Christmas Three Read Online Free PDF Page A

Vanity was not exactly a welcome guest, she was a help in the kitchen, making cookies with Tempest and doing the baking for the holidays. After the initial bumps they had, she found the young woman rather charming and intelligent. It was her persistence on calling her “mistress” or “my Beta” that made Tempest uncomfortable. But it was through Vanity that she was learning more about pack life and the changes that would be coming when Alex or Dominic took over as pack leader. It wasn’t a matter of if but when it happened. She saw them as leaders the first time she met them and went with them to Acadia. That initial look into their future was several months ago, but while her visions tended to be spotty, they were never wrong. She looked over to where Vanity sat sprinkling brightly colored sugar crystals on a tray of cookies fresh out of the oven. She was rubbing her belly with her free hand.
    “Are you okay?” Tempest asked. “I want you to go to the doctor in town as soon as I can get you an appointment.”
    “Yes, Mis …” Tempest gave her a look and she stopped her words. “Thank you, Tempest.”
    “You’re welcome. I think after this is all over, if I have to be the Beta for the pack, I want everyone in the pack to have regular doctor appointments, especially the women and children,” Tempest said.
    “Jack paid for our appointments and made sure the children had their shots,” Vanity murmured. “But when Vernon took over, whatever money we had in the bank, he used up, he and the three with him,” Vanity explained.
    “Who are they?” Tempest asked curiously.
    “Joe, Martin and Griffin.” Vanity’s voice held disgust. “They fell in line with Vernon quickly after Jack’s death. It was hard for all of us to have to submit to Vernon, but even harder to submit to those three as well. But Jack’s daughters, his poor daughters were made to submit as well.”
    “That’s horrible!” Tempest said. She knew the bond of being mated, but the fact that they were using it only for their own gratification angered her. “This will all stop, Vanity. Don’t worry, we are going to stop it and take the pack back to the way it was when Jack ruled.”
    Vanity winced. “I hope so, the fighting has become worse and is widespread among the pack and it is even affecting the young. See, even now this little one is kicking up a storm.”
    “Isn’t that just him being a healthy little boy?” Tempest asked with a smile. She picked up the oven mitts and pulled another tray out of the oven.
    “Boy?” Vanity said. “You know this for certain?”
    “Yes, I do,” Tempest said. “I’ve always been good at telling the sex of babies. I think maybe that’s why Vernon makes the women terminate. He knows that one day someone, most likely his own son, will stand up to him. He fears having an Alpha being born.”
    “He is no wolf, no true one anyway. If Jack had not been so brutally and unfairly overthrown by Vernon and his three minions, he’d have kicked Vernon out of the pack or would have had him killed. Even though Vernon was the second in command, Jack was coming to realize what a bad call he had made putting him in that position. I think Vernon knew Jack’s plan to get rid of him, so Vernon beat him to it,” Vanity said angrily. “Our children make our pack strong; they give us a bond and he’s taken that from so many of us.” Vanity hesitated. “You could help my unborn as the Beta.”
    “How so?” Tempest asked.
    “You are more powerful than you realize. Your gift has left you open to being a part of the pack even though you’re human,” Vanity explained. “Why do you think Vernon wants you so much? He can sense the power in you and wants to use it for his own control. Place your hand on my belly and connect with my son. Ask him to quiet and rest easy.”
    “Maybe we shouldn’t mess around with the baby,” Tempest said hesitantly. “I don’t want to go practicing something on him and next