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

by Christina Smith

  “Where are you going?” Nate asked. His jaw was clenched and his voice tense. He already knew the answer.

  I contemplated lying, saying that I needed to head home to get some things, but I just couldn’t do that. “I’m going to meet Adrian so he can explain in person.”

  I knew what Nate would say to this before he opened his mouth, and he didn’t disappoint me.

  “No.”

  The word felt so final, like he was the judge and I was on trial. Of course, that only made me more determined to go. Did he not know me at all?

  “You can’t stop me, and you know it.” I looked at Will. “Can I borrow a car?”

  He glanced from me to Nate hesitantly. “I hate to say it, but I agree with Nate. Joe filled me in on this Adrian person. If he’s with Charlotte, then he can’t be trusted.”

  Damn it. I nodded sharply, not in the mood to beg. “Okay then, thanks anyway.” The tone in my voice was indifferent as I spun on my heels and headed to the front door. The black heeled boots I had borrowed from Lauren clicked against the marble flooring in the foyer.

  Thankfully, my coat was where I left it, lying over the bench next to the door. I put it on and reached for the door knob. A blast of cold air rushed in, and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  Nate.

  “Where are you going?” He asked, the same hard expression on his face.

  “I told you, I’m going to meet Adrian.”

  “How are you going to get there?”

  Folding my arms in front of me, I narrowed my eyes. “I’m going to walk or run. Now that I’m a werewolf, that would be faster, I suppose.”

  He sighed heavily, dropping his hand from my shoulder, and gazed at me with a pensive expression—one that I knew well. “Fine. I’ll drive you. Where are you meeting him?”

  “The diner, and no, you’re not coming. I don’t want you fighting with him. He’d probably win. He’s stronger than you, and he works out a lot.”

  He quirked a brow and smirked condescendingly. “I can handle myself. But it doesn’t matter, I won’t go in. I’ll wait in the car, as long as I can see you.”

  There was no harm in that. We could sit at a table near the parking lot. “Fine,” I snapped as I stormed out of the house, heading to his car. I was tired of arguing about it. I just wanted to get this over with. I waited at the passenger door while he threw on his leather jacket and yelled to Joe to explain what we were doing.

  As we pulled away from the house, I could see Lauren in the window watching us. She was smiling. I hated to break it to her, but this was not a date. Far from it. He was taking me to see another guy.

  The drive to the diner was awkward, Nate drove with his hands gripped on the steering wheel and his lips pursed in a thin line. It was as if our time this morning had never happened. When I could no longer stand the silence, I asked, “What is your problem?”

  He turned his head a fraction in my direction. “What do you mean?”

  “This morning we had a good conversation, and now you’re quiet and surly.”

  His jaw locked as his eyes cooled considerably. “I don’t want you to do this. When I said you could talk to him, I meant on the phone.”

  I gritted my teeth and turned in my seat to face him, my elbow dug into the leather seat. “I already told you that he won’t hurt me.”

  “That’s not what I’m worried about,” he mumbled.

  I stared at him wondering what he meant. His face stayed hard, giving away no emotion. Then it hit me.

  “Are you jealous?” I gasped, completely shocked by the idea.

  His mouth went back into a firm line as he turned to me. “Maybe,” he finally answered after staring at me for a few seconds.

  “You know I’m a werewolf, and you’re my mate right?” I explained, thinking how ridiculous he sounded. “I couldn’t be with anyone else as much as you couldn’t.”

  I actually liked that about who I was now. It would cut down on jealousy. I knew he would never look at someone else, just like he should know that I wouldn’t.

  His expression softened as his face relaxed. “I know, but I’m not used to you being one of my kind. I forget sometimes. And he’s not mated, so he wouldn’t care if we are.”

  I hesitated before speaking my next words, not sure if I was breaking a confidence. “Actually, I think he is. He hinted at it once. But I don’t think they’re together.”

