Free MemoriesofParadise by Tianna Xander

remember my parents. I don’t remember anything before sixteen years ago when a police officer found me sleeping in an alley outside an old warehouse in Bangor. I was about sixteen and pregnant—though I couldn’t admit my age to the authorities. They wanted me to give Holly away.”
    “Because you were so young?”
    “I don’t know.” She sighed. “It was most likely because they knew there were hundreds of hopeful adults out there praying for a baby and here I was, a baby myself, or so they said.”
    Riana continued to stare through the window. “Tell me, is there a town beyond that mountain I see in the distance?”
    He nodded. “Yes. That would be Mason.”
    “Mason.” Turning, she frowned, placed a hand to her head, and made her way over to the desk in the corner. “Why does that sound familiar?” She shook her head slowly. “Even the diner and the waitress seemed familiar. I’ve never had such a strong feeling of déjà vu before.”
    Clay, call the alpha and ask him if we can see the records of all of the families that escaped Paradise during Camulus’s rule. I have a feeling…
    There was a short pause before Clay replied. A feeling?
    With what Riana has just imparted, I think it is a distinct possibility that she was among those who escaped a few years back. You remember. The alpha told us of the thirty or so families that escaped with their children. We know that most of the adults were killed, but what happened to the children?
    Some had speculated that someone had helped the adults hide their children from the council, but no one had been certain of that until the alpha female’s long-lost twin returned. No one even let on that she had a twin until the woman came to visit Myrtle Connor, one of the older women in the town.
    It was almost as though everyone had forgotten—everyone but Myrtle. Apparently, the old woman had helped a lot of families escape and found homes for those orphaned. However, she was closed mouthed about them all. Her assertion was, if they wanted to return, they would.
    I think the alpha assumed that the men who killed their parents captured their children , Clay replied just before he walked back into the room, holding out one of his t-shirts to Riana. “Here you go. I figured you’d want to wash the rest of that blood off you and have something clean to sleep in. We’ll take you out to the store to get some things tomorrow, if you’re feeling up to it.”

Chapter Fourteen
    “Thank you.” Riana smiled as she took the t-shirt from Clay. She knew it would feel strange knowing that she slept in a strange man’s shirt, but she just couldn’t bring herself to sleep in her borrowed blouse she would have to wear in the morning. She glanced down at it with a frown. “I appreciate the loan. I didn’t want to sleep in this if I had to wear it to the store in the morning.”
    She made a face. “I can’t imagine what people would think if it looked like I slept in it.”
    Her knees actually went weak when they both smiled at her. “It’s our pleasure, Riana.” Gunter stepped closer, took her hand in his, and bowed over it.
    She nearly jumped when he pressed his lips against the back of her hand. Electricity seemed to arc between them and her skin tingled everywhere he touched her.
    Current raced up her arm as though she’d been shocked and she swallowed thickly. What was wrong with her? For the last sixteen years, she had never been even remotely attracted to a man. Now, in the matter of a few short hours, she found herself attracted to two different men.
    She fought the urge to press her hands against her face when her cheeks warmed. What was it about these two men that suddenly had her craving their touch? She just wasn’t like this at all!
    When Gunter straightened to his full height again, he looked down at her with those beautiful amber-colored eyes and winked. When her knees buckled, he caught her before she fell, drew her forward against his muscular form,