Текст книги "Turn of the Moon"

Автор книги: L. P. Dover

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

Bailey

“Thanks for letting me ride Nightshade,” I said to Blake.

He smiled and fetched a bucket of water from the hose. He’d told me all about how he grew up a city slicker and how Ryker and Tyla turned him into a cowboy. The stories of his undercover missions were amazing. Even though he wasn’t a shifter, he was one lethal human.

“He likes beautiful women riding him.”

Nightshade bumped me with his nose and I laughed. “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

“Really? You look like a natural out there.”

“All right, Evans, no flirting with Ryker’s woman. He’ll skin you alive,” Tyla teased. Blake’s friend, Wyatt Erickson, walked in beside her. They’d been inseparable since we showed up. He was a good looking man, dressed in a pair of jeans, a polo shirt, with his light brown hair in messy spikes.

Blake winked at her. “I’m not scared. I’m sure his bark is worse than his bite.” We tried to hide our giggles at the comment and he looked sideways at us before continuing. “You gonna dance with me tonight?”

She smirked. “Maybe, if you buy me a drink.”

He leaned closer to me. “Why is she always so difficult?”

“Because I can be,” she replied, reaching for my hand. “And right now, I need to get this one home so she can get ready for the night.”

I scratched Nightshade’s ear and nuzzled him. “See you tomorrow, boy. That is, if it’s okay,” I said, glancing over at Blake.

“Come anytime. You’re always welcome. Wyatt and I will see you both tonight.”

Tyla and I said our goodbyes and got in her car. “What’s up with you and Wyatt?” I asked as we drove away.

She batted her eyelashes innocently. “Just some friendly flirting. He’s not exactly my type, but he sure is easy on the eyes.”

“So is Ryker. He told me you were the only one in the pack who hasn’t tried to get him to mate with you.”

“Oh hell, he told you that?”

“Is it true?”

She sighed. “Yes, but nothing ever happened. He never slept with any of them or promised them anything.”

“Will any of them try to challenge me?”

Eyes wide, she burst out in laughter. “Are you kidding me? They’d be stupid if they did that. Any wolf from a mile away could feel your power. I don’t plan on ever getting on your bad side.”

That was good to know.

She dropped me off at Ryker’s house just in time for him to pull up and see the several shopping bags in my hand. He got out of the car, followed by another wolf who was dressed in the same ranger uniform. He had dark blond hair and a smirk on his face; he was one of the six who kept watch over me.

“Bailey, this is Cedric, my second in command.”

I held out my hand. “Yes, I recognize the smirk.”

Cedric took my hand, roaring in laughter. “I guess you’re saying I look like my wolf?”

Ryker narrowed his gaze, studying Cedric’s face. “You’re right. He does.”

“Only the smile,” I added. “I remember it getting bigger when I sat out on the front porch, waiting for everyone to leave. I wanted to smack it off your face.”

“I’m sure that would’ve been quite interesting,” Cedric replied.

Ryker laughed. “If by interesting, you mean watching you run home with your tail between your legs . . . then yes.”

“Okay, if you two are done bashing me, I’m going to change clothes and meet you at the bar.”

I watched him walk past the house to another one on the other side of the field. “Does he live here too?”

Ryker’s arm brushed mine as he stood beside me. “He does. That’s his cabin out there. Some of the men in the pack are builders. They built everything you see here.” On Ryker’s land, there was the main ranch, a smaller cabin and two separate barns.

“Very nice. It looks like you have a lot of talent in your pack.”

“Our pack. And yes, we do.” He turned to face me. “Are you still mad at me?”

“I am,” I replied, crossing my arms over my chest.

He grinned. “Good. You’re sexy when you’re angry.”

“And you’re annoying.”

“Well, I’m probably about to annoy you even more. After you meet the pack tomorrow, we’re leaving.”

“Where to?”

“Somewhere safe, where no one can find you. If the Yukon pack comes, they’ll see you’re not here and move on. As soon as the threat’s gone, we can come back.”

“How am I going to travel? I don’t have anything to prove my identity.”

Taking my bags, he started for the door and I followed. “That’s why I’m going to talk to Blake tonight. He’ll help us out. Cedric will fill in as alpha if anyone were to come looking for you.”

“I can go on my own. You shouldn’t leave your pack,” I argued.

