by Belle Harper
Rising Sun
New Moon Series Book Three
Belle Harper
For my best friend, Rebecca.
You encourage me every step of the way, you are always there for me when I need you.
Love you xx
Contents
1. Lexi
2. Lexi
3. Galen
4. Ranger
5. Rafferty
6. Maverick
7. Lexi
8. Lexi
9. Lexi
10. Maverick
11. Lexi
12. Galen
13. Lexi
14. Lexi
15. Lexi
16. Ranger
17. Lexi
18. Lexi
19. Maverick
20. Lexi
21. Lexi
22. Lexi
23. Galen
24. Lexi
25. Lexi
26. Lexi
27. Rafferty
28. Lexi
29. Lexi
30. Rafferty
31. Lexi
32. Lexi
33. Ranger
34. Lexi
35. Lexi
36. Galen
37. Lexi
38. Lexi
39. Lexi
40. Lexi
41. Lexi
42. Galen
43. Maverick
44. Lexi
45. Lexi
46. Rafferty
47. Lexi
48. Lexi
49. Ranger
50. Lexi
51. Lexi
52. Galen
53. Lexi
54. Lexi
55. Lexi
56. Lexi
57. Maverick
58. Lexi
59. Lexi
60. Lexi
Also by Belle Harper
Acknowledgments
Belle’s Books
About the Author
Chapter One
Lexi
Rain... I glanced up to the dark clouds above and felt another raindrop hit my cheek. It rolled down... like a silent tear. Even the heavens knew I was holding them in. My mother was not a vampire. No, she was as human as I was... well, at least I thought I was human a few months ago. The Bardoul pack said she was human. So she wasn’t a vampire, she couldn’t be. I clutched my stomach, none of this made sense.
I could still feel Tobias’s hand on my shoulder, I could feel the energy running through him. Like we were connected. Our energy knew each other, like long-lost friends. I felt a strength with him beside me. He was my father... my dad was an angel. And so young that he looked like my older brother more than my father. This was so... weird.
I felt a chill over my skin and my chest became tight. I took in a shaky breath. My knees weren’t working, they felt like jelly. But my mates still had me, they were holding me just as Tobias was.
But the pain in my chest, I just hurt them. Yet they still had me. Maybe they were worried I was going to fall, or to just reassure themselves that I was still here. That I was alive. I let out a shuddering breath and swallowed down the lump in my throat. I didn’t want to think about what could have happened.
“We should return to the main house. I have rounded up all the shifters that had come for Lexi. They are waiting for you to punish as you wish. The night vamps, those who were not fighting with you, they are all... disposed of.” I looked up at Tobias’s face, this close I could see his short stubbled facial hair. It wasn’t something I normally noticed much on guys. It made him look older. Wiser? How old was he?
He wasn’t glowing as he was before. It was as if someone had put out the light that was surrounding him. But he really did look a lot like me, or I looked like him. My amber eyes were dull compared to his almost gold ones. They glowed a little when he glanced down to me. I almost stumbled back at the intensity of them. My eyes traveled over to see who Tobias was speaking to.
“Thank you for your help, Tobias. Everyone back to the house at once.” Alaric. He was standing close to the tree line, his face drawn... tired. He looked older than he was a week ago. This had taken a huge toll on him, on them all. My eyes dashed to the left to see Nash. His face didn’t give away anything. He just watched me with those same green eyes all the Lovell’s had. His were most like his father. I didn’t look away, I just watched him as his eyes crinkled a little in the corners and he cocked his head to the side. Was he smiling at me? Shit, I didn’t think he smiled. It wasn’t much of a smile, but still. It was enough to get me to look away first.
Jett and Lyell stood a few feet away from him. Jett gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Lyell watched everyone like he was studying us. When he caught me watching him he took a stumbling step backwards. He looked so out of his element right now. The Lovell family were all here... and I only just noticed they were all naked, covered in mud and blood.
When no one moved Alaric growled, then shouted in that alpha tone. “Everyone. Now.”
Tobias let his hand drop from my shoulder as my feet started to move with the others in the direction of the house... home. My home. I had a home to go to. Whether I was still welcomed there... No. They would understand why I did what I did.
There was a cold breeze, and Tobias was no longer standing there. I stopped as everyone else did and glanced up to see he was flying. His wings were magnificent, huge span, even though the sky was dark and grey, the feathers glowed a deep gold from within. Words couldn’t describe the beauty and elegance of this angel. We all watched in awe as he flew over the trees and towards home like it was normal to see a man flying in the sky. Home. Home.
“The others.” My chest tightened as I stumbled forward. I needed to get back. What if my blood hadn’t worked, hadn’t healed them? What if they were all dying while I was here watching the sunrise with my mates? I could never forgive myself for forgetting about them all. Oh god, Ada was there. She was human. Josh... oh god. Joshy.
