Beneath a Moonless Sky - Book One (Moon Child Series)

Chapter Twelve

Water stung at my skin as it cascaded from the sky. But I couldn’t feel anything. All I could think of was getting to Elaina. I needed her stability. I needed my best friend. When I finally reached her house, the sky was pitch black, the only light was the streetlamps and the occasional flash of lightning. The rain was coming down in waves and I was soaked to the bone. I couldn’t feel anything though.

I reached for the doorbell as a crashing bang filled the night and I waited patiently. Nothing else mattered right now but the reassurance I would get from Elaina. My best friend. The front door opened, and the smell hit me. Strawberries and chocolate. s**t. 

 “Lucian! You’re soaked!” Her voice filled my ears, warm honey that soaked my body banishing any cold I felt. All I could do is stare, my eyes caught on hers. God she was beautiful. My hand had a mind of its own as it reached out and stroked her cheek. Like Magnus said flames licked at my skin making me never want to stop touching her. I was yanked inside unceremoniously and dragged up the stairs. But all I could think of was how amazingly her hands fit into mine and how had I never noticed it before. I’d had feelings for her since we were fifteen but never acted on them. She has a boyfriend and I could never risk ruining our friendship if she did not feel what I did. 

Her hand dropped away from mine and I felt the loss like an ache in my heart. She disappeared into her adjoining bathroom and I could hear water running. When she walked out, I felt the need to touch her, to hold her and never let her go. 

But she is human. Fenris’s voice broke through my haze and I felt my heart rip. Her hand took mine again breaking my thoughts. I was consumed by her again. No rational thought had a chance. I followed her blindly into the bathroom. When she turned to me, I didn’t hear her words, just saw her lips, and wanted to make them mine. And then she was gone, and the door closed. I shook my head, trying to clear the haze but her scent surrounded me, driving me insane. 

So, for the third time that day I hopped into the shower. Thoughts of her consumed me and I had to calm down. I couldn’t scare her.  

“Luc, I’ve got some clothes for you to wear.” Her soft voice rang through the door. “I’ll put them on the bed for you. Just leave your wet clothes in the hamper and I’ll dry them for you.” I couldn’t answer, her voice driving me insane I had to control myself. “I’m going to run downstairs and get you a hot drink, ok?” 

And then she was gone. What felt like years was probably only minutes as I stood beneath the hot flow of water. Sick of showering, I switched the shower off and wrapped myself into the towel Elaina had provided. My body was on autopilot. I wasn’t aware of anything around me but her scent. It was overwhelming me. I could feel Fenris in my head pacing back and forth impatiently. He wanted to claim her, make her ours. But was torn. She’s human. We’re not. The Shifter King would kill her or force her to change, then in turn that could kill her. 

A soft knock sounded at the door, snapping me out of my thoughts. A few seconds later it opened and in she walked carrying a mug, steam rising from it’s top. Everything froze at the sight of her and I let my eyes travel up and down her body. Her fiery red hair hung down to her waist, soft curls making me want to run my hand through them. Her pale face, long slender nose and plump pink lips had me itching to hold her. Her long slender neck led into a baggy jumper and hid the curvy body that I knew it hid beneath. I saw her eyes taking me in, but she jumped when a crash of thunder shook the room. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. She was all I ever wanted to see. She coughed, her cheeks tinging with pink as she placed the mug on her desk. When the scalding liquid hit her skin, I was by her side in a split second, my increased shifter speed getting to work. I took her soft small hand in mine and inspected it. Her pale skin was a harsh red where the liquid had hit it. 

My next action was instinct, my body just reacted, as I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed it softly. I felt her body tense and then relax at the sensation. My lips were on fire from touching her skin and I knew she felt something too. I kissed another part of her hand, staring deeply into her eyes. Could she read what I was feeling for her? Did she know what she was doing to me? She looked like she was struggling to breathe. 