“And you need to stop being so stubborn. I thought you were adventurous. You can even pick the place you want to go. This is your chance to see more of the world. You’re not scared are you?” He was goading me.

I could hear the laughter inside his head, but I could also feel his hesitance. Something was wrong. “I’m not scared.”

“Then prove it,” he countered with a sly grin.

I stalked up to him, my body flush with his. “I will, even though I know you’re hiding something.” He looked to the side and I decided to let it go for now. “I know exactly where I want to go first.”

Bailey

Ryker fumbled around in the kitchen, and I smelled eggs and bacon coming through the bedroom door. I rolled over and stared at the far wall. I thought for sure he would sleep with me last night, but he didn’t; he only kissed me goodnight. At the bar, he’d spent most of the night talking to Blake, trying to get his help on my situation, while I talked to Cedric and the other guys in the pack.

“You’re disappointed I didn’t sleep with you last night?” Ryker asked.

“Not at all. I enjoy sleeping alone. I have more room.”

“You lie, angel. I could feel your disappointment this morning. All you have to do is tell me you want me and I’ll stay. I have to hear it.”

“You know I want you, Ryker. I’m sure you could figure that out the other night.”

My whole life, I never needed anyone to protect me, not even my parents. And when it came down to it, they didn’t do a very good job when it came to Kade. I knew I could survive on my own. Admitting I needed or even wanted someone was foreign to me. Saying the words out loud was near impossible.

“You showed me, but haven’t told me. Words can be powerful,” he replied.

Rolling my eyes, I got out of bed and threw on some clothes before going downstairs. He was in the kitchen with his back to me, shirt off, wearing only a pair of boxers. Holy fuck. “So if I take off my clothes and lay down on the table, you wouldn’t have sex with me?”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

“You sure?”

“Yep.” He continued on with cooking while I stood there, dumbfounded. I didn’t believe him for a second. His back stiffened when I took off my shirt and pants and climbed up on the table.

“I am so hungry,” I announced, waiting for him to turn around. When he did, he completely ignored me and sat down with his plate of food.

He pointed to the counter. “Your plate’s up there.”

“You’re seriously not going to look at me?”

He studied an invisible spot on the table and placed a piece of bacon in his mouth, crunching it slowly. “You’re not ready for that.”

I waited for him to sneak a peek but he didn’t. “Who’s the stubborn one now?”

He chuckled. “Still you, sweetheart. You have me beat.”

Fetching the clothes off the floor, I slid them on and grabbed my plate of food. He had more willpower than I gave him credit for. By the smirk on his face, he heard my thoughts. Cheeky bastard.

“How’s your breakfast?”

I scooped a forkful of eggs into my mouth. “It’s good. How did you learn to cook?”

“Seraphina made sure to teach me when I was a boy. She’s the one who took me in. It was either learn or catch my food in the wild.” He finished his food and lifted his gaze to mine. It was so hard to turn away from those eyes.

“Do you miss your family?”

He smiled, but it was sad. “Every day. I just wish I had answers.”

I nodded, trying hard not to let the thoughts of what happened to mine run through my mind. “I miss mine too, even though they betrayed me. I have no idea what’s going on up there, or what happened after I left. I don’t even know if they’re okay.”

He reached for my hand. “You don’t need to worry about that now. They literally threw you to the wolves. You’ll get to meet Seraphina today. I’m interested to see what she says about you.”

He had a point about my parents, but I still loved them. If Seraphina could shed some light on what happened, I was all up for it. “What time will everyone be here?” I asked.

Taking my empty plate, he put our dishes in the sink. “A couple of hours. Blake should be here soon with your paperwork. We’re leaving tonight.”

“And are you sure it’s a good idea to leave the pack?” I got up and helped him clean the kitchen. I didn’t know much about his people, but if the Yukon pack had murdered his family, I highly doubted they’d care about others.

Taking my hands, Ryker turned me to face him. “They’ll be fine. They’re a strong lot. But it’s good to see you care about them.”

“I care about the well-being of all wolves, except for your brother. I’d never known anyone to be so cruel.”

He pulled me to him and I laid my head against him, listening to the calming sound of his heart beating in his powerful chest. “Kade wasn’t always that way. My uncle was the cruel one in the pack; he was our alpha. If my brother learned from him, it doesn’t surprise me he changed over the years.”

