by Chanel Hardy
The Moonlight Series
The Coldest Moon
By Chanel Hardy
Copyright © 2018 by Chanel Hardy
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Printed in the United States of America.
Hardy Publications
chardypublications.com
This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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“Second chances don’t always mean a happy ending.
Sometimes, it’s just another shot to end things right.”
-Unknown
Chapter 1
“We have to get far away from here and we need to go fast,” said Jax.
He led River through the woods, pulling her forward as she tried to keep his pace. They had been walking for ten minutes already, and River’s feet were becoming sore.
River stopped walking, leaning up against a tree to catch her breath. “I can’t…I need to take a break.” Her heart was thumping against her chest, and every bit of unfamiliar noise sounded like someone following behind them.
“It’s all right. You can relax because there’s no one behind us. We have time.” Jax held her shoulder as she slouched down against the tree bark. “Give me the gun.” He held out his hand, but River hesitated. “River, give it to me, please.” He held a darting gaze.
Still gasping to catch her breath, she dug into the front of her pants and retrieved the pistol. With trembling hands, she placed it into his palm. Jax placed the gun in the back of his pants and pulled River to her feet. They continued their run to the edge of the woods.
“Where are we going and what do we do now?” asked River breathlessly. She felt a tightness in her chest, panic rising from the unknown.
“We’re going to my cabin. It’s the only place we can go, for now. You’ll be safe until I can figure all of this out. I promise.”
“I need to go home, Jax. I want to go home. My aunt will be–”
“You can’t go home.” Jax came to a halt. “It’s not safe.”
“If it’s not safe for me, it’s not safe for her.” River tugged on his arm, pleading for him to hear her out.
“So, what are you suggesting, River?” Jax gritted his teeth. “You want to tell her everything, including your transformation and the murder?” He stood facing her and clenching both her shoulders tightly. “I know you’re worried about your aunt, but you need to listen to me. Shit is about to hit the fan and I need you to have your head on straight.”
The look in his eyes was menacing, and the fear of what was in store for them hung from his face. River didn’t know what to think. She felt terrified as if her life was rapidly ticking away as every second passed. With the death of Kayla on her hands, she knew her days were numbered. Days. More like hours if she was lucky. She knew that Jax would do whatever it took to keep her safe, but he wasn’t untouchable. Her fate was sealed, and it would only be a matter of time before she paid for her crimes.
“I’ll go with you,” she said. “I’ll do whatever I need to do. But I have to go home first. To say goodbye. You can’t deny me that.
“Okay, but you can only stay for a minute, all right?” He brushed her cheek with his thumb.
“Okay.” She held onto his hand, trusting him as a guide and a protector.
∞∞∞
River and Jax approached the gate to River’s house. They checked their surroundings as they went to the front door. River’s aunt Tasha had her car parked in her usual spot out front. A part of River hoped Tasha wouldn’t be home, sparing her the heartache of saying goodbye, without an explanation as to why, or where she was going. River reached for the doorknob as a million thoughts of what to say ran through her head. She opened the door, flicking on the living room light on the wall to her right. Jax walked in beside her.
“Remember, only a minute,” he whispered.
“I know. I won’t be long.” River was annoyed by his impatience. She understood that their situation was dire, but she expected more sympathy from him. A light turned on upstairs, and a shadow followed. Tasha approached the staircase, observing Jax and River. Jax quickly tossed Tasha’s gun inside the fig tree that sat by the door, before she could notice.
Tasha glanced at the clock on the wall to her left. “Back already?” She walked down the stairs. “It’s not even eleven o’clock yet.” She peered in Jax’s direction. “Nice to see you, Jackson.”
“Likewise.” He replied.
“Aunt Tasha…” said River as her voice trailed off. Her eyes became glossy as she mustered up the courage to speak.
“You all right?” Tasha squinted her eyes at River, picking up on her odd behavior. “Are you drunk? She placed her hand under River’s chin and checked her pupils for signs of intoxication. “You look like you’ve had a rough night.”
“I’m not drunk.” River pushed Tasha’s hand away. “It’s not that…” Her lips began to quiver. Tasha’s cop instincts were kicking in, and she knew something was up.
“What’s going on? Did something happen at the party?” Tasha looked over at Jax, who avoided eye contact. She looked back at River. “Tell me, what’s wrong?” River’s emotions flooded the surface as her eyes welled up with tears. She didn’t know where to start, or what to say.
“River, we don’t have time,” Jax said urgently. “We have to go soon.”
Tasha’s eyes widened. “River, what is he talking about?” River stood there, transfixed by the unsettling look in her aunt’s eyes. “River, answer me!” Tasha was becoming frustrated as she began to raise her voice. River opened her mouth and tried to talk, but nothing came out.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the kitchen, startling all three of them. The sounds of the heavy door hitting the floor vibrated beneath their feet. Tasha pushed River behind her, sticking her neck out toward the kitchen. She reached underneath her robe, grabbing her gun from her belt.
