Fated Under the Moon Read online

  I approached the light, which I could now see was a flame. I was startled when I heard a voice. The voice came from all around me and not from any one person, which was odd, but no stranger than everything else.

  "You are the keeper—the keeper of the flame. You hold immense power, and you must protect the flame," The voice felt layered as if several voices were on top of one another. "You must keep your dagger with you from now on. It will help you yield your power."

  "What power? What are you talking about? What is the flame? Why am I the keeper? Who are you?" I asked question after question.

  "I've been guarding the flame for you. It is yours as it was your father's and his father's. You must take the flame. Do it quickly. We are running out of time."

  I have no idea why I did what the voice told me to do, but I reached my hand out and grasped the flame. Starting at the tips of my fingers, then traveling up my arm and spreading all over my entire body, I felt this electric current, filled with warmth and power.

  "Yes, that's it." The voice cooed. "The light will guide you. Trust in the light."

  My entire body felt electrified as the light moved through me. I felt it everywhere. After it had spread throughout my whole body, everything went dark again.

  "Be safe, Keeper," the voice said, trailing off.

  I CAME TO COUGHING. Water sputtered from my mouth. I blinked, and there was a crowd of faces surrounding me. I coughed again, and Ryker pulled me up and against his chest. He hugged me. "You're okay," he said into my ear. "You're okay," he repeated. "Everyone get back. Give us space," he ordered.

  Why was he hugging me? What was happening? I thought back to what I remembered. I saw something...

  I remembered jumping off the cliff, and I couldn't breathe. Oh, God. Did I drown?

  I pulled back from Ryker's arms, "Wha... what happened?"

  "You drowned; that's what happened," Ryker bit out, sounding angry.

  "I jumped," I said, trying to make sense of everything.

  "Yes, and then you fucking swam deeper and deeper instead of coming up for air. What were you thinking?" He sounded so angry, and I didn't understand it.

  My mind replayed what had happened. I saw that flame. The words keeper of the flame flashed through my mind. Then everything Ryker had said about magic.

  "I have to go." I tried to get up to stand. I felt weak. I looked at Ryker, and he looked confused and concerned. Then suddenly, looking into his eyes, I saw the quickest vision of a wolf. I scrambled backward. I had to get away. He mentioned magic and whatever I saw down below wasn't normal. I nearly died. And his eyes. Why did I see a wolf when I looked into his eyes?

  Fuck this!

  "Ariel," he called. "Calm down."

  "No. No, I have to get out of here." On shaky legs, I managed to get myself up. Then, unsure of how I did it, I ran. I didn't know which way I was headed, but it was away from Ryker, away from the water, and away from these people. Something was very off, and I had to go, now!

  "Stay, I got her," I briefly heard Ryker order, but there was no way he had me. I dashed through the trees, jumping over fallen branches. Thorns pricked at my skin, but it didn't matter. I had to go. I had to get out of here. My speed was increasing, and I began moving at a pace I'd never run before. I knew I was fast, but this was different.

  The wind started to whip past me, and the trees became a blur. How was I moving this fast? The trees grew less and less dense, and I found myself up against a cornfield. I made a snap decision to go into the field and hoped that I could move just as fast but not get lost. I moved with purpose. The corn wasn't at its full height, so I soon realized I wasn't covered by it. I reached a break between fields and stopped running. I felt like no one could've possibly followed me.

  Catching my breath, I thought about everything that had occurred. I saw a light, drowned, had this nagging feeling that something else happened, then saw a wolf in Ryker's eyes. All this after Ryker told me I wasn't human and held magic. And I was fast. I mean, what in the actual what was happening? My heart was racing, and I felt hyper-alert.

  I heard a crunching sound and turned in that direction. There I saw a massive wolf. Bigger than anything I'd ever seen at the zoo or on National Geographic. Its eyes were dark as it sniffed the air, stalking me. Its fur was black with silver under its chin. I noticed the scar running down its chest, and it made me think it matched Ryker's. That was impossible.

