Moonlight's Peril (Moonlight Series Book 1) (8 page)

“How can I?”

He gave her a sad smile. “I know a thing or two about guilt. Those feelings will eat you alive. Don’t do that to yourself.” Law leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. “I lost my sister because I wasn’t allowed to fight for her.”

“Why couldn’t you fight?” Bianca asked.

“My father was alpha then. He didn’t want anyone to die because he’d failed to protect Joy. He didn’t want to lose his son like he had his daughter.”

“Is she still alive?”

“If she is, there’s no saving her. Once a wolf stops being human, they don’t come back. Tobias forces his pack to live as wolves most of the time. He encourages brutality. A feral wolf is more animal than man—or woman. Tobias is a skilled manipulator.”

“Do you think Chessa is alive? Really?”

“I don’t know. I want to stop him. That’s all I’m sure of anymore.”

Law wiped a tear from Bianca’s cheek with his thumb. His touch gentle touch lingered. She hadn’t even realized she was crying. “I’m going to make sure no one else cries tears over that bastard’s actions.”

Bianca nodded. Law gripped her shoulders tight, but not hard enough to hurt. “Stay here.” He let her go.

“I don’t like staying here,” she said.

“I didn’t ask you to like it, but I need to trust you to do it.”

She bit her lip. “If there’s anything I can help you with, you get me. Wolf or man, I don’t care, get me.”

“You have my word.” Law went to the door. She watched him, and he turned to look at her, but his hand was on the doorknob. “Swear you’ll stay out of trouble.”

She shrugged. “Promise
me
you’ll save her, no matter what?”

“No matter what.”

“Okay. I’m not going anywhere outside of town.”

“Even in town, there’s danger. But the wolves should mostly be in the woods. The old, or women with young might still be here on lockdown. Be careful, they can be the most dangerous.”

A chill crept down her spine. “Thanks.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For protecting me.”

“You accept me—my protection?”

What a strange question.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?”

“There’s so much you don’t understand about my kind.” A sad half-smile curved his sexy mouth. “I’ll see you soon. A strong wolf who resists the hardest and abstains from meat for many years can stay human. Beating the moon is so rare I only know one man who can do it. Keep this house locked up tight and if there’s trouble you go to George Meadows and tell him you have my protection.”

“Pastor George? Is he…”

“He’ll keep you safe. Find a way to secure the patio door until you can get it fixed and lock this behind me,” Law said before he left. She peeked out the window as she turned the deadbolt until it snicked in place. As soon as the metal landed home, he rushed away into the darkness with preternatural speed.
Why do I suddenly feel so damn lonely?

Ten

Law ran into the compound, soaked from the rain, but the storm had ended. Ethan and Jesse shut the gate behind him. Nik stood, waiting. The beta’s teeth clenched. “I’m glad you’re back. Everyone is fighting about tonight’s run. Some say you aren’t fit to lead tonight. There’s no way we aren’t going to have some of Tobias’s psychos coming into our territory.”

Law tried to hide how winded he was with a cough. The run had done him good. Every hour closer to moon rise made him stronger, but he hadn’t fully recovered. “You know that’s bull. This close to the sacred night I could take a bullet and be fit by moonrise.”

“I know, and so do they, but Kort wants any excuse to take leadership and prove he could be alpha.”

“He’s not getting that chance. We have real threats to deal with. He can pull this petty shit another time when things calm down. Who’s staying with the kids?” Law asked.

“Hannah. She volunteered again.”

Law nodded. “Okay. Let’s go to the meeting hall. Is everyone fed?”

“Everyone but you,” Nik said in a den-mother tone.

Law rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You’ve used a lot of energy to heal. You need to have a clear head. The man needs to stay in control. Tonight is not the right time to let the wolf have free reign.”

“I’ve never let the wolf have his way.” Law’s eyes narrowed, and his nostrils flared. They passed a several people who were checking on the livestock and making sure everything was secure for the long night.

Nik scowled. “Have some venison.”

Law shrugged, but hurried off to the banquet in the meeting hall. His mother met him at the door with a plate of his favorites.

