Rise of the Moon (A Royal Shifters novel Book 3)

by L. P. Dover

  My father glances over at me and smiles. “I learned the art from your grandfather. That man was gifted in many ways.”

  “Do you miss your parents?” I know they were killed when the Royal pack was ambushed many years ago.

  “Every day,” he confesses. “They would’ve loved you.”

  Hearing about their senseless murder is another reason why I’ve hated being a shifter. All the killing for sport, for the chance to be the most substantial pack. What’s the point? Everyone wants to be the alpha. I’ve never understood that desire. Maybe that’s why Cedric and I were chosen for each other. He’s an alpha in his own right, but he decided to step aside so Ryker could lead the Teton pack. That’s not something you often see in the shifter world. It makes me respect Cedric more.

  My father clears his throat, his expression a little uncomfortable. The more time we spend together, the more he opens up to me, even though he’s still reserved when it comes to the rest of the people in the pack. “How are things with you and Cedric?”

  Hearing his name brings a smile to my face. “Good. We picked out Christmas trees last night after he got off of work.”

  “Speaking of work, I hear you’re going to be a park ranger one day.”

  “I am,” I say with pride. “I’m going to be shadowing Cedric. Then, when I’m not doing that, I’ll work on designing with you. That is if I have any clients.”

  His lips pull back. “You don’t need me to get clients, Laila. You can do that all on your own. All I want is for you to be happy.”

  “I am,” I assure him.

  “So there’s no chance you’re going to up and leave with the fae prince?” he asks, his voice tense.

  “No,” I reply. The second I say it, his shoulders relax, and I smile. “I’m going to stay here with you and everyone else I love. I just hope the dark fae don’t find me before it’s time to complete the bond.”

  His eyes widen, and he jerks his attention to me. “At the next full moon?”

  I shrug. “I’m in love with him. He’s everything I could ever want in a mate.”

  “What about your magic? What if you lose it?”

  I shake my head. “I won’t. It’s a part of me. I have to believe it’ll still be who I am.” My magic is a part of my soul. If I mate with Cedric, it’ll only make me stronger. There’s no way I could lose my magic, no matter what others might believe.

  We turn down a long, paved road, and at the end of it is a vast mountain house that has to be over a million dollars. This is just one of Richard Tanner’s homes and not one that my dad built for him. That one is currently being designed. For now, Richard wants to see what I can do for his current house.

  My dad shuts off the car and grabs my wrist before I reach for the door. “What if you still have your magic after the full moon? Dorian will still be able to find you.”

  I place a hand over the black carmine rock in my pocket. It’s the only thing keeping me hidden. “What would you have me do?” I ask in all honesty. When all of this started, my first thought was to run away to keep everyone safe, but after being with the Teton pack, I feel stronger. I don’t want to run away.

  His stormy blue eyes stare straight into mine. “You’re a Lyall, Laila. I think you know what you want to do.” He squeezes my wrist. “And I’ll be right there to help you. No one’s going to take you away from me.”

  I want to protect my family and friends. If Dorian comes for me, I’ll be ready for him myself. “Like father, like daughter.”

  He nods. “Exactly. Now come on and let’s show Richard what you can do.”

  By the time we’re done at Richard’s house, I’m on air. He loved my designs and wants me to start decorating his home immediately. In the beginning, all I had to go on were pictures, but now that I’ve seen the house in person, there’s so much I can do. I don’t even know where to begin. The good thing is that he’s leaving to head back to New York for a few weeks, and I’ll have free rein over his house.

  “That went well,” my dad says as we turn out of the driveway onto the road.

  I slide Richard’s credit card into my wallet. “I can’t believe he gave me his card.” With all the things I need to buy, it’ll be around two hundred thousand dollars. Richard didn’t bat an eyelash when I mentioned the numbers.

  My father laughs. “Richard’s an important man in New York. He has more money than us, and the Lyall’s have been around for hundreds of years.”