  This was insane.

  I needed to get out of there again. I needed to go. I turned to sprint but heard the wolf growl, warning me not to move. I thought about my training and my kickboxing class but knew I had no chance in hell of fighting this wolf. It was too big. Its teeth were too sharp. I did not doubt that it could tear me in two.

  I started to move and heard him snarl. Then he jumped straight over me and landed on the other side. He was mere inches from my face. Suddenly, he didn't seem threatening. Instead, the wolf nuzzled me. He was so large that as he moved against me in the way that a dog would when it wanted attention, his back was chest level, and his head was just a smidge taller than mine. His head continued to nuzzle me, and he moved against me several times. I had no idea what to make of this. He wasn't a threat, but I had no clue what was happening. Why did he have the same scar as Ryker, and why did I see this wolf in Ryker's eyes? Unless... No, it couldn't be.

  "Ryker?" I asked the wolf, as if a freaking wolf would respond to me. I was losing my ever-loving mind. That was it; I must've been drugged. He told me about magic, and I thought he was certifiable. Now all of this was happening. I knew it was too unbelievable, too impossible.

  A nearby noise made him freeze, and he stopped his nuzzling. Several other wolves appeared.

  None of them were as big as this wolf. There was a grey wolf, another black one, like this wolf, but smaller, a dark brown wolf, and a fawn-colored wolf that howled. I had no idea what was happening, but they seemed to be communicating. The wolf next to me did a half-growl-half-bark. The grey wolf half-howled-half-barked, then before I knew it, the black wolf next to me snapped his teeth at the other wolves and bent low like he wanted me to mount his back. The smaller black wolf howled then whimpered as the wolf next to me bared its teeth again. I had no idea what was happening, but I didn't want to be eaten alive by wolves.

  I climbed on his back, surprised at the softness of his coat. I didn't have time to think about what happened next because the wolf showed his teeth, then growled at the other wolves one more time. His growl was fierce, and it cut through the air. The other wolves seemed to react physically and appeared unready when he leapt past them and took off at full speed.

  The force from his speed made me grip his fur. I soon learned that wasn't enough, and I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him. I wasn't sure how long we ran, but somehow, I knew he had lost the other wolves. There was no way they could've kept up with him. He was just too powerful, too strong.

  Chapter Twelve

  We came to a wooded area. The wolf stopped running and bent forward like I should get off. I wasn't sure how I knew what he wanted me to do, but somehow, I did. It was as if the massive beast wanted me next to him. I looked at my ring while I was on his back and noticed its bright red color. If what they said about my ring was true, wouldn't it show me if I was in danger?

  Since when did I give the idea of magic any merit? I sighed. Maybe once I started seeing wolves communicate? I still wasn't entirely sure that I wasn't stoned out of my mind, passed out somewhere, and this was all one big hallucination. That was the most logical thing.

  The terrain began to change, and we were around large boulders, some reaching forty or so feet in the air. I'd never seen anything like it, but the swimming hole seemed like a smaller version of this. I wondered how many of those boulders we were playing on went beneath the water's surface?

  The boulders were also cooler, which I suppose was due to the shade the trees and boulders provided. We walked between a large fissure. It was a tight fit for us, side by side, so the wolf led the way. If I weren't close enough behind him, he would stop, turn around and look at me silently, communicating I needed to move. It was so odd, as if he cared about my well-being. He was a wolf, and I was human. What was wrong with me that I was following a wolf into the woods?

  The further we walked into the space, the more I wondered if this was a good idea. Then again, the wolf saved me, and he seemed to like me. I mean, how many wolves let you ride them? Even thinking that sounded absurd. Again, I wondered if this was all a dream and that maybe I was sleeping on the boulder.

  I lost my train of thought as we came to a dark opening of a cave. The wolf stood off to the side and motioned with his head for me to enter. I shook my head. I didn't want to go into a dark, scary cave with a wolf. His chest rumbled, then he snarled at me and motioned again.

