Blue Moon: Blood Moon Trilogy #3 (26 page)

Smiling, I looked between the two of them. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to, but I think I’d like to head out and try.”

The smile that spread across Roxanne’s face was jubilant, and she hopped up. “Sweet. Where should we go?”

I thought about where we were at, and led them both out the front door. “We can head out behind the house and into the clearing. After shifting, we can head out to the desert trails.”

“We should probably hunt while we’re out, too,” Jackson suggested. “We don’t have any food in the house, and I’m famished.”

My mouth salivated at the thought of hunting in the desert, and I picked up the pace, trying to hone my desire to shift before we reached the clearing beyond the back yard. Even though I’d been naked in front of the entire pack before, shifting was still something I liked to do in private—especially when I wasn’t sure if I was going to be successful at it. The changes that our bodies went through were kind of horrifying to watch.

About ten feet from my secluded spot, I could hear the familiar grunts and bone-cracking as Jackson and Roxanne changed. Soon, their low growls and concerned huffs found me, and I had to concentrate a little harder.

The wolf was there, ready to come forward, but she struggled to merge with me completely. Even in the heat of an Arizona night, I shivered and broke out in a cold sweat as I continued to force my change.

I wanted to cooperate with the wolf; wanted her to join me. We both needed this.

I opened myself up, invited her to join me. Soon, warmth spread across my skin in an instant, and the wolf stepped forward, caressing my soul as she fused with my consciousness.

My muscles all tensed, bones shifting and realigning beneath my feverish skin as it rippled and sprouted hair. I clenched my teeth together to contain a cry as the pain tore through me like it always did, and soon, my mouth was open, face tilted toward the sky, and a howl echoed in the night.

T
he return flight to Calgary would be uneventful after a successful shift, thankfully. Going for a run before travelling definitely took the edge off, numbing my anxiety enough that we didn’t have a repeat of our journey to Arizona.

Even though it had taken a little more effort to change with trace amounts of silver still coursing through my veins, I felt immense relief in my body. I was still a little sluggish and weak, but my anxiety lifted as we raced through the desert and hunted. We stayed away from all major roads, keeping civilization as far behind us as possible so as not to draw any more unwanted attention to ourselves. It was nice, and I found myself wondering how the others were doing back up North since I’d last talked to them. Nick had said they were having trouble getting out for regular runs with the cops sticking so close to the house, and I found myself feeling extremely fortunate for this reprieve—even if it was only for a few short days.

Before we flew out, I’d stopped by my house for a few more personal effects. I grabbed a few more articles of clothes, some shoes, and photos. I lingered a little longer in the bedroom, sitting cross-legged at the end of the mattress and staring at the pillows and breathing in David’s slowly fading scent.

As I sat there, staring and reflecting on the past few months, I came to realize that leaving Scottsdale, while good for me when it came to learning about the wolf, it also forced me to push my grief over David to the side. It wasn’t that I had forgotten about him; I just wasn’t given too many opportunities to let my thoughts drift to him. With everything that had happened since I’d first arrived at the manor, I’d had far more pressing matters on my mind…

Not that I wanted to downplay David’s murder, but fighting for my own survival definitely took priority.

After leaving my bedroom, I wandered out to the living room. The floors had been cleaned, the window replaced, but all I saw was David lying on the floor. The pool of blood expanded around him, stretching out over the scratched hardwood. Even when my eyes adjusted, and everything appeared normal, I could still see the outline of his blood, regardless of the cleanup crew that had been here days after the murder. The coppery scent stung my nose, and my eyes burned with tears I hadn’t shed in weeks. I didn’t fight them; instead, I let them fall freely as I mourned my old life.

Jackson and Roxanne waited outside on the front step, giving me privacy as I did what I had to do. I knew they would be able to sense my emotions, see that I’d been crying, but they didn’t pry. They both respected my privacy as Jackson took my bags for me and led me toward our rental car.

Thinking about the attacks that Nick had warned me about, I figured we’d need to conduct an investigation of our own. Sure, it wouldn’t exactly be legal, but if I grabbed my identification and badge, I might be able to pass myself off as a local detective and get some information from the victims. So, we made a quick stop at the precinct where I spoke to O’Malley and Keaton.

