Umbra

By Torri Heat

Jasper and Ava’s relationship has been nothing but dramatic. From werewolf hunters to demons and everything in between, a nice, normal wedding is exactly what’s needed. Their mating will not only affirm their own relationship, but help to cement the alliances between the wolf packs and the Venators.

But a rival wolf pack is dead set against Jasper and Ava’s union, and everything their love stands for. Will the couple make it to their wedding day, or will deep seated prejudices keep them apart forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Apr 22, 2022

Book preview

Chapter One

A wedding. A wedding. Was this really happening? Was I really standing here, looking at a reflection of myself in the mirror, standing in a wedding dress? The dress was awful. I looked like a cupcake. Worse, I looked like a cupcake that had been squashed. I frowned, turning around and facing my best friend, Mollie. Do we really need to go through all of this? I feel like I have a nice white dress hidden in my closet somewhere already. That’ll be good enough, won’t it? Jasper won’t care.

Mollie sipped at her champagne, staring me down over the rim of her glass. I knew better than to mess with her when she gave me the look. It was the look that meant business. Ava Green. I love you to death. But if you take away my one opportunity at wedding dress shop --

I rolled my eyes, cutting her off. Like you and Merrick aren’t going to do the whole marriage thing at some point.

She ignored me, steamrolling over my argument. "This is my one chance to sip champagne and choose perfect white dresses. Do not take this moment away from me."

Mollie was impossible on a good day. With a wedding on the horizon, she was like a dog with a bone. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do this, right? I could be the perfect bride. Choose the white dress, throw the party. Eat cake, dance in front of a crowd of family and friends.

Except my family was a pack of wolves, and my husband-to-be was my werewolf mate. My maid of honour was a witch. My mom was in hell, and my dad was in prison. Normal. Just your everyday average life. The champagne I had drunk out of nervousness rolled in my stomach, and my fingertips began to tingle. I collapsed to my knees, the crushed cupcake of a dress poofing up around me. It was like I was in the middle of a pool filled with whipped cream, and the thought made me burst into laughter.

Ava! Are you okay? Mollie dropped her champagne glass to the table with a clatter, rushing to my side. Ava, what’s wrong?

I was choking and gasping as I tried to stop laughing, burying my face in my hands. I wasn’t surprised Mollie thought I was upset -- it sounded like I was sobbing.

Talk to me! Girl, what’s happening? Mollie tugged at my hands and glared at me when my hands dropped revealing me in hysterics. You’re kidding me, right?

Mol, what the hell are we doing? The snooty salesclerk eyed us with contempt, probably more concerned about the ugly dress I was crushing than the two women having a breakdown on her sales floor.

Mollie just shook her head. What do you mean, what are we doing? We’re trying to pick out a wedding dress for you, and apparently that’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard of.

I buried my face as another round of laughter hit me, still able to make out Mollie’s sigh. Composing myself, I looked up at her again, checking to make sure the nosy salesclerk was nowhere in sight. "Mollie, I’m marrying a werewolf. A fucking werewolf. He bit me. And I’m sitting here in a white dress, pretending like I’m pure and Daddy is going to walk me down the aisle. None of that is my reality. Picking out the perfect white dress just seems pointless."

My best friend grabbed my hands. "Ava Green, you look at me. I know this seems silly now, especially with everything that’s gone down in the last year, but you are getting married in two weeks. Jasper wants to marry you. He wants to do this right -- for you. Now you can walk down that aisle in whatever you want, but I think you’ll regret it in ten years if I let you get married in your workout gear. This is just as important as training, Ava. This is important for you, and me, and Jasper, and the entire pack. This is a chance for everyone to feel… normal. Which is something I think we’ve all been missing out on lately."

I let Mollie’s words sink in. She was right. I knew she was. Even when we were teenagers she knew what to say to make me see things her way. And I knew the wedding was a big deal to Jasper. Today was about more than a stupid white dress that I would just end up spilling wine down the front of anyways. Today was about fresh starts. I nodded slowly. All right. So where do we begin?

She got to her feet, offering me her hand with a smile. First we get you out of this awful dress. You look like a Goddamn cupcake. Then we find you a dress that you love.

Thank God. I grinned and took her hand. I was really worried you liked this one. I can’t breathe, and I don’t think Jasper would even know how to find me under all this fabric.

Jasper’s a wolf, Ava. I’m sure he’d figure something out. She had her back turned to me as she rummaged the racks, mind obviously set on something specific. The salesclerk watched her carefully, obviously not used to a tiny force like Mollie wreaking havoc in her perfectly curetted store. This one! Mollie whirled around triumphantly, and I inspected her selection. I shrugged, willing to try anything at this point if it meant I got to leave this store. I knew it was my own fault for leaving wedding dress shopping to the last possible moment, but it also hadn’t been my top priority.

The clerk hurried me into a changeroom, taking me out of the Godawful cupcake dress, and I slipped into the lightweight dress. It fit like a glove, no alterations needed, and I felt like I could breathe. Who was I kidding trying on those cupcake dresses?

I was actually thrilled to show Mollie the dress, and as soon as I stepped out of the room, I knew she felt the same way. Told you! she chirped. I tuned out the conversation, Mollie telling the clerk we’d take the dress today, and other things that I knew she had handled. I was captivated by my reflection in the mirror. I wasn’t Ava Green, meek and shy. I wasn’t Ava Green, Venator for a local pack of werewolves. At this moment, in this white dress, I was an Ava I hadn’t met yet. But if I was being honest, I was pretty excited to see who she turned out to be.

* * *

Mollie drove me back to the apartment -- Jasper’s and mine. Ours. It had a nice ring to it. And the apartment wasn’t bad either. In a lot of ways, it made a lot more sense than the back and forth between each of our respective apartments