House of Wolves (Silver Moon Series Book 1)

by L. S. Slayford

  They stayed that way for a few moments, their bodies still connected, as they attempted to draw in the air their lungs demanded. Finally able to breathe properly, Chase gently withdrew from her and laid next to her, his eyes closed.

  Luna rolled onto her side, satisfaction coursing through her. She stroked the smooth hardness of his chest. “Will you show me your wolf?” she asked when her mouth was finally able to form words.

  Chase opened his eyes, watching her face intently. The liquid amber had receded, leaving nothing but the warm chocolate brown hue. “What?”

  “Your wolf,” she repeated, the words coming out breathy. “I want to see it.”

  An indecipherable look etched across his face. “Why?”

  Her brow creased in thought. “I’m not sure. Part of me is curious, and another part still wants to deny everything. When Michael transformed, I was in shock and terrified. It’s also a part of my family, and while I know I can’t change myself, I’d like to see what happens when I’m not being attacked by an ancient mythological creature. Does that make sense?”

  Chase rolled his head back, closing his eyes once more. “It’s one thing to be curious, princess, but another to actually deal with it. You know how the old saying goes. Humans shouldn’t be dealing with the supernatural.”

  Luna pressed her body closer to his, relishing in the warmth radiating from his skin. “Why don’t you get involved with human women, Chase?”

  A small groan slipped from his mouth. “You don’t want to know.”

  “Yes, I do,” she told him forcibly.

  “Fine, but it’s not a pretty tale,” he replied, a trace of bitterness coating his words. Rolling onto his side, Luna watched as shadows of memories danced in his eyes. “Mom was originally from Montana where she met my dad at the bar where she worked. They fell in love, blah blah blah, and to the rest of the world they looked happy.” Anger seeped through his tone. “What no one knew was that my father was an abusive bastard. Every time a guy hit on her, every time she talked to someone, he’d beat her.

  “Eventually, Mom had enough and finally found the strength to pack up and leave his ass. But the night she tried, he came home early and caught her. He threw the suitcase back in the house, dragged her back in and beat her. When she started bleeding, it triggered his change. She never told me exactly what happened, but he did something, something that scared the shit out of her every time she heard howling until the day she died.” Chase’s jaw clenched and Luna traced her fingers along it, hoping to give him comfort. “When he changed back, he told her that if she ran away then he’d just find her, that he could follow her scent wherever she went. The first time he left her on her own, she ran. She was six months pregnant at the time. She didn’t take anything but her purse, not even her mother’s jewellery or the baby booties she’d been knitting for me.

  “She took the Greyhound to anywhere and landed here a few days later. Mom had only been in Westfield for a few weeks when your parents met her. They knew she’d been hurt but didn’t know about my father. It was only after my birth that George realised what I was. It took some time for him to convince her that not all werewolves are abusive, that most are just like other people. When Michael was born, Mom and Sherrie were the best of friends, united by a common fear of what their children’s lives would be like. Mom’s biggest fear was that I might become the monster my father was.”

  All Luna could do was stare at him, her heart aching as the pain of what a man he’d never met painted the lines of his face.

  Taking a deep breath, Chase continued. “When I was older, I started dating a girl from school. Nothing major happened between us, but it was heading that way. When Mom found out, she sat me down and told me of what happened to her. You have no idea what it was like, listening to how that bastard had treated her. She convinced me that it was wrong for someone like me to date humans, that they’re too fragile for werewolves. The next day, I broke up with my girlfriend, telling her we were too different. She didn’t take it too good either, but it was better than the alternative. After that, I refused to date anyone human. None of them appealed.” A sigh rippled from his mouth. “Until you came along.”

  An intense look of confusion burned in his eyes. “I saw you standing there in the house and I knew I wanted you. The way you wore your love on your sleeve, the raw emotions in your eyes, that sexy French-British accent you’ve got going on - they all drew me like a moth to a flame. You burn me, princess, and I don’t know why. I know you’ve got a guy back home, but I don’t care. I want you.” Chase inhaled deep, his voice low and raw. “But I don’t want you getting hurt because of my wolf.”

