Текст книги "Turn of the Moon"

Автор книги: L. P. Dover

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

“Holy fuck. He’s here! I’m covered in magic and he’s here. Ryker, where are you? I need you!”

Ryker’s panic became my own and I whimpered again. I wanted to shift, but couldn’t. “Who’s he? So help me God if anyone touches you, I’ll fucking kill them.”

“That’s just it . . . I thought I’d already killed him.”

For a split second, everything went silent, and then every single emotion in Ryker’s body exploded into mine. “How the fuck is that possible?”

Lifting me in his arms, Kade held me tight to his body, glaring down at me with an evil smirk. “Are you glad to see me?”

My body convulsed in pain. “How?” I choked.

“Now that, little wolf, is a story for another time. I wish we could say goodbye to my brother, but I’m sure I’ll be seeing him again soon. It’s gonna take forever to get his stench off your body.” He leaned down and licked my lips. “But I’m going to have fun doing it.”

I was completely helpless and there was nothing I could do about it. His evil laugh was all I heard as he carried me off into the woods and away from my pack . . . away from Ryker.

“Fuck! Bailey, where are you? I can’t scent you out.”

The darkness slowly crept in, and I could barely hold on as magic seeped into my veins. “Kade has me. I can’t see anything.”

“Stay with me, Bailey! Whatever happens, I’ll find you! Stay strong and fight. I promise you’ll never be alone. I love you, angel.”

When I was unable to respond and felt our connection disappear, Ryker’s agonizing howl could be heard in the distance. I focused on it until I could no longer feel my body. I had a week until the full moon, which meant I had a week to escape.

I’m not weak and I’m not a prisoner . . . I am an alpha. I won’t go down without a fight.

Ryker

For hours, I searched every goddamned trail. Bailey had been gone for six hours now and it felt like a fucking eternity. I couldn’t find her scent, or Kade’s; nor could I feel our connection through the bond. She was blocked off from me. When I found Kade, I was going to rip him limb from limb.

“Where do you think they took her?” Cedric asked.

“If I knew I’d be there, wouldn’t I?” I growled.

Everyone had gathered outside my house and even though I was outside, I felt like a caged animal, ready to attack. Fisting my hands in my hair, I paced the ground until Seraphina stepped in my path.

“Calm down, son. Being irrational isn’t going to get Bailey back. We need to think, to formulate a plan.”

“You need to call Sebastian and get him back here,” Tyla said. “He’ll be able to help.”

Clenching my teeth, I huffed and grabbed my phone. She had a point, but the last thing I wanted to hear was him bitch about how I let her be taken. Storming into my house, I slammed the door and dialed his number.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Whitemore? Miss me already?” he greeted, answering the phone.

“They have Bailey,” was all I could say.

The line went silent but then he came back on, laughing. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“No,” I growled through clenched teeth. “I need your help, goddammit, so get here now. We’re leaving at dawn.”

“You’re serious aren’t you?”

“Just get back here,” was all I could say and then hung up the phone. The front door opened and Cedric walked in, followed by Tyla. Clenching my teeth, I looked at them. “Sebastian’s on his way.”

“Good, but that’s not why we’re in here. You have visitors,” Cedric said.

Huffing, I followed them out the door. Looking up, my yard was filled with wolves from the other packs and the alphas from my council.

Tate approached first, with Kami by his side. “We’re here to help. Bailey helped rescue Kami and I want to repay the debt. Let this be the first step in unifying our packs.”

“Same here,” Ian agreed, standing in front of the Northwestern wolves. “What do you want us to do?” All the alphas in my council pledged their oath to help, including Colton Redding from the red wolf pack and Chase Maheegan from the Timberwolf pack. If it wasn’t for Tyla and Kami inviting them to our party, they would’ve never been so close by.

Standing on my porch, I gazed out at the hundreds of wolves at my command. “I want you to fight for me, for Bailey, and for the wolves in general. The Yukon pack has murdered their way to the top, forcing their claim over lands and other wolves. I say we take it back. They need to be stopped. If you’re willing to risk your lives for this cause, then stay with me. We leave at dawn.”

With no hesitation, everyone stood their ground. I had my army.