  His face relaxed. “Oh, okay then.” And just like that, his jealousy was gone. Werewolves were different from humans. A normal guy wouldn’t give up that easy, but since he knew what it felt like to be mated, the issue was over. Adrian couldn’t possibly have those kinds of feelings for me.

  We were quiet for a few more minutes. He was focused on the road, while I looked out my window watching the city pass by. I tapped my finger on the door handle to the beat of the song that was playing on the radio.

  “Can we spend some time together?” His voice surprised me. I had been so absorbed in the scenery and lost in the music.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, turning to face him again as we passed a city park. Little kids were out skating on a boarded rink.

  “I just don’t see how you will forgive me if we never see each other.” He paused as he stopped at a stop sign. “I noticed a change in you this morning, after our talk.”

  It was true. When we were apart, all I dwelled on was what he did to me. But seeing him stirred something inside me. And I had to admit I enjoyed our conversation.

  “Sure.” My voice came out softer than I had intended. “We can spend time together.”

  He smiled, the dimple popping out on his right cheek. “Great. How about we order take out, just the two of us, in the west library. Maybe we can watch a movie.”

  That was as much privacy we would get since he had to guard Will. It did like sound fun. We hadn’t really been alone in some time. Part of me was thrilled, and the other part was terrified.

  I only nodded my consent, suddenly feeling my heart leap in my throat. I swallowed, reassuring myself that it would be fine. I needed to do this if I was ever going to get past my anger.

  Nate pulled into the lot, where there were only a few other vehicles and parked right up front. “Wave at me if there is any trouble. I’ll be watching.”

  “Okay, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.” I opened my door and slid out. The smell in the air made my mouth water. Thankfully, the only werewolf scent I could smell was Adrian’s.

  I saw Adrian already sitting at a table visible from where we were now parked. I waved at Nate before heading inside, moving straight for Adrian. The familiar smells of bacon and beef filled the air, except today there was an added smell of onions.

  He glanced up at me when I moved the chair out. It squeaked against the linoleum floor. “Thank you for seeing me.” His voice held an edge of apprehension.

  I sat down and crossed my ankles under the table, leaning my elbows on the wooden surface. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

  He opened his mouth and then closed it when Nicole headed our way.

  “What will it be? The usual?” she asked, glancing between us. I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost noon. Since we were here, why not?

  “Please. Actually, can I get two orders?” I thought of Nate sitting in the car waiting. “One to go.”

  She nodded and looked at Adrian. “I’ll have the same,” he said and then smiled sheepishly, his dark eyes flashing with warmth. “Just one for me, though.”

  She grinned before heading off to the kitchen.

  Once she was gone, I silently glared at him.

  He seemed to sink into the chair in a guilty position. “Okay, I admit it. I am part of Charlotte’s group. And I was on the island.”

  Fury exploded inside me, and I opened my mouth to yell. But I calmed myself when I remembered where we were.

  “How could you do that? We were terrified,” I whispered loudly, my fury shifting to a low, simmering rage.

  He held up a
hand. “Calm down and close your eyes.”

  I understood his words. I had felt a slight vibration as my eyes changed color. I did as he said and took a few breaths, trying to soothe myself. I barely restrained my arms from shaking. The wolf inside wanted out to rip him apart for what he did to me. When I felt my eyes shift again, I opened them, waiting for him to continue. I glanced at Nate and saw him watching calmly. He must not have noticed my outburst.

  “I’m so sorry. I hate Charlotte, but if I don’t do what she says, she’ll kill my sister.” I could see genuine fear in his eyes.

  His answer was unexpected and left me dumbstruck—questions swirling around in my head. “What?” was all I could manage to say.

