Maverik's Ashes Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Cover Credit

  Dedication

  Copyright

  About This Book

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  From The Author

  About The Author

  Maverik’s Ashes

  Avaleigh’s Boys

  Book 4

  Sandra R Neeley

  Cover designed by: Cindy Falk

  Southern Graphics and Print

  [email protected]

  For Sara Henke (White) who bears a special affinity for Maverik McCullen. I can never thank you enough, Sara, for all your help, your support, your guidance, your beautiful teasers, your time, and most importantly, your friendship. You’ve become a friend that I never want to have to do without. I love you, my friend.

  Copyright © 2017 Sandra R Neeley

  All rights reserved.

  Maverik’s Ashes

  Avaleigh’s Boys

  Book 4

  Sandra R Neeley

  Maverik’s broken. His entire world came crashing down around him without warning, stolen from him brutally in the night by the one female he entrusted his soul to. His Wolf is all he’s got left; both are bitter, wary, untrusting and dangerous. They hide behind a wall of snarky, biting humor erected to keep the rest of the world at bay as they try desperately to cling to survival each and every day. He’s managed to find shelter in a clan of shifters. They have given him the support he needs to nurse his wounds in his solitary, self-imposed emotional isolation. It’s barely an existence, but it works for him, only now it’s getting harder. His clan is growing; they’re finding their Mates, their One. They‘re having babies, loving, laughing – living. And he’s not. He’s feeling more and more isolated. And the fact that he’s stumbled across another female that gives every indication that she’s his Mate is not helping. The last one almost destroyed him; there is no way in hell he will allow another female, any female, an opportunity to complete the job.

  Valerie’s a Lion shifter. She’s independent, strong, loving and kind. She’s got more curves than a country backroad and gave up the struggle to be model perfect years ago. She’s learned to love who she is and knows exactly what she’s got to offer the right male. Her Lioness has dreamed all her life of finding the One male who’s meant for her, the one who will love her unconditionally and be proud to call her “Mine.” Unfortunately for her, the wild, tatted, mohawked and oh-so-sexy Wolf shifter who joins the local clan that frequents her brother’s bar is the male that her Lioness decides is hers. And the bastard won’t even acknowledge her existence! His repeated rebuffs of her attempts to just have a conversation with him end in her blazing hatred for him. If he can’t see past the curves that adorn her body to the amazing female underneath, it’s his loss, not hers. Why then, is it his face she sees each time she closes her eyes at night, each time her new fiancé kisses her?

  Maverik’s had enough. The little Lioness calls to him in a way that he can no longer ignore. He wants her, forever. But before he can do anything about it, he’s got to deal with the ashes of his past. He’s got to go back, lay it all to rest and try to salvage some semblance of who he once was, of the honorable male that died that night. Maybe then he’ll be enough. Maybe then she’ll see him as the male he once was proud to be. Will he be able to man up, to make peace with his past before her hatred of him becomes so intense that she’ll never be able to see around it? He certainly hopes so, because without her, he’ll never survive.

  This is the fourth book in the Avaleigh’s Boys Series, about a group of shifters who make their home in the backwoods and bayous of South Louisiana. Their clan consists of a mix-matched group of five shifters who depend on one another and are loyal to no end. These are their stories.

  Warning: Intended for mature audiences. These stories contain hot bear, dragon, wolf and lion shifters. They like to cuss, fight and love their women. This book contains explicit love scenes, lots of use of the “F” word (among others), some violence, and possibly some abuse both real and inferred that may be disturbing for some readers. If you are offended by these subjects, please do not buy this book.

  Maverik’s Ashes

  Avaleigh’s Boys, Book 4

  Sandra R Neeley

  Chapter 1

  Maverik stepped outside the hospital room and into the hallway. He quietly pulled the door closed behind himself. His emotions out of control, a wave of longing unlike any he’d ever experienced washed through him. He turned and peered through the little square window in the hospital room door he’d just closed. Valerie held Daisy close and cooed to her. He smiled sadly. He wanted that, wanted everything that was represented in that room. Love, family, peace, babies, a future; and yes, Valerie, too. He wanted Valerie so badly he could taste it. He wanted all of it, and he knew there was only one way to get it. He took a deep breath, stood a little taller, squared his shoulders. It was a long time coming, too long, but he could do this. He had to do this if he ever wanted to have what Bane and Janie did, what it seemed all of his clan was headed toward. He strode purposely toward the exit sign at the end of the hall, his steps picking up speed as he got nearer to it. Yes, he was really going to do this. It was time to banish the ghosts of his past, time to deal with ashes of a life filled with pain and betrayal that he’d left behind. He cracked a smile; yeah, it was time to piss on his own ashes of the past, figuratively, of course.

