Fated Under the Moon Read online

  "It's only happened when I climaxed inside of you. I should be able to take care of you, though. Yeah?"

  His large hands moved up my thighs, and I nodded feverishly. I thought about all the other times he touched me, knowing he spoke the truth. As long as he wasn't inside of me when he came, I should be okay.

  I nodded, giving my consent.

  "Kiss me," he demanded.

  I kissed him—hard. And even though it had only been a day since I'd kissed him like this, I felt starved. The softness of his lips mixed with his facial hair, the way his hands ran up my skin, and the calluses on his palms; he was all man! The unique blend of hardness and softness was the balance I'd always wanted, always needed, but perhaps never acknowledged before to myself.

  He thrust his hips and, although there was clothing keeping our bodies from joining. The movement gave me the friction I so desperately needed. I broke the kiss so I could kiss his jaw, then his neck. His hands continued to roam over me like he needed to feel every inch of me.

  He thrust again, harder this time to our already rocking bodies. I moaned in pleasure, so he did it again.

  "Let me feel my dick against your heat."

  I looked into his eyes, wondering if he had that kind of self-restraint. I lifted my hips, and he pulled down my underwear and helped me free myself from them without losing too much contact. Next, I pulled down his black boxer briefs, licking my lips at his thick shaft. "Yes," I said breathlessly.

  "Hungry for me, Honey?"

  I didn't respond because I was more than hungry for him. I was insatiable.

  We moved against one another, never letting him slip inside. I wanted him to, boy did I ever. Our bodies touching invigorated me. We slid against one another, and with how worked up I'd apparently been in my sleep, it didn't take long for me to come apart.

  Ryker held me, then I used my hand on him.

  When we finished, the sun hadn't even fully risen yet. "That wasn't enough," Ryker sighed, tucking me into his side, "but it'll have to do."

  I knew what he meant.

  "Want to make coffee, and I'll clean up, then we can talk, or do you need more sleep?"

  "I'll make coffee."

  He nodded, then released his hold on me and moved to the bathroom. I lay there, not wanting to move. Life had been moving in the strangest directions, but somehow, I truly felt like Ryker, besides being my orgasm-inducing Motorcycle Dick Werewolf was beginning to feel like he could be a partner, truly someone I could confide in. When he wasn't being bossy, okay even when he sort of was, in a totally Alpha bad boy way, I liked him, which made me feel like a jerk for how I acted yesterday. Even though last night went well, I knew that I owed him an apology when we talked today.

  On that thought, I grabbed a robe, and moved to the kitchen, and brewed a pot of coffee.

  I SAT ON THE OPPOSITE end of the couch from Ryker and had a light blanket draped over our laps. I needed space from him if I was going to get this story out. His nearness turned me into a wanton teenager with one thing on my mind.

  "Anytime, Ariel."

  "Why do you call me that when I continuously tell you, I go by Elle?"

  "You're an Ariel, that's why. Your given name is beautiful." His eyes gentled. "You're beautiful. Ariel suits you. Elle is nice, but it's simple. You're a heck of a lot more complex than Elle."

  "I don't know how to respond to that."

  "Then don't. Tell me what you need to tell me so I can figure out how I need to protect you."

  I began to tell him I didn't need protection, but truthfully, I needed help. I couldn't figure out the riddle my life was on my own.

  "Alright, I'm not really sure where to start, so I suppose I'll start at the first thing that has happened since I've been here. That night you found me in the shower. I was dreaming. I was on a battlefield, and I swear you were there. You were different, but it was you. I don't know. It's confusing. You know how dreams aren't as clear after they've happened and time passes. That's sort of how it feels. I do remember there was a guy who skeeved me out with red eyes."

  I watched Ryker's body language change from being relaxed to completely wired and on alert. I could physically feel his energy, and I knew my dream upset him.

  "When we were at the lake, and I dove into the water, and you told me magic was real, I thought you were insane, but then in the water, something happened."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I'm trusting you with this, something tells me I can, but something also tells me that we need to hold this information close." I took a sip of my coffee, needing Ryker to agree not to tell anyone.

