The Uprising (Moonlight Wolves Book 3)

by Jasmine B. Waters

  Andrea fell silent. The traffic was heavy and it took longer than expected to get to the house I used to call home. When I pulled into the driveway, my heart started to pound. Both Steven and Karen were home, judging by their cars, and I had no desire for a confrontation with either of them.

  I owe this to Andrea, I told myself as I climbed out of the car and shut the door. She deserves this.

  Even though I knew it was all over, I couldn’t shake the sense of guilt I felt about Andrea. Somehow, I knew that I’d feel it forever.

  “I don’t know if I should knock or not,” I said awkwardly, looking at the front door. Just as Andrea was about to speak, the door swung open.

  Steven stood there, looking both different and so familiar that it almost hurt to look at him. His dirty-blonde hair was pushed away from his forehead, and his dark blue eyes were concerned and soft.

  “Hi,” I said shyly.

  Andrea smiled. I watched as she stepped forward, tears glistening in her eyes. “Hi, Steven,” Andrea said.

  Steven grinned. I stepped to the side and he wrapped his arms around Andrea, pulling her into a close hug. She kissed his cheek and I felt an old flicker of unease. That’s over now, I told myself firmly.

  “I didn’t know you were coming,” Steven said. “Wow, it’s great to see you.”

  Andrea nodded, still smiling. A tear rolled down her cheek. “I’m sorry it’s been so long,” she said. “I’ve been away for a long time.”

  Steven nodded. “Yeah. I know.”

  The three of us stood there awkwardly for a minute. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and forced a smile.

  “Can we come in?” I asked.

  “Oh! Yeah,” Steven said. He stepped back awkwardly, glancing down. It was strange – I’d grown so used to his eyes on me all the time that it felt odd being there without his gaze fixed on me.

  Andrea and I followed Steven inside. Thankfully, there was no sign of Karen.

  “Karen’s out,” Steven said, looking up at me. I felt a flash of fear – was the spell still working after all? But then he swallowed and gave me an awkward look. “I think we should talk later,” Steven said, too quiet for Andrea to hear. “Is that okay?”

  I nodded. “I’m…going upstairs for a while. I should get some more of my stuff together.”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  I left Steven and Andrea together in the kitchen while I walked up the familiar stairs and into the bedroom. Seeing my things strewn around the room was like a punch in the gut. The sheets had been washed, but it was much more cluttered than I knew Steven liked. I frowned at the sight of four empty beer bottles on the nightstand before sweeping them into the trash.

  I pulled the rest of my clothes out of the dressed and folded them, setting them down at the edge of the bed. I’d barely been working for more than a few minutes when Steven’s head appeared in the doorway.

  “Hey,” he said. “I’m making something to eat – Andrea’s really hungry – you want anything?”

  I licked my lips and shook my head. “No,” I said. “I’m fine, thanks.”

  Steven stepped forward. “Look, I’m sorry,” he said. He put a hand to his forehead and shook his head, looking confused. “I…I feel like I should apologize for something.”

  “No, it’s fine,” I said. “You…you didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Steven chuckled. “This is going to sound crazy, but I feel like I’ve been in some kind of really weird dream, and it’s been going on for years.” He frowned, creasing his tanned forehead. “I can barely remember anything. Karen told me we were engaged, but that she left.”

  “She’s right,” I said. My heart sank – this was the exact conversation I’d been dreading.

  “Why?”

  “Steven, I…I just don’t think we’re right for each other,” I said slowly. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to get married.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Steven said. He shook his head again. “I feel like…I feel like I was bad to you, somehow, I just wish I could fucking remember,” he added. “I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

  “You’re not losing your mind,” I said. “Trust me, I promise.”

  “Look, maybe you’re right about us not getting married, but I really want another chance,” Steven said. “Can I have that? Do I even deserve it?”

  “I’m sorry,” I said awkwardly. I sat down at the edge of the bed, spilling my clothes onto the floor. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe we can be friends, someday.”