The sun had just started to light up the sky when I heard tires screeching down the gravel road. “He’s here,” Tyla murmured. I threw my bag in the back of my truck and waited. I could feel his rage.

As soon as Micah pulled in, Sebastian got out and slammed the door. His glare trained solely on me. “How the fuck could you let them take her?” He marched over and pushed me hard. “I knew I shouldn’t have left.” We were nose to nose and I could feel my wolf stirring to get out. Anger boiled in my veins, red being all I could see. Unfortunately, he didn’t stop there. “None of this would’ve happened if I was here. You’re the reason she’s in this shit in the first place! It’s your pack that has her.”

Rearing back, I punched him as hard as I could in the face, his blood splattering on the ground. Before I could go at him again, Cedric and Tate pulled me back. Sebastian spit out a mouthful of blood, his wolf eyes blazing.

“I’m nothing like them,” I spat.

He started to come after me, but Tyla stood in his way. “Enough!”

“Let me go,” I growled. Cedric and Tate let me go and backed up. I stood my ground and waited for Sebastian to come after me. His nostrils flared, but he didn’t charge through Tyla.

She glared at us both through her wolf eyes. “You can blame each other all you want, but the fact remains, they came and got her with over a hundred wolves in this city. They would’ve gotten her no matter what. Now shut the fuck up and let’s go. We have to work together on this.” She threw her bag in the back of my truck and got in, slamming the door in her wake.

I looked at her through the window. “Your father will ream my ass if I let you go,” I said to her.

Huffing, she clenched her hands into tight fists. “Too fucking bad. I’m going. Bailey’s my friend and I’ll be damned if you’re going without me.”

“Or without me,” Seraphina added, appearing from the trees. Dressed in a pair of pants with her hair pulled back, she was ready for battle. I’d never seen her look so angry.

“You’ve absolutely lost your fucking mind. The pack can’t afford to lose you.”

She handed Tyla a bag and she threw it into the backseat with a smug look on her face. Seraphina stepped up to me, her gaze sad. “You need me, child. You’ll be going up against strong magic. Without me, you won’t get far, but with me . . . you have a fighting chance.”

“She’s right,” Sebastian said, sounding defeated.

Micah held up his hands and stepped forward. “What’s the plan? We can’t all head up there at the same time. The Yukon pack will smell us from miles away.”

I nodded. “That’s why I have us going in shifts. Some are traveling by car, the others by wolf. I’m sure the Yukons have relocated since I was last there, so I don’t know where they will be. That’s why I need you and your brother to help cloak me when we’re in the city. We’ll find out where they’re located and go from there. When it’s time to attack, I’ll alert everyone and have them move in.”

“All right, sounds like a plan,” Micah agreed. He slapped a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “You ready?”

Wiping the blood off his mouth, he nodded sharply. “Let’s go. We don’t want to waste any time. I know firsthand what the Yukons are capable of.”

I got in my truck and thoughts of my brother putting his hands on Bailey made me so goddamned pissed I couldn’t see straight. It was going to take days to track them down and the thought of what he could do in that time terrified me. Bailey was strong, but she could only do so much against an alpha male and a very powerful witch.

“Bailey, if you can hear me. I’m coming for you.”

Bailey

“Rise and shine,” a voice whispered in my ear.

I tried to open my eyes, but the sun was too bright. Judging by the smell, we were in a hotel room. The bed was soft, yet every single inch of my body ached.

“Open your eyes, Bailey.”

Groaning, my hands were still bound so I couldn’t rub my eyes. “Maret,” I hissed, knowing it had to be her.

Her laugh made me cringe. “Very good, little one. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Sorry I can’t say the same.” I opened my eyes and glared at her, struggling against my restraints. “Ryker! Can you hear me?”

“You’re not going anywhere, Bailey. And don’t try to use your link with Ryker, it’s not going to work. The spell I have on you mutes your magic. As far as anyone is concerned, you’re just an average human girl now. This way, no one can find you.”

Clenching my teeth, I tried to break free and couldn’t. “You must not be as strong as you think if you have to keep me tied up.”