Under the guise of wanting to look around, I slipped into my dad’s office. I looked around to see if Bobby had maybe left anything for me, but there was nothing out of place. When I finished looking around, I opened my dad’s bottom desk drawer and grabbed my badge, slipping it into my back pocket. I looked at my gun wistfully. I no longer had use for a firearm, but it had been a part of me for so many years. It felt odd not to rely on it to feel safe anymore, but it also felt great knowing that I could protect myself without it.

I closed the drawer, said one more round of goodbyes to my old team. Even Clarke came over to say his farewells—it was highly probable he was just making sure I was actually leaving for good this time.

We arrived back at Vince and Layla’s around dinner. There were cops stationed at the end of the driveway, just as Nick had told me, and I cordially waved as we passed by. They returned the gesture, even if they did look a little confused by it.

Everyone was just settling down to eat when the three of us walked through the front door. Nick was on his feet in an instant, pulling me into his arms and greeting me with a lingering kiss.

“I’m glad you’re back,” he murmured, pulling back a couple of inches to look me in the eyes. “You hungry?”

I nodded, even though I wasn’t overly famished. My appetite had dropped substantially over the last few days, likely due to the stress surrounding what happened at the manor and my parents’ abduction.

I followed Nick into the little dining room that Vince and Layla had, surprised to see that a larger table had been moved in compared to the one that had occupied the space during my stay at Christmas. Out of habit, I headed for the seat I would have occupied back at the manor, only to find Corbin there, an empty seat to his left in the seat that Nick would have occupied. I glanced around the table, trying to process what was going on, realization striking as Jackson rounded the table and sat in the empty seat to Corbin’s left. Nick stood at the foot of the table—Miranda’s old spot—and he stayed standing while the rest of the Pack watched me devotedly.

Heart thundering in my chest, pulse pounding in my ears, I took the first of several hesitant steps toward the head of the table. I placed my fingertips on the smooth oak surface, pressing them down and feeling the light pressure shoot up my arms. The thought of sitting in this chair was daunting, but one look into Nick’s proud eyes gave me a surge of confidence, and I slowly lowered myself into my new seat.

The buzz of the Pack talking filled the dining room as I pushed my food around on my plate, taking a few tiny bites here and there to keep Nick from pressuring me to eat. Soon, Layla inquired about my findings in Scottsdale.

“The cops know nothing,” I informed the Pack, glancing to my right at Jackson. “I did find something at my parents’ house, however.” The clatter of silverware rang out as the Pack’s attention shifted from dinner to me. “Bobby left a picture of them that he’d taken around New Year’s for me to find. I’m confident he’s got them.”

Colby muttered an uncharacteristic profanity at the other end of the table before she started sniffling, hanging her head to hide her tears. Nick reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, leaning in and whispering something to her. She nodded before pushing her chair back from the table and excusing herself. My heart strained with the sudden urge to go after her, but Nick shook his head as Zach rushed from the room.

“She’s been having a tough time,” Nick explained. “She feels guilty for thinking ill of Cordy before she was taken again.”

His words were like a knife through my gut as I recalled everything Colby had told me and everything I’d witnessed about Cordelia’s strange behavior. Her guilt was understandable, and I could only imagine how much she longed to hold her sister in her arms and comfort her again.

Conviction settled in my belly, forcing my posture to change—become more confident—and I vowed to do whatever it took to find Cordelia and bring her home again.

First, I’d have to get back inside the manor. The crime scene was probably heavily compromised now as the police investigation proceeded, but I had a feeling I could use my wolf instincts to find a few things the cops would be blind to.  Might be able to pick up a scent that I could track, see something the cops didn’t… I felt confident I would be able to figure out what Bobby was up to.

After dinner, I helped Layla clean up before Nick ushered me outside for a private walk along the property line. Even though the temperature was on the warmer side, there was a wind chill that cut through my jeans and burned my face. It was refreshing after my flight home, breathing the clean mountain air, hearing the crunch of the snow beneath my feet. I looped my right arm through Nick’s and leaned against him as we walked around the perimeter.

