Ice Moon (23 page)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Taryn

“J
ared?” I gave up on the compress and hauled his torso up. His dead weight was heavier than I anticipated. I struggled to keep him upright while I tugged the sweatshirt over his head. “Jason, if that’s you, please hurry!”

I did my best to pull the shirt down and clutched him close, hoping my intensified body heat might warm him enough. I wasn’t sure if he passed out from the cold or blood loss.

Adam jogged toward me. In my panic over Jared, I almost missed he was naked. He grabbed Jared’s jeans and checked the pockets.

“What are you doing?”

He pulled out Jared’s cell phone. “Calling for back up.”

Jason bolted from the trees to his brother’s side. He knelt in the snow, examining Jared’s leg. “The bullet went straight through.”

“Is that good?”

“Better than me having to dig it out.”

Over my shoulder, Adam shouted commands into the cell phone. “Sasha. We need you. Now. Jared and Charlie are down, and Jason and I are freezing our asses off without our clothes.”

He paused.

“Thanks. I’m getting our coordinates and I’ll text you.”

“What’s Charlie’s condition?” Jason asked while he put pressure on Jared’s wound.

“I don’t know.” My eyes welled with tears. “He’s still unconscious. I warmed him and his pulse was strong.”

“That’s good news.” Jason took my hand, no trace of panic in his eyes. “I’ll go take a look at Charlie once we get Jared stable.” Werewolf or not, Jason was a master at bedside manner. How could he be so calm with his brother bleeding and no ambulance on the way? “We’re going to get them out of here.”

I nodded and did my best to suck up my tears. Crying could come later, for now, I needed to keep my wits.

Jason looked up. “Adam, can you use his flashlight app so I can get a better look?”

Adam shined the light on Jared’s leg. His toes were blue. Jason shook his head. “He’s got frostbite in both feet. We’ve got to warm him up.”

Adam handed me the phone. “Can you hold this steady? We’ll get his pants on.”

“Wish we had his socks and shoes,” Jason muttered.

Adam frowned, pulling a pant leg up Jared’s non-injured leg. “Sorry, but when I realized he took off on his own, I didn’t have time or fingers to tie his laces together so I could carry them.”

Jason pulled my sweater tight around Jared’s calf, then they went to work on trying to get his pant leg over the wound. Luckily the bullet hit his lower leg. If it had been his thigh, they’d never be able to fit his jeans over the sweater.

Straightening up, Jason barked orders while he rushed over to Charlie. “Adam, bring him over here. Maybe Taryn can warm both of them until Sasha gets here.”

I got up to follow Adam. His back was covered in goosebumps. How long would it take for Sasha to find us? He laid Jared on the ground beside Charlie. Jason was using Jared’s cell phone stop watch to check their pulses.

His hands were trembling.

They were both going to freeze just like Jared and Charlie. I stared across the clearing, my mind replaying Damian bursting into flames. His clothes hadn’t smoldered or smoked. The eruption of fire had been instantaneous. The moment I heard that gunshot, and I thought he’d executed Jared, the fury and anguish manifested into an explosion of flames.

An explosion of flames.

“Wood.” I looked up at them. “We need wood.”

Adam shivered, watching Jason listen to Charlie’s chest. He glanced at me. “Everything is covered in snow. We’d never find anything dry enough to burn.”

“It doesn’t need to be dry.” He met my eyes, and I steeled my nerves. “I burned Damian. He was wet and bloody. I can do this.”

Adam stared at me. I held my breath, waiting to see fear, or repulsion, or at least judgment from my confession. Had he heard me? I just killed a man with fire.

Adam finally started to nod and nudged Jason. “Let’s gather some wood.”

W
erewolves were apparently much stronger than your average man. Jared had lifted my SUV alone, and Adam and Jason came back with trunks of fallen trees that even a lumberjack would need a hoist to lift.

Once they had the massive logs stacked, they looked over at me. Adam cleared his throat. “Should we step back, or?”

This was surreal. I was about to expose my gift to two virtual strangers.

