Temptation of the Wolf: A Silver Moon Novel (Book 1) (12 page)

Tension rolled in the car like waves on the ocean as Chase drove Michael and Luna back to their property. Mike and Emily had arrived at Angel’s house within fifteen minutes, complete with silver handcuffs which resembled something out of medieval times. Luna felt a sting of satisfaction when Angel had cried out when the silver was placed on her wrists. Mike, a nice man in his sixties, had explained that she shouldn’t be able to Change while she was bound. Looking at the black-haired woman, she tried to be fair but the hatred for her brother’s assassin quickly overwhelmed her. One half was telling her that Angel deserved a fair trial, yet the other half wanted her dead for what she had done.

But it wasn’t the only thing Luna was torn about.

Chase informed his alpha of what had happened and Luna repeated what Pierre had told her.

“Oh, you remember your boyfriend then, sis?” Michael replied curtly. Luna looked away, staring out of the window, shame covering her as though it was a blanket.

“Michael”, growled Chase. “Leave it alone”.

“Just remember who you’re talking to, Chase”.

“Am I talking to my friend or my alpha?”

Michael swore and then noises of pain as they hit a pothole. “Damnit, Chase, be careful. Alright, we need a plan of action. What does everyone suggest?”

“We already know that Lyulf shouldn’t get possession of the dagger, it’d be far too dangerous in his hands”, Chase said, his voice as serious as his eyes.

“So how do we get rid of him?” Luna asked, turning her head towards Chase who was concentrating on the road ahead of them. His brown eyes had hardened, his stance stiff, as though he was forcing himself to stay still. “How does one get rid of a Fae?”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “How does
one
? God, you can tell where you were raised”, he teased. “Seriously, I’m not sure what kills a Fae. Probably like the way you kill most supernatural creatures. Beheading or cutting out his heart will likely do the trick”.

Luna began to pull and tug on her hair, an annoying trait she always reverted to when stressed. “When I hit him with the tire iron his skin burned. Would metal hurt him enough?”

“Cold iron is supposed to be their weakness”, Chase said, glancing over at Luna in the passenger seat. His hard eyes warmed slightly as he gazed at her. The look caused Luna to smile softly. When she felt the hairs on the back of arm bristle she glanced back at her brother who was glaring at Chase. Somehow she didn’t think Michael approved of his best friend sleeping with his sister.

Returning his attention to the situation at hand, Michael spoke up. “We need find whatever iron things we can use. We’ll need to inform the rest of the pack of what’s going on, including what Angel did to me tonight. Once Lyulf’s been dealt with then we can turn our attention back to her”. Michael exhaled loudly enough that it reverberated around in the silence of the car.

“Do we hide the dagger when we get back so he can’t find it?” Luna asked. It might have been better if she had never found the thing, she wondered. At least then they could deny where it was if Lyulf tried to force location from them.

“You still got it now, sis?” Luna nodded. “If the thing lit up like a flare earlier on then don’t show me until we get back home. I don’t want it running us off the road”.

They spent the rest of the drive in silence. Thick, heavy silence that left Luna exhausted mentally and emotionally. She couldn’t remember when she had last slept or eaten properly and the adrenaline that had rushed through her earlier was quickly dissipating. All she wanted was tea, food, a shower and bed, and not necessarily in that order.

She didn’t think she was going to get any of what she wanted, however.

They pulled up to the house, passing Michael’s red truck which still lay crumpled on the side of the road. Michael shook his head in despair when they drove by, muttering under his breath about how much work it was going to take to fix it.
Boys and their toys
, Luna thought.

Michael needed help getting up the porch and had to stop to catch his breath before they could get inside. He tried shaking Luna off as she held onto his waist to support him but she ignored his waves of annoyance and led him to the kitchen. Chase stuck his head in the fridge, pulling out a plate of fresh meat. Within a minute he had the griddle on and the meat started sizzling. “Protein helps the healing process”, he explained when he caught Luna looking at him.

Luna asked where the first aid box was and then set about cleaning her brother up. Removing the makeshift bandages which were coated in blood, she gasped in amazement when she discovered that the deep gashes had already begun healing. They were still raw around the edges, but no longer dangerous. The rate his body was healing on top of this new attack was amazing to Luna as she wiped the dried blood away. A spark of jealously flared up when her knee throbbed, reminding when Lyulf had stomped on it.

