Turn of the Moon (A Royal Shifters novel Book 1) (19 page)

Ryker turned me around to face him. “What’s up with her?”

“Just girl stuff.”

“Then I don’t want to know.” The music started playing over the speakers and he smiled. “Wanna dance?” Everyone moved away from the floor, giving us our space.

“How can I say no when everyone’s watching?” I laughed.

“Exactly.” Taking my hand, he led me out onto the floor, wrapping his strong arms around my waist. In that moment, nothing else existed but me and him, and the sound of a country love song. We moved in perfect rhythm with each other, almost like clockwork.

“I didn’t think you could dance,” I teased.

He winked. “There’s not much to it. Besides, we move pretty well together in bed. The dance floor shouldn’t be much different.”

My cheeks started to burn. “Thank you for this. I think this will be the beginning to something new. Look at everyone. There’s bound to be someone coming out of this with a potential true mate.” Before the party really got started, there was still some separation amongst the packs, especially between male and female. Territory always played a factor when it came to that. The beta males never approached a female from another pack. I’d wanted those lines to be crossed and now they had.

Ryker glanced around the room, satisfied with the outcome. “I think this is what everyone needed.” We danced to the rest of the song and then the next one started; it was upbeat and fast.

Grabbing my waist, he held me against him while I moved my hips to the beat. Everything was perfect until I felt a blast of magic sweep through the room. It was sudden and meant to be quick, like Sebastian had done at the airport. Only, it wasn’t him. But it was definitely a royal.

Ryker saw the expression on my face. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s here.”

Sebastian left the women at the bar and hurried over. “Did you feel it?” he asked, his gaze concerned.

I grabbed Ryker’s hand. “Another royal wants us to know they’re outside. Who could it be?”

Sebastian glanced around the room. “I don’t know, but I say we go find out.”

“Let’s go out the back. That way no one will see us leave,” Ryker suggested.

We smiled at everyone in passing and disappeared to the back hall. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I got closer to the door. Sebastian and Ryker went out the door first, both looking in the opposite directions. “No one’s here,” Ryker grumbled.

I stepped outside. “I know I felt something.”

Sebastian marched down the sidewalk. “So did I. Someone’s here.”

Across the street, standing in a dark corner was a man with whitish blond hair—an Arctic wolf. I had enough time to see his eyes flash before he disappeared into an alley. “Over there,” I said, pointing toward a taller building.

Sebastian stepped in front of us. “You guys follow on his trail. I’m going to cut him off on the other side. I’ll meet you there.”

He took off and Ryker and I rushed across the street. The guy had just turned around another corner, but I could see his moving shadow. He wasn’t in a hurry, which made me wonder what the hell he was doing. Why would he walk away when he obviously wanted to be found?

“Why would another royal be here?” Ryker asked.

“I don’t know, but we’re about to find out.” We turned the corner and there he was, leaning against the brick wall. Sebastian crept up behind him, but stopped cold when he got closer.

The rogue wolf raked his gaze over me and chuckled, his body hidden in the shadows. “Look at you, all grown up. It’s good to see you again, princess.”

Ryker stood protectively beside me. “Who are you?”

The guy stepped out into the light and I gasped. “Holy shit. You look just like—”

“Me,” Sebastian answered, approaching cautiously. When he got a good look at the stranger, he smiled and shook his head. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Bailey

“I
knew you’d come out here and find me,” the guy said.

Sebastian chuckled and pulled him in for a hug. They looked so much alike, it was uncanny. Sebastian let him go and faced me. “Bailey, this is Micah, my eldest brother.” Then he turned to Ryker. “Micah, this is Ryker Whitemore, Bailey’s soon to be mate, and alpha of the Teton pack.”

“You look like twins,” I murmured in awe.

Micah smiled. “We got that all the time. We’re actually seventeen months apart, just like you and your sister, Faith.”

I gasped. “Where is she? Are you her protector?”

He nodded. “For all of her life. She wanted to come but I didn’t think it was safe. We live out by Yosemite.”

“Does she remember anything about me or our family?”

