Stay Wild Moon Child

Chapter Two

Chapter Two - Conrad

“I am leaving with Samantha,” I said taking in the horror in her features. Even now with her face twisted in pain and her eyes screaming of betrayal, she was beautiful. I hated the pain I knew I was causing her and the way she physically withdrew with my words more than I should have. Each unfished tear she held in and half step backward digging deep into my soul in ways that should not be possible. Samantha was my mate, I scented it on her just last night. What more could be said or done when the fates made there will know so clearly.

“You're choosing her then? You?” She asked trying to make sense of an impossible situation her hand going up to rub at her temples and her heart rate increasing. “You’re supposed to protect me.” Her words were harsh and true. I swore an oath to protect her to the best of my abilities at all times. I knew how much the words meant to her and still did but, things were different now. Samantha needed me to be there for her. My duty to the pack had to come second to my duty to my mate at least that was how I felt. Not to mention how could I continue to work alongside Scarlet day in and out for hours at a time knowing she would never be mine. That one day she would find her mate and would not need me anymore, but Samantha would always need me and want me near.

“She is my other half, my soulmate, Scarlet you would not understand it’s a wolf thing,” I said more sharply than intended causing her to jerk away as if slapped in the face. Immediately I regretted the words and cursed myself but, it was too late I could see it in her hard-emerald eyes. I had gone too far. It wasn’t her fault no one wanted to teach her about being a shifter and what that meant for her for the rest of her life. They wrote her off as the token normal child of the family because her wolf was so weak and buried deep in her soul, she was essentially a human.

“Do what you want Conrad, you always do anyway.” She spat venom lacing every word in a manner I had never heard her use let alone directed at me, “I don’t need you or anyone else in this joke of a family. I can look after myself.” Her tone was cold and her voice stern as she held her head high meeting my eyes. At that moment I saw something stirring deep down in her soul making her eyes glow dimly. It was something that signified a great amount of emotion in a shifter and I could not recall ever seeing hers do it before let alone the same shade green as her eye color. It was extremely rare for any wolf eyes to shine any color than yellow. “Besides being cast aside for her is nothing new for me. I should have seen this one coming a mile away.” I wanted to tell her it wasn’t like that. The bond was not a choice it was fact and I could not change that she smelled like my mate no matter how hard I wanted to despite the way she was breaking before me. I knew this damage would never be undone. She would always carry the hate for me her eyes promised that. So, I did the worst thing possible I stayed silent and watched her storm away without a single glance back at me or anyone else. Leaving my last memory of her hating me and turning her back on me as she walked away. It broke my heart causing physical pain beyond belief to radiate through my chest nearly taking me my knees. But nothing that compared to the image of her walking away her back facing me as she held in her unshed tears knowing this time, I had not only caused but also that I couldn’t fix. I swore an oath to her to keep her safe in front of the pack the day she was born and another silent one when I kissed her at eight when I was sure I would never love another. At this moment I was sure I failed her in both.

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I woke to the sound of banging at my front, echoing around in my head due to the hangover from the drink I still clutched tightly in hand. Sitting forward in the chair I sat it down standing and making my way to the door and persistent knocking. Scrubbing one of my hands over my face trying to rid my mind of Scarlet and all that had happened I flung open the door putting an ending to the assault.

“What?” I growled still trying to rid my mind of the memories that had haunted me each night for the last few weeks. At the time I had been so sure of Samantha yet, not even a week later Samantha and I separated just as the scent of my mate had from her days before. It hadn’t taken me very long to see what had happened but, it was too late to return. I had made my bed and I had to lie in it at least that is what my father had always said.

“We got problems boss big ones. A girl was attacked and bitten outside our club last night.” My packmate Evert said running his boney hands through his red hair. He was okay for the most part though there was something off I could not quite place about him.

As his words sank into my mind I felt the anger pool in my stomach. A rouge wolf in my territory would not be tolerated and they knew that. To attack outside my club was a direct slap in my face and one I did not take lightly.

“Where is Kale?” I asked referring to my second and the one who should be knocking on my front door.

“At the club pulling surveillance of the attack. It was apparently very brutal.” He said looking sick to his stomach. I said nothing rubbing my eyes again.

“Did it make the papers?” I asked taking my keys off the hook where they hung by the door.

“Yes, but not in connection to the club. It only says a woman was brutally attacked and found two hours later by her friend in an ally. She was roughed up a lot, they think she might have been moved a few times during that period.