“Are you ok?” The burn didn’t look to bad and when she nodded, I felt relief. “Are your parents here?” The last thing I needed was her dad walking in on half naked me kissing his daughters’ hand. I regret the question though when she yanks her hand from mine as if she’d been burnt again. 

“Um, no. No, they had a really important business trip to go to.” She walked away from me towards the bed and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a shirt that had been sitting there and came to stand in front of the bathroom door, her small trembling hand holding the clothes out to me. But I could only stare. She was definitely feeling what I felt, and it was overwhelming her like it was me. 

“You better get dressed you know, before you catch your death.” Her voice was filled with concern and I melted at the thought of her caring enough for me to worry that I’d get sick. I was slow in my approach of her. I didn’t want to scare her, but I needed her lips on mine, I needed to make her mine. I continued my prowl towards her before I stood in front of her. I reached for the clothes she held out and felt the familiar burning tingle run up my arm. She felt it too judging by her dropping the clothes in shock. I couldn’t control myself as I softly pushed her against the door, our bodies almost touching, my hands on either side of her head on the door. Her eyes went to my lips and I couldn’t help dipping my head into her neck and breathing her in. God, she smelt delicious. Tart strawberries and sweet chocolate. I was drooling. I could feel her shivering against me and when I softly brushed my lips just above her collarbone she moaned softly. My lips broke out into a giant Cheshire cat smile at the affect I was having on her. Her moans were like music to my ears. 

“Ell.” I whispered against her skin. I needed her so bad. “Can I kiss you? Please?” I asked the question as if my life depended on it. And it did. If she refused, I would die right there. Silence rang through the air and I felt my heart dropping into my stomach before I felt her soft nod. My eyes lifted to hers needing her like I needed oxygen to breath. I was leaning in, slowly as to not shock her when she jumped at the sound of her phone ringing. I stepped back allowing her to walk past me. If it were her parents ringing and she didn’t answer there would be no end to their ranting. I kept close behind her though, needing her presence around me as I wrapped my arms around her waist feeling her soft body against my stomach and felt my lips move as if they had a mind of their own, placing searing kisses up and down her neck and I felt pride at her shiver. It took everything in me not to growl at the voice that came through the line as she answered the phone. My increased shifter hearing could hear everything being said as if I were the one on the phone. 

“Geez, it’s about time sweet cheeks, I’ve been trying to call you for 10 minutes.” I never liked that he called her sweet cheeks. Even in front of her parents. And hearing it now made me want to tear him apart. I continued my soft kisses, revelling in her reaction to me. “Helloooo?! Earth to Sweet Cheeks!” I felt her cringe against me. 

“Hi Liam, sorry. I was in the bathroom.” My arms tightened around her, pressing her ever closer to me. My body felt hot, flames licking at me everywhere we touched. She was like a drug and I couldn’t get enough. My lips continued their journey from one side of her neck to the other and I could feel her holding in her moan.  

“Are you even paying attention to me?” Liam’s shrill voice rang through the phone. I ignored it all and continued my travels along her neck.

“Sorry, I’m just lying in bed listening to the rain. It distracts me.” Speaking of distracting, I started nibbling softly at her skin between my kisses causing her to throw her head back I pleasure. My wolf purred at our mate’s reaction us and I felt pride swell my chest. And then Liam’s next sentence made my possessive nature rage it’s head and a soft growl slipped through my control into her soft neck. 

“What are you wearing while lying in bed? I hope you’re naked and thinking of me.” Her head turned to me and my only reply was to bite a little harder than before. Her gasp of pleasure made me tighten my hold as her legs nearly gave way. My wolf was pushing for control as Liam’s words pulled at our possessive nature. 

