“See if you can find Gage. And find out what’s taken Marquis so long to get here.”
“Your brother is being looked over by your alpha and his mate,” Bray explains. “We got to him just as another group ambushed him. He’s badly hurt but has no life-threatening injuries.”
The sound of distant sirens alerts us to fast approaching police vehicles heading in our direction.
“We have cleaned up,” Dario appears in between a pair of trees and rushes toward us. “Kyran, Marquis is nearby with Gage and Simone. They must take him home to recover. He’s badly hurt.” To Bray he says, “We have cleaned up the area thoroughly. Esteban and I still have to scope out the hospital. We have one more job to complete.”
Dario had a few scratches and bite wounds but he appeared relatively unhurt.
“Stay and be my ride back home,” I tell him.
Dario nods. “Esteban and I have to access the hospital’s files and data and that might take a while anyway.”
“Kyran, visiting hours are over in less than half an hour,” Alexis informs me.
“I’ll just go up and make sure she’s okay.”
The sirens are getting closer with each passing second. I can make out the sound of the police radio clearly now.
“I’m heading up over to your house. I think it’s time for that meeting.” Bray gestures behind him. “Do not take long. We have much to discuss.” He turns to leave, but then takes a moment to add, “Marjorie has to find out the truth sooner rather than later. There’s no one better to help soften the blow than you.”
He marches away a moment later with Alexis following close behind.
I just stand there for a minute, absorbing Alexis’ thoughts—his feelings regarding Marjorie’s bond with me. Even though I’m angry that his denial to accept what’s happened is persistent, I can’t really blame him. We hold the same DNA. We’re identical in every way except for the lock of white hair that easily points Alexis out. The only reason Marjorie bonded with me first was because—as faith would have it—we shared our first period class.
I literally walked into her life first. Had things been different, Marjorie would have probably bonded with Alexis first and I would have been left feeling displaced.
It would have probably been best for all three of us that way. I’m not her best bet. I will never be good enough for her. I’m well aware of that, but I can’t seem to be able to walk away. I’ll have to eventually. I know, but right now, my need to see her is more powerful than my need to get away.
Chapter Eleven
Josephine walks out, leaving us alone. Marjorie sits on the edge of the bed, her braced leg isn’t resting on a column of pillows as it’s supposed to be and I can tell just by looking at her that she’s been crying.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.” I lie because I don’t want to scare her any more than she already is.
She looks me over and I can tell she doesn’t believe me. I know I look like I’ve just been in a fight. I can hide the healing injuries and drying blood under Bray’s jacket but not my disheveled appearance.
“Are they here to take me?” she asks as I walk over to the bed and sit beside her.
“No. This wasn’t really an invasion so much as it was they’re way to test our defenses.”
“Why would they do that?”
“To see where our weaknesses lie,” I explain. I’m certain the invading pack knows what my weakness is, but I have a feeling this was their way of testing the rest of my family.
“Kyran.” Marjorie wraps her arms around me, unknowingly aggravating my injuries by hugging me. I hold my breath, trying not to show my discomfort. “I was worried sick about you guys. When Gage marched out of here I thought...I imagined the worst.”
“Some of us have a few scratches here and there but that’s about it,” I say as a means to bring some measure of comfort.
She looks up at me through hooded eyes. “Did you...? Did you kill someone?”
I look away because I can’t hide the truth from her. After Santos, I promised her I wouldn’t resort to that again, but I realize now that’s a promise I can’t keep. Not if I intend to keep her alive.
“Oh, Kyran.” Marjorie fights back a sob. “I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” I pull her to me, letting her rest her head on my chest.
“Because I feel this is my fault. Your family came here to start over and you’ve only had time to make sure I live to see one more day.”
I feel like a prick because we’re the ones who have lied from the beginning. We came here looking for her. Not to start over.
“Marjorie...there’s so much I have to tell you,” I blurt.
“I know,” she whispers, wrapping her arms around my midsection even tighter.
“No. You don’t. We need to get you out of here as soon as possible. We need you to tell the doctor you want to leave. He can’t keep you in here if you choose to leave.”
She pulls back, a look of disbelief crosses her beautiful face. “Why?”
“The sooner we get you to a safer place the better.”
“Why do I have the feeling there’s more than what your leading on?”
“There’s so much more. You don’t know the half of it. Truth is I don’t think you’ll like me very much after everything is said and done.”
“That’s not possible.” She juts her chin forward the same way she does whenever she’s being stubborn. “I can handle everything you throw at me.”
I want to believe that, but a part of me is terrified she’ll reject me afterwards. Another part of me wants her to. For her sake. For Alexis’ sake.
“You need to be prepared. The things you will hear might sound crazy.”
“Crazier than what I’ve heard during the past few weeks?”
I nod. “And you might be forced to make decisions you’re not ready to make.”
This time she looks physical affected—her face grows pale.
“My family. I can’t—”
“They are safe. Still at Vicki’s family’s. But these choices will affect them too. You should be ready for that.”