“Did it list a name or anything?” I asked making my way outside as Evert trailed behind.

“Yeah, Jane.” He said as we took the stairs down to the garage where my truck sat.

“Jane as in Jane Doe?” I asked with little patience and full of annoyance. It was no secret they listed unidentified women as, Jane Doe, in the paper. His ignorance of that was not pleasing in the least. It only made me question his usefulness to the pack I ran.

“Yeah, and the friend was some guy named Ryan. He wasn’t listed though a bouncer remembered hearing it.” Evert said though I took it with a grain of salt. Without another word, I jumped into my truck heading to the club at full speed ahead. The last thing I needed right now was this s**t falling in my lap. I was at the club last night and could not recall any mischief but, then I also hadn’t stayed long after the Samantha siting.

Before I knew it, I was pulling up to the club and jerking to a stop in a nearby spot. Carefully I glanced around taking in all I could but, there was not much left other than human. Faintly, I caught the familiar scent of a wolf but, it was too weak to do anything with. Frustrated I made my way inside and toward the office where I knew Kale would be in front of a computer looking for evidence and clues.

As expected, I found him zoned into the video. His hair looked disheveled and I could hear him curse and hit the counter hard as I entered. “What’s going on Kale?” I asked somewhat startling him. He had been so focused he missed my entrance which was not very like him at all. Without turning to face me he waved me over.

“This is our girl here leaving.” He said rewinding the video to a blur of bodies and hovering over a bracelet of some sort that looked oddly familiar. “You can’t see her face because of all the others entering but, her friend whose minutes behind her is clear as day.”  Pausing the camera, he zoomed in on a face I knew all too well. She was older now but, there was no doubt it was at the end of the screen and it sent my heart speeding up. “Check all the angles now,” I growled.

“There is nothing, I have already. Is that who I think it is?” He asked turning slightly. Kale knew my past to a degree and knew like the rest that I was of a royal bloodline.

“Move,” I growled sharply taking over the area and scanning the screens like a mad man. I already knew who the girl was, Ryan. Best friend of Scarlet and younger sister to my oldest friend Theo. We hadn’t spoken since I had left home nearly eight years ago but, still, I needed to call him. Frustration mounted as I searched for her to enter the club on camera.  Though I wanted to be wrong one thing I knew for sure was wherever Ryan was Scarlet wasn’t far behind and I had yet, to see her on camera. Finally, I caught a glimpse of Ryan who stuck close to another figure as they moved toward the back. It was like Kale had said however I could see nothing more than a seemingly matching black dress. I knew what that meant. It was Scarlet in my club last night not Samantha. The realization nearly sent me to my knees, again I had failed to protect her.  She had been so close and yet, I had not even recognized her. Another realization slammed into me. When I looked at Scarlet, I sensed she was a rouge, it was why I was sure it was Samantha. Something major had to have happened for her to renounce the pack and, I hadn’t been there. I was here.

“I have to go,” I growled pushing away from the screen. Standing I grabbed my keys taking off towards the hospital towards the one person it seemed I couldn’t stop failing, Entering the room I saw her lying comatose in the bed bruises and scrapes peeking from beneath the edge of the gown and gauze taped to her neck gently I pulled it aside to find a bite mark,  the wolf bit her.  Which meant he knew to try and awaken her Luna nature. Likely he knew it might kill her by leaving her in a populated area for someone to find.

I was lost in her serenity even beaten and bruised she was beautiful and pure. Everything in me wanted to hold her. To protect her like I should have been this e entire time. Slowly, I tucked a lock of her fiery hair behind her ear. I could barely see the freckles that once dotted her face so boldly when I left. Looking her over in more detail I noticed scaring and discoloration in areas. I felt my eyebrow raise as I recognized the mark of a cigarette on her arm, none of this made any sense. Anger, regret, and pain seeped into my bones freezing me. Somehow, I knew this was my fault. I was supposed to save her. Unable to look at her anymore I went to look at her chart taking note of her address. I didn’t understand it very much but, critical was written everywhere and I knew it was bad really bad.  I walked back over to her placing a kiss upon her forehead before leaving the room. I needed to find this wolf he had to pay for this, and I would make sure he did. Punching in the address into google maps I found it was a small apartment complex not too far from the hospital and I set off in that direction.