Smile fading, she glared at me with her two tone eyes; one was green and the other brown. “I’ve heard about your smart mouth. The only thing that’ll get you here is a whole lot of trouble. Is that what you want?”

“I want my memories back, witch. You’re the one who took them from me. Give them back and I’ll cooperate.”

She studied me for a minute and then shook her head. “The memories had to go in order for our plan to work. Why do you want to remember, when it’d only cause you pain?”

“Because they’re mine. You had no right to take them,” I snapped.

Sighing, she set a duffel bag onto the bed and pulled out a white, silky dress. “That may be the case, but now I need to get you cleaned up and ready to go.”

“Why? Where are we?” I glanced over at the nightstand and got my answer when I saw the hotel stationary. Canada.

“You’re where you belong, Bailey. In another couple of hours, you’ll be with your family.”

I scoffed. “Fuck you and the Yukon pack. They’re not my family.”

“I’d like to see you tell Kade that. I suggest you get used to it because you’re going to have a long life with him once you complete the bond. The full moon is only six days away.”

“A lot can happen in six days,” I growled.

“That it can, but I’m not worried. We’re prepared.” She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up. “Enough with the pleasantries. Right now, I have to get you in the shower. Kade will be waiting for you when we get back.” She ripped off my clothes before guiding me into the bathroom.

“What’s Kade doing now?”

Maret turned on the hot water and waved me in. I stood under it with my hands still bound behind my back. She answered as she washed me. “He’s out on a hunt with the pack, celebrating our victory. There’ll be a huge feast tonight in your honor. It’s my job to make you presentable.”

“If I’m the guest of honor, don’t you think it’d be rude to keep me tied up?”

Grinning wide, she finished cleaning me up and helped me out. “You won’t be bound tonight, my dear. I have other ways to subdue you.” Once she got me dressed and curled my hair, she pulled something out of her bag. I couldn’t see what it was, but I could feel the power emanating from it. She turned around and held a necklace in the air. “I think this will look lovely with your gorgeous blue eyes.”

Pain exploded inside my body and I couldn’t move. The only thing I could do was watch her approach me with an evil grin. The second she put it on me the pain stopped, and another bigger problem began. I had no clue what the hell I was going to do.

“How do you feel?” Maret asked.

I glowered at her and at the driver who peered at me through the rearview mirror; he was a wolf as well. “Peachy,” I replied sarcastically. I tried to reach for the necklace and couldn’t. It was like a force field surrounded it, blocking me.

“I told you I had other ways to make sure you don’t escape. At least this way, you don’t have your hands bound and you get to wear a pretty necklace.”

“What’s in it?” I felt weak and nothing at all like myself.

She snorted. “I can’t give away all my secrets. Basically, you should feel like a normal human girl. You’re not as strong, and you can’t shift. All of your wolf attributes are subdued while you wear that necklace.”

If I couldn’t take off the necklace, I was doomed. Without my strength, I was nothing; I wouldn’t be able to escape. Maret glanced out the car window with a triumphant smile on her face. “We’re almost home. Take a look.”

Reluctantly, I glanced out the window and saw nothing but a vacant road with forests all around. “I see trees,” I grumbled.

She laughed. “Exactly. Close your eyes and then open them back up.”

I closed them quickly and when I opened them, everything had changed. “Holy shit.”

She moved closer to the window. “It’s magnificent, isn’t it? To the unwelcome eye, we don’t exist. It’s how we stay hidden when we don’t want to be found.”

The driver turned down a side street and headed down a gravel road toward some cabins. There were a bunch of them with lots of other buildings. People were milling about. It looked like a small town.

“Did we just disappear behind an invisible wall or something?” I asked.

She nodded. “Only Yukon pack wolves can get through, unless we let someone in, like you. You’ll be one of us soon enough though.” The driver stopped the car in the middle of the town and got out. He opened the car door and helped Maret out first. She waved at the men standing guard before glancing inside the car. “Come on now. Kade’s waiting for you.”

Dread settled in the pit of my stomach. Kade would be seeking vengeance for what I’d done to him. Licking my dry lips, I stepped out of the car, my heart beating achingly hard in my chest. All eyes were on me as I followed Maret to the largest house in town. She opened the door and ushered me inside.

