Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel)

by Christina Smith

  But Will and Caroline had known that werewolves existed, so it was easier for them to take. Nathan was in the dark about everything. It would be odd if he didn’t have misgivings about the fact that six werewolves lived on his property. Who wouldn’t be?

  “Why are you guys just standing around? It’s a full moon isn’t it?” Adrian called out as he appeared around the corner of the house.

  “Is everything all right with Mari?” I asked, getting to my feet and brushing the dirt from my hands.

  His face paled. “Yeah, I’m not happy that she’s getting so close to your brother though,” he said nodding in Lauren’s direction.

  Nate stood up and held his hand out for me. “He’s a good kid, Adrian. I promise she’s in good hands.” I laced my fingers through Nate’s as I stood next to him, the rest of the group followed suit. “So what do we want for supper?” Nate asked as we all headed toward the trees.

  Sadie turned to face him, her brows furrowed. “What do you mean, aren’t we going hunting. With this many people we could probably bring down a buck?”

  Nate grinned, Adrian snorted and even Joe made a sound that was a cross between a snort and a laugh.

  Sadie glanced around our group her lips turned up, questions evident in her eyes. “What did I say that was funny?”

  Lauren stepped up to me and slung an arm around my shoulder. “Megan isn’t exactly what you’d call a hunter.”

  Again there were chuckles in our group. I shot Nate a look and his grin vanished.

  Confusion shone in Sadie eyes. “What do you mean? She’s a wolf?”

  “Meg’s more of a vegetarian wolf,” Adrian explained with a laugh.

  “I’ve seen her eat meat.”

  I decided that it was time to speak up. Did they know I was here? “I don’t like to kill animals.”

  “But if you don’t, you could hurt someone.”

  Again laughter followed her words. I scowled at them all, just a little annoyed with being the joke of the pack. So, I didn’t like to hunt. I was a wolf sometimes, but my mind was always human.

  Nate reached out and patted Sadie’s shoulder with his free hand. “Don’t worry about Megan. She can’t even kill a bunny; she could never harm a human.”

  Sadie opened her mouth to protest, but Nate lifted his hand to stop her. “I took her hunting a couple of months ago, because like you I was concerned she would go for humans if she didn’t hunt animals.” He paused and gazed at me, his eyes full of love and admiration. “I pushed her into it and she only agreed because I forced her. I thought her instincts had kicked in, she took a deer down. But when she saw the blood on its neck she panicked and ran away. And if the blood of an animal freaked her out, I doubt she could handle human blood.”

  My friends laughed again, but Sadie gaped at me. The only way I could interpret her expression was… envy.

  The sun sunk lower in the sky and my skin began to tingle.

  “Enough talk. Let’s go!” Adrian called. He was ahead of the group and already peeling his clothes off.

  “If you guys want to hunt after we run for a while, I’ll head in and order the pizza.” I suggested, ignoring Adrian’s words.

  Adrian gave me a mocking smile. No doubt remembering when we used to run together and the first time he noticed my lack of interest in killing animals. He thought it was funny then as well. “I’m always up for pizza.”

  “It will be a perfect meal after our hunt,” Joe agreed.

  “I can go with you if you want.” Nate suggested softly, squeezing my hand.

  I shook my head as we approached the edge of the trees and reached up to touch his cheek. The stubble on his skin tickled my fingers. “No, I’ll be fine. You go and have fun with your friends.”

  He chuckled, a soft rumbling sound deep in his chest. “I love you.”

  Instead of answering I kissed him gently on the lips. “Are you ready?” I asked when I drew back.

  He nodded, took my hand and pulled me into the cover of a group of cedar bushes. I could see that Joe had done the same with Lauren. That left Sadie and Adrian. I’d have to ask them what happened later. They couldn’t fight the pull of the wolf forever, especially in the heat of the change. I might hate the pain of turning into an animal, but it didn’t change the fact that there was an excitement that the moon’s glow brought on and Adrian wouldn’t be able to push her away in the throes of the change. She was his mate and as a wolf he wouldn’t care that she kept him from his sister. As a wolf, all he would see and feel is the connection between them.