  “You won’t hurt me the way your father hurt your mother,” Luna whispered.

  “I don’t want to be like him,” Chase said, a muscle vibrating in his jaw, resting his forehead against hers. “I’d rather kill myself than become like him.”

  They remained in silence for a few moments, breathing, allowing their heartbeats to return to normal. Luna looked up. “Did you ever see my dad treat my mother badly?”

  Shock jumped into his eyes and he shook his head. “No. George treated Sherrie like a queen. He loved her like crazy. They were inseparable apart from the times when your mom visited you in France by herself.”

  Luna cupped his cheek in her palm. “So, if my werewolf father treated my human mother with love and respect, what makes you think you can’t? There are abusive men in the world, Chase, werewolf or human, but not every man is.”

  Chase didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes and sighed.

  Luna put a finger beneath his chin and lifted it. Those chocolate eyes stared back at her, shadows of doubt swirling within them. Luna made her tone firm and low. “You’re not him and you can prove it to yourself. Show me your wolf.”

  Silence stretched between them and Luna’s heart sank, thinking he wouldn’t do it. A small nod eventually materialised. “When?”

  “Now,” she told him. “Let’s do it now while we both have the nerve.”

  Sixteen

  Apprehension coursed through Luna’s veins with each step she took through the family woods. Dusk had finally descended into twilight, the sky drenched in crimson and vibrant purple hues. Below, the trees had darkened to almost black, the last rays of fading sunlight causing shadows to play on the ground. Somewhere in the trees, birds sang and a rustle in the undergrowth suggested night-time creatures had started to wake.

  Luna couldn’t recall much about the woods surrounding her childhood home, much like anything else. She knew they were vast and had been in her family for generations, but nothing else sprang to mind.

  Instead, questions flew at her thick and fast. Would she find other werewolves out there apart from Chase? Would they run into Lyulf and that strange, hideous creature, lurking in the shadows?

  Inhaling deeply, a small finger of worry jabbed at her chest at the thought of what else could be hidden amongst the branches and vegetation. For a long moment, played with the idea of telling Chase to take her back to the house, that she didn’t need to see it, but something held her tongue. She wanted to see it.

  It had to be done, if only for her sanity.

  Luna sucked in a deep breath as she mimicked Chase’s actions and stepped over a fallen log. Dry twigs crunched beneath her tennis shoes and something scuttled off from under a bush up ahead. Luna’s heart raced in her chest. She told herself that she wasn’t nervous, but she could taste the lie in the back of her throat.

  Chase continued leading her down a well-trodden path in silence. Neither had said much since leaving the house. He’d simply sniffed the air, told her it was safe, and walked ahead. Leaving her to decide if she really did want to follow and find out.

  She’d taken that first step and discovered she couldn’t stop.

  The trees thinned out and the path led into a clearing. In the centre stood a beautiful pond so perfectly circular that she wondered if it wasn’t natural. Trees surrounded the clearing, bestowin
g on it an ethereal atmosphere. The scarlet tinged sky now bled into deep hues of amethyst, and the first stars twinkled faintly overhead. Luna could just make out the softest hint of starlight in the dark still water.

  Taking her by the hand, Chase led her to one side of the pond. Up ahead sat a bench. She welcomed his touch, realising the temperature had suddenly dropped during their walk. I should’ve taken a sweater, she thought, attempting to repress a shiver. To the right-hand side of the bench lay a small patch of yellow roses, their hue barely recognisable in the fading light but their scent strong and fragrant. Her mother’s favourite flower. To the left grew a patch of bluish-purple flowers, but Luna didn’t recognise them.

  She reached out to touch one, curious, but Chase grabbed her hand and fixed her with a look. “Don’t. That’s wolfsbane. If the poison gets into your system, you’ll die.”

  A knot formed between her brows. “Que? Who planted it?” Luna asked.

