A Mother's Creed

Copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. A Mother’s Creed Copyright 2023 by Lilo Quie Digital ISBN: 978-1-68361-783-9 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-68361-784-6 All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by Decadent Publishing LLC Table of Contents Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Epilogue About the Author By Lilo Quie at Decadent Publishing Melanie and Aurelius, being beta, cannot have a child. When a rabbit shifter babe comes up for adoption, Melanie and Aurelius jump at the chance to love and raise the child as their own, but fate has other plans. After missing out on the adoption, weeks before their wedding, a single omega arrives with the greatest gift anyone could give. Creed was captive of the tigers, given up by his clowder alpha to appease them. His proximity to heat made him an ideal candidate and, when they announce he carries kittens, he knows he’ll do anything to spare them, but he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to love them, or if his mate will accept another alpha’s babies. With only one thing he can think of, he follows the fates to make sure his babies find the family they deserve. Note to the readers: Melanie has deserved her story told for a while now, being such an integral part of Lance’s story and Club Despair. I did a lot of research before telling her story and consulted with many people whose stories lined up with Melanie’s. Addie, if you ever read this, your support and help were absolutely critical. May your enthusiastic love of opossums continue on. To my other sensitivity readers, you’re the best. I’ve made every attempt to tackle this story with every bit of tact and consideration possible. That being said, this is a sad story. I cried while writing it. People cried while reading it, cried while editing it. I promise you there is a HEA that will make up for it. But the theme of this series has always been about the healing that comes after the storm. Buckle in, grab your tissues, and join me on this journey to welcome Melanie into the Nevada Forsaken, the first mother of the pack. A Mother’s Creed Forsaken Few Finding Home by Lilo Quie Prologue Creed To the kittens I will bear, I never meant for this to happen. And I am sorry that it has to be this way. But know I love you in a way I cannot show you. What was done to me can never be undone. My only hope to recover is to turn my back on all evidence, to separate myself from the pain. I know when you’re born, I’ll see his face again, his stripes, his claws. And you are blameless. I have a mate, a true love, and I cannot bring you to him, praying he won’t be bitter. I know he would learn to love you, but that’s not what you deserve. You deserve to be wanted and loved from the moment you first open your eyes. Your Birthgiver, Creed *** His mate left for work that morning, sniffing him gratuitously. “Going to have to take a week off work, dear.” Lowell’s hands wandered over Creed’s chest. “I’ll make you so happy.” “Maybe… This time?” Creed’s little bobcat tail in his mind shivered with excitement. Lowell, all cinnamon hair and golden eyes, kissed his way along Creed’s neck. “I’ll never stop trying with you. My mate. Omega mine. I’m so lucky…” Lucky. Creed had felt so, too, for a few minutes, watching his alpha’s tight back, denim-clad ass, and muscular legs jauntily pacing to his truck for a hard day’s work. He loved Creed. Creed grabbed his morning coffee and slipped out to their small front porch while he mooned over the nursery he’d one day have for his kittens, their kittens. At first, he didn’t notice it, the rich scent of alpha and Lowell inundating Creed’s senses, but when the hot, meaty scent of tiger met his nostrils, he barely got a scream out before the rag covered his mouth and left him limp in a stranger’s arms. Creed came to, their harsh whispers pricking his ears. Their alpha, a tiger named Wu Shi, had negotiated with Creed’s clowder alpha, demanding an offering of an omega. A tribute. He told them that Creed was beautiful and chaste, had only ever had his mate, virtuous and insatiable, claiming the whole commune had heard his caterwauls in his heat. It sickened him to hear those facts being tossed around, and how easily, how willing their clowder’s alpha was to give Creed up. Creed never got to say goodbye to his mate. Creed was the one unfortunate enough for Wu Shi to pick. With his fine features, tanned skin, and glimmering golden eyes, he was a treat that many an alpha had chased. But his real luxury was his coat, all orange fur and dark banding. He looked a little tiger-ish. But all agreed he’d breed fine omegas. The tigers fought over him, but Wu Shi won, being alpha. He got first pick and did not share. As fortunate as that was, Creed didn’t agree. Liquor