  "Ariel, I know you don't understand mates or the ways of the wolf, but you are my fated mate. The Gods gave you to me, fated us to be. I will never betray you. My loyalty will always lie with you."

  I don't know why, but his words made the back of my throat burn, and tears threatened to fall. I wasn't a crier, not really. But this vow of loyalty from him made me feel cared for and not alone. Since my dad died, and honestly, with him gone for work, maybe it had been longer than that, I was alone, and Ryker made me feel like that wasn't the case any longer. I could fall in love with this man.

  He noticed the change in my emotions and stroked my calf under the blanket. It wasn't sexual. It was comforting, urging me to continue.

  "Okay, so the water and my memory... that was fuzzy at the time too, but it's getting clearer. There was a blue light-no not a light, a flame. And I know this is going to sound crazy, but there was a voice that told me I was the keeper of it, as was my father and his father, and I needed to take it. So, I grabbed hold of the flame, and I felt it everywhere. It was as if it invaded every inch of my body. Then I woke up and ran... Well, you saw what happened after that. When I had that panic attack, I saw a memory of my dad and Father Archibald, and I knew I needed to read the letter."

  "What letter?"

  I stood and retrieved the letter, then handed it to Ryker. "Dad left it for me. I've never opened it. I guess somehow I felt like if I did, I would be letting go of the last thing I had between us, and I wasn't ready to do that."

  "You went through all of that alone?"

  "Yeah, I was alone," I said, taking my spot on the couch again. "I was in Seattle. I had friends. It wasn't like I was a recluse or anything."

  "That's not what I mean. You opened the letter by yourself. It caused you pain, Ariel, and you were alone. You shouldn't have been alone. I wanted to give you space, but if I had known you were going through something so monumental, I never would've left you. I'm sorry."

  "Whoa, hold on there, Big Guy. I needed that space. There is nothing to apologize for. Go on, read the letter."

  "I need to touch you."

  I raised an eyebrow because it didn't really seem like the appropriate time.

  "Not like that. It calms me. I'm navigating the mate thing just like you are. It's all new to me. Any type of pain you feel, whether it's physical or mental pain, affects me. It's my duty as your mate, your pack leader, your wolf, and your man to make sure all of your needs are being met."

  "That's a lot on your shoulders. You can't shield me from things. I'm going to feel them. I get to have a reaction, and it's normal too."

  "But if I can ease the pain of something even a little, I need to try." He grabbed my calf again and stroked it. "Tell me my skin against yours doesn't affect you. Tell me it doesn't calm you."

  I nodded. There went that tight feeling in the back of my throat again. "Read the letter."

  I watched him as he poured over dad's words. He took his time, taking it all in.

  "So, the library today?"

  "I was researching the Rosi. I need to know everything about them. I emailed Father Archibald because the information I found online was as vague as dad's letter. I feel like the letter says a lot, and at the same time, says nothing. What does he mean, mythical and divine? Divine as in God? Angels? It's a lot."

  "Did Father Archibald respond? What do you know about him?"

  I went over my dream with Ryker and what little I could remember about Father Archibald. It had been years since I saw him last.

  "I know you want to keep this between us, but I want you to think about letting the council know. The more eyes on this, the better. We can figure it out together."

  "The council?"

  "Yeah, sorry. That's everyone you've met: Mindy, Micah, Reece, Grey. Plus, my dad is the historian."

  "They seem so young. That's your council?"

  "How old do you think Mindy is?"

  "She's in her early twenties."

  "She's one hundred ninety-two. Which you're right, they are young for wolves standards, but they've all had interesting lives. They're good at what they do. The speed my wolves have is incredible, and the way we work together... Even my old man says he's never seen a pack work quite so well together."

  "I thought all of the wolves were a pack?"

  He sighed, "We are, it's just I'm the Alpha, and they are all part of my council. Think of them as the elite. Look, all I'm saying is you can trust them."

