Blue Moon Eclipse

Chapter 6

Antonio POV~~

Late into the night, I wake up to Lotus tossing and turning in bed. She had offered to sleep on the couch in my room, but I had refused to let her sleep on it. She didn't want to share the bed, however, seeing as how she just met me and was still wrapping her head around everything that was happening. Instead, I take the couch myself, but I can hardly sleep. Knowing she is just out of reach and in my bed has Kai pacing restlessly. Neither of us wants to leave her side, even though we both know taking a run would help us sleep. Sitting up on the couch, I look through the darkness at her sleeping face. Her brow is furrowed, and her mouth keeps muttering; "No, run faster." Standing, I slowly and quietly approach the bed. I hope that she will calm down, so I wait a moment before doing anything. When she doesn't calm, I slowly lower myself onto the bed beside her. Placing my hand on her head gently, I lean down and whisper in her ear.

"Lotus, you're safe. You don't have to run anymore." Thinking that would calm her down is my mistake. Her eyes fly open, and she socks me right in the jaw. I go tumbling off the bed as she shoots up to a sitting position. Her fists are raised until she looks down and sees me on the floor, rubbing my chin. Her hands fly to her mouth at the same time it makes an "O."

"I am so sorry. Are you okay?" She pulls her hands down slightly to whisper. Looking up at her, I see concern and regret. She punched me in the mouth. I start laughing uncontrollably. Draping my arm across my knee and looking up at her.

"Yeah, I'm good. You've got a mean right hook there. You'll learn how to fight, no problem." I chuckle again as her arms cross over her chest.

"It's not funny. I just punched you because you woke me up." She grumbles. This just makes me laugh again.

"You're laughing at our mate? At least she can handle herself." Kai says with pride. She throws the blanket off her legs and swings them off the bed.

"I'm going to go get myself some water." She says, grumpily. Clearly, she doesn't like being woken up. I spring to my feet and follow her.

"So when you're having a nightmare. Is there anything I can do to help?" She sighs at my question.

"Unfortunately, no. I have a journal at home that has them all recorded and written out. If you could get me something to write with and in, I would appreciate it. Also, my phone's dead. Do you have a charger?" waving her phone in front of us and then continuing walking away.

"I do. It's in my room. We can plug it in when we get back there."

"Yeah. I'm probably not going back to sleep. That's why I wanted you to take the bed. I always wake up early with my nightmares. I can't ever go back to sleep. I didn't want to disturb you." She explains so sweetly. I shrug.

"I haven't really slept much, either. My wolf and I don't want to leave you alone but we usually go for a run before bed." This seems to peak her interest.

"A run? Like. As a wolf?" She sounds kind of excited. She turns toward me, and I see a sparkle in her eyes. I chuckle.

"Yes. As a wolf." She looks away quickly, almost hiding a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"You'd said you would show me. Would you," she asks, wringing her hands. I smile at her widely.

"Of course. But first, I want to try something. That way, we can still talk when I'm shifted." Curiosity fills her face as I allow my eyes to glaze and open a private mind link just with her.

"Can you hear me?" I ask her. She jumps slightly at hearing my voice in her head.

"Yes?" She thinks and says in the same moment.

"You don't have to speak. Just think about letting me hear what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking I shouldn't let you wear those clothes." Her blush spreads as she looks up at me. I grin ear to ear as it deepens.

"Wait. You heard that?!" she sounds embarrassed and shocked.

"Yes. But don't worry. It'll be our secret." As I think it, I place my finger to my lips. She giggles as I grasp her hand and lead her towards the kitchen. It's such a pleasant tone, unlike my sister, Kylee's, high-pitched squeals.

When we get there, it's dimly lit by the moonlight seeping in from the windows. I turn toward her and grasp her hips, causing her to gasp. I lift her, effortlessly placing her on the counter. I give her a large toothy grin and step away toward the cupboard. Pulling out a glass and filling it with water, I feel her eyes following me. She's watching every move I make. Turning back to her, I hold the cup out.

"Your water, malady." I bow deeply, causing another giggle to burst from her chest. I love making her laugh.

"Why, thank you, kind sir." She replies, taking the water and taking a long gulp. Once she's done and sets the glass down, I pull her off the counter and place her gently on her feet.