  As lovely as it would be to have that much money, it doesn’t make people happy. That’s why I never cared about spending the money I got from the Sierra pack, other than to pay for the black carmine to protect me. At least I can say some of it was spent for good.

  My phone beeps with an incoming text.

  Cedric: How did it go?

  Grinning, I text him back.

  Me: Great. Are you off of work yet?

  Cedric: On my way to your house.

  Actually, I have something else in mind.

  Me: Change of plans. I’m on my way to yours. Meet me there.

  Cedric: I’ll be there in five.

  I slide my phone back into my purse. “Think you can drop me off at Cedric’s?”

  The corner of my dad’s mouth lifts slightly. “I can.” Then he looks over at me. “He’s a good man, Laila. I’m glad you found your mate. Things in this world happen for a reason.”

  “Exactly,” I agree. “You may miss my mother, but there’s someone else out there for you.”

  His gaze hardens, and he looks away. “That’s the last thing on my mind right now.” I’ve never been in love with someone and lost them the way he has. I know the pain has to be unbearable. I haven’t been with Cedric long, but I can’t even stomach the concept of not having him in my life.

  We pull up to Cedric’s house, and he’s already there, waiting for me on his porch, still dressed in his uniform. I love the way he looks in it. He nods at my dad, and my dad does the same back at him.

  When he turns to me, I look into his bright blue eyes and smile. “I love you.”

  He smiles back, but it’s sad. “I love you too. And I’m happy for you and Cedric. I know he’ll take care of you.”

  Cedric walks over to my side and opens the door. “I have no doubt,” I murmur.

  I get out of the car and wave at my dad as he leaves. Cedric takes my hand and kisses it as we walk up the front porch stairs. “What’s going on? Why the change of plans?”

  “I thought we could use some alone time.”

  His eyes flash, and he turns his head quickly, but not fast enough. The need in him is strong, and I know it’s taken a lot for him to keep his control around me. He opens the door for me and walks in behind me. “Let me get changed, and then we can eat some dinner. Seraphina called and said she dropped off some food for us and put it in the refrigerator.”

  This time, I keep my head turned from him so he can’t see my smile. “Sounds good.”

  He disappears down the hall to his bedroom, and I take a deep breath. It’s time we take the next step. I’m both excited and terrified all at the same time. Most women my age have been with several men, but I don’t have that kind of experience. I don’t even know if Cedric realizes that I’m a virgin. It’s something I haven’t exactly told him.

  Slowly, I tiptoe down the hall. The bedroom door is cracked, and Cedric is inside with nothing but a pair of boxers on as he reaches for a T-shirt out of his dresser. I gently push the door open, and he glances at me over his shoulder. The tension between us ignites, and I can feel the heat all through my body.

  “Laila,” he murmurs, his voice a deep growl. “What are you doing?”

  I walk in and shut the door behind me. “I think it’s time we take the next step, don’t you think?”

  His eyes flash, and he closes them. “My control can only get me so far. You have to be sure about this.”

  While his eyes are still closed, I step toward him, unbuttoning my shirt one button at a time. When they’re all u
ndone, I toss my shirt onto the floor. He opens his eyes and stares down at it before turning his heated gaze to my body. I slide my hands up his arms and then clasp them around his neck.

  “I want this, Cedric. I want you.” His arms circle my waist, pulling me into his body. I can feel his arousal pressing against my stomach, and it makes me tremble with anticipation. “Just be gentle with me,” I whisper. “I’ve never …”

  His lips close over mine, his kiss cutting off my words. “Don’t worry,” he murmurs. “I won’t hurt you. You’re safe with me.”

  Lifting me in his arms, he carefully lays me on his bed. He kisses his way down my neck to my breasts, sliding the fabric away so he can glide his tongue across my nipple. Everything in me tightens, and I groan. I want more. He massages my other breast and works his lips over the other.

  “That feels so good.”

  Cedric chuckles. “Just wait. It gets better.” He unbuttons my pants and slides them down my legs along with my underwear. Spreading me wide, he licks his lips and lowers his head to between my legs. My clit throbs, even more so when his tongue flicks across it, making me gasp.

