Seals command alpha seal.., p.1
SEAL's Command (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 7), page 1
SEAL’s Command
AN ALPHA SEALS CORONADO NOVEL
Makenna Jameison
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Makenna Jameison
Cover Design: Fantasia Frog Designs
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Table of Contents
About This Book
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
Epilogue
Books by Makenna Jameison
About the Author
About This Book
A gruff Navy SEAL commander doesn’t expect a gorgeous writer to bring him to his knees…
Navy SEAL Commander Slate “Striker” Hutchinson never expects a beautiful blonde to crash his weekend in a remote cabin. He can’t send her off alone in a snowstorm, so he lets her stay the night—and ignores a temptation he hasn’t felt in years. Her feminine curves and innocence aren’t what a man like him needs—not when he’s dedicated his life to the Navy.
Novelist Ashleigh Moore is looking forward to a peaceful weekend retreat. The gruff and commanding man who emerges from the woods after a hike isn’t supposed to be at the cabin—or send her heart racing with his piercing green eyes and tall, muscular frame. She can ignore the sparks of electricity between them, but when she’s injured, Slate proves gentler than she imagined.
When a domestic terrorist group tracks Slate to Washington, he realizes Ashleigh’s life is in danger as well. He’ll protect her while she’s under his care, but will he be able to let her go when their time together is over?
SEAL’s Command, a standalone novel, is book seven in the addictive Alpha SEALs Coronado series.
Chapter 1
Ashleigh Moore squinted into the setting sun as she pulled onto the highway ramp in Seattle. She put on her sunglasses, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, and sped up to merge into traffic. She’d gotten a later start than planned for her weekend adventure, but lunch with her family had turned into an afternoon of drinks and laughter. She’d be flying back to the East Coast after a long weekend spent writing, and in the meantime, she needed to drive to her best friend Anna’s cabin an hour away.
Anna was married with kids and currently on bedrest due to a high-risk pregnancy. Although Ashleigh felt a twinge of guilt at visiting the family retreat without them, Anna swore up and down it wasn’t a problem. They couldn’t travel because of her pregnancy, her husband not wanting to leave her alone, and a mountain retreat near a few ski lodges wasn’t exactly practical when she had a new baby either. They probably wouldn’t make the trip at all this year. Ashleigh grabbed her cell phone, deciding to call her friend as she cruised along the highway. Even if Anna couldn’t be here this weekend, they could still chat while she drove. The phone rang three times, but Anna finally answered.
“Hey sweetie! Did you make it there yet?” Anna asked.
Ashleigh heard the shrieks of young children in the background and shook her head. She didn’t know how her best friend did it. She took a sip of her caramel macchiato, grinning. “Nope. I just left my folks’ place. I got absolutely no writing done while visiting them this week, but it was fun. We saw a huge aquarium, did a ton of sight-seeing, and ate at some awesome restaurants.”
“The aquarium, huh?” Anna asked with a laugh. “I guess that was the kids’ idea.”
Ashleigh smiled. Her sister was married with two little ones. It had been a fun-filled week of family time, but she was ready to enjoy a little solitude. “It was complete and utter chaos,” Ashleigh admitted. “I’d love to know how you and my sister manage with young kids. I don’t think I could do it.”
“Eh, you get used to it,” Anna teased. “I’ve got Jett doing all the heavy lifting right now anyway since I’m on bedrest.”
“But he loves your rug rats,” Ashleigh joked.
“Yep. He’s an awesome dad. Bedrest is the pits though. I just want to go out to dinner one night, go grab a decaf coffee at Starbucks, and run a few errands and buy some baby clothes. Instead, I’ve got to surf the Internet to get my shopping fix and keep myself amused. He’s been a saint though with cooking, getting carry-out, etc.”
“I’ll send you the draft of my next book soon.”
Anna squealed in excitement. “You promise?”
“Absolutely. I’m writing the last few chapters of one this weekend—a sexy cowboy romance. And then I’ve got a ton of other ideas for the next few books in the series.”
“So that’s still your plan for the weekend, huh? Hole up alone and write?”
Ashleigh laughed quietly. “Well, I am a writer. And I’m behind thanks to all that family time. Don’t get me wrong—it was awesome seeing my parents, sister, and the kids. I’m in need of some quiet time though after all that.”
“Quiet time? What’s that?” Anna joked.
“It’s exactly why I don’t have kids,” she said with a chuckle. Ashleigh took another sip of her coffee, enjoying the rich caramel taste. “I get to play with my niece and nephew and then hand them back over to my sister and brother-in-law. It’s the best of both worlds.”
“Well, you’d certainly get less writing done with littles. I can’t say that I miss the corporate world though.”
“I bet. You worked insane hours back then. How’s Jett’s business doing these days?”
