Riley's Torment, A Moon's Glow Novel #2

by Christina Smith

  Will leaned back in his chair, his fingers in a steeple over his stomach. The frown on his face was a concern to Nate. “Lionel found something that could be a problem.”

  Nate rubbed his hand over his face. He needed another problem like he needed a silver bullet to the heart. “What is it?” he said with an exasperated sigh.

  Will lifted his hand and gestured for his nervous cousin to take over.

  Lionel cleared his throat twice and shifted in his seat. His nerves were a living breathing thing, and the office suddenly felt cramped with nervous energy. “I was doing my daily check over the system this morning.” He cleared his throat again, and Nate had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. How could he get this young man not to fear him? He had taken him out to dinner and taken him fishing with Will and a few other relatives. He even tried to work with him, but nothing seemed to make Lionel see that Nate would never hurt him or any other person.

  “I…um noticed a few issues with the firewall.”

  Nate leaned his head on his hand. The words his nephew used meant nothing to him. “What does that mean?”

  Instead of looking at Nate who had asked the question, Lionel turned to Will to explain. “It means that someone has been trying to break into our system.”

  “Hasn’t that happened before? It’s to be expected with the size of the company,” Nate said, wishing he was out on the hunt instead of dealing with tedious work issues that someone else could handle.

  Lionel was shaking his head, finally meeting Nate’s gaze. “This is different. They used a password that was in the system. It was old, so they couldn’t get through, but if they have that one, they might be able to find the right one.”

  Nate never really got used to computers and preferred to leave the technical stuff to his family members that were more qualified, but he didn’t see the problem here. “Can’t you just change the password?”

  Lionel gulped, as he straightened his already perfect tie. “The problem is that the password used was for family members only.”

  Ah, now Nate could see the issue. The person trying to access the system was a Riley, and that meant he could get access to more passwords until he found the right one. Or, it meant it was a Riley that was no longer involved in the company and that narrowed it down to two people, James being one of them.

  “What was the file they were trying to access?” Nate asked.

  Lionel looked to Will for the next answer.

  Will sat forward, leaning his arms on the desk, his navy blue suit wrinkled with the move. “Your father’s wills.” When each head of the family passed away, the will was updated, and the file contained all versions since Nate’s father had died.

  Nate winced. He had known this day would come sooner or later. His father had set up a clause in his will that whoever didn’t accept Nate’s secret would be disinherited. There would be no more money from the Riley estate. “I have his wills.”

  Will nodded, leaning back in his chair once more. “Yes, but there are copies in the office computer.”

  “Well, delete the file. At least until we find out what James wants.”

  Will pressed his lips together, his bright blue eyes turned downward. “Do we know it’s James?”

  Nate shrugged, lifting his foot onto his knee, creasing the edge of the denim with his fingers. “Who else would want to get a hold of the will? Everyone that works for us is well compensated. No one here would object.” He glanced at each relative in front of him. They both refused to meet his eyes. “Would they?”

  Will’s face softened. “Of course not. Everyone in the family is happy; even the non-family members love working for us.” He paused. “What about Emma?”

  Nate’s face went hard, his hands balled into fists. “It’s not her.”

  Lionel shrunk back into his chair looking down at his brown corduroy pants.

  Will sat up, his shoulders straight. “She said she would hurt you.” His tone of voice was stern. He had always been protective of Nate, and although it was sweet, it was also unnecessary.

  Nate jumped up, towering over Will, his eyes turning yellow. Will wasn’t fazed, but Lionel gasped. Nate was so furious that he didn’t care that he had scared the nervous man.

  “I said it’s not her. Now leave it alone.” Nate’s voice was a growl, his body clenched for a fight.

  Will simply shrugged, not in the least afraid of his uncle. He knew he would never hurt him. This was the reason Nate was sure he could handle Lauren’s secret, but it wasn’t his place to tell him. But at this moment he was tempted, just to get him to stop talking about Emma.