  In one slow, delectable movement, he slides his fingers inside of me and closes his lips over my clit, sucking and licking. I feel like I’m going to go insane. My whole body is on fire, desperate for release. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he groans. “I can feel you getting tighter.”

  Removing his fingers, he replaces them with his warm tongue and enters me, thrusting and rubbing my clit with his nose. The friction is mind-blowing, and along with his tongue, I’m about to lose control, especially when he grips the inside of my thigh and growls. He knows I’m close.

  “I want you to come, baby. Let me taste you.”

  In just a matter of seconds, my body explodes, and I scream out his name, rocking my hips until the last remnants of my orgasm subside. Breathing hard, I lay there, completely and utterly ready for more. I want him more than I’ve wanted anything else in the world.

  He climbs up my body, and I cup his face. “Take my blood, Cedric. It’s time you really taste me.”

  When his gray eyes glow, they’re mesmerizing. “You sure?”

  I nod. “Yes. And I want to taste you.”

  His fangs grow, and he nips his bottom lip, drawing blood. When it comes to mates, the sharing of blood is sacred. It links the two together in mind, body, and soul. I’ll be able to hear his thoughts and he with mine. We’ll also be able to see visions of our future. It’s one of the perks of blood sharing. You get a glimpse into what your life has in store for you. I’m ready to see what our future holds.

  “What do you think we’ll see?” he asks, his gaze uncertain.

  “I don’t know, but I think it’s time we find out.”

  Ever so slowly, his lips connect with mine, and I taste his blood. It’s like everything opens up in my mind. Before, I could sense his desire for me, but now I can feel it and hear what he’s thinking. Cedric nips my lip with his fangs, drawing out my own blood. As soon as he tastes it, I’m thrust out of my own body and into a vision … only it’s not what I expect.

  I look around, and Cedric is nowhere to be seen. It’s dark, but the moon is bright in the sky, making the snow shimmer. “Cedric?” I call out.

  Nothing.

  I look up at the stars, and there are magical, shimmery strings floating in the air. I know what they are. It’s the strings that bind two wolves together when they mate. They are supposed to connect, but ours are not. They swirl all around me, untethered like lost souls. A lonely, cold feeling settles into the pit of my stomach. It reminds me of what death feels like.

  “Cedric!” I scream.

  I gasp the second I’m thrust out of the vision. Cedric jumps to his feet, his body covered in sweat. The anger pours off of him in droves as he paces the floor like a caged animal. He wasn’t in my vision, but I know he saw the same thing because I can see it in his mind. I don’t know what it means, but I know it’s not good.

  My heart beats so fast it makes me sick. I slide to the edge of the bed, wishing like hell I could get the vision out of my mind. Now that Cedric and I shared blood, I can hear his thoughts. They’re all jumbled together, but I can clearly pick out some of the words.

  Does she leave me?

  Something’s wrong.

  Death.

  I couldn’t protect her.

  I reach out to touch him, but he charges through the house and bursts through the front door. “Cedric, stop!” I yell. The pain and disappointment he feels is so deep I can’t penetrate through it.

  By the time I get the words out, he already shifted and taking off for the woods. “Cedric, please come back,” I say through the bond. One second, we’re connected, and in the next, he shuts himself off from me.

  I rush back to the bedroom to put on my clothes. He doesn’t go far because I can sense him near, pacing along the property line. The confusion in him is so intense he can’t hide it all from me. I want to run out to him, but instead, I sit on the front porch.

  He needs time to think, and so do I. Whatever we saw is not going to be our future. I won’t let it.

  Sixteen

  Laila

  After everything that happened, I was exhausted. I ended up falling asleep on the front porch. There were times when I could feel Cedric close by, but when I’d wake up, he’d be gone. I knew he was watching me, though. His paw prints are all in the snow.

  My phone rings inside the house, and I rush in to get it. It’s Amelie.

  “Hey,” I answer breathlessly.

