Forget Me Not (Phased Moonlight Series Book 2) (4 page)

              Richard raised an eyebrow at him, then looked at Sera.

“Please?”
Sera mouthed. 

              He finally took Koda’s extended hand and shook it firmly. “No hard feelings, bro. Just, uh…please, no more throwing. My shoulder’s killing me,” he said with a smile as he rubbed his aching joint.

              Koda chuckled, and the room instantly felt lighter.

              “Hey, babe,” Lowell said as he entered the room, winking at Trisha.

              Jackson growled, making Lowell blanch.

              “He’s only kidding,” Trisha said gently, stroking his arm. “Calm down.”

              Faolan and Lowell both looked back and forth between Koda and Jackson. The shock on their faces was evident, and they quickly bared their throats.

              “Uh, yeah, so…that wasn’t weird at all,” Cameron said.

              “Are they, like, royalty or something?” Richard asked.

              “It’s a bit more complicated than that. Let’s just save this conversation for another day.”

              “Why? What are y’all hiding?” Faith asked.

              “Nothing important,” Sera said, leaning into her mate, needing his strength.

Koda gave a gentle growl and held her tightly.

              “All right, Sera. If you want me to go home with you, you’d better spill it. You won’t tell us where you live now, and you just dropped this bombshell about you being engaged. I’m sorry, but this is all really unsettling,” Damion said.

              “C’mon, y’all! You know I’d never do anything to put any of you in danger. The only reason I haven’t told you where we’re going is because I want it to be a surprise. Just please trust me.”

              “Of course we trust
you
, Sera,” Faith said. She stood but lowered her gaze. “It’s
them
we don’t trust.”

              “Just try to see it from our perspective, okay? Our best friends disappears for almost two full weeks, then comes back with some wicked tattoos all over her body, white hair, and freakin’ engaged! To top it all off, she wants us to run off to God-knows-where with her, with two strange men who look like they’d be happy to use us as toothpicks,” Richard said.

              “All right, all right. I get it. I know this all looks…strange. I promise to explain as much as I can to you, but just not here okay? Please?”

              “Fine,” Richard finally conceded. “I trust you, Sera.”

              “Thank you.” She smiled. 

              “Well, I don’t know about y’all, but I’m way past ready to call it a day,” Ally said.

              “She’s right. I’ve got horses to feed,” Cameron chimed in.

              “I’ll take you home,” Faolan said, bowing slightly before rushing from the room.

              After they all said their goodbyes, Sera sagged against Koda, feeling drained.

              “Why did that male rush off like that?” Koda asked, sitting on the loveseat with Sera in his lap.

              “Faolan has always had it bad for Sera,” Lowell answered. He plopped down in a chair. “He already knew she’s mated, but I guess it didn’t really hit him till he saw you with her.” 

              “Poor kid,” Trisha said.

              “I had no idea,” Sera said honestly, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Koda growled, sensing her thoughts.

“Calm down, lover. It would never change anything. I was made to love you and only you,”
she whispered into his mind.

              “Of course you didn’t know,” Trisha said with a nervous laugh.

              “What’s that supposed to mean?”

              “Simple. You’re completely oblivious to how hot you are. Everyone in our pack salivates over you! You don’t know how many fights I’ve had to stop. All the males wanted to claim you when you came of age.”

              Sera’s mouth dropped open as Koda snarled. “You’re kidding,” she said. “I find that hard to believe. I mean, I’m just…me.”

              “Nope. She’s right,” Lowell said. “Why do you think Faolan was so protective? Even he was staking his claim on you, so to speak.”

              Koda began to tremble with silent rage.

Sera turned and looked into the bright eyes of a wolf. “Koda, outside,” she quickly commanded, jumping from his lap to pull him.

              Once they were safely outside, he pulled her to the side of the house, beyond the view from the sliding glass door. He lifted her shirt, desperately needing to see his markings that were etched in her side. Sera knew enough to stand still and loose, allowing her mate to sniff her, to blow his own scent over her skin, to stake his claim again. He fell to his knees before her, rested his head on her stomach, and took deep breaths as he tried to rein in his wolf. She ran her fingers gently through his hair, enjoying the silken strands that tickled the underside of her palm.

              “Mine,” he whispered angrily. “Mate. Mine.”

              “Only yours, Koda. No one will ever hold my heart like you do. I was made for you. Your wolf calls to mine. Together, we are whole. No one else will ever be enough for me. I will die without you.”

