Blue Moon (3 page)

Chapter Four

Vivianna

Logan leaned over me to set the glass of water down. I’d forgotten how great he smelled. Gnawing at my lower lip, I struggled to stay indifferent. I was a professional, not one of his obsessed fans. Over the years, I’d envisioned what I would say to him if I ever got the chance.

Asking about his next album wasn’t even remotely on that list.

“I’m still writing the last few songs, but we’re hoping to have it all finished by the beginning of the year.”

I took a sip of the water. “Fans of your music claim you’re a gifted lyricist, pulling out the pain and pouring it into a melody. What inspires your songwriting?”

He shrugged. “My emotions, mostly, I guess.”

“If that’s true, you’ve been angry for a long time.”

“So, you’ve listened to my music?” He raised a brow.

“No.” My heart skipped a beat. And he leaned forward just a little, that sexy almost-smile curving his lips like he was the Big Bad Wolf and I was wearing a red hood.

I had more than a few of his songs on my iPod, but there was no way I’d admit it.

Clearing my throat I added, “I’ve done my research, that’s all.”

He leaned back in his chair humming a familiar melody. “You helped me write a song once. Remember that one…Ms. Lopez?”

I frowned and paused the recorder. The bastard was enjoying this. “I’d like to get this interview over with as soon as possible.” I brushed my hair back over my shoulder, unable to miss the way his eyes tracked my every move. I straightened in my chair. Let him look. I wanted him to remember what he lost. “I didn’t come here for a walk down memory lane.”

“Sorry.” His jaw clenched as he stared outside. “I never should have agreed to this.”

“Excuse me?” I shook my head.

He got up, pacing near the window. “I thought I could answer your questions and you could walk back out of my life.”

Pressure built up behind my eyes, an ache pulsing through my head. “News flash. I’m not
in
your life. I haven’t been since you walked out of mine.”

Damn him for being even sexier than I remembered, and for making my heart race with a look, and for making me wish for the one thing that could bring me to my knees.

No way. Never again. “I’ve moved on.”

Logan turned, his head tilted slightly. “Have you?”

He crossed the room and had me in his arms. His lips caught mine, and my body responded like I’d just found water in the desert. I clutched the back of his hair, and he held me so tight against him I could barely breathe. Our tongues wrestled urgently—hungry, angry, hurt, and desperate. He slid one hand down my back, pressing my hips to his. His rock hard erection had my leg wrapping around his, every part of me aching to be even closer.

Closer to the one man who destroyed me without ever looking back.

I shoved him, stumbling away from the sanctuary of his arms. Reality settled onto my shoulders like a boulder. What in the hell was I doing?

Slamming my laptop shut, I swiped the recorder into my bag. I needed to escape before I went to pieces in front of him.

“Anna, wait.”

He reached for me, and I slapped him so hard the sound made me freeze. I opened my mouth to apologize, but no words came out.

His hair was mussed, his shirt disheveled, and that sexy smile was replaced by…hunger and something else…regret? “I deserve that.”

“I…You…” I jammed the computer in my bag and took a breath before facing him again. “Don’t ever touch me again.”

A deep sound rumbled in his chest, like he was…growling?

“I had no right to kiss you, I know that. But hearing you say you moved on—I panicked.”

Crossing my arms, I let out a frustrated groan. “Do you often make out with women when you get upset?”

His gaze held mine, his expression stoic. “Never.”

“So why me?” My head pounded in time with my heart.

“Can we sit?”

I shook my head. “Not a good idea.”

He sighed. “I swear I won’t touch you without your consent.”

“You’ll
never
have it.”

He put his hands up in surrender. “All I’m asking for is your time.”

I kept my things in my hands, ready for a quick getaway, but I followed him to the sofa and sat on the opposite end from him. My entire body was hot and achy. Turned on. Bastard.

He stared at his shoes. “You never should have come back to Reno.”

“And you never should have told me you loved me and then vanished from my life.”

He nodded without making eye contact. “I know you won’t believe me, but I did it for you.”

“Enough.” I rolled my eyes and would’ve smacked him with my laptop if I wasn’t worried his hard head would break my computer. “Please don’t make me throw up.”

He finally glanced my way, the corner of his mouth quirked up into a crooked smile. “God, I’ve missed you.”

I groaned. “You’re certifiable. I must’ve been too young to recognize the insanity.”

