The Ash Moon (The Ariane Trilogy Book 1)

by Michelle Dare

  “Sometimes I wonder how much of Lealla's series you retained,” he states, breaking through my thoughts.

  “Hey!” I yell, grateful for something to get my mind off my insecurities. “Those books are long. I don't remember every word I read. Plus, it’s not like she only has the one series. I’d have to have a photographic memory to retain all of that. And let’s not forget all the other paranormal romance books out there. How am I supposed to know if any of those are real?”

  “They aren’t. Just stick to Lealla’s.”

  “I will… While thinking about my shifter boyfriend the whole time.” I give up on keeping the seat blood free and move to try to find a position that’s not making the pain worse. It’s ratcheting up with every mile we drive.

  When we finally reach Lealla's mansion, there's a tall, ruggedly handsome man standing out front, waiting for us. Rion's headlights hit him just right, and I know instantly it's Desmond. I'm not going to pretend I don't find him attractive. Every one of the men on those book covers is gorgeous. Desmond, the pack’s doctor, is no exception.

  17

  Desmond is one of those people who looks intimidating to the point I bet he'd make grown men wet their pants if they ever crossed him. Dark brown hair, full beard, and the size of a linebacker. He’s beyond attractive.

  He approaches the car as it comes to a stop and opens my door. Leaning down, he smiles warmly. “Ariane, I'm Desmond. I'm going to look at your wound and fix you up. Okay?”

  I nod. He's still intimidating, even with his smile. Gorgeous but intimidating. I’m frozen in the seat. My legs won't work. Desmond is not a small man.

  Rion shoulders him out of the way so that he can lift me from the car. My arms immediately go around his neck. Not out of fear of him dropping me, but for the comfort of the connection we share. I need it, especially with the way my leg sears in pain.

  With every step he takes through the mansion, my nerves get worse. What if I need surgery? What if there is more damage than a simple bite? Maybe I should have gone to the hospital.

  I'm brought into a bright room off the long corridor to the left of the entranceway. I remember going this way when we came for the party. All these doors were closed. Now I know what’s behind one of them.

  There's a hospital bed covered in clean linens against the center of the far wall. Carts fully loaded with supplies are there if needed. Rion places me gently on the bed and rolls me so I’m lying on my good side with the back of my injured leg exposed.

  “I'm going to cut the cloth, Ari. I have to look at the damage to your leg.”

  I wince as the cold scissors meet my skin. The pieces of the shirt fall away as does the pressure it was putting on my leg. Pain courses through me to the point that I squeeze my eyes shut and my hands ball into fists.

  “The bite is pretty deep. I'm going to numb you so I can clean it and stitch you back together. Then I'm going to inject you with a serum I created, which will accelerate the healing. The last thing I want is for you to go home and have to explain to your parents why you have stitches across the back of your thigh.”

  “Does that mean I'll be able to heal fast forever?” I ask, trying to keep my mind off the pain. How amazing would it be, though? I'd have another superpower.

  Desmond chuckles. “No, unfortunately not. It wears off as it works through your system. I have it here specifically for the human mates in our pack. If I use it in conjunction with an intravenous antibiotic, it rapidly heals any infection or wound.”

  I rest my head on the pillow. Rion comes around the bed and crouches down in front of me. “I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  “Orion,” Desmond warns.

  “Don't,” he replies sharply. “One of them injured my mate. I'm not going to sit by and let them get away with it.”

  The door to the room opens and closes with a soft click. Lifting my head, I find Aries. He leans against the door, a formidable presence blocking anyone from leaving. In this case, my guess is Rion, who growls at his uncle.

  “You may be my nephew, but I'm still the pack leader. You'll stay here with your mate.” Aries must have known Rion would want to go after the other pack. This was only a premonition, though. They weren’t really there. I’m too focused on the pain to say anything.

  “I don't want you leaving to seek vengeance,” Aries continues. “We're a pack, and we handle things as one.”

