Sara Philips has come home after almost twelve years. Married to a man she planned on claiming as her own and telling about the babies she carried, she never got the chance. Now, the widowed mother of twin ten-year-old rambunctious boys, she has learned what true happiness is along with the gut wrenching pain of loss.

Ero and Luc Mathews, the dark and light twins, are waiting for the one. For the last year, women have come and gone from their life without that spark of recognition. When Sara steps into Los Lobos Café looking for a job, the punch to Ero’s gut, shocks him to his core. But he worries the connection won’t be there for his brother.

Love and Luc aren’t synonymous with each other. Where his brother is the ever optimist, he’s more incline to sit back and let everything play out. However, when he sees Sara in the convenience store, he can’t stop thinking about her. There’s something hidden within those amber-colored eyes of hers.

With the Solstice upon them, Gee enlists their help in a little scavenger hunt of sorts. They have ten days to find their item and present it to him on the night of the festivities.

Having to work together keeps them in close quarters and ignites a passion Sarah hasn’t felt since before her husband died. But, with two children and a nosey mother always asking questions, she doesn’t have time to consummate their budding mating. However, on the night of the solstice, both men will have what is rightfully theirs. The only question is, can her heart stand another chance at love?

While happy to be back home, Sarah needs a job. Her brother Jason will be opening a brewery in the spring and has sold all his brews, but she needs to supplement her income.

After being turned down at the convenience store she literally runs into Luc. His greeting includes the word Mate as he leaves her to continue her search. In spite of trying to avoid Luc and Ero she goes to the café in hopes of a job. What she gets is immediate employment and soon after two mates. Here’s a favorite scene, when Ero catches up to her later that night.

When she and Jason escaped Magnum’s deadly rule, they’d lived together for a while, but after she met Ethan, her brother moved out. He didn’t go far, though. They spent time together, and her brother had gotten a job working construction. Then, tragedy struck, and when she needed him most, he’d returned to stay with her and help out. But even now they were home with friends and family nearby, she still depended on him. Maybe it was time to cut the strings and allow him time to find his own happiness. God knew, one of them had to do it, or she feared he’d never find his own mate.

“The snow’s let up. You still going for a run tonight?” Jason came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah. I need to clear my head.” The whole day had been filled with so much activity, and working again after ten years had taken its toll.

“Go. Before it starts again and gets too hard to maneuver through. I’ve got the boys.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Don’t forget, you have a busy day tomorrow.”

She turned and wrapped her arms around her brother. “Thank you. I won’t be long.”

“Eh, what are brothers for?” He hugged her tight. “Besides, you owe me one now.”

She laughed. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” With one last glance at her boys, she strode from their room and headed for the back door. She had an hour to stretch her legs and then she had to be in bed. She didn’t want to let down Ero on her second day.

After placing her clothes on the bench under the coat hooks, she stepped outside. The frigid air kissed her skin, leaving a trail of gooseflesh in its wake. She shivered, calling for the wolf within. Warmth bloomed at the center of her chest and spread out. Like a clinging vine, it covered every inch of her—bled into her muscles and bones—reshaping her until she stood on four legs. She lifted her nose and tasted the breeze. Snow. A thrill of anticipation shot through her.

She took off into the woods surrounding their home. A yip of joy filled the night air as she ran up the trail into the hills. The first time she’d shifted after holding her wolf in check for so long, it hurt. Her body ached for days afterward. Every time since, it’d gotten easier and more of her senses came online. The smells of wild game, frozen ground, and snow-kissed water called to her like a siren’s song. Dead leaves, moss, and excrement hypnotized her, drawing her farther away.

Hunt.

Chase.

Eat.

Yes. It had been years since she’d followed small prey, made the kill. She lowered her nose to the ground and sniffed. There, among the earthy aromas, was the subtle hint of chipmunk. Sarah followed it. The trail wound through the hills, over logs, behind rocks, and up into the trees then back down to the ground. The prey poked its head up from the underbrush and sniffed.

She pounced, snuffing it out with a quick snap of the chipmunk’s neck. Pleasure flowed through her as she ate her meal. Freedom. A snap of a twig had her raising her head. She curled her lip and growled. When the wolf took a step closer, she exposed all of her teeth and swished her tail. Then, she caught the scent. Ero. She whined, lowering herself to the ground. Rolling over, she exposed her belly to him and waited as he sniffed at her neck.

Calling to the shift, Sarah wrapped her arms around him. “Sorry, first time catching a midnight snack since I came home.”

Moments later, Ero joined her. Amusement and desire glowed in his gaze. “I watched you.”

She didn’t know if she should feel creeped out by his announcement or elated. “Oh.”

He moved closer, wrapping an arm around her. The heat from his body combined with hers, chasing away the freezing temps. “You were so involved when I saw you I stayed back, curious as to what you found.”

“Chipmunk.” She glanced up at him. The whoosh of her heart pounding filled her ears with each inhale of his tantalizing scent. Every bit of her wanted the man beside her, but they lacked one person. “Seemed easiest to catch.”

“Well, I caught mine, too.” He kissed her. For the second time in less than twenty-four hours, he’d done the one thing she hadn’t been expecting. He drew her to him, bit by bit. With each glide of his tongue, she melted a little more. “Sweeter than honey.”
TL Reeve. Winter Awakening (Kindle Locations 428-461). Decadent Publishing LLC. Kindle Edition.

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TL Reeve is a multi-published author with Cobblestone Press, Decadent Publishing, Evernight Publishing, and Loose-Id, was born out of a love of family and a bond that became unbreakable. Living in Alabama, TL misses Los Angeles, and will one day return to the beaches of Southern California to ride the waves at Huntington Beach. When not writing something hot and sexy, TL can be found curled up with a good book, or working on homework with a cute little pixie.

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