  Now that we would all be running together, it should make for an interesting night.

  “I can’t change in front of you,” I gasped, as Nate yanked off his blue V neck.

  He froze, the arm of his shirt still hanging off his hand. “Why not?” His brow rose and the corner of his lips curled. “We’re married. I’ve seen you before without your clothes.”

  My cheeks heated. “I’m not talking about that. I don’t want you to see me changing into a wolf.”

  He scoffed. “Meg, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ll be doing the same thing.”

  “And I don’t want to see your bones bend and shift any more than I want you to see mine.”

  He sighed. “Alright, I’ll go behind this tree.” He winked at me before disappearing behind the cedar bush.

  I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face as he tossed the shirt on the ground. The glow from the moon shone on his muscular tanned back.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Uninvited

  Once Nate and I were in our wolf forms we emerged from the cover of the trees. Lauren and Joe were horsing around, knocking each other to the ground. Their growls echoed into the night sky, but instead of a menacing sound they were the equivalent of playful laughter.

  Sadie sat on her haunches near a fallen down oak. Her coat was the chestnut brown I remembered from that sunny afternoon when she attacked Adrian. The image no longer bothered me. Now that I knew her better, I realized that she would never have killed him. She was too good of a person.

  Nate took a few steps into the center of our group and sniffed the air. Was he sniffing for prey? I thought that we would run before they started their hunt.

  When I didn’t see Adrian, I trotted to Sadie and sat down next to her to wait. What was taking him so long? He had been a werewolf for ten years; he should be faster with the transition.

  The wind picked up pushing a gust of air around us, scattering the leaves and grass at our feet. Glancing around, I caught the sight of yellow glowing in the bushes. Adrian was crouched in a thicket, staring at Sadie.

  As if she could feel the heat of his gaze, she looked up. Their eyes were locked for a few seconds before he bolted out of the thicket and rushed toward us. I took a few steps away from them to give them a semblance of privacy. I had hoped that he would finally give into his nature and allow him to accept her as a mate, but all he did was continue his penetrating stare. His yellow eyes were glazed and intense. His nostrils flared as he sniffed her scent.

  She stepped back, bending her head, her ears flat, a sign of submission.

  I could smell his desire to show affection. His wolf was taking over, just as I had thought it would. But his human brain must have won the war that was most likely waging in his brain. He huffed out a breath through his nose and took off down the well-worn trail, his paws kicking up dirt as he went.

  Sadie lifted her head slowly, her eyes pointed to the grass covered ground. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. He had rejected her in his pure form in front of all of us. I leaned forward and bumped my head against hers. A small grumble came from her chest, which I took to mean “thank you”.

  Nate growled at us and nodded in the direction that Adrian had headed. Joe and Lauren stood up and let Nate take the lead. We all followed at a steady pace behind him.

  At first we kept the pace, running as a group until Joe and Lauren veered off a side trail, nipping and howling as they w
ent. I pushed my limbs harder to catch up to Nate, but couldn’t keep up. As we rounded a bend a blur of black fur dove out from behind a patch of juniper and pounced on Sadie. She snarled and bucked, launching her attacker to the ground.

  I skidded to a stop and spun around with the intent to defend my friend. But I had nothing to fear, it was Adrian and Sadie had pinned him to the ground. I stood for a few moments and watched as Adrian struggled to get free, but Sadie was older and obviously stronger, unless Adrian’s fight was all for show. I felt a nip on my neck and turned to see Nate, his tan colored fur ruffling in the wind. He latched on to my coat and started to yank me along. When I dug my feet in the ground confused by his behaviour, he grunted and gestured to Adrian and Sadie. Realization dawned when I saw Adrian rub at Sadie’s muzzle with his own. I smiled, happy that he was finally coming around, but also worried that it wouldn’t last through the change.

  I allowed Nate to lead me away and down the trail to the stream.

