Discovered (The Shalean Moon) (18 page)

She was glad it wasn’t just her. Still, there were years ahead to get to understand all that. She could feel him agreeing with her.

“As your friend then, I’m glad.”

She smiled. That sounded so good, and the future looked great.

“And as your friend, so am I.”

Enjoy a special preview of

Renounced: The Shalean Moon Book 2

C
HAPTER
O
NE

Leira stretched out in the tiny glade. The trees filtered the heat, and created dappled patterns on the ground. Here--in this patch of warmth--she could relax, and let her thoughts roam. This was her glade--her private place. It was true that she loved to run with the others, and splash in the river; to jump from rock to rock, and soak that annoying Donny; but, here it was just her, and her thoughts--with no one to listen in; and no one to intrude. It was a place to sort things out in her mind; and she really needed that at the moment. Her family and the Sept accepted this; and accommodated her with the privacy she craved--usually…

She stood with her fur on end.

I’ll kill him.

‘Donald Farriday, how dare you come here? This is my place
.’ Her body shook with fury.

He loped out of the trees, and shook himself; his markings were bright in the sunlight--all leopard.

All stupid-macho-’I’m Mr. Big’, leopard. Argh!

‘I came to wish you a happy sixteenth birthday, Leira--and to claim you as my own.’

‘Bite me! No chance! I’ll never belong to anyone other than me.”

His growl of amusement rolled around the clearing. She wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his jowls. Whoever said that cats couldn’t smile was dead wrong.

‘Bite you, Leira? Oh, I intend to, and soon. Then, we
will
belong to each other--that’s my promise and my oath.’

She was so incensed with him that she knew if she wasn’t careful she’d scream--loudly. As she shook and quivered with anger she forgot the basic tenet to never shift in front of others unless absolutely necessary. Although the shimmer zone was a concealment during shifting, it had always been considered a very personal thing. Shifting with others usually only happened if the group needed to be together for protection.

She realized what she had done when she stood with her hands on her hips—not on fur—in front of that stupid, grinning leopard. Leira closed her eyes, gave a swift apology to their Gods, and then got over it. She’d done it--it had happened; and she couldn’t do anything to change that. What she could do was give Donny-Flipping-Farriday a mouthful; and she intended to … when he reappeared. She’d only closed her eyes for a second, and he’d made good his getaway--the coward.

‘Just like a male; when the going gets tough--turn tail.’

‘I remembered to change alone’.

He was back; and all a girl could want.
Tall, dark, fit, and … Don’t go there Leira, you don’t want him—remember?

He gave her a disapproving look.

She blushed. She knew she’d done the wrong thing; but, the earth wasn’t shaking. She guessed the Gods forgave her.

‘Ohh hoo, Mr. Perfect!’

“No, Leira.” He’d stopped projecting his thoughts and spoke out loud. “I’m not perfect, nowhere near. However, I try to follow our entire creed when I can. You’re young, you’ll learn.”

‘Patronizing git! Who does think he is?’

“Your partner to be, and in time your brother’s right hand.”

Oh shit!
She hadn’t meant to project that. It sometimes scared her how attuned she and Donny were to each other. It
was
a bit exciting too—but, no way was she going to let him know that--he was way too full of himself anyway. Instead, she went for nonchalance; and it would have worked except for one thing—a tiny insidious voice in her head that urged her to remember the way he’d betrayed her--betrayed them all.

“Yeah, so much that you’ve aligned yourself with those Rogue idiots. You let them take my friend--Brios’ friend. I don’t trust you; I don’t much like you; and heck, I don’t much like the Sept right now either. Now that you’ve done the happy birthday bit you can lope off, and leave me in peace.”

Donny shook his head. Leira wanted to snarl and growl; but, she knew that now that she was sixteen--and an adult--she’d better stop doing such juvenile stuff. Well, not exactly stop; but, maybe do it in a more grown up sort of way. So, she shook her head slowly like she’d seen her mum do when her dad annoyed her.

“So, what are you waiting for? I’m having some me time here. That means me; and, well--
me
. No one else; so, if you’ll excuse me?” She raised one eyebrow. She’d been practicing it in front of the mirror ever since she’d seen it in an old film.

“No, I don’t. There’s no need to be rude, Lei; and you know it. What I’m saying is the truth; something we can’t change.”

His smile was infuriating. “I didn’t say it wasn’t the truth.” She managed to talk to him as if he was a six-year-old. “However, no where in our creed does it say I have to accept you. So get used to that.”

Donny just laughed at her. The look on his face was enough to make anyone long to push him in the river. Especially, as he looked her up and down; a bit like her dad did when he didn’t like what she was wearing.

She suddenly realized she was in her pj’s--the ones with red teddy bears all over them.

Well,
she thought defensively,
when I changed to run, it was just for me; and I didn’t think to get dressed properly
.

Donny would just have to get over it. The pj’s were clean, decent and comfy. She looked down, and blushed.

Um, and maybe they were just a wee bit small?
There
was
an awful lot of leg that showed; and, she’d better not breathe
too
deep.

Tough! I didn’t ask him to follow me … so, he’ll just have to look the other way or something if he doesn’t like it.

“Donny.” She was mortified, even if she was trying not to show it. “You’re a real prick, do you know that?”

“Wash your mouth out, Leira.” He spoke quietly; but, sounded just like her dad. She rolled her eyes.