“Welcome home, Bailey. I believe Kade’s upstairs. There’s also someone else who wants to see you as well. So don’t be too long. Dinner will be in an hour.”

“You’re leaving me here?”

“Why not? You can’t escape with that necklace on. And I don’t think Kade’s going to let you out of his sight. Better get used to it.” She walked out of the door and two men stood guard, blocking the way.

Fuck me.

“If only my brother could see you now.” Kade laughed. Frozen in place, I didn’t even want to look at him. He came up behind me and put his hands on my hips, turning me around. His blond hair was wet and he was naked. I wanted to rip his cock off and shove it down his throat, but I couldn’t do that being a weakling.

“He would see me, his mate,” I spat.

Chuckling, he grabbed the back of my neck, making me gasp. “Wrong, my dearest bitch, he’d see my mate. You’re mine now. Once Maret does her magic, you’ll be spreading those legs for me anytime I want. I might even have to videotape it and send it to my dear, sweet brother. Wouldn’t that be a mind fuck?”

“That’s not going to happen. I won’t let it,” I growled.

Squeezing my neck, he pulled me to him, his arms tight around my waist. “It will happen and the best part is, you’ll love it.” He opened his mouth and sank his teeth into my neck, marking me. I tried to fight him off and all he did was laugh at my futile attempt. When he pulled back, my blood was on his lips and he licked it off. “I haven’t forgotten that night you tried to kill me. One way or another, you will pay the price.”

Roughly, he let me go and I fell to the floor. I tried to touch my neck, but I couldn’t because of the necklace; his bite mark throbbed. He disappeared upstairs and my first thought was to go into the kitchen and grab the largest knife I could find. Before I could get to my feet, a soft hand came down on my shoulder.

“Bailey.”

I froze, recognizing the voice. Jerking away, I got to my feet and glared at the woman who had pretended to be my mother for the past fifteen years. Her hair was pulled high in a bundle of curls and she wore one of the dresses I used to love. She looked down at my neck, her gaze sad.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I snapped.

Pursing her lips, she sidestepped me and grabbed a wet washcloth from the bathroom. “You’re going to get blood on your dress.” She lifted the cloth to my neck and I smacked her hand away.

“Don’t fucking touch me, bitch.”

When she lifted it again, I tried to push her away, but she had more strength than me and held both my wrists in her hand. “I’m not your enemy, Bailey. I’m your mother. Now hold still.”

“You’re not my mother, Annika.” She balked at the mention of her name. I couldn’t move so I stood there while she cleaned my wound. She smelled the same as before, like lavender; it made my chest ache. “How could you do this to me?” I whispered hoarsely. I refused to cry, but my eyes burned like fire.

“I didn’t want to hurt you. Believe it or not, I loved you as if you were one of my own. I still do.”

I scoffed. “Even after I killed your mate?” Her eyes went wide. “That’s right, mother dearest, it was me. When Darius came and had his men torture an innocent female to get to me, I helped rescue her.”

She shook her head. “He would never do that.”

“Believe what you want, but he did. Before he could hurt anyone else, I drove a limb through his heart. He deserved much worse after what he did.”

Her eyes misted over, but she stood firm, her voice trembling. “I’m sorry I lied to you all your life. I was just doing my duty to the pack.” Turning on her heel, she hurried out of the house.

As much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t. I missed her, and deep down, I still loved her. “Wait,” I shouted, chasing after her. Before I could even take a step out of the door, the two guards blocked my path.

“You’re not allowed to leave the premises,” one of them growled. Over their shoulders, I watched Annika run off into the woods. When she disappeared from sight, I backed into the house and shut the door. I had to see her again.

Bailey

I had hoped my mother would be at dinner, but it ended up just being Kade, his Uncle Rollin, and me. “Take a seat,” Rollin announced as we walked into the dining room. He held out a chair for me and I sat. What I really wanted to do was shift and rip him apart. It was because of him that my family was dead, not to mention Ryker’s.

Kade took the seat across from me, and Rollin took the head of the table. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

I batted my eyelashes and forced a smile. “Not in the least.”

