I can handle the girls for a weekend, Alina told her mate. Besides, I think it’s time they heard our story.

Mina! Vasile’s voice was full of warning.

She shrugged innocently. What? I won’t make you look bad.

He huffed knowing there was no way to make him look good. Vasile remembered their courtship like it was yesterday, though it had been over two centuries since he took Alina as his mate. He had matured a lot in those two centuries, thank the Great Luna for that.

So we’re finally going to get to hear how the great and mighty Vasile claimed his mate? Or is this more of a fall from grace sort of story? Jen asked as she grinned at the frowning Alpha.

I would say it’s a little of both, Alina told her. Do you all want to go to the cottage? Alina asked them.

If it is a no testosterone zone, then by all means, the cottage it is, Jacque answered.

So eager to get away from me, Luna? Fane’s voice whispered through her mind.

I love you, Wolf-man, but I need a couple days of girls, chocolate, and no possessive mates. You can help Decebel with Thia and get some daddy practice in. Jacque laughed at the low growl her mate gave her. He hated when she was away from him, especially now that she was carrying their child, but he also knew she needed space or he would smother her, and that in turn would lead to her smothering him―with a pillow, while he slept.

I heard that, he huffed.

I’ve told you to stop eavesdropping and then you won’t hear things you don’t like hearing. If you weren’t so hardheaded you would take my advice and mind your own business.

Stay safe, love, and come back to me quickly, he told her, totally ignoring her snide comments, as he often did.

Love you, was her response.

"How long will you be gone?" Decebel asked Jen as she tossed some clothes in a suitcase.

Just for the weekend, B. You totally got this dad thing down, and Vasile will help if you run into any problems, Jen said with a reassuring smile.

I’m not worried about taking care of Thia; she’s a piece of cake compared to you, he told her with a smirk.

Dude, I can totally stay gone a little longer if you think you got this, she threatened as she met his amber gaze.

No, you couldn’t, he purred as he took a step towards her and then another until he was standing right in front of her. You would miss me too much.

Jen rolled her eyes. You get me knocked up and suddenly you think I can’t keep my paws off of you.

Do I need to refresh your memory of the past week?

Jen actually blushed. No need to be bringing up old stuff, Dec.

Oh, I definitely think there is a need. His voice seemed to drop even deeper.

Jen held up her hand to hold him off. No means no, my insatiable mate. I have a chicks’ weekend calling my name and you, my furry love, have the wrong equipment to come and play. I love you. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss and dashed out of his reach before he could grab her. She headed over to Thia’s bed where she lay sleeping and leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Give’em hell, mini me, she whispered to her daughter. When she turned to face her mate she saw that he was standing in front of the door blocking her escape. He looked quite confident in his ability to keep her from leaving. Thankfully, she had planned ahead. She smiled sweetly at him as she picked up her suit case and then counted down under her breath. Five, four, three, two, one . . . any time now.

Peri suddenly appeared right next to her. She grabbed Jen’s arm, gave Decebel the finger, and then flashed out of the room.

Decebel growled as Jen’s laughter filled the room and then she was gone. He stared at the place she had just stood and then he chuckled. Well played, Jennifer, well played. Just remember what you always say about payback. He sent to her.

Bring it, baby, she whispered back.

"You’re sure this is a good idea?" Vasile asked his mate for the second time.

Alina narrowed her eyes at him. Vasile, I bonded with you because of the man you were, not because of the man you were destined to become. It is good for others to see that you are not perfect. We have both grown and changed over the centuries; I think for the better.

Then why is it necessary to share with them all of our past mistakes? he grumbled.

She laughed. Oh mate, you know the answer to that. It is our mistakes that make us who we are. Without our mistakes we would never grow in character, or mature. Without our mistakes we would not be able to tell our children and grandchildren that yes you will fall, but then you will get up, brush yourself off, and be stronger because of that fall. You know this better than most. Let me have this time with the girls. Let me share with them how you came to be the most powerful Alpha in our history, and let me tell them how you won my heart.