“Do you have any other siblings?”

He shook his head. “Just Kade.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I know it can’t be easy to be betrayed like that.” Taking his face in my hands, I kissed him gently. It started out soft, but then he deepened it, gripping my waist to bring me closer. I could feel the need inside him, tearing him apart. His wolf wanted to claim me, but he fought against it.

Pulling away from the kiss, I looked into his glowing gaze. “How long can you fight it?”

For a brief second, his wolf eyes flashed through. “For as long as I need to.”

I leaned up to kiss him again, but a knock at the door interrupted us. I recognized Blake’s scent almost immediately.

“Why don’t you take your shower and get packed up. There are plenty of suitcases in my closet to choose from.”

“What time does our flight leave?” I started for the stairs and he to the door.

“Six. We’ll leave for the airport directly after the meeting.”

“Okay. Tell Blake I said hi.” I made my way up the stairs to the bedroom and shut the door. Blake and Ryker talked downstairs and I was shocked at how easily he was able to acquire my information. I guess he was as good as they said.

“Are you nervous?”

I looked out the window at all the cars before answering Tyla. “A little. I can’t help but wonder how they’ll take me. My own pack treated me as if I was a leper, except for Sebastian.”

“Who’s that?”

“My father’s second in command and my protector. He was more my friend than anything. Or at least, I thought he was. He betrayed me in the end, just like my parents. I guess you can say my experience with other wolves hasn’t been promising.”

She sat beside me, bumping me in the shoulder. “We’re going to be your family now, Bailey. Everyone downstairs will love and respect you as their alpha. You have to be willing to open up and give them a chance.”

“I will. Everything just seems to be moving so fast.”

“You’re not having doubts are you?”

“No, of course not. It’s just, I wish things could be simpler. I used to be so jealous of my friend from college. Knowing she’d be able to fall in love, get married, and do as she pleased. I envied her freedom.”

“You’ll be free here as well. As far as getting married, is that something you want? You know our kind don’t exactly have weddings.”

“I know, but I can always wish.” I remembered back to when Becca and I would go to one of the dress stores and try on wedding gowns. It was silly, but I knew it was something I’d never get to experience.

Opening the bedroom door, Ryker slipped his head inside. “You ready, angel? Everyone’s here.”

Tyla put her arm around me. “You can do this. I’ll see you downstairs.” She squeezed my shoulder and then disappeared, leaving Ryker and I alone.

“So how many wolves are in your pack?” I asked him.

“Our pack,” Ryker reminded me for the umpteenth time as he pulled me in for a kiss. “Why don’t you go take a look?”

He opened the door wide and I held in my surprised gasp as we entered the living room. Dozens of men, women, and children all turned to gape at us. “Oh my God,” I breathed. The sight was absolutely amazing. I had never known a pack to be so large.

There weren’t just Arctic wolves either. There were reds, grays, and even a small number of Arctic wolves all congregated in one place, smiling at each other with no rivalry. I could feel the power of their blood calling to me, giving me strength. It was something I’d never felt before with my own pack.

“Do you feel that? I’ve never felt it before until now,” Ryker mentioned through our bond.

“Me neither.”

Taking my hand, Ryker walked me through the crowd, and I said my hellos to everyone as I passed. In the corner was a group of wolves that had immense power pouring off of them. When they saw us approaching, they bowed their heads. I had already gotten to know a few of them at the bar, including Cedric. I didn’t realize how strong they were until they were all together.

“Everyone, this is Bailey Whitehill, my mate,” he announced.

One by one they introduced themselves, but of course it was Cedric’s smart ass mouth that caught my attention as he made his way toward us.

“Ready for the full moon,” he quipped, punching Ryker in the arm. “The guys were wondering when he was ever going to catch you.”

Ryker rolled his eyes and punched him back. “Yeah, well I would’ve liked to see you do any better. She wasn’t exactly an easy girl to follow.”

Cedric turned to me and grinned even wider. “On behalf of the pack, I want to thank you for getting him out of the shitty ass mood he’s been in for the past year.”

Lifting my brows, I glanced up at Ryker and smiled. “So basically, he’s saying you’ve been a dick? I thought you could control yourself better than that, Mr. Alpha.”

He leaned down, whispering in my ear. “You’re one to talk, angel. I can feel the desire inside of you when you look at me. Trust me, it makes things very hard.”

