The Shadow Moon: Wolf Awakenings

by Caroline Frye

  Shadow Moon

  Wolf Awakening Book 1

  Caroline Frye

  Copyright © 2020 by Caroline Frye

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Blurb

  Talisia Redling only ever wanted one thing. . . to belong. When her love is betrayed her world comes crashing down and she locks her heart away tighter than a vault.

  Returning to her hometown where nothing is what it seems, she is thrown into a strange dark world of deception, bloodlust . . .and a shapeshifting blood curse that calls to her from the moon.

  So with the balance of the town, hanging by a hair, Talisia must race against the clock, fighting with everything she has to resist the curse, save the town—and the wolf she loves!

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  True love, happily ever after; that’s me living the life. You know…

  Just like in the movies.

  A sliver of moon appears just as I step from Chicago’s Victoria’s Secret. My sandals click against the concrete—the smell of hot asphalt blows past me intensifying my senses. Today is like a dream, until rain begins splattering me and the sidewalk. I rush along toward the parking garage, clutching my packages to keep them dry.

  Inside the garage, I shake off the wetness and swing open the car door. My cell phone buzzes, and my lips curl into a smile as I slide across the seat. I put the cell to my ear, expecting to hear my fiancé’s voice.

  “Talisia!” comes Gracie’s voice instead. Ugh. My BFF sounds upbeat, which is normal.

  “Hey there,” I huff back, trying not to sound disappointed. Here’s the thing…all I want to do is get home to Frankie.

  “You sound out of breath,” says Gracie, observant as usual.

  “I am, I just ran through a downpour that probably ruined my new jacket. Maybe the rain will give us a well-deserved break from this heat.”

  “Tala…” There’s a pause in Gracie’s voice. “We never talk anymore.”

  The call transfers over to Bluetooth when I start the car, and I ease onto the highway. “I know—it really sucks, and I’m sorry. It’s just that with work and, it’s complicated—”

  “And, Frankie, I know,” Gracie interrupts. “I just wish you were back in Witherfell. Everyone misses you, now, more than ever. Gracie’s voice takes on a different tone—short and fast. “We need you here to hang out and have fun like before—you know, just us BFFs.”

  I stop thinking and let Gracie keep talking. But somewhere down deep inside my soul something groans.

  As Gracie talks, her voice fades to a whisper. “Something crazy happened, Tala. There’s been a murder,” she sighed. “The body was found just last night. It was a young woman and they said it was so bad that at first, they suspected a wild animal? I hope they catch the bastard and they do the same thing to him!”

  I shift my position in the seat. I totally love my childhood friend, but she’s a homebody. She will probably never leave the small town where we both grew up. The town should have been named Deadwood for all the cursed things that happened to me there during my junior year; the shame of being caught in an embarrassing situation and the bitter breakup. I couldn’t take all the gossip, so I fled the town; no school, no prom, no graduation. But that’s all old news. There is no turning back now. “Gracie…remember what Grams used to say—watch what you wish for.”

  “…I know, but I miss you. Please say you’ll come up soon.”

  I hesitate, but Gracie won’t give up. That’s one of the things I like best about her—she isn’t a quitter. She never stopped trying to talk me through my high school heartache. But today, I have a hundred things on my mind. “I will, when I get time…I promise.”

  “You’d better, hussy. I’ll hold you to that.”

  I laugh. “Remember all the rumors? How can I possibly come back and face everyone?”

  “That’s all over and done with, Tala, knock on wood. Nothing but blue skies and warm summer nights now. We can all start over and hang out like we used to. You have got to admit, we had some good times, you and me.” There’s another pause. “I just wish you could at least come to visit. You could both come up for the weekend. It could be like a honeymoon in the Black Mountains. I bet if you coaxed him here, he would love North Carolina.”

  I feel my jaws begin to ache from gritting my teeth. Sometimes, I just can’t talk to her. She’s trying to fix things from two states away. And I’m not into that. Ugh, my mind is just on other things today…and I’m a nervous wreck.

  “He probably would,” I lie. Frankie isn’t a country boy. He enjoys all the bells and whistles of city living. “Frankie just landed a great job working up town for a motorcycle dealership so for now we’re stuck here. Look…I’m sorry, but I have got to go. I took off work early to get some last-minute things done. It’s our anniversary. I want to surprise Frankie with a special evening, if you know what I mean.”

  Gracie giggles. “Will you call me later, then to tell me every little detail? We used to share everything. Remember? Pinky swear…”

  “Sure. Like I said, got to go…love you,” I say, steering with one hand and dropping the cell in my purse with the other. I’m not trying to be mean, I’m just excited about tonight.

  My fingers tighten on the steering wheel. I would rather fight a bear than go back to Witherfell. It’s too crowded during the peak of the winter season with visitors who go to enjoy the snow and ski. The summer months were very different—we had the swimming hole and hangouts to ourselves. But Gracie plays dirty. She knows I felt like an oddball during the days following my unpleasant school incident. I left everything behind to escape the resort town’s hold on me.

