Moonlight Surrender (Return of the Ashton Grove Werewolves Book 3)

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  “We should kill her,” one them said, his voice more animal then human.

  “What the hell is going on out here?” a voice boomed.

  “Fae,” the one pinning her snarled. “She came to kill us.”

  A man who resembled the alpha stepped into view. When he saw her, he rushed forward and flung the wolf away from her. “Hunter, no! She’s not the enemy.”

  “She had a knife,” Hunter said.

  Tulip gasped for air. “Alpha…missing.”

  The man knelt beside her, easing an arm under her back to help her sit up. “I’m Michael, Gabriel’s brother, and he’s not missing. Autumn went into labor this morning and they rushed to the hospital. Didn’t they leave a note?”

  She shook her head. “The door was open and no one was home. I thought the dark fae had come for me and taken them.”

  He glanced at the knife. “And you were trying to protect yourself?”

  She nodded.

  “Come on. Let’s get you back across the street. I thought someone was staying with you.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Michael lifted her into his arms and carried her across the street. The wolves in the garage gave him a perplexed look. Tulip knew she’d have more bruises now from slamming into the concrete. Maybe another day of rest and she’d be able to heal herself. When they reached the house across the street, Michael carried her into the living room and laid her down on the sofa.

  “Is there anything I can get you? Maybe something to drink or eat?” Michael asked.

  “I’m sure I can manage,” Tulip said, not wanting to put him out. “Thank you, for helping me.”

  “Gabriel called me last night, and I think he called our brother, Cole, too. He explained what happened to you, but word hasn’t reached the pack yet. I’ll speak with Connor, our joint alpha, and see what he can do while Gabriel is otherwise occupied.”

  The sound of a car pulling into the driveway made Tulip look toward the door, which was still open. Vaughn’s truck had just come to a stop and some of her fear and tension eased. If he’d been kind enough to buy her clothes, maybe he wouldn’t mind staying with her a little while. Just until she was strong enough to take care of herself, or the alpha returned. Although, once the alpha came home with a new baby, it was doubtful he would want her in his home. Too dangerous.

  Vaughn looked good, if a little tired. He ran a hand through his hair as he approached the house, then she couldn’t see him for a moment until he came through the door. He stopped when he saw Michael standing over her.

  “Everything okay?” Vaughn asked.

  “Autumn went into labor and Tulip woke up alone. There was an incident at the garage when she became frightened and rushed across the street,” Michael said.

  Vaughn growled softly. “What kind of incident?”

  “Hunter slammed her to the floor thinking she was a threat.”

  Before Tulip could blink, Vaughn was out the door, his boots thudding against the ground as he ran. She struggled to stand and grabbed onto Michael to pull herself up. They maneuvered to the front door and she gasped when she saw Vaughn hit the wolf.

  “You have to stop him,” Tulip said.

  “Interesting.” Michael watched for another moment before letting out a sharp whistle. The fighting came to a stop and Vaughn stormed back across the street. He gently reached for Tulip’s chin, despite the anger rolling off him in waves, and lifted her face.

  “Did he hurt you?” Vaughn asked.

  “Just some bruises.”

  “Right,” Michael said. “So, I’m going back to work. Vaughn, are you going to stay with her? She’s too weak to take care of herself.”

  “I’ll take her to my place. The alpha will be busy when he comes home, taking care of Autumn and a newborn. Let him know that Tulip is protected whenever you talk to him. I’ll call Connor to find out what we should do about the dark fae, in case they come for her.”

  Michael smiled and headed back across the street. Tulip didn’t know what to make of him, or his amusement at Vaughn’s reaction. Shouldn’t he have been angry that they were fighting because of her? When Michael left, Vaughn helped Tulip over to the couch, then went upstairs. He returned a moment later the plastic bags full of her new things.

  “I’m really going home with you?” she asked. “You trust me in your house?”

  He sighed and knelt at her feet, reaching for her hand. “I’m sorry how I reacted last night, and I’m damn sorry for hurting you. I was furious with myself when I saw the bruises on your arms.”

  “You’re the one who dressed me for bed?”

  He nodded. “I won’t let anyone else hurt you. When I call the other alpha, I’m going to see if his mate will come and heal you. And if she won’t help, we’ll just call on the cranky sorcerer.”

  “Once I’ve rested and eaten enough, I’ll be able to heal myself. Teleporting to the bar last night, and then illuminating the road, burned out the last of my magick.”

  “Then let’s get you home and fed. Have you eaten anything today?”

  She shook her head.

  “I’ll come back for you in a minute.” Vaughn grabbed the sacks again and carried them out to the truck. He came back a minute later and lifted Tulip into his arms, pausing only long enough to shut the door.

  She was curious about his home. She watched the passing houses as he drove, noting how unique they each were. The truck pulled into a driveway a few blocks away and she looked up at a smaller version of the alpha’s house. The green paint and white trim made it look pleasant and welcoming. Tulip looked around the yard at the different trees and plants and couldn’t wait to breathe them in.

