Riley's Redemption (A Moon's Glow Novel)

by Christina Smith

  Her brows furrowed. “But Julia hates when we change the menu.”

  I shrugged. “I know, but this time there is nothing we can do.”

  She nodded and then started giving directions for the volunteers to split up; two to finish the soup and two to start the sandwiches. When everything looked under control I headed upstairs to search for a stove on line.

  It turned out that ordering a stove was much more complicated than I thought it would be. Who knew that there were so many different types? I called Nate and asked what kind he wanted and when I found the industrial type he had specified they asked what the measurements were. How the heck would I know that? I called Nate back and asked him, but he didn’t know offhand. That left me with the task of finding a tape measure. And I had searched for half an hour to no avail before I thought to go ask Mark. When I did, he indeed had one and he insisted on doing the measuring for me. An hour later I had the stove ordered but was arguing with the guy on the phone about delivery. We needed it now: dinner was only a few hours away. After a ten minute argument I found myself back at the addition grovelling at Mark’s feet. He agreed to pick it up and install it. I was so relieved, I almost hugged him.

  By the time I left for the day, I was exhausted.

  “Hey Meg,” Nate called from the kitchen when I got home. He was stirring something in a large pot that smelled like tomato sauce. I hoped he was making pasta. I was in the mood for something hearty and comforting. He glanced up at me and the small smile on his face faded. “Hard day?” he asked.

  I tossed my bag on the couch and fell into the soft cushions. “It started out fine, but the damn stove got the better of me.”

  He set the lid back on the pot and poured broad noodles into a smaller one. The water bubbled and steam floated up into the air. “Did it show up?”

  “Finally,” I answered with a tired sigh.

  He opened the fridge, pulling out a soda and walked toward me. He handed me the cold can and sat down on the couch next to me. Setting his hands on my shoulders he began to rub. “Ahhh…” I almost purred, his hands felt so good. All the tension from my busy day floated away.

  “I tried to call you a while ago to ask if you were on your way, but it just went to voicemail.”

  Damn, my phone. “The battery is dead and it’s charging in my office. I forgot about it.” Oh, crap. I forgot to return my calls. After the stove was out of the way, I had a few more disasters to smooth out. One of the residents kids had gotten into a fight at school and his mother was having a fit. He had a black eye and a bloody nose and he wouldn’t speak. His mother kept asking, very emotionally, what had happened and he just shut down. In order to smooth things over I took him to the bathroom in my office and cleaned his face. While I wiped the sticky, dried blood I told him how my parents used to ignore me and that he was lucky to have a mother that cared about him. He then spat out that yes she cared, but he would give anything to be rich like me. That’s when I knew what had started the fight. A stupid kid was teasing him because he and his mother were poor. I told him about waking up almost every Christmas morning with lots of toys, but no parents. I told him all the sad stories I could think of. Then I added that his mother loved him and she was working hard to make his life better. He might not have been smiling when he left, but at least the scowl he had come in with was nowhere in sight.

  Letting my thoughts slip away, I allowed myself to enjoy the healing hands of my new husband as he kneaded and rubbed the kinks from my shoulders. When the pasta pot started to boil over, he jumped up. The couch suddenly felt empty from his quick departure.

  “Crap,” he mumbled as he patted a towel on the stove’s surface trying to soak up the water that had spilled over. “If we want to eat tonight, I better stay away from you.” He winked at me from his position in the kitchen. “You’re very distracting.”

  I grinned before opening my soda. Brown fizz floated up and I sipped it from the top of the can.

  Once dinner was ready and we had sat down to eat I remembered the notebook I found this morning. “Um…Nate,” I began nervously. He had the book hidden and I was worried of how he would react when he heard that I had looked through it.

  He was shoveling a big forkful of pasta into his mouth and his eyes looked up through his lashes. “Hmm?” was all he managed with his mouth full.

