Also available from Lauren Dane

  and Carina Press

  Second Chances

  Believe

  Goddess with a Blade

  Goddess with a Blade

  Blade To the Keep

  Blade on the Hunt

  At Blade’s Edge

  Wrath of the Goddess

  Blood and Blade

  Diablo Lake

  Moonstruck

  Protected

  Cascadia Wolves

  Reluctant Mate (prequel)

  Pack Enforcer

  Wolves’ Triad

  Wolf Unbound

  Alpha’s Challenge

  Bonded Pair

  Twice Bitten

  de La Vega Cats

  Trinity

  Revelation

  Beneath the Skin

  Chase Brothers

  Giving Chase

  Taking Chase

  Chased

  Making Chase

  Petal, GA

  Once and Again

  Lost in You

  Count on Me

  Cherchez Wolves

  Wolf’s Ascension

  Sworn to the Wolf

  From Lauren Dane

  and HQN

  The Hurley Boys

  The Best Kind of Trouble

  Broken Open

  Back to You

  Whiskey Sharp

  Unraveled

  Jagged

  Torn

  Cake (novella)

  Sugar (novella)

  Diablo Lake: Awakened

  Lauren Dane

  This one is for the people who kept showing up.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Epilogue

  Excerpt from Diablo Lake: Moonstruck by Lauren Dane

  Chapter One

  Ruby pushed her buggy down the produce aisle. She’d been so smug about avoiding the one with the rickety front wheel, but the one she’d chosen instead would randomly lurch to the right and Ruby had only narrowly avoided colliding with an end cap of canned green beans.

  She came to a stop at the display of oranges, piled high. They were so brilliantly orange they nearly glowed. How she’d missed the produce grown in Diablo Lake! Nothing like it anywhere else. The magic in the soil created something truly special.

  Happiness spread through her as she grabbed several, bringing them to her nose to take in the gorgeous scent.

  Home.

  Being back in the place she’d been born and raised had filled Ruby with a sense of purpose and rightness. The magic embraced her, filled her with pleasure and comfort.

  The woman at her side, chattering like a dingdong, was one of her oldest and dearest friends, Aimee. “That last time I was pretty sure you were going to take out the potato chip pyramid. Not gonna lie, I’d have pretended not to know you. But I’d have laughed about it with you later.”

  Ruby snorted a laugh as she tucked oranges into one of the produce bags she’d brought along. “True friendship.”

  “Obviously.” Aimee pointed at the muslin bag Ruby had just filled. “Hey! Those are so cute! Where did you get them?”

  “I made them. They’re super easy. I can show you if you want.”

  “You did?” Aimee asked, one brow rising.

  Ruby nodded, grinning at her friend’s disbelief. “Right? I wasn’t the craftiest growing up other than candles and my tinctures. But I got talked into a sewing class. I’d been away from Diablo Lake six months and I had a lot of school but I needed to do something else. Something more creative and there I was, absolutely in love with this craft I’d sort of only perfunctorily engaged in for most of my life.”

  “Oooh, perfunctorily. Lookit you all smart and stuff.” Aimee bumped her hip to Ruby’s. “What’s the coolest is how as a grown-up, you’re as amazing as you were when you were a kid and a teenager. I love that you’re into sewing now and I’m totally up for learning how to make those little sacks. Easy is my speed. You can show me at the next Sip, Stitch and Bitch night. I bet Katie Faith would want to know how too.”

  Every other week, they had a standing date to hang out, drink, do some sort of craft—obviously one safe to do while drinking—and watch reality shows while talking terrible shit about all the casts. In the years she’d been gone, Ruby had been envious of the time they’d set aside so she was very much excited to be part of them at last.

  Ruby leaned over to hug Aimee quickly because that made her happy. “Damn I missed your silly ass.”

  Aimee grinned. “My silly ass missed you too.”

  The small town grocery store was busy as she and her friend did their shopping. Ruby had to pause every few feet to say hello and accept welcome back wishes from friends and neighbors she’d known all her life—and keep her buggy from maiming anyone.

  “When I was seventeen and dreaming of life as an adult I honestly never considered making a date with a friend over grocery shopping,” Aimee said as they perused the jars of spaghetti sauce. “Yet here I am on a Wednesday night because you and I are so busy it was this or wait a few more days to hang out.”

  “Adulting involves far more time being awake and doing things I’d rather not like clean toilets and pay bills than I ever imagined,” Ruby said.

  “The only real consolation is the sex and the freedom to eat peach cobbler for breakfast if and when you might want.”

  “You’re a sage.” Ruby snickered, thinking of the cherry pie she’d had after finishing her eggs that morning. And that she’d shared that pie with her mom as they stood at the kitchen counter and watched through the window as the dogs played in the yard. “But that’s totally true.” She grabbed a few cans of chickpeas to make hummus and some Greek olives to add to the pasta sauce she and her mom planned to put up over the weekend. There were so many tomatoes waiting to be made into salsa and pasta sauce she probably wouldn’t need to buy any until near time to can more the following year.