              He stood slowly, keeping his eyes closed. He inhaled deeply, and his body stiffened; pure rage rocked into Sera through the bond. His eyes suddenly popped open, and he looked to the left. Sera gulped, frozen in place as he walked toward her father’s tree, the tree stained with her blood. He touched the bark gently, as if he was afraid the crimson life-flow might stain his fingers. Koda’s body shook vigorously, and he fell into a hunch, hanging his head.

Sera sensed his wolf fighting against the confines of his boundaries, and that battle caused them both immeasurable pain. She stepped away quickly, undressed, and phased into her wolf. The shift swept over her with ease and, for once, she relinquished full control to her wolf, trusting her to tend to their mate.

              Sera, in her wolf form, yipped at him, and he met  her gaze. He tried to give her a smile, but she saw past the façade. She knew her mate like the back of her hand, the back of her own paw, and she knew he needed to let go. He turned his back to her, and she sat down on her haunches, cocking her head to the side. She got up and inched closer, till she could rest her large snout on his shoulder. When she let out a huff, he ruffled her fur and kissed her whiskers.

              She licked his stubbled cheek, implying that she wanted him to look at her. She then jerked her head in the direction of the forest. He chuckled at her and turned to give her a squeeze. Sera stepped away to give Koda, a sizable wolf, room to shift. He shook his head and turned back toward the house. She whined loudly, rolling around in the grass. He looked down at her and shook his head again. She tried to push into his mind, but he had his wall up again. Annoyed, she growled at him.

              Koda frowned at her and waved his hand toward the house. Instead of following his instructions, she barked once and took off in the direction of the forest, knowing full well that his wolf wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to chase, especially with her as a prize. Koda’s excitement zipped through their bond, and she felt his magic rise in the air as he phased.

He howled to her, letting her know he was right behind her. She pushed as fast as her four legs would carry her, but she knew he would easily catch up with her in no time. As he grew closer, she took a sharp turn to throw him off. She rubbed her fur across trees and bushes, leaving a strong scent for him to follow. When his scent began weaken, Sera turned, curious as to where he’d gone.

              She was suddenly bowled over by a large black wolf, making her bark in surprise. She growled playfully. They both phased mid-roll, and when they stopped moving, she was wrapped in Koda’s arms. His body sheltered her from the wind and dirt, and she smiled. Giggling, she pulled a leaf from his brown hair.

              “Thank you,” he said, placing a gentle kiss on her nose.

              “You’re welcome, but you’ve gotta stop shutting me out, Koda. Your wolf was calling out to me. He needed me. I’m not fragile, and as your mate, it’s my job to make sure you’re okay, to share your burdens. You don’t ever have to hide anything from me, you know.”

              “I know, and I’m sorry. It’s just… Seeing your blood all over that tree... It made me want to kill something,” he said, his eyes glowing.

              Sera scooted up his body, pressed a satin kiss to his lips, then jumped up and gave him a wolfish grin. “Race ya home!”

CHAPTER THREE

Inferno

Not everyone knows the right thing to say. That’s  just how it is. Yet, whenever she speaks, my mind melts, leaving me completely helpless against her words. This should not be, for I am an alpha. How does she weaken and paralyze me so? Somehow, her silver tongue turns my feet to lead, and she leaves me panting for more. It is because of that silver tongue that I am letting five humans stay on my land…and it is because of that silver tongue that I have fallen so truly, helplessly, hopelessly in love.
~ Koda Stephano

             
K
oda lay awake while all the others in the house slept soundly. He heard the heartbeat of each and every one of them, but all he could focus on was his mate.

              Sera snuggled closer to him, making him smile.

             
Just one more night,
he thought to himself.
Just one more night, and we’ll be home
. He couldn’t wait to sleep in his own bed, to roam his own land. He was restless in that other place, and for the second night in a row, sleep entirely evaded him.

              When the clock struck twelve, he growled out a curse. He wasn’t tired in the slightest, but he was beginning to thirst. As gently as he could, Koda slipped from the bed and padded down the stairs. When he entered the kitchen, wearing only a thin pair of pajama bottoms, he was surprised to find Richard sitting at one of the tables, looking solemnly into a coffee mug.

When Richard noticed Koda, he jumped and spilled some of the cold coffee.

              “So sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Koda apologized quietly. He grabbed a towel and tossed it to him.

              “It’s okay.” Richard sighed, wiping up the coffee. “I just didn’t expect anyone else to be up this late.”

              “I can’t sleep,” Koda admitted. He poured himself a cup of hot coffee and sat down next to Richard at the table. “What about you? Are you all right?”

