Turn of the Moon

4. Bailey-1

4

Bailey

“I take it you don’t want to go back with me.” Sebastian’s eyebrows raise up as he puts my bags in the trunk and slams it shut.

I look straight into my best friend’s bright blue eyes and they spark with power. “Would you want to go back to a cage?” I had enjoyed my freedom at college, but I know as soon as I step back into the pack, my life will not be my own anymore.

Sighing, he opens the car door. “You might think you’re alone in this, but you’re not. Things will change, B. I just need you to give it a little more time.”

I snort. “Time? I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about. I am alone, Sebastian. The only people I have are you and my parents. Everyone else stays away from me.”

“I’m sure your parents missed you.”

“And you didn’t?”

Chuckling, he runs a hand through his bright blond hair. “I missed your smart-a*s mouth. It was boring while you were away. You always had a way of keeping me entertained.”

I lean against the car and smile. “I’m surprised my father hasn’t asked you to be my mate.”

His grin disappears as he looks away. “I think Darius has other plans.”

“Like what?” As soon as I ask, my skin tingles and burns. A mysterious wolf is near. His power calls to mine and I want to succumb, but I will not go down that easily.

Sebastian narrows his eyes, studying me, and then goes into full alert. “Bailey, get in the car.” His eyes focus on something across the street and I know who it is without even looking. He’s a wolf and an alpha. For the past five years, I had sensed him near, but he never once approached. Not until now. “Get in the f*****g car, Bailey,” Sebastian growls again.

I don’t want to get in the car. Instead, I turn around and get my first glimpse of the mysterious wolf. He’s standing beside a black Jeep with his arms crossed angrily at his chest. His light brown hair is hidden underneath a navy baseball cap, and he’s dressed in a white T-shirt and ripped jeans. His bright green eyes meet mine and my wolf stirs deep inside, calling to him. The only word floating through my mind is something I am not expecting.

Mine.

Our eyes meet, but the connection breaks when Sebastian forces me into the car. “What the f**k is wrong with you?” He slams the door and gets in, squealing the tires as he races us down the street and away from the green-eyed wolf. I look back through the window and he is gone.

My world shimmers and I am sucked into another place and time.

Hands hold me down, but it’s not out of aggression, it’s passion fueled. I moan as the green eyed wolf pushes himself into me, claiming me. I love the way his skin feels against mine and the way we move together. I’ve never felt so close to anyone before. It’s almost as if we’re connected somehow.

“Bailey, wake up,” a voice called. It was the voice in my dreams, the voice of the wolf.

When I finally woke up, I wasn’t in the woods . . . and I definitely wasn’t alone. His scent surrounded me, not only in the air, but on my body. What the hell? Clenching my teeth, I growled and tried to roll off the bed, with no such luck. Apprehended, with an arm across my stomach, I felt him straddle my waist, chuckling as he pinned my arms above my head.

“Let me go,” I demanded, glaring up into his glowing gaze. His touch made my body tingle, almost like an electrical current passing from his body to mine. It was strange, yet I welcomed it, even though my mind was telling me to knee him in the junk.

“Good morning to you too, Sleeping Beauty. I trust you're well rested?” he asked, smiling wide. I half expected him to look at my body, but he kept his focus on my eyes. Point for him.

My cheeks burned. “I slept fine. But if you don’t get off of me, I’m going to make sure you choke on your balls. Your choice.”

He smirked and rolled off. There was a T-shirt on the edge of the bed he snatched up and slipped on. He wasn’t mated, because if he was I would smell another female on him. There was nothing other than the woods, the unique scent of our Arctic bloodline, and something else. I just couldn’t place what that other smell was.

“Calm down, Bailey. You know very damn well I’m not going to hurt you.”

I snatched the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around me, huffing. “You’re right, you’re not.” He laughed and it only pissed me off more. “How do you know my name?”

Staring at me with those hypnotic eyes, he ran a hand through his tousled, light blond hair. “I’ve known you for a long time now.”

“You mean stalked,” I clarified. I had to admit, he was a good looking stalker. All I could think of was wrapping my legs around his body and gripping that hair of his while he spread me wide. I could see it clearly in my mind from my dream. It felt so real, as if it actually happened.

He chuckled darkly and bit his lip. “Oh, it will happen, angel. What you saw and did in your dream was our future. It wasn’t easy sleeping beside you when I couldn’t touch you.”

Eyes wide, I jumped out of the bed and backed against the wall, clutching the blanket tight. “How the hell did you know what I was thinking?” Surely, I didn’t say it out loud. I was about to go into full panic mode when a calm swept through my body like warm lavender. I didn’t feel like myself. “What’s going on?” I whispered.

Cautiously, he edged closer. “Bailey, it’s okay. My name’s Ryker. I want to help you, not hurt you. Through our bond I can calm you down, but I can’t do it forever. Right now, I need you to listen to me. There’s so much I need to tell you.”

“Through our bond? What are you talking about?”

Holding out his hand, he beckoned me closer. “Here, take my hand and tell me what you feel.”

I stared at his hand before he snatched mine instead. Immediately, my body lit up like fire, coursing through every vein. I could feel each emotion inside of him like they were my own. There was passion, happiness, concern, and even . . . love. How could that be? The longer I touched him, the more I wanted—the more I craved. I didn’t want to let go.

“Why do I feel like this when I don’t even know you?” I asked.

Ryker pulled me close, and all I wanted was for him to put his arms around me, to touch me with those strong hands of his. “You do know me, Bailey. It was a long time ago, but I knew I would never forget your face as long as I lived.”

Eyes wide, I gasped. “When? Where? I don’t remember you other than seeing you in my dreams a little bit ago. Well, that, and your eyes seem familiar. Why do they seem familiar?” I muttered the last question to myself.

Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, he smiled and caressed my cheek. “I was there the day that other wolf picked you up from college. I was pissed when I saw you leave with him. The day I was able to come for you, was the day I lost you.”

“So the dream actually happened? Why don’t I remember you from that day? And how could you even sense me? I was under a shielding spell. No other wolves should’ve been able to find me.”

“Magic doesn’t work against a mate, angel. Don’t get me wrong, whatever voodoo s**t you had surrounding you made it difficult, but I was still able to find you. I had to tread carefully when you went back to Canada, however.”

“Oh my God, how is this even possible? I’ve never heard of mates being able to do that.” I’d never actually heard anything about what happened when wolves mated. I felt so lost. Letting go of his hand, I stepped back. “Whatever you’re doing to my emotions, stop.”

The warmth went away and I was back to feeling in control. I had to get out of there. I thought Ryker would try to stop me, but he didn’t as I stalked past him and down the stairs. There was nowhere to go but out. The magic grew inside me and as soon as I opened the door, I was ready to shift. Unfortunately, there were six wolves standing guard.

“You have got to be kidding me.”