Dark Moon Falls: Volume 2

by Bella Roccaforte

  Chloe leaned against the Mustang’s door and rummaged in her backpack. “How much do I owe you?”

  He strode up to her with a confidence that was only part forced and invaded her personal space. “Your money’s no good here. If you want to pay me for the part and my labor, stay and have breakfast with me at Delight’s. Give me the chance to explain.”

  She inhaled, lifting her gaze to meet his. Warmth and sensuality sparked in her eyes and played across her features but disappeared as she glanced at the ground. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  He leaned forward, wanting her to look him in the eyes once again, but she sidestepped him and crossed her arms, the strap of her backpack dangling from her fingers. “Besides, I need to return to Seattle. Brooklyn and I, we got the lease in the mall.”

  Her words hung heavy in the air, crushing the breath from his lungs.

  “Oh, I see. Then I guess I’ll have to explain it to you here, right now.” He was all in. Fourth quarter, five seconds to go, and down by six. Long live the Hail Mary pass. Drawing on an inner strength he’d hid for far too long, he took the backpack from her and set it on the ground.

  “Issac, what are you doing?” Chloe’s voice wavered.

  “Getting ready to demonstrate to you what your wolf and mine already know.” He placed one arm around her waist and tugged her to him. With his free hand, he cradled her head in his palm.

  “From the moment I saw you on the side of the road, standing by your broken-down car, you took my breath away. Warmth and energy radiated from you in waves, I could feel it under my skin.” He rubbed his thumb along her jawline. “As I told you before, you are like the sun to me, and I could soak up your rays for eternity and never tire of it.”

  Chloe studied him. A tear slid over her lashes, and he brushed the wetness away.

  “My wolf sensed you were my mate. He’s always been a challenge to control. That night, when we made love, I felt so at ease next to you, and I let my guard down. He…I…bit you before I’d realized what I’d done.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

  “Never would I have done something like that on purpose. I was going to come clean and tell you, but then you mentioned your ex had forced you to marry him, and that you’d never go through that again. I couldn’t bring myself to tell you what I’d done. Before I could summon the courage, the rogue beat me to it.”

  Another tear slid over her lash and this one landed on the back of his hand. Her gaze flicked back and forth as she listened to him, but gods, he couldn’t read her expression.

  “I want you to stay here, Chloe, with me, but…” He clenched his jaw so hard, the joint popped. “I won’t hold you back if you decide to leave.”

  “Issac, I can’t do this right now. I just can’t. Not after everything I’ve been through.” She trembled in his embrace, and her features pinched with pain. “Please, let me go.”

  He released her and took a step back. If he hadn’t run into the levers for the hydraulic lift, he would’ve sprawled onto his ass. She’d rejected him, just like he’d known she would.

  She grasped her backpack from the floor, opened the car door, and slid inside. The jangle of the keys he’d left in the ignition resounded like a death knell. A moment later, the Mustang’s engine roared to life.

  On shaky legs, he strode to the wall and depressed the button to open the bay. The door slipped along its track with a slow squeak.

  Chloe backed the car out of the garage, and the woman of his dreams, his mate, and his one true love drove away, taking his heart right along with her.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chloe tightened her grip on the steering wheel and blinked away the tears, but as she drove down Main Street and passed Delight’s Diner, a new round escaped her lashes. Memories of playing twenty questions with Issac, of hearing his wonderful laugh, and of appreciating his quiet, shy nature tripped through her mind on quick replay.

  A low, sorrowful sob burst from her lips. She didn’t want to leave, yet she wasn’t sure she could stay. He’d apologized and had let her walk away without trying to stop her. From what she’d learned of mated males, that must’ve been difficult for him, and he’d suffer without her by his side.

  “Damn it.” She slammed her open palm against the steering wheel. Everything had happened between them so fast, her head spun. How could she make a split-second decision to uproot her life and live here? Besides, Brooklyn relied on her to handle her share of the business activities. She couldn’t let her best friend down.

  Then, why did she feel like leaving Dark Moon Falls was wrong?

  Because it is. Clo huffed.

  Chloe ignored her inner wolf and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. Small town that it was, Dark Moon Falls’ Main Street turned into the long stretch of road that led away from town, the tall evergreens closing in on either side as if encouraging her to stay.

  The familiar, yet unwelcome stress that plagued her on most days tightened the muscles in her lower back. As the tension rose and settled into her shoulders and neck, she seemed untethered, like a planet that had escaped the orbit around its sun.

  Another sob escaped her lips, and her shoulders shook so much, she didn’t trust herself on the road. She slowed down and steered the car to the gravel safety zone. The last thing she needed was to cause an accident.

  If that happened, she’d have to call a tow truck…

  An odd laugh bubbled up from deep within her soul. Who would come to rescue her? Issac.

  Memories of the first time they’d met flooded her mind, his shy smile and quiet, easy manner front and center. When she was around him, he’d calmed the never-ending pressure that threatened to derail her on a daily basis.

  I could soak up your energy for an eternity and never tire of it.

  Chloe’s chest tightened, her heart breaking from the inside out.

