The Way of Two Paths: M/M Wolf Shifter Paranormal Romance (The Moonstone Legacy Book 2)

by Apollo Surge

  “I figured you'd be coming round,” Mel said, opening her door to Johnny. “Did Tyler like his tour of the city?”

  By the time Johnny had gotten home and showered, then gone to Mel's, the twilight of the evening was beginning to fall. Mel welcomed him in, although he felt a little awkward after the events of the day.

  “I think so, although it was pretty overwhelming. We didn't stay for much longer, we went back to the forest instead. I think it was eye-opening for him though. It's given him a lot to think about, like what he wants to do with his life and stuff.”

  “He seems nice. I can see why you fell for him.”

  “Yeah, he said he likes you as well,” Johnny said. Then he stopped talking. There was only so much he could say before the obvious presented itself.

  “I know what you're going to say,” she said. Johnny waited expectantly. “I just...I don't know what happened, or why Todd acted that way. He's usually so sweet. I guess he must have been nervous or something.”

  “That's no excuse. He shouldn't have spoken to you like that. He treated you as if you were a child!”

  “It wasn't that bad,” Mel said defensively. Johnny looked at her strangely.

  “How can you say that? I felt like I should have said something, but I didn't because I know you can usually handle these things. Maybe I should have...”

  “No, this is my problem to deal with.”

  “Are you sure? Because you're my best friend and I'm not going to let anyone treat you this way.”

  “Johnny,” Mel said in a warning tone. Johnny took a breath and calmed down. Mel was sitting at the head of her bed against her wall. Johnny was perched on the end.

  “I just don't get it. Like, okay, I won't say anything if you don't want me to, and if you want to handle this yourself then fine, I'll trust you, but I just don't get why you'd put yourself with a man who treats you like that. If you wanted you could have your pick of anyone at school, or anyone in college. Why him?” Johnny asked with a searching gaze, trying to understand why Mel would put herself in this position.

  She opened her palms and shrugged. “If you must know I've been asking myself that question after today. I was so embarrassed you know. I couldn't believe that he would treat me like that, especially not in front of my friends. I can't explain it, it's like I feel a need to be with him. There's something about him I find utterly captivating. He's a remarkable person. The way he writes is just incredible-”

  “But it's not just about the way he writes. It's the way he treats you. The way he acts. Mel, I don't want to see you making a mistake and finding yourself in a situation you can't get out of,” Johnny said, scared for his friend.

  “It won't come to that, I promise,” she said. Johnny sighed. It was clear that he didn't believe her.

  “I promise!” she repeated. “You know me. I've always had a good handle on these things. I think he was just having a bad day. We spoke after you left and he promised me that he wouldn't do it again. That's good enough for me, and if it's good enough for me then it should be good enough for you too.”

  “Okay,” Johnny said. Mel glared at him. “Okay! I won't say anything more about it.” Deep down though Johnny was troubled by what he had heard. He knew about guys like Todd, how they used their charm to make people fall in love with them, then manipulated the minds of their partners to make them believe they depending on them. It wasn't love they dealt in, it was power. The last thing he wanted was to see his best friend succumb to that, and he vowed that he would do anything he could to stop it if his suspicions were proven true.

  Until then he would hold his tongue. Mel wouldn't take kindly to him if he continued going on about his mistrust of Todd, and it would only push Mel further into Todd's arms. Johnny hadn't thought life would get this complicated until college, but it seemed as though he was being given a taster.

  “I do have something to talk to you about though,” he said, hoping that by confiding in her he could ignore some of the tension that had built up between them. Mel looked at him, her curiosity piqued. “Do you ever think it's okay to keep secrets from your boyfriend?”

  Mel's eyes gleamed with hunger. There was nothing she liked more than to sink her teeth into this kind of topic.

  “What are you keeping from him? I never knew you were a man of mystery.”

  “I'm not,” Johnny said, giving her a withering glare, “I just found something at the house.”

