I let out a breathy sigh and wonder how many times in one day Rion can make me melt for him. He's a dream come true. A guy who only wants me and doesn't have eyes for anyone else. In turn, no one could make me feel like he does. This deep connection we share, and how we can speak to each other in our minds, it's amazing. More than I could ever have wished for.
Then something he said comes back to me. “Why were you arguing with Aries?”
He smiles. “Should I add investigator to your list of traits?”
“You must have forgotten that I remember everything you say, even when you try to bury it with sweet words that make me swoon.”
“I make you swoon, huh?”
His hand meets the small of my back to pull me close as he dips his head to kiss below my ear. My body trembles at his touch. His other hand finds the bare skin of my stomach, where my shirt has ridden up. He skates his fingers along my skin as his lips work their way over to mine. A moan quickly rises in my throat while his hand skims higher. Electricity courses through me at every stroke of his fingers.
He pulls back and leaves me wanting more. But I don't forget what I asked him.
“Nice try,” I mutter.
He barks out a laugh. “Fine, you win. I was talking to Aries about building my own house on the property, once our book is out. He tried to forbid it, told me he's my alpha, and I should listen to him. He said I should be living in the house with the other wolves.”
“Why don't you obey him like the others do?”
“Maybe it's because Aries tries to be a father to me. Yes, he raised me, but he can never take the place of the dad I lost. I respect him as the pack's alpha, but I won't bend to his will. I've always done what I wanted, not listened to anyone. Aries instilled a lot of great traits in me, but I also watched him lead from an early age. He was always the alpha. I respect him, but I challenge him, and he doesn't like it.
“What I will never do, however, is challenge him in front of others. The pack dynamic is too strong. I don't want to weaken it by showing them I don't do everything Aries asks. We butt heads a lot. Cassandra usually pulls him away from the situation before it gets heated. Sometimes, I think he tries to push me too hard. Maybe it's because his son isn't here for him to look after. I'm not sure.”
Rion is old enough that if this were a human relationship he had with Aries, he’d probably move out of the house and live on his own. But this is a pack and packs always stick together. Aries is trying to maintain order.
“Does he know about what happened with you and Wake?”
He nods. “I came home briefly and told him. I didn't have much choice, though. Wake’s blood was on my clothes. I'm still tired. At first, he didn’t fight, but then he got some good shots in. I had to shift a few times to fully heal.”
“Was Aries mad you fought him?”
“No, he understood my reasoning and said I was justified in my attack.”
“One day I'll understand all of this.” I’m not sure when. I’m honestly not sure how I’ll ever be able to sleep again at this point. Not because I won’t be tired. But because my head will constantly be spinning with the massive amounts of information given to me.
Rion chuckles and lies down on the bed. “I think you know more than you realize. You're absorbing everything we're throwing at you. It's a lot to take in.”
I sit on the bed beside him, peering down at his gorgeous face. This guy appears to be carved from stone. That's how gorgeous he is.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” he asks.
With my mind, I send him a message using our new way of communication. “Because you're the most handsome guy I've ever seen. There are times when it's hard to believe you chose me.”
He sits up and cups my cheek in his palm. “It’s I who cannot believe you chose me.”
His lips press to mine and the second we touch, fireworks go off inside me. With them, so much love and hope. Rion is everything I could ever wish for and he wants me. He loves me.
A throat clears behind us, causing me to jump. I turn and Ford is leaning against the sliding glass door, but on the inside, facing us.
“Good afternoon, lovebirds,” he says with a smile.
Rion growls. “What do you want?”
“Oh, well, I thought you should know that Travis is aware you hurt Wake. He wasn't surprised, but this is more ammo he has against your pack.”
“Travis?” I ask.
“The Diaminsey alpha,” Ford replies.
Rion stands. “I knew he'd find out. Wake surely told him. I knocked him out cold before I left. My scent would have been all over him.”
“It was. He lied, though.”
“How so?”