"Are you ready to meet my wolf?" I ask, quietly whispering in her ear. I feel her shiver against me and nod silently. "Then let's go." Snatching her hand again, I pull her toward the side door in the kitchen, taking bed straight out into the open air.

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Lotus POV~~

This man is going to be the end of me. He's whispering in my ears and yet still being polite and gentlemanly. He's not pushing too far. He leads me outside to a nearby tree. Releasing my hand, he takes a few steps to step behind a tree.

"No peaking now. Wouldn't want you to see anything before it's time." I hear his voice playfully say in my mind. It's strange, hearing a voice in my head that isn't mine. But it's nice knowing that it's his. I wait patiently for him to re-emerge from behind the tree. What I don't expect is a large black wolf to take his place. I take a shocked step back and meet his eyes. He's moving slowly, trying not to startle me. I see the same deep emerald colored eyes that Antonio's flashed in the dress shop meet mine. He lowers his head and crouches down low to the ground.

"Antonio?" I think.

"I'm still here. But the wolf you are looking at is Kai. He's going to take over now." The wolf lays fully down, extending his front paws in front of him.

"Hello, mate." I hear a voice slightly different than Antonio's in my mind. It's deeper and more growl like. While it is different, it doesn't startle me.

"Lotus, please. That's my name." I smile a small smile at him and take a ginger step toward him. He doesn't move a muscle. Slowly, I approach him, my hand moving towards him without much thought from me.

"I have to feel this fur." I think. I then hear a deep chuckle in my mind. Kai lowers his head further and closes his eyes.

"Please, do." He thinks. Taking the opportunity, I close the remaining distance between us and hesitantly run my fingers through the fur on his head and down his back. I feel the muscles relax as he heaves a sigh.

"It's so soft." Without thinking about it or asking, I lean down and practically lay on him, feeling the fur brush against my face. I hear him chuckle again.

"Would you like to join me for a run, my flower?" He asks, opening his eyes and turning his head to look back at me. Startled by the nickname, my head snaps up, and my face is inches from his.

"But how?" I question, feeling a puzzled look on my face. He nudges me with his nose just at my thigh.

"Get on my back, flower, and hold on tight."

"But I don't want to rip out your fur. I don't want to hurt you." Again, I hear him chuckle.

"You won't. You couldn't even if you tried." He has a smugness in his voice that makes me c**k an eyebrow at him. Almost defiantly, I swing my leg over his back and straddle him like I'm riding a horse. Locking my fingers through the fur on the back of his neck I squeeze my knes and lean forward. As he stands I feel every powerful muscle in his back flex, almost as though in slow motion he looks back at me. I see a gleam of mischievous shine in his eyes and then he bolts. Darting between trees faster than any normal wolf. I feel the cool fall wind whip against my face and through my hair. With every stride he takes, his legs and neck tense and relax in a fluid motion. He zig-zags throught the forest until he breaks through to the edge of a cliff and stops. Blinking a few times I look around and gasp.

"What is it, my flower?" Concern fills the thought as I slide onto my feet beside him taking in the scene directly from my dream.

"I've been here." I say it out loud, breaking the eerie silence of the night. Looking to the right is the waterfall, with the Moonlight reflecting off the river it flows from. I'm so lost in thought, lost in remembering the dream, I don't notice Kai shifts back to Antonio. Suddenly I feel warmth behind me. Spinning on my heel I face him and finally register tat he's human again. Concern is written on his face.

"How have you been here," he asks. Fear is evident in my voice when I speak.

"My dream. The morning of my birthday. Thompson was there and he chased me to this spot. I was a wolf and I jumped into that waterfall." I say turning back to it and pointing. I let my hand fall back to my side before bring both up to hug myself. His arms wrap around me and pull me back against his chest.

"If he chases you here, there's a problem. Because while he may be our King currently, he is still required to follow pack Laws. Meaning our territory is our territory." He says in a hushed tone by my ear. He nussles into my neck sending sparks shooting across my skin. I nod and trun my head to look at him.

"I think I'm ready to go back now." I say quietly. He nods and walks off behind a tree. Just then I hear a branch snap from the other direction and I whip around to look into the trees. Black eyes stare at me from just behind the brush and as I open my mouth to scream, a huge wolf lunges at me and suddenly were both tumbling off the cliff. A few moments later we crash into the water below and everything goes black.