Riley's Secret (A Moon's Glow Novel # 1) (35 page)

“I thought it was a werewolf thing.”

“And you told me before that you could understand why
I killed those people, after I explained a wolf’s perspective. But can’t you
understand that when we find our mates that it’s the wolf in us that found you?
I smelled your scent, that’s how I knew. The wolf in me only thinks of keeping
you safe, only to be with you. That’s it. It doesn’t think of personal space or
if it’s appropriate to stare in your window. There is no gray area for a wolf,
only black and white. He has his mate and he wants to be with her. It was hard
enough to stay away from you as a human, but as a wolf I couldn’t. I’m sorry I
upset or deceived you, but this is what I am.” He looked away for a few seconds
and when his eyes turned back to mine they were once again blue and full of
sadness. “I can’t change that.”

“But what about our agreement to be honest? You told
me there would be no more secrets. And yet I had to find out because I caught
Joe doing it. How do you think it makes me feel, first of all that you watched
me and then that you didn’t tell me?”

“I did tell you and not just because you found Joe
doing it. I could have kept quiet, but because of our agreement I told you,
even though I was afraid you’d react this way.” He stopped talking and sighed,
running his hand through his hair. “Can you forgive me?” When I only looked
away, he stood up and walked over to the door. “If you don’t want to be with me
because I’m not human, I understand. I love you and I want you to be happy,
even if it’s not with me.”

“I need some time alone,” I blurted, without thought.

He spun around, his face weary. “What do you mean?”

I wasn’t sure what I meant. I hadn’t even meant to say
those words, but now that they were out, having time alone to think sounded
like a good idea. “I need to think and it’s hard to do that with you werewolves
in the cottage. Can you two go to the main house and I’ll meet you up there?”

He shook his head, his face hard. “No. I will not
leave you alone.”

“I won’t be. Lauren will be here and you can leave the
gun.” His face softened a little, making me think he was considering it. “We
could even call when we’re on our way and you can watch from the house. Please,
I need time,” I pleaded, now feeling desperate. The more I thought about it,
the more it was true. Everything that was coming at me was hard to digest and I
hadn’t had any privacy to truly do that.

His eyes were tortured. He didn’t want to leave me but
I knew he would, because I begged him. “Fine, as long as one of you carries the
gun and make sure you call me.”

I sighed with relief. “I promise.”

“After I check the area, Joe and I will go. If I smell
his scent, I’ll be back.” He paused as if the idea of leaving me unguarded was
more than he could bear, but he would because I needed him to. He took a deep
breath as if making a decision. “I’ll lock the doors when I leave. Stay away
from the windows.” With that he walked out, shutting the door behind him.

I stood up and leaned against the patio door watching
the two werewolves climb into Nate’s car. Just before he pulled away he looked
up and into my eyes, as though he could sense me watching him. He nodded and
then pulled away.

I watched his car disappear and, remembering last week
when Rowan came through this room, I checked the lock.

Staring at the lake, I wondered what was wrong with
me. I was sure that I had accepted who he was. I thought that I loved every
part of him. But did I? If I did, would I get upset every time I learned
something new?

I thought about the three things that bothered me so
far; that he had sniffed me out, that he called me his mate and that he had
been watching me for years. I knew what he meant about animal instincts. They
were about survival. Like Lauren said about the mother bear protecting its cub.
They don’t wonder if what they are doing is right or wrong, they just act. I
understood this in theory and I thought I had accepted Nate for what he was. I
loved him so much. But did I love the shell of him, the part that looked human,
like a normal teenager. Or did I love him, the person he was inside? Because if
I loved
him
, I had to love everything that he was. If I accepted this
new information and got past it I had to stop getting upset every time I
learned something else about him that was different. Like he said, he wasn’t
human and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

Could I let him go and try to find someone normal,
someone like Brandon? Could I look into another guy’s face and feel the same
way? I gazed out at the lake, watching the waves crash against the shoreline,
trying to picture this. Finally, I had my answer and I needed to tell him as
soon as possible. But first I had to get dressed.

I raced into the bathroom, having a quick shower and
dressing so fast I wasn’t sure if I put on my clothes or Nate’s.

Out in the living room Lauren was reading a magazine.
She had showered and was wearing a yellow sundress. “Let’s go to the main house.
I need to talk to Nate.” I rushed past her, sliding my feet into my sandals and
opened the door. “Grab the gun!” I yelled over my shoulder.

Lauren tossed the magazine onto the table and picked
up the gun Nate had left. She held it at her side using the tips of her fingers
to hold it, obviously uncomfortable.

“Are you okay? He said you two had a fight,” she asked
once we were outside on the porch.

“Yes. But I feel better now.” I raced down the steps,
almost tripping. I was desperate to tell him my news and I couldn’t get to him
fast enough.

As we climbed into her car, she told me about a
conversation with Joe she had the night before. “I think he was about to admit
he liked me, but when I got a text from my father he clammed up again.” She
sighed, hitting the steering wheel with frustration. “Now, I know how you felt
when Nate wouldn’t admit what he felt. God, Joe is gorgeous. Has he said anything
to you about me?”

“No,” I lied, unable to say any more. I was
preoccupied with my decision and I couldn’t think about Lauren’s problems. I
had enough of my own at the moment. We’d have to deal with hers later.

Lauren parked behind Nate’s car. She climbed out, the
gun once again in her hand. I saw Nate turn away from the living room window.
As I followed Lauren, I tripped on a rock and fell behind.

I was about to walk past the edge of the house when I
felt a pull and was yanked around the corner. A large warm hand covered my
mouth and the other was tightly wrapped around my arm.

