Wilder Read online

  Wilder: The Guardian Series

  The Complete Set

  G.K. De Rosa

  Copyright © 2016 G.K. DeRosa LLC

  All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, G.K. DeRosa.

  Cover Designer: Masa Licinia

  ISBN: 978-1981637867

  Published in 2016 by G.K. DeRosa LLC

  Palm Beach, Florida

  www.wilderbook.com

  To my husband, who encouraged me to follow my dreams and my mother who taught me to always be young at heart.

  G.K. De Rosa

  Contents

  Wilder

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Wilder Destiny

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Wilder Revelation

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Wilder Legacy

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek of Magic Bound

  Author’s Note

  Also by G.K. De Rosa

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Prologue

  A violent clap of thunder exploded through the quiet house. Celeste shot up from her bed, heart pounding and screamed. The shrill cry echoed across her silent room, raising the thin hairs on her arms. Her heart raced as a brilliant flash of lightning lit up the black sky. Movement at the foot of the bed turned her attention away from the window. She froze, panicked.

  A muffled whimper seeped from beneath the sheets, and a cold nose tickled her feet. She giggled. Relieved, she scooped up her new puppy and held him close to her thundering chest. Slowly, her breathing returned to a more normal rate.

  Suddenly, Celeste’s bedroom door swung open and her mother raced in, her long brunette curls a tangled mess.

  “Celeste, sweetie, are you all right? I came as fast as I could.” Her mom’s warm caramel-colored eyes were wild and wide.

  Celeste nodded, not taking her eyes off the storm that surged outside the window. And that’s when the deafening sound of an approaching police siren pierced the rainy night.

  Loud banging at the door sent Celeste’s heart skyrocketing once again. Her eyes shot to her mother’s nervous ones. “Stay here,” she said and sped down the stairs, grabbing her pink fleece bathrobe on the way down.

  Celeste slipped out of bed and cradling her puppy tiptoed to the top of the staircase.

  A grim police officer filled the entryway, his silver badge up to the light. “Are you Olivia Wilder?”

  “Yes, I am,” she answered, a slight tremble in her voice.

  “I’m sorry to disturb you at this time of night Ma’am, but I’m afraid there’s been an accident. It’s your husband…”

  Chapter 1

  “Why aren’t boys in real life like the ones in the movies, Rocky?” Celeste sighed. Her sleepy German shepherd cocked his head to the side before flopping down and letting out a long huff. All Celeste Wilder wanted was to find a guy who would sweep her off her feet like she had seen in the movies. That would fill the empty void inside of her. It just had to. She stared at the TV screen as the black and white credits scrolled by. Titanic was one of her all-time favorite movies, and she’d just finished watching it for the millionth time. It always left her completely wrapped up in the fantasy world of endless love, romance, and adventure.

  A squeal from her cell phone harshly snapped her back to reality. Picking it up, a text message flashed across the screen. Brian.

  On my way.

  She glanced at her watch. She had completely forgotten she had agreed to study at the library with him. She grabbed her hastily strewn books from the floor and quickly stuffed them into her backpack.

  As she headed down the hallway, Celeste paused outside the closed door of her mom’s room, carefully turning the handle to peek inside. Her mom was still sleeping, her short brown hair swept across her face—no doubt recovering from another overnight shift. Olivia was the head nurse at Oak Bluffs Hospital and worked too many late night shifts. She was extremely dedicated to her job—too dedicated. That translated to lots of lonely evenings for Celeste.

  Beep, beep!

  Celeste ran back to her room and peered out the window at the black, sporty Mustang sitting in the driveway. “Ugh. Back to reality, Rocky.” Pulling her curly, golden-blonde hair into a hasty ponytail, she grabbed her bag and headed outside to meet Brian.

  As soon as she stepped outside, the fresh spring air swirled around her. She grunted at the thought of wasting the beautiful day cooped up inside the library. Trudging out to the car, she consoled herself with the fact that at least with Brian there, it would be somewhat bearable.