  “All I’m saying is we have to explore all possibilities. I’ll have someone look for her—” Will’s voice was cut off as Nate slammed his fist into the desk with a thundering smack. The wood cracked from the impact. Pencils and pens rolled into the new fissure Nate had created.

  Lionel jumped from his chair so swiftly that it fell back onto the wooden floor with a clang. He scurried over towards the door, but he didn’t dare leave. His fear of upsetting his uncle further must have won out over fleeing. Nate was always trying to prove to the family that he wasn’t dangerous, but everyone had their limits, and Will was pushing way past his.

  Nate glared at Will, secretly overjoyed that he was still unafraid. “I said leave it alone.” Nate’s voice was now ice cold. The atmosphere in the room had turned tense.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Nate.” Will’s voice was calm and soothing; trying comfort his uncle, but it had the opposite effect. Nate gave up trying to be intimidating. Instead, he turned around and walked out of the room, passing his nervous nephew without a glance. If Will wouldn’t let it go, he could handle the problem on his own. Right now, Nate needed to let off some steam, and since turning into a wolf was out of the question, he took off in a run on his human legs to the cottage. He had wood to cut.

  Joe found him doing just that a few hours later. “I heard you were quite aggressive with your nephews earlier.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Will must have done something to push your buttons. You never lose your temper.”

  Nate shrugged and leaned over to grab another piece of wood to place it on the ground. He lifted the axe over his head and swung. The blade sliced through the oak, splinters flying and spreading over the wet grass. The rain had trickled down to just a mist, but Nate barely noticed it. His only motivation was to clear his mind. He didn’t want to think of Megan, James, and least of all, Emma. Unfortunately, the image of a little girl with braids and wheat colored hair that smelled of dirt and plum pudding flashed in his mind. He bent down to pick up the wood and tossed it onto the new pile he had started.

  “Oh, the silent treatment. How fun.” Joe shoved his hands in the pocket of his pants. He was dressed for the office. Since Nate refused to return, Joe was asked to help with the extra work.

  “What did Will say to upset you?” Joe asked.

  Nate froze with the axe over his head just as he was about to swing. “I’m not discussing this, so there’s no point in grilling me,” Nate said as he swung the axe. Thunk. “Did you go out looking for the wolves again at lunch?” He spared a quick, imploring glance at his friend.

  Joe sighed and rolled his eyes, obviously frustrated. “Yes, and there was nothing. They must be sticking close to home now that they know they’ve been spotted.” He took a few steps toward Nate. “How about you?”

  “I haven’t gone out yet. There was an issue I had to deal with, which was why I was at Will’s.” He swung the axe again, striking the log in two.

  A wood chip flew from the piece of oak onto Joe’s jacket. He picked it up and narrowed his eyes, as if examining it. “And you still won’t tell me what he said?”

  Nate turned to glare at him, his gaze slicing into Joe. Fortunately, Joe had known Nate for fifty years, and he was not intimidated.

  “Ask him yourself,” Nate said coolly, tossing the axe, not caring where it landed. It stuck into
the ground, and the wood handle wobbled back and forth. “I’m going to go to the park and see if I can catch a scent.” It was where they had found the bodies of the five hikers. He wanted to find the killers before they struck again.

  As Nate started toward the front of his cottage, Joe fell into step with him. “Are you going as a wolf, or as you are?”

  “As I am. I can’t stop the wolf from running to Megan.”

  Joe winced visibly. “It’s best to stay as you are then.”

  Nate stopped walking and peered at his friend. He was keeping something from him, he knew it. “What was that look?”

  Joe’s face was expressionless. “Nothing. I don’t know what you mean.”

  Nate eyed him suspiciously. “When I usually say I have to keep my distance from Megan, you try to convince me otherwise. What’s changed?”

  Joe looked uncomfortable, peering down at the ground. “Lauren is with Megan today, and when I called her earlier she told me that Meg’s still not ready to forgive you.”

  This was not news to Nate. If she was, she’d be here with him.

  “And she said that she hated Charlotte when she thought she had turned her. And now that she knows differently, she doesn’t know how…” Joe trailed off not able to continue.

