Temptation of the Wolf: A Silver Moon Novel (Book 1)

by L. S. Slayford

  Silence flooded the room. It was only a few moments but it was deafening. Only the sounds of distant footsteps could be heard.

  Michael’s honey blonde hair was the first thing she saw, the next was the tanned skin of his neck. Luna threw her arms around her older brother, her face buried in his neck. Looking up, the wince on his face informing her that he wasn’t one hundred percent healed yet. “Sorry”, she whispered. “I’m glad you’re OK”.

  “It’s OK, I’m just happy you’re alive”, Michael said, the smile in his voice reaching his eyes. “Although I’m just a bit shocked that you hit a Fae, sis. You were never the type to hit anyone, even when they deserved it”.

  It was true. Luna had never been one for violence, well aware that she scared far too easily. Pierre had once told her she would be the perfect damsel in distress if anything bad happened. When watching scary movies she still hid her head into a pillow and she couldn’t handle being in the same room as a spider without screaming. Anything fluttering around her head would send her running for the hills. How she had faced the Fae and actually attacked it was beyond her.

  Michael faced the room, nodding to both Chase and Brad. Not so long ago, Luna thought her older brother terribly immature for his age. Yes, he had a business with Chase that was doing well but he couldn’t stay in a relationship with anyone for more than a week, hitting the clubs most weekends, still living on their parent’s property, always searching for fun and trying to get out of his responsibilities. Yet standing next to him, Luna could feel the change. It wasn’t the change from human to werewolf, but the change of taking charge. It was the same feeling she got whenever she stood next to their father. Knowing that her father was a werewolf explained a lot of things.

  “You alright, Michael?” Brad asked, watching him as he made his way further into the room, Luna still hovering around, making sure he could walk unaided. Sitting down in an oversized leather chair, Michael nodded.

  “Yeah. A few broken ribs and a concussion, that’s all. The Change went quicker than usual. What with that and being knocked twenty feet in the air, it’s taken it out of me. I’ll Change in a bit which should heal most of the damage.”

  Eyeing him wearily, Brad opened his mouth. “So it’s true then? You were attacked by a Fae?”

  Luna twisted around to face the older werewolf. “What, you didn’t believe me?” she demanded, but he just shrugged.

  “Sorry, miss, but if you’ve only just been introduced into our world then it’s possible you could’ve seen anything. You’re young and inexperienced, even if you do smell like you’re telling the truth”.

  She whispered to her brother, “You can smell if I’m telling the truth?”

  Michael just laughed, although he did try to stifle it. “Yep. Werewolves can smell a lot of things, including if you’re telling the truth. Now you know why dad knew you had started dating boys when he asked and told him you weren’t. He could smell the lie”. The smile disappeared. “OK, listen up. This Lyulf character doesn’t seem to be messing around. We need to find out what this thing he wants is. Luna’s smart, I’ll get her to help me with that. In the meantime, I want you to stay safe. Sally, you might want to leave town but Brad will need to stay. Lyulf only seems to be interested in us wolves so you should be safe if you leave”.

  Sally made a noise of protest but before Michael could answer, her husband spoke. “You can go stay with your sister in Florida. No arguments, woman. You’re going and that’s that”. Luna wasn’t impressed by the way he spoke to his wife but Michael whispered in her ear.

  “It’s OK, he’s just being protective of her. Werewolves are fiercely protective of the ones we love”. Still, she didn’t like the tone; it was harsh and abrupt, with no room for negotiation. He had better apologise to her when they get home, she said to herself.

  “What about Mary?” Brad asked. “What do we do about her body?”

  “The police should’ve found her by now. Somehow I don’t think they’ll find out she was killed by a murderous mythological character. When the pathologist runs their tests I’ll just get Tom to edit her files. Like the rest of us, she requested to be cremated in her will”.

  Confusion once again washed over Luna’s face. Chase explained. “Our DNA shows that we’re different from humans. One of our pack members works at the local hospital. When the sheriff hinted that he thought dad was drunk when the crash occurred, I contacted Tom to keep an eye out for dad’s tests. We don’t need to worry about mom since she was human, but dad’s tests would certainly show him to be something more, so he’ll do the necessary edits to the paperwork showing there was nothing wrong with him. On paperwork he’ll be nothing more than a sober human”.

  This world her brother belonged to was something from a horror story, something completely alien to her. Luna had never been one for the supernatural, preferring romance novels and comedies over horror. Being thrust into a world where immortal beings and werewolves existed was truly overwhelming.

  Her brother had a lot of explaining to do when everyone left.

  Brad and Sally left after a while with instructions set out by Michael. It was a little surreal to see her brother take charge of something as big as the safety of the entire pack, but quite refreshing.

  Only she, Michael and Chase were left. Chase had picked up the discarded vodka bottle and took a swallow. Michael picked up a feather from the floor and raised his eyebrows. “Want to tell me why the house is covered in bird feathers?”