He chuckled. “I was seventeen, and something…huge…really huge happened to me the night before prom. Until we met for lunch that day I didn’t realize…” He shook his head. “I should’ve handled everything differently, but you’re so incredible, Anna. You deserved to have all your dreams come true.” He moved toward me, but I held up my hand warning him off. His shoulders tensed, but he didn’t come any closer. “I was still a kid. I couldn’t tell you what happened…” Logan leaned back against the sofa, glaring at the ceiling. “I didn’t know what else to do but walk away.”

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?” My gaze went to the window. The kiss still had me rattled. I’d been with other men since Logan, but no one stoked my desire like he did, and if I looked at him, I’d crack. “You have no idea how long it took me to get over you. I trusted you. I shared everything with you, and then you walked away like I never mattered.”

“All through school you wanted to be a journalist. You were applying to big schools and they accepted you. I had different dreams, and I didn’t want you to give up and stay.”

“Bullshit.” I shook my head. “We used to talk about everything. You knew I’d go whether you were with me or not. We even talked about staying together while I was away.”

He rubbed his hands down his face and met my eyes. “I just want you to understand that I didn’t want tie you down here. You’re too good for that.”

Heat flared in my cheeks, and my grip tightened on my laptop. “So, instead, you told me you loved me and walked away.”

“There’s more to it than that.” He rested his elbows on his knees. “I’d tell you if I could.”

“So why are we here? If you’re asking for forgiveness, you’re going to be disappointed.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m asking. I guess I just wanted you to know I never stopped caring about you.”

“You made me feel like I was the most important person in the world to you, and then you showed me I never really mattered at all.” I stood up. “I hate you for that, Logan.”

He got to his feet and came closer. The intensity in his eyes left me frozen, and some sick part of me ached for his touch. His deep voice rumbled. “You are all that
ever
mattered to me.”

I broke free of his stare, turning to go. “If that were true, you never would have shut me out of your life.” I went to the door and stopped. “Forget the interview. I have a bigger story that needs my attention.”

…

I closed my eyes under the hot water of the shower, doing my best to wash away the memory of Logan’s touch. It was time to move on. Now, if I could get my mind to stop replaying the hungry kiss, the passion his touch awakened inside of me, maybe I could focus on other things.

What had he meant about something huge happening?

Without meaning to, my mind wandered back, way back, to Logan’s arms. My head rested on his chest as we stared up at the stars, basking in the afterglow of making love. The moon was huge above us.

“Do you think it’s full?”

Logan kissed my temple. “Nah, tomorrow night is the full moon.”

“And the next night…”

He lifted his head to smile down at me. “Prom.”

I nodded. “You’re going to look amazing in a tux.”

He chuckled and dropped his head back. “No one’s even going to notice me. The prom is all about you, Anna.”

I smiled and shifted so I could see his face. My legs were tangled with his, nothing between us. And I thought we’d have forever.

I fast-forwarded to the last time I saw him. He came by that afternoon before the dance to take me to lunch. He’d seemed…distant, lost in his thoughts. I leaned in to kiss him, and the second our lips met, he’d moaned and pressed me back against the front door. Hard.

I’d been so lost in the hunger, I didn’t look any deeper.

I opened my eyes in the shower. That kiss had been our last.

He’d been saying good-bye.

Our lunch was short. He stayed quiet while I rambled on about the latest acceptance letter for journalism school on the east coast. But this time, he didn’t mention saving money for a plane ticket to come see me. And when he dropped me back at my house, he didn’t kiss me.

His blue eyes demanded my attention, and for years his words would torment me. “I love you, Anna. Always.”

He never showed up for the prom that night. All my calls went to voicemail. I called Luke, but he hadn’t seen Logan all day. When I got desperate enough to call his parents, the knife plunged into my chest. Logan’s father, Nick, told me not to worry. Logan was with them, but he’d asked him to take a message.

I hung up, baffled and humiliated. It didn’t get any better. I’d tried to corner him at school the next week, but he wouldn’t speak to me. Word of our breakup spread, and I switched tactics, trying to make him jealous. But one date with our varsity quarterback was enough for me. As far as I could tell, Logan didn’t notice. If he did, he never let me see it.

I left Reno for college and never looked back.

And he never reached out.

But his music did. I bought every album, and in his lyrics, the rough edge to his voice, he shared his pain and mine. It was no wonder his band was so hot. The honesty in his heartbreak was refreshing in a world of emoticons and frenemies.