  We hadn’t run for long, but the change had always taken a lot out of me and I was thirsty. Finally, after drinking my fill, I started sniffing along the edge of the stream. It was more habit than actually looking for anything. I smelled a few bunnies, squirrels and even a fox. There was an urge to hunt them in the back of my mind, but the human side of my brain quickly quashed that idea and continued with my task. I could sense Nate behind me and I could feel his fur rub against mine. He nudged me, encouraging me to move on, to continue our run, but for some reason I wasn’t in the mood. There was plenty of time left for that. As I followed a scent to a thicket of thorns Nate pounced on me, shoving me to the ground. His laughing bark only ticked me off. I bucked up trying to knock him off, but he dug his claws into the loose skin of my neck and held on. I swung my paw, knocking him off his feet, until he finally let go of my neck and I took off running.

  He was right on my heels.

  I was headed to the creek and right before I got to the embankment I veered left. He didn’t expect my sudden move and hurled to the edge, teetering on the rocks. I came up next to him and shoved. He fell headfirst into the water. It was now my turn to bark out a laugh.

  His head popped out of the clear water, his fur clinging to his body. Breath puffed out of his mouth as he swam to the edge where he reached up with his paw, but I swivelled to the side, avoiding him. After a few more attempts to get me in there with him, he gave up and climbed out. I was sitting on my haunches watching, feeling smug for what I had done.

  He was licking his fur, when I turned at the sound of a twig snapping. When I looked back, Nate was gone. I spun around to search for him and felt a wet, large mass land on top of me. And then it was gone, crashing through the brush. I scrambled up and started my chase. He was too far ahead for me to see, but I’d be able to smell him anywhere. His scent was embedded in my brain. He was my wolf mate for life.

  After our run, we went back to the stream for another drink and then fell asleep cuddled up against one another.

  When I woke up, the moon was lower in the sky and we were no longer alone. Joe and Lauren were sleeping next to us, their bodies curled together. Adrian lay on my other side, hovering over a sleeping Sadie. His eyes were glazed as he stared at her motionless form.

  I grunted and lifted my head, trying to let him know I was awake.

  He must have heard me, because he scrambled away from her as if he had been caught peeking in a window.

  I moved toward him and lifted my paw, resting it on his furry shoulder, careful not to dig my claws in. His gaze didn’t meet mine. He was struggling with his decision about Sadie and I desperately wanted to help. His human mind was at war with his wolf instincts, like mine was about hunting. But he didn’t need to fight with himself. Sadie was a great girl and I wished he would just give in.

  Sadie groaned and sat up. When she saw us hovering over her, she ducked her head. She must have realized what was happening, because she peeked at Adrian and then moved to nudge Nate.

  When the rest of our group woke up, they were ready to hunt. Nate and Joe sniffed the air for a few moments and then their heads pivoted to the north. Both of their eyes glazed with hunger…they had found their prey.

  It was good to see them working together for the first time since we returned with Sadie. Unfortunately, I knew it would end when Nate turned back to his human form. I stepped forward and rubbed his head with mine. He nipped my skin softly with his teeth, his wolf equivalent of a good-bye kiss. I returned the gesture and then grunted to the rest of the group before taking off in a run toward my clothes. I could hear their feet pound against the hard ground as they rushed off in search of their prey.

  Once I was alone I slowed down, enjoying the run by myself, the wind in my fur and the power in my limbs. I had never been alone as a wolf, besides the night I first turned. It wasn’t a night I liked to remember. Lauren and I had been kidnapped and had no idea that the werewolf DNA had been injected into our bodies. When the full moon came out, it turned us into wolves. We didn’t understand what was happening. Lauren was writhing on the floor of the cabin in pain and I had just exploded into a different species. The change itself was excruciating and once it was over, I was confused and in shock.