              “I guess so. I just... I don’t know. Everything’s so different now, with Trisha and Sera, I mean.”

              Koda stiffened slightly but allowed him to continue.

              “I’ve known Sera since middle school. She’s always been the strongest one in our little group, and she rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Sure, she smiled every now and then before, but I’ve never seen her as happy as she is when you’re around. I love Sera. She’s my sister, Koda, and I really appreciate you bringing happiness into her life.”

              “Thank you, Richard. That really means a lot to me. It is my responsibility to make sure she is happy, as I love her too.”

              “Good.” Richard smiled.

              Koda looked into his eyes and saw that there was another conversation hiding deep within them. “Is there something else?”

              “Actually…yeah.” Richard hesitated and rubbed his sleepy eyes with his knuckles. “You can’t tell anyone though, especially not Sera.”

              Koda nodded. “You have my word.”

              “All right. Well, two days ago, right after Faolan took us home, there was a voicemail on my phone, some guy. He sounded really…mature, and he had some kind of accent. It mighta been Italian, but I could be wrong.”

“And what message did this man leave?” Koda asked, intrigued and a bit concerned.

“He said he’ll give me $10,000 in cash if I bring Sera to him, alone. Tomorrow is the deadline.” He looked up at Koda, whose eyes had grown wide. “Look, before you beat the hell outta me, you need to know that I’d never even consider such a thing, no matter how much money he offers.” 

              Koda felt his wolf rush forward, but he quickly suppressed him, needing more information. “Did he leave a name?” 

              Richard shook his head. “No. He just said I should refer to him as ‘C.’”

              Koda’s heart sank into his stomach as he considered what might have happened had he not come to Sera when he did. After letting out a deep sigh, he looked sternly at Richard. “Thank you, brother,” Koda said, clasping his hand firmly.

              “Just please keep her safe,” Richard said, then stood and walked out to retreat up the stairs.

              Koda closed his eyes as his wolf thrashed forward, demanding release. He growled and stood from his chair. He threw the back door open, ran out in a blur, and phased into his wolf. He let out an ear-splitting howl before he tore into the woods, thankful for the burn in his muscles.

* * *

              When Koda entered the house the next morning, everyone was already awake, and fresh bacon and biscuits were sitting on the dining room counter, filling the room with a pleasant, savory aroma. He spotted Sera immediately and watched closely as she conversed with Cameron.

Sensing his stare, Sera spun her head around to look over her shoulder. She lifted her lip in a small snarl, then winked to soften it.

He smiled as he walked over to her, then wrapped his arms around her waist.

“And where were you all night, Alpha of mine?”
she asked in his mind.

             
“I needed to go for a run. I am all right.”

              “Are you sure?”

              “Yes, my love.”
He smiled and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

              “Get a room, you two,” Trisha chirped.

              “Really? You’re one to talk!” Sera laughed.

              Jackson whispered something in Trisha’s ear, and her tan cheeks flushed, turning fifty shades of embarrassed.

Koda chuckled and flashed a big thumbs-up to his beta.

Sera smacked his chest in admonishment.

Koda knelt closer, grazing her ear with his lips. “Is that a promise for later?” he whispered, causing her cheeks to darken.

              At noon, they all loaded their luggage into the trucks. Everyone was accounted for except Sera.

Koda frowned, inhaling through his nose. He followed her scent into the house and found her in the center of the living room, just staring at the fireplace. “Sera?” he said softly. “Are you all right?” 

              “I’ll be right out. i just need to be alone for a second.”

              Koda nodded and gave her a quick, loving peck on the temple. He walked back out, and as he rounded the corner of the house, he gave Jackson a pat on the shoulder. “Need some help?” he asked when he noticed they were strapping down furniture.

“Many hands make light work, right?” Jackson said.

Trisha came out and laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Hey, where’s Snow?” she asked.

              “She wants to be alone with the house for a moment,” Koda said, biting his bottom lip nervously.

              “Oh. Well, don’t worry. She’ll be okay.”

              Koda took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

Trisha’s smile faded into a scowl, and she took a deep breath through her nose, then growled.

“What is it?” Koda asked, noticing the look on her face.

              “It’s… There’s a wolf behind the house, and I smell…” She took another deep breath. “Explosives!” 

              Almost before the warning left her mouth, the entire left side of the house burst into flames.

“Sera!” Koda bellowed, running to the back of the house.               

             
“Koda!”
she screamed in his mind.
“I-I can’t see anything, and my arm is burned really bad. Please help! I-I can’t breathe and...”