“He said your mate came on to him. That he was helpless to her advances. That when you found out, you went for his throat.” Ford smirks like he approves of the lie.
“It’s decent.”
I turn, leveling Rion with a hard glare. “How are you okay with him saying that?”
“He has a pack, little mouse. If he returns beat up, they’re going to want to know what happened and why. This makes him look better and doesn't look like I'm merely attacking for no reason. We know they’re coming for us. The pack war is getting closer every day. But these fights, we've been at each other for many years. My fighting with Wake won't seem like anything out of the ordinary, especially given our history.”
Mulling it over, I say, “That makes sense, I guess.” I look at Ford. “How did you find this out?”
“Kiara and Travis spend time together, if you know what I mean.” He waggles his eyebrows.
“And she went behind his back to tell you this?” I ask incredulously. I can’t believe she would do that. Not that I know her well. But she was so sweet and kind. Her doing this doesn’t match up.
“She isn't loyal to him. He's nothing more than a toy for her. She overhears things, tells me along with some of the other vampires. I relay information back to Aries or Orion.”
“Wouldn't Travis suspect her of doing such a thing?”
“He probably does, but he's a single alpha male and doesn’t always have the purest thoughts.”
I put my hand up before he gets any further. “I get it.” So, Kiara is essentially a spy. Interesting. Wait one second. “Does that mean she goes back to him and tells him information she gains from you and the Avynwood Pack? How she stayed in my bed overnight? How I was bitten by one of his pack?”
“No,” he shakes his head. “She's met many members of the Avynwood Pack. When the time comes for war, she'll be on our side.”
“So, you're on Rion's side, too, right?” He said so at dinner with Lealla. I want to make sure, however.
He smiles wickedly. “I'm on any side you are.”
“Me? Why me?” I wish people would start leaving me out of the equation. I hate my role in this. Everything is resting on me to stop the war, that’s been going on for far too long, and I have no idea how.
“Because I have a feeling you’re going to be more powerful than any of us realize. You're feisty, princess. You have a tenacity that many lack. Paranormals will want to follow you.”
“Here we go again,” I mumble.
“What?” Rion asks, completely confused.
“Wake said something similar. How people are helpless to my charms or whatever.”
“He always was a smart wolf,” Ford adds with a grin. Rion tenses at the comment, but I place my hand on his arm to silently tell him not to start. Ford and Rion don’t need to fight again.
I glance over at the nightstand and see the time. Jumping up, I say, “I’ve gotta go. My parents will be home soon.” Rion stands as well.
“You're forgetting something, princess,” Ford states. “You don't need Orion to drive you home. You can snap your fingers and be there in a second flat.”
A slow grin spreads across my face. “You're right. This power will come in handy, for sure.”
“It's good having powers.” Ford winks. I need
to remember this power of mine doesn’t only come in handy when I’m facing down impending doom. I can use it for everyday stuff, too. Like getting home fast.
“How come you never offered to give Rion any of your powers?” I ask. “I'm sure teleportation would work well for him.”
“We wolves don't run from our problems, Ari,” Rion states firmly. “I charge into battle, not flee from it.” I roll my eyes. I get it. He's strong and a fighter but come on. It would have to be a bonus to have more powers. Less isn’t more in this case.
Glancing over, I find Ford making a face. His lip is curled up like he ate something gross. “What's with you?”
“I'm not biting him.”
“You bit me.”
“Ah, but you're a woman who is very—”
In a flash, Rion is across the room with his hand wrapped around Ford's throat, pressing him to the sliding door. “If I were you, I wouldn't finish that sentence,” he warns through clenched teeth.
Ford brings up his arm, slamming it down over Rion’s, effectively removing his grasp from Ford’s throat. As soon as he's released, Ford swings at Rion, landing a solid uppercut to his jaw. My mouth hangs agape. Did Ford really just punch Rion? I can’t break this up. I’m nowhere near strong enough.
