Page 12 of Ruthless Moon

“Fuckers didn’t waste any time, did they?” Bast is to my left in the shadow of the vehicle. “Tracks lead up the mountain through the trees. I saw them on my way over.”

“They’re gonna fucking ruin everything,” I growl through clenched teeth.

“We need to catch them before they get to Meredith,” Bast says, his voice low and urgent.

“Lead the way,” I say, following him up the incline and into the trees. The scent of pine, cedar, and unwelcome wolf permeates the air.

We hike another half a mile before we hear footsteps and muffled yelling. Then we see them moving through the shadows, a bound woman carelessly slung over one of their shoulders.

Asshole.

My wolf knows her well. We grew up with the witches in the coven. Played with their children when we were boys. Meredith is like an aunt to me, her daughter Emma like a sister. They’re family. The whole coven is family.

I raise my rifle and level it at the male carrying Meredith. “Put her down.” My finger tenses on the side of the trigger. Bast raises his weapon too, setting his sights on the other man.

Both of them freeze.

The one called Jace speaks, his voice low and steady. “We need her. We’re not leaving without her.”

I shake my head, my grip on the rifle tightening even more. “She’s under our protection. Put. Her. Down.”

Bast and I stand firm, our weapons trained on each man. No one dares move a muscle or breathe too loudly.

The seconds stretch into minutes and tension rises like a thick fog in the night air.

Chapter Five

Say My Name

IMOGEN GALLAGHER

No one says a single word to me during the ride home. Once inside, my brother disappears to his respective wing of the house where he’s got his girlfriend stashed and my father goes to his study and closes the door, leaving me standing alone in the center of the foyer with a take-out box containing the biggest piece of chocolate cake I’ve ever seen.

Fuck.

I can’t think straight.

There are so many thoughts crowding my brain. All I want to do is curl up in my bed and cry. But that’s not an option. There’s nothing I can do about this damn ring on my finger. No amount of pleading or begging will change my fate.

I met my fated mate today.Liam.The way he spoke to me. The softness in his tone. The kindness of his eyes.

I can’t have him. I can’t think about him. I have to bury my feelings. Burn my desires to ash. No one can ever know, especially not my father.

More fucking tears pour down my cheeks.I want him so much.His absence is like falling into a void...a chasm I’ll never escape.

It’s not fair.

It’s not fair.

It’s not fair.

But life isn’t fair. Life has never been fair. My father makes sure of it. I take a slow breath, trying to alleviate some of the pain from where my father’s fist cracked at least one of my ribs. In an hour or two the pain will fade, but I’ll never forget the way he looked at me right before. The way he expected me to take whatever he gave without complaint.

And I know how he’ll look at me if he finds out about Liam. I know he’ll take pleasure in making me watch him die, the way he took pleasure in making Aiden watch him hurt me.

Only it will be a hundred times worse.

I stumble forward a few steps, lifting one foot and then the other, pulling off my high heels with one hand and clutching the box of cake in the other. I throw the heels at the couch in front of me and then head for the back stairwell that leads to another wing of this monstrous house.

---