  She glanced in the rear-view mirror, her gaze focusing on the scarred tissue at the base of her throat. With trembling fingers, she traced her fingertips over the mark. Issac had said the disfiguring scar would disappear, but a part of her wanted to keep it.

  I want you to stay here, Chloe, with me, but I won’t hold you back if you decide to leave.

  Issac loved her and always would. How had she ever considered that he’d trap her into becoming his mate? That wasn’t in his nature. On a subconscious level, she’d known that, along with her wolf, but her fears had held her back.

  She’d thought that if she wasn’t successful, she wasn’t worthy of love, and only a man like Chad could ever love her. But that wasn’t true. Issac loved her for who she was, and they were good together. Her eyes widened. She loved him with all her heart and couldn’t imagine life without him.

  Chloe pushed up her coat sleeves and raised her chin. Issac was her mate. She had to return.

  Yes, yes, yes! Clo’s happiness blended in with her own.

  The familiar buzz of her phone vibrated from within her backpack. She grabbed the bag, rummaged through the contents, then yanked her phone free. Brooklyn’s number flared across the screen.

  Chloe’s heart leapt into her throat, but she accepted the call. “Brooklyn?”

  “Finally! I’ve tried calling you ever since I got your message. Jake from the property management company called me yesterday. Said he forgot to tell you that our new spot is the best one of the bunch. I can’t believe we got the lease!” Brooklyn’s high squeal pierced the air.

  “Yeah, that’s great news.” Chloe swallowed the lump at the back of her throat.

  “But, oh my God, I’ve got such better news. I was going to wait until you returned home, but I just can’t. Justin proposed to me! We’re getting married in June!”

  Chloe’s chest warmed for her friend. “That’s fantastic news. I’m so happy for you. He’s an awesome guy.”

  “Hey…” Brooklyn’s tone turned serious. “Would it be all right if he helps with our business? I mean, with the new lease and all, we could use an extra set of han
ds. Although he’s willing to dive in and do more if we need him to. I told him I’d have to run it by you.”

  Chloe caught her breath, her mind racing with possibilities. Maybe, just maybe, this might work.

  “Chloe, you still there?” Brooklyn tense voice broke through Chloe’s thoughts.

  “Yeah, still here.” Chloe leaned forward in her seat. “How much is Justin willing to do? Would he consider working on this full time?”

  Chloe’s heart pounded as she waited for Brooklyn’s reply.

  “Well, he…” Whispered, muffled words in the background echoed over the line. “Yes, yes. Justin said he’d gladly quit his job to work with us full time. What’s on your mind, Chloe?”

  A sense of weightlessness lightened Chloe’s shoulders. She wanted to reach through the line and hug Brooklyn with all her might. Instead, she did the next best thing. “I love you, Brook, you know that, right?”

  “Of course I do. Why, what’s going on?”

  “I met someone in Dark Moon Falls.” As she said the words, her heart swelled with such happiness, she thought her chest might explode.

  “What? Well, that’s great! What’s his name?”

  “Issac Kincaid. He runs the auto shop here. He’s my…” Mate. Okay, now the whole, gee, I’m a half-shifter didn’t seem like the right time to tell her. “Soul mate. I could find a place to make some of our crafts and either ship them to you or bring them when I visit.”

  Brooklyn gasped. “You want to stay there?”

  A peace like Chloe had never experienced before settled onto her shoulders. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Well, I guess we could make that work. Sure. No problem. You know…” Brooklyn exhaled through the line. “We’d talked about setting up an Etsy shop. Do you think you could work on that?”

  The possibilities swirled through Chloe’s mind. Setting up an on-line shop had always been on their long backlist of things to do. Now, though, seemed like the perfect time. Despite the bad internet connections in town, she’d find a way to make it work.

  Chloe trailed her fingers over the leather cover on the steering wheel. “I think that’s totally doable. I’m on it. Oh, and I can continue to do the books and take care of the banking from this end. I know how much you despise that side of the business.”

  “Sounds like a deal, but I have one more requirement.” Brooklyn’s tone withstood no argument.

  Chloe sat up straighter. “What’s that?”

  “You have to be my maid of honor at my wedding.”

  Chloe’s shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”

  “Yay! Perfect. I knew you would do it.” The clap of hands echoed over the line. “Okay, I better go. I’ll call you in a few days to check in on you.”

  “Love you, Brook.” Chloe hung up the phone then stared out the window.

  A patch of sunshine filtered through the clouds and lit up the roadway, but the brilliance couldn’t match the happiness swelling in Chloe’s soul.

  With a newfound determination, she turned the car around and headed back to Dark Moon Falls and to the wolf shifter who had captured her heart.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Issac wiped the rag over the motorcycle’s gas tank, the familiar Triumph silver emblem emblazoned on the side. With a dedication and care his brother would’ve admired, he buffed the letters until they shined. Chloe’s rejection had stung more than he cared to admit, and the hollowness in the depths of his soul was something he’d live with for the rest of his life.

  He’d thought she’d see how much he loved her, that he’d do anything for her, and that her spunk and energy brightened his world. Instead, she’d driven out of the garage and returned to the big city.

  She’d go on with her life.

  He, however, would never be the same.