  "Seriously, you're one moody wolf. If you eat me, I swear I'll find a way to haunt you."

  I walked into the dark cave, unsure of what to think. I continued to question my sanity because why was I following a wolf again?

  It was pitch black, and the wolf nuzzled next to me. I could tell he wanted me to hold onto him as we moved further into the darkness. A small beam of light from above poured through, and I hoped we would soon stop. The ground below me was luckily flat and dry. Besides the small amount of light trickling through, I couldn't see anything. Finally, we came to an area where more sunlight filtered through. There was even a tree and a small amount of moss covering the boulder next to it. The wolf nudged me to a boulder that was about the right height for me to sit. I did what he wanted, and he licked me. I pet his head, and he moved his head into the crook of my neck. I had no idea what to make of this. I was just glad he seemed to like me.

  I watched him move away from me and
sniff the air. He then howled long and deep. I heard a few howls returned that seemed to be much further away. He howled again, and I couldn't help but think how beautiful this massive beast was. I heard even more wolves howl back, and I shivered, hoping they didn't find me. I had a feeling he would protect me, but still, what if he just brought me here as dinner for the rest of his pack?

  Trust your instincts; that's what my dad would say. That's what Ryker accused me of not doing. I was going to be okay, right? He could've just eaten me if he wanted me dead. It would probably be easier to drag a dead body to his cave over a live woman, right? No, something else was happening here; I was sure of it.

  The wolf moved further away from me, and with one more howl, he hunched forward and began to change.

  "Holy shit!" Everything happened fast. His fur began to change, and his snout shortened. His legs cracked unusually. Before I knew it, he was a hunched-over man. No, he wasn't just a man. "Ryker?" I called out in a shaky voice. He stood completely naked and cracked his back, adjusting to his full height.

  Oh. My. God.

  What in the freaking what?

  I was freaking out. I knew it. This was beyond impossible, and yet, I thought he reminded me of Ryker in the field. I had to be high. Someone had slipped me something, and all of this had to be a dream. I pinched my arm to see if I was dreaming.

  Ouch.

  Nope, definitely not a dream.

  I took a step back and put my hands up to protect myself, which was dumb, considering he was a wolf just seconds ago!

  "It's okay. Let me explain," Ryker's rich deep voice said as he moved closer to me.

  I couldn't help but look at his naked form and suck in a deep breath.

  He was aroused, and holy shit, he was large and thick, and I couldn't unsee what I was looking at because that thing was a work of art. And those thighs of his were strong. I moved my eyes upwards towards his muscular abs, his firm pecs, and broad shoulders. I made it to his eyes, and he watched me curiously.

  I was getting turned on looking at him, which made no sense. Maybe I was awake, but it was ecstasy or something? I never did drugs. Did ecstasy make you hallucinate?

  I had no idea how I could feel turned on. But he was a thing of beauty, and I felt wetness pool between my legs. My nipples hardened, but my brain knew this wasn't right.

  He was a wolf, for God's sake.

  "Wha... What are you? What's happening? What are you going to do to me?"

  He had a wicked gleam in his eyes, "What do you want me to do to you?"

  He took another step towards me, and his cock moved, his balls swaying as he did. I needed to look away, but my body wanted to move towards him, not away from him.

  "What did you do to me?" I asked, wanting to take another step back, but I was against that darn boulder, and there was nowhere to move.

  "I didn't do anything to you. It's the fates. They've fated you to me. You feel it, don't you? This pull to me. I thought I felt it at first but wasn't sure. I've waited so long. I thought I would never find my mate. My wolf knew it, though. He smelled you and knew. I can't even tell you how much control it took for me to get you here without shifting and fucking you on the way."

  "Fate, mates, fucking, hold on just one minute."

  "I nearly lost you before I've even freaking had you! I'm barely holding on here," he semi-shouted, semi-growled.

  He took another step closer to me. Only a foot or so separated us, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't seriously turned on. I had no idea my body could even feel this way. I felt feverish with my need for him.

