Blue Moon (13 page)

Chapter Seventeen

Logan

The faint buzzing of Anna’s phone woke me with a jolt. Disoriented, I got up and retrieved her cell. We’d been at Adam’s ranch until after two a.m., so rather than wake up Madison with bad news, I brought Anna back to my place.

Madison’s name flashed on the screen. Shit. I sat on the edge of the bed, and Anna stirred.

“Where’d you go?”

I handed her the phone. “Madison just called.”

She was suddenly alert. “I was hoping last night was just a bad dream. A
really
bad dream.” She clicked on the voicemail and cringed. “She’s already left three messages and texts. What am I supposed to tell her?”

“Tell her he took off or something.”

She groaned. “Chandler wouldn’t leave without talking to her first. Any word from Adam? Maybe I can hold her off, and this afternoon we can bring him back without her ever knowing he was missing.”

I took her hand. “I wish it could be that easy.” Her dark eyes met mine. “He’s been bitten.”

“He’s still her brother.”

“He may not want her to know.”

Anna’s jaw dropped a little. “You think he might vanish from her life?” She shook her head. “No. He’ll figure out a way around this. He had big plans.”

“And if he’s still alive, Damian has changed all those plans
.
”

She took a breath and hit Madison’s number.

“Vivi? Geez, I was starting to worry. Chandler’s not answering me, either.” She almost sounded…happy. “I take it last night went better than you expected?”

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but unless I went outside of my house, I’d probably be able to hear both sides of this conversation. I got up and went in the bathroom to change the dressing on my arm.

“Hardly. It was a disaster.” Anna kept her voice even. “Chandler left. I haven’t heard from him, either.”

All true, I had to give her that.

“Sorry.” Madison groaned. “In my head, you two remembered how much you loved each other and spent the night snuggled in each other’s arms ignoring my calls.”

Loved? I forgot about checking my stitches and peered back into the bedroom. Anna was staring at her feet while she spoke.

“I told you that wasn’t going to happen.”

“Hey, a best friend can dream, right?” She paused. “So, if you’re not with my brother, where are you?”

“Logan’s.”

“I should’ve guessed. If you hear from my brother, tell him to call me, okay?”

Anna nodded without looking up. “I will. See you soon.”

“Maybe we can meet up for dinner tonight?”

“I have a thing at four, but I’ll check in with you afterward.”

I ducked back into the bathroom before Anna noticed me. GQ had a history with
my
mate. A history she failed to mention. I had no right to be jealous. She was gorgeous and intelligent—of course she was going to have relationships.

But I didn’t have to fucking like it.

My stitches looked good. I’d probably have a scar, but Jason did a great job putting me back together. I put a new wrap around my forearm as Anna stepped inside.

“How’s it healing up?”

“I’ll live.”

She nodded. “Good plan.”

I smirked. “Glad you approve.”

“Is everything okay?” She frowned.

“No.” I finished up and went around her into the bedroom.

She followed. “So, you want me to guess?”

“Not really, no.”

She huffed out a breath. “I get that you don’t want me to go to Damian’s today, and truth be told, I don’t want to, either, but we’ve got no other choice. If I don’t go, he’ll kill Madison’s brother.”

“Is that all he is? Just Madison’s brother?” We did not have time for this bullshit, but damn it, I couldn’t focus on anything else.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I clenched my jaw. “You never used to lie to me.”

Anger flashed in her eyes. “Wish I could say the same about you.”

I picked up my cell phone and found a text from Adam.

Sebastian is in town. Meet me at the ranch at two.

“We need to get over to Adam’s.”

“Then you better tell me what’s going on with you.”

“Leave it alone, Anna.” I pulled on my shirt. When my head popped through, she was in my face.

“No.”

The jealousy burned a hole in my gut and spewed out before I could reel it in. “When were you going to tell me that you’re planning to meet up with a madman so you can rescue your ex-boyfriend?”

Her eyes widened. “You were listening in on my phone call.”

“I told you I had heightened senses. There’s no way I could’ve missed hearing it.” I crossed my arms. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Because it doesn’t need answering. I had a life after you walked out on me. Get over it.”

“If it was no big deal, then why didn’t you tell me last night? You called him a friend.”

“He is.” She went to the bathroom and grabbed a brush.

I leaned in the doorway, my arms still crossed. Right now, I didn’t trust myself. My wolf was close to the surface, angry and defensive. “Do you snuggle up with all your friends?”

She braided her hair, glaring at me. “I didn’t snuggle with him, and I’m not explaining myself to you.”

“Just tell me why you didn’t want me to know he was an ex-boyfriend.”

“You’re not going to drop this are you?” Anna came closer, our bodies almost touching. “Fine. I was worried you might not help me save him if you knew I used to be his girlfriend. There. Feel better?”

She walked right by.

And I most definitely did
not
feel better.

“That’s bullshit.” I stalked after her, struggling to string words together. “I’ll always be there for you. No matter what.”

She spun around with tears in her eyes. “Then where were you? For the past few years, I needed you, and you weren’t there. It’s going to take more than a week for me to believe this is any different. I just talked to Madison on the phone and failed to mention that her brother could be dead and it’s my fault.” Her voice broke, taking my anger with it. “Your jealousy is going to have to wait.”

I pulled her into my arms, kissing her hair. It wasn’t often that I couldn’t find something to say, but this was one of those times.

She sniffled against my chest. “I should have told you about Chandler.”

I shook my head. “I was a dick.” I lifted her chin so I could meet her eyes. “Seeing you with another guy sent my instincts into hyperdrive
.
I tried to tamp them down, but when I realized you’d been with him before…” Shit, I couldn’t even finish the thought. “And you didn’t tell me.”

