by D. M. Angel
Full Moon on the Lake
By D. M. Angel
2015
Table of Contents
Before…
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epiloge
Excerpt - Book 2 Lion’s Pride
Before…..
As Kate washed the color out of her hair for the last time, she wondered if it would be enough. The water flowed down her face washing not just the dye from her hair but the tears from her eyes as well. How could everything in her life have gone from perfect to so fucking bad so fast? He was not the man she thought he was. He was not the person she married. Never in her wildest dreams would she have believed who he really was had she not seen it with her own eyes. Heard it all with her own ears. Had he not proven it to her?
Her mind wandered to the day she finally realized who he was….
He had hit her so hard she flew across the room and hit the wall.
“You will never leave me, you ever bring it up again you will live to regret it.”
Kate lay in a pile on the floor, her face red and bruising, confused. He had never hit her before. This last couple of days had been such a nightmare. She walked into him selling a woman, who was most obviously drugged; to some man who looked to be from the Middle East. When she asked him, what was going on he had her removed and told her ‘to never speak of anything she saw’. She was not capable of understanding his business and should stay out of it.
The more and more she thought about the things she had seen and the people he had met with, most she realized had made her uncomfortable but, she had remained blissfully ignorant not seeing the truth. Her choice? Was she really that stupid? Did she want to remain ignorant? Or was she just turning a blind eye to everything she saw, not really wanting to know?
The more she learned the more she needed to get away. He not only sold people, and babies, he sold weapons, and he sold stolen vehicles, so much of what he did she still could not comprehend.
The day she confronted him, he had flown into a rage so bad she thought she was going to die.
“Who are you!” she screamed looking up from the floor. “I don’t know who you are! You are not the man I married! It has been all a lie! You are a stranger. I cannot live with all this and pretend you are not who you are!”
He walked firmly over to where she lay, bent down and grabbed her by her hair yanking her on her feet.
“You have no idea what I have done for you! I saved you from a life of being a sex slave and gave you everything you wanted. You try to leave and you will regret it. I put my reputation on the line for you! YOU owe me!
She looked at him confused. When the realization of what he said hit her, she tried to pull away.
“No! I won’t believe you! I was fine before I met you. You didn’t even know me.”
“It does not matter whether you believe me or not you owe me!”
“No I don’t, you never saved me from anything, You are a selfish arrogant man and I want nothing to do with you!”
“You wanna know what I saved you from? Fine, I’ll show you………..”
Waking later that day she was confused and sore everywhere. Looking out her bedroom window it had gotten dark. But she had gone to Garret’s office that morning. It took her a moment and when it all came back to her and she screamed silently, jumping out of bed and ran for the door. Finding the door was locked trapping her inside. Oh my God, he had locked her into her room. She ran to her private bathroom, the windows were bared. She was panicky turning around looking frantically for a way out. That was when she saw herself in the mirror, bloody and bruised.
Breaking, she screamed so hard, so long all the air in her lungs vanished. She could not breathe, could not draw air into her lungs, no matter how hard she tried to tell herself, to remember how, her mind would not work. She stared at herself in the mirror, in horror as everything faded slowly to black and she finally passed out. That day was the day when the real nightmare began.
“Breathe.” she told herself shivering in the shower, not quite sure if it was the memory or the fact the shower had gone cold. Turning off the water sharply she stepped out of the tub and toweled off. ‘It is over’ became a mantra to all the nightmares she kept re-living through repeatedly. Trying desperately to believe it truly was.
She was stuck in that room for 2 weeks. When she finally escaped the room, the place she had called home for over 5 years. She ran to a college friend she knew Garret knew nothing about. They were friends for only the first year of college and Karen had left school before she even met Garret Bentley. Nevertheless, she knew she could count on Karen’s help. They had been close friends that first year and had always been there for each other until Garret. She never even realized he had been slowly isolating her from the people she knew, friends, even those she once called her family.
“I made it! Its over!” She repeated again to herself.
The divorce was hell, dirty and threatening as all get out. He threatened to kill her right in front of the judge and yet only got a slap on the hand for it. Karen was right, I needed to change my name, who I was everything. Karen helped her disappear from the face of the earth. Helped her get out of town undetected. Not once but twice each time changing her appearance. She went from long straight Blonde hair, to a redhead, was now a golden haired brunette with curls. Karen helped her find a truck, a new place to call home, isolated high up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. No paper trail to follow. Karen’s only brother died days after his birth and Karen fixed his birth certificate, for her to assume a different name, different ID, a new life. Kate Bentley disappeared after the divorce 2 months ago into oblivion.
Daniele Casey Was Reborn.
1
She stretched her arms over her head, her lithe body arching while the light of the moon glistened on the lake before her. She felt exonerated by the warm breeze flowing softly against her body. The small cabin she just bought was cleaned and ready for her things to move in. She felt at home here in this forest in the mountains. The peace and quiet surrounded her like a protective blanket.