“Listen, wolf. You and I may go back a while, but I'm getting sick of you putting your hands on me every time I say something about Ariane. Enough. I'm just teasing. You need to get a grip. I have no interest in your mate. Loosen up.”
Rion shifts into a wolf and widens his legs as he lowers his head in a fierce growl. Oh, for the love of…
With a quick snap of my fingers, I place myself between Ford and Orion. My back to the vampire. “Would you two stop? This is ridiculous. You're friends. Friends tease and joke around. Orion, shift back. We have enough problems without you two fighting.”
Ford's hand finds my hip as he pulls me back to his chest. “Listen to your mate, wolf.”
I elbow Ford in the ribs, causing him to release me. He laughs. Orion shifts back into a human and immediately puts his arms around me, pulling me away from Ford.
With his mind, Rion says, “You’re right. I need to gain better control over my wolf when you're around. He doesn't like it when another person, or vampire as it is, speaks about you that way.”
I peer up into his eyes. “I think that's a trait both you and your wolf share.”
25
One second, I was in Rion's room, the next in mine. I'm getting used to this teleporting thing. There are so many possibilities. I could go to Paris or Italy. Australia or Ireland. I'd have to get guidance from Ford, since I don't want to end up in the middle of somewhere I shouldn’t be. How cool to be able to travel anywhere in the world and not have to spend hours on a plane to do so.
I text Paige, letting her know I'm home. She wants to come over again tonight so we can talk. I'm sure she still has a lot of questions.
Five minutes later, she's up the stairs and in my room.
“Were you waiting down the street for me to text you?” I ask.
“No. I figured you'd be home soon, so I was headed this way when I got your message.” She drops onto my bed. “What happened this afternoon? Did I miss anything?”
“Rion told me he loves me.”
Her eyes widen. “Get out!” She stands and rushes over to me, engulfing me in a quick hug. “How did he say it? Was he all brooding and hot, or was he sweet and gave you flowers or something?”
“We were arguing, and he came out and told me. Then we kissed and something happened. We're connected now.” I tap the side of my head. “I can talk to him telepathically.”
“Interesting. So, can he hear your thoughts?”
“No. I have to deliberately send him a message.”
“This could be fun. Ask him where he is.”
“You're not serious.”
“I am. I want to know what he's doing. Also, I think it's great you can talk to him this way. I wish I could hear the conversation.”
“One sec.” I send a silent message to Rion, stating Paige wants to know where he is and what he's doing. He sends one back. “He said he's in the mansion talking with Cace about security. He'll be headed our way after he eats.” He doesn’t call it the mansion. That’s all me.
I told him that he doesn’t need to be at my house every time I am; that he should take some time to himself or do things with the pack. I love that he’s protective, but he needs to do other things as well. One day I’ll understand this shifter mate business.
“Cace... He was very hot when we saw him at the signing,” she says.
“Oh, yeah. And his brothers...” I fan myself. “Red wolves, who are so different in personality, but all gorgeous.”
“I need another invitation to the mansion. So much hotness in one place. I could get lost in there for weeks.”
I cock an eyebrow. “They have mates, Paige.”
“I'm sure some of them are single. Not every wolf in the pack is mated. You never know, one of them might be my mate.” She winks. Paige can never be left in that house unsupervised. She'd cause all kinds of mayhem.
I'm back in the clearing, but the wolves don't appear. I'm alone. Then I hear the snarling and snapping of jaws. I take off in the opposite direction, my bare feet carrying me as fast as they can through the dense forest. A wolf howls, and I know this is my chance to find Wake. There are answers I need, and he's the key to what the other pack knows.
Making a sharp right, I dart toward his howl. He and I are the only ones in this dream who know what's going on. The others are merely part of the premonition and will have no recollection of any of this. Wake howls again, this time a lot closer. He must be running toward me as well. Then I see him, a blur of white fur rushing toward me. He stops fast when he reaches my side, his wolf's green eyes assessing me, scrutinizing me.