“Eat up we run in thirty minutes,” Janna said.

He grinned. Reylin was stuffing food in her face with less dignity than any of the guys. He went over to his pretty little cousin and sat down. The Smiths were eyeing her up, but he noticed Rune had a black eye. Reylin glared at the brothers.

“Thanks a lot!” she said angrily in Law’s direction. She stood to leave, but Law grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“What did I do?” He had no clue.

“Your damn protection crap riled them up. Rune started to announce he wanted to give
me
his protection, but before he could ruin my day Tristian punched him.”

Law chuckled, and Reylin slapped his arm. His bicep stung where she’d attacked. He let her go. His spunky cousin would make one of those brothers work hard for her acceptance.

Law grinned. “As your last living male relative, they should have talked to me.”

“I’m so over chauvinistic bullshit, you know what year it is, right? I’m a big girl, who can protect herself. I want my mate to treat me more like the woman than the wolf. I meant what I said. I’m not having a family in this pack until Tobias isn’t a threat. There’s no way in hell I would raise kids in town with Kane to worry about.” She sighed. “I don’t want to leave our territory. My options are pretty damn limited. I’m not going to let
some guy
change my mind.”

“I know, and I feel the same way about having a family. My son will likely be in my shoes someday, and I don’t want him having to make the same choices I’ve had to make,” Law said.

“Didn’t sound like you’re opposed to settling down. You brought a human into the family; that’s going to complicate things if you do have a son. He’ll be fighting for his right to be called alpha, every day—always. She’s nice, but she had no clue you’d gone and
married
her so casually.” Reylin chuckled.

“It’s not like that. When this is all over, I’ll tell Bianca how to revoke my claim on her and she’ll be free to go on with her life.” Law hated how much the words bothered him.

Reylin snorted in the most unladylike way. “Yeah, right, I’m sure it’ll go down just like that ‘cause you’ve always been so good at giving up on what you care about.” She went over to the trash and tossed her plate before she glared at the garbage can. Law stood up and followed her, eating as they walked. “I hate using paper plates; it makes my wolf angry. At least it’s only once a month. We women would get stuck cleaning up dried on food after the run if we didn’t use the disposable ones. It’s not like you men can get with the times. Maybe a town girl can change that.” She gave Law a long hard stare, but he forced himself not to look away from his cousin’s shrewd gaze. “I like her. She loves her kid and didn’t freak out considering she had a lot to lose her mind over.”

“I just want to keep Bianca safe.”

“Whatever you say. I saw the way you two looked at each other, but it’s none of my business.”

Law studied the Smiths as they fought quietly. He hoped the argument wasn’t over his cousin. He’d have to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn’t think they could claim Reylin as wolves. The bond created during the full moon wouldn’t break. A wolf bond stuck, even if the humans hated each other. Wolves wanted what they wanted and were often more honest than men and women about who they mated.

Law groaned and stretched his back until his spine popped. His joints ached. His shoulders screamed in agony every time he moved. Breathing was harder. The change always started like this for him.

Looking at everyone in the room, Law studied his pack as he ate. He walked around making sure each person was there and accounted for. The hair on his pack member’s heads already grew. All of the men had full beards. He could see subtle changes in facial bone structure too.

Even the children were changing. Few kids were able to transform fully before puberty, but Little James was the exception. Law suspected Mari Anna conceived when she was in her wolf form, but he never called them out.
Old taboos aside, the mistake is on them if they take the risk again and end up with a wolf pup instead of a human baby next time.

Watching the mothers and Hannah ushering the kids down into the safety of the bunker reminded Law of the importance of bringing everyone back safe and sound. James whined as his father scooped him up in one hand. The little guy wiggled and struggled.

Law noticed Kort and Mari Anna speaking quietly in the corner. The woman’s worried expression tore at Law’s heart. He was glad he didn’t have a child of his own. Anxiety for the pack children was enough to set his heart hammering.

Bianca's image floated into his mind. Would he want to have a family with a human woman? He knew what his friend Ben had endured growing up straddling worlds. Law pushed thoughts of his human away.
My human?
He shook his head and sighed.