             
Koda punched the glass door, shattering it with one hefty blow. He ran through it, ignoring the singing of his skin. The thick smoke smothered him, and he coughed, but he was not concerned with his own wellbeing. “Sera!” he yelled through the smoke of the mini-inferno. 

             
“Mate! I…”

             
The brutal growl in her voice told him that her wolf had taken control.

Jackson ran in behind Koda and gripped his arm. “Where is she?” he yelled. “Is anyone else in here?” 

              “Sera’s in her wolf form! Get the humans outta here now!”

              “Where should they go?” Jackson asked.

              “I know where,” Trisha said, pulling Jackson back out of the flames.

              Koda didn’t even watch them leave, as finding Sera was his number-one priority. He followed the scent of scorched flesh, of burning fur, and he found his injured mate in wolf form, panting heavily on the ground. Koda ripped his shirt off and placed it over her muzzle to filter the smoke.

Sera growled and opened her glowing blue eyes to look at him.

              “Can you walk?” he yelled over the crackling and popping of the fire. 

              Sera only shook her head and whimpered.

Koda snarled and quickly shifted into his wolf. Hot embers settled into his fur, but while he felt the sting, he was determined to keep going. He grabbed hold of her scruff with his teeth and dragged her out of the burning house, out into the desolation of the forest.

              When they were a safe distance away, Koda wrapped his body around his mate, trying his best to absorb her pain.
“Come back to me, mate,”
Koda whispered into her mind.

              Sera’s wolf growled, unwilling to release control.

             
“I am here. I will protect her,”
Koda murmured, showing her wolf that he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I know you want to protect her, and you have done an amazing job, but right now, you both need me. Let her come back to me so I can care for you both.”

              Slowly, he felt her body tremble as her wolf allowed the shift. He cuddled Sera’s naked body to his chest, sheltering her.

Sera finally opened her ocean-blue eyes and looked up at him in desperation. When tears cluttered them, Koda lovingly licked them away. “It’s gone. My home is just…gone.”

              Koda shifted quickly and wrapped her in his arms, careful of her healing burns. “It’s all right, baby.”

              “Where are my friends?” she asked into his chest. “Is everyone okay?”

              “Trisha took them somewhere safe. I don’t know where.”

              “The tree house,” she muttered. 

              “Tree house?”

              Sera nodded against his chest. “When I was little, it was all I wanted. That was all I ever asked for, and for a little growing werewolf, that’s pretty impressive. My mother was dead set against it, but for my third birthday, my father and all the other pack males built one for me. It’s simple but large enough to easily accommodate ten. It’s nestled deep in the woods, about three miles in. When my parents died, I ran there. It’s the place where I always went to be alone, to clear my head, but I haven’t been there in years.”

              “Will you be all right if we go there, or will it be too painful for you?”

              Sera nodded and looked down at her naked form. “I’ll be fine, but I’m, uh… We need clothes.”

              “There are some extra clothes in the truck. Go ahead and shift, and we can run back to the house and change there.”

              She nodded, turned her head, and stood; Koda found it cute that she was still so modest with him. He felt her magic rise in the air as she shifted into her wolf. He did the same, then shook out his fur. He gave her a gentle nudge, allowing her to lead the way.

They kept their noses close to the ground, trying to avoid the smoke. They quickly reached the garage, which hadn’t been touched by the fire. Koda pulled a backpack from the truck, then turned quickly and sprinted into the brush, in need of fresh air.

Sera then led him deep into the thick woodlands, until she found the large trees that held her tree house. The windows were boarded shut, and she knew Trisha had closed them to keep as much smoke out as possible. They shifted, and Koda tossed her the bag to shift first. She grabbed her clothes and jumped behind the tree to change. 

              He reached in to grab a pair of pants and a shirt and suddenly realized he’d mistakenly grabbed the pajama bag. When Sera came out, he growled. He couldn’t help himself, for she was wearing a tight-fitting tank-top that exposed her attributes.

She looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. “What’s your problem?” she asked.

              “I’m looking at more of you than I want anyone else gawking at,” he said. He removed his shirt and handed it to her. “You’re not going up there without this.” 

              She rolled her eyes but slipped the shirt over her head. She reached into the bag and threw another one at him. “And I don’t want anyone gawking at you either. The last thing we need is Ally having a heart attack when she gets a load of your six-pack.”

              She then turned her back to him and began to climb the wooden ladder that was nailed into the thick trunk of the tree. At the top of the ladder, she pushed the hatch open. When Sera crawled in, she was immediately tackled by a startled Ally and Faith.