“Are you playing with your hot p***y right now? Thinking of me?” Red. It’s all I could see. How dare he speak to our mate so crassly. Fenris growled in my head.  She stiffened in my arms at his words and I crawled my hand up her shirt softly brushing her delectable skin just underneath her breasts. I felt like I was panting, touching her was affecting me so much. But it felt good because she was panting too. I was having the same effect on her too. My lips continued their fiery trail across her neck as I pulled her tighter against me letting her feel my c**k pressing against her perfect little ass. 

“Look Liam. I really don’t think we’re working out. I’m breaking up with you. Sorry it’s over the phone. Bye!” The phone was thrown away and faster than lightning she’d spun in my arms and thrown her hands around my neck our lips colliding in a mind-blowing kiss. Thunder ripped through the night sending electricity everywhere in the room and the power went out.

 That night I’d made love to Elaina, my mate, my love. I’d treated her like the queen she was, and it had taken everything in me not to mark her. Goddess knows I tried hard. Fenris had been raging in my head to do it, the fact she was human lost in pleasure. I’d told her I loved her. And I did. But I knew I couldn’t stay. I stayed until her breathing softened and her little snore filled the air between us. I didn’t want to leave. But she was a human and I couldn’t live with myself if she died because of her love for me and mine for her. Her heart would break and mine would too, but it was what was best. As I rose to leave, I allowed myself one last kiss to her brow and then I was gone. I rang Magnus on my walk home and let him know I would be leaving to start my training straight away. He texted me the coordinates to the pack house and informed me he would get someone to collect my stuff. My parents agreed they would leave too for Elaina’s safety and when I hopped into my car and drove away from the love of my life and the life that I knew my wolf howled in despair. 

When I’d arrived that day, Magnus had begun my training and within a month I was welcomed as the new beta. And the month after that I was off to the Blue Water Pack to help with the pack merge. I had hit the ground running, organising meetings with the council, submitting the forms, getting signatures. By my fourth month I had buried myself so far into the merge I’d temporarily forgotten about missing Elaina. And then I felt a pain so extreme that it brought me to my knees. My heart stopped thinking the worst, Fenris howling in pain. But eventually the pain dulled and was gone altogether. I knew then I needed to go to her, something big had happened. Something life changing. After that day, the pull of the mate bond only got stronger and my resolve to finish the pack merge ahead of schedule was resolute in my mind. I couldn’t just up and go, leaving my friend and Alpha high and dry. I had an obligation to my pack, to my place in that pack. In my heart I knew she was my only one, my mate and I would return to her and make up for every minute I missed. 

And now that the last form was signed and ready to send to the council, I was wasting no time in returning back to her. My plan was simple; report to Magnus and give him the important documents for his files then I would be off to Elaina’s house to try and win her back. She would be mad. Especially considering how I left. But I would do anything she asked to have her in my arms again. Anything. 

I headed to my room and began packing my bags eagerly. A knock at my door made me pause. 

“Come in.” Alpha Thompson opened the door and stepped in a smirk on his face at my already open suitcase. 

“Eager to leave?” I chuckled as I grabbed all my shirts from their draw and shoved them into the suitcase. 

“Eager to return. I have a mistake I need to set right. And there’s no time like the present.” Alpha Thompson nodded sadly. 

“I’ll be sad to see you go.” I clasped his forearm in respect and gave him a soft smile. 

“I’m very grateful for your hospitality, but there is nothing like home for me.” I turned back to my suitcase and shoved some more of my things in there. “I’ll be giving Magnus the files entailing the members that have requested to transfer over from Blue Water land to Blue Moon. He’ll look it over and see what he can do and who we have room for.” Alpha Thompson smiled widely. 

“Are you sure you’re not Alpha material?” He joked. 

“I’ll leave that kind of responsibility to Magnus.” I joked back. 

“Well I hope you’ll be well and that we see each other soon.” He pulled me into a tight hug and left me to pack. 

With the essentials packed I ran to my car, waving goodbye to everyone I passed. Then I was off. 

I flicked through my music as I drove and prepared myself for the two-hour drive back to Blue Moon, my heart beating eagerly in my chest.