  “Your mother. Don’t ask me why, she wouldn’t say. She just said it was the perfect flower to plant there.”

  Luna stepped back from the deadly plant, her history lessons coming back to haunt her. Also known as monkswood and woman’s bane, it was the same plant that Medea used to make the poisonous drink she presented to Theseus. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the plant came from the saliva of the monstrous three-headed dog Cerebos who guarded the entrance to the underworld.

  But why would her mother plant wolfsbane in such a beautiful area? Especially when it could potentially kill any wild animals living in the woods.

  Chase sat her down on the bench, then took a few steps backwards. Behind him, the pond transformed into a dark halo that encompassed most of his body. A gentle breeze played with his hair. A solemn expression stretched over his face, as if resigned to a fate he desperately wished he could avoid.

  “Are you sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to change your mind,” he told her, his tone trying for neutral but falling short of it.

  Nerves shot through her veins. Can I really do this? There would be no going back if she did; there would be no convincing herself that the events of this trip never happened. Everything would change. She’d never look at the world the same way again.

  But if she didn’t, she’d kick herself for the rest of life. Michael would never tell her anything about his world again and she couldn’t allow that. There couldn’t be any more secrets between them. Despite the nerves trickling throughout her body, curiosity won. She just hoped the cat would survive.

  She nodded. “I’m sure. Now show me.”

  “As you command, princess.” Chase stripped, casting his clothes at her feet. Shadows fell upon his body, but the limited light bounced off the hard lines of his chest and danced across his face. It was impossible to avoid looking at the one spot she shouldn’t, so she didn’t even try. Even soft, he remained thick and long and the memory of him inside her caused her core to tighten. For a second, she thought she saw the corners of his mouth twitch. Could he really sense her desire?

  Then the smile dropped.

  A faint silvery light traced the edges of his body, growing stronger until it illuminated his face.

  Oh. Wow.

  She’d watched many horror movies over the years. Each one portrayed the werewolf’s shift from one form to another as a painful process. The cracking of bones, the stretching of sinews, of screams ripping through the night, fur sprouting over bodies until nothing human remained, leaving only a fearsome and terrifying beast.

  But this seemed different. No stomach-churning screams of horror pierced the night sky; just a small sigh that escaped from Chase’s lips. Silver light bled over his body. Closing his eyes, the apprehension on his face morphed into relief. He melted into the light, becoming one with it. His body shrank, the hard lines of his face softened and extended to form a muzzle. Milk chocolate eyes liquified into amber, and grey fur washed over every inch of smooth skin. The silver light dissolved back into night and amber eyes flashed beneath her stare. It had taken less than two seconds. Luna’s jaw dropped to her chest and her breath lodged within her throat.

  He really is a werewolf.

  Astonishment and wonder swept through her like wildfire. Science claimed such things were impossible, that they were nothing but fantasies of primitive superstitious minds and works of Hollywood. But standing there, seeing it with her own eyes, Luna couldn’t do anything but believe.

  It was either that or believe she’d simply lost her mind.

  A battle broke out within her. One half wanted to rush over and touch him, to feel that fur beneath her fingers, and the other warned her about dangers of startling a werewolf. How much of their humanity did they retain after the change?

  Those startling amber eyes locked onto Luna, causing her breath to catch in her throat. Chase just stood there, watching her stare back at him. Luna recalled all the legendary creatures she’d read about in school, from werewolves to griffins, from hydras to phoenixes, but she’d never imagined in her wildest dreams that she’d see any in her life.

  In wolf form, Chase appeared slightly larger than a natural one. The shimmering light had completely faded, but she could still make out details. Grey fur tipped in black with white speckles that ran along his back and down his tail.

  Slowly, he trotted over to her. Luna’s breath caught in her throat at the wonder of him. Gently, he rested his head in her lap. From his stance, Luna thought he looked pensive, as if waiting for rejection.