“Tell her to go in without you, or I will kill her,” I
heard a deep voice whisper from behind me. His now familiar scent frightened
me. I had a feeling that the pungent, feral smell was from his desire to kill
me. “If you believe me, nod your head.” I believed he’d do anything right now
to finish what he’d started, so I nodded.

When I took a deep breath, he let go of my mouth, but
held onto my right hand. I stepped around the corner. “Lauren, go on without
me. I forgot my purse in the car.” She turned around and glanced at me,
confused.

I smiled so she wouldn’t feel she had to wait. “Okay,
but hurry up.” She climbed the steps and disappeared into the house with the
gun.

I was yanked back around the corner and shoved in the
darkness behind the bushes. Rowan was gripping my wrists with enormous
strength. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you yet. I have plans for you.”
His eyes gleamed with need and I knew what he had planned for me would be
horrible. Bile formed in the back of my throat and a lump of terror knotted in
my stomach. I wanted to stomp on his foot and run, but I knew he’d catch me. He
peered around the back corner of the house. Since the coast was clear he swung
me over his shoulder and took off running toward the woods behind the house. I
tried to think of a way out of this, but I knew anything I did would only make
it worse. So I lay still and made no sound, his shoulder digging into my
stomach with every movement. I felt the sudden urge to vomit.

Just as he was about to run through the trees, I heard
a voice. “Stop, Rowan, or I will kill you.” Rowan froze and turned around.

Nate stood in the center of their well-manicured lawn
pointing the gun at him. He smiled viciously. “Put her down.”

“I don’t think so.” He started to turn away. A shot
rang out and a bullet pierced the tree beside his head. He turned around and
laughed. “Are you serious? You think a bullet will kill me?”

Nate nodded toward the tree. “Look at it.”

Rowan hesitated, but leaned over to examine the
bullet. He reached for it and when his fingers touched it his skin sizzled.
“Silver,” he hissed as he pulled his finger back.

“You’re not the only one who can find silver bullets.
Put her down, or I will shoot you.”

Rowan wavered as Nate walked slowly toward us. He
glanced at Joe, who stood with his arms poised at his sides ready to fight and
then he looked back at Nate. The gun was steady in his hands, a look of pure
hate and determination in his eyes.

Rowan made a low puffing sound and then threw me. Wind
whipped against me as I was flung incredibly fast up into the air. I closed my
eyes and screamed. I didn’t want to see what I landed on.

My scream was cut off with an “
Umph
” as I
landed safely in someone’s arms. I knew who caught me before I opened my eyes.
The strong, firm arms were familiar. I opened my eyes and saw Nate staring down
at me with a look of relief and guilt.

When we turned around we saw that Rowan was gone.

“I won’t lose him this time,” Joseph yelled running
after Rowan.

I wrapped my arms around him tightly and when he sat
me down on a chair on the patio he had to pry my arms apart. I felt his hands
on my face. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head, but didn’t speak.

“I’m so sorry I left you. It doesn’t matter if you
were mad at me, you should have been right by my side. From now on I’m not
leaving you. You got that? You’re stuck with me.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “I’m okay with that.”

He sighed, yanking me into his arms and hugging me
tightly. “Oh God, I thought I’d lost you. When Lauren came in and told us she
was sure he was out there, I panicked.”

“Lauren knew I was lying?” I asked, my voice muffled
by his shoulder.

“She said you told her you were going to get your
purse, but she knew you didn’t bring one. Is that why you said it?”

“Yes, but I wasn’t sure if she would understand.”

We heard the sound of someone running in the woods.
Nate pulled me up and shoved me behind him.

Joseph came out of the trees. “I lost him. It was like
he ran around in circles so I was chasing trails that led to other ones.” He
turned to me. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Yes, he didn’t hurt me, just jostled me
around on his shoulder.”

Nate took my hand and led me to the house.

Determined

Once we were inside, Lauren burst out of the office.
“Are you all right, Megan?”

“Yes, thanks to you.” I let go of Nate’s hand as I was
pulled into a tight hug from Lauren. The smell of her papaya shampoo was
comforting.

“I’m so glad you’re not dead. I was afraid when I
heard the shot outside, but Dad wouldn’t let me go out.”

I gave her another hug then turned to Nate. “Can I
talk to you alone for a minute?”

“Sure, come into the den.” He took my hand, leading me
to a doorway near the front door. I saw Joseph and Lauren head into the office
as Nate closed the door behind us.

The walls were lined with awards won by Will and the
company. A few were Lauren’s, from what looked like soccer and baseball when
she was a child. On the other side were shelves lined with trophies with the
name
Nathan Riley
scrawled on the front. Lauren’s brother, whom I had
yet to meet since he was away at summer camp.

Nate sat down on the edge of a plush burgundy chair as
I prepared what I wanted to say.

I spun around with my hands clasped together. “I’m
sorry about earlier. You said I have to decide if I love you as a whole,
because you can’t change what you are, right?”

“Yes and it’s true, but since you were almost taken
from me I can’t bear to be without you.” He stood up and his arms went out,
about to wrap them around me.

I raised my hand to stop him, I wasn’t finished. “I
will accept what you are, even the weird things. I have to. I love you and I’m
not willing to give you up either.” He smiled, taking a step closer. I took a step
back. His smile disappeared. “
But
, you have to remember you’ve been
dealing with this for what? One hundred and twenty years? I’ve only known for a
few weeks. You’re going to have to get used to me freaking out at something
strange, but that doesn’t mean that I will leave you. Eventually this werewolf
thing will be normal to me. But for now, you have to accept that I might not
always be okay with everything.” He smiled, his face turning from worry to pure
joy. I stepped toward him until I was standing a couple feet away. “I don’t
want someone normal. I want you.”