Cedric watched our interaction, clearly amused. “If you’re done mind-fucking each other, I just wanted to officially welcome you to the pack and tell you that we’re all happy you’re here.”

Nodding, I smiled and said, “Thank you.” Knowing very well they weren’t going to be too happy when we told them about the two packs most likely hunting me.

Ryker rubbed my back and sighed. “It’s time.”

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and walked with him to the front of the room. Ryker walked up with confidence and it was the only thing that kept me going. He believed in his pack, and knew without a doubt they would stand by and protect me. I just didn’t want to ask them to.

“You’re not, angel . . . I am.”

All eyes turned our way as Ryker cleared his throat, ready to make his announcement. It was amazing how so many different wolves were part of his pack, with an Arctic wolf as the alpha. Never in a million years would I have thought such a thing possible.

“As you all know,” he began, “I spent the last five years watching over Bailey, and then some in the previous years. When the time comes, she’ll be your alpha as well. She didn’t initially come here willingly. Through reasons I have yet to figure out, her family had promised her to another wolf, not telling her about the magic of mates. It turns out, that other wolf was my brother.”

The energy in the room spiked as words of rage and disgust spewed from everyone’s mouths. Questions were thrown at us, asking why my family would do that to me, but Ryker and I didn’t have the answers. Instead, he held up his hands, signaling for silence.

“We don’t know why her family didn’t tell her about mate magic or why she was promised to Kade, but I do know that—”

“I know why,” a voice called out.

The room fell silent as an elderly woman with long white hair and weathered skin approached the front wearing a white, silky robe. She was old, much older than any wolf I’d ever seen.

“Seraphina,” Ryker replied in my mind.

Slowly, she waltzed up to us, keeping her solemn gaze on mine. My heart thundered in my chest, but Ryker grabbed my hand, and it calmed me. I wanted answers, but I had to admit, I was nervous about hearing them.

Ryker bowed his head out of respect. “Thanks for coming, Seraphina. As always, I am open to your wisdom.”

Seraphina held out her hand to me. “Come, child. Take my hand.”

Her crystal blue eyes were kind and gentle, but had a sadness behind them. I took her hand and she pulled me to her, holding on tight. Her eyes closed and she mumbled something under her breath. “Too many secrets and lies have befallen you. Especially from those you love.” More mumbled words escaped her lips, and then out of nowhere, a spark of power radiated through the room and through me. Gasps erupted from the pack as it traveled through each and every one of them. The magic was familiar, like I had felt it before.

Before opening her eyes, she grinned. “My suspicions were right.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, whispering the words.

Tears forming in her eyes, she lifted her hands to my face. “You’re not a Whitehill. You, my child, are royal.”

The crowd gasped, and when I looked at Ryker, he was wide-eyed in surprise. “I don’t understand. Care to elaborate?”

“It means your bloodline is the most powerful of all wolves,” Ryker explained.

Seraphina spoke up next. “He’s right. You are from the direct line of ancient wolves who disappeared about three centuries ago. No one knows where they went or, until recently, if they were still alive. When they ruled, the packs were at peace, living in harmony with one another.

“Over the years, greed poisoned our magic and the packs slowly drifted apart, forming new alliances. Now that we’re separated, the magic of the moon grows weaker. Our abilities to find our mates all but disappeared, making it harder for our wolves to find happiness. It is my belief, dear child, that you are the one who can help us.”

“How is this possible? How can I fix the dying magic?”

She smiled and took my hands. “By sealing the bond with your one true mate. Ryker was born special too. Look around you.” I did as she said and gazed at the people in his pack. “Over the years, he’s brought all of these people together under one united front. No other alpha has the ability to do that anymore. It’s how the royals led their people centuries ago. And when you complete the bond, your combined power will be the first step in setting the natural balance—to restore what we’ve lost.”

One by one, the wolves in the room all dropped to their knees. Confusion swept over me. “I don’t understand. How can my parents be Whitehill’s and I’m not? Wouldn’t they be royals as well?”

Ryker joined me, his gaze wary. “I don’t think they are your biological parents, Bailey.”

“What he says is true,” Seraphina added. “I don’t know how you ended up with them, but they aren’t your family. If they were, they never would’ve promised you to Kade.”

I couldn’t even wrap my head around what she was saying. “How is that even possible? They’re my parents. They’re all I’ve known.”