But they’d come to our rescue knowing I would see their secret. Jared trusted them. They loved him. That would have to be enough for me too. Right now, my Pyrokinesis was the only hope we had.

“No, you can stay there.” I focused on the logs, not completely sure if it would work. I’d never used my power on command like this. I was usually upset or…I forced out the doubt and embraced the fire. Heat flickered in my belly. My love for Charlie and Jared fueled it. They needed me. No one else was going to come to the rescue. They’re lives depended on me and my fire. I narrowed my eyes, my skin so hot now, the snow melted around my feet.

Nothing happened. For a split second, fear closed my throat. But before panic could set in the wood burst into flame. Adam laughed, reaching his hands out to warm them.

Jason looked up from his patients and smiled. “That’s a handy trick.”

Never in my life had I considered my gift “handy.” It never occurred to me that the fire could help instead of hurt.

I knelt on the ground staring at Charlie and Jared. “Are they going to be all right?”

Jason nodded and met my eyes. “We need to get them to my office. I’m pretty sure Charlie has a broken collarbone, probably a cracked rib, and whiplash, but until I can get some x-rays I won’t know for sure. His pupils are reactive and his pulse is strong. Jared’s got frostbite, and a hole in his leg, but he’ll heal.”

“Shouldn’t they be in the hospital?”

Adam shot Jason a cautioning look. Jason cleared his throat. “They can’t go to the hospital, Taryn.”

“Why not?” I stroked Charlie’s hair back from his forehead. “If Charlie’s got broken bones, he might need surgery. What if he’s got a concussion? I’m sure you’re a great doctor, but I want my son to have an MRI.”

“Jared wasn’t lying about Charlie. He’s a werewolf.”

“That’s impossible. He’s never been bitten.”

Adam walked over to my other side and knelt down. “Usually for a woman to get pregnant with a werewolf, she needs to be converted, bitten, but recently we’ve learned about Nero running a secret breeding program. They discovered human women with strong psychic abilities don’t need to be bitten in order to carry a shifter child and pass along the ability.”

I frowned, processing his impossible words. “You’re saying that Noah was a werewolf and the reason he never used protection when we slept together was because he thought I couldn’t get pregnant.”

“Exactly.” Adam nodded. “And when you told him you were…”

“…he thought it couldn’t be his child.”

“Yeah.” He placed a big heavy hand on my shoulder. “Charlie probably had a twin brother, too.”

A tear spilled down my cheek.

“And they were born about five months early?”

“How could you possibly know that?”

Adam’s green eyes searched mine. “Because werewolves are born in sets of twins and the gestation time is only four months.”

I covered my mouth to keep from sobbing. Adam pulled me into a tight hug, and in spite of his lack of clothes, I accepted the comfort. Nothing about his touch was sexual. His embrace was calming, protective like a father, or…a leader.

Pulling back I met his eyes. “You’re their Alpha. It was you that night when Jared showed up under my deck during the full moon.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I was trying to stop him from exposing us to humans. The Pack is my responsibility.”

“Malcolm who helped me was…your father?”

“Yeah.” Jared moaned and Adam stepped back. “If you took Charlie to the hospital and they did an MRI and took blood samples, the lab would detect abnormalities in his DNA and he’d become a lab rat. We’d all be in danger. Humans can’t know we exist.”

Secrets were something I understood.

And the more I processed what Adam told me, the more it made sense. Charlie could hear things no human could possibly hear. As a toddler, he walked early, and spoke in full sentences before most babies could say Mama. Charlie and Trevor had been born five months premature, but they’d been fully developed and just over four pounds each.

The midwife, I couldn’t afford a hospital, had suspected I must’ve had gestational diabetes. No one ever would have guessed the truth.

I pressed my lips together, struggling to keep my voice from cracking. “What if he’s got a brain injury? You can’t fix that in a doctor’s office.”

“Charlie’s a werewolf.” Jason took my hand. “And luckily, we’re tough to kill and usually a little quicker to heal than humans.”

“You think he’ll be okay?”

“I’ll do everything I can to see that he is.”

“Calvary is here.” Sasha’s voice echoed. “We’re on our way down.”