  “While you were sleeping upstairs a flock of deranged birds tried attacking us. Damn things scratched the hell out of us”, Chase clarified. Luna hadn’t really paid any attention but now she thought about it, she couldn’t make out any of the scratches from the fight with the birds. Werewolves really did heal fast.

  Luna stared at her brother. For a moment they just simply looked at each other until Michael asked Chase to go into the kitchen.

  “You know I can still hear you both from there?” he said, the amusement evident in his words.

  “Just give us the illusion that you’re gone”, Michael said. “Go on, your alpha has spoken”.

  Chase rolled his eyes but did as he requested. Luna noticed he took the vodka bottle with him. When Michael faced his sister again the teasing look in his eyes had disappeared. “I’m sorry, sis, but -” The slap to his face cut off whatever else he was going to say. “You slapped me”, he said in disbelief, his hand touching the spot where Luna’s hand had made contact.

  Luna’s voice echoed the sting in her hand. “That’s what you get for lying to me for all these years, Michael! If mum knew that you and dad were werewolves why on earth did you not tell me?”

  Michael sighed, the red imprint of her hand on his face disappearing completely before her eyes. “I couldn’t tell you. Mom and dad refused to let me. They were adamant that you should never know what we really are. It was for your own safety”.

  “My safety”, she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. “Is that why I was sent away to boarding school when I was six? For my safety?”

  “Look, Luna, I don’t know all the details. All I know is that there were a few accidents here when we were kids and you were hurt. Or about to get hurt, I’m not entirely sure. Mom and dad just announced that they were sending you to France for school one day and then the next week you were gone. So many times I told you that mom cried herself to sleep most nights when you were first gone, she missed you that much”.

  Michael’s words rang in her ears and she couldn’t stop them. For years Luna had tried to figure out why she had been sent away when she was still so young. She had told herself that when she knew the reason she would be satisfied. Well, she knew now.

  She wasn’t satisfied at all. Far from it.

  “Sally knows that her husband is a werewolf”, she said.

  “That’s different,” Michael explained. “They don’t have any kids to worry about. Most werewolves only have one child because the first-born child has the ability
to Change”.

  Luna nodded. “Chase already told me. I just don’t understand what could be so bad that I was sent away. I hated being separated from the rest of you. For most of my life I thought you didn’t want me. I’m twenty-seven years old and I still get upset thinking about it, knowing that you, mum and dad were here and me in a completely different country”.

  “That’s right, you’re twenty-seven, sis. You were sent away so that you would stay safe. It’s not easy growing up in a pack of werewolves, always hiding your true nature, making sure you don’t hurt anyone. Even Chase stays away from human women. Be grateful that you had a damn good education because not many people do. Yeah, you may have not been here but our parents loved you so much that they protected you from this world the best way they knew how. It’s time to stop wallowing in the past and start living in the present while you can”.

  Sorrow flew over Luna in waves, crashing against her heart as her brother walked gingerly out of the room. Once his footsteps had faded she headed straight for her father’s study, her knee still aching, hoping to find comfort in the room where he obviously spent much time.

  Truth may have coloured her brother’s words, but Luna still hated the picture.

  The study door creaked open. Expecting to find her brother standing there, she was preparing herself to turn around and face him when she felt strong hands grip her shoulders. They were Chase’s hands, she realised. With her back turned towards him, she leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder, taking comfort from the warmth of his body.

  It was funny how she didn’t really care for him when they first met yesterday, yet now she found his presence comforting.

  “You heard everything?” she whispered, her eyes closed.

  “Yes, princess”, he replied, his voice soft and feather-light. “One of the benefits of being what I am is excellent hearing. I can hear the birds in the trees a mile away; I can hear the rustle of a mouse scurrying across the driveway.” His breath was warm on her neck. “I can hear the sound of your heart racing with every word that comes out of my mouth. The sound of your blood rushing through your veins is deafening”. He turned her around to face him, bringing his face within touching distance. “I can hear your desire for me, princess. You may not speak a single word but I hear you. I hear you”. Bringing down his face even closer, the only thing Luna could focus on was how full and sensual Chase’s lips were before they swooped and claimed her mouth for his own.

  Thirteen

  Chase’s eyes caressed her face when they finally broke away from the kiss. Breathing hard and fast, the heat simmered beneath the surface. The temptation was there, underneath her skin, threatening to consume her if only she stepped forward and kissed him once again.

  The grip on her shoulders never loosened and the burn from his lips still blazed upon her skin. Reaching up, Luna touched her fingers to her mouth. The temptation he invoked within her was overwhelming. A simple touch, a look, and she was undone.

  Chase cocked his head, as though listening for something she couldn’t hear. “Your phone is ring”, he said, voice thick with emotion. When Luna didn’t reply he continued. “Your phone. In your room. It’s ringing”.

  Nodding silently, Luna escaped from the heat and rushed upstairs where her phone was indeed ringing. Answering it, a thick French accent came flooding through her ears.

  “Luna, ma douce une, where have you been? I have tried calling you many times”.

  Luna sagged onto the bed and sighed wearily. “I’m sorry, Pierre, it has been chaos here today. You wouldn’t believe the things that I’ve had to deal with”.