  “I totally am. Mac says I’m a chatterbox stuck on shuffle but I’m sure he just misunderstands what the words mean. Maybe he didn’t pay attention in his classes at the London School of Economics.” Aimee waved a hand airily. “Clearly I’m fucking brilliant.”

  “I probably wouldn’t challenge him at figuring out percentages or gross national product and what have you. But you are the brilliantest,” Ruby agreed as they turned the corner and headed into the bakery section. Her favorite. The scent of fresh bread and all the best carbs greeted her.

  “Right? God I love bread so much,” Aimee said as she picked up a pretty French loaf with a leaf pattern cut into the crust. “Ever since Merilee took over the bakery here, I’ve probably eaten my weight in baked goods. All is right in the world.”

  Merilee was a witch in town whose skills with bread and pastry were very well known. Her magic hands made crusts perfectly chewy and crisp, the cinnamon seductive, and her cherry thumbprint cookies were so good, Ruby’s mom used to send her a box wherever in the world she was living. A little bit of magic from home.

  “I wish there was a way to bottle this smell,” Ruby said, beginning to think on how she might actually make that happen. A candle that scented a room like fresh baked goods would be pretty cool. She grabbed a few loaves knowing that her parents’ kitchen was nearly always full of hungry family and sandwiches made an excellent snack.

  She paused to look over the selection of breakfast bars to check the ingredients lists. “I’m working on a recipe for these. I can make them fresh for half the price and never come across a raisin unless I put it there myself. And I never would.”

  “Chocolate is good for you. Don’t forget to put some in the recipe,” Aimee added.

  “You have good ideas. A great reason to keep you around. Walnuts for sure since my dad is allergic to hazelnuts. In case you’re not following along, I’ve switched topics. I promised a bunch of baked goods in payment for help moving when I find a place. I got off pretty easy I think. I didn’t even attempt to pay anyone with actual money. No one wants an offended Anita Thorne.”

  “Goodness no.” Aimee shuddered at the thought. Ruby’s mom, Anita, was, pretty much like Aimee’s mom, a force of nature. She didn’t get where she was in her life without a lot of kicking down doors and demanding her due. She was one of Ruby’s idols. A compass in a chaotic world.

  “As for your way of floating around on the wind of a conversation?” Aimee waved a hand. “Please. You and Katie Faith both have that stream of consciousness thing. So since she was here when you were gone, I never fell out of practice followi
ng your sentences into new and exciting topics at a moment’s notice. Like a roller coaster and I don’t even need to stand in line.”

  Ruby snickered. “One of the things that made it easier when Nichole and Greg moved back here was knowing she’d have you and Katie Faith to keep her company until I got here.”

  Aimee bumped her hip to Ruby’s. “Well, as much as we love her and she’s definitely fitting in just fine, I missed you too. You were out in the world doing important stuff and I was here. Katie Faith was away for years too and it was just me and Lara. And now she’s off in Scotland for however many years.” Their friend had gone to England and Scotland to see some family and had found love when her car had broken down and the tow driver was now her husband. Life had its own plans.

  “And now the three of us are living within two miles of one another for the first time in six years. You’re mayor! And you’re getting married in two months. Katie Faith is happy and married and at Jace’s side to lead the Dooley wolves. These are hopeful, powerful days.”

  Aimee breathed out slowly and then quickly hugged Ruby. “Oh my god, I needed to hear all that. There’s so much happening and we really do need to catch up but in private because everyone here is listening and watching everything we’re doing.”

  “That part of small town life I didn’t miss that much. Come on. I promised I’d grab a few gallons of milk for my mom. I’ll be sure to keep the bread up here in the purse holder thing. Nobody ever wanted smushed bread,” Ruby said.

  “Says you. I’d still eat it that way. I mean if it was necessary like after the apocalypse or smushed by a can of soup. It’s still bread. Some things are worth lowering your standards for, Ruby.”

  Before she could stop snickering and reply, Aimee came to a sudden halt and Ruby only barely managed to swerve the recalcitrant buggy at the last minute to save her friend’s ankles from dreaded grocery buggy injury.

  “Yikes! I nearly maimed you,” she said but Aimee’s attention was on the woman coming their way, lodging her cart catawampus so that they couldn’t get around her.

  “Perfect,” Aimee said under her breath.

  “There you are. I need you to tell my son to return my calls.” Scarlett Pembry attempted to loom over Aimee but Aimee was an alpha too and didn’t show her throat.

  “You need to leave a message when you call,” Aimee told her soon-to-be mother-in-law with patience that frayed at the edges.

  Scarlett Pembry was a striking woman. Not exceptionally tall, but she had a big presence. Light brown hair, cut well to flatter the slightly heart shaped face. Always made up and dressed well and that day was no exception. If she hadn’t been such a spiteful, mean person, she’d be beautiful.

  Regardless of the fact that she was no longer in charge of the Pembry pack, Scarlett would always be an alpha wolf. A dangerous predator with decades of political experience under her belt. Ruby knew a threat when she saw one. And Scarlett Pembry was a threat.

