The Ash Moon (The Ariane Trilogy Book 1)

by Michelle Dare

  Reaching my hand forward, palm up, I come a little closer, stopping about a foot from him. He leans toward me and sniffs my hand. Those eyes of his are green, letting me know the wolf is in charge. I remember reading about their eyes changing in the series. It’s all true, isn't it? All the books?

  Rion, the wolf, stands and does a lazy circle around me, sniffing my legs as he goes. He nudges me with his nose. I decide to pet him, though, I'm not sure if he likes to be petted. Only one way to find out.

  His ears twitch and move as I run my hand over the soft fur on his head. Standing, the top of his back comes up to my waist. I stroke down his back as he walks by.

  “You're not so bad, are you?” He sneezes and shakes his head. “I'm not sure who I like more—the man or the wolf.” Orion's crystal blue eyes flash forward, making me laugh. “I knew that would get to you.”

  We spend a bit of time together—the wolf and me. I sit on the ground; he curls his body around me and rests his head in my lap.

  “Mates, huh?” I ask, not expecting an answer. I can talk to him easily like this. It’s probably because he can’t talk back. “I'm not quite sure what to do with that information. Or any of this, for that matter. It's going to take a while for this to sink in. I'm only eighteen.” That makes me pause and think back to something I read in the books. “Are you really nineteen, or are you like two hundred and fifty? I remember reading that you can live up to a thousand years. Maybe you like younger women.”

  My phone vibrates in my pocket, startling me. Orion jumps to his feet as I do the same. “It's only my phone.”

  I dig it out and see a text from Paige, asking how the date is going. Did she think I'd answer her while still on the date? She can wait. Checking the time, I still have two hours until I need to be home.

  “Are you hungry? I could eat. Not you, the wolf, but the man. I think it's cool you're a wolf and all, but I don't want to see you hunting down a deer and ripping it to shreds in front of me.”

  In a flash, Rion is standing before me as a human. All his clothes just as they were.

  “Hey, why don't your clothes get shredded when you shift?”

  “Shifter magic.”

  “Thanks for your thorough explanation,” I respond dryly. I’m not sure I’m fine with all of this, but I’m more relaxed about it.

  He chuckles. “All shifters have magic within them. It's what allows us to shift in a flash, to keep our clothes on when we turn from our animal back to human.”

  “Is that why I get zapped every time we touch? Magic?”

  “The magic, yes. But it has to do with you being my mate. I've never felt that with any other person—shifter or not. No one I've shaken hands with, or touched skin to skin, has given me shocks as you do.” Wait, who else is he touching with only his skin? White-hot jealousy flares to life inside of me. Jealousy I didn’t know existed within me. I push it aside. He said he’s never been in a relationship. I have to trust him.

  “So, you only feel that current of electricity, or whatever it is, with your mate?” He nods. “Is that why you lit up at the party when you first touched my hand? You were so happy.”

  “Wouldn't you be, if you were told your whole life there is only one woman out there for you, and when you meet her, you'll know for sure the second your skin touched?”

  “I see your point.” I smile. “So, you've never been with anyone else? Never dated, slept with, nothing?”

  “No. Other shifters like to party their way through women until they find their mate. That was never me. I kept going to school, learning, and once I graduated, Lealla asked if I was interested in working with her.”

  “I'm going to need you to fill me in on Lealla and the role she plays in all of this. But not right now. I need food.” My stomach growls on cue.

  “Me, too. Come, let's go back to the car.”

  He leads us down the path to where he parked.

  “Do your wolf senses work when you're not a wolf?”

  “Yes.”

  “That explains how you can maneuver on this path so easily. If not for you, I’d have face-planted four times by now. I can't see anything.” Too bad the trees are so dense; it would be nice if some of the moon’s light could cut through to light my path.

  “It certainly comes in handy. My wolf’s night vision is far superior to mine.”

  “You're really nineteen?”

  “Yes,” he chuckles. “I'm certainly not two hundred and fifty.”

  I smile. “You never know. I needed to verify. I've read how old those other wolves are.”

  “Rest assured, little mouse, I'm only a year older than you.”

  10

  After we ate at a local diner, we started the drive back to my house so I wouldn't miss curfew.

  “Tell me about Lealla,” I say to him.

  “What would you like to know?”

  “What role does she play, except to write the books? And why write them?”

  “Well, she writes them because she loves doing it. She started writing when she was younger but didn't discover the love she has for her current series until she met Aries. Then it was as if everything clicked into place for her. Before the Avynwood Pack, she wrote from dreams. Once Aries came around, she found a new purpose. You see, Lealla is psychic. She didn't realize she was one until she met Aries. Once she did, she knew she had to help him. He was a lost, lone wolf. He and my father weren't always close. There was a rift in the family and they didn't speak for many years. My father traveled a lot before settling down. It wasn't until a year or so before my mom got pregnant that they mended things.”

  “But that timeline doesn't make sense with the book and Aries and Cassandra getting custody of you at the end.”