  Brian hopped out of his Mustang with a beaming smile, his sandy brown hair ruffled by the wind. Brian Kennedy embodied the typical boy next-door good looks. Proudly sporting his letterman jacket with the St. Alice Crusaders’ emblem in royal blue and gold, it looked like he just stepped out of a J. Crew magazine. They may have just been friends, but Celeste wasn’t blind. Brian was definitely cute.

  “Ready for a mind-numbing day of studying American history, Cel?” he asked with a smirk as she reached for the door handle.

  Celeste snorted in reply and threw her backpack into the backseat as she climbed in.

  A short ride late
r, they pulled into the parking lot of the majestic Oak Bluffs Library. It was built at the turn of the century and stood as a historic landmark building. Walking through the atrium, Celeste couldn’t help but stare at the imposing columns and vaulted ceilings lined in mahogany. As beautiful as it was, to Celeste it had always seemed a bit creepy. The never-ending rows of massive book shelves and dark recesses seemed like the perfect setting for a horror movie.

  She and Brian found a quiet corner and settled in. “So what do you think living in New York City will be like, Cel?” Brian whispered as he shuffled through his backpack.

  Celeste grinned. “I have no idea, but I know it’ll be amazing. I got my NYU welcome package in the mail last week, and everything seems so unreal. I can’t believe my dream of moving to New York City is actually happening. I got into the dorms on campus, and I’m going to be in a double with a random roommate. I’m kind of freaking out about that part though. What if she’s weird or doesn’t like me?”

  Brian chuckled. “Calm down, I’m sure she’ll be totally cool and everything will be great. I mean, she won’t be as cool as me, but then again not many people are.”

  Celeste giggled, but then her expression grew serious. “I really don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Brian. I’ve had you right next door for fifteen years. You’ve been there for me through it all. How am I going to get through college without you?”

  “Don’t worry. You won’t be that far away. I promise to come visit on weekends. It’s not like there’s going to be much going on here in Oak Bluffs once you leave. I’m sure I’ll be bored out of my mind.”

  Celeste threw him a grateful look.

  “I think the more important question is, what am I going to do without you? School has never been my thing.” He flipped through a few pages of his textbook and frowned. “Whose homework am I going to copy when I’m at community college?”

  “Maybe it’s time you start doing your own homework. You need to figure out what you want to do with your life.”

  Brian grunted. “You’re starting to sound like my dad.”

  Her eyes dropped to the book in his hands, and she made a face. “Well, I guess we’d better actually study, because if we don’t pass Mr. Wilson’s final, neither of us is going anywhere.”

  The rest of the afternoon flew by as they delved into American history, quizzing each other until they couldn’t memorize another date if their lives depended on it.

  Brian got to his feet and stretched. “We should get going if we’re going to make dinner.” He glanced at the clock behind the main desk.

  As they drove home in the setting late-afternoon sun, the soft rumble of the engine lulled Celeste into a semi-conscious state. Her mind began to drift and vivid memories came flooding in.

  “Olivia, Celeste, I’m home!”

  “Daddy!” Celeste raced down the stairs in her pajamas.

  “It’s so late Kristof, I was getting worried,” said her mom, rushing out of the kitchen.

  “Just some issues at work, nothing to be concerned about. I’ve got some unruly clients in town that’s all.”

  Celeste peered up at him adoringly. “Daddy, when I grow up I want to be a private investigator just like you.”

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw her mother cast a nervous glance at her father. He laughed and threw her over his shoulder. “It’s way past your bedtime, young lady.”

  Celeste giggled as she hung upside down and her dad carried her up the stairs back to bed.

  “Hey, Celeste, are you getting out of the car?” Brian held the door open, tapping his foot.

  “Oh sorry, I didn’t realize we were here already.”

  “Yeah, I got that. What were you thinking about?”

  Celeste paused just outside the Kennedy’s front steps. “Nothing really.” She avoided his scrutinizing eyes. As Brian turned to walk inside, she interjected, “Hey, thanks for always including me in your family dinners by the way. Sometimes I feel like I spend more time with your family than I do with my own mom.”