  Steven winced. “I didn’t know people actually said that in real life.”

  I forced a dry laugh. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I really am. I just…we were together for so long, it’s scary. I know. But I really think we shouldn’t be together anymore.”

  Steven sighed. “Okay,” he said. “You want help with this?” He gestured around. “Getting your stuff, I mean?”

  “I’m fine, really,” I said. “You should go talk to your sister. She really missed you.”

  Steven nodded. “I missed her,” he said. “At least, I feel like I did. Does that sound crazy?”

  “Not comparatively.”

  Steven held out his hand. “Shake?”

  I shook my head and got up from the bed, leaning over and lightly hugging him with one arm.

  “Good luck,” I said. “I really mean that.”

  Steven nodded sadly. “I know,” he said. “I really do.”

  Steven started down the stairs and I took one last look around our room. For the first time in what felt like my whole life, I was finally excited for the future.

  Epilogue

  Elizabeth – One Year Later

  God damnit, he’s so late, I thought, looking down at my phone to check the time. Is he going to stand me up?

  Just as the waitress came by with a second glass of wine, he appeared. Standing there in a black jacket, with his dark hair flopping into his eyes. When he saw me, the corner of his mouth lifted in half of a sardonic smile.

  “Hey,” David said. “Sorry, there was traffic.”

  I nodded. “It’s not a big deal,” I said quickly. “This is only my second glass.”

  David snickered. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek, sending a shiver through my whole body. Then he sat on the opposite side of the booth.

  “Maybe I should’ve been later,” he said dryly. “You get pretty fun after wine.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You would say that,” I said, picking my glass up and taking a sip.

  “I missed you a lot,” David said. “It’s been a long time.”

  “A year that felt like a decade,” I said, groaning. “I just moved here a month ago and it feels like it happened last night.

  “You like it so far?”

  “Yeah, I think so,” I said, looking out the window. “Boston is nice. It’s…different from home.”

  David laughed. “That’s a good thing,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s one of the only places I can tolerate.”

  “So no plans to go back abroad?”

  David shook his head. “Not right now.”

  Hearing him say that felt better than it should have.

  “You probably want to know why I called you,” I said slowly, looking down and running my finger around the rim of my wineglass. Suddenly, I regretted ordering a glass before David had arrived. The alcohol was making me nervous and awkward, and I felt like my cheeks were flaming hot.

  “I think I know.”

  I looked up. “Yeah?”

  David nodded. “Yeah.”

  “You’re not gonna make me say, are you?” I laughed nervously.

  David reached across the table and took my hand. His fingers were ice-cold, but a warm sensation slid up my arm and into my chest, making me shiver.

  “Elizabeth, you know I’ve had feelings for you a long time,” David said in a low voice. The way he said my name made me shiver. “But something was holding me back.”

  “
I know.” I nodded. “I know. I…I felt the same way,” I admitted.

  “I want to be with you,” David said. “I’m…I’m sorry it took this long.”

  I laughed shortly. “I feel like I can’t be without you,” I said. “And I don’t know what it is – I’ve felt like that for a long time, since before I saw you overseas.”

  David nodded. “I know.”

  “And you don’t think…whatever it was is going to hold you back anymore?”

  David shook his head. “No,” he said. “I felt loyalty to Monica for a long time. I still do,” he added, looking right into my eyes. “And I’ll always…I don’t know, be grateful to her. She was one of the first people who didn’t look at me like a delinquent.”

  “She was one of only people who treated me like I was actually interesting,” I said. A lump was forming in my throat and I forced myself to swallow it, send it back down to my stomach where it belonged. “I miss her every day, David. But I think she would want us to be happy.”

  “We won’t ever forget her,” David said. “But something changed – I dunno, a year ago, maybe. It was like I realized that I could still be happy. I mean, I wasn’t happy.” He squeezed my hand. “But I think we could be happy together.”