The cops were still parked just beyond the gate in an unmarked car. Even though we were far enough away that they couldn’t hear us, we could hear them. They didn’t have anything too interesting to say, mostly complaining about how they had to keep watch over us instead of helping with the investigation. They also complained about coffee they were drinking, and almost as if on cue, Layla came out of the house with two fresh travel mugs and walked to the end of the driveway to deliver them. Needless to say, this kind gesture from the people they were ordered to watch shocked them, and Nick and I laughed from afar.

“How was your flight home?” Nick asked as we rounded the side of the house.

“Pleasantly uneventful.”

Nick chuckled, leaning over to press his lips to the top of my head. “Glad to hear it. Were you able to shift before you left Arizona?”

I nodded. “Yeah. The night we got in, actually. Jackson must have only given me enough to keep me docile during the day. I could feel the wolf there the whole time. Just below the surface.”

Nick stopped walking and turned me toward him. “I’m sorry he had to do that to you.” His eyes held mine, his remorse heady and genuine.

“It’s fine,” I told him. “I was beyond my own limits. I shudder to think what might have happened had Jax not been there.”

His hand caressed my cheek, brushing my hair back over my shoulder. “Me too. I just…” He sighed, his breath turning to fog between us as his gaze fell to our feet.

“Wish you could have been there, I know.” I pressed my hand over his and then shifted to try and draw his eyes back to mine. “I wanted that, too. I thought about it almost every second. When I watched the tape of my parents at the airport, moving from screen to screen until they just disappeared. Finding the photo in that album, being back at the Pack’s house—alone in your bed.” I paused, biting the inside of my cheek nervously. “Going back to my house…remembering the night everything changed.”

Nick didn’t move, but I felt the distance that wedged itself between us with my statement.

“I don’t regret anything that’s happened since,” I assured him softly. “But…I’d be lying if I said I don’t still miss him…that I don’t still love him.”

Posture softening, Nick wrapped his arms around me. “Brooke, I don’t expect you to stop loving him. He was a big part of your life. Your relationship with him helped shape you into who you are today. I can’t begrudge either of you for that.”

Loosening his hold on me, Nick pulled back, bringing his hand up, the backs of his fingers stroking my cold cheek and pushing my hair back over my shoulder. His blue eyes held mine, his gaze so intense it made me shudder as he slowly lowered his face, licking his lower lip in anticipation. Closing my eyes, I stood on my toes and met him halfway.

Our lips barely brushed when there was a high-pitched squeal in my ear before loud crackle of static filled my head. The sound thrust me back to when I was being tortured with high frequency sound, and I could feel panic beginning to rise. Both of us pulled back abruptly, pressing the heels of our hands against the sides of our heads until the sound softened to a dull hum. I calmed myself just as we heard voices and realized that it was just the police scanner we were picking up from our position behind the house… more than a hundred yards away, once you factored in the lengthy driveway.

“There’s been an attack in South Glenmore Park,”
a female dispatcher said before static cut her off.

“We’re close,” one of the cops in the car said to his partner.

“We were told to stay here,” the other replied, voice wavering with uncertainty.

They argued back and forth for a minute before the car was put in gear and they sped away down the road, the tires spitting gravel up from beneath the light dusting of snow left on the driveway.

I turned to Nick, eyes wide. “We should go.”

“Brooke, we can’t. If they found out…”

“We’re leaving the
house
. Not the city. We don’t need their permission to go out…” I paused, trying to come up with an excuse we could use if asked where we had gone. “On a date?”

The left side of Nick’s lips quirked up into a devilish smirk. “I do enjoy a good loophole.”

“I figured you might.”

Taking me by the hand, Nick led me back into the house where we told the Pack what we’d heard and where we were going. While Nick grabbed the keys, I grabbed my badge, slipping it onto my belt as I raced back to the front door. We climbed into Nick’s truck and headed to South Glenmore Park, hoping to get some answers about what Bobby and his band of freaks were up to.

When we arrived a while later, Nick parked on the other end of the park, staying out of sight of all the police officers that were milling around. We jogged across the park, staying hidden in the shadows, skulking stealthily until we were within earshot.