  Nate finished for him. “She doesn’t know how not to hate me.” His shoulders slumped, suddenly feeling tired of everything.

  Joe just frowned, unwilling to confirm Nate’s words.

  Despite the pain that pierced his heart, Nate understood. “It’s fine. It’s not like I didn’t expect it. I hate the person who made me what I am.”

  Joe’s eyes were filled with sympathy as they began to walk again. The wind picked up, blowing the mist into their faces. The water from the lake beside the house was choppy and almost the color of coal.

  “I’m glad she’s allowing Lauren to spend time with her though,” Nate whispered, unable to say her name.

  Joe nodded. “Yes, I think they need each other. I’m seeing Lauren tonight; do you think we’ll be long?”

  “You don’t need to babysit me,” Nate replied. He would actually prefer to be alone to process all that had happened in the last few hours.

  “I know, but I want the killing to stop, and we have to find them to do that.” He paused, the edge of his lips turning up slightly. “Besides, we’re friends, and we help each other out.”

  Nate needed a friend right now, whether he was willing to admit it or not. He didn’t know what he’d do without Joe. He had helped him so much since they met fifty years ago. It was ironic that Joe’s own sister had changed his life forever, but her brother had become one of the people he trusted most in the world.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Two Sides

  This time, it was a whisper that woke me. My heavy lids opened to see a man standing in front of me watching me sleep. The impulse to scream and run was quickly stifled as his familiar scent drifted in the air. I was beginning to crave that smell. The scent was like a drug to me, and the two weeks without it was making me crazy.

  “Did I wake you?” he whispered softly, his voice filled me with warmth. I had felt cold without him.

  I nodded, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “But that’s okay, I’m just glad you’re here, I missed you.”

  He smiled as he stepped forward, a dimple poking out of his left cheek. His vivid blue eyes were the color of dark seas without the light to make them sparkle. “I missed you too.”

  He leaned down to brush the hair from my face with a finger, staring into my eyes. His gaze was so intense that I would have felt it with my eyes closed. There were no words between us as he sat on the edge of the bed leaning above me. His hand moved up my face, caressing my skin until he reached my hair. He wrapped a lock around his hand and tugged gently, pulling me toward him. Our faces hovered inches apart, but we didn’t touch. I felt a hum of electricity, like a live wire. Our breaths mingled together. I gasped as he closed the gap, his lips finally connecting with mine. A hunger erupted inside us, and suddenly we could not get close enough. Our kiss was desperate. It had been so long; the need to be close overtook all of my thoughts. He pushed me back down onto the bed and lay on top of me, only lifting his mouth to kiss my jaw, my chin, my collar bone. I didn’t want him to stop. I craved what he was giving me, and I yearned for more. He brushed kisses against my neck, and I all but melted, all the nerves in my body were waking up now that he was back. He was making me feel again, making me crave more than just a few kisses. “I want you,” I whispered. He made a rumbling sound in his chest as his tongue glided along my collar bone. Goosebumps formed along my skin.

  “Are you sure?” his voice was rough, almost a growl. When I nodded, he lifted his head.

  A sharp breath escaped my lips as I caught a glimpse of his yellow eyes in the moonlight that poured in from the patio doors. He smiled, showing long pointed fangs. I screamed as he leaned forward piercing my flesh. His teeth sunk into my neck with the feel of a thousand knives.

  When he finally pulled away, he lifted his head and glared at me with his animalistic stare, my blood was dripping from his mouth. “You’re mine,” he growled.

  I shot up in bed, my heart chugging like a train on a track. Out of the two dreams that haunted my sleep every night, I preferred the other one. I knew what was happening. My sub-conscious was showing me the two sides of Nate. And if I was going to forgive him, I needed to accept each one. But after that dream, I wasn’t sure it was possible.