Chapter Forty

Jared

I
jerked awake, gasping as I opened my eyes. Adam sat at my bedside. I looked around my bedroom with no idea how I got here. “Is Charlie all right? Where’s Taryn?”

Adam leaned forward in his chair. “Charlie’s got a couple broken bones and a healthy dose of whiplash, but Jason said he’s going to be fine.”

I looked over at him. “Where are they? How long have I been out?”

“They’re at Taryn’s place.” He glanced at his watch. “You’ve been out about ten hours.”

“Does she still think I’m crazy?”

Adam chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why isn’t she here?”

“Because I told Jason to take them home. I need to talk to you alone.”

I stared at the ceiling. “You waited for me to wake up so you could chew my ass out? Seriously?”

“I waited because Jason couldn’t be in two places at once. Kilani is coming back in an hour to change the dressing on your leg.” His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “You put the entire Pack in jeopardy by taking off on your own last night. We all would’ve frozen in that storm if it weren’t for your mate and her gift.”

“I’m not going to apologize for saving Taryn and Charlie. Damian would’ve taken her if I hadn’t have gotten there when I did.”

“My issue isn’t with saving them. It’s with you running as a wolf, half-cocked and alone. You realize you bit Damian?”

“I had no choice. He had a gun pointed at me. It was kill or be killed.”

“The problem is we don’t have proof he’s dead.”

My eyes widened. “He couldn’t have survived that fire.”

“Maybe not.” Adam shrugged. “From what Taryn described, it doesn’t sound like anyone could have lived through it, but Luke and Logan headed out there at daybreak to search for a charred body, and they came up empty.”

“Maybe the fire was so hot he was incinerated or he caused an avalanche and what’s left of him is buried.”

“We’re screwed either way. If he’s dead, Severino will want revenge for his son’s life, and if he’s alive, we risk some kind of hybrid jaguar wolf.” Adam sighed and sat back in his chair. “It’s going to be more important than ever for us to work together as a Pack. Last night is a perfect example of why.”

He stared at the ceiling. “If Damian’s dead…” His gaze leveled onto my face. “Antonio Severino is
not
going to look the other way while the Pack murders his son.”

“There’s going to be retaliation.”

Adam nodded. “I expect so.” He closed his hand into a fist. “But we’ll be ready. Get some rest and think about what I said. Pack first.”

“Taryn and Charlie
are
my Pack.”

Adam stood up, the corners of his mouth twitching like he was trying not to smile. “Then they’re mine, too.”

I chuckled. “Guess I better fill Taryn in on that.”

K
ilani came by and pulled back the covers on my bed. My toes and the tops of my feet were discolored, and a bandage was wrapped around my calf, covering the gunshot wound.

“Is that frostbite?”

She glanced down and nodded. “Yeah. Not too bad though. Walking isn’t going to be fun for a while.”

She unwrapped my leg while I turned toward the clock. I didn’t want to see the damage Damian inflicted. “How’s Jason?”

“He’s okay, thanks to Taryn.” She cleaned the wound. I ground my teeth to keep from screaming. “She saved all of you. Jason said she had them gather wood and even though it was wet from the snow, she got a fire started. It kept all of you from dying of hypothermia.”

I looked over at her as she wrapped my calf. “I’m sorry I got Jason mixed up in this mess last night.”

Kilani sighed and sat beside my bed. “I’m pretty sure Adam already lectured you on how reckless that was, but I’d add that I’m carrying your brother’s babies, and I want him to be around to meet them.” She pressed her lips together. “I’m new to this family thing, but I think it’s sort of like the Musketeers, right? One for all and all for one?”

I reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I spent my whole life watching out for my baby brother and keeping him safe.” A smile crept up on me. “I’m glad to see I passed the torch to a worthy mate.”

Kilani chuckled. “Don’t get all sweet on me. I’m trying to be mad at you.”

“Sorry about that.”

“You are not.” She got up and nudged my shoulder. “You Ayers boys get it from your father. Way too charming for your own good.” She stopped at the door. “Try to stay off your feet for a couple days. Jason’s planning to bring over some crutches too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m heading back up to Taryn’s to help Jason with Charlie.” She pointed to my cell on the nightstand. “Call if you need anything.”