  Sympathy laced his voice. “I am sorry, my love. Did the meeting not go as well as you had expected?”

  An extremely unladylike snort escaped before she could suppress it. Pierre wasn’t keen on such things, he liked women to behave like ladies and not as uncouth yobs as he once told her. At her school, the teachers had taught their female pupils the art of being a lady in all situations. Some girls could master being polite to their teachers’ faces and then revert to being hellhounds when they were on their own. Luna had never been able to do that. The lessons had been too far ingrained in her to start now.

  “They think dad was drunk driving and that’s why the crash happened”, she said, exhaustion washing over her. “But we know that’s not true”.

  “Oh? Can you really be sure? Luna, sometimes it happens. A few drinks can sometimes make a man foolish. It only takes a moment of madness to cause a devastating accident such as this”.

  “No, Pierre. It’s looking as though mum and dad were murdered”.

  A hiss met her ears. “For certain? Why do you think that they were murdered when the police believe it was a case of drunk driving?”

  “I can’t explain it at the moment but there’s evidence enough to prove it to Michael and I”. A tear travelled down the pale contours of Luna’s face. So much pain, so many tears, in such a short time. But she couldn’t wallow in the pain just yet; there was so much to do. “Are you going to work?”

  A small sigh travelled down the line. “No, ma douce une, I am taking today off. The office will survive a day without me. I promised Adam and his new wife that I would attend his gallery opening. The theme is mythological creatures”.

  Luna had only met Adam a few times and his wife only once, but Luna had taken an instant liking to them both. Adam had been friends with Pierre for many years, although neither would explain just how long they had known each other. Love of art from all historical periods had eventually convinced him to open his own gallery, and despite his teasing and mischievous sense of humour, he was nervous about it. Pierre, Luna, Adam and Lucille, his wife, had visited another gallery together one day, and the knowledge the men had shown was outstanding.

  Perhaps Pierre could help, Luna thought. “Pierre”, she said slowly. “Could you help me out with something?”

  “Of course. What do you need me to do?”

  “Can you or Adam find out some information for me regarding a mythological character?”

  “Oui. Which character? Vampire, siren, Pegasus or something completely different?”

  “Something different. I’m looking for information on the Fae”. The words came out breathless, as though her breath was trying to steal them for itself. “Do you know anything?”

  Luna heard Pierre murmuring down the phone, obviously deep in thought. “The Fae are from Ireland, creatures of nature itself. Most people known them as fairies but they are not the delicate, sweet creatures that art and poetry depicts. They are the Tuatha de Dannan, a race of creatures taller than most humans, a beautiful race, which is why they are commonly referred to as the Fair Folk. Fae are divided into two – Seelie and Unseelie. The Seelie are light, good, beautiful, but the Unseelie are the stuff of nightmares”. Pierre paused. “Why do you want to know about the Fae, Luna? Have you met one recently?”

  Forcing herself to laugh, Luna tried to sound light-hearted. “Yes, Pierre, there are fairies running around the Virginian countryside.” The laughter sounded false to her ears but she carried on. “Do you think you could find out some information regarding a particular Fae character for me please? It’s important”.

  “Only if you tell me why it is so important, Luna”, Pierre replied.

  Lying didn’t come naturally to Luna but it was only when she pictured her father’s study that an idea popped into her head. The painting of the wolves on the wall. “There’s a painting in my father’s study that is beautiful. On it is a beautiful but frightening man surrounded by wolves. His hair is pale silver and he’s wearing long white robes”.

  Pierre’s voice seemed flatter, as though he was trying to keep his voice from showing any emotion. “Do you have a name to go with this Fae?” he asked.

  “Lyulf”, she replied, her eyes closing in weariness. With the last syllable uttered, the wind outside her bedroom window blew, causing the curtains to ripple in the breeze. Eyes snapping open, Luna’s heart jumped straigh
t into her throat, her blood turning ice cold in her veins. Was the Fae here already to demand the artefact? They hadn’t found it yet. It was too soon. Too soon.

  Each step over to the window increased the anxieties threatening to consume Luna, her heart beating so loud that she couldn’t hear Pierre repeat her name down the phone. The white material fluttered in the wind, but by the time Luna reached the window the breeze had died down and the curtains settled down, lying flat against the wall. Peering out over the woods, the trees stood still. Swallowing hard, whatever was there, whoever was there, wasn’t there now.

  “Luna”, came Pierre’s demanding voice. “Talk to me”.

  Inhaling deep, Luna finally realised that Pierre was still on the phone. “I’m sorry”, she said shaking her head as though trying to shake away the terrible thoughts that invaded her brain. “I thought I heard something outside”.

  “Are you OK? I am worried about you”. His words were sweet, honeyed, as though coated with the thick nectar. Once she told him that his voice was so beautiful, so mesmerising, that she could listen to him talk all night. Pierre had smiled, shrugged his shoulders in that elegant, fluid way of his and told her he’d rather listen to her instead.