What had happened between the night we made love in the back of his truck and the day he told me he loved me and walked out of my life?

Today cemented the fact that I would probably never know. And as a journalist, nothing made me want to dig in more.

Chapter Five

Logan

I drove to the ranch in a daze. Whispering Pines Farm was the hub for our Pack. Trees lined the circular driveway in front of the sprawling ranch house and down the second drive leading to the sixteen-stall barn. The stable was on ten acres. During full moons, we ran in the forest at the top of Mount Rose by Lake Tahoe, but the rest of the month, the ranch was the perfect spot for our growing group to meet.

Whenever Adam, our Alpha, called the
entire
Pack together, it was important. You didn’t bow out, even if you just kissed your mate again for the first time in years.

What the hell had I been thinking?

I wasn’t thinking; that was the problem.

Now that I’d tasted her lips again and pressed her curves against my body, staying away from her was going to be impossible. I loved her, I always had, but I also couldn’t tell her everything. I could see the headline on
Rolling Stone
now,
Logan Reynolds: Rock Star and Werewolf.
The government would be collecting my entire Pack for study, or worse, extermination.

People killed what scared them.

To protect my Pack and family, we had to be sure the human world didn’t know shifters existed. Loving a woman with dreams of being a nationally recognized journalist was dicey at best.

She also hated me.

I should walk away again. But “should” could go fuck itself. Giving her up the first time nearly killed me, and hurting her again wasn’t an option.

None of it would matter if I couldn’t convince her to give me another chance. While she said she hated me, her body told another story. Her pulse had raced, and the scent of her arousal haunted me.

Plus, she kissed me back.

I pulled into Adam’s ranch and drove down to the barn to park. Luke had worked for Adam since we were in high school and was now the assistant horse trainer. Other than Adam, I’d never seen anyone better with a horse. My brother stumbled into the job after almost being expelled from school for fighting. Adam thought stacking hay bales and hauling wheelbarrows of manure around every day would give him a better outlet for his aggression. He was probably right.

The second I stepped into the barn aisle, the horses welcomed me. Bruce, the bay stallion in the corner stall, beckoned me closer, nickering and pawing at his door. I headed over for a visit, scratching his neck until his upper lip quivered.

“Hey, Logan.” Luke came down from the other end. We clasped forearms and he tipped his head toward the feed room. “Want to help me serve dinner?”

“Yeah, sure.”

We loaded flakes of alfalfa onto the wheelbarrow, and he started mixing grain into buckets. “How’d the interview go with Vivi?”

I blew out a pent up breath and shook my head. “Not so great.”

He chuckled. “Told you she isn’t fond of you.”

“She may say that, but her actions tell another story.”

Luke raised a brow and lifted the wheelbarrow, rolling it down the barn aisle while I dropped the hay into the feeders.

“Bottom line is, I was a seventeen-year-old kid who’d shifted into a wolf for the first time, and then the next day when I picked my girlfriend up for lunch, I kissed her, and my wolf went ballistic inside me. I panicked.”

“Maybe if you had confided in someone, we could have stopped you from making a huge mistake.”

My voice dropped. “That’s the rub. Deep down, I still think I did the right thing.”

Luke parked the wheelbarrow in front of Bubbles’ stall. I scratched the mare’s neck, avoiding eye contact. My brother could stare at me all he wanted, it wasn’t going to change my mind.

I clenched my jaw and forced out another explanation. “Christ, her whole life, all she ever wanted was to change the world and sniff out stories. Dig around for the truth. Even if I can convince her to give me another chance, I still can’t let her find out what we are.”

“You could try trusting her.”

I stopped, crossing my arms. “And put our whole Pack at risk? My happiness isn’t worth all that.”

Luke yanked off his work gloves and tossed them in the empty wheelbarrow. “Vivi had your back and you had hers all through school. She’d never do something that would put you in danger.”

“Because she wouldn’t believe we were in danger. Don’t you see?” I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my voice even. “This isn’t a game, Luke. This is the survival of our family, our Pack.”

“She could be part of our Pack.”

“Only if she gives up her dream to expose stories and educate the public. This would be a huge secret for her to carry, and what if someone in her circle started digging? How can I ask her to hide?” I raked my fingers through my hair. “This is insane.” I met his eyes. “I can’t hurt her again, but selfish bastard that I am, I also can’t walk away.”