  <><><><><>

  Bam rambled through the undergrowth at the edge of their property, his Bear sniffling and snorting at the ground. He had walked sentry on this exact same path so many times that he had worn a trail all around their land as he crisscrossed it daily, searching for any sign that Maverik had been near. And every day he returned to the clan a little sadder than the day before - no Maverik. He missed Maverik. He’d been gone for almost a month now, no phone call, no contact, nothing. When they reached for him through their connection, they could feel that he was there, but just barely; he made sure to keep them blocked. They had no idea where he was. If Bam wasn’t so worried about him, he’d be extremely pissed off. He, more than any other in their family, knew the magnitude of the pain Maverik suffered. He’d made it a point to be sure that Maverik was never alone when the hurt became too much for him. He’d thought they had a special bond between them, but when Maverik left Janie’s hospital room and disappeared, he’d been proven wrong. And that ate at him almost as much as his worry for Maverik. His Bear lifted his head and sniffed the air again, his sense of smell so acute that he’d surely pick up any trace if Maverik had been near. But he hadn’t. Bear hung his head and turned back toward the house. As he got closer, he could hear the sounds of the clan in different locations around the place. He approached the porch, shifted back into his human self and reached for the jeans he’d left on the steps. He slipped them on and went on into the house. He headed for the kitchen where he could hear Avaleigh singing to herself as she stood stirring a huge pot of soup. It was getting chilly outside as fall descended on them. He loved this time of year: the flannel shirts, the chill in the air, the crisp feel to it, the scent of smoke
on the air from all the chimneys and campfires. He walked into the kitchen pulling a burgundy colored, long sleeved, knit Henley over his head and down over his chest and stomach.

  “Any luck, today?” Avaleigh asked him, not looking up from her pot of soup.

  “Naw, nothing. I can’t believe that he just left us. We’re his family. How could he do this?” he asked her.

  “I don’t know, Bam. But that is the same exact reason that he’ll be back. We’re family. He needs us, too,” she answered him, hoping she was right. She felt Maverik’s absence just as deeply as Bam did, but she said nothing because she didn’t want him worried about her, too.

  Bam didn’t answer; he just stepped closer to her back, so he could peer into the pot she was stirring. “Smells good,” he rumbled.

  “’Course it’s good, corn and crab bisque,” she wiggled her eyebrows at him, trying to make him smile.

  “Did you make the little rolls to dip into it, too?” he asked hopefully.

  “Sure did,” she reached for a spoon on the counter and dipped it into the bisque, taking a bit out and holding it out for him to sample.

  Bam wrapped his lips around the spoon she offered, moaning in appreciation before he held it up and licked it to be sure he got every bit that could possibly be there.

  “Go get cleaned up, and I’ll get you a bowl.”

  “Okay, thanks, Avaleigh.”

  Bam made his way over to the sink and washed his hands. He reached for some paper towels and blotted his hands dry, tossing them in the garbage can as he moved to take his place at the table where Avaleigh had put his bowl, now overflowing with bisque, and a pile of the little dinner rolls he loved so much. She placed a cold glass of sweet tea in front of him, and he grinned his thanks as he reached for it to take a deep swallow.

  Noise from the rest of the house started to converge on the kitchen as the clan was lured by the scent of Avaleigh’s bisque and the sound of Bam’s spoon clinking on the the bowl as he ate.

  “You could at least tell a male when lunch is ready,” Daniel said as he came into the kitchen just as Avaleigh turned from the stove to place a newly filled bowl on the table for him.

  “Why? I knew you’d time it just right, you always do, love,” she smiled as Daniel took the seat she indicated and wrapped an arm around her hips to hug her to him. She kissed the top of his head and turned back to the stove to fill the remaining bowls there. She placed bowls at each place at the table, all except one. And one by one, each member of the clan made their way to the table for lunch. Once they were all seated, it was very apparent that there was one place completely empty. It was very hard to miss.

  Kaid, with Delilah seated to his left, allowed his eyes to linger on the empty place for a moment too long, and Bam caught it. “Do you think he’s hungry, Kaid?”

  Kaid jerked his eyes to Bam’s quickly, “Bam… we’ve had this conversation before. He’s fine, man. I promise you, he is fine. He’s not hungry, he’s not cold. He’s very capable of taking care of himself. He just… I don’t know what he just,” he decided not to try to lie to Bam; Bam could hear that very easily, “he just apparently needed some time alone. But I promise you he is not starving, he is not cold, he is not suffering. Well, at least not anymore than he usually did. And I truly believe that when he’s finished with whatever he feels like he’s got to do, he’ll be back.”

  Bam looked at Kaid, searching for any trace of dishonesty, but found none, “Okay.”

  “He probably just got something he needs to see through, Bam. He’ll be back,” Goldy said. He turned his eyes to Sadie who looked worriedly at him and leaned her head against Goldy’s shoulder. He patted her thigh where it touched his, “He’s fine, Sadie-girl. You’ll see.” He nodded once as though because he said it, it was so.

  Bane reached over and placed his hand on the back of his brother’s neck, rubbing for a second, “We can still feel him, my brother. He’ll be back.”

