Wolf Moon (Moon series)

by Lisa Kessler

  He paused, his tone softening. “But when I think I can’t face anymore…you’re my home, Raven. My peace.”

  His lips caressed my forehead. When he looked down at me, the moon shone in his eyes. “That kiss tonight wasn’t for Blake, or Allen Caldwell, or this Pack, it was just me needing you.”

  I slid my hands up his chest and pulled him down, kissing him over and over, slow, hungry, my teeth grazing his bottom lip until he pressed me against the van. He ran a possessive hand up my side, his fingers splayed wide, setting me on fire with desire. When he broke the kiss, we were both breathless.

  My lips brushed his as I whispered, “I’m sorry I let his comment about Kaya hurt me.” I shook my head. “I’ve never been jealous before, but the thought of you touching another woman…I can’t stand it.”

  He nuzzled against me, his breath warm on my cool skin. “I swear I’m going to get you away from here.” Resting his forehead on mine, he whispered, “I give you my heart, my protection, and my life.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Sounds like some kind of…”

  “Vow. A mate’s promise. You’re the other half of my soul, Raven. What I saw today…” He searched for words and finally shook his head. “It’s going to end. And once we’re sure your sister is safe and the bitten humans in the units are cared for, we’re getting the hell out of here and we’re never looking back.”

  I sniffled, my lips curving into a smile. “I love that plan.” I stared up into his eyes and realized something. “I love you.”

  He laughed, scooping me up into his arms. “I am the luckiest bastard on earth.”

  We left my van at the bar. Luke got in the shower as soon as we got back. I couldn’t blame him. I’d been to the units once. Everything about that place was wrong, and being powerless to stop it didn’t make it any easier to live with the knowledge. You couldn’t unsee those people, and there was no one to turn to for help.

  Until Luke showed up, ready to take a stand.

  I went in the kitchen and poured a glass of water, staring into the darkness. Part of me was quaking. I loved Luke. That word. I hadn’t told a man I loved him since my father. It was the last thing I said to him. I hadn’t realized he was saying good-bye forever. It hurt so bad that the twelve-year-old me promised I would never give a man that kind of power to wield against me.

  Luke’s voice echoed in my memory. I give you my heart, my protection, and my life.

  And I believed him.

  I stared at my reflection in the glass. I had my mother’s cheekbones, her jaw, and her smile. She never smiled after our father left. That’s when the drinking and the tranquilizers started. I’d spent my life hating her for giving up, for being weak.

  But what if she had a secret we never knew? What if I let those moments I never understood steal my chance at happiness?

  I turned out the lights and went into the bedroom. I lit a candle and got undressed. When I slid under the sheets, that telltale flush of dread wandered up my back, but I did my best to push it away. I was through letting my past decide my future.

  Luke wasn’t my father. I wasn’t my mother. And our relationship was nothing like what I’d experienced with Blake and Bo.

  The bathroom door opened, steam and heat filling the bedroom. Luke walked out in only a towel. And low in my belly, my body warmed in response.

  His gaze flicked from the candle to me. “Everything okay?”

  “Better than okay, actually.”

  He glanced at the bedroom door. “Should I take the couch?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “You should drop that towel and get in bed.”

  He didn’t ask questions, just got under the covers and pulled me into his arms. Luke had a scent, wild and lush like a summer run in the moonlight.

  “Bring me up to speed. I thought bedrooms are…tough.” He kissed my hair.

  I laid my head on the pillow so I could see his face. Even in the dim candlelight, the blue of his eyes was breathtaking. “They used to be. I’d like to make better memories.”

  A sexy smile slowly spread over his lips as his hand slid down my hip. “I’m a fan of that plan.” He sobered a little. “But if you need to stop…”

  I ran my finger along his jaw. “I love you.” My gaze locked on his, and for once, I let my guard down and whispered, “I give you my heart, my protection, and my life. Whatever happens, I’ll face it with you.”

  The candlelight sparkled in his eyes as he bent to kiss me. He rolled me over, his hips settling between my legs. My body ached for him, but he didn’t push into me. I slid my hands down his back, my nails caressing the smooth curve of his ass.