“It was over a long time ago.”

“Good enough for me.” I bent to kiss her.

“Wait.” She stepped back. “He wanted to marry me.”

White hot fire lit in my gut, my wolf clawing forward. I could barely growl. “It was…serious?”

Jesus, I’d been that close to losing her forever. I pulled my hair back from my forehead, barely able to breathe.

“I turned him down.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak just yet.

Her eyes searched mine. “Do you want to know why?”

Did I? I fought to keep my voice even. “None of my business.”

“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes. “I know you better than that.” She reached for my hand, her touch soothing the animal inside. “No one, not Chandler or any other guy I dated, ever made me feel as safe and whole as I did with you. I couldn’t settle. Not forever.” She swallowed. “I wanted forever with you.”

I had her in my arms and pressed against the wall in less than a second. My lips fused to hers, and my pulse raced as her tongue brushed mine. Anna’s fingers tangled in the back of my hair, making me ache to strip her naked.

My phone rang on the bed.

“Fuck,” I groaned against her lips as reality settled on my shoulders again.

She smiled and sniffled a little. “Make-up sex is going to have to wait.”

I nodded and stole one last kiss. “But I plan to collect.”

Her eyes sparkled with the defiance that stoked my love for her. “Not if I do first.”

“Deal.”

I grabbed my phone. “Yeah.”

Adam’s voice was all business. “Sebastian’s already here. How soon can you be?”

“Twenty minutes.”

Adam hung up, and I stared at my mate. “I don’t want to pull you into this even deeper.”

“If that mate thing you throw around is real, then it’s us against the world, right?”

God, I couldn’t imagine a better partner. “Yeah.”

“Then stop trying to shield me, and let me in. I wish it wasn’t dangerous, but I’d rather be with you than without, so…”

A smile tugged at my lips. “So let’s get this done. The sooner it’s finished, the sooner we can pick up where we left off.”

…

When we got to Adam’s place, Sebastian, heir to the Nero empire, was inside. Needless to say, that also meant Sasha, our best shot with a Glock, and her mate Aren were on one side of our Alpha, and Gareth was on the other—a not-so-subtle show of dominance in the face of a very well trained assassin who only cared about himself.

Adam nodded to us, and Sebastian frowned, gesturing to Anna. “What’s this?”

I tightened my hold on her hand. “She’s my mate, and your certifiable brother kidnapped her…friend—who also happens to be a news reporter.”

“Her problems are none of my concern.”

“Screw you.” Anna stiffened
beside me. “I was there when your brother attacked a busy coffee shop as a gigantic jaguar.” She glanced up at me then back to him. “Damian wants me to tell the world about shapeshifters.”

“You know nothing of my brother.” Sebastian barely spared her a glance.

“Don’t dismiss me.” She narrowed her eyes at Adam. “Why is he even here?”

Adam chuckled. “I often ask myself the same question.”

“Then the wolf rages wide, and the lion glares through the dun forest.” Sebastian opened his mouth to continue, but Anna interrupted.

“That’s William Blake, isn’t it?” She frowned. “Why are you quoting poetry?”

“Coping mechanism.” Sebastian raised a brow. “I see another intelligent woman has been lured into this den of wolves.”

I stepped forward, blocking his view of my mate. “Did you have anything helpful to contribute, you pompous asshole, or are you just here to woo us with poems?”

Adam crossed his arms and gave me a stern look before focusing on Sebastian. “Your brother is a problem both for us and for Nero, so either you neutralize him, or we will.”

Sebastian shook his head with a smirk. “If only life could be as black and white as it is for a wolf.” He peered around me toward Anna. “I suppose if the show in the coffee shop last night was for your benefit, then you have been in contact with Damian?”

Anna came to my right side. “Yes. I met Damian at the Masquerade. He mentioned he worked for a government contractor, and I started digging to see why a defense contractor would be interested in a satellite office in Lake Tahoe.”

Sebastian’s dark eyes locked on mine. “You should have encouraged your
mate
to find a safer story.”

My brother was usually the hothead in our family, but damn I’d never wanted to beat the shit out of someone so badly. “Why are you really here?”

Sebastian turned to Adam. “I have information, but I’m not saying anything with a reporter in the room.” He glanced my way. “Mate or not.”

Adam came over to us, his attention on Anna. “Lana is down at the barn with the kids. Luke’s with them. Can you hang out down there? I’ll send Logan when we’re through here.”

She nodded. “Yeah.” She squeezed my hand. “Can I borrow you for a second?”

I followed her to the back. We stepped outside, and I closed the door.

“Can they still hear us?” she whispered.

I had no trouble hearing Adam and Sebastian talking inside, but as long as the conversation kept them distracted, they wouldn’t notice her whisper. “Probably not. Why?”

“Because I need you to know, regardless of what they decide, I’m meeting Damian. He’ll kill Chandler if I don’t.”

“He’ll kill you, too, if we don’t have a good plan to keep you safe.” My pulse kicked up a notch just saying the words. “Madison’s brother could already be gone for all we know.”

Her eyes welled with tears. “No.”

I took her hand. “Please trust me, Anna. I have no right to ask that of you, but I swear we’ll come up with something. You don’t know the Pack very well yet, but we’ve been through hell and back more than once. You’re my mate, so my Pack is your Pack now, too.”

She stared up at me. “I just met them. Why would they help me?”

I brushed my lips to her forehead. “Because we’re Pack. We’re there for each other. Those Nero assholes may be well trained and well armed, but they work alone or with hired guns. They think our Pack makes us weak, but they’re wrong. The Pack is what makes us strong.”