Vasile took her face gently in his hands as he looked down at her. His female who had taken him on time and time again, who had loved him through good and bad, who knew the ugliest parts of his soul and still claimed him, looked up into his eyes. You tell them what you think you need to, but in the end the only thing they really need to know is that I am the man I am today because you gave me the honor of becoming my true mate. He kissed her deeply, with all the passion of two centuries worth of love, pouring into her mind the images and emotions of his feelings for her.

When he pulled back she was breathless and her cheeks were flushed just as they had been so many times in the past after he had loved her. Have fun, Mina, and then come back to me.

I always do, Alpha mine, she whispered.

1

Romanian Proverb # 1

Cine se face oaie il mãnâncã lupii.

He that makes himself a sheep, shall be eaten by the wolf.


S o how did all your men take the girls’ weekend? Jacque asked the group as they settled in the living room of the small cottage.

Well, if Peri and I hadn’t planned for her to steal me, I might still be in my bedroom with my Neanderthal of a mate, Jen laughed. He was actually standing in front of the door attempting to keep me from leaving.

Fane just hates that I’m not within his reach now that there’s a bun in the oven. He seems to think that for some reason pregnant equals invalid.

Alina smiled at her daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, Jacque, the further along you become, the worse that will get.

She means the wider your ass gets the more incompetent he will find you, or in my case irresistible, Jen winked.

You are so disturbed, Jacque told her with a snicker. I wonder when Sally will show up?

She shouldn’t be too much longer. She and Rachel were going over some things for Peri and whatever this secret mission is that she and Costin are a part of, Alina answered.

Oh, as if you don’t know, Jen scoffed.

I might know something, and you would too if you would ever show up to the Alpha meetings, Alina pointed out. And, she held up her hand cutting off Jen’s argument, don’t say that you have to watch Thia. You have a pack full of females, not to mention the healers and your best friends that would all but rip that baby from your arms.

Jen flung herself onto one of the empty loveseats dramatically. Yes, but only 'my girls' produce what she wants, and it is at the very moment those droll, boring Alpha meetings begin, that Thia always gets hungry. Weird coincidence, I know.

Uh-huh and since when did Decebel’s man boobs begin producing milk? Jacque asked dryly.

Jen groaned. Dude, that is so wrong. Why would you even put that out there? I mean first of all you have seen his gorgeous chest and know that he has the furthest thing from man boobs, second. . . .

Oh shut up, blondie. The point wasn’t to insult your man’s wicked sexy chest; it was that you can’t claim to have to be nursing Thia during the meetings because you are spending an entire weekend away from her and she is obviously getting fed somehow, Jacque growled.

Jacque, you’ve been to those meetings; you know how boring they are. You would be making up breastfeeding lies to get out of them too, Jen whined.

Alina was laughing at the two friends when the cottage door opened and in walked a tired looking Sally. Anyone call for a healer? she said as she smiled at the three women.

Crap, it’s about time you show up. Geeze, you’d think you were off getting ready to save the world or something.

Sally shook her head. Ah-ah-ah, Jennifer, no more business, we are officially off-duty. I’m not a healer, you’re not a mamma, Jacque’s not a princess, and Alina’s not an Alpha. We are simply the chicks, having a chick weekend.

Yeah, well tell that to my boobs because they don’t seem to understand the milk factory needs to shut down, Jen huffed.

Has she been doing the whole whining about breastfeeding thing again? Sally asked Alina and Jacque. Because I thought we had nipped that in the bud.

It’s our fault. We brought up the Alpha meetings she keeps missing, Jacque explained.

Sally made an ah motion with her mouth.

Oh, give me a break. I had one little meltdown over the whole experience, and now you are acting like I complain about it all the time.

Jacque rolled her eyes. Jen, you were screaming at the top of your lungs that it wasn’t fair that you had to give up your perky rack, and you were sick of your nipples feeling as though they had been stuck in a pencil sharpener while salt was poured on them.

How do you even know that? I was at the Serbian pack mansion when I had my moment, Jen growled.

Your mate put you on speaker phone, Sally said trying not to laugh.

"In his defense, he was panicked when he called because you were freaking out. When I asked him to clarify he simply said listen for yourself and then he put you on speaker."

It had been a rough night, Jen admitted. Nobody prepared me for how rough motherhood could be. Crap, nobody prepared me for how rough being mated slashed married can be.