  “The timelines in the books aren’t always exact. The stories are true, but Lealla will rearrange things to make the most sense in each book. You have to remember, while they mostly are true, she has to spin things for entertainment purposes. For Aries and Cassandra, them getting me at the end of their book made more sense. And the series as a whole takes place over many years, when in reality, some of the stories overlapped or happened one right after the other. Lealla had to change things to make sense in the literary world of fiction.”

  “Okay, I can see that. So, she's a psychic?”

  “Yes, she helps each wolf find their mate. With Aries, she wasn't sure what was happening since she'd never had a vision before him. She had dreams, yes, but none of them came true like her visions did. The first time she saw Cassandra, she knew she was meant for Aries. How do you think he ended up in the home improvement store that day and in that particular aisle?”

  “Lealla,” I say with certainty.

  “Exactly.” This is all fascinating. I can't believe Lealla is psychic.

  “She wasn't able to predict the deaths of your parents so she could prevent it?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

  “No. She doesn't see everything. She gets bits and pieces. Only once in a great while does she get more.”

  “That's a shame. She might have been able to save their lives.”

  “She did save one. Mine.”

  “What happened? Did someone try to kill you, too?” I can't believe someone would want to hurt Rion. He's such a nice guy.

  “No, little mouse. She told me about you. The moment I knew you were coming, my world brightened. I had a renewed purpose.”

  “Oh,” I say quietly. My cheeks heat. I'm thankful for the darkness to conceal my blush.

  “She knew she was going to meet you at the signing. That's why she invited you back to her house. She wanted us to meet.”

  “And here I thought it was fate.”

  “It was. Everything has to fall into place for things to happen a certain way. I went to live with Aries. He introduced me to Lealla. You bought tickets to her signing. She met you in person. It all put us on a path to each other. Lealla’s vision helped us meet. Everything after is up to us. Although, I’d like to think, even if she h
adn’t intervened, we would have found each other somehow.”

  “Lealla doesn't see anything else about our future together?” A part of me wants to know what’s going to happen, while the other loves the unknown.

  “You're going to have to ask her. She does want to talk to you, but she needed to wait until you knew what I was.” I wonder what she has to talk to me about. Is it something bad? Good? Something that could change the rest of my life? Then something comes back to me.

  “Did you always plan to reveal yourself to me under the ash moon?”

  “Lealla told me to wait until then.”

  “Did she tell you I was going to freak out?” I smile.

  “No, but she did say you'd accept me as I was. She saw how we’d connect, then it was a vision here or there. You have no clue how worried I was about tonight, Ari. I was afraid you'd get scared. Or hate me for what I am.” While I was unsure about what our date would entail, Rion had been afraid I’d reject him. I’m not the only one nervous. Things could have gone differently tonight if I hadn’t given him a chance to shift a second time.

  “I couldn't hate you,” I tell him. “You can't control who you are. Sure, it took me a bit to wrap my head around it. I'm still shocked and in disbelief, if I'm being honest, but after all you've said and the books I've reread, it’s starting to make sense. Like pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together.” Hopefully, with each day and each conversation with him and Lealla, more pieces align and I get a broader picture of everything.

  “Why did you think I wanted you to read them?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it.” I smile.

  Rion was right about the ash moon. Once he shifted to a wolf, everything changed. I might accept he's a wolf, but this whole mate thing is still throwing me for a loop. How can I be someone's forever when I've never dated before? Everything is on the fast track with us. It's a lot to take in.

  Rion is a wolf. Shifters are real. There's a thing called an ash moon. Lealla is a psychic.

  “Hey, are vampires real?” I ask. I need to know. I mean, if shifters are, does that mean there are different kinds of paranormals out there?

  “Yes, as are the fae, mages, and other paranormals.”

  “Get out! Do you know any vampires? Can you introduce me to one? Do they really kill people? I have so many questions.” I’m serious. Those are just the tip of the iceberg.

  He laughs. “I do know some vampires. No, they don't kill people unless absolutely necessary. They don't drain humans dry for fun. They do drink blood, but mostly from other vampires or paranormals. I can introduce you to one, eventually. I want you to meet with Lealla and talk with her first. She'd like you to come over to dinner tomorrow night, if you're available.”

  “She would? In that huge mansion? Will the other shifters be there?” I may be freaking out all over again. Holy information overload. He better not forget that I still want to meet a vampire.

  “It will just be me, you, and Lealla. She wants to talk with us; no one else. The rest of the pack does know about you, and all but Aries, Cassandra, and I live there. Lealla told everyone this week. Aries and Cassandra knew first because I told them. I can't hide much from them since I still live in their house.”

  “I'm surprised you haven't bought your own place yet, since you have all that money.”

  He takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it while driving. “I was waiting for you, Ari. I wouldn't buy a home without your input. It would be our home.” And stop.

  “Hold on there, wolf. I'm only eighteen. I'm still in high school. I can't move in with you or buy a house with you.” Maybe going to the emergency room wasn't such a bad idea after all.

  “Ari, I'm not asking you to come with me tomorrow to buy a house. I'm simply stating the truth. I will always be honest with you. It could be ten years from now. Time doesn't matter. I only want you in my life.”