  He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, his eyes shifting all around as if he was making sure we were not being watched. “Charlotte and James killed my parents. They broke into our home and stole all our valuables. She bit me and then knocked me out. I thought she had killed me too. But I woke up hours later with my hands tied. She explained that I was now a werewolf. She said she would take care of me and show me how great this life was. She said I would now live forever. I didn’t even really hear anything she said to me. I flipped out and tried to get out of my binds.” He stopped talking and gazed into my eyes, real fear shone from his dark brown depths. “My five year old sister had been asleep in her room, and I needed to get back to the house to see if she was okay. I managed to get my hands free, but James held me down. That’s when she told me that they had taken Marisa somewhere safe, and she would only stay that way if I joined her and James.”

  My eyes widened with fear for his innocent sister that had been brought into such a crazy, terrifying world. “Why did she want you to stay with her so badly?” I whispered, no longer angry. The genuine anguish on his face dulled my anger.

  He smiled grimly. It was a look of defeat. “Money. My parents were wealthy, and as their oldest child, I would inherit everything. She agreed to keep Marisa safe as long as I stayed with them and kept signing checks over to her.”

  “Do you know where she’s keeping her?”

  He shook his head. “No. I lived in Philadelphia, so she must be there, but every time I try to leave to go search for her, Charlotte threatens to give the order to kill her.” His voice broke on the last words as he squeezed his eyes shut, as if the image of his sister’s death had flashed in his mind. “And now it’s been ten years. She lives in a good home, and by what Charlotte tells me, she’s being taken good care of and is happy. She wouldn’t even know me now.” The pain on his face was heartbreaking, and the rest of my anger fizzled by his explanation. He was just as much a victim of Charlotte’s as the rest of us.

  Nicole returned with our food and a paper bag. Silence fell between us after his emotionally charged confession. I didn’t know what to say, and by the look on his face, I thought he might need some time alone.

  I held the bag up. “Do you mind?” I asked, nodding to Nate outside.

  Adrian shrugged. “Go ahead. Although, I don’t mind if he comes in.”

  “That’s okay; I think he’s better where he is.”

  When I handed the container to Nate, he smiled with a look of surprise on his face. It made me sad that my kindness had shocked him.

  Back inside, I took a bite of my meal and waved my hand for Adrian to continue.

  When he swallowed what was in his mouth, he began again. “Even though I stayed with them hoping to find my sister, I also needed to learn about what it was I had become. In my mind, werewolves only existed in books and movies, and now I was one. It turned out that my new pack wasn’t the best example to learn from. But I didn’t know any differently.”

  I held my fork out silently counting the prongs, thinking his words through. “That was ten years ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “Have you killed anyone?” I asked with trepidation. Although I had asked, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. Only a few minutes into our talk, and he had won me over again.

  He nodded sharply. “As I told you, once. That was the truth. She made me do it. And I have been haunted with guilt ever since. So, as long as I do everything else she says, she won’t make me kill. Besides, it leaves more for the rest of them.” His face was filled with disgust at his last words.

  I took a bite of the beef and Yorkshire pudding, without really tasting it. “Are you telling me the truth?” I asked after swallowing.

  He stared at me, his face earnest; the sadness that had shone in his eyes remained. “I swear that I am.”

  Satisfied with his answer, I reached out and wrapped my hand around his and squeezed gently. I was really glad I had decided to come today. I didn’t want Adrian to be the evil person Nate and Joe had said he was. “Okay, I believe you. What happened on the island?”

  He wiped his hand over his face. It was a nervous gesture, but the grief that had appeared was replaced with regret. “All she intended to do was scare you. The other guys might have tried to kill you if they actually got in, but that was her fault for creating murderers that couldn’t control themselves. She told us before we changed to make it look like we wanted to attack you. But if any of us harmed a hair on your heads, we’d have to deal with her.” He paused with a glance at Nate through the window. Nate was watching us, and his gaze never once faltered as he chewed. “I think she was afraid that Nate and Joe would retaliate if we killed their mates.”

  They would have and still intended to. “Were you there when we changed into wolves?”

  “No, I didn’t even know she turned you. She didn’t tell us until we were off the island.” He took a few more bites of his meal, while I thought about all he had said.