  “I don’t have to leave a message! He can see his mother has called. It says so on his phone. That’s all he needs to understand he should call me back. He’s a very smart boy but sometimes he misses the details. That’s your job.” Scarlett jabbed a long pink fingernail at Aimee for emphasis.

  “My actual job is mayor of the Township of Diablo Lake. And I also have a stake in the town medical practice. Nowhere in the job description for either is being Macrae’s personal assistant. First, he’s a grown man. And he’s already got a personal assistant as you well know. You can contact him if you like. But leave a message so he knows what you need.”

  Scarlett’s mouth flattened and her eyes narrowed. “Don’t play games with me. You know what I mean. I surely don’t need to be calling in outsiders to get my child to return a phone call.”

  At that point Ruby knew her features showed her shock but Scarlett didn’t deserve the effort to hide it.

  “He’s your nephew. Hardly an outsider. He’s eaten pancakes at your table on Sunday mornings for years of his life,” Aimee said quietly of Everett, Mac’s cousin who Ruby figured was his personal assistant or whatever the packs called that person.

  Scarlett had the dignity not to argue that point. Everett was more than just a guy who kept Mac’s calendar. He grew up at Mac’s side as a guard as well, Ruby knew that much. She was really proud of Aimee for keeping her composure but setting her boundaries. It was very badass.

  “Your generation might be keen on airing your family business to all and sundry for the drama of it, but mine knows how to act. Everett is my nephew, but you are Mac’s soon-to-be wife. You will lead the pack at his side once you’re married. It is your duty. I know there are those who doubt your ability to lead with Mac. Because you’re not one of us.” Scarlett paused, looking Aimee up and down, grabbing the cart to hold her in place. “But I’m not one of them. I tell them you’re a powerful witch who has already begun to bring Pembry strength. I know you can do a good job. But you have to let go of your modern ways and remember this is Pembry. We don’t act out like Dooley does. The wolves look to you to lead by example. You must be worthy of this place in the world, Aimee.”

  Ruby slid her gaze over to Aimee, whose eyebrows had risen up her forehead. Oh no. This was not going the way Ms. Pembry thought it was. “Worthy?” Aimee asked, scorn in her tone.

  “Ma’am. What the ever-loving heck are you talking about?” Ruby didn’t say a curse word because her grandmother would have lectured her for three hours about how she needed to know how to act in public. But no one attacked her friend like that.

  Scarlett looked around and finally noticed Ruby. “Oh. You.” Scarlett’s lip curled ever so slightly that Ruby hated her for it while also admiring the skill. “Why are you eavesdropping? This is not your business.”

  “Eavesdropping? You’re in the grocery store at six thirty on a Wednesday night. Pretty much half the town is here listening to you air your business on aisle five,” Ruby said. “If you don’t want your private business aired out, you’re in control of that.”

  “Be on your way,” Scarlett hissed, waving her hand at Ruby.

  At her side Aimee actually guffawed. “We’re on a date so it’s us who’ll be on our way to the checkout line. Call your son, who is a grown-up. If he doesn’t answer, leave him a message and tell him what you need after the beep. I’m not part of this in any way, nor will I be. I’ve made my stance clear about the Rule of Silence but the rest is up to the wolves. As you know.” She pulled her cart free and they strolled past.

  Ruby wasn’t going to discuss any of what just happened with Aimee. Not while they were in the store with everyone watching. And they were watching and barely pretending not to. But there was clearly more to the story than she knew. So she’d make small talk until they could get out of there and speak in private.

  “You should contact Damon. He and Major do most of the real estate stuff around here so he’d know what’s available to rent and would have access. And you already know him so that’s a plus.” Aimee smirked but did not mention Ruby’s knowledge included exactly four dates and some of the best kisses she’d ever shared in the short time they’d dated six years prior, right before she left Diablo Lake.

  “Apparently you’re still a shit stirrer,” Ruby murmured.

  Aimee laughed aloud at that and Ruby was glad she’d said it. She knew her friend had to be under an intense amount of pressure from all directions. Marrying the person you loved was wonderful. If you were fortunate enough to get good in-laws that was even better. But when you were getting some really bad ones, well that had to be a real damper on happiness.

  It made Ruby even more protective of Aimee.

  “I plan to give him a call to set up an appointment.” It wasn’t like they broke up and hated one another and as Aimee had said, Damon was the source of the service she needed and there was no reason not to contact him.

  Chances were he’d still smell really good, look even better and that slow Southern drawl wouldn’t fail to make her a little tingly. And she wasn’t going to lie to herself. She wanted to show him what he’d been missing all those years.

  Aimee said nothing but the smirk remained in place.

  Once they got to the parking lot after checkout, Ruby paused at Aimee’s car.

  “Thank you for defending me like that. Oh god her face.” Aimee hugged Ruby tight. “She’s being a pest right now about wedding stuff. More than usual. And there’s the Rule of Silence stuff that she’s getting everyone worked up over.” She looked down at her watch. “I can’t talk more right now as I’m due to meet Mac in less than an hour for wedding stuff and I need to drop the groceries home first. I’ll text you later. Love you.”