She nodded wearily. “I’m not saying they didn’t love you. It’s possible they were forced to do what they did.”

Dread settled in the pit of my gut, the anger bubbling right underneath the surface. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. “Why can’t I remember any of my encounters with Ryker, or with my real family? It’s all just a black hole when I try to think back.”

She looked down at my hand, furrowing her brows. “They were wiped clean. When I touched you, I could feel the dark magic still binding itself to your memories, locking down your thoughts. Only a very powerful witch can do such a spell.”

“But who?” Then I glared at Ryker. “Did you have a witch like that in the Yukon pack?”

Releasing a heavy sigh, he nodded. “Her name was Maret.”

I felt violated, robbed. “How do I get them back?” I growled the words.

Seraphina hesitated for a moment. “The only way would be if the witch willingly reversed the spell, or if you killed her.”

“She took away the memories of my real family. One way or another, I’ll get them back.”

She sighed. “I know you want them back, but it’s not worth risking your life to get them. Right now, your only concern should be staying safe until the full moon comes.”

“Which is what I want to discuss with you all,” Ryker announced, turning to the group. “If the Yukon pack is on the hunt, I have no doubt they’ll come this way. If they see me with Bailey, there will surely be a fight. I don’t want to bring that kind of war to your doorsteps. Bailey and I will be leaving tonight until the threat’s passed. Cedric is my second in command; he’ll make the decisions while we’re gone.”

“What if we’re willing to fight?” one of the wolves asked. His name was Rafe, one of the wolves I met at the bar. He was tall and stout, a warrior at heart. I enjoyed talking to him about his building projects. I had no doubt he’d kick ass in a fight.

Ryker was about to answer, but I put my hand on his arm. “Give me a second to speak.” I looked up at him and he nodded.

“If a fight is what they want, I’ll give it to them. I’m the one who killed their alpha.” The room fell silent. “My goal is to lead them away from you, from your children. I haven’t been a part of your pack for long, but that doesn’t take away from the fact I don’t want to see anyone hurt because of me.”

As if on command, men stood and formed a line in front of me. Cedric was first. He knelt down, bowing his head.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

He chuckled and winked up at me. “Giving you my life.” Taking my hand, he held it in his. “I, Cedric Convel, give you my life, my honor, and my strength. I will fight and die for you, if you so choose it. You are my alpha.” When he stood, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I’ve searched years for my mate and haven’t found her. If you can restore the magic of the moon, I will forever be in your debt.”

For the first time since I’d met him, he was completely serious. I nodded with confidence. “I will do everything within my power to see that it happens.”

Completely in awe, yet numb, I stood there with Ryker by my side as one after the other pledged their allegiance to me. Everything I’d known to be true had been torn away from me in just one night. I was nothing to my old pack but a pawn in a game. Whatever they were playing, I was determined to win. One way or another, I was going to get my answers.

Once everyone had left, it was time to leave for the airport. Ryker took my hand and brought it to his lips. “Everything will be fine, angel. After we finish mating, we’ll be stronger than any pack out there. You’ll get your answers.”

“I sure hope so. If we don’t, I’m never going to know what happened to my real family, or who I really am.”

“Even if you don’t find out who you really are, there’s one thing we know for certain. You’re mine, as I am yours. We found each other, and now you have a new family, a new beginning.”

“You’re right. But something tells me it’s not going to be so easy.”

With his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me to him and kissed me. “Nothing worth having ever is. Now let’s go, we have a plane to catch.” We loaded up the truck and started down the road. When we got to the airport, he unloaded the bags and locked up. “North Carolina, here we come.”

Snickering, I grabbed my bag. “Blake said the beaches there were beautiful. And they aren’t crowded like other places. Besides, I’ve never even seen an ocean before. It’ll be a new experience.”

He put his arm around me. “That it will. If all else fails, at least I’ll get to see you in a bikini.” I started to laugh, but then froze. “Bailey, what’s wrong?”

For the briefest moment, I thought I’d felt the presence of another wolf, a strong one. But the feeling disappeared so fast I couldn’t tell if I imagined it, or if I was just paranoid.

“Bailey!” Ryker shouted, grabbing my attention. I scanned the parking lot and didn’t see a thing. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Yeah, of course. Let’s go. I’m ready to see the beach.”