  “I think this is the only way things can be from now on,” I said quietly. “I’m sick of waiting for things to get better without doing anything about it.”

  “Hey, you’ve done a lot,” David said. He wrinkled his nose. “You and Steven split up, you moved to Boston, you know. You’re doing really well.”

  I shrugged. “I feel like all of my success now is owed to Monica,” I said softly. “I feel like I owe her everything.”

  “You don’t owe her everything,” David said. “Just…some things.”

  “I never would’ve met you if it hadn’t been for her.”

  David nodded. “I know. I think about that sometimes. Does that make me a bad person?”

  I shook my head. “No,” I said softly. “It doesn’t.”

  The waitress came back and there was a short, awkward dialogue between her and David. When she’d left again, David got up and slid into the booth next to me. He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I closed my eyes and nestled my head on his shoulder, inhaling his musk. Happiness shot through me. It wasn’t electric – although there was lust there, too – but it was content, and fulfilling. Like I’d somehow found the one thing I’d always wanted.

  “I still miss her,” I said softly without opening my eyes. “I think about her all the time.”

  “Whatever happened to her parents? You hear from them?”

  Monica’s house flashed back to me – the way it had looked a year ago, practically in ruin.

  “No,” I said softly. “I don’t know. My mom told me someone bought their old house and tore most of it down. She doesn’t remember, though. Most people don’t – it’s like the family just disappeared.”

  David slid his fingers under my chin and tilted my head up. “Hey,” he said. “I think we both know they didn’t disappear.”

  I shuddered. “I know.”

  David kissed me gently and I snuggled closer, putting my hand out to meet his on my shoulder.

  “You wanna get out of here?”

  “Yeah,” I said softly.

  “Your place? Mine?”

  I bit my lip and frowned. “This is going to sound nuts,” I said softly. “But part of me wants to go back to Jaffrey. Just for an hour or so,” I added. “If you don’t want to come, it’s okay.”

  David nodded. “Nah, it’s fine,” he said. “I’ll come.” He smiled wryly. “I feel like I’ve had enough of being apart from you.”

  I smiled so widely that my cheeks ached. “I know just what you mean,” I said quietly.

  Three hours later, David and I were climbing out of his car and crossing the yard of Monica's old house. My mom had been right – most of the house was gone, and from what I could tell, construction had halted.

  “It’s been a year since I’ve been back here,” I said, closing my eyes and inhaling the air. It smelled exactly the same. “I feel like I’m a kid again.”

  “Oh, god, don’t say that,” David said. He twisted his mouth into a smirk. “I hated being a kid.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I know,” I said. “I think you probably came out of the womb at thirty.”

  David snickered. “Hey,” he said. “I’m only twenty-four, thanks for that.”

  I stuck my tongue out. David wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. We stood there for a moment, holding each other. Then I took his hand and led him to the edge of the yard, where the woods began.

  “What’re you doing?” David asked.

  I didn’t reply. Pulling the athame out of my bag, I knelt down on the ground and gently kissed the blade.

  “Thank you,” I said softly, closing my eyes and picturing Monica’s face. “For everything.”

  There was no answer. The wind gently blew through the trees and ruffled my hair. I held onto the athame for another moment, then carefully set it down on the ground.

  I’ll never forget you, I thought. A lump swelled in my throat and I blinked back a few tears. I couldn’t explain it, but somehow I had a feeling that wherever Monica was, she was doing well.

  Standing up, I wiped my hands on my jeans and turned to David.

  “I’m ready.”

  David raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

  Stepping closer, I put my hand in his and squeezed. A strong feeling of love welled up in my chest. With my free hand, I wiped the few remaining tears from my eyes.

  “I’m ready to go home.”