  Rion stands as Desmond injects me with a numbing agent. It burns pretty bad. I suck in a breath as it sears into my skin. Rion is back down before me, his hand holding mine as he whispers words of comfort. As quick as the pain appeared, it's gone, and my leg slowly starts to lose feeling around the wound.

  Metal clangs behind me as Desmond tells me what he's doing before he does it. Rion remains a constant presence in front of me, though I suspect his mind is running through how he's going to find the one who hurt me. If there's one thing I remember with clarity about Lealla's series, wolves are very protective of their mates. No, we aren't officially mated, but Rion will want to get revenge on my behalf.

  I'd rather he didn't. While I don't doubt his strength, it's his experience that worries me. He's still young. Some of the others are hundreds of years old. With those years comes a world of knowledge and skills Rion doesn't possess yet. I can only hope Aries can talk some sense into him and keeps him from running into a situation he might not be able to fight his way out of. An entire pack could be waiting for him. And he's only one wolf.

  “Interesting,” Desmond mutters behind me.

  “What?” Aries asks.

  “The wolf who bit her lost one of his canines.”

  “Wow,” I murmur. “Those leg lifts I do must be working. I have legs of steel.” No one laughs. Here I am trying to make light of the situation, and it's not working.

  “The wolf who bit her must have recently gotten into a fight to loosen that tooth. It wouldn’t normally break off in the flesh,” Aries states.

  Rion stands. “It’ll be easy to spot who bit Ari with a tooth missing.”

  “You won't find out. You're not going after them.” I decide to keep quiet and let them have their conversation. Me inserting myself into it won’t do any good.

  “You're not going to tell me what to do. My mate was hurt!”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what to do. Remember your place. I’m your alpha.”

  “No, my dad was my alpha. No one will ever take his place.” His hand finds mine again as he turns his back to Aries. In his eyes I see so much pain at the loss of his parents. It might have happened years ago, but he still carries that anger and hurt with him. The fact that I’ve been bitten by one of the same pack who killed his parents is brewing more hatred for that pack in Rion.

  I always thought wolves heeded every command of their alpha, but things seem different between Rion and Aries. There's respect, I've seen it. It's mutual. But Rion doesn't view Aries as anything other than family. From what I've read, wolves don't go against their alphas, ever. And right now, Rion's mind is probably racing with what he's going to do once I'm healed.

  I can't blame him. If I had the strength he does, and the ability to shift into a predator, I'd be doing the same thing. I'm furious one of them bit me, but I'm human and defenseless. Well, except for my new ability to teleport.

  There’s going to be a learning curve, I’m sure. I might have to wear gloves so I don't accidentally teleport myself out of class one day. Or if I'm sitting at the dinner table and snap my fingers without thinking, disappearing in front of my parents’ eyes. That wouldn't be good. I wonder if there's a way to prevent it if I snap and don't mean to.

  “All done,” Desmond says. That was fast. “I'm going to hook you up to an IV so I can give you antibiotics. Once that’s done, I'll inject you with the healing accelerator. You should be ready to return home in a couple of hours. I need to make sure you're completely healed before you leave so I can remove the stitches.”

 
“Couldn't you have done all this without the stitches?”

  “No. While the accelerant works well, it won't mend a gaping wound. I need your skin back together for it to work. Also, this will minimize scarring. I'm hoping you won't have any scarring whatsoever, but that part isn't a sure bet. Sometimes, if the wound has been open too long, a minimal scar will remain.”

  No one in the room speaks as he gets the IV ready in my hand and the antibiotic slowly drips into my body. I would give just about anything right now for Ford to show up and break the tension. He'd probably rile the wolves up. At least I wouldn't be bored out of my mind.

  Aries and Rion spend the entire time staring each other down. Desmond stays on the other side of my bed to monitor the IV and the incision. I also think he's staying in here in case a fight breaks out.

  Minutes tick by. Achingly slow minutes. The antibiotic finishes dripping into me, so Desmond removes the tube connecting me to the bag of medicine, but he leaves the port in and prepares to administer the accelerant.

