Faolan runs our family with an iron fist. As a rule, he takes what he wants, and mows down anyone who gets in his way. Or sends Cormac to do it for him.

But maybe that’s what it is to be First.

Thing is, what he wants now is Keaira, whom I love. He’s says he needs her as his mate, to secure an alliance with her family. And maybe that’s true. Because things have gotten so bad with Rian—our one time ally—that if we don’t get the alliance with Keaira’s family . . . we may not survive.

Still, I can’t help but think that deep down, he’s just after some tail.

So what’s it to be? Do I give up home and family—and ask the one I love to do the same? Do I put my whole family at risk, so we can be together? Or do I step aside? Because while he’s First, those are my options.

And I can’t challenge him. He’d tear me to shreds.

Welcome to my life.

---

Author's Introduction

Winter Rain is a tense, angsty serial that ran from mid-2008 through the end of 2009. It was an experiment for me, in writing something with a long story arc and lots of tension. At its peak, about 200 people came by for each new episode, and the overall story has been read by over a thousand people.

Unfortunately, I wrote myself into a corner with the story, and Winter Rain is now officially abandoned. I expect I will rewrite it from scratch, one day, as I like the characters and think the story world has some originality. However, for the forseeable future, what is here is it.

In hindsight, I don't think the writing really hit its stride until about part 20, but from part 20 on, Winter Rain is some of my best work.