The three girls all nodded, each pondering their own relationships and their own difficulties. A clearing throat brought them back to the present.

That is why I suggested this weekend, Alina spoke up. You three have become like daughters to me. You have each been brought into the Canis lupis world for different reasons, but the outcome has been the same. You are now mated. Not only are you mated but you are mated to very dominant men who are used to getting their way.

You forgot to mention old, Jen tossed out there. There was a ripple of laughter.

True, Alina smiled. Some of them are older, though they look only as old as you, and with that comes an entirely different set of issues. Things seem to have quieted down, at least for this brief moment in time. So I thought we could steal away this weekend and I could share with you my story, which naturally includes Vasile. I think you might find yourself encouraged to know that we did not always have it all together.

Let me guess, Sally smiled. Vasile was not super happy about you wanting to tell us y’all’s story.

Alina laughed and the musical sound danced around the room. The twinkle in her eyes as she thought about her mate and his reaction betrayed all the love she felt for him. "Oh, he was definitely not super happy. Men, especially Alphas, never want their failures, or what they perceive as their failures, aired for all to see. What he does not realize, and what I tried to explain to him, is that it is when we are weak that we can be made strong. It is when we realize that we cannot do it on our own that we will finally truly understand the value of a mate."

Please tell me you brought popcorn, and―for the love of all things carnal―please tell me we are going to get some yummy details because it is your job to educate us younger chickadees, Jen purred.

All you have to do is ask, Alina, and I’ll use some of my magic on her, Sally said smiling sweetly. I’ll knock her right out.

Uh, Sally dear, you do remember that thing you were asking me about? That certain position…, Jen asked as her eyes narrowed.

You wouldn’t, Sally warned.

You know me better than that, Jen smiled. I most definitely would.

Crap, sorry Alina, you’re on your own, Sally said absently as she leaned back into the chair she had commandeered.

Why don’t we all get settled down for the night? Go wash your faces, shower if you need to, and then meet back in front of the fireplace. Though we don’t need it for warmth, I’m sure Sally can conjure us up one simply for ambience, Alina suggested.

Once the girls were back gathered around the unnecessary, yet somehow appropriate, fire― surprise! hot chocolate in hand―Alina took her place on the floor by the hearth. She took in their eager faces and then let her mind wander back to a time long ago, a time when Canis lupis packs were still recovering from the great werewolf wars. Their magic was growing weaker because the fae had retreated to their realm, no longer offering aide to the supernaturals in the human realm. Children born to their race were few and far between and most did not survive because there were no healers to ensure the birth went smoothly. It was a trying time, a scary time with the future of their species uncertain. The Great Luna, their Creator, seemed to have turned them over to themselves as they warred with other packs instead of working together and building unity between themselves. But though it had been a time of uncertainty, Alina had hope for the canis lupis. Something inside of her told her that if she would just be patient, just not give up, they would someday soon see their race restored. But she had no idea just how pivotal her role in such a change would be.

I will begin with the year I met him; it was 1800, she began. I lived on a farm in the hillsides of the Transylvania Mountains with my parents. My village was called Solca. We were a poor outer Provence of the Eastern Romanian pack. My father was not dominant enough to be in the Alpha’s top group, so he fought only when called upon. The rest of the time he was a blacksmith.

"Alina, it is time for bed." Alina heard her mother’s warm voice from where she lay in the forest only meters from her home. Fifteen years old and her mother still felt the need to treat her like a child. She endured it because she did live in their home, ate their food, and used their things, but she was more than ready to find her mate so she could have a home of her own to tend and pups of her own to put to bed. Her mother, of course, reminded her constantly that she was not of age, and even if she did find her mate, he could not claim her―not yet. Most girls if they found their mates young would be claimed at eighteen, but her father had said that was still too young, especially if her mate was a dominate. He told her twenty was the magic number. When she was confident in who she was as a female and could hold her ground with a dominant, then she would be ready for her true mate.