Nik howled. Several other men joined him. Law looked down at his hands. The nails had lengthened into razor sharp claws. His skin itched as the hair grew on his fingers. He watched his arms morph from smooth to shaggy, elbow to wrist.

The pack members finishing last minute chores steamed in. People took off clothing and piled items on chairs where things would be safe until morning. Even with all the angst, he took a moment to marvel at the amazingness of his species. Movies made the transformation appear horrific and agonizing. Muscles and bones twisted, hair sprouted in seconds, but the surge of adrenaline and endorphins ensured minimal pain. Losing control was mentally disturbing as the wolf and man became equals. When the wolf arrived, Law fought his baser needs.
BiancaBiancaBiancaBiancaBianca.
Her name was a never-ending mantra in his brain.

Law’s heart was heavy as he noticed the wary expression on so many faces. They didn’t have much longer as men tonight. His heart rate accelerated. "This is our home.” Law’s voice altered from the changes taking place inside his throat. “If Tobias's pack threatens us we'll protect our territory.”

The not-fully-human faces of his people considered him. Rune pounded his chest with his right fist. "I stand with you."

Tristian copied his brother and some of the other men. Law noticed Kort and his boys hanging back, glaring. He regarded them with unflinching confidence. All of them, except Kort, looked away. This was his pack, and he wouldn't lose his position to someone who would bully and connive instead of lead. The pack deserved better.

Bianca’s image flashed in his head, and then all he could think of was the crisp scent of the woods at night. Law’s mind slipped. The need to rush to Bianca’s side rose inside of him. More images of the run and the need to break free consumed him. A vision of Bianca running in the woods with him sucker-punched in right in the soul. Her long hair danced in the breeze as she moved. Her face alight with the exuberance that only communion with nature could bring. She was glorious, but he pushed the image away. The discomforting see-saw between man and beast threatened his control.

Law stumbled out of the meeting hall with his pack. The lunar rays drew their faces to the sky. None of them remained human enough to speak in English. Grunts and howls were the only sounds as they morphed. All of his people were born wolves, so there was little pain. The sound was horrific, but the transformation always looked worse than it felt. For a long, wonderful moment, the pack basked in the energy giving light of the moon. There was no more time for the man. The wolf was here. And Law was alpha.

Eleven

The rain had stopped. Pink and purple hues of dusk were giving away to the darkness of night. Chessa relished the fresh air on her face. She sat next to her captor/grandfather. He turned to look at her and smiled. His teeth were different, fang-like, and they made his expression grotesque. She shuddered before she could stop herself and force a return smile.
Awkward much?
This whole day had been crazy.

Chessa itched at her arms. Something didn’t look right like her hair was darker and thicker. She moved an arm closer to her face, and Grandpa Tobias laughed. Chessa jerk, and twisted in her lawn chair to glare at him.

“You didn’t get to feel the change in the cage. The first transformation for a bitten needs the moonlight but withheld too long the beast takes over. You’d never have come back if we’d left you down there another month. Glare at me again, and I’ll have you tossed in the bunker before moonrise.”

Chessa didn’t understand his craziness, but the idea of going back to her cell was intolerable. Looking down at her feet, she tried acting as non-confrontational as possible. Considering her irrational anger overload, playing nice was challenging.

Something deep inside made the urge to run—explore—almost intolerable. Chessa kept smelling odd things, deeper smells. The sense jerked her attention every which way. She noticed the people in her crazy captor’s camp were starting to look different. She tasted blood when she bit her lip on accident. And she liked it. Her breath was coming out in little-terrified pants.

Rubbing her aching neck, Chessa sighed. Hair brushed her arm. Without a mirror knowing how she looked was impossible, but she grabbed a handful of her tangled blonde mass and pulled it over her shoulder. She’d been down in the pit a long time, but not so long that her hair doubling in length seemed normal. She combed through a section with her fingers. The day she’d gone camping her hair had fallen to her shoulders. Now she could pull it all the way to her hip. She frantically worked out the tangles.

