Moonlight Kin: A Wolf's Tale (23 page)

“Madie?”

She stared at the blood, transfixed, unseeing, then took a deep breath and let out a scream so loud, so mournful that it could’ve curdled blood. Madie dropped the gun, her hands shaking. She blinked as if to clear her head and looked around in confusion. “Damon? What are you doing here?”

“Oh Madie, I thought I’d lost you.” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her.

She pulled back and looked at her hand, which was now covered in blood. Madie glanced at his shirt. “You’re bleeding. Why are you bleeding?”

“It was an accident,” he said. “I’ll explain later. Luc?”

Luc stepped out of the woods.

Madie glanced over Damon’s shoulder. “You’re the man from the pub.” Her brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand what is happening.”

“You’ve been drugged,” Damon said. “Luc, I’m trusting you to keep my bondmate safe.”

Luc nodded solemnly, then gently pulled Madie out of Damon’s arms and shoved her behind him.

Gaston pulled a gun from behind his back and pointed it in Damon’s direction.

“He’s mine,” Jack said. “Keep us covered. Shoot any of the pack that gets too close.”

Gaston’s eyes widened as he tried to cover everywhere at once, but it was impossible with the wolves circling around them.

Jack started clapping as he approached Damon. “Well done, brother. You’ve managed to break the drug induced spell that Valois put on your mate,” he said the last word with so much venom that it actually burned the air between them.

Damon watched Jacque’s head drop into attack position. He could feel the pull of the moon in his bones, but it hadn’t risen yet. When it did, there would be no holding the wolf at bay.

“You have no idea how it sickened me to smell you on her body, every time I was around her,” Jack sneered. “The stench just would not go away.”

Damon smiled, baring his teeth.

“I tried to get her to take me in your stead, but she’d already been brainwashed.” He shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Damon kept his eyes on his brother and on Gaston, who was looking more and more desperate as the pack moved in for the kill. “Why, Jacque?”

His jaw tightened. “It should have been mine,” he growled.

He looked at his brother and pain filled him. They’d grown up together. Shared everything. What could he possibly want that would make him betray his pack, his family? “What should’ve?” Damon asked.

“The pack, the leadership.” Jacque ran a hand through his hair, which was getting shaggier by the seconds, thanks to the moon. “Even the bitch.” He shot a glance in Madie’s direction. “She should be carrying my heir. Not yours. I am the true Alpha of the Moonlight Kin pack.”

Damon sighed. “You know I never wanted the responsibility.”

Jacque laughed. “Yeah, well you didn’t exactly turn it down when it was offered.”

“I couldn’t. Father wouldn’t let me,” he said. “You’re going to have to face the Elder’s for what you’ve done.” Damon knew he was sentencing his brother to death, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Jacque looked at him and snorted. “You know I can’t do that, brother dear. They’ll kill me and I’m not ready to die.”

Damon had so many questions. Needed so many answers. “Why kill the pack?”

Jacque growled and snapped, trying to shake off the moon’s pull. “Those bastards voted against me. If it wasn’t for those members, I’d be pack leader.”

Damon shook his head. Numb from the shock that his brother was alive. He’d hoped that the Book of Lycan had been wrong. “Father decided who’d lead, not Daniel, Rachel, and the others.”

“Don’t stick up for them,” he growled. “I know they sided with our sire.”

“That is our way, Jacque,” Damon said. “We all know the rules. They’re drilled into us at birth.”

“That may be your way, but it’s not mine, brother.” Jack stepped within striking range. “I tire of talking. It’s time for me to finish what your mate could not.”

Damon and Jacque circled each other. He was woozy from blood loss, but that wouldn’t stop him from fighting to the death.

Jacque leaped into the air.

The full force of his body came down on Damon’s chest. Damon went down with a thud and wheezed when he tried to take a breath.

“Let me go!” Madie tried to break loose, but Luc held her steady. “He’s going to kill Damon,” she cried.

Luc glanced at her, but went back to staring at the fight. “Our way will settle things. Have faith in your mate. There is a reason that he’s Alpha.”

The pack stayed close to the tree-line. All eyes were upon the two fighting in the center of the ring. Damon’s fist made contact with Jacque’s jaw. Blood spattered as Jacque’s lip split. Damon managed to get his knee and pushed his brother away.