“My dad has been through a lot. I’ve put him through a lot. I don’t think I can...”
I take her hand in mine. “You’re not expected to make any decisions right this second. Tomorrow Simone, Alexis, and I will come to pick you up and we will take you to our place. We don’t want you to stay at your house. At least, not until your parents get back.”
“What about the house? The dogs? The animals? Someone has to take care of them.”
“We have been taking turns taking care of each. In fact, the dogs are staying at our place. Don’t worry.”
My reassurance seems to put her mind a little more at ease. She intertwines her fingers in mine and squeezes them slightly.
“Tomorrow marks the beginning of the rest of my life.” It’s not a question, but it almost feels as if it is. However, it isn’t one I can answer. I have no idea what the future holds for us. After I confess the rest of my secrets, will she feel the same way about me? How will she feel after finding out she’s a direct descent of the most infamous werewolf family to have ever existed?
I don’t think Marjorie is ready for so many truths, but we’ve run out of time.
“For the past week I’ve been having this vivid dream over and over again. I don’t know what it means, but when I’m asleep I feel as if I’m there...with this person.”
I pull her hand up to my face and plant a quick kiss on the tips of her fingers. “Tell me about this dream.”
“Well, in it I see this man running through the woods. He’s desperate to get away from a group of werewolves and he’s holding a small bundle in his arms. They want to kill the tiny baby in his arms and he’s running to protect him. It’s so surreal I can feel his desperation. I can even...hear what he’s thinking.”
I don’t have the heart to tell her she’s probably not dreami
ng but witnessing a memory transmitted to her either through her bloodline or was triggered by Bray’s presence in the area. Tomorrow will come and we will have to take her home to share not only everything we know but the secrets we’ve kept from her.
“This is something we definitely need to run by the rest of the family,” I say.
“Is it important?”
“Yes.” I lean in and hold her as close to me as possible. “But there’s something I want you to know first.”
Her eyes travel down my face before finally settling on my lips. “What?”
“Nothing will affect the way I feel for you. I want you to know that.”
“I haven’t doubted that, Kyran.”
“I tried to deny it myself,” I continue. “I tried to fight it off. To convince myself that I’m no good for you. I still believe that. I do. But no matter what I do—no matter what I tried telling myself, I was just delaying the inevitable.” I pause to caress the side of her face. “I loved you from the very first moment I laid eyes on you and the sentiment has only increased as the days have moved on. I love you more than anything. And the only thing that really, truly scares me is losing you.”
I kiss her to shut out her response. I’m aware that my confession might have been worse than lying to her. I can’t stay with her. That’s a promise I can’t make. I’m defective. Damaged goods. I’m bound to the moon and that’s a commitment I was cursed to abide by even against my will. But Marjorie is different. She has the choice to remain as she is now.
My parents thought she could be my savior. They hoped the legend—if proven to be true—could be the answer to their prayers. But I’m not convinced. I think fate brought us together because I was meant to save her.
There are things you simply can’t change and tomorrow she might hate me for keeping so many secrets from her. She might realize she’s better off without me. Without us. She might be forced to leave and never come back just as I suspect her mother was forced to do.
There’s only one way I can think of to save her, but in order to do that I’ll have to hurt her and that’s the one thing I don’t want to do.
I pull back abruptly and look down at her with determination. “Tomorrow marks a new beginning to our lives, Marjorie. After tomorrow, you will either hate me or resent me, but any choice you make will be exclusively yours. My goal is to keep you alive and in order for that to happen I need you safe.”
“I can take just about anything if those I love are safe. My parents. My sisters. You.”
There’s a light knock on the door followed by voice of a nurse announcing that the visiting hours are over. I call out to let her know I’ll be leaving in a minute and turn back to Marjorie.
“I’ll be back tomorrow.” I seal that promise with a kiss. I need her to know I’ll be here, with her, for as long as I can. I don’t use words to tell her. A kiss is all I need to transmit what I feel. What I want. What I need. Our bond allows her to understand.
Somewhere along the way, we get lost in our sentiments. In our passion. In those invisible ties that lure us together against our will. The fear of losing her is very real and it feels more like a reality in midst of what just happened.
A war is brewing. A battle will ensue. A leader will rise. Truths will be revealed. That much is fact. What remains to be seen is the outcome of the future.
Tomorrow is never certain, but as long as I breathe, I will fight to keep the reason I have for living, alive.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristy Centeno is an author of paranormal romance, young adult, new adult, horror, and contemporary romance.
She has always had a passion for books and after years of being an avid reader, she decided to transform her desire to write into a reality and thus, her first novel was born. In her journey to create memorable reads, she has delved into several genres, creating fictional characters meant to entice readers and captivate the mind.
She is currently working on finishing off the Keeper Witches series among other projects, which include sequels to several of her published works. When she’s not busy taking care of her five children or holding down the fort, she finds time to sit and do what she loves the most: writing.
Website: http://booksbycenteno.com
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Other books in the Secrets of the Moon Saga...
One important night from Kyran’s point of view...
Bound to the Moon Page 12
