The Ash Moon (The Ariane Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  Rion and I have been messaging all week. We made plans for Friday night. I tried to tell my Mom I was spending the night at Paige's, but now, with a new guy in the picture, she wasn't having it. She told me he had to pick me up at home, and he had to meet Dad. She also told me I had a curfew of one in the morning. Lovely. Never before have I had one. She’s looking out for me and I’m grateful for that. However, I’m eighteen. I would have thought I’d have more free rein at this point. Sometimes, I’m envious of the way Paige’s parents let her do whatever she wants.

  I’m sitting in my living room in a pair of jeans and a faded black T-shirt, waiting for my date. I didn't need to dress to impress Rion on Monday, so there's no reason to now. And then I hear it. The low rumble of his car. I don't move, not until the doorbell rings. When I stand, my dad gives me a look that has me staying in place. He wants to be the one to answer the door.

  Swinging it wide, I don't get to see Rion, though I hear him. That rich, sexy sound of his voice. “Mr. Sanderly, I'm Orion Raines. It's nice to meet you.”

  My dad takes his hand. “It's nice to meet you as well. I want you to know that Ari is my only child. If anything were to happen to her, I would find you. The end result wouldn't be pretty.” He went straight to the point. My dad isn't a small man. I get my shortness from my mom. But he's also not up to Rion's caliber. He might be near the same height, but Dad has let himself go. He's got a bit of a pot belly, and he hasn't worked out in a long time.

  “I understand, sir. Your daughter will be safe with me,” Rion states.

  “I hope so.” Dad looks over at me. That's my cue to grab my purse and head for the door. Mom had to work late tonight, so she isn't here to greet Rion.

  I falter in my steps as I get a good look at the guy who came to pick me up. It’s dark outside, but the light over the door casts a brilliant glow upon him. He has on his signature dark jeans. His shirt is white, making his eyes stand out more. His dark hair is neatly combed away from his face. And his smile at seeing me is something you read about in books.

  My dad snaps me out of my trance. “One o'clock, Ari. Not a minute later.”

  “I know.” I smile and wave as I practically skip out the door.

  I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to seeing Rion again until he was at my doorstep. I've been so immersed in books and school; I didn't have much time to think about where we were going tonight or what we’re going to do. He didn't give me any hints. Just told me to trust him. Still kind of hard to do when I don’t know him that well.

  Rion opens the car door for me like a perfect gentleman, tucking me safely inside before getting in the driver's seat. We both buckle our seat belts. He turns to me and tugs on my ponytail. My hair was not doing what it's supposed to today, so I swept it up to keep it out of my face.

  “I like this,” he says with another tug.

  Suddenly, I'm self-conscious. “Yeah? I wasn't sure what to do with it. It was a little frizzy today.” My hair is straight on a good day. I shower and blow it out at night before bed. In the morning, I use a flat iron to get it looking how I want it. Today, even the flat iron couldn't tame the frizz. My hair is naturally wavy, but sometimes nothing seems to help.

  “You're beautiful, Ariane.”

  I smile as my cheeks begin to heat, but this time I don’t duck my head in embarrassment. “I like it when you say my name, Rion.”

  “And I like it when you say mine.”

  I'm seconds from leaning over the center console and kissing those gorgeous lips of his, but he starts the car and backs out of my driveway instead. Maybe by the end of the date I’ll get to find out how he kisses.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “Toward my uncle's house.” Seriously? We're having a date with his uncle?

  “Ummm...okay.”

  He chuckles. “We're not going to visit him. There’s this large field that is perfect for looking at the night sky. I want to take you there.”

  “You promised you'd answer my questions, too.” He probably thought I’d forgotten. Not. Going. To. Happen.

  “I did and will hold true to my word. You can ask me anything now, if you'd like.” Finally! I get to ask him the billion questions that have been flowing through my brain nonstop.

  “Do you miss your parents?” I want to know more about Rion. Not just about the books and why he keeps pushing them on me, but about him.