I watched a little TV, but I couldn’t focus. The house was too quiet. Tank snored at the foot of the bed, but there were no sound effects from the other room while Charlie played his video games, and no Taryn.

Last night’s unfortunate events haunted me. I never meant to hurt her. I wanted to hear Charlie laugh and see Taryn smile. But first I needed to tell her everything. No more hiding.

An engine I didn’t recognize pulled into my driveway. I frowned and sat up. Glancing around my room, I realized if this was a visit from Nero, I was in no condition to defend myself. Tank lifted his head.

A car door closed. Footsteps. And then a scent. My pulse raced. The deadbolt turned. I waited. Finally she came around the corner. Taryn.

“Hey.” She didn’t come any closer.

“Hey.” I cleared my throat. “Is Charlie okay?”

“He will be. He’s awake and sore.”

“Good.” I hated the awkwardness between us. “Want to come and sit?”

“Not yet. I need to tell you something, and if you touch me, I won’t be able to get it out.”

“Okay.” That didn’t sound good. But whatever she had to say, I probably deserved it.

“I get what you are now. I believe.” She shook her head. “And I might even believe that Charlie is a werewolf too. It actually would explain a few things he can do. Maybe on some level I knew he was different, I just didn’t want to see it.” She lifted her gaze to my face. “I’m actually less upset about all that, and more hurt that you confided in everyone, even Charlie, but not with me.”

“I wanted to.”

She raised her hand to silence me. “I’m not finished.” Tears shone in her eyes. My chest constricted seeing her hurt, and knowing I caused it. “I shared everything with you. I bared my soul, my fears, my scars, I gave you every part of me. I
trusted
you. Completely. You knew I’d never told anyone my secrets, and yet you hid yours from me.”

A tear rolled down her cheek, and I couldn’t take it. I turned, my legs dangling from the bed. Bracing myself I stood up, stars lighting on the edge of my vision. My feet throbbed, and my wounded leg wouldn’t bear any weight, but I hobbled over to my mate and pulled her into my arms. Her shoulders trembled with her silent sobs.

“I’m so sorry.” I kissed her hair, closing my eyes. “I never meant to hurt you. You deserved the truth. I worried I’d upset you and you’d lose control of your power, but…” I shook my head. “I’m so fucking scared of losing you, I can hardly breathe.”

I waited for her to reply. Nothing. I cleared my throat, hoping to steady my voice. “I was wrong, but for what it’s worth, I had this perfect plan to get you alone and tell you everything on Thanksgiving, and then I’d shift so I could show you my wolf.” It sounded stupid now. “In my head, it was going to be this magical night, and we’d have no more secrets.”

She sniffled and almost smiled. “The twins had another plan.”

I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t anticipate the twins.” I took her hand. “There’s one more thing I need to tell you, but if we don’t sit soon, I’m going to fall down.”

Together, we made it to the bed. I grabbed my pillows and pushed them against the headboard so I could sit up. She came around to the other side and sat beside me. I took her hand, grateful she didn’t pull away.

“Adam tells me we probably would’ve died in the snow last night. You used your power, controlled it.”

She squeezed my hand. “You saved us first.”

“If I had told you everything sooner, you wouldn’t have needed saving.”

She sighed. “I didn’t come here to finger point. I came to find out why you couldn’t trust me.”

“It had nothing to do with trust. I told you about my claustrophobia. No one in the Pack knows but you. In fact, no one in the Pack knows I was in that car with Bailey. I couldn’t risk the paramedics treating me, so once my legs healed enough to get myself out, I had to leave her there.” I shook my head. “When I got to the road I called 911 and reported an accident. I’ve never gotten past that guilt.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered.” She placed her hand over mine. “That’s why you always drive now isn’t it?”

I nodded. “I can’t be in a car unless I’m driving.” I took a deep breath and looked into her ice blue eyes. “But that’s not what I needed to tell you.”

She worried her lower lip with her teeth. “All right.”