“Then don’t.” Luke hooked his arm around my neck. “Besides it’s a little early to worry about this. You may never get her to forgive you.”

“I don’t deserve another chance, but I’m going to do everything I can to get one. I just hope I’m not too late.”

…

Adam was already pacing. Bad sign. Our Alpha wasn’t the tallest, or the burliest, but he wore authority and responsibility like a second skin. His dark green eyes had a few new lines around them since his father’s death forced him to become our leader, but I couldn’t imagine a better man for the job. I’d lay down my life for him, and probably every Pack member in the room would make that same sacrifice.

I glanced around the open living room. We’d outgrown the main room and now spilled into the dining area, too. A few Pack members sat at the table with their mates, and the others were on the sofas. The ranch house used to seem giant, but now that more than half the Pack had found mates, and some had children, the living room wasn’t nearly so spacious.

Our Alpha’s little twins, Malcolm and Madeleine were almost two years old now, but no one would believe it. Shifters matured much faster than humans at first. It kept us out of preschool for sure. The twins still had the chubby cheeks of toddlers, but they spoke in full sentences, and stood a head taller than kids their age.

Madeleine beckoned Jared’s ten-year-old son, Charlie, to come play in their playroom. He started to roll his eyes when Jared gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. Charlie met his gaze. “Okay. I’m going.”

Jared grinned. “Good man.”

With the kids out of the way, our Alpha turned to face all of us.

“A security fence just went up around that damned house Nero bought in Lake Tahoe.” Murmurs swelled, but he went on anyway. “Sebastian is my only intel with Nero. He is checking around on his end, but I’m not trusting that son of a bitch any farther than I can throw him. We need to be alert and ready. If Nero starts bringing their jaguar shifters into our territory, I don’t see any way around a fight.”

My brother met my gaze. This was the story Anna was planning on investigating. Shit. Adam was right about not trusting Sebastian. He was the heir apparent to the entire Nero Organization, Antonio Severino’s oldest son. His loyalty was always in flux. He helped us when it was in his best interest, and even then I never really trusted him.

I cleared my throat. “Has Sebastian said anything about Damian? We’re still assuming he’s dead, right?”

Jared’s mate was a strong psychic with a powerful gift of pyrokinesis. When Damian Severino, youngest son of the head of the Nero Organization, had shot Jared, she’d incinerated him. Or we hoped she had. Luke and I had searched for a body after the fight.

We never found anything.

But no one could have survived the heat of that blaze.

And ever since that night, we’d been preparing for war. Antonio Severino ran the Nero Organization under the radar. He bred and trained jaguar shifters, molding them into deadly assassins. His jaguar shifter sons, Sebastian and Damian, were his future, and we had no doubt he’d retaliate against us for killing one of them.

Suddenly Adam froze. We all did. The scent hit us before the knock sounded on the door.

“Gareth, you’re on the door.” Adam kept his voice at a whisper, but the roomful of werewolves had no trouble hearing every word. “Kilani and Jason, you’re on guard in the nursery with the kids.” They nodded and headed down the hallway.

The rest of us stood, putting ourselves in front of our Alpha. Gareth was probably the bulkiest of our entire Pack, and judging by the scent, there was a rogue werewolf and possibly a jaguar standing outside our door. Gareth’s intimidating presence was welcome.

I wished I had my gun. But one werewolf versus my entire Pack wouldn’t stand a chance—even with a jaguar shifter at his side. We could take them. No human weapons needed.

Gareth cracked the door, his voice low and menacing. “We don’t want any.”

“I’m not selling anything.” A deep, cultured voice replied. “I need to speak to your Alpha.”

Gareth scanned the area. “Where’s your friend? I can smell him.”

“I have no friends.” A throaty chuckle escaped the rogue wolf. “What you smell is coming from me.”

Gareth shut the door and turned to face us. “This guy’s wearing a clown mask. I can’t see his face. I don’t like it.” He crossed his arms, staring at Adam. “Your call, but I know there’s a cat out there someplace, even if I can’t see him.”

“Fuck.” Adam growled. “This can’t be a coincidence. Nero puts up a fence, and we’ve got a stranger on our doorstep.” He shook his head. “Maybe we can squeeze some intel from him. Block the hallway.”

Jared and Taryn, his mate, got up and crossed to cover the area. If the unwanted guests went after the kids, they’d have to get past a werewolf and a woman who could start fires with her mind, and then they’d face Jason and Kilani. The little ones were safe.