Anna’s husband was ex-military and ran some sort of company made up of former military operatives. It was all very hush-hush, and Anna didn’t talk much about it. Jett didn’t either, for that matter. “It’s busy. He’s traveling less these days since I’m on bedrest. His men seem to be involved in a lot of operations though. Jett’s always taking calls and busy with various things they’re doing. I don’t even know the half of it.”
Ashleigh shook her head. She didn’t know much about the military and even less about whatever Jett and his team did. She got the impression it was off-the-books type of stuff since the men who worked for him were all former military as well. She was a novelist for goodness’ sake. She wrote romances. She didn’t know the first thing about missions and deployments or anything else.
“Huh. Well, I’m glad he’s there to take care of you.”
“His brother’s still in the military,” Anna commented.
“Jett’s brother?”
“Yeah, Slate. He’s a few years younger than Jett and is in the Navy.”
“Okay. And you’re telling me this because….” She didn’t dare venture a guess. Anna had a reason for everything she did. Ashleigh had of course met Anna’s husband, but it’s not like they had a ton in common. No doubt she’d have even less in common with his brother.
“No reason,” Anna said, and Ashleigh rolled her eyes. “So anyway, like I said in my text to you earlier, I had some food sent to the cabin. I called up the rental agency we used to contract with and paid her to deliver the groceries.”
“Um…thanks? I could’ve swung by a store on my way into the town.”
“Well, there’s no need now,” Anna said breezily. “I sent some groceries and wine. You rented an SUV, right?”
“No, just a sedan. Why?”
“It’s supposed to snow a lot tonight. I know you’re from the East Coast, but I figured you’d realize you’d need a decent vehicle out here in the winter.”
“Well, I won’t be leaving all weekend. I’m planning to stay in and write, remember? You said there’s firewood already chopped, so that should be enough to warm the cabin. I mean it does have electricity, right?”
Anna burst into laughter. “Yes, it has electricity. No television though. And everything’s backed up with a generator, so you shouldn’t have any problems.”
Ashleigh nodded, biting her lip. What did the generator run on, though? She assumed her friend let her husband take care of everything at the cabin. He’d bought it years ago, before they were married. Anna might’ve been good in the corporate world, but would Ashleigh actually have what she needed this weekend? She wasn’t sure Anna knew too much about stocking a cabin in the woods for winter.
“I guess I’ll find out. I’ll text you when I get there, okay?”
“Sounds good. Let me know how you like everything.”
The two women said goodbye, and Ashleigh set her phone on the console. Clenching her jaw, she saw the exit she needed was in another twenty miles. And then she’d be headed toward a small town and driving on backroads up the mountain. The cabin wasn’t too far from some ski lodges, but she was definitely not the skiing sort. The sun was sinking even lower in the sky, and a brief sense of foreboding washed over her. That was silly though. She was about to enjoy a glorious weekend of solitude. She’d relax, write, and maybe get a little fresh air if the snow wasn’t too bad. She wasn’t about to
Maybe.
Anna was just trying to make her nervous with the comment about needing an SUV. She wouldn’t really be “snowed in” if she wasn’t planning to leave for a few days anyway, right? Being snowed in implied you had somewhere to go.
Shuddering, she turned up the heat in her rental car. Her leggings and soft cashmere sweater were cozy and comfy for the car ride. Neither was exactly outdoorsy though. She had boots on, plus a parka and gloves beside her in the passenger seat. There was a suitcase full of warm clothes in the trunk. She’d be fine. More than fine. Her little mountain retreat was practically calling her name. She took the last sip of her caramel macchiato, humming to herself. She just needed to get there, unpack, and then enjoy her weekend relaxing in complete and utter solitude.
Chapter 2
Navy SEAL team commander Slate “Striker” Hutchinson gripped the steering wheel of the rented Jeep as he drove up the mountain backroads in Washington state. The snow was just beginning to fall, and he turned on the windshield wipers, watching as his headlights caught the flurries in the air. He swore he could smell the smoky mountain air through his closed windows, and he was itching to arrive at the cabin and stretch his legs after the drive from the airport. The ground would be covered from previous snowfalls, but he had boots and outdoor gear. If he made it before sunset, he could enjoy some time outside before dinner.
His phone buzzed, and he saw his brother’s name flash on the screen. He swiped the screen to answer before moving his eyes back to the road.
“Striker here,” he said in a gruff voice.
“You get in okay?” Jett asked. “How was the flight?”
Slate could hear children shrieking in the background and smirked. His brother was a few years older than him and had married later in life. Whereas Jett had spent most of his forties as a bachelor, he now had a pregnant wife and couple of kids. Slate, however, was forty-three and single. He preferred it that way. He had no one to worry about but himself, save for the men under his command. He didn’t need a woman in his life or the complications that came with having a family to look after. Being alone suited him just fine.