  "I'll think about it."

  "Can I see your medallion and dagger?"

  I reached over on the coffee table, grabbed my bag, and handed him the dagger. He flipped it over, studying it. "This looks like a script of some kind."

  "Yes, it's on my ring too." I went to take off my ring to hand it to him, but he shook his head. "Keep it on."

  "You have a pretty big stack of books over there. Do you want help combing through them?"

  "Thanks, I'd like that."

  We looked through the books for hours, and finally, after finding nothing, I slammed the book I was paging through shut. "Everything I see just makes them seem like a non-religion."

  Ryker raised his eyeb
row up at me, silently asking what the hell I was talking about.

  "I mean, just because you say you're not a religion doesn't mean you're not. They still have an organization. They still have a set of values and core things they believe or don't. They believe in 'The Divine.' Just because the place where they meet doesn't have a steeple..."

  Ryker put his hand on my knee. "I get it. Maybe it's not that simple, though. Maybe it's more like a culture?"

  "I don't know. What I do know is reading through these books is beginning to feel useless. It's a lot of the same stuff."

  "Something else has been niggling at the back of my mind." Ryker's hand stroked my calf, and I realized that since we woke up, there wasn't a time that we weren't touching in some way. It felt completely natural. "It can't be a coincidence that the Valderes hired you and got you here. I never thought I'd be grateful to them for anything, but if they hadn't, how in the world would I have met you?" He shook his head. "All I'm saying is, there is no way they would hire an assistant from Seattle to come to Ohio. I'm sure that position doesn't require a ton of skill. Sorry, babe."

  "No worries. I get what you're saying, and I've wondered the same thing. Let's hope Father Archibald gets back to me. How about we shower and go check my email at the library?"

  "We can shower," he said suggestively.

  I was about to protest when he stood, scooped me up, and threw me over his shoulder. "What are you doing?" I giggled. I actually giggled! "Put me down."

  "Not when I know you'll be naked and wet in a few seconds." Then, he slapped my ass!

  I laughed at his caveman antics as he brought me to the bathroom and set me upright. He turned on the water to let it warm then ordered, "Take off your clothes, Ariel."

  "ANY RESPONSE?" RYKER'S hot breath against my neck made goosebumps rise on my skin. What on God's Earth was he doing to me? I felt like a walking turned-on sex bomb, waiting to go off at the slightest touch. I wondered if it would always be this way. Granted, our shower this morning was just fooling around, and don't get me wrong, he could set me off, but it was like my body physically needed him inside of me. I was beginning to feel like a junkie whose craving was just out of reach.

  We were in the library, researching. A day had passed since I told Ryker everything I'd been holding back, and he'd helped me research.

  I clicked the mouse, checking my spam folder just in case. "Nope, nothing."

  "How about we check back later? I have someone I want you to meet."

  I logged out of my email and ended my session on the library's computer.

  "Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?" Ryker asked.

  "Not only have I been on one, but I have my endorsement."

  "No shit? You know how to ride?"

  "There's a lot you don't know about me yet."

  "Mysterious, I like it. How about today you sit behind me on my bike, and if you want, I'll work on finding you a bike to ride?"

  "Really? You don't need to do that. I have money. I can buy my own bike."

  "It's not easy for you to let someone take care of you, is it?"

  "Whoa, hang on." I had no idea how we got from A to B in this conversation.

  "Shh. You're in a library. What's the matter with the two of you carrying on like you're not supposed to be quiet?"

  Ryker chuckled, "Sorry, Mrs. Longwood. We're just leaving."

  The robust, older woman, wearing an oversized tee that read Books are badass, harrumphed and walked away, but not before giving us the stink eye.

  Ryker's accusations that I struggled to let people care for me were quickly forgotten as we left the library. We walked home, which kind of felt weird saying, but Ryker lived there too. Instead of us going inside, he led me through the parking lot and to a large barn that I strangely hadn't given any attention to until this point.