  Vaughn came around to her side and lifted her out of the truck. She turned her face toward the sun and opened her senses. She could feel the plants growing and hear the buzzing of nearby bees. He carried her up the steps and pushed open the door. A loud screeching sound made her cling to him tighter. There was a panel on the wall with brightly lit buttons and he pushed several, making the noise go silent. Vaughn pushed the door shut with his booted foot and carried her into the living room.

  His furniture was different from the alpha’s and she was intrigued by her surroundings. The walls were a soft gray and the honey colored hardwood floors gleamed. The furniture was charcoal colored leather and soft against her skin as he eased her down on to the couch. He stepped back outside and returned with her sacks in his hands.

  “I don’t have as many bedrooms as Gabriel and Autumn, but there’s a guestroom upstairs. Or I could let you have the Master bedroom since it’s downstairs. I’m not sure you should be going up and down the stairs by yourself.”

  “I don’t want to kick you out of your bed.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll just put your stuff in there. I have an empty drawer in the dresser and some space in the closet. Give me a minute and I’ll make something for us to eat.”

  “How is it you’re home?” she asked. “Don’t you work? Most humans work.”

  “Not human. And I took some personal days, so I’m off until Monday. You timed your visit just right since the load at work is a little light right now.”

  “You took off because of me?” she asked.

  “You need someone to look after you.”

  Her heart warmed at his words, and she felt a buzz along her skin as her magick tried to pulse in her veins. No one had ever made a sacrifice for her before, of any kind. And yet, the wolf who hadn’t trusted her at first had taken time from his job to take care of her. It was sweet and made her like him even more. Perhaps a little too much. She knew she needed to be careful and not fall in love with the wolf. He would never settle down until he found his mate.

  Tulip stretched out on the couch as he walked out of the room and she stared up at the ceiling. The fan overhead made lazy circles and she watched the blades spin. She closed her eyes and felt the hum of the electronics, and something else. Her brow furrowed. There was the energy from Vaughn, but there was ano
ther trace in the air. One she wasn’t familiar with.

  “Vaughn?” she called out, suddenly worried for him. It didn’t feel like dark fae, but the vibrations didn’t feel entirely good either. Treachery. Deceit.

  He appeared in the doorway. “Did you need something?”

  “There’s someone in the house.”

  His eyes turned the yellow of his wolf and he lifted his nose to scent the air. A growl rumbled in his chest as he stomped off through the house. She heard a door slam into a wall and then a very female shriek. Did he have a girlfriend? Perhaps he’d already found his mate. The thought bothered her for some reason.

  Vaughn burst into the front entry, a kicking, writhing female in his grip, as he opened the front door and tossed her out onto the porch.

  “I told you no, now stay the fuck out of my house.” He slammed the door shut and reset the alarm. Then he stared at it and pushed more buttons.

  “Was that your girlfriend?” Tulip asked.

  “No. And now that I’ve changed my passcode on the alarm, her ass better not break in here again, or I’m letting the cops haul her away. Gabriel can be pissed all he wants. I’m tired of her shit.”

  “Someone you dated?”

  Those wolf-like eyes narrowed on her. “No.”

  Okay. Obviously, it was a touchy subject, one best left alone. Vaughn crossed the room and lifted her into his arms again, carrying into the kitchen. He set her down on one of the wooden kitchen chairs and opened the box thing that cooled their food. A fridge? He rummaged around inside before turning to look at her again.

  “You aren’t a vegetarian, are you?”

  “I’ve never tried meat before. In my realm, animals live in harmony with us, but I know things are different here. If you cook meat, I promise to try it.”

  He scratched his neck. “I think after this meal I’ll need to go the store. I’m more of a steak and potato kind of guy, and I’m guessing you like green stuff. Breakfast food okay? I can scramble some eggs, maybe throw a little shredded cheese in them, and make biscuits and bacon.”

  “Other than eggs, I have no idea what any of that stuff is. I’ll try anything though. I’m not a very picky eater, so I’m sure whatever you make will be fine. Please don’t feel like you have to buy special stuff for me. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

  He pulled out several items. “So, you haven’t been to the human realm much, have you?”

  “Not for the last hundred years, and that was a brief visit.”

  He froze. “Hundred years? How old are you?”

  “Three hundred and twelve.”

  He mumbled something under his breath that sounded oddly like and I was feeling like a perv. “You don’t look a day over twenty.”

  “We age differently from humans, and wolves, I’m assuming. How old are you?”

  “Thirty-five. Guess that makes me a baby compared to you.”

  “Fae are considered full grown at sixteen, but not an adult until they are fifty.”

  “Wolves go through a hormone cycle when they are fifteen that lasts about two years. When we’re finished, we’re considered adults at seventeen. For humans, it’s eighteen.”

  “Why don’t you have any plants in your home?” Tulip asked as she looked around. “You should grow fresh herbs for your kitchen.”

  “I don’t have much luck with growing stuff. I hired someone to take care of the outside of the house. I cut the grass and had a sprinkler system installed to water the plants, but if I’d planted any of that stuff, it would have been dead within a week.”

  “I love to work with plants.”

  “That’s a fae thing, right?”

  “It’s actually an oddity for the dark fae. I don’t even look like them. My hair is red, and all dark fae have dark brown or black hair.”