Chase placed a plate of meat in front of Michael who started devouring it. A moment later a cup of steaming hot tea was handed to her. Smiling her thanks, Luna inhaled the steam, allowing it to trail down her throat.

When Michael had eaten the last piece, he asked Luna to show him the knife. Pulling it out of her jacket, she laid it gently upon the table, still wrapped in its velvet covering. Michael pulled back the material and let loose a breath when he saw it.

The blade shone just as brilliantly as it did in the dark of the woods although the handle appeared darker, as though a million hands had wielded it, removing a layer of its shiny coating each. Tracing a finger around the delicate patterns on the handle, Michael’s face fell into an expression of wonder. “Such power”, he whispered. “I feel it. Our ancestors felt the same power”.

Chase nodded. “I felt it, too”.

As Michael ran his fingers along the blade the open windows started to bang against their frames, the doors following suit a few seconds later. A gust of wind shrieked through the room, heavy and substantial, causing everyone’s hair to flow out in all directions. It wasn’t a gentle caress of air; instead it was a hot whirlwind, a slap to the senses.

Luna was blinded by the mass of her pale golden hair and attempted to push it out of the way but instead the blast of wind carried on surging throughout the kitchen. The screech that it made accompanied the banging of the windows and doors, the din pounding in Luna’s head. She thought she was crying out but wasn’t sure if it was just the wind or not.

Abruptly, the room fell into silence. The doors and windows lay still against the frames and the whirlwind dissipated. A gentle breeze flew through throughout the kitchen, a kiss of warm air, even though all the windows and doors were shut.

“Come to me”, a voice called, a whisper on the breeze. “Bring me what is mine”.

“Lyulf”, Chase growled, his eyes flecked with amber.

“Come to me”, the voice repeated.

Luna’s heart jumped into her throat, threatening to block any oxygen from reaching her lungs. When she was able to breathe again she glanced at the two men in the kitchen with her. Chase’s eyes were almost amber, as though lightning had struck brown leaves. Michael’s eyes hadn’t gone that far, but his blue eyes streaked with amber suggested that his wolf wasn’t as far away as she thought. Both men stood still, Michael clutching the handle of the ancient dagger as though the enemy was going to sweep in and strike them in that moment.

“I don’t think he’s going to wait until tomorrow night as he said he would”, Chase growled.

“No, he’s here already. The bastard is our lands; I can feel him”, Michael said, his upper lip curled in rage. “This must be what dad said about the alpha being connected to his territory”.

Luna frowned at her older brother. His words proved to her that she knew so little of her family’s world. “You can feel him on our land? Where is he?”

Michael’s face creased in concentration, his head tilting to one side. “Somewhere in the woods”. He turned to Chase, his normally fun-loving face deadly serious. “Get on the phone to the others, tell them to get over here and warn them of what we’re up against”. He then turned to Luna. “Go and find anything made of iron. I don’t care what it is but I’d feel better if you had something to arm yourself with”.

Both of them hurried to do as Michael ordered. Luna searched around for anything she could use to hurt Lyulf with but gazing down at the cast iron saucepan she thought it was just too typically female. Weren’t women who used frying pans and saucepans as weapons against killers always the first to be slain?

Once Chase had finished his calls he turned back to his alpha. “Everyone’s on their way. What’s next, boss man?”

Michael turned to Luna, a look of regret in his eyes. “I wish you weren’t here, sis. No offense but mom and dad would kill me if they knew you were in danger. Chase and I, we’re werewolves, we’re stronger and can heal wounds that would kill normal men. But you … you’re human, Luna”. The hint of tears shone in his eyes, making them as bright as polished jewels. “I’ve already lost mom and dad. I don’t want to lose you, too”.

Luna smiled and wrapped her arms around Michael’s neck. “Je t’aime trop, frère.”
I love you, too, brother
.