  My mind spins as I speed towards home. I think beyond the traffic and rain, far ahead of the bustle, to my evening plans. First, I’ll turn on music, Frankie likes jazz. While the drinks chill, I’ll get dressed. The white negligee fit perfectly when I’d tried it on at the shop. It highlights my shapely body without being too revealing, just enough to add a bit of mystery. I smile, thinking how awesome I’ll look in the candlelight. And when he takes me in his arms, everything will be perfect. I’ve been driving while my mind is hours away. My eyes widen—I’m already at our apartment.

  Frankie’s car is parked in the driveway, and seeing it makes me giggle. He must have taken off work early too, to surprise me. My heart races as I fumble with the seatbelt, wondering what he has planned. I rush up the steps in the rain. Thinking about what he may have planned for the evening sends hot blood tingling through me.

  I take the elevator to our apartment and nearly float down the hall, stopping at the door. I inhale. Maybe he is waiting with a bouquet of roses or will he smother me with kisses?

  I fumble with my keys and pop open the door, but he’s not there.

  His jacket and boots are near the couch. I guess I’ll surprise him. I set my bags quietly on the table and tiptoe through the hall. My focus is
on joining him in the bedroom but then, I stop motionless. Familiar sounds echo down the hall—short breaths, muffled moans, a creaking mattress, like...no, it can’t be. He wouldn’t.

  A surge of hot blood gushes to my head. There is only one reason for the sounds that I hear. My mind fizzes as I ease forward—toward the bedroom.

  Gently, I squeeze the doorknob, hoping that it will only be Frankie doing sit-ups, but then I hear a woman’s voice, and my breath catches in my throat. My mind spins like a slideshow.

  With my heart thumping in my ears, I lift my leg and kick the door with all my might. The door swings open…

  And my life is over.

  Chapter 2

  In broad daylight, on our anniversary, Frankie lies uncovered in our bed with the girl he works with. She’s naked…and on top of him. I see it all—the ecstasy on her face, her body moving in rhythm to the thrust of his hips.

  My heart shatters like glass.

  I go numb for a few seconds as my past flies before my eyes. A sickening sensation from deep in my gut springs out and crawls into my muscles and sinew, stretching and growing, filling my lungs with so much anger it hurts. I fight to keep my fury under control, breathing in short puffs, but the rage bursts out of me anyway.

  “Get out,” I scream, “both of you! Now!”

  Frankie and his co-worker leap out of bed.

  My hands ball into fists, my nails cutting into my palms. The raw pain of betrayal flashes as cold as ice water over my skin. “Run!” I shout, lunging toward the woman with my hands outstretched. “Run, before I kill the both of you!”

  “Wait!” Frankie moans. “You don’t understand. It’s not what you think.”

  But I don’t hear the rest as I grab Miss Thang by the arm and pull her through the apartment. I push her out the front door—leaving her standing out in the hall with just a sheet around her. Then I storm back into the bedroom. Frankie’s still talking, but I’m not listening anymore. Anger burns in my stomach, filling me with an overpowering urge like I’ve never felt before. It consumes my mind, closes my ears—everything goes blank. I swallow hard, fighting to refrain from murdering him with my bare hands.

  When Frankie grabs my shoulders, I’m almost foaming at the mouth. I shove him against the door. “It’s exactly what it looks like, and what I think!” I shout. “You were having sex with another woman on our anniversary—in my bed! We’re through.”

  Frankie comes toward me with his arms outstretched. “But baby, I love you.”

  I turn on him like a lion on its prey—claws extended. He stops. My eyes must be blazing—I’m seeing red. “Get out of my apartment! Leave, before I throw you out the window where all your stuff is going!”

  Frankie lowers his head like the defeated dog he is and backs away from me.

  As he pulls on his shirt, I unlock the window and raise it in one swift move. I grab her clothes up off the bed and chuck them out first. Followed closely by his watch and cell phone. Frankie lunges after me, but he’s too late.

  “You’re crazy!” he hisses as he runs out the door.

  But even with him gone, I can’t stop the rage.

  My mind is a blur. I want to hurt him. I want to tear the room apart. I empty all his drawers, and everything goes out the window. His CDs, his games, his trophy collection. I see my now EX-fiancé, standing below in the street with all his belongings piled around him, but I don’t care. Finally, I hold up the dopey-looking award that his boss gave him for working overtime. Probably with his co-worker shacking up.

  “No!” he begs. “Don’t, please—”

  I smile. “Catch,” I say and toss it toward him.

  Frankie cusses. “You’ve lost your mind. I should have left you months ago.”

  “Well, you can leave now…I set you free!”

  With that, I set to smashing his precious records. I even rip up his baseball cards and sling the pieces out the window.

  He comes upstairs and knocks on the door. I don’t budge but sit quietly on the bed listening to him whine.

  “The keys, Tala. Just give me the keys.”

  By now, I’ve forced myself to take control. A cold calmness spreads through me. I walk to the door. “Here’s the deal. I’m taking the Harley.”