  “Your heart is going to race, and you're going to feel like you could run a marathon, but you can't get out of bed. You have to stay where you are. Don't be alarmed when we hold you down. It's for your own safety while the medication works to heal your body. It will burn through you fast. Probably in under five minutes. Your skin will mend and your heart will go back to a normal rhythm. Okay?” I nod, not at all looking forward to being held down. Although, there could be worse places to be than being pinned to a bed by hot wolf shifters.

  “Orion, Aries, I want you two on either side of the bed. Each of you need to hold down one of her arms and one of her legs.” They come up on either side of me. “Ari, I'm going to roll you to your back. Your leg might hurt a little when it touches the bed, but I promise in a few seconds, you won't feel the pain.”

  “Okay.”

  I'm not ready for this. How could I be? Shifters will be holding me to a bed after one from another pack bit me. This is all insane.

  Desmond gently grasps the side of the thigh where the injury is and injects me with the accelerant. At first, I feel nothing. Then, it feels like a thousand horses are running through my body. My heart speeds up to the point that I swear it's going to pound out of my chest. My eyes widen, and it's as if I'm seeing everything with new eyes. There's a new clarity. I look at Rion and take in every little thing about him. The way his eyebrows are drawn together in concern. The little flecks of silver in his eyes that I’ve never noticed before. The tiny scar at his hairline, which almost blends perfectly with his skin.

  His pulse, I feel it where he's holding my leg to the bed. His heart is beating in tandem with mine. Both racing, adrenaline coursing through us as our eyes meet again. I try to sit up, but I’m no match for those holding me to the bed.

  “Let me up!” I yell. “I have to move. I have to run. I can't lie here any longer!” I've never felt anything like this in my life. Like, if I don't get out of this bed and burn off this energy, I'm going to self-combust. It’s not a desire, it’s a necessity. I bet I could run a marathon and not tire out. I’m like a lit fuse with no chance of ever exploding. It's all contained in me, flowing through my body never to be released.

  “Her heart is beating too fast,” Desmond says hurriedly. Though he sounds far away, his voice is slightly muffled.

  “What did you do?” Rion asks with urgency in his tone. He’s closer, his hands still on me.

  “I didn't do anything but give her the same drug as I do to all the other mates when they need it.”

  “Ari, can you hear me?” Rion asks, panic lacing each word. He moves the hand holding my arm and smoothes my hair back from my face.

  “Yes,” I pant out, unable to slow my breathing. I’m not sure how he’s so calm when I still feel his pulse.

  “This should wear off in another minute,” Desmond says. “Orion, is there anything you can do to calm her? Something to distract her?”

  Rion bends down, his face in front of mine. Instinctively, I lick my lips, my sole focus on his mouth. Oh, how I want to taste him again. To have him kiss me and get lost in his touch.

  His lips press to mine as if he heard my silent plea. That’s when I notice the normal electricity we have between us is absent. It wasn’t there when he was holding me down either. Then again, my body is already high on the medication Desmond gave me. I try to lift my arms, but it’s no use. Rion’s hand is back to holding me down and Aries still has a solid grip on me. I want to touch Rion. I want to run my hands through his silky hair and pull him closer to me. I want him more than I’ve wanted anything in my entire life.

  “Please,” I whimper against his lips.

  He releases the arm he's holding down, but Aries doesn't let up. I thread my fingers into Rion's hair to keep his lips pressed to mine.

  “It's working,” I vaguely hear Desmond say.

  I'm not sure what he's talking about. I don't feel any different with Rion's lips on mine than I did before I was kissed. There’s still the distinct feeling of tons of pent-up energy in me. Maybe it's my focus that's changed. It's Rion's lips and his taste that pull me away from the energy. The way he moans into my mouth. Oh how I wish Desmond and Aries would leave so I could be alone with my boyfriend.

  18

  “All right, Orion, she's good. I need to check her wound,” Desmond says.

  Rion's lips stay on mine as our tongues continue to dance with one another. His sandalwood scent wrapping around me.

  “Rion!” Aries yells. It's enough to snap me out my haze and release the grip I have on Rion. He pulls back, those mesmerizing eyes of emerald green on me, and growls deep in this throat.

