Claimed by the Moon

by L. P. Dover

  He storms closer, his anger palpable. “These people don’t care about you.”

  “Where is this coming from? What happened with you and Zayne last night?”

  Grabbing my arms, he pulls me protectively against his body. “He said he’d kill you. If I go after his mate, he’ll go after mine.”

  Mouth gaping, I can’t even imagine Zayne saying that. “He wouldn’t hurt me.”

  Knox growls. “Yes, he would. I made a mistake saying I’d go after his mate for revenge. You were right; it was the wrong thing to do. Everyone here knows you’re my weakness, and they’ll use you to get to me.”

  He lets me go and rushes up to the door, and flings it open. “What are you going to do?” I call out, racing after him. He storms down the hall and into the bedroom Laila used to stay in when she lived with me.

  Throwing open the closet door, he pulls out his bag and starts shoving clothes into it. “We’re going to the party tonight, and I’m going to finish this. Then, after that, you’re coming with me.” Dread settles in my gut, and I can’t seem to find any words to say. He glances at me over his shoulder and sighs. “I want to keep you safe, Amelie. This is the only way.”

  “What are you going to do? You never answered me,” I demand.

  Eyes glowing, he stares at me for a second and then goes back to packing his things. “I’m going to do what I should’ve done a long time ago.”

  An overwhelming sense of nausea hits me, and the room starts to spin. Closing my eyes, I stumble back, and my legs give out beneath me. Before I hit the floor, Knox shouts my name, but it fades as I fall into darkness.

  When I wake up, I’m in my bed, and the bright red numbers on my alarm clock say it’s eight o’clock. Gasping, I jump up and grab my phone out of my pocket. The room spins again, but I fight through it. There are several missed calls and texts from Laila and Tyla, but some of them are from Zayne; he must’ve used their phones. The party started at seven o’clock, and I was supposed to be there. For whatever reason, I spent the past several hours passed out. Quickly, I fetch one of my travel bags out of the closet and fill it up with as much as possible in the tiny amount of time I have. I want to be somewhat prepared for when Zayne and I leave tonight.

  Heart racing, I quickly type out a text to Zayne, but the sound of the slamming front door makes me gasp and drop my phone. I toss my bag onto the floor beside the dresser to get it out of sight. Thunderous footsteps pound up the stairs, and Kara kicks open my door, her murderous glare on me. Her attention snaps to my phone on the floor, but I grab it before she can.

  “Hiding something?” she growls, her eyes shifting to her wolf’s. “Could it be a text from your mate?” I stand my ground as she stalks toward me.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  As fast as lightning, she grabs me by the neck and slams me against the wall, making the pictures on my dresser fall to the floor and shatter. The breath escapes my lungs, and I gasp as I try to take in air. Pain radiates through my body as her claws dig into my skin.

  “Do you think I’m stupid?” she hisses, her face so close to mine. “I’ve been watching Zayne for days now, wondering who his lover was. So imagine my surprise when I realized she was right under my nose.”

  My hands tighten around her wrists, and I dig my claws into her; I refuse to give in. Taunting her isn’t my plan but denying the allegations will only infuriate her more. I can see that she knows the truth in her eyes, only I don’t know how. There’s no way she could’ve seen us together. “What are you going to do about it?” I hiss.

  Kara growls, and it’s so loud it echoes through the room. Her claws rip at my throat, and I scream in pain as she hurls me over the bed and onto the floor. My head hits the nightstand, and a stream of warm blood oozes down my neck. And for a second, I don’t know what to do; I’m frozen on the floor with nowhere to go. The gash on my head throbs, and it pounds relentlessly, making my vision blur. Slowly, I try to sit up, but nausea overtakes me, and I fall back down.

  “Zayne was supposed to be mine,” she snarls, her footsteps edging closer. “I never wanted the power like my brother. His ambition has made my life a living hell. All I wanted was to be happy like all the other royal wolves. I loved Zayne.” Her voice chokes up, and it’s the first time I’ve ever heard her sound truly sad. “He loved me too. When he let the pack banish me, I’d never felt so betrayed in my life.”

