Table of Contents
Title Page
Dark Side of the Moon (Secrets of the Moon Series, #4)
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Other books in the Secrets of the Moon Saga...
One important night from Kyran’s point of view...
For me... | ....immortality is a curse....release is an impossibility...and love is the one thing I cannot have.
Hidden lies...hidden demons...hidden battles...All leading to the ultimate sacrifice....
Dark Side of the Moon
A Secrets of the Moon Novel
Kristy Centeno
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.
If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher. In such case the author has not received any payment for this “stripped book.”
Dark Side of the Moon
Copyright © 2015 Kristy Centeno
All rights reserved.
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-939590-51-0
(Print): 978-1-939590-52-7
Inkspell Publishing
5764 Woodbine Ave.
Pinckney, MI 48169
Edited By Vicky Burkholder
Cover art By Najla Qamber
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The copying, scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Dedication
For my incredibly supportive mother with love...
Prologue
I could see him in my dream as clearly as if I were there...
The lone werewolf ran through the woods, desperation in his long strides and fear on his face. He had reason to be fearful, I realized. A day or two behind him, a group of ten or so Trackers followed suit. They were just as determined to capture him, as the lone wolf was to escape their grasp.
I watched the beast sprint through the green forest as he tried to get as far away from the Trackers pursuing him as he could. One of his large and hairy arms carried a small bundle, which he clutched tightly against his beating heart in a protective gesture. It came to my understanding that that single being meant more to him than his own life and that his sole purpose was to make sure nothing happened to his child.
For many days and nights, the werewolf ran, only stopping in a human village long enough to feed his newborn son before moving on again. Although humans were their enemy, the werewolf had to rely on a human woman to provide nourishment for his baby or else the child would die. Once he located a woman who had recently given birth and or was breastfeeding, he would take on the embarrassing task of asking if they would kindly provide a meal for his son. Most times they would agree. Other times a bit of persuasion would do the trick. A few gold coins were never turned down.
His wife having passed away during childbirth, finding another source of sustenance for his baby was of the utmost importance, and there was no room for feelings of antipathy when one is running to escape certain death. Unfortunately, these brief arrangements were only temporary. As soon as his son’s tiny belly was contentedly full, the beast took off running into the woods once again.
After spending so many days on the run without consuming much food and no rest, exhaustion was catching up to him. Regrettably, he was also running out of options. The Trackers were many and they were hot on his trail. If the werewolf didn’t get his child to safety soon, both would be killed.
Although I had no idea who this man-wolf was, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
As the werewolf approached another human village, he began to analyze his plan. He knew what action he had to take in order to save his son’s life but finding the right person had proved futile so far. Most villages he entered were small, and the women residing in them did not suit his needs appropriately. He needed to enlist the help of a kind-hearted woman. One who was not ambitious and would protect his child, raising him as if he was her own.
Time was rapidly catching up with him and if he did not find a safe haven in which to hide his child, they would both perish.
The baby began to fuss, jerking his head sideways as he tried to locate his mother’s breast. He found nothing but his father’s warmth instead. The beast’s heart constricted painfully at the sight of his infant son searching for that which was denied to him. For whatever reason, life had decided to snatch away from them both the only person who loved them beyond their differences.
In spite of her love and devotion to her unique husband, she had died in order to bring their child into the cruel world of the living. Because her love for their son was so strong, she had willingly taken her last breath just moments after their child was born so that he could exist.
For a short moment, the man-wolf had thought that perhaps they could be a family and live in peace. After all, they had never hurt anyone with their union. However, that was never to be. His beloved wife died, leaving him alone with a child that was unlike any other, and he realized then that raising such a distinct child without the man’s werewolf alpha brother finding out would have been impossible. And there lay the reason why, as soon as he had laid the love of his life to rest, he’d fled with his child safely tucked against his chest.
The werewolf shook his head to banish the many painful recollections of the life he’d left behind days prior. There were so many bad memories. So much suffering for his poor mother and wife. He’d disappointed his family time and time again without wanting to. But there was little he could do about it now. He was an outcast and always would be. The day he’d taken a human woman for his wife, he’d finished condemning himself. His son, however miraculous his birth might have been for them both, was now in mortal danger. If his brother got his hands on him, there was no doubt the baby would be killed immediately. He wouldn’t let that happen. He would die first.
He was ready to give his life for that tiny baby, and the emotions transmitting from the werewolf to me warmed my heart and made me want to cry. So many emotions were transferred from him to me and, like a receiver, I took in all of it.
