Page 4 of Dancing Moonbeam

“Oh.” He reluctantly handed over his phone. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Raidh.”

Maybe he should have given a false name in case his father searched this small town for him, but it was too late.

“Nice to meet you, Raidh.” Ajax plugged up his phone then set it on a cloth-lined shelf next to a fancy-looking coffee machine.

“Odd question, but what town is this?” Raidh quickly thought of a reason why he wouldn’t know. “Been traveling, and as you know, my phone died.”

“Midnight Falls,” Ajax said with a touch of pride.

That didn’t sound too bad, but the wolf shifter would think Raidh completely insane if he asked what country Midnight Falls was located in.

“Since I have to wait, could I have a cup of chai tea and a slice of lemon cake?” The smell of bread had lured Raidh in, but the cake looked too irresistible to pass up.

“Go have a seat,” Ajax said. “I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thanks.” What a nice guy. Would he be so nice if he knew Raidh was a dark fae? Most preternatural hated Unseelie because they thought the entire race was evil.

Raidh turned around to find three humongous men who could easily pass as bikers behind him. They were deep in conversation while occasionally glancing at the chalkboard. Two of them were identical—though one wore his beard longer—while the third bore enough resemblance to likely be related.

Galamir had called Raidh rebellious? These guys made him look like a saint in comparison.

There was no denying all three were handsome, but Raidh liked his men a little less mountainous and hairy.

While hauling his tiny, skinny butt to one of the couches, Raidh realized the scent of wolf had grown a lot stronger in the café.

Those ginormous men were werewolves. Raidh steered clear of bad boys. They spelled trouble with a capital T for terrifying.

Putting the men out of his mind, Raidh sat and began to think about his current problem—where he was going to stay for the night.

Returning home was not an option.

Every year, like clockwork, Raidh would evade the first few days of the two-week prep. Despite his father thinking he needed the most practice, no one seemed to care about his absence. It was like they were relieved to have a respite from his endless mistakes.

But Raidh didn’t make mistakes. He allowed his father to think that in hopes he would finally leave Raidh alone.

The constant criticism and belittling from his father left a bitter taste in Raidh’s mouth, making him feel resentful and worthless. It was those feelings that ultimately pushed him to leave in the first place.

This year, instead of spending those few days with Elvine like he usually did, Raidh was using them to try to figure out a plan.

“I would totally do all three,” a female voice said from a couch behind his, her words carrying both excitement and mischief.

“Seriously,” another woman chimed in with a higher-pitched tone. “Your dad would kill you if you brought a guy like that home.”

The first woman laughed. “Please, those kinds of guys are for a fun time, not to bring home for your parents to meet. Tell me you wouldn’t do at least one of them.”

“Yes.” The second woman giggled in agreement.

Raidh wasn’t sure how he felt about them objectifying the bikers, but they would be downright mortified if they knew all three men could hear them with their heightened senses.

One of the men, the not-twin with the longest beard, glanced in their direction from where he stood in line, before turning back around.

The women let out dreamy sighs.

Raidh rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to hear them swoon over the men. Not because they were females but because he didn’t understand the appeal of bad boys.

After what felt like an eternity, Ajax finally made his way to where Raidh’s was seated with a steaming mug of chai tea and a delectable slice of lemon cake. “Enjoy,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks.” Raidh took the mug, feeling the steam tickle his nose as he blew on it before taking a careful sip. Instantly, his taste buds were enveloped in warm, complex flavors, with just the right balance of spices and sweetness.

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