  She grabs me by the hair, and I suck back the pain as she jerks me up. My body feels weak, and the realization hits me like a ton of bricks. She’s going to kill me. I’m not strong enough to defeat her. Silently, I send up a prayer to the Great Luna to give me strength.

  Kara snaps my neck back, her voice right by my ear. “Zayne took away my happiness, so I’m going to take away his.”

  It’s as if everything moves in slow motion. I know Kara’s about to deliver the killing blow, but I know I have to fight back, even if it’s pointless. Taking a deep breath, I focus on her wild, blood-thirsty eyes and prepare myself to strike. Then, out of nowhere, a burst of energy charges through my body, giving me a newfound strength I didn’t know I had.

  A deep growl rumbles in my chest, and I squeeze her wrists, pulling her away from my neck. I feel as if I could rip her apart with no effort. The energy coursing through me is intense and something I’ve never felt before.

  Kara’s eyes widen with fear. “Impossible.”

  I throw her across the room the same way she did me. Her body crumples on the floor, but she gets up quickly, confusion sweeping across her face. She tries to run for the door, but I grab her by the neck and pull her back.

  “You came in here to kill me,” I hiss low, my voice unrecognizable. “I shouldn’t let you live.”

  My claws pierce the skin on her neck, and trails of blood drip onto the floor as she looks up at me. Finally, she closes her eyes, and a tear falls down her cheek. “Do what you have to do.”

  I can’t begin to understand the life Kara’s had to live. She’s kept her identity a secret and been alone without a pack. Does she deserve to die for what she’s done? Maybe, but it’s not going to be by my hand.

  “Goodbye, Kara,” I say, squeezing her neck harder. I lift her in the air and slam her so hard against the floor that it knocks her out. When I look down at my hands, they’re covered in blood, but there’s no time to clean up. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I grab my bag off the floor and race downstairs; I have to get out of the house. I can’t feel Knox anywhere close by, so it’s my only chance.

  I rush downstairs, and as soon as I focus on the open door, someone is blocking the way. Leaning his shoulder against the doorframe is Knox, with his focus on the floor and holding up his phone. My heart stops the second I hear voices come over the line. It feels like I’m stuck in an eternity of hell as I listen to the conversations. All of the people who have been in my house, including Zayne, are on it. It’s all the evidence he needs to know that I’m Zayne’s mate. There’s even a recording of Zayne and me making love in the bedroom.

  I drop my bag on the floor. “You bugged my house.”

  His glowing blue eyes lift to mine, and I can see the betrayal in them. “I’m disappointed in you, Amelie. I thought you were on my side. I didn’t know you’d been playing me this whole time. When Kara planted the bugs, I thought she was paranoid. I honestly thought I could trust you. Guess I was wrong.”

  My throat grows tight. I didn’t want to hurt Knox, and I didn’t want him to find out everything this way. “I’m sorry. I care about you, and I always will. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  The rage emanating off of him is suffocating. He glares down at my bag and then back to me. “Leaving town?”

  “You left me no choice. Your sister already tried to kill me.”

  His jaw clenches. “Yeah, I’m glad I got here when I did. If you hadn’t taken Kara out, I would have.”

  My mouth gapes. “Would you have killed your own sister?”

  There’s
no sense of hesitation on his face. “Yes. I told her not to hurt you, and she didn’t listen.”

  The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and fear courses through my veins. I’ve never been afraid of Knox, but I feel it now. “What are you going to do?”

  He stalks toward me. “Well, I can’t exactly kill Lyall’s mate, can I? So there’s only one solution.”

  My stomach clenches, and I swallow hard. “And that is?”

  Reaching for my bag, he hauls it over his shoulder, his eyes blazing. “Zayne and I are going to settle this the old way. If he wins, you’ll be free of me. If I win, you leave with me.”

  Frozen in place, I stare at him in horror. I know what’s about to happen, and it terrifies me. Knox and Zayne are both royal arctics, their power equal. Anyone could win.

  Knox waves a hand toward the door. “Let’s go. We have a party to get to.”

  Slowly, I walk out the door, my hands trembling in fear. It doesn’t matter what happens tonight; I’m going to lose someone I love.