  That was it; I had to be on something.

  "Did you give me something?"

  He ran his hand through his hair. "Gods, no. I would never."

  This was beyond anything that seemed possible. I looked around to see if anything else felt off. Were my senses all skewed, or was it just that I wanted him? Nothing else seemed amiss, just that I had an overwhelming sense of desire for him.

  He was a fucking wolf; my logical side screamed! To hell with logic, my libido replied.

  "Are you a werewolf?"

  "You already know the answer to that." He took another step closer. My heart rate changed, and I felt like it was ready to burst from my chest.

  "That's impossible." I breathed heavily as I spoke. "Werewolves aren't real."

  "I told you anything was possible. I told you you held magic. I knew you smelled different. It's a mix between your magic and your scent calling to my wolf. It's why I wasn't sure if you were my mate. The smell of your magic is strong, but somehow, after I pulled you out of the water, your smell became clear. I still wasn't one-hundred percent certain, but my wolf was."

  "That's crazy. I'm not your mate. We're not fucking either," I told him as if saying that out loud would somehow change my body's reaction. I felt an intense ache between my legs. "Two days ago, you didn't even want me."

  "Oh, I wanted you. I wanted you in a way I didn't think I should have."

  I had no time to think about that response.

  He inched even closer, and that massive dick of his was nearly face level with me. "Get that thing away from me. It's huge," I said, leaning back to move away from it.

  "Well, if you'd look up here at my eyes, maybe it wouldn't be so frightening."

  "I'm not afraid of that!" I lied. "And I'm not your mate."

  He moved even closer and braced each arm on the boulder. His broad chest caged me in. "Ariel. The sooner you give in, the sweeter it will be."

  "Elle," I corrected. "I need you to step back," I said with little power behind it.

  "Are you so sure about that? I can smell your arousal. I can smell how much wetter your pussy gets the closer I get to you. I know that you want me. You need to give in and accept what's inevitable."

  "Just because I'm physically attracted to you does not mean we're mated." I breathed heavily.

  He ran the tip of his nose up the side of my neck and sniffed. His nearness made me involuntarily moan, and I wanted to kick myself for my reaction to him.

  "You can't fight it, Ariel."

  "I can. Even if my body is responding to you, we don't have to do anything about it." He moved his arm and ran a finger up the inside of my leg, making me shudder and arch my back.

  "Don't we? Do you really think you can ignore this pull?" He bent forward, kissing my shoulder, and I felt his cock press against my flesh. I realized I only had on booty shorts and the sports bra I was wearing to swim in. Not a whole lot of material separated us. I could be naked in seconds. I could even move my fabric to the side.

  I shook my head. What was happening to me? Why was my mind traveling there? I closed my eyes, trying to get a grip on myself.

  Oh, God. I could smell him. He smelled like earth, pine, and my wolf. My eyes snapped open at the realization that I thought of him as my wolf. I stared back into his dark eyes, seeing his wolf in those eyes.

  I closed my eyes. I needed to block Ryker out. Maybe if I didn't look at him, I wouldn't want him so badly. My clit throbbed, and every part of my body was at war with my head. My back arched, and my breasts pressed against him.

  "Look at me, Ariel."

  I snapped my eyes open, staring into his eyes, which blazed with desire. How could he possibly want me like this? How could I possibly want him this way? No, it wasn't want; that wasn't right. I needed him. I needed HIM.

  "If you fuck me, it's just sex. Nothing else. I don't even know what being mated means. I don't even know you."

  "You know me, and what you don't know, you'll get to know. You'll know passion and lust like you've never imagined. You'll know what it feels like to be lit up inside. I'll fuck you so often and so raw that you'll always know the feel of me. You'll wake sore from the fucking I gave you the night before, but my mouth between your legs will ease the ache. You'll have a pack that will have your back, and they'll all want your time, but I won't want to give it to them because I'll want you all the time. The need will lessen, but how much we want each other never will."