“Donny …” She tried to be cool, calm, and polite like her mum had advised her; but, it wasn’t easy--especially with someone so sure of himself. “You sound like my dad. For god’s sake you’re eighteen not thirty-eight. Lighten up, and let me enjoy my birthday. ‘Cause there’s not a lot of chance of me doing that if you keep popping up and mumping at me.”

He didn’t even look sorry. “I’m not
mumping,
Lei--I’m lov … Er … looking out for you; and to be honest …”

“Oh, yeah,” She was angry. There was no way she would let him get away with that sort of crap. “Why don’t you just do that? Hah! You being honest usually will mean slagging me off. Well, go on then … why not? Don’t change the habits of a lifetime.”

He looked at her, his face grave. “You’re talking about things you’re too young to understand, Lei. You need to trust--trust Shalea, and our creed.”

Bloody Shalea and its creed!
At that moment she really felt that she hated Shalea. Every last thing about it annoyed her; and she knew she’d had enough.

“I’m going to renounce!” she said suddenly; and watched his eyebrows shoot up in astonishment.

“What? Don’t be stupid.”

“Why is it stupid? Just because you don’t like it does
not
make it--or me--stupid. If you think it does then it’s you who’s the stupid one, not me.”

“
You’re
wearing your pajamas,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, and your point is?” She knew her face was as red as the teddies on the darn things.

“So, if you renounce … you’ll need to walk home in them.”

“Then … I’ll renounce when I get home! Now, if you’ll excuse me … I’d like to shift--alone.”

Darn him, he’s laughing again.

“Why? You didn’t worry last time.”

“Last time I was annoyed with you. This time I’m more aware.” Her voice was stiff. She sounded like her best friend Rach when she was annoyed with Brios. Brios might be her brother; but, Leira was on Rach’s side every time. He could be as irritating as Donny sometimes.

She watched him turn his back.

“Change then.” His voice had a nasty hint of challenge in it. She walked backwards into the trees.

No way am I doing it to obey him--do it once, and he’ll think he’s won.

“I’m changing because I want to--not because you said,” she called as she moved away.

She heard his laugh.

Argh.

Once she was in the trees and out of his sight, she stood and changed with ease. The more she did it the easier it got. Even with the shimmer zone Leira still felt more comfortable moving somewhere private to shift. It showed how annoyed she’d been earlier when she’d shifted in front of him.

‘Leira, you’re being childish
.’

She tried to block her thoughts. Not very successfully it seemed.

‘Leira, what on earth is happening? Donny is so pissed he’s making my mind rattle. What’re you doing to him?
’ Now, her brother was getting in on the act. She was annoyed. How dare Donny project to Brios about her--this was between
them
.

‘Get out of my mind; you’re as big a moron as that other moron.’

Leira shook her body until her fur settled down as she liked it, and then she began to move—in the opposite direction toward home. Right at that moment she didn’t want to deal with either her family--or Donny. She knew Donny could track her easily. He was nearly as good as Brios in that department--which was probably why he’d been chosen to act as her brothers right hand once Brios took over the Sept; but, no way would she make it easy for him.

‘Hey, girlfriend … what are you doing to those boys? Brios said Donny is doing his head in--big time.’

Rach zoned in on her.

‘
He’s doing in
big brother’s
head? Ha! you should be in
my
paws. I could swing and try to knock some sense into him. He’s an arse. Where are you?’

‘I’m waiting for you at your house; to give you your birthday present’.

‘Great, I’ll be back in five.’
They could meet up once she’d changed out of her pjs!

She ran back to the house in a steady lope; using the paths that crisscrossed her family’s land. Leira knew she was lucky. As Shaleans they needed places to shift, and as leopards they needed places to run; and here they had both. Being a girl, she needed her own space sometimes; and her mum and dad had given the glade to her. That was another reason to be so annoyed with Donny. The glade was her place; and the family all respected that.

But, not Mr. Big He-Man Donald Farriday; Oh no, he just pads in like it’s his right.

She went into the house using a back door, and up to her room where she shifted in private. The first few times she’d changed back from leopard to human she’d cried--it had hurt so much. Now it was a lot easier; as long as she concentrated. This time though, she was so churned up by her encounter with Donny that her concentration was shot--and it hurt. She wanted to cry out as she rearranged her bones. Only the fact that the others in the house might sense it kept her breath slow, and the tears from falling. She would make him pay for it one day.

A quick shower and hair brush; clean jeans and a T-shirt; and she was ready to go downstairs.

Her mum, dad, Brios, and Rach were waiting in the lounge. Unfortunately, so was Donny.

“Happy birthday, Love,” Her dad kissed her, and gave her a big hug. “The rest of your presents are on the table.” Leira got hugs from her mum as well; and then Brios and Rach.She turned away as Donny approached. Never in a million years was she going to let him hug her.

“Leira,” her dad sounded cross. “That’s rude. After all—”

“After all,” she butted in. She knew she was being ruder than ever; but, she’d had enough. “Donny is not family--or a friend. Not only that, he intruded in my glade.
My
glade dad--my own place; I’m sick of his interference--I’m sick of him.”

“Tough.” It was Donny who spoke. “Get used to it, Leira. You know why.”

Right! That’s enough; I’m getting him out of my life. In fact, I’m going to do more than that.

“I renounce Shalea.” She knew her words were sincere; and the shocked looks on everyone’s faces showed they knew it as well. “I’ve had enough! I’m going to live a bog standard ordinary life--no, ‘You are my partner’ rubbish--no, ‘you’re mine’--nothing. I just want to do what anyone else my age does--work hard, enjoy myself, go on dates, and just be a normal sixteen-year-old.”