  He lifted his head just enough to growl against my lips, “I love you.” He thrust forward, filling me completely, and didn’t move. His teeth teased my ear. “My mate. Mine.”

  I bit at his shoulder, my wolf clawing closer to the surface. Instincts I didn’t realize I had took over as my fingernails dug into his back. “I claim my mate.”

  Luke moaned, his thrusts deep, slow, and unrelenting. I ground my body into him, wrapping my legs up around his waist. We rolled over so I was on top, and I took the lead, working my hips harder and faster against him.

  Our bodies were made for each other. Every move made the pleasure swell until he slid his fingers between us, rubbing me until I trembled. “Come with me, Raven.”

  My entire body was on fire as my orgasm rolled through me. He erupted inside me and I collapsed on his chest, trembling in his arms.

  He kissed my shoulder. “That was…”

  “…amazing.”

  “Not big enough.”

  A breathless chuckle escaped my lips. “True.”

  “How’d we do at making new memories?”

  I grinned and stole a slow kiss, humming as I pulled back. “We rocked it.”

  …

  We closed the bar early during a full moon. I put the Monthly Staff Meeting sign in the window and locked the doors. Luke waited for me in the parking lot. I was dreading tonight. Once we shifted into wolves, Asher and I were tasked with keeping Luke away from Caldwell.

  According to Luke, even though we were still alert and could sometimes influence the wolf when we ran, the animal instincts were in control. Luke’s Alpha was up in Reno. His wolf wouldn’t recognize Caldwell’s dominance. If Caldwell demanded he bare his throat, Luke would probably attack.

  At first, I’d thought this would solve all our problems. Luke was younger, faster, and stronger than Caldwell—he’d win in a one-on-one fight. But Caldwell was the Alpha of this Pack. Every wolf would protect him through instincts alone. Potentially even me.

  The thought turned my stomach. Luke wouldn’t stand a chance against an entire Pack.

  But we had a plan, and I did my best to believe it would work.

  I got in the car, and Luke started the engine. He reached over and ran his hand along my thigh. “Everything is going to be okay.”

  I puffed out a nervous breath. “What if we manage to keep you away from Caldwell but he goes after you?”

  “Then I’ll force my will as hard as I can and get my wolf to run. He’ll never catch me.”

  I nodded, praying it would work out. When we got to the parking area by Bell Rock, we got out and walked toward the trail. Luke took my hand, our fingers entwining. He smiled down at me. “Our first run together.”

  I chuckled, shaking my head. “You make it sound romantic instead of life-on-the-line dangerous.”

  He lifted our hands and kissed mine. “I’ll fight the change until you and Asher have shifted. It’ll all work out. You’ll see.”

  He sounded so damned confident, I almost believed him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Luke

  I put on a brave face for Raven, but inside my gut was churning. Adam hated my plan. He wanted me to find someplace else to shift, but that would mean leaving my mate unguarded with Caldwell and Blake, and that wasn’t going to happen. No fucking way.

  Thi
s would work. It had to.

  Caldwell had a meeting spot in the middle of the red rock mountains, three miles from the nearest parking area and another two miles off the hiking trail. Apparently there was a cave that he shifted in, and tonight only Blake would be guarding it. Bo’s broken ankle was going to leave him sidelined. Caldwell had locked him in the storage rec area. He wouldn’t be able to escape, and Cole hoped it would keep him from running on his bad leg.

  Personally, I hoped it hurt like a son of a bitch.

  Asher was already waiting for us. He clasped my forearm, scanning the area. We were a good distance from the rest of the Pack. Everyone had their own place to change. Shifting from a human into a wolf was a gut-wrenching, indescribable pain, and none of us wanted an audience during the agony.

  “Wait for us to get back here,” Asher whispered. “If Caldwell gets too close, I’ll distract him.” He glanced at Raven. “If that happens, you lead your mate far from here.”

  She glanced my way. “No problem.”

  “Thanks, Asher.”

  He nodded and wandered into the shadows.

  Raven leaned up and kissed my cheek. “Be careful.”

  “You, too.”

  She went behind the manzanita while I fought to repress my wolf. The pull of the moon’s gravitation brought the wolf forward, so eventually I’d shift whether I wanted to or not, but I could hold it off for a little while.