  33

  Zayne

  The field is packed with wolves, all of them surrounding the bonfire and ready to bring in the New Year. Chase Maheegan is here with his Timberwolves, and Tate Grayson brought the Great Plains Pack. The only people we’re missing are Amelie, Knox, and Kara.

  “Something’s wrong,” I hiss, focusing on my phone. I’ve texted Amelie several times from my phone and Laila and Tyla’s. But, unfortunately, she hasn’t replied to any of them.

  Sebastian pulls out his cell and looks at the time. “They’re an hour late.”

  I knew I should’ve stayed by her house, but I wanted to be ready at the party. I’ve paced so much that the snow is packed down. Colin grabs my shoulder and steps in front of me. “If you want, I’ll go with you to check on her. I don’t like seeing you like this.”

  Huffing, I peer out at the crowd. Laila walks over with Kami and Tyla, and Laila takes my hands. “Be careful. I don’t know what’s happening right now, but things feel strange. Like there’s a storm coming, only not.”

  “All right,” I say, turning to Colin. “Let’s go.”

  “I’m coming too,” Kami offers, coming to stand next to Colin. “If the psycho bitch is with them, then somebody needs to take her out.”

  “It’s a time like now that I wish I’d taken Amelie’s blood. Then, I’d know exactly what’s going on.”

  Colin nods. “It does come in handy.”

  Before I can even take a step, that’s when a burst of energy blasts through the crowd. It doesn’t affect the mated royals or even me, but those who aren’t visibly sway on their feet.

  Laila grabs my arm and latches on tight. “They’re here.”

  When Knox comes into view, Amelie is right beside him. The scent of blood permeates the air, and my wolf goes on alert; it’s Amelie’s blood I smell. I can see the red on her neck and hands. “Blood,” I growl. “Amelie’s been hurt.”

  “It’s not just her,” Laila whispers. “That’s Kara’s blood on her hands.”

  Amelie’s eyes meet mine, and I can see her fear. Knox marches up toward the bonfire, and everyone moves out of his way. Laila lets my arm go and runs over to Amelie, followed by Kami and Tyla. They surround her while Knox glares at the crowd before settling his murderous glare on me.

  “I know your plan, Lyall,” he snarls. “You were going to use your daughter to put me down like the coward I know you are.” He opens his arms wide. “Were you too afraid to fight me?”

  I step forward. “No,” I growl, my fangs lengthening. “I didn’t because of Amelie.”

  Knox tilts his head back and laughs. “You’ve always been the honorable one. I always told you one day it’d get you killed.”

  “What do you want?” I hiss. His gaze turns to Amelie, and I can feel my wolf just underneath the surface, desperate to break free. “Don’t you fucking look at her,” I shout. “She’s not yours.”

  I can feel his need to be with her, and it enrages me even more. Knox focuses back on me and grins. “Not yet, but that’s going to change.” His smile disappears and is replaced with hatred. “It’s time for us to end this. Do you remember the way we handled things two centuries ago?”

  My jaw clenches, and I nod. I knew it’d come to that. “Yes,” I answer.

  Knox takes off his shirt and tosses it on the ground. “Good. You can either fight me or have your daughter do the dirty work for you. What’ll it be?”

  The old way is to fight to the death. Only one is allowed to survive. It doesn’t matter if your opponent submits; they have to be killed. I can feel everyone’s eyes on me, waiting for my answer. I look over at Amelie to see tears on her cheeks but understanding in her eyes. She knows there’s no other way; I have to do this.

  “I accept,” I shout so everyone around the bonfire can hear. Knox smiles and stretches out his arms while I stand back with the rest of the alphas. Ryker, Sebastian, Colin, Tate, and Chase all know this is what I have to do.

  Ryker places his hands on my shoulders. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  I nod and focus on Sebastian and Colin. “And no interference,” I say, addressing them both. “This is between Knox and me. If he wins, you have to let him go.”

  Ryker sighs and looks to Tate and Chase. “Let’s get into position.”

  All three of them walk off, but Sebastian and Colin stay next to me. I meet both of their gazes, making sure to keep my voice low. “If I lose, you can’t let him take Amelie. I need you to promise me.”