  I didn’t correct him about who made me a werewolf. He didn’t need to know. “Why did you help me adjust to this and teach us how to fight?”

  He shrugged. “Because I felt guilty, and I didn’t want you to go through what I had. I would have loved if someone like Nate was there to teach me. Charlotte had us watching all of you. And I noticed that you moved away, separating yourself from the people who should be showing you.” He paused as he took a drink of his soda. “I thought it was because you were fighting what you had become. But since I’ve been through it all myself, I knew that your resistance would only backfire.”

  I rubbed my glass with my finger, making designs in the condensation as I listened to his explanation. “She doesn’t know that you helped me?”

  His eyes widened. “God, no. She’d kill my sister if she found out.”

  I squeezed ketchup onto my fries, creating a swirling design. “Yes, she probably would.” Cramming a couple of fries into my mouth, I thought about his situation. I remembered him telling me that he didn’t need a job because his family left him money when they died.

  “She took your inheritance?”

  He nodded, swallowing the last of his french fries “She said we all had to contribute. Which was true, I’m sure, but it was also another way to keep me there. Not that it matters—money doesn’t mean anything to me. I just want my sister safe.”

  His words reminded me of something. “What’s the plan for Will?”

  He grimaced as he tapped the tabletop anxiously. “I don’t know much. I’m supposed to be watching you guys most of the time, but I’ve heard a few things. Charlotte stole a bunch of documents from Nate’s safe when she took you and Lauren, and I guess one of them is a will stating that if Will dies, James takes over the company. They must be running out of my inheritance, and now they need another one.”

  Dread sunk to the pit of my stomach. “So they are going to kill Will.” My voice was a whisper. Will had become the father I had always wanted, and I couldn’t let anyone kill him. It would devastate all of us.

  “I think so.” His eyes were filled with apology.

  I leaned forward, pushing my now empty plate to the side so I could lean my elbows on the table. The table creaked with my extra weight. “But, you don’t know if they have a plan, or anything
?”

  He shoved his hand through his short black hair. “No. I heard James telling her that he tried to kill Will, and a couple of werewolves stopped him. I assumed it was Nate and Joe.”

  I grinned. “Nope. It was me. I kicked him in the head,” I lifted my hand and pointed to him. “Thanks to you.”

  He smiled genuinely, his eyes lighting up the room. “Really?”

  I ducked my head a little, embarrassed by his expression. “Well, Lauren got Will out of the way, but yeah, I stopped James from choking him.”

  He leaned back in his chair and watched me silently for a few seconds. The expression on his face could only be described as awe. “I’m proud of you.”

  His praise filled me with happiness. He was my teacher after all, and I wanted to please him. When I thought about the life he had to go back to, I felt sad for him. I wished there was something I could to do to help. “Will you let me know if you hear of any more plans to attack Will?”

  He gave me a firm nod. “Yes. I promise.”

  When I finished my meal, I tossed enough money on the table for my half and pulled on my jacket. The fur collar tickled my neck. I wasn’t finished with Adrian, but I needed to talk to the rest of the group before I put my plan in motion.

  He looked up at me with surprise. “You have to go?” There was sadness in his voice, and I ached for him. He didn’t have any true friends. That must be why he went to gyms and trained. It was an escape from Charlotte and her minions. I was familiar with the look on his face because I had seen it in the mirror for years when I was friends with Mandy and Jenny. I hated how they treated others and how they thought they were better than everyone else because of their families’ money. In some ways, they were just like Charlotte and her group, minus the wolf thing and the killing.

  “Yeah,” I answered reluctantly. “I need to tell them what you said. I’ll be in touch again by phone. Will that put you in danger?”

  “No, as long as it’s a text. My phone is on silent. They won’t hear it buzz.”

  “Okay,” I turned to go and then spun around remembering something. “Where are you guys staying? Is it the cabin Lauren mentioned?”