Bound by the Moon

2. Kami-2

When I step out onto the front porch, the breeze is warm, and I can smell our Honeycrisp apples ripening on the trees. It’s one of the things I love about the beginning of Fall. My parents had the trees planted when I was young, and when I turned eighteen, they built me a house on their land. It’s my own slice of heaven.

“You know what I’m excited about?” Tia says from behind me.

I look over my shoulder to see her walk out the front door, dressed to perfection in one of my floral sundresses and boots. When she lived in Canada with the Blue River pack, her attire consisted of cocktail dresses and fancy jewelry. Then again, she lived in a giant mansion with a rage-filled alpha worth millions of dollars. In Montana, things are different. My family does have money, and we live comfortably, but we don’t show it off. I would prefer jeans and boots over an expensive gown any day.

Tia stands next to me, and I look at her. “What are you excited about?”

She peers out at the Grayson land. “This. Living my life here.” A smile lights up her face, and she turns her sea-green eyes to me. “I finally feel like I’m home. For the first time, I’m not being used for my magic.”

I hug her hard. “And you never will be.”

She pats my back. “I promise I’ll find my own place to stay soon.”

I roll my eyes and smile. “There’s no rush.”

She lets me go and grins as her gaze roams over my body. I chose to wear a denim skirt and a pink sleeveless top and boots with my hair in waves down my back; down to earth but sexy. “Who are you trying to impress tonight? A certain wolf maybe?”

I shrug and wink at her. “You never know.”

Honestly, I’m not trying to impress anyone, but a part of me does wonder if my mate will be at the party. In my dreams, I love every second I’m with him, even if I can’t see his face or hear his voice; I love just knowing he’s there with me. However, it is infuriating I don’t know who he is. I’m starting to think it’s because I haven’t chosen him yet. I don’t know any other reason besides that. Whatever magic I have is dangling him in front of me, almost like a cruel joke. Then again, it might not be the right time for me to know who he is.

Tia smiles. “We should probably go. We’re running out of time, and I know you want to stop by Ansley’s house before the party.”

I nod. “I do. Let me get my keys.”

Hurrying inside, I grab my keys off the counter and lock the front door. Tia is already in my Jeep when I get outside, so I hop in and we start on our way. Ansley lives ten minutes away from me, and it’s on the way to my parents’ house, which is where my graduation party is being held. A part of me hopes Ansley will be at the party instead of home, but her car is there when we pull into her driveway.

“Do you think it’ll work?” Tia asks.

I park beside Ansley’s silver Toyota Camry and sigh. “I sure as hell hope so.”

All I have to do is touch her and pray that my dreams tonight will help me see her mate. I honestly think Ansley’s to the point where she’ll run off on her own if she doesn’t get help dealing with her brother’s death. I love her, and I know she’s strong, but she’s not strong enough to live outside of a pack.

Taking a deep breath, I open my door and hop out. “Here we go. I’ll be right back.”

Tia stays in the car while I make my way to Ansley’s door. Her parents had a small cabin built on their land for her when she turned eighteen, just like mine did at that age. When I get onto the porch, I can see Ansley through the window, sitting on the couch and watching TV. Her brown hair is unkempt, and I’m pretty sure she’s wearing the same T-shirt she had on the other day when I visited her. With her shifter hearing, she has to know I’m there.

“Are you seriously going to make me knock?” I call out.

Ansley’s shoulders sag, and I can hear her tired sigh. She stands and turns to face me through the window. It’s as if I can feel her sorrow and pain through her eyes. They’re usually bright green, but today, there’s no light at all. She slowly walks to the door. “I’m sorry, but I can’t go to your party, Kami.”

“That’s not why I’m here.”

Ansley opens the door and leans against the frame. “Then why are you?”

“You’re one of my closest friends, Ansley. I miss you, and I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Ansley hangs her head, and a tear falls down her cheek. “I’m not, Kami. It all just hurts too much. After what my brother did, it’s too hard to face the others. My parents are thinking of leaving the pack.” Anson did betray us, but that was him, not her.

I reach down and grab her hand. “I know you feel like you don’t belong here anymore, but you do. I want to help you, but I need you to give me a little time. Don’t go running off in the middle of the night.”

She lifts her gaze to mine. “Time for what?”

As I hold her hand, I send up a silent prayer to the moon, hoping its magic will help me. I pull her into my arms. “I have a way to help you, but I don’t know how long it’ll take. You have to trust me on this.” I step back and stare right into her eyes. “Promise me you’ll stay.”

More tears fall down her cheeks, and she nods. “Okay. I trust you. I won’t leave without telling you.”

I hug her again. “Good. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Have fun at your party. And good job, by the way. I saw you on the news. You’re going to make an amazing FBI agent one day.”

I can only hope so. “Thanks, Ansley.”

I let her go and get back in my Jeep. She smiles sadly and waves as we pull out of her driveway. “I can always use magic on her,” Tia suggests. “Just a little something to make her feel happy.”

The thought is tempting, but Ansley will never forgive me if she found out. Concentrating on the road, I shake my head. “We can’t. I don’t want her mad at me. I’m just hoping I dream about her and her future mate tonight.” I glance over at Tia, and she nods, but there’s a hint of slyness to her smile. “What are you grinning at?” I ask, turning my attention back to the road.

Tia giggles. “Oh, just you. If you don’t dream about Ansley, maybe you’ll dream about the wolf you’ve been dallying with for the past couple of months. What exactly do you two do when you’re together?”

Cheeks burning, I keep my focus on the road. My dreams have recently been more on the X-rated side, making it awkward since I can’t see the guy’s face. “That’s none of your business,” I say, winking over at her.

Tia shakes her head and laughs. “Guess I know now why you’ve been moaning in your sleep.”

If she only knew. I had a couple of human lovers the past year, but nothing compares to the s*x I’ve had in my dreams. Ever since I started having the dreams, I’ve stayed away from human men. They can satisfy our needs, but I’ve heard wolves are the best. When I wake up, my body feels satiated and tired, as if what happened in my dreams was real. I can’t explain it, but it’s incredible. Just thinking about my dreams makes me wish I could skip the party and go right to sleep.

My body trembles and I look forward to more dreams. “Let’s just say my mate knows what he’s doing.”