“Not at first, but I told her everything. She’s on pins and needles back home, waiting to hear if you’re who we thought you were.”

“What happened the night of the attack? Where did you go?” Sebastian asked.

Micah looked at us all. “When the Yukon pack came, I took Faith and kept running. Marrock loaded up a duffel bag full of money and told me to get her as far away as I could. We ended up in California and that’s where we stayed. When I heard about a royal female showing up in these parts, I had to know who it was. I knew if it was Bailey, you would be by her side.”

“Why would you leave Faith by herself?” Ryker cut in. That was a good question.

Micah sighed. “It was either that or bring her here. I heard about the attack from the Yukon pack. The last thing any of us need are two female royals to entice them. I wanted to make sure it was safe before bringing her here.”

“I understand,” I said.

He glanced back and forth between me and Ryker. “Congratulations on finding each other. Not everyone’s so lucky.”

Sebastian snorted. “That’s a whole other story. Hopefully, Faith hasn’t been a pain in the ass like this one,” he said, pointing to me.

Ryker chuckled under his breath and I elbowed him in the side. “Hey, I wasn’t
that
bad. Try living with a pack you think is your family only to have them turn around and mate you off to a sadistic bastard.”

“Who also happened to be Whitemore’s brother,” Sebastian added. Ryker tensed beside me; it would always be a sore subject for him.

Micah’s eyes went wide. “It looks like I have a lot to catch up on.”

“That you do,” I said, “and you can start tomorrow, when you both leave to get my sister. Right now, we have a party to go to.”

Sebastian stared at me, his gaze concerned. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to leave right now. I want to wait until after the full moon.”

I took his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be fine. You forget I can take care of myself. Not to mention, I have Ryker. You just saw your brother for the first time in over a decade. Maybe you two can figure out how to find the rest of our pack, including our brothers.”

Sebastian wanted to fight me on it, but with Ryker there he backed down. “All right, if you want me to go, I will. I’ll help bring your sister back safely.”

“That’s all I want.” I watched them disappear around the corner, as I stayed with Ryker who backed me into the wall.

“I wonder what the packs are going to think when yet another eligible royal walks into the bar.” He lowered his lips to my neck, kissing his way up to my cheek.

“I think the ladies will love it. You have no idea how many of them want Sebastian.”

He scoffed. “Great. I can see a few fights in our future. I hope your boys are ready for that.”

I waved him off. “They’ll be fine.” We started back toward the bar and stopped about midway there. Low growls could be heard inside. “Uh, maybe you’re right. Let’s get in there before they tear the bar apart.”

Ryker burst out in laughter. “Yes, lets. I’d love to see Lyall get knocked on his ass.”

Bailey

“A
re you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Sebastian asked.

Laughing, I pushed him towards Micah’s SUV. “No, I don’t. Judging by that black eye of yours I’d say you need a break. You’re going to start pissing Ryker off if you don’t back away soon anyway.”

“But that’s the fun part.” He fake pouted.

I pursed my lips. “Maybe for you, but not for me. I know you just want to keep me safe, but I’m a big girl. One of these days you’re going to have your own mate to protect. You need to get used to not being by my side. He tolerates you because he knows I love you.”

His jaw tensed. “You’re all I’ve had for the past fifteen years.”

Eyes burning, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I know but now you have your brother. You’ll need his help to find our families.”

He nodded. “I’ll find them.”

I wrapped my arm around his and walked him the rest of the way to Micah’s car. “In the meantime, stay safe out there. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Try not to miss me too much,” he teased.

“Don’t worry, I will.” I kissed him on the cheek and watched him get into the car. As soon as they drove out of the driveway, Tyla pulled in.

“I see the twins of terror just left,” she called as she got out.

I rolled my eyes. “Twins of terror? They aren’t even twins.”

She shrugged. “They remind me of these twin MMA fighters I watch on TV. They’re some sexy beasts. I wish we had wolves in our pack who looked like that.”

“We do. We have several who are very good looking.”

“You better not let Ryker hear you say that,” she said with a wink.

“I don’t plan on it. Did you ever talk to Sebastian last night?”