Page 43 of Dark Moon Secrets

But I didn’t want them to fret over me. I went to the nightstand where I’d dumped my backpack. Rummaging inside, I found my phone and pulled it out.

Mia: You awake?

I wanted to reply to her to say yes, but what could I say to her? ‘Hey, Mia, you’ll never guess what, I’m a witch, and I can do magic… well, I can if I learn how.’ A dozen missed calls this afternoon probably put Mia in such a state I knew I should let her know I was okay.

But I couldn’t. It was as if she was part of a life in my past, and it wasn’t going to be part of my future. I needed to sort my head and work out what was really going on here first.

The screen on my phone popped up with a message. If I didn’t charge now, the phone would be dead.

I quickly typed a message to say I was okay, hit send, then my phone went blank. Maybe Mia got it, I don’t know. I hooked up my phone to charge, setting it on the nightstand. I would smooth things over with my friends tomorrow.

I slumped on the bed, rolled over, and slipped under the covers. Sinking into the bed, I found a comfort I hadn’t experienced for so long.

I couldn’t help but think about what secrets were out there that this town was hiding.

A dream started, pulling my conscience away from myself and dragging me into the depths of a world I never knew about.

CHAPTER 17

Alaric

My wolf had wanted to see Tanjie.

That had been a mistake.

I’d given in, knowing I wanted to see her more. I figured the shadows of the night would keep me from being seen.

The way the room lit up with bursts of magic amused my wolf and me as we watched from a safe distance. Tanjie was learning her magic, and it was proving difficult for her.

Her determination to keep trying only heightened my desire for her. My wolf became impatient, inching closer to the upstairs window for a better view.

I allowed it.

I figured we were safe down here.

The town was quiet, humans in their homes on a weeknight, the witches too. The night here in Katoomba was for the pack, more so for me because it was my time to prowl. I didn’t need to wander tonight to find what I wanted and went straight to her.

My wolf approved. I hushed him quickly, pushing to return to human form, but he stopped me. It wasn’t safe to do so. I reminded him that she could never be properly ours. Even though she was a witch, she was also human. Or the more accurate perspective was that she wasn’t pack. She could never be part of us because of her magic.

My wolf didn’t care, enjoying watching her magic spark from her fingers. His nose lifted in the air, smelling her sweet scent. The desires flamed for us both, the anticipation growing, and our patience running out.

Tanjie moved to the window, the lace moving out of the way, and a pleasant shiver coursed through my wolf form. She had seen me straight away.

How had she known I was there?

The longer we stared at each other from a distance, I knew she wasn’t scared of my wolf. That pleased me and encouraged me to want to act.

I could feel the connection between us—an invisible rope of golden-like chain—but I wasn’t sure that she could too.

Before I realized what my wolf was doing, he was signaling her to come down.

I couldn’t believe the recklessness of my beast and risk our safety like that. I went to tell him off, but she was still at the window, eyes locked on me.

Did she know what was being asked?

We can’t do this. I hissed between our minds, the link between my human and animal form strong.

Wolf disagreed and signaled again.

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