As he’d done so many times in the past two days, the lone wolf continued moving until he came within the vicinity of a nearby village, avoiding any torches that might reveal his true form as he moved along. He slithered carefully behind a barn-like structure and snuck in without being seen. He couldn’t enter the village looking the way he did now, so after shifting forms, he untied the sack that contained his clothing and allowed it to drop to the ground. He removed a shirt, boots, and a pair of breeches and paused only for a moment to lay his son down on a bed of hay to his left. He dressed quickly, while keeping his focus on the tiny sleeping form nearby. His son had fallen asleep once again, completely oblivious to the world and the danger he was in.
The lone wolf took out a long, heavy cloak from the sack so he could d
rape it over his shoulders and arms, wasting no time in tying it around his thick neck. That particular garment would serve a very important purpose: to hide his son from any prying eyes. Unless the villagers moved it aside, or if the baby cried and revealed his presence, no one would know he was there. And the lone wolf was counting on no one recalling seeing him with a baby in his arms, so he silently prayed his son would remain quiet just a little while longer. It had been a few hours since he’d fed and his hungry stomach would soon demand to be filled, and when that happened, his tiny wails would be heard far and wide.
With that thought in mind, he picked his son up, hid him under the cloak, and hurried to go in search of what he so desperately needed. Now in his human form, the lone wolf began to focus his preternatural hearing so that he could make out any particular person who could be of use to him. He needed to find a surrogate mother for his newborn son, someone who would care for and protect him for an indeterminate amount of time.
This task was proving to be more difficult than he originally thought. The women he stumbled upon were either too cold hearted or ambitious, lusting for money so much, they would do anything to get their hands on it. He needed someone who was kind, gentle, warm, and above all, a good mother.
As he carefully roamed the streets of the small village, he observed the humans cautiously and with distrust. There was no way for them to know his true origins but even so, he was careful not to draw any unnecessary attention to himself. The last thing he wanted was to cause harm to his child, especially when the possibility of finding a mother for his son could be in this very village.
If he didn’t find anyone here, he would have to move on to the next village, and he was quickly running out of time. The Trackers would be able to pick up his scent soon and they wouldn’t hesitate to follow him to the village. Although they wouldn’t invade the town looking for him, they would stalk the neighboring woods and wait for him to take his leave. And when that happened, he wouldn’t be able to escape.
Just as he was about to give up hope of finding a proper caregiver for his son, a soft melody drifted to his ears. He turned in the direction the song emanated from and remained perfectly still as he waited for the beautiful sound to begin once again. Much to his relief, it did. A soft and pleasant tune that brought forth feelings of comfort and security. He smiled for the first time in days. He recognized the tune to be a lullaby and understood then that somewhere nearby, a woman was singing to a small child.
Allowing his amazing sense of hearing to direct him to where the song was coming from, the man-wolf turned and spotted something in the distance that caught his immediate attention. A single wooden cabin stood among a cluster of trees not far from where he was and in mere moments, the angelic tune lured him toward the home at the end of the road.
Inside were a woman and her child.
He moved cautiously toward the cabin, careful not to alert anyone. The cabin was somewhat secluded and once he got closer to it, he left the crowd of people, who were up and about as they started a new day, behind.
As he made his way to the cabin, however, he hesitated. What if the woman said no? He would’ve wasted even more valuable time. Perhaps he should just move on to the next village and try to find someone there instead. But time was of the essence and the Trackers were getting closer and closer every second that ticked by.
The more he debated his next move the more valuable time passed by. He’d made it this far, he couldn’t give up now. His son would be safer away from him. His brother and the Trackers would never detect the child’s presence among the humans in the village. His infant son would be mistaken for a human child and that alone would save his life.
Setting his uncertainty aside, the young werewolf climbed the five wooden steps that led to the front door and knocked softly. After the first knock, no one came to the door. He knew the woman was inside, he could hear the rhythm of her beating heart, and he could smell her scent even through the thick wooden walls of the cabin. He waited but a moment before knocking again, this time with more urgency.
After a few brief moments, the door opened, slowly. A young woman with bright green eyes and long brown hair stood staring back at him with obvious distrust. He couldn’t blame her show of wariness. He was a total stranger to her. The woman didn’t step away from the door. Instead, she used it as a protective shield against the stranger who stood just an arm length away. He stared at the pretty, young woman without saying a word at first. His eyes assessed her petite form, her heart-shaped face, and her green eyes with determination.
She was the one. He was sure of it.