  “Yeah, of course, that’s what best friends are for right?” He shot her an indulgent smile. “And you should give your mom a break. It’s not her fault she has to work all those night shifts.”

  “I know. I just wish we had spent more time together over the past few years, you know, like we used to. In a couple of months, I’ll be gone.”

  Brian reached over and squeezed her shoulder with a reassuring smile as they climbed the front steps.

  “I thought I heard you two out here,” said Mrs. Kennedy, appearing at the door.

  Celeste put on a bright smile as she walked in and gave her a hug. Mrs. Kennedy was an elementary school teacher, and the perfect mom in Celeste’s eyes. She was always home when Brian and his sister returned from school and dinner was always on the table promptly at six. Little Maxi came running up, her unruly black curls tumbling in abandon as she jumped into Celeste’s arms. Maxi—Maxine—was Brian’s seven-year-old sister. She positively worshipped her older brother and, by extension, Celeste as well.

  “I’m sooo glad you’re here, Celeste! You have to sit by me.” Maxi chimed in her singsong voice, grabbing her hand and leading her to the dining room.

  “Celeste, I’m happy you’re joining us for dinner.” Mrs. Kennedy gave her an affectionate smile as she passed the platter of roast beef around the table. “You haven’t been here in weeks.”

  Celeste grinned. “Yeah, it’s been crazy, what with school almost over and finals and everything. Mom’s been complaining she hardly sees me either between her schedule and mine. And in a couple of months I’ll be off to New York.”

  “Aren’t you nervous to move to such a big city after living in little old Oak Bluffs?” she asked.

  “Kind of, but I’m definitely ready to graduate from little St. Alice Catholic High School. I feel like we grew up in a protective bubble, and I can’t wait to see the real world out there.”

  “Well we’re certainly going to miss you.” She sat down across from her husband. “Aren’t we, honey?”

  “Of course.” Mr. Kennedy swallowed a big bite of roast beef. “I suppose we’ll see even less of you while you’re in college. I’m sure you’ll be studying hard. But I hope you’ll stop in to see us whenever you’re home. Brian could use some encouragement in figuring out what it is he wants to do with his future. There’s more to life than sports, you know.” He stared pointedly at Brian.

  “It’s not like I’m going to spend the rest of my life at a community college, Dad. I’ll figure it out. I don’t know what I want do yet. Celeste’s just lucky.” Brian grinned at her. “Tell them about the campus tour,” he said, hoping to change the conversation before his dad grilled him any further.

  After dinner as she said goodnight, Celeste thought about how much she was going to miss these family meals with the Kennedys. As she and Brian walked back to her house, she couldn’t stop the anxiety building inside of her. Everything would be different next year.

  As they stepped onto the porch, Brian’s voice drew her from her thoughts. “I was going through some of my old stuff last night.” He produced a crumpled brown bag from his jacket pocket. “And I found these stashed away between my collection of Legos and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Remember our walkie-talkies?”

  Celeste opened the brown bag, and her eyes lit up. “Oh my gosh, yes! We had so much fun with these.” She chuckled. “Remember how we used to drive our parents crazy talking to each other all night?”

  “Over and out,” Brian quipped.

  “That’s an affirmative.”

  “Listen, I know we’re going to be too far to use these things soon, but I just wanted you to know that I’ll always be here for you, no matter what, okay?” His green eyes sparkled under the moonlight.

  Celeste swallowed hard, a lump clogging her throat.

  “And in the meantime, we can play with these all summer.” He pulled her into a bear hug, his familiar warmth seeping through his jacket.
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  “Thank you.” Celeste squeezed him tightly then wiped her eyes when the tears threatened to spill over.

  She hurried inside so he wouldn’t see and locked the door behind her, leaning against the solid wood to regain her composure.

  That night, Celeste tossed and turned in her bed. Alone in the house, it was just too quiet. She sat up and looked across the room to where she’d left her walkie-talkie. She was tempted to turn it on and see whether Brian was still up. She peeked out through the curtain of the big bay window facing his house but saw only darkness. She opened the window hoping that the cool night air would help her sleep.