  He started filling plates and then carried them over to the table. “Both of your parents were dark fae?”

  “My mother was. I never knew my father. It would actually make sense that he was light fae. I felt compelled to help them, and I have a lot of characteristics you would find among the light fae. My mother died when I was young. There’s no way for me to find out about my father.”

  Vaughn handed her a fork as he slid into his seat. “Maybe if he’s a light fae, we can find him for you. Or the sorcerer can. If you could be reunited, would you live with your father?”

  She sampled the cheesy eggs and thought about it. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t really know him, and I’m not certain the light fae would welcome me. While I did try to help them, I wasn’t successful. I would imagine they would have the same reaction to me as you did when we first met.”

  “Then they would be wrong,” he said softly.

  She smiled a little and ate more of her food. While it was true she’d never had meat before, the bacon on her plate was rather delicious. Tulip felt like she would burst she was so full, but she managed to eat everything on her plate. Vaughn gave her a glass of something orange and she was surprised by the pleasant flavor.

  She sat at the table while he cleaned up their dishes and then he lifted her into his arms again to carry her back to the living room. There were definitely worse modes of transportation.

  Chapter Four

  Vaughn had never been one to entertain people, and he’d worried that having Tulip in his house would be tiresome, but she was actually very good company. She’d been fascinated with movies but had fallen asleep during the second one. He’d let her nap on the couch, and when she’d woken, they’d had dinner. Shortly after, she’d asked to go to bed. Now she was tucked into his king size bed in his bedroom, her scent filling the room. His pants tightened as he thought about how sweet she’d looked lying there.

  He'd picked up the house a little after she’d gone to bed, had checked on her a few times, and now it was nearing midnight, and he knew he needed to get some sleep. Vaughn made sure the alarm was still engaged before checking Tulip one last time. He paused in the master bedroom doorway. A swirling mist of bright lights surrounded the bed and he growled low in warning. Prowling closer to Tulip, who slept soundly, he swatted at the twinkling lights.

  The lights slowly faded until the room was dark once more. He sniffed the air, trying to figure out what had almost taken Tulip. Fae. But not like her. Light fae? How had they found her, and what did they want with her? The thought of someone wishing her harm was enough to make him want to tear something apart. It was irrational, but as he gazed at the woman lying in his bed, he knew he’d do anything to protect her. And now, just because Gabriel had declared that she was to be trusted, there was something about her that pulled at him.

  Vaughn looked around the room again, not trusting the lights. They could come back if he left her alone, and then what would happen? Would they take her? Kill her? He kicked off his boots and stretched out next to Tulip, pulling her tightly against his chest. No one was going to harm her as long as he was around. She snuggled against him, her breath soft against his chest as she got comfortable.

  The hours passed but Vaughn didn’t dare close his eyes. He needed to tell someone about the fae coming into his home, but he knew the family was with Autumn at the hospital, which meant both alphas were there. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he sent a text to Aislinn, asking for the wizard to please come to his house in the morning. Vaughn was certain he could keep Tulip safe until then. At least, he hoped he could. He’d never taken on a bunch of fae by himself, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t fight to the death, if it came to it.

  As the sun crept through the bedroom windows, he finally closed his eyes and allowed his body to relax. Just an hour of sleep. That’s all he needed. Holding Tulip close made his beast feel at peace, something that had never happened before just from holding a woman. It made him wonder if perhaps Tulip wasn’t just any woman. What if she was his mate? Gabriel had said she belonged to someone in the pack. What if that someone was him?

  The next time he opened his eyes, Tulip was watching him sleep, her body s
till curled against his.

  “You slept with me?” she asked softly.

  How much did he tell her? He didn’t want to frighten her.

  “I was worried about your safety,” he said.

  She looked around the room and back at him. “They came for me, didn’t they? The dark fae came, and somehow, your presence frightened them off.”

  “Light fae, I think. There was a mist with yellow twinkling lights. I don’t know what they wanted, and I didn’t ask. I tried to scare them off so they would leave you alone, but I didn’t want to go upstairs to sleep in case they came back.”

  “I should shower.”

  He sniffed along her neck and his beast rumbled in pleasure. “You smell good to me.”

  “You’re just being nice.”

  “No. I’m not.”

  He watched her lips, wanting to taste them, but not wanting to frighten her either. Tulip leaned a little closer, and then slowly brushed her mouth against his. Vaughn growled and held her tighter. His lips moved against hers and when she opened, his tongue slipped inside for a taste. Honey and vanilla. Tulip clung to him as he deepened the kiss and took everything she offered. Her hands pulled at his shirt and he swiftly removed it before taking her in his arms again.

  He wanted her. His beast wanted her.

  Her small hands caressed his skin, fanning the flames of his desire. The dress she’d worn yesterday rode up to her hips and his hand slid down to cup her ass, pulling her tighter against him. The wolf inside begged him to claim their mate, to make her theirs in every sense of the word. There was a hum to the air and then a cool breeze caressed his naked flesh. Vaughn drew away from her sweet lips, a smile on his face as he realized her magick was working again, and had divested them of their clothes. It seemed she wanted him as much as he wanted her.