Page 23 of Wolf Bonded (Rejected Moons 2)

“So I must have had that too,” I say. “Because I was never trained in moon magic—not until recently, anyway. Milo’s taught me some stuff. But I definitely didn’t grow up learning it. But I managed to access my magic a couple of times before I ever met Milo.”

I nod. “That’s common for Moon Caster children,” I say. “They grow up around it, so they’re reaching for it from the moment they’re old enough to understand. I’m sure it took longer to manifest for you.”

“I didn’t know until recently,” she says. “But I’d like to know more about…did you call it a prenatal blessing?”

“I did.”

“I know Milo’s mother was given one. But my mother was a wolf. She couldn’t have done that.”

I bite my lip. Regine wouldn’t like what I’m about to say.

But she won’t do anything about it. Not in the moment. And I know that.

“There’s a prenatal blessing happening tonight,” I say. “Up in the garden. You can come if you want to.”

“Could I really? Can the guys come too?”

“You have to be a Moon Caster,” I tell her. “It’s not open to outsiders. So your hybrid friend can come if he wants to. But not the other one.”

She nods. “I’ll ask them,” she says. “Thank you. And I’ll definitely be there.”

13

EMLYN

Idon’tknowwhat’sup with me, but by the time I get back to the room where Nate, Milo, and I are staying, I’m feeling completely wired.

Then Milo comes walking out of the bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, and suddenly I absolutelydoknow what’s up with me.

I feel like fucking.

“Where’s Nate?” I demand because throwing down right in front of each other is still not something we do. Maybe someday. I don’t think I’d mind.

“Thought he was with you,” Milo says.

“He hasn’t come back yet? I went for a walk with Wilder after the meeting.” Just saying Wilder’s name spikes my arousal higher.

That could be a problem.

Milo folds his arms across his chest. “Is he trying to get you to join his little coven?”

“No,” I say. “He’s not doing anything he didn’t tell us outright he was going to do, Milo. He thinks we can work together. And I think he’s right.”

I walk over to him and rest my hand on his hip. He doesn’t look at me, but he doesn’t pull away.

“Milo,” I say. “It’s not like we thought here.”

He sighs. “I know it isn’t,” he says. “I don’t know why I wanted it to be.”

“Because if it was, it would mean that all Moon Casters were evil,” I say softly. “And that what happened to your mother was a vicious crime instead of a terrible tragedy.”

“Do you think they’re not evil?”

“I think shifters and Moon Casters have been killing each other for a long time,” I say. “Maybe it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe it never did.”

He looks at me. His eyes are haunted and desperate, and my blood is just as hot as it was when I came in, but I’m not thinking about Wilder at all anymore.

He crushes his lips to mine desperately, his hands already stripping away my shirt, and I can feel in the intensity of his kiss how much all he wants is to forget about the past, forget about where we are right now, and lose ourselves in something that is simple and just fucking feels good.

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