  “Hey. Are you okay? You didn’t come home last night.”

  I rub a hand over my chest, wishing the ache would go away. “I’m at Cedric’s. We shared blood last night and what I saw wasn’t good. Afterward, he shifted and ran out of the house. He hasn’t changed back yet.”

  “Oh, no. What did you see?”

  Tears cloud my vision. “The moon and tiny magical strings floating around the air. Cedric wasn’t even in the vision. It all felt so lonely and cold.”

  Amelie sighs sadly. “Things change, Laila. Tyla and Sebastian’s first vision indicated they wouldn’t be bonded. The future is always changing.”

  “How do I change it?”

  “I don’t know,” she murmurs, “but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. What you need to do is talk to Cedric. He’s probably thinking the worst right now.” The words I couldn’t protect her echo through my mind. There was so much guilt in Cedric’s words when I heard them in his mind.

  “He won’t come back,” I huff. “He’s close by the house, but I can’t get him to shift.”

  Amelie snorts. “Seriously, Laila? You may not be able to make him shift, but you sure as hell can bring him back. What good is that magic of yours if you don’t use it.”

  The idea of forcing him back doesn’t appeal to me, but if it’s the only way …

  I’m already dreading this. “Fine,” I give in. “If he hates me for this, I’m blaming it on you.”

  We hang up, and I march right back outside. I can feel Cedric’s eyes on me. “Please come back to me,” I say through our bond. The guilt I felt from him last night comes back with a vengeance. He blames himself for what we saw in the vision like he’s failed me somehow. Lips trembling, I shake my head. “We’re going to work this out, Cedric. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

  A few minutes later, I can see his glowing gray eyes through the trees. “I felt it, Laila,” he answers back. “You weren’t in the vision, but I could feel you slipping away from me. I’ll never be able to live with myself if something happens to you.”

  I stalk toward him. “We can’t worry about that. It’s only going to drive us both insane.”

  He growls, baring his fangs. “Easier said than done. I have to stay on alert. It’s the only way to protect you.”

  His muscles tense, and I know he’s getting ready to run away, but I can’t let him. The last thing I want is to use my magic on him. “No,” I snap as I get clo
ser to him. He turns away from me and starts to take off for the woods. “I need you with me, Cedric,” I cry. He stops instantly and slowly turns his face to me, his glowing wolf eyes on mine. Tears stream down my face, and I fall to my knees. It’s as if all the emotions from last night have finally gotten to me. “I need the man I’m in love with to be by my side,” I tell him. Slowly, he pads over to me and rubs his head against my face. I look right into his wolf eyes. “It’s true, we don’t know what our vision means, but we can’t let the fear tear us apart. We control our future. It doesn’t matter if we have hours left with each other or hundreds of years. What I do know is that I need you right here and now.”

  Cedric’s body shimmers, and he shifts back into himself, lifting me into his arms. Breathing a sigh of relief, I kiss him feverishly hard. He breaks from it first and rests his forehead to mine. “I love you too,” he whispers. “Fuck, I wish you knew how much.”

  “Then show me.” He looks into my eyes, and I kiss him again. “Make love to me, Cedric. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

  No more words are spoken as he carries me back to his house and into his bedroom. He sets me down and stands behind me, his breath on my neck, making goosebumps fan out over my skin as he slowly unbuttons my shirt and lets it fall to the floor. He kisses my neck and trails his lips down to my shoulder. Moving aside my bra's strap, he gently glides it off my shoulder and down my arm. I feel him hard and ready up against my back, and I ache to reach around and touch him.

  My breaths come out in rapid pants, so I close my eyes to concentrate on the feel of his hands taking over my body. Everywhere he touches, my skin burns like fire, but in a good way. Still, behind me, he slides his hands slowly up my stomach and over my breasts, massaging them with his warm hands. He leans down so I can reach my hands up to his face and run my fingers through his hair. I grip a handful of his soft tresses as he kisses and bites tenderly on my neck. His hands grow more urgent, and a moan escapes my lips.