  “Well, what is it?” she asked. Johnny bit his lip, unsure if he should tell her or not. “You can't expect for me to give you my advice if you don't tell me what's going on,” Mel added. Johnny sighed with resignation. He knew she was right.

  “I found a letter that my uncle wrote for him. He knew he was dying, so he said some things in the letter that he couldn't say in person.”

  “You read it?” Mel said, shocked.

  “Wouldn't you?” Johnny challenged. Mel was forced to shrug and admit that she probably would have. “I don't know why I did it. I felt crummy for it afterwards. I should have just given it to him.”

  “Why didn't you?”

  Johnny took a deep breath. He had to talk about this with Mel, but he had to step carefully. He dared not reveal Tyler's secret to her. There was usually no secrets between them, but Tyler's secret was not Johnny's to divulge. He had to stay true to Tyler.

  “There was something in it about his parents. Nothing specific, and nothing concrete, but I'm worried that if he gets it he'll want to go looking, and I think Uncle Christopher was protecting him from something.”

  “From what?”

  “I have no idea,” Johnny lied. Thankfully, Mel believed him. She exhaled slowly and leaned her head against the wall.

  “I mean, I think it's natural for everyone to have secrets from each other. We'd probably go crazy if we didn't, but this is...this isn't just a secret Johnny. This is a link to his past.”

  “I know. But if I give it to him now he'll know that I kept it from him.”

  “And if he finds out any other way he'll never forgive you. And if you keep it a secret all your life it's going to eat you up inside.”

  “I spoke to him today and he talked about how difficult he finds it, not knowing anything about his parents. I said I would do anything to help him.”

  “Then maybe you should give him the letter. Wouldn't you want it if you were in his position?”

  “He's going to hate me.”

  “Probably, but that doesn't mean that he won't be able to forgive you. Just explain that you were trying to protect him, to keep him safe. But you can't expect him not to follow whatever clues are in this letter. I know that if I had lost everything I'd want to know about my parents too.”

  “I know, I'm just so worried that it's going to lead somewhere I can't follow. We already had an emotional chat today about college. I've just gotten used to the idea of us being together for a long time. I'm not ready for it to end.”

  “Nobody is saying that it has to. Don't worry about these things until they happen. It'll probably make your relationship stronger by going through these things together. Be honest with him Johnny, I'm sure that's all you'd want from him.”

  “He has been honest with me,” Johnny said, and was forced to face the truth that he had handled this poorly. Tyler hadn't hidden anything from him, and Johnny had taken this letter and prevented Tyler from reading it. It was unfair, and even as Johnny told himself that he had done it to keep Tyler safe he knew it to be a weak excuse. Tyler would be angry with him, but he had every right to be, and if it cost him his relationship with Tyler then so be it. Johnny had to do the right thing by Tyler, because that's what loving someone meant.

  Johnny thanked Mel for the chat and left Mel alone, giving her time to think. They both had a lot to consider, but Johnny hoped she wouldn't sacrifice everything she was for the love of Todd.

  Chapter Nine

  Tyler stood there, tension building inside him as he was face to face with Todd. Tyler had no idea w
hat Todd was doing there. As far as he was concerned Todd hadn't paid him much attention that morning. Was this some kind of perverse apology. It made Tyler worried about his safety, and worried about Mel as well. He'd have to tell Johnny about it as soon as possible.

  Although Todd's appearance was a surprise, Tyler wasn't afraid. He knew that he could defend himself in case Todd proved to be a threat, but he stood there with a wary expression on his face.

  “Good evening,” Todd said, wearing an amused smile. Although they were around the same age, Todd had an air of superiority about him, and this gave Tyler misgivings.

  “What are you doing here?” Tyler asked.

  “I just thought I'd pop by.”

  “How did you find out where I lived?” he asked, wondering if Mel had told him. Johnny trusted Mel with his life, and in that moment Tyler was struck by paranoia. What if Mel wasn't as trustworthy as Johnny thought? And if Johnny did trust her that much, had he told her Tyler's greatest secret? A lump formed in Tyler's throat, suddenly feeling vulnerable. He backed away, and braced himself in case a fight was going to ensure.