“Both of you go upstairs now,” Tasha whispered. She held up her gun ready to face off with whoever, or whatever had made its way inside.
River and Jax shared a mutual glance, confirming they knew what was happening.
“We’re not leaving you.” River stood firmly behind Tasha.
“Dammit, River, go!” Tasha’s clenched her teeth, and a vein emerged on her forehead. But it was too late. Multiple footsteps crept toward them. There was more than one person in the house. Jax sensed them before their figures emerged from around the corner.
“Leon.” Jax felt a knot form in his stomach as he watched Leon and Desiree walk into the living room. Leon’s face was cold, and sinister as he got closer. Jax didn’t want things to end this way, but he knew that this standoff would only have one outcome. Someone was going to die.
Leon cracked his neck, rolling it side to side. “Looks like we’ve got the whole family here tonight, which makes it even better.” His eyes were set on River, and he was ready for bloodshed.
Tasha pointed her gun with perfect aim. “Stay right there! Come any closer and I’ll shoot!”
“Is that all you humans know how to do? S
hoot guns? You’re all weak and pathetic!” Leon’s teeth began to shift, the sharp fangs of the beast emerging through as he spoke. Desiree stood close by, ready to strike with every passing second.
“Leon, please. This isn’t the way.” Jax slowly began to move in toward Leon, taking charge of the situation while he still had a few moments to spare. “Is this really how you want this to go down? You already lost one sister. Do you want to jeopardize the life of another?” Jax was breathing heavily, trying to put them at ease while having his guard up, preparing for Leon or Desiree to attack at any moment. River watched from behind Tasha, clenching on to the sleeve of her shirt, as the tension in the room heightened. She glanced at Desiree, whose eyes seemed empty. She looked hollow, like an empty shell of herself standing next to her brother.
Tasha tightened her grip on her gun, making River wince. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but you’ve got five seconds to leave this house before I shoot you both.” She cocked her gun. “Five… four…”
“Desiree, if you do this, you’ll have to face the council! Is this what you want?” Jax pleaded. His attempt at talking sense into her was pointless. She was too far gone. “Leon, you’re making a mistake.” Jax began to sweat, there was no turning back now.
Leon scoffed. “The only mistake I made was not killing you both when I had the chance. But you’ll all be dying tonight.” Leon’s skin began to retract as the beast emerged, standing before them growling aggressively with bared teeth.
Tasha stood paralyzed in fear at what had taken place. Her hands trembled as she held onto the gun, trying not to lose her grip. Suddenly, Desiree transformed and charged toward Tasha. She fired three shots, and each one pierced Desiree’s brute skull. Desiree dropped to the floor only a few inches from Tasha and River.
River recoiled as blood splattered on her face, but Tasha didn’t move. She watched in horror as Leon attacked Tasha, slicing down her throat to her chest.
Images from the night at Lulu’s flashed before River’s eyes. Her vision blurred as her surroundings turned red. All she saw was blood. Jax had gone into full beast mode, going for Leon’s neck, biting down, hard on his flesh. Leon yelped and shook him off vigorously, which sent Jax flying across the room.
River knew she needed to act quickly. While Leon was distracted, she remembered Jax tossed Tasha’s other gun inside the fig tree. She dashed to the door, grabbed the gun from the patch of dirt, and aimed. She couldn’t miss. Her and Jax’s lives depended on it.
Leon focused his attention on River. He growled as his lucid eyes pointed straight to her. She faced him with her eyes widened, terrified to the core. She fired the gun in two, loud shots: one in his head and one in his chest. Leon whimpered and fell dead, smashing into the nearby glass table, shattering it to pieces. Jax immediately shifted back into human form and ran to River, who was limping out of breath. River gazed at Tasha, who lied in a pool of her own blood. Tasha was still breathing. River kneeled to comfort her.
“Aunt Tasha, please stay with me!” cried River. She pressed her hands over Tasha’s wounds, but even she knew there was nothing she could do.
Tasha gagged for air as her mouth filled with blood. “My keys are…upstairs.
River shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“My keys are…on the bed. Check my…purse.” Tasha struggled to get the words out. “Take my car, the Nissan.” Jax acted immediately, running upstairs to grab the car keys.
“I’m not leaving you! I’m calling an ambulance!” River’s tears dripped onto Tasha’s bloody face.
“It’s too late for me. You need to go.” Tasha slowly lowered her eyelids. “I love you. Take c-care of yourself, okay?” Tasha reached up to grab River’s face with the last bit of energy she had left. Jax came bolting down the stairs, with Tasha’s keys in hand.
He kneeled next to River, yanking her away. “I’m so sorry, but we have to go now.”