  With my heart still beating wildly, I glanced at the clock and groaned. Lauren would be here soon for our training session. We’d been working with Adrian for two weeks, and we were getting much better. I was turning into a wolf more frequently as well. He had convinced me that I needed to explore that side of myself before the full moon, which was quickly approaching. Lauren even joined us a few times when she could pry herself away from Joe. We went back to the place where we had first turned together. Since it was on my family’s property, we wouldn’t be disturbed. We didn’t do it every day. I still wasn’t comfortable, and I couldn’t help but fight against the change. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get use to turning into something else other than human. The pain itself was reason not to enjoy it, but it wasn’t the only one. When I was in that form, my instinct was to kill animals, but I refused to do it. It was getting harder to stop myself, especially when I watched Adrian. Thankfully, Lauren had the same aversion. I had once feared I’d be a killer now that I was a werewolf. I now knew that would never happen. I couldn’t even kill a bunny.

  After my shower, I dressed in my standard workout clothes, tank top and yoga pants, and then wandered to the kitchen. The smell of bacon was overwhelming, making my stomach grumble. A plate of eggs, bacon, and sausage was waiting on the island for me. Mona was leaning over the sink, washing a metal bowl and humming a slow tune. Her dark brown hair was up in a bun as usual. She was wearing a purple blouse and black dress pants. The apron that was wrapped around her clothes was covered with happy frogs.

  I took my place on the stool in front of my food and dug in. Mona turned around, her eyes on the dishtowel in her hand. She looked up, saw me, and screamed. I jumped back, my wolf’s hackles raising, looking around for danger, taking in all the smells in the room. All I could scent was the food she cooked, her jasmine perfume, soap, and lemon dish cleaner

  “What?” I asked when there was no danger to be found.

  She was holding her hand over her heart, her breaths coming out in a pant. “You scared the crap out of me. Could you wear a bell please?”

  I couldn’t help the laugh that snuck out as I took my seat once again. “You must have been in your own world, Mona, because I did make noise. The chair squeaked when I sat down, and my fork clanked against the plate when I took a bite.” I eyed her, seeing the lines in her forehead, and the strain on her face. “What’s wrong?”

  She sighed. “Your mother called.” I knew what she was about to say before the words came out of her mouth, b
ut I still felt a sting when she finally voiced them. “They’re extending their vacation. When I told her you were still here, she refused to change her mind.” By the look of sadness in her eyes, I guessed my mother had said a few careless words about me. I was used to them, although it didn’t hurt any less.

  I lifted my fork, filled with scrambled eggs. “It’s fine, Mona. I get along better with you anyway.” I shoved the fork into my mouth and chewed. “Besides, I’m going to go back to the cottage soon,” I lied. After the dream I had, I had no intention of going back there. I knew I would eventually, but just not in the foreseeable future.

  Her face brightened. “Really?”

  I nodded, lifting my glass of orange juice she had left near my plate. “You sound happy to be rid of me. Am I that hard to live with?” I faked laughter in my voice, trying to sound happy.

  Her face scrunched up, and her hand shot out, hitting me with the tip of the dish towel. “Of course not, you brat. I just want you to make up with Nate. He’s so good for you.”

  Yeah right. I thought. You wouldn’t think that if you knew what he had done to me. Instead of speaking my thoughts, I grinned. “I know, and we’ll be fine.”

  Her eyes narrowed suspiciously; my evasive answer didn’t fool her. I started to eat again to stop any further questions.

  Lauren showed up just as I was putting my dishes in the dishwasher.

  My glove slammed into the thick leather with a powerful thud. The bag bounced back and swung toward me again. That’s when I spun around and kicked out with my right leg. The spinning back kick was my favorite move. I felt pretty bad-ass when I did it.

  The sound of pounding on leather next to me had me glancing in Lauren’s direction. Her sandy hair was pulled up in a ponytail. The strands that had come loose were damp with sweat and plastered to her forehead. The look of determination and enjoyment on her face must have mirrored mine. I was thankful for meeting Adrian for no other reason than this. Each time Lauren and I left the gym, we felt a tiny bit safer. It gave us the confidence we had been lacking since the first time a werewolf had threatened us. Sometimes, I almost wanted Charlotte to make a move, if only to test my new fighting ability.