Joy walked over, and she appeared odd, her dark curly hair also appeared to have grown it hung long and free. The woman always looked neat and tidy, but today her eyebrows were crazy bushy, and her face had a shadow of hair on the jaw line. Chessa squinted and tried to tell if Joy was wearing costume makeup.

Joy showed a hairbrush to the guards flanking her, and Tobias nodded. The kind woman started to help Chessa brush out her snarled locks.

“Thank you,” Chessa whispered.

“You’re welcome.” Joy’s voice lowered even more. She sounded different—demonic. “Stay with me during the run.”

Chessa shivered but nodded. Even though she didn’t know what Joy meant, she trusted the woman over everyone else in this strange group. If they were going somewhere, maybe she’d have a chance to make an escape and find her way home.

Tobias leaned forward and speared Joy with a glare. Joy hurried up and finished brushing Chessa’s hair before scurrying meekly away. Chessa saw a big man with gray hair shove Joy. He looked mean. Glaring at him, she didn’t realize she was growling at the man until Tobias reached out and touched her arm.

“Easy little girl. He’d eat you alive.”

Was that pride in the old creep’s voice?
She sat back and clamped her mouth shut, but noticed her teeth didn’t feel right. Her jaws weren’t lining up comfortably. Chessa felt between her lips with her index and pointer finger and cried out in pain as her incisor pricked her skin. She pulled back and saw a dot of blood growing on her pale digit. A small cry of panic burst out.

“Don’t go being all human on me, girl. You’re better than that. You’re a Monstre. You come from my bloodline.”

I’m not a Monstre; I’m an Archer.
Chessa kept her mouth shut, fearing him locking her back underground.

Her arms ached, and the itch intensified, No matter how much she scratched it didn’t matter because the torment was under her skin.

“What’s happening to me?” she whispered.

Tobias pointed at the sky. “Do you feel the moon rising?”

Yes, and it’s wonderful.
The feeling of anticipation was like Christmas morning and the last day of school before the summer, and her birthday all rolled into one.
I’m waiting to be born.
The stray thought caused her to jerk.
Philosophic much? Crazy.
Whatever mind control they were using was working on her. She’d seen something on The Learning Channel or The Discovery Channel about how people are brainwashed into believing anything if subjected to torture.
Oh my God. These people are so evil.
She watched her fingernails growing right before her eyes. It was fascinating and terrible all at the same time.
Maybe they gave me some of their RV-commune-hippie-drugs.
She shivered, but not because she was cold. In fact, she was burning up.
I’m sick. I’m probably still down underground having a hallucination.

“Just let it happen. Don’t fight it that’ll make it worse. Let go and just let your wolf free. Embrace your anger.”

He sounds like he’s asking me to join the ‘Dark Side.’
Irrationally laughter bubbled up out of her as she imagined the old man as Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars movies. His being a creepy old guy didn’t help her control the brain memes his words sparked in her mind. Tobias scowled, and she shook her head to gain control of her erratic emotions. “Sorry. Can’t help it.”

He shrugged. “You’re losing yourself. Let go and stop trying to think. This isn’t something you can stop.”

She wouldn’t stop trying to stay in control. This bad trip wasn’t going to win. If he wanted her to let go, she would do the opposite.

Standing up, Chessa stretched her hurting back. He watched her but didn’t say anything. His guards stepped closer. No one tried to stop her as she stood. She started to pace. Sitting still was torture. Others were running in place. She noticed the group was full of energy when they’d been standing or sitting around like lumps in the grass earlier.

Grandpa Kidnapper stood up and cleared his throat. All the commotion ceased, and all eyes focused on him. “We’re going into Foster territory. Kill at your discretion.”

Chessa’s eyes widened. She wasn’t going to kill anything. Hunger rumbled in her belly. They hadn’t eaten all day. The taste of blood from her earlier injury teased her tongue.

“Have you killed anyone?” Chessa asked Tobias.

He smiled.
Creeptastically icky…
“Only when I’ve needed to and our kind needs to kill. Often.”

Our kind.
She was nothing like this terrible man. At least she hoped she wasn’t.