  Frankie pounds the door. “The Harley’s mine. Give me those keys!”

  “Pound all you want, but my name is on the papers. It’s my turn to run around on something shiny. You can have the car. If you want the keys, they’ll be in the street.”

  “You can’t take the bike! It’s mine!”

  I laugh. “Like I thought you were mine? You should have thought about that before you started sleeping around. Besides, Dad co-signed”

  “But Taaa…”

  “Nope—I’m done. I’m not taking your sorry crap anymore.”

  Frankie mumbles in the hallway. I grin and wait, until he finally gathers all his stuff off the street.

  I fall onto a chair, not believing how my life is spiraling down. I can see the light of the moon through the window. I yank down the window shade swallowing back the urge to puke. When I finally find the energy to do something, I change the sheets and throw the old ones in the trash. Then I flop on the bed and try to make sense of it all; how could he betray me? What did I do to deserve this? I question myself going over our short life together until I fall asleep.

  The next morning, after a long restless night, I awaken with a gasp. I stare unblinking at the vacant side of the bed. Instinctively, I run my fingers across the smooth pillow next to me as I recall what happened. Grabbing the pillow, I throw it against the wall. Silence fills the bedroom, crashing down on me. How could this have happened again? Another guy—another let down.

  Finally, I check my phone. He hasn’t called, but Gracie has.

  No! I just want to forget.

  I drop the phone on the bed and hurry to the bathroom. I take two deep breaths and look in the mirror. The face that looks back is a twenty-one-year-old girl with flaxen hair and soft-blue eyes, blinking back a flood of tears. How could a reasonably pretty girl have such bad luck? What’s wrong with me? I slump on the floor, hot tears streaming down my face.

  Fool me twice, shame on me. I’ll never, ever trust another guy again. At this thought, my eyes widen. From now on things are going to be different. I’ll put myself first— and protect myself from lying, cheating, men.

  I snatch my cell phone from the bed. When we spoke last week, Gracie said that there was loads of work at Witherfell and that I could stay with her. I clinch my jaw. I won’t sit around here waiting for my life to get better. It’s not my fault—I’m cursed. Enough with leaving it to fate. I’ll change it myself.

  Chapter 3

  I pull back my long hair and tie it up into a ponytail with a scrunchy. Then I dress in my black leather jacket and boots and stride toward the door. Thank God Frankie had taught me to ride the Harley.

  My boot heels click on the steps, echoing against the walls as I climb down the stairs toward the garage. The red Harley sits near the entrance with Frankie’s helmet in the saddle bag. The helmet is too big, but who cares—not me. I straddle the bike, breathe slowly in and out, and turn the key. The loud muffler sounds like a rocket taking off. It blasts inside the garage, and the vibration from the powerful machine makes every bone in my body smile. It feels like something thrilling is about to happen.

  After I coast out of the garage onto the highway, I punch the gas, riding faster and faster through the warm air. First, I swing downtown to let my boss know I’m quitting my job. It feels good, like part of me has been thrown out the window with Frankie’s belongings. The old part.

  And what remains is a force to be reckoned with.

  The manager doesn’t like it that I’m quitting. “Who will I get to replace you on such short notice? New people come and go all the time, but most of them don’t have the gift of gab like you.”

  I smile. “Sorry, but I have to get away. If you advertise, you’ll come up with another pers
on to take my place.”

  He leans forward, his brow furrowing slightly. “Oh, I know…but I’ll miss you.”

  I really hate to leave him in the lurch, but I needed to straighten out my life. I reach to shake his hand, and he hugs me goodbye.

  When I leave, I call Gracie right away and let her know what’s happened. She is sorry about what happened with Frankie. But she’s ecstatic, nearly hyperventilating with excitement that I’m coming back to Witherfell. “Oh, God! Call me before you leave, and I’ll meet you. You can crash with me until you find your own place. And don’t worry about a job, I’ll talk to my boss.”

  I’m pacing my apartment as I listen to her. “Great. Let me get off here. I have to pack.”

  Packing doesn’t take me long. I just throw a few things in a jogging bag, including my old yearbook. I keep just enough to haul on the Harley.

  As I lock the apartment door a sickening feeling crawls up out of my stomach. My whole life is changing again. And my insides ache like the world is caving in around me.

  But a few minutes later, I’m back on the bike, Northward bound with the summer breeze in my hair and a heart locked tighter than a vault.

  After several exhausting hours on the bike, I reach the Witherfell exit and pull over to the curb to get a better look at the town. I shut off the Harley and climb off removing my helmet to relax before entering Witherfell. I’d forgotten how hot NC was in the summer as I wipe sweat from my brow. The faded welcome sign greets me. Hello old town, I sigh. But as soon as my feet touch the ground a strange feeling causes a shiver to crawl up my spine, dark and foreboding. There’s something different about the town. It isn’t what it seems. I feel a darkness... Ugh. It’s just me, I’m tired. Nothing’s going to bring me down today.