The Half Moon
Soulbond Series Book 2
Bella C. Devine
Copyright © 2020 Bella C. Devine
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Author Note
About the Author
Acknowledgements
This journey has been an amazing ride that has kept me moving forward to my dream of becoming a published author. And now I’m on book 2 :-). I couldn't have done this without the support of my family and friends.
To my family, thank you so much for the support and love you show me every day. You allow me to look at the good side of everything and show me that dreams can come true. I would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for your support, guidance, and love.
To my critique group, thank you so much for your help, support, and exceptional advice. Trisha, words cannot describe how thankful I am that our paths have crossed. You've given me the kick that I've needed to publish and improve my manuscripts. Thank you for your willingness to help. To Vera, Pamela, Joyce, and Debby, thank you so much for the awesome advice, suggestions, and support. Each of you has strengthened my story and has helped make The Half Moon a reality.
To my editor, Cindy Vallar, thank you for never giving up on me. You've helped me find my writing voice and then helped me to craft that voice. You've pushed me beyond what I thought I could ever accomplish. Without you, there would be no Soulbond Series.
To my cover artist, Kimberly Cannon, thank you so much for bringing Aylin and the Half Moon to life.
And finally, to my four-legged fur baby. You curled up next to me while I wrote and edited the Soulbond Series, and I'm saddened that you are not physically here with me to see the publishing of this story. But you will always be in my heart. Until we meet again, my friend. Rest in peace
Chapter One
Aylin
Three months!
I accepted another shot from the man behind the bar. The hot liquid trailed down my throat, matching the fire burning through my body.
“Bradley, I'm of—off limits.” My falter betrayed my confident composure. He needed to know that buying me a drink didn't mean I would jump into bed with him. Bradley was known for his one-night stands. Three months ago, I would've jumped on his offer. Now, I'm imprinted. But to whom? Fate is cruel and playing one hell of a game on me.
I was a woman on the hunt. For what, I wasn't sure. When Brad's hungry gaze met mine, my stomach churned. He sauntered closer, his confident swagger not halted by my warning glare.
My eyes narrowed, but he continued.
My fist crunched his sloped nose. Pain vibrated up my arm and increased my fury. Goddamnit!
“What the fuck!” he shouted.
I flexed my sore hand. It was nice to release some of my pent-up energy. My nerves were like live wires sparking with electricity. I widened my stance, curled my finger, and signaled for him to come here.
Brad covered his bloody nose with his hands. “Fuck, Aylin.”
The contempt in his voice did little to extinguish the inferno within me.
I grinned wolfishly. I was alive, strung together by a thin thread on the verge of snapping. I welcomed a fight and hoped he would attack. “Bradley, I told you no.”
“God, I thought we were just having some fun.” He pinched his nose and tilted back his head. “You've been in here every night this week, flaunting your body in front of every man here, and it's not even a full moon!
My heart fluttered at his muffled words. No, we had a few more days before the waxing gibbous turned into a full moon. My skin tingled with expectation.
I shifted my stance and tossed my deep red curls out of my eyes. He was right about the flaunting, but that didn't mean I owed him anything. I glanced at the black, long-sleeved shirt hiding my imprint. The damn thing was dull, but noticeable, on my wrist, which was why I had traded in my model-worthy blouses for t-shirts that covered my upper body, arms, and even the palms of my hands. The damn things had thumb holes so I could still maneuver.
“You're an asshole, Brad! I'm here to let off steam, just like every other person in here.” I lied, of course. I wanted a connection. The connection. But after months of searching, I'd found no other imprinted man. And my heart? It wanted just one man. I longed for him, but he didn't exist, because not a single man possessed an imprint like mine. If I allowed any other man to get close and then left him, he would be emotionally wounded when my soul mate arrived.
“Sure, honey, and those tight-fitting clothes and flirtatious smiles were my imagination.” Brad removed his hands from his nose. The bleeding had stopped, and he winked at me.
“So, because I enjoy a man's company and am hot, that entitles you to me?” I glanced down at form-fitting clothes. They really did accentuate all of my curves and assets. “It's my fault that my tits mean I can't have a drink after work like the rest of the testosterone-filled ogres in here?” I pushed my assets up, displaying them to the crowd of men who had gathered. I really wanted to send Brad to his knees writhing in pain, but I halted my magic. I couldn't risk others finding out about my powers. The only people who knew were Liam, Bryn, Connor, and my brother, Drew. Well, and of course, the Table of Seven.
Renewed interest sparked in Brad's eyes. In hindsight, my blatant actions probably weren't the best idea. I could see his hunger growing and forced back the bile in the back of my throat.
Brad shifted, then adjusted his junk.
I downed another shot of tequila and waved dramatically to the bar as I bowed to the men. “Sorry, boys, but it's time for me to leave.”
