Autumn's Wolf (A Court of Shifters Chronicles #4)

By Alyssa Rose Ivy

Four Courts. Four Fae princesses in need of a shifter mate. And a war for the ages.
Autumn is the heir to Autumn Court, yet she has never felt equal to the other heirs. When the opportunity comes to step up and protect the others, she doesn’t back down. Thankfully she can do it with sexy Wolf Shifter Knoll at her side.

Knoll is only at Autumn Court to help his brother, but he knows immediately Autumn is the one for him. His wolf calls for her, and he will do anything to help and protect her.

When saving the courts requires trusting in Autumn’s gifts and each other, will the two unite and travel between worlds and time?

*New Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Romance*

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alyssa Rose Ivy
• Release date: Mar 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005751012

Alyssa Rose Ivy

Alyssa Rose Ivy is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels with over one million books sold worldwide. She loves to weave stories with romance and humor, and she is best known for writing about college boys with wings. After surviving law school and earning her masters in library science, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. She lives in Alabama with her two children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.Series by Alyssa Rose IvyThe Chronicles- New Adult Paranormal and Fantasy Romance-The Crescent Chronicles-The Empire Chronicles-The Dire Wolves Chronicles-The Allure Chronicles-The Forged Chronicles-The Grizzly Brothers Chronicles-The Pteron Chronicles-The Heart Chronicles-The Triton ChroniclesOther Paranormal/Fantasy/Dystopian Romance- Full Moons- The Corded Saga- Willow Harbor- Vampire Emails- Lunar Academy-Ghostly ShadowsYA Fantasy Romance-The Afterglow TrilogyNA/Mature YA Science Fiction Romance-Half LightContemporary Romance/ Romantic Comedy-The Hazards Series-Clayton Falls-The Mixology Series-Life After FallingVisit me on the web at:http://www.alyssaroseivy.comwww.facebook.com/AlyssaRoseIvytwitter.com/AlyssaRoseIvyhttps://www.instagram.com/alyssaroseivy/Sign up for my new release newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ktlSj

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Autumn’s Wolf

AUTUMN’S WOLF

A COURT OF SHIFTERS CHRONICLES

ALYSSA ROSE IVY

Copyright © 2022 by Alyssa Rose Ivy

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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CONTENTS

1. Autumn

2. Knoll

3. Autumn

4. Knoll

5. Autumn

6. Knoll

7. Autumn

8. Knoll

9. Autumn

10. Knoll

11. Autumn

12. Knoll

Epilogue

Thank You

Afterword

Heart of the Wolf

Chapter One

Chapter Two

1

AUTUMN

It’s always the most attractive ones who get you. They distract you with their good looks, get you to fall head-over-heels, and then when you are at your most vulnerable they do what they do best: break your heart.

But not anymore. I was done moving through that cycle of heartache and humiliation. It was time to steel my heart and let my head do the leading. Who cares if I needed to find my mate in order to take the throne? I cared. That voice inside me wasn’t going to give up. Nor was my mother, but that was an entirely different story.

I need you to step in for me. My mother stood looking into her mirror as she fastened her necklace.

Again? This was far from the first time she’d asked me.

Yes. She turned toward me. Is it too much to ask? You do realize this is going to be your job soon.

I do. I took a long look at the stunning woman in front of me. No matter what came her way she managed to appear unfazed and in control. I was terrified of what the people of my court would think of me in comparison. And, no. I don’t mind. I’m just surprised. You usually like to handle things yourself.

And I have plenty to handle. She turned back to the mirror and replaced a small section of hair that had sprung loose from her coiffed bun. Occasionally I need help. Especially now… Her eyes were sad, and I didn’t have to ask her what she was referring to.

My father had died a few years before. Losing her mate at such a young age was unheard of. No one fully understood what happened. Least of all me. I missed him terribly, but I knew my mother was going through something more than grief. Losing your mate was like losing a substantial part of yourself.

I understand. I hated to sound ungrateful. I had responsibilities, and I wasn’t a child anymore.

It shouldn’t be long or involved.

So you say about every council meeting, yet somehow they are always long and involved. Not that I’m complaining. I am merely being realistic. It was an element of royal life I did not enjoy, especially when it involved the public. I liked listening to and interacting with the people of my court, but they only came to council if they had a problem, and somehow the problems were always our fault.

Being realistic is still complaining. Her arms lay perfectly at her side as she stood up straight. My mother looked like a queen. There was no question about that.

Well then, I’m sorry you don’t have other offspring to choose from. I smiled. I was making a joke, not a jab. My mother had only wanted one child.

You are all I need. You are all that the court needs. She stepped toward me and put her hands on my arms.

I’m not sure about that. I was petrified of failing as I worked to follow in her footsteps.