  It was a large, weathered grey barn with double doors that had to be at least fifteen feet tall. "How old is this?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. Something about super old barns was both spooky and beautiful at the same time.

  Ryker tugged on a handle of one of the doors, and it easily slid open. "I think it's a little over a hundred years old." Ryker slid the other side open, and I followed him in.

  "What are we doing here?" It was getting dark, and I couldn't really see what anything was.

  Ryker moved about and eventually located the light switch as the space suddenly lit up. "The seat I have on my bike isn't good for passengers. I want to change out the seat, so it's more comfortable for you. It shouldn't take long."

  He walked away, and I had a chance to take in everything. Well, not everything, as I could probably spend all day here. This, I could now tell, was where Ryker built furniture. There was a beautiful, large, dark-colored wooden wardrobe with roses etched into it. I ran my fingers over the roses then went to look at a piece that was in its rough form. It appeared to be the start of a table, but I wasn't quite sure. There were large tools and saws in the room; huge workbenches that had to be at least ten feet long were in the center of the room.

  Along the walls, I could see each furniture piece stacked alongside one another. I felt a spark of excitement. It wasn't like I just walked into a dusty old barn with a bunch of old furniture. No, it felt more like I was stepping into an artist's workshop. I swooned a little, thinking about Ryker building all these pieces.

  All too soon, Ryker walked back to me, carrying a seat and a couple of wrenches. "You ready?"

  "No, I mean, yes."

  "Which is it?" he chuckled.

  "This is amazing. I can't believe you built all of this, and own a bar, and manage an apartment complex."

  He laughed, "Don't forget, the pack leader."

  "God, how do you do it all?" I asked with a little bit of amazement. Sometimes, I had a hard time completing one task, and here he was juggling so much.

  "Easy, Ariel, I ask for help if I need it."

  Score one for Ryker.

  I gave him a look that said 'har, har,' then I followed him as he made his way outside. "Your work really is beautiful. I could spend a day in there looking at it."

  "Have at it. A few pieces are commissioned, but other than that, if you see anything you want, it's yours."

  "Really? Why would you do that?"

  "You really don't get how this mate thing works do you? There's not a thing in the entire world I wouldn't do for you. Anything that is mine is yours. Anything you desire, I'll make happen. I've spent lifetimes waiting for you. My heart, my soul, it was yours before you were even conceived. I know you don't grasp the depth of what I'd do for you. I know it frightens you. But you should know, I'd lay the world at your feet, just to see you smile. So, anything you want is yours."

  My jaw opened, but no words came out. What could I possibly say to that? It was the biggest declaration I'd ever heard. I wanted to cry. I wanted to hug him, and at the same time, I wanted to run because what he said felt so big. How in the world could I ever live up to that!

  He saw the fear cross my features and shook his head. I wasn't ready to hear those words, and we both knew it. He grabbed my hand, and gave me a reassuring squeeze, indicating he understood he freaked me out, then we walked to his bike.

  Surprisingly, it only took him a few minutes to switch out the seat. "I'll be right back," he said and moved to the barn to put his other seat away. I stood there and thought about Ryker teasing me with playful slaps to my bottom. Then I thought about his words... He'd lay the world at my feet. I tried to push those aside because they made my heart do funny things. One thing I was learning was how many layers there were to this man. I'd initially misjudged his attitude. He was so much more than anything I'd thought, and I liked him. Why I kept reminding myself of the fact, I had no idea. I think that perhaps I was trying to adapt to the idea of us. Maybe this mate thing wouldn't be so bad?

  "Ready?" he asked, handing me a helmet. I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn't heard him return.

  "Yeah. Where are we going again?"

  "I never told you." He started the bike, drowning me out, and I fixed the helmet to my head. He climbed on the bike, and I got on behind him. We drove for a few miles and were quickly outside of town, driving on the road surrounded by farmland. I was comfortable behind Ryker's muscular frame. I held onto him and wondered where in the world we could be headed. He turned down a side street, driving much slower as dirt kicked up around us.