There were at least three other men in the bar who eyed me, but none approached. Being the enforcer of the Lowell pack, I was off limits, but Brad had missed that message.
“I'll take you home.” His heated gaze shifted over me and landed directly on my tits.
I was tired and on edge, but I wasn't stupid.
There was only one person I wanted to go home with, but he wasn't bonded. Not to me. I was a phenomenon, a half bond. I shook my head. Connor. Tension rolled through me in waves. My body called to him like a siren, but he wasn't imprinted. I had checked the day I became infected, but his wrist bore no mark. So, I kept mine a secret and avoided the pack for the past three months.
A chilly gust of air and a familiar vanilla scent wafted through the air—no doubt Bryn’s—, but it was the musky scent that had my nose twitching. Chills ran down my back. He is here. My heart raced.
Clueless to my internal turmoil, Brad grabbed my hand. “Doll, I will rock your world.”
Connor's growl resonated off the bar's walls. My skin tingled and my nipples harden
ed. A small sliver of hope entered my thudding heart.
“The fuck you will,” Connor bellowed.
My imprint continued to heat until pain surged through my arm, scorching Brad's hand and driving me to my knees. I couldn't breathe. The weight of his touch upon my body felt debilitating. Heavy. Earth-shattering—and not in a good way.
Brad jumped back, shaking his hand. “Shit!”
The loss of his touch felt like a dam bursting. I hunched forward and heaved. My shallow breaths made it difficult to pull oxygen into my lungs.
“Aylin!” Bryn and Connor shouted at the same time. Their footsteps rushed forward. I placed a hand on my knee and pushed myself up. When I wobbled, Bryn rushed to steady me.
“Here, take a seat.” She guided me to a table in the corner. I laid my head on it and closed my eyes, concentrating on removing the pain. When Brad had touched me, my imprint recoiled. Its defense mechanism pulled me through the shards of hell. But now, a different flame ignited my soul. One that throbbed with Connor's presence.
“Connor?” my voice croaked.
“Connor's taking care of the situation.” Bryn's wafting voice calmed my nerves. As the alpha's mate, she was acutely in tune with every pack member.
Her soft hand rubbed my back. Weak from the pain, I tried to align my core being. I sensed her power surging through me, assisting me in my recovery. I hated being weak, but didn't block her intrusion. I needed to straighten up and get the hell away from Murphy's Bar and Connor.
“You okay?” Bryn asked as she took the seat across from me.
I slowly opened one eye. There was pain, but it was bearable. “I think so.” I straightened in my seat, but couldn't quite make myself meet her stare. I didn't want her to judge me, and I definitely didn't want her to discover my secret.
She gently rubbed her hand over her slight baby bump. She tilted her head and stared at me, before growing still. “What’s it been, two weeks?”
“Something like that, but I was actually on my way out. I only stopped in for a drink.” Steadier now, I stood. Being so close to ranking members of the pack made it next to impossible for me to stay calm. I was hiding a vital element from them, and it was killing me—driving me insane.
“Sit back down,” Bryn commanded.
When a perky, overly-anxious waitress came to our table, Bryn smiled sweetly and ordered an herbal tea. I sulked and ordered two fingers of whiskey neat. If I was going to be around happy energetic people, then I was going to get another drink. “So, what brings a pregnant woman and the second-in-command to this fine establishment?”
Bryn waited for the waitress to leave before responding. “You do. I can sense your struggles, and it worries me. Liam is beside himself, and Connor's been trying to find you for months. Every time he thinks he's close to you, you move on. He's been acting as strange as you lately. Did you two have a spat?”
“No, and I don't know why you all worry about me. I'm fine.” But I am not.
Bryn grabbed my hands. “You need to open up and let us know what's bothering you so we can help. Ever since the accident, you've been acting off. Connor wants to tie you up until you admit what's going on, and Liam wants to...” Bryn gestured to her head and then mine “... do that telepathic thing you like to do where he can see all of your thoughts.”
“Well, tell them not to worry. And Liam is absolutely not getting into my head.” I took a sip of my whiskey. The fire did little to settle my nerves. There was no way I was agreeing to the alpha seeing the dreams I was having of Connor. Just the thought of them infused my cheeks with heat.
“Oh, honey, I think you need to do something.” Bryn sipped her tea.
“I think you need to back off.” I glared at her. She was perfectly happy. Married. Mated to my alpha three months pregnant with our pack's first child in two decades. It was nothing short of a miracle. She was happily content. Whereas I was... well, not.
“I have. For three months. At first, I thought you just needed time to adjust to me joining the pack, but now, I'm not so sure.” Bryn leaned forward. “Is it something I did?”
I downed the rest of my whiskey in one shot. I could blame her for my behavior, but that would be a wussy move, and I was no wuss. “No. God, Bryn! I'm happy for you, and I'm sorry I've been absent so much. I've just had a lot going on.”