  Bam just nodded, but he wasn’t fully convinced.

  It broke Janie’s heart watching Bam hurting. She knew it was because Maverik had left with no word, no indication of when or even if he’d be back. It had everyone worried, but none as much as Bam. She knew how to distract him, though. She got up and smiled down at Daisy where she lay in her bassinet, grasping her little toes and thrusting them in her mouth as she babbled happily. She lifted the baby girl and turning, placed her into Bam’s already outstretched hands. “Here you go, Uncle Bam; she wants to play with her favorite uncle.”

  Bam took the baby, smiling and making silly noises with his mouth for her. She soothed him when he held her. She was only a little over a month old, but true to her nature, shifter babies developed early, and she was already doing things that a six-month-old child should do. She grinned at Bam, drool dripping down her chin as she let go of her toes and leaned forward to chew on Bam’s chin. He smiled at her and patted her back as she gnawed on him. But the worry had not completely left his eyes.

  Delilah noticed. “Do not worry, Bam. If Maverik-Ass does not return soon, I will find him and bring him back. He will be lucky if I do not pummel him along the way,” Delilah smiled at Bam in a sinister manner. Bam grinned at her nodding, knowing full well that her Dragon could do whatever she damn well wanted, and Maverik would have no choice but to comply.

  <><><><><>

  The Wolf slipped through the trees unnoticed by the sentries meant to protect the pack. They were more concerned with bragging about the girls they’d been with the night before and having their next cigarette. Fools, you don’t smoke when you stand sentry. The scent of the smoke could be detected by any shifter within miles, and their voices would carry almost as well. Sentries were supposed to be silent, unseen, constantly on alert. He didn’t know who trained these fools, but if they’d been caught behaving like this when he’d been Alpha, he’d have punished them severely. He lifted his lip in disgust as he moved past them on his way to the lone cabin that sat at the top of the forested hill. His target waited there, and he had no doubt that target was already aware of his arrival.

  <><><><><>

  An old man sat alone beside the fire burning in his hearth. It was cold outside and inside, truth be told. He could feel the presence of the Wolf. A presence he’d waited years to feel again. He smiled to himself sadly. He hoped this visit turned out to be what he prayed for, rather than what he feared. His gnarled hand reached for the corner of the old frayed Indian blanket and wrapped it more tightly around his shoulders. It had been a long time; he missed the Wolf. There was a time they’d spent hours talking and planning. Making decisions for the good of their pack, and no decision had been taken lightly. They’d been a good pack then, a strong one. The changes that had come about in the Wolf’s absence were detrimental to the existence of every one of their members. They were once a proud people, but no more. There was no more honor left. The elders had all drifted away to be taken in by neighboring packs as the changes in their hierarchy and in their day-to-day lives became more apparent. They’d begged him to come along, too. But he couldn’t. He had one more duty left to address. And until the lone Wolf currently stalking his front door returned to them, he couldn’t even conceive of walking away from that duty. But now? Now that the Wolf was back, he’d be free to follow his old friends, to live out the remainder of his life in a new place with new people, or to lay down his head peacefully one last time. Whichever the Great Father decided was best for him. He smiled again when he heard the creak of the door as the Wolf, the man, entered his home.

  “You still breathe, old friend,” the man said to him.

  The elder said nothing for a few moments, allowing the simple joy of hearing a voice he had begun to doubt he’d ever hear again, wash over him. Then, finally, he greeted his visitor, “Welcome home, Alpha Maverik.”

  Chapter 2

  Maverik snorted, “I’m Alpha no more, old man; Maverik is just fine with me.”

  “You are what you’re born for, son. That will no
t change, no matter the role you choose,” he said calmly. Slowly he got to his feet, turning to face Maverik where he stood just inside the front door. He looked him over, grinned again, and started shuffling his way over to embrace Maverik. Maverik met him halfway across the small room, hugging him tight and patting him as he inhaled the comforting scent of the elder that had been his adviser, friend, and confidante since he was a child. The male was the only father figure he’d ever known. He was good, honorable, caring, strong yet gentle, and probably the most moral male he’d ever met. His own father was so caught up in pack politics that he rarely had time for his sons. Grady had stepped in. He’d often wished that Grady was his real father. And after his father’s death, Grady had stepped up again, to help guide a very young Maverik into leading his pack. “I missed you, Grady.” He stepped back with tears in his eyes, truly amazed how much he’d missed this male. He’d managed to block it out with just about everything else, and said as much. “I didn’t realize how much I’d missed you. I’m sorry. I did my damnedest to block it all out, and you were a part of that. Forgive me,” Maverik begged.

  “’Course, son. There ain’t no reason to ask forgiveness. There hasn’t been no slight. Any lesser male wouldn’t have survived the betrayal you did. I knew you’d come back one day, well, for the most part I believed. Started to wonder there at the end, though,” he said on a smile.

  Maverik helped the old man back to his seat by the fire.

  “Things changed since you left,” Grady started.