My breath is coming in fast pants. “You must be Wake's wolf,” I get out through short bursts of breath. I need to talk to him. He has to be willing to go with me. No way am I going to try to grip a wolf by the scruff to teleport him when he doesn’t want to go. I could lose a hand that way. “I'm Ariane, Orion's mate. Wake said we could leave next time we’re in the dream together.” Nothing happens. I don’t have time for this. The others are closing in on us. Their footsteps are getting louder. “Wake, please come out so your wolf stops looking like he's going to jump at me at any moment!”
Wake's brown eyes flash through a second before he shifts to a human. His hair is mussed, he's wearing nothing but a pair of black sleep shorts. And holy muscles. Every hard ridge of him is on display for me. It's like the trees parted where we stand so the moon could shine down and showcase the magnificence that is Wake.
“Ari, we have to go,” he says while shaking my shoulder. How long was I staring at him? I might be falling fast for Rion, but I'm not blind. Wake is incredibly handsome.
“Oh, right. Give me your hand,” I state, finally getting my act together.
He reaches out for me and I do the same. The second our skin touches, a group of five wolves charges us from all angles. I snap my fingers quickly to get us out of here.
We appear inside Ford's home in the Outer Banks. It’s still dark outside. I have no idea what time it is or how long I was asleep. Tall windows are in front of us. If it weren’t still nighttime, we’d have a view of a tall sand dune, covered in grass and other vegetation, and the ocean past it. The way his home is situated, the dune protects the house from the sea in case of storms. You can’t see the beach on the other side of it, only water. But it’s there: a gorgeous beach where families spend time enjoying the beauty of the area. From a higher vantage point, you’d be able to see more.
“Boo!” Ford yells behind us, making me jump high in the air and causing my heart to pound in my chest. Wake has a different reaction. He immediately shifts into a wolf.
“Why would you scare a wolf shifter?” I ask, throwing my hands up in the air. “Honestly, sometimes I wonder about you.”<
br />
“You should wonder about me every day, princess.” He winks then turns his attention to Wake. “Good evening, fine sir, and welcome to the Verascue home in magnificent Duck, North Carolina.” Ford bows for show. “If you wouldn't mind shifting back into a human, I don't like fur on my floors or furniture. Go on, back to a human now.”
Wake growls at him but ultimately returns to his muscled glory.
“Why, Ari,” Ford observes, “this does add a lovely twist to your little situation, doesn't it?”
“Get out of my head!” I keep forgetting to have Rion teach me how to put a block up so Ford can't read my mind.
“What's going on?” Wake asks, clearly confused by our conversation.
“It seems our Ari likes the way—”
I get in Ford’s personal space. “If you finish that sentence I'm going to remove a certain part of your body you won't want to part with.”
“You're no fun,” he pouts.
“Can we get down to business and talk? We're here for a reason.” Freaking vampire. He’s always got something to say.
“You mean not so Wake can walk around and model for us?”
“Ford, I didn't know you thought of me that way,” Wake responds with a grin as he bats his eyelashes.
“Could you two be serious?” I ask. As if Ford’s penchant for joking isn’t bad enough, Wake seems to enjoy doing it as well. Lovely. I focus back on the matter at hand. “My mom could enter my room at any second and see me missing. It's one thing for me to be in a dream state, but quite another to be at the beach with a vampire and a wolf.” Paige. I forgot about her. She's going to flip if she wakes and I'm gone. “One second,” I say and snap my fingers to go back home.
The light on my desk is on, and Paige is leaning her back against the wall where my bed is tucked into a little alcove in my room. I love how it’s set up. With walls surrounding three sides of the bed, it’s like a massive window seat, minus the window. I always feel so cozy in there.
“Were you going to tell me you split?” she asks. “I woke up because you were thrashing around in your sleep and then poof, you were gone.”
The Ash Moon (The Ariane Trilogy Book 1) Page 17