Page 9 of The Wild Moon
Can’t do it,I told myself.Need clothes. Can’t go strolling around town with your titties bouncing around like some hussy. Not to mention, it’s not comfortable. And it’s cold.
With so many factors in favor of going inside and getting some clothes, I convinced my body to keep obeying my commands.
You aren’t at fault. They didn’t disappear because of you.
I blinked back sudden tears. The thing was, I could say that all I wanted. Tell myself every platitude, about how I was the innocent one. However, thetruthwas, I didn’t know why my parents disappeared.
There was a lot I didn’t know. A lot I should have asked them that night instead of running out of the house. Then again, finding out at twenty-one you’re adopted and your so-called parents have lied to you your entire life would mess with anyone. I don’t think I reactedthatstrongly, all things considered. I didn’t say anything I couldn’t take back, which was my one saving grace.
But I also never had the opportunity to ask themwhy, and the not-knowing ate at me every day. Even now, I could feel it inside me. Swollen, a low pulse pulling me toward it.
I frowned. That wasn’t right. What the hellwasthat? I looked inward to the source of the feeling. It wasn’t painful or agonizing. It wasn’t the guilt or darkness that followed it everywhere. It was warm and fuzzy, and–
“Oh, hell no,” I growled, anger overcoming everything else.
I walked up to the house and went inside without a second thought, doing my best to shove aside the call of my Soulbond. I could tell now that’s what I felt inside. Drawing me to Johnathan. Even as I thought it, I could tell he was out and about, using our new connection to try and track me down.
Well, tough luck, asshole. I would be long gone by the time he arrived at the house. I’d never held out any real hope that he would respect my decision, but it was nice to have proof he really was that much of a douche. If he couldn’t respect me now, why would he ever do so later?
I shot that thought at my wolf, trying to instill in herwhywe had to avoid him, but all I got back was a tired whine and desire to sleep in the presence of our mate.
Not gonna happen.
I didn’t bother apologizing. She wouldn’t get it.
My room was just the way I’d left it: a disaster. It was easy for me to find the clothes I needed because it was anorganizeddisaster, as I’d told my mom many times. She didn’t approve. I smiled briefly at a memory of her frown each time she walked past my open door. She didn’t accept mess anywhere outside of my bedroom.
The rest of the house was immaculate because that was just the way my mother liked it. I’d long since stopped referring to her as “the woman who raised me” or my “adopto-mom” as I’d done for a brief period. Until I knew for sure one way or another whether they had loved me or simply faked it, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that theyhadloved me and raised me because they cared. Ihadto give it to them. I didn’t want to deal with the other side.
I paused outside my parents’ bedroom, trying not to look inside. I failed. I could see nothing out of place. Nothing except for the unmade bed. Even calling it “unmade” was generous. It simply wasn’t pulled taut to the corners. That little distinction, that sole piece of the house out of place, had been myonlyclue that something had happened to my parents. My mother never left the bed unmade. Ever. Yet this time, it was. Why?
It was a question that had driven me insane for months. I didn’t dwell on it much anymore because I finally convinced myself I wasn’t going to glean anything from it, but I knew it was like that for a reason.
Shaking my head, I pushed past the room and went downstairs. I needed to get moving. My father’s truck was still parked over at Jo’s, where I’d left it. I had to get there and say my goodbyes to her before Johnathan tracked me down.
If I was lucky, he went there first, only continuing to my old house when he found I wasn’t at Jo’s. Hopefully, I would lose him by going back to Jo’s. If so, there should be just enough time for me to hear about her night–and where she’d gone. Had she found her mate early in the night? Had they gone off to be together, perhaps?
I smiled, happy for my friend.
“What the fuck is that smile for?”
The sudden intrusion into the silence that had been my companion all morning sent me scrambling back from the door. I’d been so absorbed in my own world that I hadn’t even noticed Johnathan waiting for me at the entrance.
So much for avoiding him.
“Go away, Johnathan,” I said, using his full name. Maybe if I didn’t antagonize him, I could escape from here and be on my way without having to fight.
“Howdareyou treat me like that in front of everyone?” he snarled.
“Enough,” I shouted, surprising us both with the force of my voice.
Johnathan hesitated as he approached, but I only managed to slow him down, not stop him entirely. He bulled his way through the command until he was leaning over me, practically face to face. Although, given my height, he couldn’t truly impose his full size over me. I stared into his dull blue eyes. What had I ever seen in him?
“You will come back to me,” he rumbled icily. “You will accept our bond and pair with me. Publicly and privately.”
Even now, I could feel the bond. In such proximity to him, it was all but hammering at my skull, urging me to turn myself over to it and give in. Life would be sogoodif I did. We would be happy and content. For life.
And I would also be abandoning who I am and where I came from. I will not submit to this small-dicked egotistical bag of gas. Absolutely not.