My pulse raced, but I forced my voice out. “Being a werewolf is more than just shifting once a month and having heightened senses. My wolf lives inside of me like part of my soul.”

I cupped her cheek, praying I could make her understand. “Our wolf recognizes our one mate for life when we touch skin to skin. That night when you asked me to be your date to the Masquerade, I put my finger to your lips, and my wolf recognized you. It was crazy because I was already falling for you and Charlie, but you didn’t like to be touched, so I didn’t realize you were my mate until that moment.”

She didn’t run away. But she also didn’t say anything. I cleared my throat. “The thing is, I think I loved you and your son before I ever realized you were mine, but once I knew, fear kicked in. You’re human. You have a choice to walk away and leave me behind. You still can. And for a guy who has found the one woman I’ll ever love, it’s terrifying.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, fighting against the emotions burning my eyes. “I don’t want to lose you, Taryn. You’re the missing piece of my soul.”

For a second she didn’t speak, just stared at me. “Is that everything?”

I nodded slowly. “No more secrets.”

A tear rolled down her cheek as she reached over to wipe away mine. “I love you, Jared. That’s why it hurt when you didn’t confide in me.” She smiled through her tears. “But I’m not going anywhere.”

“Thank God.” I pulled her close, fusing my lips to hers.

She moaned into the kiss, her hands moving over my chest, warming my skin. Every part of me was alive and hungry for her. I scooted down from the headboard with her, lying down on the bed. In my current condition, I should’ve been weak, but having Taryn in my arms, and knowing she knew me completely and still loved me… Shit, I had never wanted a woman so badly in my entire life.

I pushed her shirt up, my hands eager to explore her skin. Breathless, she pulled back. “You…should rest.”

I shook my head, eyes locked on hers. “I need you. Now.”

She kissed me and then turned to look at my swollen feet and bandaged leg. “You’re in no condition—”

I caught her chin, turning her toward me as I growled against her lips. “Get my shorts off.”

Her mouth curved into a sexy smile as she moved her hand down to cup my raging erection. She raised a brow. “No injuries here?”

“We won’t know until we try.”

She slid her hand under my shorts, stroking me slow and firm. “I’m all for trying.”

I moaned into the kiss, aching for her. “You might have to be on top.”

“I like being on top.” She started pushing my gym shorts lower.

“Good to know.” I lifted my hips, grateful she was busy with my shorts and missed seeing me wince.

Once they were off, Taryn got up and stripped off her top and pants. Naked, she crawled up my body. I cupped her breasts, feasting on her taut nipples. Every moan from her lips had my blood pumping lower until I throbbed with need.

She rose up, straddling me, but before she could settle onto me, I grabbed her hips and pulled her up. She gasped as I plunged my tongue into her warm body, groaning at the taste of her. Her body heat flared, but I barely noticed. I was lost in pleasuring her, in hearing her scream my name though my empty house.

I gripped her ass, as her muscles tightened, growling. “Let go, Taryn.”

She wriggled free of my grasp, scooting down my body and impaling herself on my rock hard erection. Every inch of me sank into her until I trembled, struggling not to come on impact.

She leaned down, her lips almost touching mine. “We come together.”

Ah fuck
. So much for not coming on impact. I grabbed her thighs slamming our bodies together, urgent and eager, surrendering to the passion. Her body clenched around me and I lost it. When she cried out, I came so hard, I saw stars.

Taryn collapsed onto my chest while we both struggled for breath. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her shoulder. “I love you.”

She lifted her head, her cheeks flushed with color. “I love you, too.”

I savored her lips slowly, still pulsing with aftershocks inside of her. Suddenly, I broke the kiss. “Shit. I forgot a condom.”

I watched her face for any sign of regret, but she didn’t move away, her gaze stayed locked on mine. “Charlie has always wanted to be a big brother.”

A surprise wave of emotion slammed into me. I slid my fingers into her hair and pulled her in for another kiss. Without thinking, I rolled her over.

I may have groaned a little.

She smiled up at me. “Are you okay?”

I stroked my finger down her cheek. “I have
never
been better.”