  But now, seven months later, I was much more comfortable with what I had become. Adrian had helped me accept what I could not change and once I let Nate back into my life he made it his mission to make me love, or at least tolerate, my new life. He encouraged me to change often, with ideas of runs to different places. One afternoon, a few months ago, we ran all the way to Watertown. I hadn’t known it, but Nate had gone in his car the day before and stashed some clothes under a park bench. When we turned back to humans and got dressed, we went to lunch. He was always trying to make this new life appear more fun. He must have been desperate to keep me happy, since I hadn’t taken to my new life that well. I was depressed and I refused to see him after I found out he had bitten me.

  I was so lost in my thoughts of Nate and the past that I almost didn’t hear the rustling in the bushes ahead of me.

  I slowed to a stop. The noise could have been anything; the wind, a small animal or just my imagination. But, when I took in a deep breath my hackles rose with the need to protect my pack. There were humans nearby and they didn’t belong here. This was private property—our property. No one should be here on a full moon. Humans did not belong around werewolves when they were in their wolf form. They were too fragile, their skin too soft, their blood and heartbeat too much of a temptation for some wolves. They were also a threat to us if we were discovered. If the wrong person learned of our existence, it could risk all of our lives. There was only one thing to do…I had to get rid of them.

  When the air shifted, I caught the scent full on. It was a male and a female. They were in danger here and I was going to teach them a lesson.

  I crept over the trail, being careful not to make too much noise, keeping to the dirt path as much as possible. As I approached a large bolder I hunkered down behind it, hiding myself from view. The humans were walking slowly along the trail, talking quietly, as if we wolves wouldn’t be able to hear their whispers. I waited until they were right in front of the rock before I dove out in front of them.

  They both jumped back. Fear and surprise flashed over their faces. I stalked toward them slowly baring my teeth and growling lowly. “Is that…” Nathan asked the girl next to him.

  Mari gulped and stepped closer to her friend. “I don’t know. It could be a real wolf, I can’t tell.” The fear in both their voices was audible and I repressed the urge to laugh.

  Again, I took a step closer, my growls echoing in the forest around us.

  They responded, by moving backwards slowly as if they were afraid to make any sudden movements. When the smell of their fear started to pique the interest of the wolf, kicking on the instinct to chase, I decided my little game was over. It was time to let them out of their misery. And how would I do that? I pounced of course; landing on Nathan and taking him down
to the dirt path below us. Mari started to scream, a spine tingling shriek that echoed in the forest around us. And again, I wanted to chuckle. I was having so much fun.

  I hovered above Nathan, baring my fangs, my paws digging into the ground on either side of his head. His vivid blue eyes, that were so like the man I loved, were wide with terror. It was obviously time to put him out of his misery. I growled once more before bending down and licking his face.

  He froze, unsure if I was being playful or getting a taste of my meal.

  Mari’s screaming ceased as she also froze, staring at me, a mix of fear and confusion flashing in her eyes.

  I licked his cheek again, tasting the salt from his skin and seasoning that tasted a lot like nacho cheese. Then I sat up and huffed out a breath, hanging my tongue out to the side.

  “Oh my God, it’s Megan,” Mari exclaimed, in a sigh of relief.

  I stepped away from them to allow Nathan to sit up. He positioned one leg up, as he leaned on his knee. He eyed me wearily. “How do you know?” he asked Mari, but left his eyes on me.

  “The fur is the same color as her hair. And I doubt a real wolf would lick you.”

  Since I couldn’t add to their conversation, I decided it was time to change back to my true form. As I took a step away from them, the sound of a low masculine laugh echoed into the night. It bounced off the wind; floating in the air like thunder…It almost seemed to shake the earth beneath us. And then…it was gone. A blanket of darkness had settled over the night as I was sleeping next to the stream. As a wolf, the night had never bothered me before, but for some reason, after that sound that I thought I heard; I felt uneasiness flow over me. I took a moment to listen carefully and when I only heard branches rustling in the distance and the hoot of an owl, I relaxed. I shook myself, dismissing the sound for animal. Despite my need for normalcy, I couldn’t explain why all the fur on my body was standing on end.