  “I do. I wish I would have gotten to know them. I was only a year old when they died.” I can’t imagine growing up without parents. That must have been awful for him.

  “What happened? If you don't mind me asking, that is.”

  “I don't. I told you I'd answer your questions.”

  “I know, but this is more personal.”

  He takes my hand in his while keeping his other firmly grasped to the steering wheel. The zip of electricity is there, shooting up my arm then slowly dulling to a low hum in my veins. “They were killed in battle.”

  “Like a war?”

  “Yes, but probably not the kind you're thinking of. It was only briefly mentioned in Aries' book, but the year before I was born, a pack war broke out. My mom was pregnant with me, so my dad didn't want her anywhere near the fighting. They fled from their home and were able to find somewhere new to live, far enough away from the violence. It was quiet there for a while. Our side won the war. Then, the week of my first birthday, something happened.” All this talk of a pack war has me confused. He's speaking as if shifters are real again, unless he’s using the term to refer to something else. Pretty soon I'm going to start believing him.

  “Aries and Cassandra were visiting from out of town for my birthday. They said they'd watch me so my parents could get a night out on their own. My parents were leaving a restaurant near our home when three men approached them. My dad immediately went on the defensive and pushed my mother behind him. The men attacked. While my dad was strong, he was no match for three of them. Aries heard the call.” I wonder what he means by call. Did Rion’s mom call them on the phone? I don’t have a chance to ask. “He told Cassandra to get me in the car and drive to their home as fast as she could. He needed to know we were safe so he could search for my parents. He found their bodies in the woods, not far from the restaurant.” My heart splinters in my chest. What a horrible thing to happen.

  “Did the police catch who did it?”

  He shakes his head. “No, but Aries knew who they were. Do you remember the fight scene in Dante's book where he and Aries took on three men?”

  “Yes. All the men shifted. They fought as wolves. Aries and Dante killed them.” My mind drifts to the book, to the words Aries said right before he killed them. You took my brother from me. I will rid the world of you. For some reason, those words have stuck with me since I first read Dante’s book. “You're saying...”

  “Aries and Dante killed the wolves who murdered my parents.”

  “Shifters aren't real, Rion. Maybe they told you that as a child to help you cope with the deaths of your parents so you knew vengeance was served.”

  He slows the car down and pulls onto a dirt drive. We've been driving a lot longer than I thought.

  Rion parks the car, shuts it off, then turns to me. “It’s no story, Ari. It's the truth about what happened. The pack war might have ended, but a new one has been on the horizon for almost two decades. Aries has been able to hold it off and try to make peace with the rival pack, but we're not sure how much longer it will be until they come for us again. It’s only a matter of time before they’re on our doorstep.”

  He opens his door before I can say anything and then comes to open my door as well. Reaching down, he helps me out, but I become dizzy upon standing and fall against his chest. Rion's strong arms wrap around me to hold me upright.

  “Are you okay? Are you sick?” Concern is evident in his voice.

  “No, I feel all right. Just a little lightheaded.” I attempt to stand on my own. “It's a lot to take in. You're talking as if w
olf shifters are real. I'm not sure what to do with that. Do I need to seek help for you?”

  He peers down at me, his lips curving up ever so slightly. “You’re the only one who can help me, little mouse.” Bending, he places a chaste kiss on the tip of my nose. The dizziness starts all over but for a different reason. His arms hold me tight as I go lax. “Are you sure you're okay?”

  “It's your fault, you know.”

  He chuckles. “How do you figure?”

  “You have to be so sweet and kind and hot.”

  “Hot? You think I'm hot?”

  “Oh, please. The entire world thinks you're hot.”

  “I don't care what everyone else thinks. Only you. Your opinion is all that matters, Ari.”

  “And there you go again, making me swoon.”

  “You read too much romance.” If he only knew.

  “Says the guy who practically shoved said romance books down my throat.”