  “Time may not matter to you, since you can live for a thousand years, but I don't have your genes.” At least he stopped me from freaking out and thinking a marriage proposal was happening next week. Talk about a fast relationship. If this were a book, the reader would be getting whiplash by how fast this was moving. Wait.

  “You need to talk to Lealla. She'll reveal more,” he says. I’ll let that go for now, so I ask him something else.

  “Everything that's happening between us, is it going into a book? A book my friends, friends’ parents, tons of people are going to read?”

  “Lealla never puts anything in a book that those involved don't want in there. It's up to us to decide what we want or don't want in our story.”

  “That's if I even want my life written into a paranormal romance.” I'm living a romance novel. What is going on? I need sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. And distance from the sexy guy next to me.

  Rion strokes the back of my hand with his thumb. “I'm sorry. This is a lot to take in. You didn't have your whole life to get used to the idea of this world, like the rest of us did. I'm throwing it at you all at once.”

  “It's not your fault. I'm happy knowing this stuff. It's just... I can deal with you being a wolf. The mate thing is still screwing with me. And the idea of my life being in a book. I'm not sure how to feel about all of it.” A book. It would be a fictional book and the average reader wouldn’t know it’s real, so there is that. If Lealla used our real names, then everyone would know it’s me.

  “We're going to take things one day at a time,” he says reassuringly. “You're too important to me to lose. I'll go at whatever pace you want.”

  “Thank you. I love the idea of everything magical being real, but I still have high school and graduation.”

  To think everything I read about is real puts a huge smile on my face. Leaning back with my head on the seat, I reflect on all that happened tonight. I managed to get myself a wolf boyfriend. A mate, if I'm ready to face that. And was told there’s a whole other world out there. Maybe things aren't as bad as I thought. I can still have my high school life and just date Rion when not in school. Being a normal teenager isn't out of reach. Normal isn't the right word. Nothing about this is normal.

  Rion pulls into the driveway twenty minutes before I'm due home. The lights are out, and I have no doubt both of my parents are passed out. They work hard and crash early. They may have given me a curfew, but if they were worried, they would have never let me leave the house. It's for show. I'm a good teenager after all.

  Rion shuts off the car and turns to me. “Thank you for coming with me tonight. And thank you for accepting my wolf.”

  “As crazy as all of this is, I wouldn't change it for anything. I had fun tonight.” That’s the truth. It’s very surreal.

  “Really?”

  “After I realized I wasn't losing my mind.” I laugh.

  Rion chuckles. “Let's see how you feel after having dinner with Lealla tomorrow night.”

  “What time should I be there?”

  “I'll pick you up at five, if that's okay.”

  “I have my own car. I can drive.” Just because it's old and makes all kinds of rattling noises doesn't mean it won't get me from point A to B.

  “Unless I'm physically unable to drive to your home, I will always pick you up. And even then, I'd ask Aries or one of the pack to. Your safety is something I take very seriously.” One of the pack? I wonder who it would be. I could see Paige’s face now if Cace, Carter, or Cash showed up. She would probably faint.

  “I've managed to make it this far in life. I think an hour drive to Lealla's mansion is doable.”

  “There are paranormals out there that aren't all good, Ari. Some will want to harm you. Also, you now know of our world and are unmated. Other wolves will want to vie for your attention.”

  “Say what now?” Will wolves be circling, smelling my butt, trying to figure out if I'm unattached?

  “There are a lot of unmated wolves who would love nothing more than to have you in their bed.”

  “Okay, let's clear something up right now.
I have never been in any guy's bed, except for Bray's, and that was to strictly sleep.” Rion growls low in this throat. “He was on the floor. He didn't sleep in the bed with me. Paige did. You can calm down.”

  “I don't like the idea of you sleeping in another male's bed.”

  “And I don't like the idea of wolves sniffing around where they don't belong.” Seriously, am I going to wake up to unmated wolves at our front door, vying for my attention? I have to get back on the topic of my friends, though. “If you're going to accept me, you're going to have to accept my friends. I will not give them up so I can be part of your life.”

  “They can't know about me, Ari. Or the other members of the pack.”

  “And they won't. Your secret is safe with me. But they've been my friends for many years, and I won't get rid of them for you or anyone else.”

  11

  He laughs. Crazy shifter actually laughs. I'm on the verge of punching him. “I was right about you the first day I met you. You have a lot of bite. That will come in handy when dealing with a pack of wolves.”

  “Who says I want to deal with a pack? I have you and that's plenty of wolf for me right now. Oh, and by the way, I've decided to call you Rion and your wolf Orion. Helps me keep you two straight.” I like the idea of him and his wolf called different things.

  “You do know it's the same name, right?”

  “One's a nickname. No need to be a jerk.” He laughs. Again. Yup, I'm going to slug him.

  “Calm down, little mouse. I love riling you up.”

  “Keep it up and see what happens.” I cross my arms.

  Rion pulls my hand away from my body and then reaches for the other. He shakes them gently. “Loosen up. No matter what you say or do, I don't think I could ever be angry at you. Picking a fight with me won't do any good. I'll still want to be with you.”

  “The week isn't over yet.” You never know what I might do to screw things up. I haven’t been single this long on purpose.

  He chuckles. “Your attitude is one of my favorite features.”