The rest of us surrounded Adam. He nodded to Gareth and he opened the door.

“Give up your weapons, and you can talk to Adam.”

The masked stranger put his hands up. “Why would I carry any when I
am
a weapon?”

Gareth patted him down anyway. Hard.

Adam stepped up. “Lose the mask.”

He shook his head. “It’s best if I don’t.”

“You’re in my territory, my house,
my
rules. Lose it or we’re done here.”

He shook his head, refusing again. Adam glanced at Gareth, and he grabbed the stranger’s hands, pinning them behind his back. He struggled, but he wasn’t going anywhere.

Adam reached up and pulled the latex free.

The air sucked out of the room. Damian Severino.

Or what was left of him.

Jared came unglued. Rushing forward, he tackled Damian and knocked him to the ground. “You son of a bitch! You should be dead.” He landed a solid punch to Damian’s midsection. “Why won’t you die?”

Adam nodded to me, and Luke and I sprang into action. It took both of us to pull Jared off Damian. Our Pack brother kept struggling, but we managed to get him back far enough for Adam to move in. He got down on one knee, frowning at the scarred creature on his living room floor.

“How is this possible?” He took a breath. “You’re…”

“A wolf. Like you.”

Jared jerked free from my grasp and returned to his mate’s side. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Damian. His hair must’ve grown back, but the right side of his face drooped like he’d melted. His hands were scarred, too, covered in pink shiny scar tissue. His eyebrows and eyelashes hadn’t recovered like the hair on his head, leaving his expression even more alien. But nothing physical was more shocking than the gleam in his dark eyes. He was definitely teetering on the edge of madness.

Six months ago, he’d shot Jared in the leg, and Taryn, Jared’s mate, had turned Damian into a living inferno. Now his scent was definitely wolf…and jaguar.

Adam shook his head. “You aren’t like me.”

Our Alpha glared at Jared over his shoulder. During the full moon, when the fight broke out, Jared had been in his wolf form and bitten Damian. Was this the result? I didn’t know a hybrid was possible but this…was very wrong.

Adam growled. “Why are you here?”

“Because your wolf changed me. I have a rightful claim to be a member of your Pack.”

Adam frowned, and then laughed and got to his feet. “Sorry to disappoint you, but that is
not
how it works.”

“Hear me out, wolf.” Damian sat up. “I can be an asset. I know my father’s plans for Nero.”

“And why would I believe anything you have to say?” Adam took a step back.

He opened his disfigured hands. “Because I have nowhere else to turn.”

Adam crossed his arms over his chest. “Your father owns the Nero Organization, which has deep pockets and plenty of secret laboratories to help you. Go home.”

“If you refuse me, you’ll regret it.” Damian stood up, wiping a trail of blood from the corner of his lip and narrowing his eyes at Jared.

“Threaten me or my Pack again, and I’ll end you right now.”

“You misunderstand me.” His words slurred as his agitation grew. He searched the room and stopped when he saw Adam’s mate, Lana. “Talk some sense into your mate.”

She got up. “He’s making perfect sense to me. You’ve hurt so many people in this Pack, you’re lucky to stand in this room and still be alive. There’s no way we’d ever trust you.”

He swung his attention back to Adam, tipping his head down, his wolf recognizing Adam’s dominance. “I already told you I have nowhere else to go. I’m an abomination to my father now. My bloodline has been tainted.” Keeping his head bowed, he glared over at Jared. “
Your
wolf did this. Help me.”

“For all I know, you’re a mole for your father.” Adam shook his head. “We owe you nothing. You attacked us.” He pointed to the door. “I’m allowing you to leave, this time. Next time”—he glanced at Jared and Taryn—“I’ll let Jared finish you.”

He shook his head. “Kill me and you finally give my father a reason to annihilate your precious Pack.” He went to the door and turned back, a twisted smile contorting his disfigured face. “I will not be ignored.”

The door slammed behind him, and Adam sighed. “I guess we know why Nero hasn’t come calling yet. Damian’s not dead.”

“He’s a monster.” All our attention shifted to Lana, Adam’s mate. The color had drained from her face. Lana grew up in foster care with no idea about the identity of her parents. Recently we discovered she shared a father with Sebastian and Damian, but for now, Damian didn’t know, and we intended to keep it that way. The crazy hybrid creature was Lana’s fraternal twin, but he was also after the Nero empire. “He won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”