Pulling away from her, Michael handed Luna the dagger, already wrapped up in the red velvet. “Listen, the pack is on their way apart from Mike and Emily. I think its best if they stay in their wolf forms when we’re out in the woods but I don’t want you to be scared of them. They won’t hurt you even if they look frightening”.

Smiling shyly, Luna said, “It’s OK, Michael. Chase has already shown me his wolf. I know what to expect now”.

Michael’s body went still. “Chase showed you too much of him, I reckon”. Luna blushed and looked away. “Anyway, if I Change then I won’t be able to hold onto the knife. You’d better take it and keep it safe. If anything happens, I want you to run and get to safety. No arguments, sis”, he ordered.

Luna scowled. “You may be my older brother, Michael, but you’re bloody not
my
alpha”. Faint laughter from Chase’s direction told her that he found the conversation amusing.

At least one person in the room did.

Looking towards the table her heart sank. She hadn’t even got to drink her tea.

Within an hour Luna was mentally preparing herself mentally for what was to come. The remaining members of the pack had rushed over and had been informed in more detail of the situation. A few had not quite believed what had happened but those hesitations had vanished when Luna pulled out the dagger. Looks of awe and astonishment had filled the room. Luna had discovered that the legend of the werewolf king was one of the few stories told to werewolf children from a young age. To have the legendary dagger in their presence was surreal. It was as though the Holy Grail had been shown to a room full of Catholics.

It had been decided that Michael and Chase would accompany Luna through the woods in their human forms whilst the others would Change. The sight of watching nine people transforming in werewolves was breath-taking. Silver shimmers covered the night sky like a thousand moonlit fireflies and the energy produced swirled along her skin.

Whilst Michael stood talking to two pack members in their wolf forms, Chase pulled Luna to one side, just slightly away from everyone. He handed her his leather jacket. Slipping it on, Luna caught the faint scent of wild herbs, his scent.

“Be careful”, he said, his voice soft as the night air. “Don’t get hurt out there”.

“You’re starting to sound an awful lot like my brother, Chase”, she teased, an amused smile spreading over her face.

Chase brushed a pale golden lock out of her face. “Your brother is right, though. You’re human, which means you’re weaker than us. Keep that saucepan in that bag with the tire irons on you at all times and if you have to, run and don’t look back”.

“Anybody would think you cared”, Luna laughed, but the laughter died when she saw the look in his eyes.

Chase growled and moved his face closer, his voice barely audible. “I care, Luna”. Without hesitation, Chase kissed her, soft at first but quickly deepened. Faint growls travelled on the wind. “I don’t think your brother likes me at the moment”.

“What are big brothers for?” Both laughing softly, they parted and made their way to Michael. The two wolves, one dark grey and the other red, ran off into the woods and disappeared amongst the trees.

Michael growled again.

“Wait until this is all finished and then we can sort it out”, Chase told him, his voice not quite as flat as he was trying for. Luna touched Chase’s arm, who drew in a breath and let it escape on a sigh. He touched her hand and squeezed gently.

“Let’s go”, Michael spoke, the sting of demand in his words.

Luna stayed close to her brother and Chase as they made their way through the woods. She had no idea what time it was but the sky was pitch black and only starlight could be seen. The woods were calm, eerily so. Luna stumbled several times and Chase caught her, leading her through the darkness. It wasn’t long before she realised they were heading back towards the pond.

The trees thinned out as the clearing came into view and the inky darkness grew weaker the closer they got. Luna saw the black surface of the pond first, the still waters mirroring the stars above, and then noticed twin flames on the opposite side.

Lyulf was waiting for them.

Dressed still in those long white robes, his eyes never left them as they walked slowly around the edge of the pond. Stopping twenty meters in front of the Fae, they stared at each other, everyone assessing everyone.

Lyulf regarded them with those unnerving pale eyes, his long hair reminding Luna of a river of melted moonlight. That silver river of hair reflected the red hot flames of the twin fires which burned on invisible stakes just to either side of him, the only illumination in the clearing apart from the starlight. Luna felt the Fae’s power crawl up her skin, as though a thousand icy spiders were scurrying across her body.

“You have come”, Lyulf said, his face a mask of satisfaction.

Michael nodded. “Yes we have. Now it’s time for you to go”.