  Hopefully long enough for Asher and Raven to finish changing.

  I’d never shifted without my Pack. Ever. I had no idea how disoriented my wolf would be when he realized our Pack was gone. And I prayed Asher and Raven could keep me away from Caldwell. If he demanded my submission, I probably wouldn’t be able to keep my wolf from fighting—to the death.

  Raven’s groans on the other side of the bushes had mutated into whimpers. Joints popped, making me wince. I’d never witnessed anyone else changing, but I recognized the sounds. “Pain” wasn’t a strong enough word for what Raven was experiencing right now.

  Finally the brush snapped and cracked as Raven came through toward me. Her tongue lolled from her mouth, her sides still panting through the pain. She was a gorgeous black wolf with dark eyes. I smiled, and her head tilted.

  “You’re beautiful, Raven.”

  She came closer, and I held out my hand. The wolf was cautious at first, but she recognized my scent, nuzzling into my hand. Sweat rolled down my face as I scratched behind her ears. “I can’t hold off the call of the moon any longer.”

  The wolf didn’t recognize my words, but deep inside her, Raven could. When we shifted, the human part of us was still alert, but the instinctive wolf had our consciousness. We could sometimes bend the wolf to our human will, but not always.

  And this would be the first time Raven and Asher had ever tried. Yeah, Adam was probably right. This plan sucked. Fuck. Too late to back out now. I rounded the corner and undressed, leaving my jeans and T-shirt beside Raven’s clothes.

  The second I was naked, my back seized up, the pain dropping me on all fours. My gut wrenched, my muscles wailing as my bones grew, tearing my ligaments and reforming them. I ground my teeth to keep from screaming as my spine expanded, my tail growing. My teeth lengthened, my jaws jutting forward into a snout. Thankfully my human consciousness was drifting, taking a backseat as my wolf rushed forward, free for one night.

  I rose up on wobbly legs and shook off the daze of the shift. Trotting around the manzanita bushes, my wolf skidded to a stop. Raven and Asher waited. In the depths, I did my best to calm the wolf, to push my understanding, but the wolf’s heart rate raced as he tipped his head back, sniffing the wind.

  He came closer, caressing our mate while simultaneously snarling at Asher. A howl in the distance had my wolf’s ears pricked at attention. He tilted his head, not recognizing the Alpha’s call.

  Raven nudged my side in the opposite direction of the wolf’s call.

  A dangerous growl vibrated through my wolf’s chest.

  Fuck.

  Before I could do anything, my wolf raced toward the enemy. Inside I fought the panic, trying to coax my wolf to turn back. Raven and Asher chased after us, but we were faster. Caldwell’s scent was growing stronger, along with the rest of the Pack.

  Another howl. The Alpha’s call.

  We bolted into the clearing, through the other wolves, growling at the large gray wolf in the center. Caldwell was formidable in wolf form, a good two inches taller at the shoulders than my wolf. But my wolf wasn’t intimidated. My wolf only recognized Adam’s dominance.

  This was not Adam.

  Raven jogged up next to me, nudging my sides. My wolf didn’t take his focus off Caldwell. The gray Alpha bared his teeth. Beside me, Raven showed her throat in submission, recognizing him as her Alpha.

  Behind me, Asher growled and bit my tail. The pain snapped my wolf out of the ritual hunger for dominance. We spun around and launched toward Asher. Raven bumped us in midair, and I rolled on the ground, scrambling to my feet. My wolf focused on her. Our mate.

  Yes.

  I pushed my will. Follow Raven. She chuffed and nudged me with her nose before bolting into the darkness.

  My wolf gave chase. I followed her for miles.

  …

  When the sky started to lighten, we tracked the familiar human scent back to our clothes. She shifted first while my wolf kept watch. Before Raven finished, a tall man with a long black braid came toward me. I bared my sharp canines.

  He smiled, his teeth bright white in the darkness. “Still pissed I bit your tail?” He shook his head. “I was saving your ass, wolf.”

  Asher. My wolf chuffed.

  Behind me, Raven called, “Be right there.”