  THE END

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  Chapter 1

  Mari shivered with the feeling o The dark, little bar was no more than a hole in the wall. Every surface had a vaguely sticky quality, though the bartender stood at the well rubbing at it with a stained rag. Apparently just pushing the dirt and grime around in a circle, rather than cleaning it. Blake could feel his lip curling in disgust as he neared the grubby human. “Double whiskey, whatever single malt you have, on the rocks,” he sighed as his eyes flicked around the room. He was on edge, and couldn’t quite place it. His friend didn’t seem bothered by the dingy surroundings even in the slightest. His eyes slid skeptically to meet Riley’s with a slight raise of his eyebrows.

  Being out-and-about among the humans was not Blake’s idea of a good time. They were all so soft, and, frankly, just overwhelmed him with their general level of noise and filth. It was rare that his and Riley’s interactions with them didn’t find them in similarly dreadful conditions, and the women! They were the worst. They seemed to just ooze desperation at times, and, for some reason, would think it was okay to touch him. His arms, the occasional smack on his rear, or worse his hair. Blake could never understand what made them think that was acceptable.

  He and Riley were friends and, ultimately, brothers in every sense of the word, except for being bound by blood. Blake’s parents had died at an early age, and it was Riley’s family that took him in, raising the brash, sullen, young dragon as their own. Blake and Riley were opposites, though, in every way. “This can’t be right,” Blake insisted as he gestured around the room, “There’s no way this is where we were supposed to meet them.” He raised an eyebrow as if challenging Riley to disagree.

  Riley laughed, shrugging his friend’s concern off as he leaned carelessly against the bar, seemingly unbothered by the sticky surface. He held up two fingers to the bartender pouring Blake’s drink. “This is the place,” Riley said with a nod before turning to face him, “She said to meet her at the Dry Goat Pub, unless you think there is more than one establishment by that name around here?”

  The bartender slid the two drinks towards the men, eyes narrowed. They stood out in the crowd, if you could call the small smattering o
f people a crowd. Blake passed him some cash and turned to walk away. There were three men in the corner staring balefully at some sort of sports game. Another, who looked like he was asleep or dead on the end of the bar, and one small man sitting alone at a table in the back. Among the rather sad middle-aged humans, the two young men towered over the room, each nearly brushing the low ceilings with the top of their heads. Even with their understated tee-shirts and jeans, they looked more like models or body builders, than the normal patrons of the Dry Goat. The bartender seemed none-too-thrilled at the change in clientele and continued to eye the two suspiciously as they crossed the room. He seemed content enough to take their money, though, and went back to rubbing his spot on the bar without question, other than his continued staring, which grew increasingly awkward the longer it continued.

  “Bloody wolves,” Blake grumbled as he folded his long frame down to fit in a chair at a table, kicking his legs out to the side as they were just too long to comfortably fit under the table, “I don’t understand why we’re even doing this. Why can’t they solve their own problems?” He was sullen, sulking, and clearly annoyed at the whole prospect of having to work with another species for any reason. Blake could feel his dragon writhing beneath the surface, irritated at being suppressed and forced into such mundane surroundings. He longed for the outdoors and an escape from the claustrophobic atmosphere of the dank, little bar. A ripple of frustration furled through him, his eyes flashing a dangerous red for a moment.

  “Hey, I don’t make the calls, I just follow orders, man,” Riley said after knocking back his drink. “Drink. Chill out. All we have to do is meet up with the wolves, complete the bodyguard gig for the night and we’re done. And we’re escorting young girls to a night club, how bad can that be? We sacrifice one night, and Selene gets what she wants from the wolves. Besides, girls. How bad can it be?” His bright grey eyes flicked to the door where two women entered. Riley would never understand why Blake was so vehemently against just letting things happen. Blake was wound tighter than anyone Riley had ever met, and didn’t even understand the concept of “go with the flow.” He was physically incapable of relaxing. Riley was sure that if Blake ever actually took the stick out of his ass, it would kill him. Despite the love he had for his friend, there was no denying that he was far too serious about things.