  For his part, Todd seemed calm. He paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “It was a simple matter of using Google to look at these forests. There are only so many manor houses around, and once I narrowed down the search it was a simple matter to find out who lived where. It's quite easy to find someone when you know how,” he said.

  Tyler got the faint hint of a threat in his words.

  “What do you want?” he said.

  “I merely wanted to talk,” Todd said, opening his palms, “I know that we got off on the wrong foot this morning and I wanted to apologize. I thought that for the sake of our partners we should make the effort to get along. I must admit that it is...strange for me to know that Mel is so close with Johnny. They have a bond that neither of us can compare to, for it has developed over the years. I thought that perhaps if you and I spoke it would go a long way to making us feel at ease when we go out again.”

  “I didn't think you'd want that,” Tyler said.

  “I know that I acted poorly this morning. I was merely a little uneasy about the whole situation. I'm afraid that I don't deal with stress well. Like you, I prefer to be alone in my own little world.”

  “How did you know that about me?” Tyler asked, suddenly worried that Todd knew more than he was letting on.

  Todd smiled and looked around at their surroundings. “I am a writer Tyler. I am a keen observer of the human condition. Anyone who lives here appreciates their solitude. It's something I can understand. You know we have a lot in common actually,” he said. Twilight was beginning to settle over the world, and the temperature of the air was dropping. The sky had a purplish hue to it, and Tyler was on his guard.

  “I'm not sure that's true.”

  “You may be surprised to know that I lost my parents too. It was a tragic accident, although unlike you I had a chance to get to know them. I can't imagine the pain that you must be going through though. Not only have you lost your parents, but also the man who cared for you over the years. I remember how it felt, as though my heart had been ripped out of my chest. I wasn't ready for them to leave. There was so much left unsaid, so much left that they had to teach me. Even now I still wish I could go back and change it, to give them more of a chance to live. They missed out on so much,” he said, his words choking in his throat.

  Tyler actually felt his heart soften a little. There was something about Todd that he just didn't trust, but it was hard for him to not sympathize with him, and it was good to know that someone else understood his pain.

  “It's like there's a hole inside me and I don't know how it's ever going to be filled, like some part of me is missing. I'm never going to be the man I'm supposed to be.”

  “I wouldn't say that. There's always hope, after all,” Todd said. Tyler looked at him. Todd's skin was pale, just like his, and there was a magnetic energy about him. Despite his love for Johnny, Tyler felt desire stirring within him. There was a primal attraction to this man, and although he tried to swallow it down, he couldn't rid himself of it.

  “I don't know about that. I think I should just stop trying to figure out the past and look to the future.”

  “That's always a good plan. The future is going to come whether we like it or not, and it usually brings a few surprises our way too. I do hope that we can become special friends Tyler. Mel and Johnny are best friends, and that should mean that we can be too. I'm sure that if we find out more about ourselves we'll find that we have even more in common. And you are wrong about one thing, you do have something of your parents left behind. That necklace.”

  Tyler followed Todd's gaze down to the crescent moon that hung over the hollow of his neck. He remembered how Todd had been transfixed by it that morning. Tyler took it in his hands.

  “It's very beautiful. May I?” Todd said, coming forward, reaching out his hand. Tyler was rigid with tension as Todd took the moon in his fingers, rubbing his thumb over it. Tyler held his head high. Breath caught in his throat when Todd's skin brushed against his, and although he tried to fight against it, goosebumps rippled across his flesh.

  “Very beautiful,” Todd whispered. He was so close now that Tyler could smell his masculine fragrance and feel the heat of his breath. The rate of his heart increased. “And you know nothing of this?”

  Tyler shook his head, afraid that if he spoke his voice would just be a squeak. He felt as though he was betraying Johnny just for feeling these things, but he just couldn't stop them. Was Todd even aware? Tyler dared not look into Todd's eyes for fear that he would never be able to look away.

  “That is a shame. You know though, I believe I have heard about something like this before.”