  She came around and stroked my head. We rubbed against her legs, and she knelt down to stare into my eyes. “Your turn. I’ll wait for you.”

  She was true to her word. Once I was dressed, I found her chatting with Asher. They both turned my way, and she smiled. “You didn’t make it easy, but we kept you safe.”

  I chuckled, my gaze moving over to Asher. “That bite probably saved me.” The scent of blood stung my nostrils. My smile faded. Asher’s sleeve was stained. “You’re injured.”

  He glanced at his bicep and back to me. “I’ll be fine. Cole can give me a couple stitches.”

  Raven frowned. “What happened?”

  “After you led Luke on a chase, Caldwell turned on me.”

  Adrenaline shot through my bloodstream. “Fuck. He could’ve killed you.”

  “Nah.” He shrugged. “I think he thought I was protecting him when I bit you—he was just pissed I let you get away. If he wanted to kill me, he would’ve gone for the throat.”

  I rubbed my hands down my face. “Thanks, man. For everything.”

  He nodded. “We need to get back to the others. Vance has a report from Reno.”

  My shoulders tensed. I had warned Adam about Vance’s visit, but I had no idea if Adam had found the jaguar shifter or even which side Vance was really on.

  The Sedona Pack all gathered in the oversize living room area of Caldwell’s sprawling, desert-inspired mansion. I crossed my arms, struggling to keep my pulse from racing. Caldwell and Vance entered the room, but the Alpha headed straight for me.

  His eyes narrowed as he leaned into my personal space. “Your wolf isn’t as sure of your loyalty as you are.” A muscle tensed in his cheek. “Next full moon, you’ll be locked in one of the units. I don’t have time for this shit.”

  There wouldn’t be a next full moon. One of us would be dead.

  I clenched my jaw, struggling to stay quiet.

  He finally broke eye contact and circled the room. “Vance. Tell us what you learned so we can plan our attack.”

  I stared at the jaguar shifter, but Vance never met my eyes. All his attention focused on Caldwell. “Taking down the Pack in Reno won’t be an easy task. Not only are the wolves well trained, but some of the females have psychic gifts. Dangerous gifts. Plus, Sash
a Sloan was one of the best marksmen in all of Nero.”

  Caldwell crossed his arms. “We outnumber them more than two to one. We can take out some psychics, and Luke is going to take care of Sasha, right, boy?”

  My gut soured as I nodded.

  I’d never hurt her, and the lie that I would made me want a shower.

  Caldwell spoke to Vance again. “So where are they weak? Did you find out where the Alpha lives?”

  Vance rolled his shoulder back. “He has a horse ranch, Whispering Pines, just outside Reno. Without Luke there, it’s just Adam Sloan and his wife and kids.” He quickly added, “Adam is your target. Nero will collect his wife and children.”

  Caldwell raised a brow. “Antonio Severino seems very interested in his family. Why is that, do you suppose?”

  I scanned the room for Isabelle. She met my eyes with an almost imperceptible shake of her head.

  Vance shrugged. “I’m not paid to ask questions. I’m just passing on what I was told.”

  “I’ve done some digging of my own.” Caldwell glanced over his shoulder. “Isabelle, come here.”

  She walked a couple of paces toward the two of them. “I gave you all the intel I could find.”

  He nodded. “I want you to share it with Vance.”

  She sighed and focused on the jaguar shifter. “She was abandoned on church steps as a baby and grew up in foster care. I can’t find a connection to Nero except that she’s attractive.”

  Vance chuckled. “Sebastian has no trouble with finding women on his own. He doesn’t have to take an Alpha’s widow.”

  This whole conversation was bugging the shit out of me. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. “None of this matters. If we’re going to Reno, we need to know when, and we need a plan to get the Pack and weapons up there.”

  All eyes turned my way. Caldwell raised a brow. “You’re eager. I like it.” He sobered, his gaze moving around all of his Pack. “We leave in two days. Raven will drive the van; we’ll load the weapons in the back. Bo will stay at the storage complex. He can watch over the women and children.” He pivoted toward me. “Luke, I want you and Asher to work with Gage, Brock, and Ryan at the storage facility. I want them on the team in Reno.”