  “For your own good.” He laughs.

  “That remains to be seen. I'm extremely sleep deprived, thanks to you.” Which might also attribute to some of this dizziness I’m experiencing.

  “Can I let you go? I want to show you something.”

  “Hmmm?” Can't I stay in his arms forever? His scent of sandalwood wraps around me as I breathe him in. “You smell good,” I murmur dreamily. His chest vibrates with laughter. It’s then I realize I said that out loud. I immediately slap my hand over my mouth.

  “All the more reason I need you to come with me.” He drops his arms and takes my hand in his. Luckily, I’m able to stand on my own without swaying.

  We start down a narrow path through very dense trees. I can barely see in front of me. Fortunately, Rion leads the way. He walks like it's broad daylight and he can see clearly. He holds branch after branch out of the way so I can step down the path safely without any of them smacking me in the face. That’s just what I need. To be blindsided by a tree branch. I wish I had his eyesight.

  Eventually, we break through the trees and emerge in a clearing. It's large and circular. The moon above shines down on us, illuminating the open area.

  Rion walks behind me, slipping his arms around my waist. “Look up.”

  I do. The moon is stunning and seems so big in the sky. “It's a full moon.”

  “Not only that, it's an ash moon.”

  “I've never heard of that. What does it mean?”

  “If you look closely at the moon, you'll notice it appears sooty, as if it's covered in ash. Most don't notice it, but we do. Legend says: What happens beneath an ash moon will be life-altering. Good or bad, the moon brings something which will change everything.”

  I turn slightly to peer up at him. His warm breath skates across my cheek. “And what will be life-altering about this date tonight?”

  “I'm glad you asked.”

  Rion steps away from me and walks into the center of the clearing. Something in the air prickles my skin, causing goosebumps to break out all over and the hair on my arms to stand on end. I look around but see nothing other than Rion and me. Then his eyes flash emerald green a second before he turns into a wolf.

  9

  I stumble back until I bump into a tree. The wolf before me doesn't move, only watches me with emerald eyes. His fur is black; his ears tipped in white. This can't be happening. Shifters aren't real. I'm dreaming. That's what's going on. This is a dream. I've been reading too much.

  The wolf yips and sits down. I have no clue what that means. If I'm going off the dream theory, then it won't hurt to approach the wolf, right? I'm not actually awake. You can’t get hurt in a dream.

  Stepping forward hesitantly, I wait for the wolf to spring. He never does. I don't stop until I'm a few feet away. He's bigger up close. Much bigger than I would have thought a wolf would be.

  The wolf tips his head back to peer up at me. His eyes change to a crystal blue. My breath catches in my throat. This can't be happening.

  “Are you... Are you Orion?”

  He drops his head down and back up as if to say yes. As quickly as they changed, his eyes go back to green.

  “You're a wolf.”

  He snorts as if to say, “Obviously.”

  I spin and walk back toward the path we took. “This can't be real,” I say out loud, to no one in particular, since I'm alone with a wolf. “Shifters aren't real. They don't exist except in books, television, and movies. This is ridiculous.”

  The wolf, or Orion if you will, darts in front of me to stop me from walking away.

  “Okay, I honestly don't know if I'm awake or dreaming, so if you're in there, can you come back? I'm having a hard time processing this and think you're going to need to take me to the emergency room for some strong meds.”

  Just like that, Rion is back in all his manly glory, fully clothed, and grinning like he did the first night I met him—like he won the lottery. I’m not smiling, however.

  “What just happened?” I ask.

  “I'm a wolf shifter.”

  “Uh huh. And when did you slip me the drugs?”

  “I didn't slip you anything. This is what I've been trying to tell you all week by having you read Lealla's series.”

  “Yeah, I don't think so. I think I'm either having some sort of breakdown or I'm dreaming. I can't figure out which.”

  Rion steps closer, his crystal blue eyes staring intently at me. Then they flash emerald green. I shake my head and they’re back to blue.