  That certainly did get Tyler's attention, and tore him away from his internal anguish about the response of his body to Todd's presence. He looked directly into Todd's eyes and was stunned by the sheer depth of them, as though they held centuries of wisdom in their black gaze. Tyler's mouth hung open with shock as well, and Todd used this opportunity to kiss him, placing his hand onto Tyler's cheek.

  At first, Tyler relented due to the sheer force of will that Todd displayed, but he soon found that the kiss wasn't at all like the ones he shared with Johnny. Todd's mouth was oily and forceful. There was nothing like the passion or tenderness that accompanied Johnny's kisses. Tyler felt a wave of revulsion sweep through his body and he pushed Todd away, spitting.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Following my destiny,” Todd said, leaning in for another kiss. Tyler backed again.

  “What about Mel?”

  “She is serving her own purpose,” Todd replied. He still had his hand on Tyler's face. Tyler could feel Todd's ring digging into his skin. Tyler leaned back as far as he could, but he couldn't escape Todd's grip. Todd pressed his lips against him again, this time the kiss was fiercer, and Tyler didn't understand why he was kissing back. He didn't want to, and yet there was some part of him that felt compelled to. It took more of his willpower to push Todd back, but by then it was too late.

  He turned around to see Johnny standing there, face ashen. Tyler felt his heart sink.

  “Johnny,” he began, but Johnny shook his head and got back on his bike. He'd evidently only just arrived, at the worst possible time. Johnny spun his wheels around and sped away. Tyler growled and rounded on Todd.

  “Why the hell did you do that?! If you've ruined this for me...” he said, but was so angry that he couldn't even finish the thought. Instead, he turned his back on Todd and started to run for Johnny.

  “Wait,” Todd said.

  Tyler turned. Todd came up to him again, turning the ring on his finger as he did so. He placed his hand on the side of Tyler's face again. Tyler felt the cool metal of the ring against his skin. It provided a sharp contrast to the feeling of Todd's flesh.

  “You want to stay with me,” he said. Tyler felt a hazy fog
seep into his mind. It was alluring, and he was so tempted to agree with Todd despite his better judgment, but then Tyler thought about Johnny, and abhorrent the thought of hurting him was. He wrestled himself away from Todd's grip. Todd arched an eyebrow, seemingly surprised at this. Tyler turned away from him again, ready to chase after Johnny and explain all this as best he could.

  But then, Todd told him to wait again. This time Tyler didn't turn around. He continued walking away, tired of Todd's games. Tyler didn't know what agenda Todd had, but it was important to get him out of their lives, not just for his own sake, but for Mel's as well. He was sure that once he just explained this to Johnny he'd understand.

  “Tyler, if you walk away now you'll never have any answers,” Todd said, calling after him. “I know things about you that you don't even know yourself. We have things in common, you and I. Just look at me again and all will become clear,” he said. But still Tyler didn't look back. The only thing that mattered to him was Johnny.

  The next thing he heard from Todd wasn't a word or a sentence. It wasn't a threat or some cryptic hint to a bigger mystery. It was something far more simple, far more powerful.

  It was a howl.

  Tyler stopped in his tracks and froze, almost not believing what he had just heard. He turned slowly, almost afraid of what he would see standing before him. There Todd was, having shed his human form. He stood on his hind legs. His fur was as black as obsidian. He looked strong and powerful, and in his eyes Tyler saw the essence of the man. As if to prove his point, Todd shifted back into his human form.

  “I told you we had a lot in common. I think it's time we had more of a chat. You can go after Johnny if you like, but I can't promise I'll be here when you get back. Are you really willing to pass up this opportunity?”

  Tyler craned his neck to look over his shoulder at the path Johnny had taken away from him. Torn between the two worlds Tyler found it an almost impossible decision. He loved Johnny, but all his life he had been searching for answers, and now finally there was a man standing before him who offered them. With a heavy heart Tyler walked back toward Todd, hoping that when he next saw Johnny he would be able to explain everything, and earn Johnny's forgiveness.