His brother and sister-in-law had canceled their plans to fly up to the cabin this fall due to her high-risk pregnancy, and Slate had agreed to check on things and get it ready for winter. He didn’t know if they’d make it out here at all this year, but his brother appreciated him making the trip to check on the property.
Besides, Slate needed a weekend away. His SEAL teams had been on back-to-back ops, he hadn’t taken a day off in months, and if he was honest with himself, he needed some time to decompress. Maybe even reflect and see where the next part of his life would eventually take him.
He felt a sense of pride and duty at leading the teams in Coronado, but he’d also reached the point of his life where he was ready for something more. What exactly that was, he couldn’t say. He’d been married once, back in his early twenties when he’d served as a SEAL himself. He and his wife had been married less than two years, and the truth was, they’d married young and probably wouldn’t have lasted forever no matter what he did. They were total opposites, and their chemistry could only carry them so far.
Now he only had himself and his men to worry about. His brother could no doubt take care of himself and his growing family, but Slate didn’t mind flying up for the weekend. He’d hopefully get in some hunting in the snowy woods, maybe stock the firewood for the cabin, and enjoy a few beers and some quiet.
He was only a phone call away if something urgent arose back on base.
“Yep, I made it,” he told his brother. “The flight was fine. I grabbed my bag at the airport, picked up a rental, and I’m already driving up in the mountains. We’re supposed to get a few inches of snow tonight, but the weekend is clear.”
“Fantastic. We had a few things dropped off at the house—supplies and whatnot.”
Slate raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think I could pick up a few damn things myself at the store?”
Jett chuckled. “Anna insisted.”
Slate shook his head. That sounded like his sister-in-law. She was the type to always fuss over everyone else—never mind that he was a goddamn Navy SEAL who’d led men into battle. She seemed to enjoy fawning over her husband—and Slate if he was around. Not that she hit on him or anything. She just enjoyed planning activities and taking care of things.
How she’d ended up with his brash older brother was anyone’s guess. Somehow it worked for them though.
“Well, tell her thanks,” Slate said, his lips quirking.
Hell.
It was hard to even imagine what it would be like to have a woman fussing over him. He’d met his ex when they were both just starting their careers—him as a SEAL and her as an accountant. She was an overachiever herself, and they’d clashed more often than not. He worked late on base with trainings and was frequently gone on deployments, and she worked late at the office. She’d never be the type of woman to sit around at home waiting for a man. Her career had sky-rocketed as he’d moved up the ranks in the Navy.
He shook his head.
Everyone was young and foolish once. The sparks had been real, but the truth was, they’d had little in common. Their divorce hadn’t been a surprise to any of their friends. They’d already forged separate lives and routines by then though—a marriage on paper, mostly. He’d dated occasionally over the years, but that was it. Slate didn’t have the time or patience to play games. How his own brother had ended up married with kids had shocked the hell out of him.
“Will do,” Jett quipped. “Hell. You hear all that yelling? I gotta go get the boys. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Slate said goodbye and ended the call, shaking his head as he drove further up the mountain road. It was just beginning to get dark, and he hoped they’d dropped off some food with whatever supplies had been delivered. He knew his brother always kept a stash of canned goods and basics, but hell. He’d only grabbed a six-pack and some toilet paper at the convenience store. He’d go hunting tomorrow to stock the deep freezer for when his brother and family did get out here later this winter. And if they didn’t? Maybe he’d head back himself. At some point he’d retire from active duty, and he had an insane amount of leave saved up. He could afford another long weekend if he wanted.
Ten minutes later, he turned onto the narrow driveway leading up to the cabin. It might as well be another road; it was so long and winding. Sometimes vacationers ended up here accidentally instead of the cabin they’d rented, but his brother had always loved the privacy it afforded. The snow flurries had already stopped, and he figured it would be a few hours before the storm moved in.
The cabin finally came into view as he slowly took the next curve, and sure enough, there were two brown paper bags of groceries sitting on the small front porch. He grinned despite himself. He hadn’t planned on stocking up since he’d just be here a few days and he didn’t mind roughing it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t appreciate Anna’s gesture.
He pulled the Jeep up to the cabin and climbed out, grabbing his duffle and the plastic bag from the convenience store out of the back hatch. He slung his duffle bag over his shoulder, his eyes sweeping the area out of habit. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL.
It was damn cold out, the ground already snow-packed from earlier storms. The ski resorts further up the mountain could make their own snow, but the weekend crowd would no doubt love the fresh powder coming overnight. It shouldn’t be enough to cause him any trouble, and the weekend would be perfect for him to hunt and unwind from the pressures of his job, then fly back out in a few days. Hell. He might even change his flight and stay a bit longer than planned, he thought as he inhaled the crisp mountain air. He had weeks of accrued leave, and taking a little R&R would never come at a great time. There was always some crisis unfolding somewhere in the world. He was already here, so why not tack on another few days? Although he’d been granted a week’s leave, he’d claimed he’d be back on base sooner.