She leisurely walked out onto the small dock in front of her cabin, the lake sparkled invitingly at her and she sighed in contentment. Leaning against one of the poles, she dipped her toes in the water to gage the temperature pondering the idea of getting the dirt and grime off her from the day’s work. She had not started the generator, for powering the water pumps and lights yet, it was easier to bring the water up from the lake in a bucket to clean. The moon was full and bright, and the lights were still not necessary to see inside the cabin. Moreover, she did not know how to turn it on.
Slowly gathering the hem of her shirt, her decision made, she pulls it over her head. She is miles from the nearest cabin and ‘it was nighttime’ she contemplates logically. A good swim would be refreshing, she allows the shirt fall to the dock. Out of habit, she takes a cautious look around her, seeing nothing but the dark shadows between the moonlit Pines and Sycamore trees. Slipping her shorts off her hips, she lets them fall to the dock. Moving out to the edge, she dives into the dark, cool water. Surfacing, she squeals laughing at the nippiness of the water tingling all over her body.
It
had been a long hard day at the pack house. He had been trying to buy some land near the lake but someone beat him to it. He decided he needed a run to take out the tension. In his wolf form, black and sleek he ran through the forest jumping over logs loosening his hardened muscles. He chased a rabbit here and there just for the sport of it and felt himself relaxing with each step he took away from the troubles behind him. As he reached the out skirts of the packs domain, he stopped suddenly and froze as pine needles and leaves flew around him.
Lifting his nose in the air, he pinpointed the scent that had caught his attention, sweet pea and lavender. Definitely not a normal scent to have this far up in the mountains, and not one he knew. Moving slowly following the scent he realized he was heading toward the lake. Toward the property, he had tried to purchase. ‘Good,’ he thought, ‘I could work on scaring them away then buy the property from them.’ He ran toward the lake a plan forming in his mind on how to achieve his goal as the cabin came into view.
He slowed as he reached the cabin and searched around for the people who bought the cabin when he realized there was only one scent, and female. He grinned, this should be easy, big bad wolf scaring a single female. Laughing at the thought, he circled around to the front of the cabin to begin his plan. Rounding the corner, he heard a splash in the lake. He lowered himself and stalked toward the lake.
As he reached the edge of the tree line, a head surfaced upon the water and he froze. Dark bronze hair with gold highlights shimmered in the moonlight. His mind locked, when a laugh like the tinkling of chimes came from her direction. He sat next to the tree intrigued and watched her. Her arms came out of the water as she stood in the waist deep water, squeezing water out of her hair. The drops on her skin reflecting the light of the moon sparkling. He followed one drop, as it slid down her back. Tilting his head to the side as realization hit him; she was nude? He grinned impishly waiting as she dove under the water again.
She came up further from the dock treading water and turn toward the dock swimming leisurely in long, strong strokes. As she approached the dock, she stopped then stood. His breath caught in his throat and he shook his head to clear it. Placing her hands on the dock, she lifted herself up and stood. Her healthy full breasts and voluptuous round hips came into his full view. She stretched reaching high above her head as if to grab a star from the sky. He noticed everything, the slow drops sliding down the curves of her body, the hair that flowed around her breasts with only a beaded nipple peeking through.
She turned and bent over to pick up her clothes from the dock, giving him full view of everything she had to offer. In his wolf form, he drooled, thinking ‘this is not fair I am a wolf for God’s sake’. A breeze suddenly blew off the lake; he inhaled deeply catching the scent of the lake and pines, the scent of lavender and sweet pea and something more.
She turned after picking up her clothes refreshed and invigorated from the swim thinking, ‘I hope I can sleep, I have too much to do tomorrow’. Holding her clothes she turned looking at the worn wood planks on the dock as she took her steps and headed back. As she reached the end of the short dock she looked up to see a large dark wolf sitting next to a tree, staring at her with golden eyes and froze.
Keeping her eyes on the wolf she backed slowly onto the dock, the wolf stood. She froze for a second, warily, then continued stepping back toward the middle of the dock. With each step she slowly lowered her arms, and dropped her clothes onto the dock. The wolf stepped forward, with each step she took away from the wolf, he would move toward her as she moved back. He grinned, sound rolling from his throat laughing; to her he was growling, snarling at her. Taking a larger step back to further the distance away from the wolf, she had not realize how close she was to the end of the dock, he did. Forgetting he was in wolf form, he jumped to keep her from falling in to the lake. She screamed stepping back onto air, as she fell her head hit the pole and she sank below the surface.
Realizing his mistake, he morphed as he dove in after her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, his front to her back, he resurfaced and carried her around the dock to the lakes edge. Seeing a bed of pine needles, he set her down gently. As he released her, his hand sliding up her back to cradle her head, he noticed her skin was soft, touchable, and lean. Brushing the hair from her face he thought she was beautiful, not overtly so, but warm, sensual, inviting. Her eyelids looked like smiles feathered on her high cheekbones, her nose perfect. He looked to her full pink lips, bent down and kissed her lightly. He could not help himself; they were soft, luscious and sweet to the taste. She inhaled sharply and he straightened looking up into the largest, sexiest green eyes he had ever seen staring back at him.