“I can’t!” River yelled in protest. Tears soaked River’s face and bloodstained clothes as her aunt let out her last breath. Jax lifted River by her waist, dragging her from Tasha until they were outside.
Jax pressed the unlock button on Tasha’s car key ring. He guided River into the passenger’s side and then he slid around the roof of the car to the driver’s side. Once the keys were in the ignition, he pulled off as the sounds of police sirens wailed in the distance.
Chapter 2
Hank had sensed that his children were in trouble, following their scent which led him to River’s house. There were cop cars scattered all around the house. Lights flashing as people stood around nearby to see what was going on. He couldn’t get inside, but the moment he could no longer sense Desiree and Leon, that’s when he knew. His children were gone.
Rage filled him as he maintained his composure, blending in with the on-lookers outside. He watched as the paramedics carried out body after body. All three covered in white sheets. He knew two of them were his children. But he couldn’t tell right away who the third victim was. He turned to a woman standing next to him, to try and get any info he could. “What happened in there?” He asked, trying to sound like a random nosey passerby.
“A home invasion I heard. Two kids dead, and a woman. She was a cop too.”
A cop? Hank had no idea that River was affiliated with law enforcement. This increased his rage even more, as he clenched his right fist. He knew exactly what went down, despite any story law enforcement fed to the media. “Was anyone else hurt?”
“I don’t know. But the cop’s niece is missing. They don’t know if she’s involved yet.” The woman stood with her arms crossed, sticking her neck out trying to get a better look at the bodies as they were carried out and placed in the back of the ambulance. Hank turned around, elbowing past a few people to get away from the crowd. He breathed in slowly, then out slowly. There was no time to mourn. He needed to get ahold of the council, and quick. Within two hours they were all gathered around Hank’s table, waiting to get to the bottom of that night’s disastrous events.
∞∞∞
River pressed her forehead against the cold window as they cruised down the highway. Raindrops trickled down the glass, as they both rode in silence. Jax clenched the wheel with both hands, staring straight ahead. River didn’t even ask where they were going. It didn’t matter. There was nowhere they could possibly run. A dead cop, three dead purebreds. Life was over for River as she knew it. If the cops didn’t find her first, the council would. She could die in jail, or die at the hands of the shifter community. Those were her only options.
But Jax seemed caught in the middle of it all. She turned her head, watching him as he drove. She knew he didn’t deserve this, and she couldn’t allow him to go down with her. Enough people had suffered already. They took the next exit, pulling into a remote gas station that was about a mile ahead.
“We need to ditch the car.” Jax parked at the edge of the parking lot, pulling the keys out of the ignition.
“What?” River tilted her head. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“The police will be searching for you. They’ve probably already noticed that your aunt’s car is missing too. We won’t get far unless we ditch it. Now is our chance.” There were three other vehicles parked at the gas station. Two at pumps, and one parked in front of the convince store. Jax scoped out their surroundings while River just stared at him.
“Are you crazy? I’m not doing this.” She protested. River looked out of her passenger side window to see if anyone was watching them.
“We don’t have a choice.”
“We do have a choice. We could stop running. What difference will it make?”
Jax tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs. “No. I’m going to get you out of here” He wasn’t determined to give up. River shook her head. There was no point in running. All Jax was doing was delaying the inevitable. It was exhausting, and River was tired.
“You should’ve just left me there. after killed Kayla. You don’t
deserve this.”
“I couldn’t leave you. I didn’t then, and I won’t now.” He reached over for River’s arm, but she yanked it away. She opened her door and got out, slamming the door shut behind her. She leaned up against the car door in the pouring rain.
Jax got out and ran over to her. He stood facing her, resting his fingertips on the sides of her face as they both got soaked from the rain. She pulled his hands away, but Jax still held her hands as they dropped to her sides.
“You should just go.” River pleaded. “I can’t drag you down with me.” River wanted him to save himself while he still had the chance.
“I can’t leave you.” Jax’s voice grew softer.
“Why are you doing this?!”
Jax let go of her. “Because I love you!”
Hearing those words pour from his lips sparked something inside her. River didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to say something, anything. But she had no words. This guy who had come into her life unexpectedly, was putting it all on the line, for her. His community, his life, all for love. She watched him as he stood there, longingly.
With a slumped posture, and her chin trembling, “I’m not worth it Jax.”
“Yes you are.” He seized her by the wrists, pulling her against him. She buried her face into his chest.
“I wish I could make it all just go away.”
“I’ll die before I let anyone hurt you.” He wrapped both arms around her. “We’ll get through this together. This isn’t the end. I promise.”
He looked back toward the convenience store, where there were two cars now parked. But it was too close in view of the store window. Suddenly, a car pulled up to one of the pumps. A middle-aged man got out of a pick-up truck. The engine was still running. Jax knew they had to go for it while the man went inside to pay for gas.
