Page 24 of Ruthless Moon

“No. We’re not mates.” I snatch the keys from Rachel’s hand. “I need to go.” I rise from the stoop and head toward her car parked inconspicuously in the alley.

“We need to talk more, Gen.”

Halting halfway to the car, I swivel around to face her, my voice unsteady. “I know. I just... I can’t right now.” I hate not being able to tell my friend everything. But my world is crumbling around me. I need a moment alone to catch my breath and figure out my next move.

“When is the wedding? Surely you have a little time. The blood moon is in a few days. How about I take you to Denver for some shopping? You need a wedding dress and probably a lot of other stuff, right? And you need to avoid being in town because of Darcy.”

I give a sigh of resignation and nod my agreement.

Rachel is an eternal optimist. She’s trying to lighten the mood. Distract me. It’s easier to go with it than fight it.

“I’ll be back with your car in a couple hours.” Without waiting for her response, I turn and continue toward the car, trying to shut out the world, at least for a little while.

I can’t think about it anymore. None of it. The witches. The wolves. The death threats. The unraveling of my world.

I thought I knew how to stay safe.

I thought I knew how to survive.

Now I’m not so sure.

Now all the rules are changing and the only person I want to see is the one man I should stay far, far away from.

Chapter Eight

You Gonna Eat That?

LIAM O’CONNOR

“You gonna eat that?”

I look down at my nearly untouched plate of bacon and eggs. A knot of anxiety rests heavy in my stomach. I shouldn’t have ordered. I have zero appetite.

All my brother and I need to do is follow these idiots out of town and then I can resume my plans to get as far from Ash Hollow as possible.

I shove the plate across the table to my brother. “Help yourself.”

Bast stacks my plate on top of his and digs in. “Think they know we’re here and that’s why they’re not coming down?”

My gaze strays to the staircase in the main lobby, the only access point from their room upstairs. The clerk, an old friend who still clings to the values of small-town trust and loyalty, hadn’t hesitated to share information on the two out-of-towners.

“Probably can hear us,” I say, taking a quick sip of my coffee, the hot, bitter brew providing a distraction for my chaotic thoughts.

Bast suddenly tips his head to the side. He’s watching something out the window behind my head. “Your girl is here.”

I stiffen at his words and a low growl rolls up from my chest. “Don’t say that.” I resist the instinctual urge to turn and look for her. My wolf senses her presence, the magickal mate bond straining for connection. I have to leave soon.

“Still think you should tell Aiden,” Bast says, his tone barely hiding his anger over the situation.

“The pack needs this arrangement. I’m not about to instigate a full-blown pack war in this valley. And neither is Gen. We agreed this was best.”

“It’s fucked-up.” He lifts the napkin from his lap and wipes his mouth with a sense of finality, then puts it across his plate.

“I never said it wasn’t.”

The echo of heavy footsteps on the staircase pulls my attention away from Bast. “They must’ve been watching for her.” Swiftly, I rise from the table and step outside. Bast falls into step behind me.

Gen is at the far end of the expansive porch, pacing back and forth. Her arms are crossed over her chest, a defensive stance that speaks volumes to stormy emotions.

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