He rolled to his feet, attempting to regain the breath he’d lost. He heard the crack and watched Jacque transform. The black wolf bounded across the hard ground and jumped, sinking his teeth into Damon’s shoulder.

Damon cried out as bone met muscle. Jacque’s jaws snapped again, coming dangerously close to Damon’s exposed throat. Spittle clung to Jacque’s teeth. Madness possessed his eyes.

Damon’s muscles strained as the change took him. His powerful jaws latched onto his brother’s neck and he shook him with all his strength. Jacque struggled to break free, but Damon’s hold was too tight.

Blood sprayed across Damon’s face in a shower of red as his sharp teeth punctured an artery. He knew the blow was fatal. They both knew it was. It was over. Damon released Jacque and slowly walked away, transforming as he did so.

“No! This was not how it was supposed to be,” Gaston raged. “He can’t be one of them.” He pointed to Jacque’s body.

“Father.” Madie rushed forward, but Damon caught her.

Gaston raised his gun and pointed it at them. “I will see you in the grave before I let you soil this family!”

Damon shoved Madie behind him.

Luc came out of nowhere and slammed into his body. His powerful jaws latched onto Gaston’s arm and ripped it out of its socket. The pack closed in for the kill.

Madie turned away. She couldn’t watch. She tried to drown out Gaston’s cries, but it was impossible. The wolves began to howl and slowly circle them.

“What’s happening?” Madie asked.

“The Lycanian Elders ordered our deaths,” Damon said.

Madie frowned. “Our deaths? Why?”

“They believe you’re behind the deaths of the pack members,” Damon held her close. “I will do my best to protect you.”

“I’m done hiding,” Madie said.

***

The pack drew in, each one daring the other to get closer. Madie turned in time to see Damon transform again. His teeth were bared and the hair on his sable back was standing on end. His head was lowered for attack. He snapped his jaws viciously daring them to approach.

Madie put her hand on his head, her fingers sinking into his soft pelt. “This is my fight,” she said. “I cannot allow you to die because of me.” She took a step, placing herself between Damon and the pack.

Damon nudged her away, but Madie resisted. She shook her head no and took another step forward, until she was within five feet of the nearest pack members.

They growled and circled her like sharks sensing blood in the water.

“I didn’t kill them,” she said. “I didn’t even know you guys really existed until a few days ago.”

The clouds parted, revealing the full moon.

Madie felt pain rip through her body. Her legs buckled. “What’s happening?” she cried, as another debilitating stab brought her to her hands and knees.

The pack stepped back. The earlier yips of attack changed to barks of excitement. Madie couldn’t breathe and she couldn’t move. Every muscle in her body felt as if it was stiffening and contorting at the same time.

She looked at her hands. A thin layer of white hair appeared, then thickened before her eyes. She sought Damon. “Help me.”

He licked her face, laying his heavy bulk against her side. What felt like hours, only took minutes.

When Madie finally stood, she felt different…but somehow the same. The wolves continued to bark. The sound loud to her sensitive ears.

She took a step and stumbled, glancing down at the thick paws that had replaced her hands and feet. Pale hair now covered her entire body. Strength coursed through her, along with a confidence she’d never experienced before. For the first time in her life, she felt comfortable in her skin.

Damon hadn’t moved. His presence lending her love and support.

Madie, can you hear me?

She heard Damon’s voice whisper in her mind.

Madie turned until she met his amber eyes. He licked her face and snout, then nudged her with his head. There were shouts of glee from the pack members as one by one they approached her, each lowering its head in deference to her new position.

Why aren’t they killing us?
she asked Damon, hoping he understood.

Because I told them not to.
A giant black wolf stepped out of the woods.

Damon jumped up and ran over to him. Cousin, I knew I could count on you.

I am not here as your cousin. I am here as a representative for the Lycanian Elders, he said.

And the fact that we’re blood has nothing to do with? Damon asked.

Absolutely not.
Aidan said emphatically.

Damon looked at him and snorted, his long tongue bobbing out of his mouth.
Whatever you say, Aidan.

But how? Madie asked. I’m not wolf.

Are you sure? Luc asked.