The first thing she noticed through the fogginess of her mind was the pressure on her mouth. She opened her eyes to see a strange man kissing her with his eyes closed in bliss. He stopped and jerked upright at her sudden intake of breath. She did not know whether to moan in complaint at the loss of those soft, warm lips or scream at the man presumptuousness at kissing her. She did neither. She looked into his dark eyes noticing every feature on his face, from the roman shaped nose to his sharp cheeks and those warm lips he had pressed against hers. Her pounding head brought her back to reality and she reached up to find a lump on the back of her head.
It was then she realized she had no clothes on as the memory of what happen came rushing back. She attempted to jump up embarrassed to be nude in front of a stranger and wondering where the wolf was. With the sudden movement, her head started pounded and her world spun. He grabbed her, wrapping his strong arms around her body to keep her from falling. She felt his warm, muscled body ripple skin to skin against hers.
She pulled back carefully, holding her head to look at him. His long tanned body rimmed with corded muscles on his chest and arms, his waist perfectly sound ended in the biggest…
“Oh my God.” She whispered as she quickly moved her eyes to his face in awareness and embarrassment.
He was smiling sheepishly, like a little boy, as she struggled to get the words out.
“You’re nude!” she finished loudly as she backed away.
She turned to run back to the cabin getting two steps in before she started to fall from the nauseating dizziness that overwhelmed her. He grabbed her to keep her from hitting her head on the hard ground, lifting her against his chest and into his arms as she passed out. Carrying her to the cabin he knew was hers even with the smell of cleaning odors not quite masking her sent, he opened the door noticing there was not much in the way of furnishings, but there was a bed in the far corner. Lying her gently down, he covered her with the quilt that was lying neatly folded at the bottom of the bed. Satisfied she was safe for now, he walked out of the cabin closing the door behind him.
Wondering if he should leave her, yet he could not stay, standing there nude, he recognized he needed to get her help. Jumping off the stairs and turning into his wolf, he started running back toward his clothes and the pack. The pack Doctor would know if she had a concussion. He nodded as he ran thinking this new plan was better; he could not kick her out now she was his, his mate. Sliding to a stop, he shook his head at the sudden thought. ‘What the hell? When did that happen?’
His wolf replied. ‘Probably, when you were drooling at her nude silhouette, dumbass.’ Laughing at the thought, of the memory, Jacob continued his run back to the pack for help.
As he got closer, he howled into the cool night air listening to the replies he received back. He reached the rock where he had left his clothes. Shifting, just as a large silver wolf and brown one entered the area. He informed them as they shifted about everything that happened at the old hunter’s cabin, well not everything, but all that he needed to, to get her some help.
A man with dark silver hair, built as if a strong warrior spoke first, rubbing his hand down his face in concern. Looking at his mate,
“Kyla go get Doc and bring him out to the cabin. Jacob and I will grab the jeep and meet you there.”
Kyla kissed h
im on the cheek, smiled at Jacob and ran to the compound pulling the sundress she had grabbed off the rock over her head. Derrick looked over at Jacob as he zipped his pants and grabbed a shirt deep in thought, then nodded walking away without waiting. Pulling his shirt on over his head, both men quietly walked over toward the garage in silence.
When Derrick pulled out onto the dirt road he cleared his throat, “Your eyes have changed,” He stated in a deep authoritative voice pausing a second then continued, “Your scent is changing too.”
Jacob grunted and both men remained silent as they drove to the cabin. Derrick being the Alpha was privy to the changes in a mating, before anyone else was. Jacob being his best friend and Alpha second to him the pack Alpha, he was happy for him, but there was concerned nonetheless.
As they pulled up to the cabin, Jacob opened his door to get out when Derrick spoke,
“Jacob?”
Jacob paused, sighed “Not now.”
He got out slamming the door, walked to the small porch steps to the front door of the cabin.
Derrick followed him, “We will need to talk.” He commanded as Jacob reach to open the cabin door.
Jacob lowered his head, “I know.” He said resolutely and opened the door.
Stepping inside Jacob saw she had not moved even an inch while he was gone. He rushed over and knelt down beside her to check on her. Derrick took a few steps in leaving the door open hearing another jeep coming down the road. He inhaled deep then let it out in a sigh,
“She is human; you are going to have to take it very slow and careful.”
Jacob brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek, “I know.” He whispered as Kyla and Doc pulled up.
“We will talk about this later.” Derrick stated as the doors closed on the vehicle and Doc walked into the cabin, Kyla just behind him.
Jacob did not move when Doc walked over to the bed waiting for him to make room. He looked to the alpha questioningly and with one nods from him sat on the edge of the bed. Doc looked over at Jacob a second, then started taking her pulse and checking her breathing. Satisfied she was stable he pushed Jacobs’s hands away to examine her head. She moaned instinctively pulling away from the touch. Jacob sharply pushed him away in concern, never taking his eyes off of her, and her breathing settled as she fell into a deeper sleep.