The pain in my chest tightened, and I felt like I was going to be sick. I tried to suck in deep breaths, but it was like someone was strangling me from within.
“Lexi.” Galen stood in front of me, his hands on my cheeks. I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t want him to see me like this. God, I was so weak, so pitiful. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me into his chest. Helping to keep me steady. “What others? Let me carry you, my love.”
The lump in my throat returned as too much emotion ran through me. He called me his love. I jumped off a cliff and still Galen called me his love. What did I do to deserve him? All of them. He was too good. I leant into him, taking what strength I could. I breathed him in, sunshine. If sunshine had a smell, that was Galen. My light. Where everyone else would think he was dark, he was my light. I just couldn’t stop this guilt from eating me up. Everything I had done.
“The... the ones injured.” I choked on my words, trying to hold back tears.
“They are okay, the others. I can hear them. They are fine.” He pulled me back, his hands on my face again. His eyes searching mine. “Don’t. Don’t beat yourself up. They’re healing. Trust me?”
My shoulders dropped and I let out a huge exhale. He could read me like a book. I nodded. I trusted him. I always would.
“Please let Galen carry you.” It was Maverick this time asking me. I shook my head. I didn’t want to be carried back like some precious flower.
“I want to walk.” I knew I didn’t have the energy. But I didn’t care. I just didn’t want to see all the looks on everyone’s faces when I got back. I ran, I ran from them all when they needed me to stay safe. Oh god, Ada. I had said goodbye to her. I didn’t give her a chance to respond I just ran out
on her. Fuck.
I fucked everything up. Like I always do.
Chapter Two
Lexi
My feet were numb... I ran out of the Lovell house barefoot. Not that that was important right now, there were more important things than the fact I wasn’t wearing shoes. But with every step, the twigs and small rocks were cutting into my feet. I didn’t care; it was not like they wouldn’t heal, and it was keeping me focused. I was alive; I felt pain. I was still here. I get to live, but how many had to die for that.
Too much had happened.
If Tobias wasn’t there, if he was a second too late... my heart dropped just at the thought. But he wasn’t. He caught me.
When I was a little girl, and in one of the many foster homes. I would dream that someone would come for me. Tell me they had been searching for me and now they found me. They would take care of me. They would catch me if I fall and kiss my boo boo’s better. This wasn’t the same dream, and I was older now. Did I still want those things?
I didn’t know where Tobias would fit in my life. Would he want to stay? Would he leave? Does he have a family somewhere waiting for him? So many questions needed to be answered. The most pressing being my mother and what he knew about her.
Warm hands touched my bare skin. It almost burned where they touched me. My mates. I couldn’t talk to them right now; I had apologised, but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. God, how could they still want me after what... I... I let out a deep breath, my throat tight. I was worked up and emotional.
The rain got heavier; I was cold and shaking. My wet clothes clung to my body, but I didn’t care. I felt like this was the way it was supposed to be. I stopped and held my hands up to the sky. The clouds were so dark, so angry. I watched as the raindrops hit the tree canopy above and rolled down the leaves. I could hear the guys talking around me, worried I was losing it. I shut it out. I just concentrated on breathing.
“Lexi, please. Please let me help you. I can help you.” I couldn’t shut out Galen, and he knew it. I try to ignore him, but his voice was laced with worry and pain. He knew I heard what he had said, but didn’t push me.
The blood and death from the night before was being washed away from the earth, but it would never erase this night from my memory. From anyone who was here. It felt freeing. Letting the rain wash me, clean me. I was alive to feel the rain. We all were alive. I crouched down and felt the damp, cool earth. I squeezed the wet dirt through my fingers as I stood.
Moving forward again, I felt as if I wasn’t in my body. My legs carrying me home. But then I snapped out of it when another sharp rock I didn’t see stabbed the sole of my foot. I couldn’t see much in front of me. My eyes were glassy, and I was cold. So fucking cold. I wiped my face with my palm when I felt a strange grit. I glanced down to see my hand was still covered in the dirt, my eyes focused again.
Someone squeezed my shoulder, Galen? Another took my hand and squeezed. My heart felt lighter. I shouldn’t be acting like this, I needed to snap out of this fog I was under. I needed to be strong for everyone, in control. So I put one foot in front of the other.
I jerked to a stop when I saw two naked asses in front of me. And not just anyone’s bare ass. Oh god. I adverted my eyes again. Was it like wrong that I saw Nash and Jett’s asses? And well, to be honest, I saw much more than that just earlier. I let out a snort as I rolled my eyes at myself. I think I need to get used to all the nudity; I have a feeling they have been holding that back here for me. But to be honest, Jett does have a nice ass... so does Nash. He was just so... ugh. Alpha.