  “The green you see in my eyes is my wolf. The color appears when he is rising to the surface. The blue is me in human form.”

  “Let’s just assume I believe you. If you’re in wolf form, can I pet you like a dog?” Of all the things for me to ask, this is what I choose. It’s not logical by any sense. However, it’s what slips past my lips.

  “While my wolf doesn't like being compared to a dog, he would let you do anything you wanted to him. He'd never hurt you.”

  “Why is that?”

  “You're my mate, Ariane.”

  “That's it. I'm out.” I start down the path back to the car at a good clip, not caring that I trip repeatedly. I need to go to the hospital. This isn't normal. He said he didn’t slip me any drugs. Now I need a professional, too. The good kind that makes me happy and stops me from freaking out.

  “Ari, would you stop?”

  “Nope. You're taking me to the hospital. This has to be a mental break. I don't know how else to explain all of this.”

  “I’m a shifter, and you’re my mate.”

  I spin, stopping him in his tracks. “I asked one thing of you tonight, and that was to finally answer my questions. Instead, you tell me you're a wolf.” Tell me, show me, same difference.

  “I only want you to know the truth.”

  “I don't know what to believe.”

  “How can I convince you?”

  “You think I have the answer to that?” I start laughing uncontrollably. “I'm losing my mind, Rion! You expect me to find a way for you to convince me? How about you make me believe I'm not dreaming or losing my mind? How about that?”

  He stares at me intently for a moment before cupping my cheeks in his hands and pressing his lips to mine. I freeze, forget to breathe, and all I do is feel. Feel the heat of Rion's body pressed to mine. Feel the strength he possess as my hands rest on his chest then slide down to his hips.

  Turning his head slightly, he deepens the kiss. Our tongues meet and it's as if a thousand fireworks are going off behind my eyes. Sparks like I've never known are lighting up my body. The jolt I get when we touch is nothing compared to what this kiss feels like.

  He growls deep in his throat as he nips at my bottom lip. Before I have a chance to pull him closer, he's breaking our kiss.

  “Would I do that to you in a dream?”

  “In my dream you'd probably do a lot more.”

  He laughs and wraps his arms around me. Instinctively, I hold on to him, my hands fisting the shirt at his back, afraid at any second, he's going to d
isappear. Then I'm chanting in my head: Please don't be a dream. Please don't be a dream. As much as I thought I was dreaming before, the reality is, I want it to be real. Wolf or not, I never want this to end. The way I react to him is something of another world—something magical.

  He rests his chin on top of my head. “I would never lie to you. I want you to know all of me. That means knowing my wolf, too. He and I are entwined. We're one.”

  Pulling back, I glance up into those blue eyes I easily get lost in. “Show me again.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t think I could handle it if you tried to walk away from me again. I meant it when I said you're my mate, Ari. For me, there will only ever be you.”

  “I won't walk away. Promise.” Maybe this time, if I'm ready for it, I won't freak out as much. Maybe. In reality, there's no telling how I'll react.

  Rion leads us back to the circle. He leaves me off to the side and stands in the middle, where the moon is shining down on him. “You can come up to my wolf if you like. He won’t hurt you. Introduce yourself. Talk to him. He's part of me.”

  “Can you hear me in there?”

  “I can. When the eyes of my wolf are green, he's in control. When they’re blue, that's me. I can take over at any time, though. We have a cohesive relationship. He doesn't rule me, and I don't rule him. Sometimes, the wolf can take people over who don't respect them. Then, you're dealing with a completely wild animal.”

  “All right,” I say, rubbing my hands together. “Let's do this.”

  In the blink of an eye, Rion is gone and his wolf remains. Whoa, buddy. This is still a lot to take in. I mean, he's a wolf—a big freaking wolf.

  He lets out a yip and sits down. Cautiously, I step forward. Rion said he'd never hurt me, but that doesn't stop my trepidation at approaching a wild animal. Well, not completely wild.