  Aries' hands lift from my leg and arm. “Calm down. We're good. Ari's okay now. Des needs to check her over.” Rion doesn't move. His hands are planted on either side of my chest as he hovers over me. Somehow, he still has his feet on the floor.

  Sliding over on the bed, I push myself closer to Aries and Desmond and then pat the bed next to me. It's Rion's turn to calm down, and I'm going to help him do so any way I can. He hesitates for a moment but then realizes I'm inviting him to lie beside me. His strong body climbs onto the bed, his eyes still only on mine. I roll to my side so I can face him while giving Desmond access to the back of my thigh.

  “Good job, Ari. Keep it up,” Desmond whispers. I can feel the slight tugging of my skin. He must be removing the stitches.

  The effects of the drug are wearing off quickly. Where I was ready to run before and burn off this energy, I feel like a deflated balloon now. Tired—exhausted—wanting to do nothing other than rest my head on Rion's chest and go to sleep for many hours.

  “You healed perfectly, Ari,” Desmond says. “Not even a scar.” He stands, hooking me back up to the IV. “I'm going to give you some fluids now. It might make you a little cold as it starts to go into your bloodstream. I'll get some blankets.”

  He returns a minute later with two white blankets and tries to drape them over me, but Rion sits up and takes them. He carefully puts them on me.

  “Orion, Aries and I are going to leave you two alone for a bit. Ari needs to rest though. Ari, we'll be right outside if you need anything.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper but don't take my eyes off Rion. His wolf is still front and center, demanding his turn to look over me.

  The lights dim, and the door to the room clicks closed. Rion's green eyes still shine brightly. Gently, I run my hand with the IV in it through his hair and down so I can cup his cheek. He takes my hand in his and presses it against his chest. Our hearts still beat in tandem.

  “I'm okay,” I say quietly. “I'm healed. Good as new.”

  He releases my hand to run his over my hip and down the back of my thigh. He's making sure I'm healed. While he's doing it out of concern, he's lighting a fire in me which no guy has ever lit before. He slowly runs his fingers over my leg, caressing me as his eyes change from green to crystal blue. I breathe a sigh of relief. I was able to appease his wolf, show him I'm al
l right.

  “Are you okay?” I ask. The last thing I want is him running from the room to go after Desmond or Aries—or worse yet—the wolf who bit me.

  “I am now that I know you're healed.”

  “Are you still planning on going after the wolf who attacked me?”

  “You're my mate, Ariane,” he says quietly, with none of the anger he had earlier. “I won’t sit by while he, whoever he is, gets away with attacking you.”

  “But it was in a premonition.”

  “That may be, but his bite was very real. We have the tooth to prove it. “

  “Well, maybe he didn't lose it in real life. Maybe a future version did.” We could really use Ford right now to explain this to us.

  And just like that, he appears. I don't even jump this time when I see him. Rion’s hand grips my hip tighter, but I hold his eyes, silently trying to tell him not to start anything.

  “Can you read my mind?” I ask Ford.

  “No,” I can hear the smile in his voice. “I wanted to check on you. Oh, and also tell you that Kiara is a convincing version of you. Your dad is up, but she's pretending to be asleep.”

  “Please thank her for me. I'm healed but exhausted. I'll be home soon.”

  “You're going to need me to take you.”

  “That I am.”

  Rion breaks our eye contact and sits up. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “If you want to play a round of who can bite who first, we better take it outside. I don't want to get yelled at by Lealla.”

  “No, it's about Ari. Her premonitions, to be exact. How real are they?”

  “Ari was bit in her dream state and showed up here with blood running down her leg. I'd say that’s pretty real.”

  “I've gathered that much,” Rion says dryly. “A tooth was found in her wound. Would the wolf who bit her be missing a tooth right now, if I found him?”

  “Interesting question.” He taps his cleanly shaven chin as he thinks about it. “I'm going to go with no and here's why. That wolf doesn't know anything about the dream he was in of Ari's. He wasn't there nor was he dreaming the same dream. For instance, Ari, has Rion been in any of your dreams?”