It’s time for you to have some confidence in yourself. She looked into my eyes.

I have plenty of confidence in myself. Running an entire court is a lot though. It’s not a small, easy job.

You think I might have some idea what you are talking about? Her lips twisted into a light smile.

You are the only one who would.

Not the only one, but I agree there aren’t many. Only four families.

Do you believe it’s right? She removed her hands from my arms.

Do I believe what is right? I missed her touch. She was so good at calming me down.

That control of the courts always stays within the same families? That it doesn’t matter who else may be fit to lead?

I searched her eyes for the punchline. Was she baiting me? What answer was she looking for? We are destined to lead. It is why we get our gifts. I watched her, and she seemed to be waiting for me to say more. So I took a chance and went with how I honestly felt. But we are not the only ones of our kind that are gifted. There are others out there with strengths and talents too.

The Royals are gifted beyond most. And it wasn’t designed to be this way. To be such separate courts. The gifts are stronger when they are used together.

I didn’t know that. I’d always been curious about the other courts and took any opportunity given to get to know the other heirs, but that was about all I knew about our connection.

There is a lot you don’t know. And that is not your fault at all. She took my hand in hers. I have not given you the education you were owed.

You have had a lot of challenges. I was not patronizing her or making excuses. It was the truth.

All leaders have challenges. I should have delegated your education.

I had fine tutors. I hated to hear her criticize herself. It was always easier to criticize yourself than to hear it directed toward those you love.

You did. But not none of them knew all the secrets.

Of course not. But they’d taught me what they could. But really are you ever going to think it’s time for me to know all the secrets?

Yes. That time is now.

My body went still. I’m listening.

You know I don’t mean literally this moment. We both have work to do.

Yes, you want me to oversee this not long and overly involved council meeting? I was excited enough by her agreeing to share the secrets, that I was no longer dreading the meeting as much.

You have my permission to shut it down after an hour. I can’t control how involved it is, but I can control how long it is.

Thanks, but I’ll do whatever it is I need to do. Otherwise it would just fall back into my mother’s lap. She had enough to contend with.

I wish this could be different for you. She squeezed my hand. I hope it is different for you.

You mean with a mate? I asked as carefully as I could. Are you talking about my father?

Yes and no. Everything.

I will do my duty. I understand there are bigger things than myself. There are things that go well beyond me.

And you will find love. She squeezed my hand and then released it. Your mate is out there.

I know. I didn’t know, but I hated to see my mother worry so much. There were far bigger things to deal with. I will brief you on anything significant that comes up at the council. Good luck with your day's work. I headed toward the door.

Autumn, Mom called. You are a good daughter.

I stopped and turned back to look at her. You are a good mother. And a good queen.

The council room was packed. Far more than usual. We always had some members of the public at these meetings. They came with issues, disputes with other community members, requests for aid. But it was normally a handful at most. This time the room was practically full. Corner to corner.

The heir! A man yelled as I walked into the room. The queen has sent the heir in her place again.

The disdain was clear in the voice of the declarant as I brushed by on my way to the podium. I tried not to let it get to me. Having thick skin was a requirement for this position. I greeted the council before taking my seat— or rather my mother’s seat at the center of the podium. In other words: the throne. Good morning.

Where is the queen? A man yelled. I wasn’t sure if it was the same man who had expressed disdain earlier or not.

The queen had pressing matters to attend to. She understands the importance of these meetings and doesn’t take her absence lightly. I am here and have the authority to handle any matters. I sat up as straight as possible and tried to sound as strong as my mother.

Any matters? A woman called. Such as discovering who has allowed the darkness to enter the court?

The darkness? I repeated the word.

Yes, the darkness. The woman grunted. Are you admitting you have no idea what is happening outside the palace doors?

I am admitting no such thing. I already felt my calm facade breaking away.

Then surely you know of the darkness. The first declarant pointed at me.

It is killing our crops! A woman further back in the crowd yelled.

We’ve lost livestock. Another woman right up front looked up at me through weary eyes. Our children are going to starve if this continues.

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks even though I sensed she was exaggerating. I cared about the people of my court. None more than the children. We are well aware there have been strange occurrences afoot in our court. We also know it extends outside our borders, and we are doing everything we can. I wished my mother had prepared me more. I had heard of a few instances of things being off in our court, such as finding creatures that weren’t of our world, but nothing on this level. Is that why you are all here?

Murmurs and exclamations blended together into a mass of words.

I can help. A man raised his hand.

Who are you? There was probably a more polite way to address the man, but I was taken by surprise. He was dressed far more formally than the usual members of the court. Still, it wasn’t his dress that had my attention. It was the man standing beside him. His gleaming green eyes were