  Issac rubbed at the tender spot at his chest, the one over his heart, and returned his attention to the one activity that might give him some peace. Once he repaired this Triumph to its classic state, it’d remain a testament to his brother.

  “It’s beautiful, you know, for a motorcycle.” Chloe’s soft voice pierced the air.

  Issac’s pulse skyrocketed. He pivoted to face her.

  She stood in the garage’s empty bay, her magnificent auburn hair cascading around her shoulders. Clasping and unclasping her fingers together, she studied him with that familiar intensity. Hope, and something more, reflected in the depths of her Kelly green eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” His words stumbled over his thick tongue.

  Chloe wandered to the Triumph and ran her fingers along the gas tank and over the leather seat. “How much longer will it take you to fix it?”

  He blinked, his brain still trying to catch up with the why’s, how’s, and what’s of her return. “The bike?”

  She turned to face him, a slow grin tugging at her lips. “Yes, the bike.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the seat looks big enough for two. I want to know when you’re taking me for a ride.” Her grin turned into a full-on smile, and her eyes gleamed with what appeared to be love.

  “What?” The rag slipped from his fingers and landed on the garage floor with a soft plop. “This must be some kind of weird delusion or a dream. Maybe I fell and—”

  She stepped into his personal space and slid her arms around his neck. “I’m here. I’m real. I’m not leaving you, not ever. That is, if you still want me after my bonehead mistake. Do you?”

  His chest expanded, filling with so much love, excitement, and hope, he thought he might float away. Good thing his place had a decent roof.

  Issac wrapped his arm around Chloe’s waist and drew her to him with a single tug. He stroked his free hand up the gentle curve of her hip, over her rib cage, and alongside her nape until he cradled her chin in his palm.

  “Did you come back here just to ask me that?”

  A laugh burst from her lips. “Would you rather I called?”

  He rubbed his thumb along the tender flesh of her bottom lip, those delectable lips he longed to capture once again. “In person is always better.”

  Not willing to wait any longer, he brought his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. She brushed her nails through his hair, scraping his skin and marking him in her own way. Gods, he was the happiest shifter alive. She broke their long kiss, quivered against him, and held on to him as if he were her rock.

  He placed delicate kisses along her forehead and the bridge of her nose. “I want to kiss each one of your freckles.”

  Chloe giggled. “You can every day.”

  He drew away enough to look at her but kept his hands on her shoulders. He needed to touch her, make sure she was really here. “You’re serious? You’re staying? With me? Here in Dark Moon Falls?”

  Chloe nodded. “Yes, yes, yes, and yes. I think I answered all your questions.”

  He wanted to believe her, but he had to be sure. “What changed your mind?”

  She stroked her fingers along his jaw, her eyes full of reverence. “You’re the kindest, gentlest soul I’ve ever known, and your easy-going nature calms me in ways only you can. You’d never hurt me or try to control me, and I forgive you for claiming me without my permission. It took me a while to fully understand the power of the mating bond, and…I love you.”

  His arms and legs quivered from relief, even as his chest swelled with love and pride. It didn’t matter to her that he was shy or that he worked in a garage for a living. She loved him the way he was, quirks and all.

  There was one thing he had to know. “What about your business?”

  She laughed, her radiance flaring out of her on a vibrant stream of energy. “Brooklyn’s engaged and her fiancé, Justin, wants to work with us. They will handle things from that end. I’ll rent a studio or a workroom somewhere nearby that I can put my stuff, and I’ll continue to make environmentally friendly products to ship to them. I even plan to open an on-line shop on Etsy.”

  He brushed a stray
hair away that caught in her lashes. “Did I tell you that I live above this garage? There’s a room upstairs with your name on it, if you’re interested. My brother used to put his fishing gear and other assorted junk in there. I closed it up years ago, but I plan to donate what’s left to a local charity in nearby Summerville. You can use it as your workroom.”

  “Really? I’d love that.” She kissed him again, her soft lips teasing him with thoughts of what they could do together in the other rooms upstairs.

  He trailed his fingers over the bite mark on her shoulder. “If I had to do it over—”

  She placed her fingertip over his mouth, silencing him. “No regrets. I’m glad how things turned out, and I’m proud to be your mate.”

  Elation warmed him on the inside, and her gentle touch burned like sensual fire on the outside. Both lit him up hotter than an iron rod. “There’s another room I’d like to introduce to you, one with a king-size bed.”

  A sexy smile curled her lip. “Really? Does this room also have a faux fur rug?”

  He laughed, the rumble starting low but gaining in intensity. “No, but we can order one.”

  “Good. Now, show me that bed of yours, along with any other pieces of furniture you think I might like.”

  Thrumming with excitement and a complete happiness he’d craved for so long, Issac grasped Chloe’s hand and led her toward the stairs. “As you wish, my mate, as you wish.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Two days later…

  Chloe tightened her grip around Issac’s waist as the motorcycle took the curve. The Triumph leaned toward the blacktop, the G-forces keeping them on the seat. A rush of adrenaline surged through her veins, and she giggled. If not for the helmet, she would’ve kissed the back of Issac’s neck. Instead, she raised her hand and gave him a fist pump.