“Lex? I can carry you sweetheart,” Ranger’s voice was soft, and I let him pull my face close to his. His eyes darting back and forth, the worried look in his eyes. I shook my head.
“Not used to seeing your family so naked in the morning.” I gave my best smile to reassure him that I was fine. Ranger’s brows lifted at my words. I felt my body leaving the ground, the air left my lungs in a whoosh. My body felt tingly all over at the sudden change. I turned into the chest I was now cradled against to protest, but the look in Maverick’s eyes told me he wasn’t going to let me argue this. Which brought me back to why I wanted to walk... I just.
How do I process this? All of it, what had happened in the last two days. Was no one going to mention the fact I just jumped off a cliff... without wings?
Oh god, I looked back and saw the blank expression on Raff’s face. He wouldn’t even meet my eyes. I fucked up so badly. I broke his trust again. How could I even start repairing this? It was a long walk back to the house, but I needed it to gather my thoughts before I got there. I didn’t want to have a full breakdown in front of everyone. I was always so together, well I used to be. I thought I was, at least. But now I was gathering too many thoughts. My body was shaking hard from the cold, at least I thought it was from the cold and my chest felt tight. Shock? Could I be in shock? Made more sense than anything else.
I needed to get down, but as I twisted, Maverick just held me tighter and made a “shh” sound as if I was a baby. But with my head pressed tightly to his chest, I could feel the rumble in his chest as he spoke to the others about the fighting... I was too exhausted to listen or fight him about being carried, so I just relaxed into his warmth and breathed in his scent. Pine.
It was quiet for a while. The rain had stopped, and all I heard were our footsteps as we all moved through the forest. Jett and Nash had gone now, I assumed they had shifted after I talked about their nakedness. I glanced around at all my mates. Huh... I guess I was starting to become immune to the nudity everywhere around me because I didn’t even notice they were all naked too. Well, except for Galen, but his clothes were pretty much gone. His arms... oh god, his chest was scarred also. I wanted him to open up and tell me about his past. I quickly looked away before I made him uncomfortable, my eyes wandering onto a very sexy bare chest ... my eyes drifted lower to some seriously amazing abs. This was a good distraction. I needed that, think about anything but—
“You like what you see?” Ranger teased me with a wink, running his hand down his chest. I smiled, a real smile this time at being caught out. The swaying was lulling me, but I needed to stay awake. I needed to help when we got back. I knew for sure we had lost some pack members, there was no way we went through this without some death. Only I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing. No matter how hard I tried.
My mother was a vampire?
Chapter Three
Galen
As soon as Lexi passed out in Mav’s arms I reached for her. Mav didn’t have to say a word as he handed her over. He knew, like me. That it would be faster for us if I ran back with her and they shifted and followed. I looked down into her face as she slept, not affected at all by the movement to my arms as she snuggled into my chest. Like she knew it was me, that she was safe.
I was glad she had stopped fighting sleep, I could not only smell the fear and hurt rolling off her. I could feel it too. I felt how tired she was; how hard she was being on herself. Her blood connected me in so many ways, yet I couldn’t hear her thoughts. I wished to know what she was thinking so I could help her. But she wouldn’t tell me, she wouldn’t talk to us. Lexi can try and hide her pain, but she forgets she can never fully hide it from us. It hurt me to see her like this. But now she was asleep, all the pain and hurt were gone. Replaced with something lighter. Dreaming of something happier I hoped.
Her father was an angel, he didn’t know about her until now. And he just dropped that huge bomb that not only was her mother a vampire. But he was actually half wolf shifter, half angel. I knew the guys didn’t miss that bit of information. That was huge.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Was that why Lexi’s scent called to the wolf shifters? Was that why I was so drawn to her because of her being an angel?
She was so beautiful, angelic, almost as if she wasn’t real. She was perfect, right down to the little bits of dirt still on her face. Her lips parted on a deep exhale and I froze. Worried she wou
ld wake. But when she pressed her head in closer and sighed, I felt this warmth flood through my body. Was that her feelings or mine?
My chest was tight with emotion. Before Lexi, I didn’t know these feelings existed. I had thought I had known love, but now I knew that wasn’t true. This was what true love felt like. And when she... when she jumped, I knew I would have followed her right off that cliff. I knew then in that moment; I wouldn’t want to live in a world without her. I had known since the first day I saw her in the office at school. Those big amber eyes... She had my heart there and there was no way I could have got it back. I wouldn’t want it back.
My senses were so heightened now. More so than I would have believed possible. I could hear everything. I could hear a honey bee, the smell of pine mixed with the scent of blood. My fangs itched... but not in the way one might think. The blood was that of shifters, my instincts telling me to be prepared for a fight. Being around the guys and breathing in their scents were not helping matters either, even though I was getting better, learning their scents. I quickly cleared my head of all thoughts to stop my fangs.