  Cautiously, Luna lifted a hand and touched him. Soft fur tickled her palm and she tasted her pulse in her throat. A small smile played at the edges of her mouth, widening into a grin as her fingers reached up and rubbed at the spot between his eyes. Slowly, Chase’s body relaxed under her hand, and any hesitation within her melted away.

  Suddenly, Chase dropped to his front paws, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Kicking up a clod of earth, he bounded off towards the pond, turned back, and dropped to the ground once more.

  “Such a big bad wolf,” she laughed. “You’re nothing but a playful puppy, aren’t you?”

  Snorting at her words, Chase ran off to the right, darting in and out of the trees surrounding the pond. His coat reflected the moonlight and faint glow of the stars but as soon as he shot past the trees, the inky darkness consumed him.

  As Chase dashed between the trees, Luna glanced around. Even with shadows covering everything, she couldn’t help but be entranced at the beauty of the place. Take away the werewolves and whatever else lurked within, it still held a magic of its own.

  Then it occurred to her. This must have been the place where Mum saw Dad change for the first time as well. She wondered if her mother found the transformation as strange and alien, yet mesmerising, the way she did?

  Another realisation struck. This had been the same pond she’d pushed Chase into as kids. Luna frowned, the memory coming back stronger than ever. But not where she stood now, it had been on the other side. The pond had been a favourite place of hers when she was younger. Misty recollections of sitting on the bench listening to her mother tell stories, of splashing in the water on hot days.

  Was this the same place where the pack changed? Luna shook her head. Just another question to add to the ever-growing list.

  A flash of movement to her right caught her attention. A rustle of underbrush stirred on the air, and sent her heart jumping back into her throat until she realised it was probably just Chase.

  Willing her heart back down into her chest, her eyes glanced over to the roses. They been her mother’s favourite flower for years. Even now, she couldn’t separate the two. Roses and her mother went hand in hand. If her parents spent time here, then it made sense to plant them beside the bench. Their sweet-smelling perfume infused the night air.

  Luna’s head turned to the other side. The wolfsbane - that she couldn’t explain. There was no doubt that it was a beautiful plant, but something so deadly seemed out of place, out of character for her mother.

  Why on e
arth would Mum plant it here?

  Luna struggled to search her memory, desperately trying to understand her mother’s intentions. The Irish lilt of Professor Finnigan’s voice popped into her mind, the accounts of ancient myths coming back. A man who could transform into a wolf just by simply touching its petals, how ancient warriors would dip their arrows in its poison to kill wolves.

  “It’s a pity it wouldn’t work on the fae,” she muttered under her breath. But Luna didn’t need poison; she needed to find the artefact.

  Her forehead crinkled. “If I need to hide a magical item where no one would find it, where would I put it?” she asked herself, her voice a gentle whisper on the night air. With nothing else in the safe, she couldn’t imagine her father hiding it in a box within the study. And if it wasn’t in the study, then she doubted it would be somewhere else in the house.

  But it had to be close by, she determined. Somewhere easy enough to get to in an emergency, but somewhere no one would ever think to look.

  Michael’s garage was out of the question. He had a steady stream of customers in and out all day and even though Westfield was a small town, the garage stood in the centre of it. Besides, he didn’t know anything about it. No, she couldn’t see it there either.

  I’d keep it somewhere on the property, somewhere I went to regularly so I could check on whether it had been disturbed, but no one could tell.

  But where would that somewhere be?

  Suddenly it clicked.

  “Chase! Come here.”

  A whirlwind of black and grey tore through the trees, appearing at her side within mere seconds. “Good boy,” she told him. His response was a derisive snort. Luna pointed at the roses. “Dig, puppy,”

  Luna could’ve sworn he rolled his eyes at her, but he began digging. Clods of dirt shot through the air. Within a few minutes, roses lay scattered on the ground, the moonlight catching the edge of the petals. Guilt ran through her at the sight. Her mother would be upset if she could’ve seen what was happening to her favourite flowers, but Luna had to know if her hunch was correct or not.