  I swished my fork through the noodles on my plate feeling anxious of his reaction. “I found your notebook in under the mattress. Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for Isaiah?” Now that the words were out, I felt better about what I had done. He didn’t need to hide things and he knew I hated it when he lied to me.

  He gulped his food down and sat up in his chair. His face washed in what appeared to be guilt. “Until I know what his name even means I didn’t want to mention it to anyone.”

  I understood that, but still felt a pang of hurt that he hadn’t discussed it with me. I was his wife, his werewolf mate for life. We were supposed to share everything. But Nate had this problem of taking on the weight of the world alone in order to protect the people he loved. When would he learn that I was his partner now and he didn’t have to carry everything alone? “Why are you even looking? You can’t trust anything Charlotte said.” Finally, I stopped playing with my food and began to eat it.

  Nate nodded. “I know, but I can’t help but feel it’s important. It is not interfering in our life.”

  “Nate, you don’t have to defend what you’re doing. I’m your wife, not your mother.”

  He smiled, his vivid blue eyes lighting up. “I know, but I felt guilty, doing it without discussing it with you.” Good, I thought selfishly.

  I dropped my fork onto the oak table and gazed at him. “You know you can tell me anything.” I reached out and covered his hand with mine. “I’ll help if you want.”

  His smile widened and he opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when the portable phone started to ring. Since I was closer I leaned over to reach the end table, picked it up and hit the talk button. “Hello?”

  “Meg! Why the hell haven’t you returned my call?” Adrian’s voice was filled with frustration.

  Guilt washed over me, at the sound of his voice. “I’m sorry. I’ve had quite a day; I forgot. What’s wrong?”

  “I need you. Can you come out here?”

  Chapter Four

  Arrangements

  I glanced at Nate unsure what to do. I really wanted to help Adrian. He was my friend and he had been there for me when I first turned into a werewolf. He helped me at a time when I felt lost and alone and I desperately wanted to return the favor. I knew how important it was for him to find his sister and had offered to help every time he called me, but now was not a good time. I was right in the middle of the construction and I had just gotten back from our honeymoon. On top of all of that, our reception was a week and a half away. “Why, what’s going on?”

  “I’m in a small nowhere town called Marksville, outside of Sacramento. I tracked Marisa here and once again she disappeared. But now I know she’s being intentionally kept from me.”

  “How?”

  “I found a picture from her old school in Philadelphia and have been passing it around. Yesterday a man in a deli recognized it. He told me that he often saw her coming and going into the apartment complex across the street. I sat down to watch for her through the window, showing her picture to other patrons in the restaurant. A few hours later I found another lead. Someone mentioned that the girl went to a nearby school. I left for an hour or so to check it out and when I came back I smelled Marisa’s scent in the street. I had just missed her. I followed it into the building and broke into an apartment. It was empty. They were gone.”

  “Did you smell any other scents with your sisters?”

  “Yes, there was one, but I don’t recognize it. There was something strange about it.”

  His voice sounded odd, like he was hiding something from me, but I didn’t push him. “I’m so sorry about all of that. How
can I help?”

  He sighed into the phone and the line crackled in my ear. “I’m thinking that two noses will be better than just mine. That way if I leave to go look at another lead you could stay with the first one.”

  I was silent as I glared at Nate, mouthing the words, “What should I do?” Nate might have heard what Adrian had said, but he looked confused with what I was saying. “Can I call you back? I’ll talk to Nate and get back to you.”

  Adrian sighed again, his frustration loud and clear through the phone line. “Yes, but I’m getting tired of the constant, almost. I am so fed up with nearly finding her.” The pain in his voice broke my heart and I knew before I hung up what I was going to do. He needed me and I couldn’t let him down. I just didn’t know how to make it happen.

  “You’re leaving aren’t you?” Nate asked, once I sat the phone down. He pushed his empty plate away from him and leaned his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hand.

  I smiled apologetically. “Do you want to come with me?”

  “Of course I do, but I don’t think I can get away.”