“I know!” She pulled a frustrated hand through her hair. “Aylin, you've been there for me since day one, but I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!”
I'm imprinted!! I wanted to shout. I needed her to be there for me, but I couldn't take the disappointment of not knowing who my other half was. Bryn knew even before she laid eyes on Liam that he was her forever. I, however, had no clue who my forever was. The Elders could be playing a cruel game on me for tempting them so many times with my antics and magic. If so, they had one hell of a sense of humor.
Instead of confessing everything, I replied, “It's all good, Bryn. Just give me some time to figure things out. I promise things will come together.”
“I will—”
Bryn's words were lost with the pounding in my head, which matched the steady thump of work boots on hardwood floor. I knew that gait. My body stiffened, my nerve endings sparking with awareness.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Connor pulled a chair to our table. He placed a firm hand under my chin and forced me to face him.
For that moment in time, nothing else existed. I lost myself in his gaze. The heat from our bodies melded. Sparks flew. Our attraction sizzled.
I needed to spray more of my anti-imprint perfume. It was a delicate potion that I have been perfecting for the past few months. Its main purpose was to weaken the effect of an uncompleted bond. It dulled the sexual attraction of the unmated pair until they chose to complete the bond. I used it to hide the fact that I was imprinted. I had first used it on Bryn to prevent unwanted sexual advances until she and Liam completed their bond.
Sinking back to reality, I jerked my head from Connor's grasp. “Nothing's wrong with me. Why are you even here?”
Instead of answering my question, he leaned forward and sniffed. “You smell different.” He sniffed again. “I don't smell your wolf or the scent of rain.”
He never said it, but I knew he liked my perfume. It's why I bought it in bulk, but I couldn't get my anti-bond potion to match my perfume. Instead, it smelled of cedar and mint. The scent was just about the unsexiest smell one could wear, but it was effective. “Thanks, and you smell like dog, so I guess we're even.”
He forced a laugh between those firm lips. I imagined them moving across my neck, nibbling on my ear, trailing a path to my lips.
“Hello?” Connor snapped his fingers. “You zoned out on me.”
“Sorry.” And those hands. They were big and callused from his work on Lowell property. He did a lot of construction and had the body to prove it. Rock hard abs, well-defined biceps....
“Stay away from Brad. No more accepting drinks from the men of the pack. They expect something more in return—if you catch my drift.”
I lifted my shot glass to take another sip, remembered I had downed its contents moments ago, and slammed it back on the table. “I can have drinks if I want. I make it very clear that I'm not putting out just because they give out. You catch my drift?” I mocked.
“Aylin, this is serious.” He grabbed my hand.
My heart stopped.
The earth shifted beneath my feet.
I jerked away and stumbled from the table.
“Aylin.” Connor grumbled, but Bryn rose from the table and walked to me, hand extended in caution.
“Connor, it's okay.” She practically cooed at me. “I'll take Aylin home and make her some tea. She's had a bit too much to drink and appears to be a little unsteady.”
Unsteady? How can one be steady when the earth is shaking?
“Bryn—”
“No, Connor. I got this.” She placed a hand on my back and ushered me through the door. I allowe
d her to lead me, dazed at the impact of Connor's touch. He hadn't touched me since the imprint. I never gave us the opportunity. But now that my body had connected with his, I knew without a doubt that my mate was sitting beside me in the bar.
He just didn't know.
I was his.
He was mine.
I tossed Bryn my keys and got into the passenger side.
Bryn hopped into my black beast of a truck with a huff. “I don't understand why you have to drive something that is unnaturally high off the ground. I shouldn't need a stepladder to get into your vehicle.”
She turned the ignition, and my baby roared to life.
I laughed.
Bryn started down the road, more cautious than I would have been. When she stopped at an intersection, she turned to me. “So, how long?”
My heart raced. “What?”
She ripped my long-sleeved shirt, revealing the half-moon imprint on my wrist. It illuminated the dark car with more power than before. “How long have you been imprinted?”
Well, fuck!
Chapter Two
Connor
My stomach churned.
Aylin was in trouble.
Bryn's intervention stayed me from pursuing Aylin.
Needing to cool down, I grabbed a beer from a passing tray and sat at a corner table. Aylin stumbled from the bar, with Bryn hot on her heels. My grip tightened around the cold glass. In the twenty years I had known her, I had never once seen Aylin act this way. She was defiant, isolated, and distancing herself from the pack. And, for once in her life, she downplayed her beauty, as opposed to magnifying it.
Something was definitely going on with Aylin, and Bryn knew what it was.
I took a sip of my beer and frowned. Aylin intentionally dressed down, hiding herself. Sure, she was sexy as hell in those long-sleeved, form-fitting tees, but I missed my Aylin. The one who wore hot clothes, cowgirl boots, and had an attitude to match.
The Half Moon: Soulbond Series Book 2 Page 1
