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    Temple's Touch
    Temple's Touch
    Temple's Touch
    Ebook149 pages2 hours

    Temple's Touch

    By Amber Kell

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Previously Released

    Sometimes true love is right in front of you.

    Madison Archer dreams of the day he can claim Temple as his mate. However, when Temple heads off to school Maddie worries he’ll be forgotten among Temple’s new friends. Maybe a half-wolf can’t understand the bond between mates.

    Temple Stewartson has always loved Madison Archer. Childhood friends, they were now old enough to start their own lives. However Temple doesn’t want to do anything without Madison by his side. So when Maddie disappears, Temple is willing to do anything to get his man back.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAmber Kell
    Release dateMay 1, 2018
    ISBN9781370608232
    Temple's Touch
    Author

    Amber Kell

    Amber Kell is a dreamer who has been writing stories in her head for as long as she could remember.She lives in Seattle with her husband, two sons, three cats and one very stupid dog. To learn more about her current books or works in progress, check out her blog at http://amberkell.wordpress.com.Her fans can also reach her at amberkellwrites@gmail.com.

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    • 4/5
      Felt like this one would have been better as the start to a new series.

    Book preview

    Temple's Touch - Amber Kell

    Chapter 1

    Walking across the quad, Temple Stewartson tried to match the current landscape with the pictures in his father’s photo album. He spotted a few new buildings, but no huge transformations. The air hummed with all the protection spells laid out by Headmaster Jaynell, a man Temple had called Uncle since he took his first step.

    Uncle Jay’s magic soaked the air like wet dew on the morning grass, leaving a sparkly residue on everything it touched. Temple doubted the pure wizards even noticed the energy saturating their campus. Wrapped up in learning about their emerging abilities, they had little attention to spare for anything else. Temple had grown up around the great wizard and knew the scent of home. Jay might not be his true uncle, but in a pack, every adult a generation older became an uncle or aunt to teach and guide the young.

    His inner wolf growled at the familiar smell, wanting to roll around in the grass and cover Temple with the wizard’s scent. Jay meant protection to Temple’s wolf half, and in an unfamiliar territory, his unsettled beast sought a strong protector.

    Temple gritted his teeth and held onto his restraint with pure willpower and slightly clawed hands. After insisting on attending college, Temple couldn’t lose control now, not when his siblings had all but dared him to attend. He thought back on their meeting.

    "You gotta learn to protect yourself better, Reena had warned. People are gonna want to challenge a half wizard and you need to be able to use your magic because your wolf might not be able protect you." She’d punctuated her lecture by cracking an ever-present wad of gum. He never could figure out how she avoided getting it stuck on her teeth.

    He hadn’t bothered arguing against her logic. Temple’s strong inner alpha wolf did him little good since he couldn’t transform—one more reason he needed advanced magical training. He’d been home-schooled with his siblings and fellow wolves and taught basic magic by the wizards in the family, but he needed a degree to practice empathic magic. Without that degree he’d remain a half wolf with above average magic but unable to transform—a failure in both shifter and wizarding worlds.

    The current state of affairs had led Temple to become the focus of the Stewartson siblings’ weekly gathering. They always met at a diner two blocks from the pack house without other pack members or parents, to plot the future of their small pack.

    It was their way of connecting without outside pressures. Temple adored his siblings and the trio had only become closer as they’d grown older and started their own careers. The youngest by three years, Temple was the only one who had yet to find his direction in life.

    Reena’s right—you need to get training for your powers, Cannon said. His alpha wolf’s eyes flashed metallic yellow. Cannon had the strongest beast of any of them, barely contained beneath his human facade. He’d been the first to suggest they start a pack of their own. They had all agreed, knowing Cannon couldn’t stay with their birth pack much longer. Although their home had been an amazing place to grow up, no pack could sustain two alphas. Since the Stewartson siblings wouldn’t abandon one of their own, they’d all agreed to form their own pack once Temple finished schooling.

    However, they needed to be able to sustain their pack financially before moving out, and asking mom and dad for money would dent that independence. Cannon had already started saving a nest egg for them with his construction company and Reena had begun her own investment company for shifters. Her knack for handling money had built their little pool of cash into a respectable amount. Not enough for a small pack house, but they were getting there. Once Temple began adding to the pool of funds it would grow much faster but Temple needed to finish four years of wizard school before he could open an empathic healing practice to help emotionally damaged shifters.

    I haven’t seen Maddie in a few days. How’s he doing with you going to school? Cannon asked.

    He’s fine. Temple ignored the painful twist in his heart over their daily separation. I don’t think he knows I plan on bringing him along when we start our pack.

    Maybe you should stop being such a guy and talk to him. Reena smirked. Or he might decide you’re too much work and go find someone else.

    Temple grabbed hold of his inner wolf when the beast lunged for Reena. A snarl left him, loud enough to startle his sister into moving farther away from him. He swiped at her with a clawed hand, unable to stop his wolf from attacking her completely. He might not have full shifting ability, but his claws could do considerable damage

    Don’t tease him about Maddie, Cannon warned. His low alpha tone resonated through Temple’s bones.