  I tapped my finger on the edge of my plate, creating a clinking sound. “I’m not sure I can either, we’re right in the middle of the renovation and I just got back from a week away. I’m not sure Julia will be happy about this. I can’t keep shoving all the work onto her.” I grimaced, the idea of leaving right now seemed impossible. But, I couldn’t say no to Adrian either what he was doing was too important.

  “That’s why we hired Evie. Besides, I’ll still be here if Julia has any issues she can’t handle.” He sat back in his chair, his arm resting on his knee. “I miss it there and this will give me a chance to see some of the residents, if I recognize anyone.” He volunteered when he could, but the store took up a lot of his time.

  I blew out a breath and closed my eyes. I wasn’t sure what to do. Guilt over my constant disappearances flowed over me like a tsunami. I couldn’t ask Julia to take over again, but I needed to help Adrian. He was a very good friend and I had offered my help many times. I couldn’t turn him down when he finally decided to take me up on it. Besides, I knew that if I needed help he’d drop everything to come to my aid. The answer was clear. I knew what I had to do.

  “Julia will understand,” Nate said quietly, as if he knew the struggle going through my mind. I opened my eyes to see a comforting grin on his face. His image was like looking at the sun. It filled me with warmth and I was awed by it. His love and understanding was never ending and at times I was overwhelmed.

  I shoved my chair back with a squawk against the linoleum and headed into the bedroom. I wanted privacy to make my next call. Not that I didn’t trust Nate, I did with all my heart. I just didn’t want an audience while I once again threw all of the work onto my friends. I dialed Julia’s personal number which I had used many times. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Julia. Are you busy?” My voice wavered a tiny bit. I just hoped she didn’t notice. I paced the carpeted floor and stood in front of the patio doors looking out at the gray overcast evening. The sun had slipped behind the horizon, leaving the sky dull and dreary. It wasn’t raining yet, but I had heard on the drive home that it was in the forecast.

  “No, just doing the dishes. Is there something wrong? Did Evie not show up?” Julia had left the shelter before I did. And I only did once Evie relieved me.

  “No, as far as I know, everything is fine at the shelter.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief as a dog barked in the background. “Good. So what’s up?”

  I sighed. “Adrian called.”

  “Did he finally take you up on your offer?” She knew he was searching for his sister, she just didn’t know the werewolf aspect of it. I had fibbed a tiny bit by telling her that the police were looking into it also.

  “He did. He needs an extra pair of eyes. But I’m not sure if I should go.”

  “Why? He’s your friend and you’ve been telling him for months that you wanted to help.”

  “Because, I hate that I keep leaving the shelter and piling everything into your hands.”

  She was quiet for a few seconds and there was a muffled noise over the phone like she was moving around. “Megan, I know how much you love the shelter and for the last six months you’ve thrown yourself into it. Besides your honeymoon, you’ve worked constantly. I was the one who bailed on you in February.” By ‘bailed’ she meant got sick. Her doctors had discovered tumors on her ovaries and they had to be removed. She was off for six weeks.

  I turned away from the patio door and sat down on the edge of the bed, the springs groaned with my added weight. “I don’t think recovering from surgery constitutes as bailing on us.”

  “Whatever.” She responded dismissively. “Things happen in life that you can’t predict. It’s fine. Evie and Lilly can help. Besides, I heard that Eddie was on break from school and was going to put in some hours.” Eddie was an old volunteer I had become friends with when I first started at the shelter and later he became Lilly’s boyfriend.

  Although I felt some relief from her words the guilt would not leave my mind. “Are you sure?” I asked hesitantly but also feeling relieved. I needed to do this and it was a comfort that there would be no hard feelings that I was leaving again.

  “Of course and if I need you I’ll call.”

  I crossed a leg up over my knee and leaned back on the bed. “Definitely, and call Nate as well, he’s not coming with me.”