The Fae scowled in annoyance. “Insolence from my dogs is not allowed. You will find me a strict master”.

“You are not my master”, Michael replied, his growls echoing around the clearing. “I am Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack and I am telling you to leave our territory”.

“Silence, dog!” A wave of energy pulsated through Luna, causing her to stumble. Michael and Chase stood still, eyes fixated on the ancient creature standing before them. “Did you bring me what is mine?”

“The dagger belongs to the werewolves”, Chase told him.

“The dagger is mine! It was mine back then and it shall be mine once more. Thousands of years ago when gods walked the land, I lived back across the sea with your ancestors. My worshippers followed my every command and I would grant them my blessing when they headed into war. But over time, humans began to turn their allegiance to my siblings instead. Soon, their worshippers covered the land, overtaking mine, taking my lands!” Lyulf’s face was an ugly mask of rage stretching back into the farthest reaches of history. “When that foolish King Áedan was given the power to transform into wolves I realised I had the means to take everything that was mine, that
should
have been mine! When Grandmother transferred the power into his dagger I realised that with it I could control the wolves. The world would be bathed in a river of blood and I its ruler.

“But Áedan was cunning and Grandmother even worse. The werewolves scattered in all directions, the dagger disappearing with them. I searched before Grandmother and the rest captured me,
me
, betrayed by own beloved wife!”

A sudden roll of thunder boomed, causing Luna to let loose a frightened cry. When it faded completely, she realised that his Grandmother must have been Eiocha, the creator goddess. That made Áedan the king who had gone to war, resulting in him becoming the first werewolf.

“They banished me! Me! One of the greatest, terrifying gods to be worshipped in the land being reduced to a mere shadow of himself. They locked my powers away so I couldn’t perform magic and cast aside from the Summerlands”. Lyulf’s face transformed suddenly, from a mask of rage to one of pure alarming evil. “But my powers have started to return. I can rip the air from your lungs”, Luna struggled to breathe, “or I can flood them without a drop of water”, Luna caught a breath, but it started to weigh down in her lungs, as though it was made from lead. Then it all stopped, the air returning to normal.

Her legs began to feel shaky and she knew she wouldn’t be able to carry on standing for long.

“You will now return me the dagger and in exchange you will keep your life and serve me. We will kill all those who stand in our way and I will rule the world. If you’re a good pup then I might throw you a bone from time to time”.

The smirk on Lyulf’s face caused Michael to send ripples of angry energy through the clearing. Anxiously, Luna glanced around. She thought she saw pale amber orbs darting through the trees but couldn’t be certain. Were those the pack?

Michael took a step forward and glowered. “I will not give you the dagger and no wolf will ever serve you. Now get off my land before I rip you to pieces!”

“Insolent dog”, Lyulf thundered. “For that I will gut you all and take it myself. Where is my dagger?”

The only reply Lyulf received was growling from the two men standing beside Luna. It started low then increased in loudness and menace. Luna stepped back as Michael started his Change. The air before her shimmered with iridescent light and suddenly her brother had transformed into a wolf, his grey coat gleaming in the fading light. His hackles stood up and his growls frightened Luna with their intensity.

“How sweet”, came the Fae’s mocking voice. “The little puppy wants to play”.

Michael charged at Lyulf, his jaws snapping. When pieces of black material flew into her eyes Luna realised that Chase’s t-shirt had ripped off during his own transformation. A whirlwind of black and grey fur along with a blur of white material was all she could see as the three fought each other. Growls filled the night, the cracking of bone and teeth tearing cries from Luna’s mouth.

A yelp caught Luna’s attention and a gust of air brushed against her face. Her eyes followed a blur of grey fur. Michael lay on the grass, panting hard, as though he couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. Blood started seeping through his earlier wounds, the crimson liquid dark against the grey.

“Michael!” Luna screamed, running towards him. Chase jumped at Lyulf, his jaws locking onto his arm. For a second, his face betrayed the pain he must have felt but then he landed a punch into Chase’s side. The crack of his ribs breaking was deafening to Luna’s ears.

A howl broke through the night. The sound of thuds on the earth told her that something was coming, the sound getting louder and louder until a pair of wolves jumped past Luna, the fur briefly touching her skin as gentle as a velvet glove caressing her face.