Pretty positive, since I’ve never changed into one until now.

It’s our child, Damon said. Though I wouldn’t rule out having some wolf blood in your family tree. Perhaps we need to find out exactly what happened to your mother in Boston.

Aidan approached. Welcome to the Moonlight Kin pack.

Thank you,
she said.

Damon nipped at Aidan’s tail.

Do that again and you’ll be sorry, Aidan said.

It’s hard to look noble and righteous, when you’re getting bit in the butt, Damon said and took off as Aidan turned to chase him.

Madie watched the exchange. Somehow, she’d lost one family, only to gain another. In her wolf form, she could feel her baby growing inside her. It’s tiny heartbeat echoing in her head. Was that why she was able to transform? Or had Gaston been right about her mother’s affair all along?

Damon returned to her side out a breath and laughing. Madie gave him a quick lick that had been meant as a thank you, but threatened to turn into something altogether different if the look in his eyes was any indication. Damon had saved her life and she’d saved his. They were equals, partners—bondmates.

Epilogue

Madie Laroche glanced out the kitchen window. The house smelled of fresh baked bread and roast beef. Her stomach growled at the thought of eating. She couldn’t seem to get enough food these days.

Instead of rebuilding his house, she and Damon had moved to her family’s estate, giving the wolves a ton of acres to roam on without having to worry about being hunted.

She glanced down. Flowers grew in the garden below, their multi-colored blooms giving off a cacophony of scents.

In the grass, Damon lay with his eyes closed; a drooling baby boy sprawled across his wide chest. The pregnancy had been a swift three months, thanks to the wolf growing inside her. They awoke at the same time, as if they sensed her watching them, and looked her way. The shimmering gold gaze of her son mirrored his father’s.

Madie smiled and waved.

Damon returned her smile, then picked up their son and rolled to his feet. He held the baby above him, not seeming to mind the drool running down his arm as the baby smiled and gurgled.

Gurgles turned to giggles, as Damon made silly faces at his son. Madie shook her head and sent Damon a vivid picture of just how sexy she thought he was at that moment. Damon’s attention shifted from the baby to her, a promise clearly written in those amber eyes.

Madie’s body responded instantly just like it had the first time she’d laid eyes on him in art class. Had that only been five months ago? She didn’t think she’d ever tire of looking at the man. Other than having a family, life had pretty much returned to normal.

If being surrounded by a pack of werewolves could ever be called normal.

She’d opened her art gallery in New Salford and had employed Sarah as manager. Damon’s Beta, Luc had left the pack, but hadn’t gone far. He’d told Damon it was time that he made his own way in the world.

Damon had just snickered and told him that he wanted an invitation to the wedding. Luc’s face had blanked, but they’d parted as friends. Madie had seen Luc more than once hanging around the gallery, but she hadn’t said anything to Damon. She kind of felt sorry for the Beta. Sarah wasn’t making it easy for him.

For the first time in her life, her best friend was playing hard to get. Madie wondered how long Sarah would be able to hold out with Luc hot on her tail.

They had buried Gaston in the clearing where he’d fallen. There hadn’t been much left of him after the wolves finished their feast. Some days it still made her sad that her father hadn’t been able to see beyond his prejudices, but Madie rarely dwelled on what might have been.

With Damon’s help, she’d found out that her inheritance was never in Gaston’s hands. He’d squirreling her money away, hiding it, so she wouldn’t find out and take it from him. It had been another brutal blow, another lie, but like everything else, she’d gotten over it.

Over him…

She glanced down at the ruby and diamond ring on her swollen finger, watching it catch fire in the dazzling sunlight.

Madie had a new life, a new baby, and a wonderful husband who loved her dearly. She couldn’t ask for anything more. She glanced down at her swelling belly and stroked it lovingly. Except for maybe a little girl.

SNEAK PEEK-EXCERPT

MOONLIGHT KIN 2: AIDAN’S MATE

Aidan Fortier turned to the plump breast beside his face. He plopped the rosy nipple in his mouth and began to suck and nip at the sensitive nerve-endings. The tip beaded eagerly in response. Hunger engulfed him, all consuming, insatiable, and demanding. Aidan’s shadow-self rose to the surface to investigate.