  “He’s not?” The shock in her voice was obvious. We had been inseparable before our marriage. You’d think it would be even more so now. I didn’t want to leave him, but if he couldn’t come, I wouldn’t force him. It wasn’t for long anyway. I hoped with my extra werewolf senses that we would find Adrian’s sister in no time. And if not, Nate could join us when he had the time.

  “No, he can’t get away from work right now. But hopefully I won’t be long.”

  “When are you leaving?”

  “I’m not sure, but as soon as I can. Can you call Anna back and tell her we have no rooms right now? She called yesterday and left a message.” A thought popped in my head. “Damn, my phone. I left it at the office today. I’ll have to pick it up.”

  “Well, come by on your way out of town. I’ll see you if I’m there, if not, I hope you find her.”

  “Thanks Julia, for everything.” My heart warmed as I thought of all she had done for me and the shelter. She really was a great person.

  “You’re welcome and don’t worry about us.”

  I smiled as I hung up and stepped out of the room.

  “Everything okay?” Nate asked as he set a bowl into the sink, the dish thumped against the empty stainless steel basin.

  I grabbed my half eaten plate off of the table and moved to the garbage where I began scraping my pasta inside. My appetite had disappeared. The fork screeched with each scrape and I cringed at the sound. “Yes. I felt so guilty though. But she reassured me that everything would be fine and she was truly okay that I was leaving again.” I placed my dishes into the dishwasher and turned to give him a quick peck on the lips. “Do you mind if I head into the bedroom, to make arrangements.” I glanced at the pots on the stove and the bread that still sat out on the table.

  “Not at all, I can handle the cleanup.”

  I smiled sadly, feeling an emptiness start to take over my insides. I was leaving him for a while and I hated the idea of our separation.

  In the bedroom, I turned on my laptop and called Adrian. He told me where to fly to and I promised to call back with my itinerary.

  Once all the plans were made and I had given them to Adrian, I slipped back out into the living room. Nate was staring into his own laptop and one glance told me what I wanted to know. His laptop was open to a social page for none other than Isaiah King. This man was young, a student at the university of Colorado. Nate’s face was focused as he read the man’s profile. “Not him?” I asked as I plopped down on the sofa next to him, sinking in to the soft cushions.


  He jumped, surprised to see me sitting next to him. He was so engrossed in his task that he hadn’t heard or scented my approach. “What did you say?”

  I pointed to the screen in front of him. “I said, I guess that is not him?”

  He shrugged. “I have no idea. Since I don’t exactly know what I’m looking for.” I could see the frustration in his eyes. I reached out and placed my hand on his.

  “If it’s that important to you, why don’t you just ask Joe? He is her brother.”

  He shook his head, closing the web browser and then the screen. “I don’t want to tell anyone until I know what the name means.”

  I reached up and touched his face, gazing into his vivid blue eyes. “It could mean nothing.”

  “I know.” He smiled, leaning into my touch. A few seconds later he lifted his head and my hand dropped. “Did you iron out your plans?”

  “Yes, I’m booked for the ten o’clock flight to Sacramento in the morning. Can you drive me?”

  His smile faded as he leaned closer, his hot breath brushed my cheeks. “I’ll miss you.”

  I breathed in his scent, knowing it would be one of the last times I would smell it for a while. My heart lurched at just the thought of leaving him. “Me too,” I whispered, leaning my forehead against his. “But I have to do this. If someone is keeping Marisa from Adrian, he needs all the help he can get. She is his only family. You of all people know the importance of family.”

  He nodded in agreement. “I’ll meet you there if I can.” His voice was soft and low, filled with emotion. We hadn’t been separated since he bit me six months ago. I had felt his loss every second I was away from him. And since then, we’ve been inseparable. This was different though; we weren’t fighting. I was just helping a friend.

  “You don’t need to. I’ll be fine.”

  He lifted his head and gazed into my eyes. “I know, but I want to help too, if I can. I have a meeting in two days that I can’t get out of. After that I’ll join you, wherever you are.”