The two new wolves jumped in, grey whirlwinds which circled Lyulf in a frenzy of biting and scratching. The Fae fought against them, a deadly tornado of power himself. They were all so fast that Luna’s eyes could barely make out who was who. Michael stirred beneath her fingers, growling as he struggled off his side and onto all fours. Head down low, he jumped back into the fight, his paws clawing at the enemy.

Terror filled every part of Luna as she watched Lyulf raining blows on the wolves. Chase fought to stand up from the spot where he had landed after the Fae had punched him. Pain radiated off him but still he battled against it, inching closer to his target.

A screech pierced through the clearing, as though the sound was an arrow and shot in her direction. Luna covered her ears with her hands, her face scrunching up in pain. Looking up she realised what it was.

The creature at her window was screaming from the other side of the pond.

“Go, goblin! Restrain the girl”, Lyulf commanded, backhanding one of the wolves.

Goblin
? Luna thought.
This …thing is a goblin
? Whatever it was, it began loping scurrying towards her, its thin arms clutching the ground as it bounded on its back legs. The greyish tone of its skin appeared almost black in the darkness, its saucer-like eyes allowing her to track it as it headed towards her.

A scream of pure terror fled out of Luna’s mouth. She hurried to her feet, stumbling, trying to get away as the goblin grew closer and closer. Instincts screaming inside, she raced in the direction of the bench she had sat in earlier, but with one bound the goblin jumped onto her back.

Pain exploded down her back, red hot pain. Arching her back, a flash of grey caught her eye before she felt another rip of agony across her cheek. The creature screamed in her ear as her head was yanked backwards, her scalp burning with pain. Luna reached up and dug her fingers into the goblins body, trying to force his grip on her hair loose. Once she had a grip, she flung the creature away from her.

Raising a shaky hand to her face, she came away with blood on her fingers. The goblin had ripped her skin apart with his elongated nails but she had no time to dwell on it. That piercing scream curdled her blood as the goblin pounced on her once again. Small bursts of pain informed her that it had managed to scratch her again, the blood seeping onto its skin. It managed to rip the leather jacket she was wearing.

A thud forced Luna’s head up, the soft touch of flowers stroking her face. At first, all she could see were the petals of the wolfsbane, darkened by the night, but then she saw red. The dagger had fallen out of the ripped jacket, the scarlet cloth appearing like a pool of darkened blood. With another ear-splitting screech, the goblin leaped off Luna, seized the bundle and bounded in the direction of its master.

“Michael! Chase!” Luna screamed. Glancing in the direction, the red wolf she saw earlier sprang towards the goblin, snarling as it snapped its jaws. The goblin dived to one side, narrowly missing those sharp teeth, hissing as they finally made contact with a spindly leg. Shrieks of agony emanated from it which only intensified when those jaws loosened so it could grip it around the waist. It threw the bundle in the air towards Lyulf, followed by a spray of blood.

The red wolf’s muzzle was drenched in the goblin’s blood, the top half of the creature hitting the floor. The bottom half firmly clasped within the wolf’s jaws.

Lyulf dove for the bundle, catching it in an elegant movement that would be the envy of any ballet dancer. “It is mine!” he cried in jubilation, but it was short-lived.

A grey wolf with a black strip down its back jumped at Lyulf’s hand. Dropping the bundle, Lyulf struck the wolf with his leg. A pop indicated that the blow had broken something and the subsequent thud told Luna the wolf didn’t have the dagger.

More wolves emerged out of the dark cover of the trees, racing towards the Fae who was bending down to pick up the dagger. Despite having three wolves locked onto various body parts, blood seeping from the wounds, Lyulf easily collected the dagger, still enfolded in its red covering.

He had the dagger.

“It is mine”, Lyulf repeated, softer this time. One of the wolves, a glorious creature with snow white fur and striking green eyes, stopped moving, as though it had frozen solid. One by one, the others released their grip on him and moved backwards.

Only Michael, his grey coat seeped in blood, his side sporting an ugly open wound, stayed close, growling as Lyulf slowly uncovered the object he had desired for thousands of years.