    Sorry, Temple. Reena lowered her eyes to appease Temple’s wolf.

    Reena’s sincerity eased Temple’s beast. He nodded his acceptance of her apology. It still took several minutes before his fingers changed fully back to human.

    I can’t even think of him being with someone else. Temple’s hands shook at the idea of his sweet wolf giving his attention to another. Childhood insecurities twisted him up. Not enough of a wolf, barely a wizard—what did he have to offer? He’d do anything to keep the one good thing in his life.

    You think Maddie’s your mate, don’t you? Cannon asked.

    Temple shrugged. I hope so. Going to school is a good way to meet non-shifter people. If my wolf is set on Maddie, I’ll be happy with that, but I don’t want to pick him and discover too late that he has a different mate. That would kill me.

    Temple dreamed of having a pup or two, even with his screwed up genetics. Maddie would make an amazing father. Big, sweet-natured Maddie, who always played with the pack pups with more patience than a saint. As a whole, shifters distrusted artificial insemination, believing a child would happen or not and people shouldn’t interfere with nature’s plan. A drop in the shifter birth rate still hadn’t changed most shifter’s minds. He didn’t care. If the opportunity arose he’d snatch up the chance to welcome a child with either his or Maddie’s DNA.

    Cannon clapped him on the shoulder, breaking through his daydream. It’ll all work out.

    Temple didn’t respond to his brother’s reassurance. He tried to keep hold of his optimism, but sometimes things didn’t work out and no amount of feel-good movies could overcome the reality of life.

    Temple still had to convince his best friend to join them in the new pack but he didn’t worry—Maddie never told him no. The two of them had been inseparable since Maddie had come to live with the pack at the tender age of eight. Temple had found him clinging to a bit of roofing wreckage after a horrible flood swelled the river and took out Maddie’s home. He didn’t know what had happened to the rest of Maddie’s family and as far as he knew, their alpha had never found any other survivors. Temple had stopped asking Maddie questions years ago after a harmless inquiry had reduced Maddie’s glowing green eyes to the hollow-eyed gaze of someone who‘d survived a deep trauma.

    The memory jerked him back to the present in time to avoid walking into a tree. At the sight of all the flowering branches his heart ached. Maddie, you would love this place. Maddie adored gardening.

    Maddie had stood by Temple when he learned he couldn’t shift, and held him when he’d sobbed over not being enough of a wolf. Reena and Cannon could shift so Temple had always assumed he would too.

    Although Temple wouldn’t exchange his father for anyone on the planet, that didn’t take away the bittersweet pain of not being like the rest of the pack. His eyes, teeth and hands could shift but a full body transformation never happened. No one knew why except maybe his hybrid nature didn’t have enough wolf genetics. Hereditary traits were a chancy thing and he’d received more wizard traits than either of his siblings.

    Temple wouldn’t mind if no one on campus knew about his background, but hybrids were rare and he doubted it would take long before word spread. With his bloodlines and connections, keeping a low profile wouldn’t happen. His uncles were notoriously mated to powerful wizards and although they didn’t say anything, he knew they were hoping he’d find a mate outside the pack. Everyone knew how much it hurt him not to run with the rest of the wolves.

    He paused at the bottom of the steps to the Administrative Building. Once he went through those doors, everything would become real. I can do this, he whispered.

    An image of Maddie’s encouraging gaze flashed into his head. If he backed down now, he’d disappoint his dearest friend. Maddie had spent long hours helping Temple pick out classes and clothes and even gave him a concentration stone. Temple dipped his index finger into his right pocket and rubbed the bit of onyx for good luck.

    Here I go.

    He climbed a few more steps. Lion statues guarded the entryway. When he came even with the beasts, their eyes began to glow blue. Temple growled and the lighted gazes dimmed. Stupid statues, he grumbled. Statuary shouldn’t challenge his wolf. Continuing through the entryway he headed for the door labelled Headmaster’s Office.

    A gnome sat behind a wide desk. She looked up as Temple entered.

    Good morning, young sir. How can I help you?

    I’m here to pick up my schedule. Why they couldn’t just email it to him he didn’t know, but apparently it was a tradition to pick it up personally. He wondered if the statues had anything to do with that practice. Did they inspect each student, and if they did, how did the bad seeds get past them?

    Of course. Your name? The gnome flashed a wide smile.

    Temple! A male voice exclaimed behind him.

    He turned around. Uncle Jay.

    It’s always good to see you. The handsome wizard swept Temple up in a hug, squeezing him tight before releasing him.

    Temple rolled his eyes. You saw me this morning in the kitchen. I poured you coffee. He ignored the happy barking from his wolf. His inner animal absolutely adored the wizard and his human half agreed. His best childhood memories involved Jay. Between creating snowstorms

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