Lycan's Prey by Jessica Hall

Chapter 15

10 months later

Weeks turn into months, and the hotel is nearly

unrecognizable. It was just four rogue women and three babies doing what I thought was impossible when we started. At times we saw no end in sight, and all of us wanted to give up. Fix one thing, find another issue, yet we managed it. We had four days before the health and safety inspector came out to check our progress, the first time he came out. He gave us a list of issues and snorted his laugh at us when we told him it was only us fixing it up. He shook his head and said it was impossible and that the place should be bulldozed.

Nearly a year had passed, in that time, we had fixed all the hotel rooms into immaculate rooms that simply matched or surpassed the other hotels in the city. Macey and I went hotel shopping, as we called it, and sussed out the other nearby accommodations. We hired a room for a night to see the services and check out the rooms and decoration to develop our own ideas. The function room was one thing most of the hotels didn’t have, whereas ours was big enough to hold weddings and formal functions.

Walking into the function room, I always marvel at it. It looks like something out of a fairytale wedding. Twinkling fairy lights hang from the ceiling joining in the center to a crystal chandelier which was one the most expensive things Valarie paid for but the centerpiece of the room. We had done it up as a winter wonderland inside, elegant yet also sophisticated

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if needed, depending on the function.

All the hotel rooms were transformed, the pool area was restored, and the property’s gardens were trimmed and well maintained. In the rear gardens, we found four water

fountains that still worked. After a good tidy up, it had a tropical oasis feel.

The restaurant in the main building is fully functional, and all appliances have been removed and replaced with better stainless steel and energy–efficient ones. It had a children’s play area that was fully enclosed and would eventually offer child minding services for employees and those staying in the hotel. We still had so much to do, but our most challenging task was passing the health and safety inspection and finding people to help run the place.

We had made do with just fixing it up with little help from Zoe‘ s child’s father and Macey’s brother. We still needed more workers to run this place. Four women couldn’t be everywhere at once. Solar panels had been placed on every building to save money on the power for running the place when it eventually opened.

All that was left was the front gardens and painting the exterior, which was nearly done, but we had just run out of paint. Macey’s brother was currently trimming the front hedges, and Macey was mowing the lawn with the ride–on mower she borrowed from her neighbor. Then on top of all the renovations. Three nights a week, I went to the

community college on the street behind us, and Valarie paid for my business courses. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I

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attended campus.

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lived up to Valarie’s expectations. Since meeting Valarie and

get back quickly. Hopefully, We will have enough daylight to finish that last

in Valarie’s truck. Zoe climbs in the passenger side, and I start the old beast up. Valarie waves

Valarie,” Zoe says, and I hum

head and sighs. Last week I walked in on Valarie during one of her coughing fits, only this time it was much different as she wiped her mouth with her tissue covered in blood. When I

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and go, but I was yet to see the man’s face even after a year.

she is so sick; I had already noticed it with myself. So going decades without your mate must be pure agony because I felt

The longer I remained rogue and without my mate, the worse my wolf side deteriorated. My health deteriorated; I was always sick with the flu or stomach issues, and no matter how much I ate,

was horrible. It was like the mate–bond was pulling me toward him and resisting took its toll on me. He had no idea; I tried to reach out to him, fear of him taking Valarian stopped me each time. Valarian is mine; I raised him, I looked after him, and

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damned if I let him

to

the hardware store, Zoe and I hop out of the car, paint code in hand and the cash for the paint. “We need a new paint tray

I tell her, and we split off down different aisles. Walking down the paint section, I look for the correct paint tray. It needs to be big enough for the roller brushes, finding it. I grab a

liters should be enough?” she asks.

and should have some spare, not much left to do

swallow as I stare at the man’s frame in front of me. He is tall and intimidating as ever. I would recognize that scent anywhere as I stared at the back of his head. Emotion chokes me as I observe him. Zoe continues talking away, completely oblivious to me,

the counter to be served. He talks casually to the man behind the counter, and