He waited for her to say something, but she remained quiet and very still. It was obvious the woman did not trust his intentions. Of course, he understood her cautious nature. Times were cruel and any woman living alone could be a possible target for any man looking to do her harm.
Knowing that he would have to say something to ease her worries away, he opened his mouth to speak, but just then, his son whined and whimpered beneath the cloak. The woman’s eyes widened considerably as she heard the soft sobs and opened the door slightly, taking two steps forward as she searched for the owner of such innocent cries.
“My good sir, you should have said you carried such a small babe!” The woman finally spoke as he opened the cloak to reveal his infant son’s face tiny face. “It is dreadfully cold out here. Please come inside.” She stepped aside to allow him passage into her humble home.
The man let out a sigh of relief and hurried inside before the woman could change her mind. “Thank you,” he responded.
Somehow, he knew that he’d finally found the one he was looking for, the kindhearted woman who would care for his son and be a good mother for him.
Chapter One
My eyes opened first thing in morning, but far from feeling elated over the possibilities of the brand new day, I was apprehensive at best. Kyran had told me I was to be discharged from the hospital today, but according to Dr. Phillips, I was due to stay a few more days. I wasn’t sure what the rush in getting me out of the hospital was, but I understood it was urgent, so I’d discussed it with the doctor and convinced him that I’d be better off at home.
Being trapped in between the pink colored, white lily adorned wallpapers on all four walls was getting old after a week anyway. Not only was I bored to death of the ambiance, the hospital food, and the lying in bed all day while doing nothing but watching TV, but I was worried sick about my family.
Dad had kept in touch, calling me every night before he went off to bed, but he never went into details about Sandra’s condition. I suspected things were worse than he let on, but he probably kept it to himself because I was bedridden. Knowing him, he probably didn’t want me to worry knowing there was little I could do about my current situation.
I was, for the time being, bedridden after all.
Sitting up in bed, I took one good look at my surroundings and frowned. What I saw was not the outdated TV hanging from the wall or the magenta, upholstered chair to my left, but the strange images of the dream I’d woken from. For the past week, since being admitted to the trauma center, I’d been having these strange movie-like visions. This unknown man dutifully protecting his newborn baby kept popping into my head so much, they were practically a part of me now.
The man’s face wasn’t one I recognized, but more than once, I’d felt as if I knew him somehow. Trying to come up with an explanation as to why was far beyond my capabilities, but that didn’t stop me from making the attempt.
What happened to the man and his child? Did the baby survive? Was the man someone important or related to the Rousseaus in anyway? To say that curiosity over the fate of this man and his baby held my interest was putting it mildly. I was becoming obsessed with them. I knew neither of them. Judging by the village and how it was laid out, I could easily say that his time was farther back in time than mine by several hundred years, but that didn’t stop me from wondering what our connection was.
The first night I had this strange dream was the day after my attack. I dismissed it almost immediately because I thought the events of the past couple of weeks brought it up. The second night, I ignored it.
After speaking with Kyran the night before, I was even more worried. He had mentioned my dream was important, but I couldn’t put together how such a surreal dream could possibly be of any importance to me. I also feared what they were going to say. Especially since I had omitted the fact that I’d had other dreams like that one, except these involved werewolves—mean, dangerous, power-hungry predators that haunted my subconscious daily now.
I’d refrained from mentioning it because the Rousseaus seemed stressed enough as it were. I had the feeling they hadn’t been resting well. They had been taking care not only of me but my father’s property, our animals—basically all of our responsibilities.
In the meantime, they had said very little of what our pending conversation would reveal. I had wanted to believe they didn’t want to cause me anymore stress while I was practically in the hospital, which was completely understandable, but something told me that wasn’t the whole story. I’d the gut-wrenching feeling they were hiding more than their fair share of secrets, but so far, no one spilled any truths out.
I was still kind of edgy after everything that happened with Jack and Santos so giving me time to recover emotionally from my ordeal seemed to be essential to them. But in reality, what I really wanted was to get this conversation over with already.
Moving on to the present is preferable than being stuck in the past. Jack was a friend, or at least I’d thought of him as such. But then he betrayed me, stalked me, attacked me, and what’s worse brought Santos right to me. I didn’t even know how long the duo had been stalking me in the shadows, keeping tabs on my life. Because of Santos, I was stuck in this hospital. He nearly succeeded in forcing me to become part of his pack and in the process, almost got me killed. He was dead now, but out there somewhere hid a bigger threat. Someone I pray to God I never had to face. As bad as Santos was, I had the feeling this other alpha was worse.
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