Her mother’s voice rang out again. She could have predicted it down to the second when she would begin calling for her. But for some reason that night she was reluctant to return home. As she lay on the plush vegetation that so readily welcomed her and stared up at the bright moon in all its glory, she felt a pull to stay, to wait. She felt a whisper on the wind as it tickled her skin and caressed her hair. Her eyes widened in anticipation because she knew something was coming and not just for anyone but for her. Whether it would be that night, or another, she knew that something great was in store for her.

Alina’s friends and even her own mother had always said she spent too much time with her head up in the clouds. Her grandmother used to joke that for a village girl her shoes were much too clean. She would just laugh them off and continued on her own way, because there was no way to explain to someone else that you knew you were meant for greatness. She wasn’t arrogant, just sure of her future, even though she wasn’t sure how it would all come about. She understood perfectly well how haughty that sounded, but she also trusted the Great Luna, her Creator, and she would never forget the day that she showed herself to Alina only a few months earlier.

Alina had wandered out further away from her home than usual and ended up in a field in the forest. The Great Luna’s glory and her goodness had been enough to drive Alina to her knees, and yet she had helped her up from the ground, and with a touch of her hand, her clothes and shoes were as clean as if they’d never seen a minutes worth of dirt. She had looked Alina in the eye and said, Be ready child. The one I have for you comes with much darkness and much baggage, and he will need your goodness. For without you, his darkness will rule and he will destroy the Canis lupis race. Be strong. I will never leave you or forsake you. You only have to ask and I will be there. This task I have given to you because you are his other half. You are his light and he is your gravity. He will keep you planted on the ground when need be, but he will also raise you up when it is safe.

Alina closed her eyes at the memory of the Great Luna telling her about her mate. She had thought that meant that her mate would be showing up within a matter of days, but now, several months later, still nothing. She tried not to grow bitter as she heard of others finding their own true mates, but she wasn’t about to lie and pretend it was easy. She wanted to be a mate; she wanted to be something to her male that no other could be. But waiting never had been her strong suit.

She laid there for several more minutes until finally she heard her mother’s footsteps and knew she would have to go. She stood up and brushed off her dress and looked up at the moon. Same time tomorrow? No, she didn’t expect the moon to answer back, but then, she was a werewolf, anything was possible.

2

Romanian Proverb # 2

Nu haina îl face pe om.

Clothes do not make the man.


I t’s been less than a century since I lost my brother, Vasile said as he paced the large room that had been his father’s meeting hall. How am I to deal with the loss of my parents, my Alpha, so soon after such a tragedy? To think, three members of the same bloodline are gone, within a century of one another, and this after my parents survived the 1712 werewolf wars, not to mention the loss of our last gypsy healer.

Anghel walked further into the room as he watched the son of one of his oldest friends begin the grieving process. Stefan and Daciana Lupei had been two of the most loyal friends he had ever known. Being Alphas of separate packs had never hindered their relationship. Though he was the Alpha of the Western Romanian pack and Vasile now the Alpha of the Eastern Romanian pack, it did not change how he felt for the son of his old friend. He ached for him. He hurt with him and he knew there were no words that could heal him. Maybe time would heal but even that would be only a salve to the wound, not a cure.

You will deal with it because you must, Anghel finally spoke, his deep voice resonating against the stone walls. You are Alpha now; you are no pup. You are a century old and you know what it means to be Alpha and I don’t remind you of that because I care little for your pain. I remind you of that because there will be some who see your position as weak. They will think you an easy target, and when that happens they will do something foolish.

Vasile snarled. He didn’t want to hear it, though he knew it was true. His father’s pack for the most part was united, but there were always one or two upstarts who thought they could run things better. There were always a couple who thought they should be the leaders, but they didn’t understand if you were meant to lead it wasn’t something you grumbled about late at night in the local pub. If you were meant to lead, then you led because the wolf inside of you refused to follow. Vasile knew he was a leader not just by birthright but by the wolf that lived inside of him. His wolf bowed only to his father, and that was only out of respect. He could have beaten Stefan in a challenge years ago, but he would not disrespect his father or mother in such a way. And now here he was, Alpha of the Eastern Pack, only a few short years later. He didn’t have to worry about whether he might one day have to convince his wolf not to challenge his Alpha, because his Alpha was dead.

You must nip any notion of a mutiny in the bud, Vasile, Anghel urged. "You must reassure

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