  Sebastian squeezes my shoulder. “You better not lose, brother.”

  “Promise me,” I snap. “Both of you.”

  Sebastian and Colin nod, and I turn my attention back to Knox, who grins as if he’s already won. For the first time in my life, I’ve never entered a fight I wasn’t sure I could win. This time, however, is a different story.

  34

  Amelie

  “Are you okay?” Tyla asks, throwing her arms around me.

  Tears fall down my cheeks. “Not in the least. Where are the babies?”

  She moves behind me and touches the spot where I had the gash on my head; it’s already healed over. Laila stands in front of me and looks down at my red-stained hands. “They’re with Bailey. We didn’t want to take the chance of something going wrong.” She meets my gaze. “Did you kill Kara?”

  I shake my head. “No. She’s still alive. I left her in my room, but I don’t know how long she’ll be out. We need to keep her contained.”

  Kami raises a hand. “I volunteer to go. I know exactly what to do with her.”

  Laila nods at her, and she takes off through the woods, leaving me alone with Tyla and Laila. My heart stops when I look over at the bonfire and see Knox preparing for the fight, looking lethal. It’s as if he’s an entirely different person. Zayne has his back to me, talking to Sebastian and Colin. He takes off his shirt, and Sebastian grabs it. I want to talk to him, but I know he needs to focus.

  The ground starts to spin, and I sway on my feet. “Whoa,” Tyla says, steadying me.

  Closing my eyes, I slowly take in a breath. “I don’t know what’s going on. The same thing happened earlier, and I passed out.” Laila clutches my face and gasps the second her skin touches mine. She closes her eyes, and a smile lights up her face. I look over at Tyla, and she’s just as confused as I am. “What is it?”

  Laila grabs my hand and pulls me away from the crowd. “I need to see something.” When we get far enough away from everyone, she stands in front of me and closes her eyes while slowly running her hands down my body. She stops over my stomach, and her eyes flash open.

  Tears spring to her eyes, and she slaps a hand over her mouth. “Amelie, you’re pregnant.”

  Those are the last words I expect to hear, but it makes perfect sense. It’s why I’ve been sick the past couple of days. Placing a hand over my stomach, I look over at Zayne, wishing I could tell him he has more than just me to fight for.

  Laila lower
s her voice, but her smile is radiant. “It’s not just one baby, Amelie. You’re going to have twin boys.”

  Tyla squeals under her breath. “Holy shit. This is unheard of. You’re not even mated yet.”

  Laila glances down at my stomach. “Those little ones might be why you were able to fight off Kara. Their royal blood mixed with yours makes you stronger.”

  “How is this even possible?” I wonder.

  Laila shrugs. “I’m not sure. With my mother, she was fae, so the rule book goes out the window, but with you, it’s something new altogether.”

  Tyla snorts. “Face it, Laila. Your father has super sperm. This hasn’t happened with any other shifter besides him.”

  Laila holds up a hand. “I’m sure we’ll be able to laugh about this later, but right now isn’t the time.”

  Knox turns to us and walks over with his head held high. Laila and Tyla give me a warning look and stand out of the way when he stops in front of me, not even acknowledging them. “This will be over soon,” he says matter-of-factly.

  I shake my head. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

  His solemn gaze bores into mine. “Yes, it does,” he says before walking back to the circle.

  Everyone gathers around, giving Knox and Zayne a wide berth. I don’t want to watch the fight, but I have no choice. Ryker stands in the middle with both men as they strip out of their clothes. Zayne glances over at me, and I mouth the words I love you to him.

  Laila takes my hand and squeezes it. “Everything will be fine.”

  Tyla holds my other hand. “We’re right here with you.”

  Ryker moves out of the circle while Zayne and Knox shift into their magnificent white wolves. They’re the same in size, but Knox has a gray patch under his neck, and Zayne doesn’t. Zayne’s fur is exceptionally white, which makes it look as if it glows. The tension is high, and I can barely breathe as I watch both stalk each other. Out of the corner of my eye, Colin rushes over and stands behind us.