His smile faded, his annoyance just under the surface. “Pity. I had hoped to have a civil dinner tonight. Very well, if you don’t eat, I’m sure my son will be more than happy to shove it down your throat. Either way, you will do as I say.”

“Your son?” I glanced back and forth, from Kade to him, and then it all started to make sense. They had some of the same features. Holy shit. “So that’s why you didn’t cast Kade out. How is this possible?”

Our food was brought out and he pointed to it. “Eat first, and then I’ll tell you everything.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I sat there and glared at him, desperate for the answers. He slammed his fork down and huffed. “If you don’t eat, I won’t tell you a goddamned thing. You need your energy for the full moon.”

Kade smirked and stared at me like a ravenous beast, his gaze raw. Meeting his gaze head on, I took the first bite and then the next. I wasn’t going to back down from his stare. The only problem was, he enjoyed the challenge.

“All right, done,” I said, finishing my plate. “I need answers. How is Kade your son if you never mated?”

He wiped his mouth with his napkin and sat back in his chair. “As you can see,” he pointed to the necklace around my neck, “magic can be a powerful thing. Add its power with the power of the moon and you’re talking a magic beyond belief. My brother, Soren, was a good man on all accounts. Little did he know, we fell in love with the same girl. I loathed seeing them together—true mates.” He shook his head in disgust. “At least until one day, when Maret offered up a solution. She promised me that I could have a son with Genna, with only one little consequence.”

“What was it?”

“He would have to take the form of his brother,” Maret announced, walking into the room. I jerked my head in her direction, loathing the smug smile on her too thin face. “In order for Genna to be willing, she had to believe she was with her mate. That’s why I had Rollin take the form of Soren. The only stipulation was, it had to be done on a full moon. Those were the only nights he could spend with her.”

“She was everything I’d ever dreamed of,” he murmured.

I snorted. “And then you had her killed. What kind of love is that?”

He slammed his hand on the table. “I didn’t want her dead. She died protecting that son of hers. If it wasn’t for him, she’d still be alive.”

My blood boiled and I stood, glaring down at him. “A lot of people would still be alive if it wasn’t for you.”

He smirked and lifted his eyebrows. By the look in his eyes, he had no remorse for all the people he’d killed. He picked up his glass and I smacked it out of his hands, shattering it against the wall. Kade shot up out of his chair and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me back.

“You want to know why you weren’t Genna’s true mate?” I shouted. Rollin stood and wiped the wine from his face. “Because you’re a worthless sack of shit, a cowardly one at that. Our magic doesn’t come from being evil, it comes from being good, pure of heart. Your pack is doomed. I hope you all rot in hell.”

He stared at me for a bit, before his lips pulled back into a smile. “Son, you sure will have your hands full with this one.”

I could feel the rumble in Kade’s chest through my back. “I will enjoy taming her. It’ll be worth the fight.”

Rollin approached me slowly and grazed a finger down my cheek. I jerked away, but Kade held me in place. “Once we build up our pack with royal blood, we’ll be unstoppable. I have you to thank for that.”

Eyes wide, I froze. “What are you saying?”

He grinned at Kade and then down to me. “I’m saying that when you give me grandkids, our blood will be mixed with yours, turning us into the next royal pack. Everyone will bow down to us.”

Chuckling, Kade leaned down and whispered in my ear. “And I’ll get to fuck you anytime I want. Who knows,” he said, putting his hands on my stomach, “you might be pregnant with our child by next week.”

“Fuck you,” I screamed, fighting him as hard as I could. “So help me God, I’d rather die than be your whore.” Everything came crashing down on me and I snapped. I tried clawing at my neck to get the necklace off, but nothing worked. Kade attempted to contain me and we fell to the floor. I hit my head, my vision blurring. All I could feel was the pain.

“Do something,” Rollin shouted. Maret appeared above Kade, whispering words under her breath.

My body grew heavy and the darkness crept in. Kade lifted me in his arms, and I could still feel Maret’s cold hands on my face. “Now she’ll sleep. When the full moon rises, she’ll wake up and see what her heart desires. You can have her then.”

No, you won’t.