Ice Moon (21 page)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Jared

“S
hit.” I shouted as she drove away. Nadya and Kilani came up beside me. “I need to go after her.”

Nadya shook her head. “Not a good idea right now. She’s barely holding it together.”

“That’s why I have to find her. I can talk her down. I’ve done it before.”

Nadya laid a hand on my arm. “Jared, look at me.”

I ground my teeth and forced myself to make eye contact.

“Her emotions were so strong just now, she came right through my mental shields. She’s feeling betrayed, scared, and heartbroken. And it’s all focused on you. If her hold over her gift is faltering, you are the
last
person she needs to see at the moment.”

The truth of her words, the honesty in her eyes, stabbed my heart like a dagger to the chest.
I
did this. Taryn was in pain because of
me
.

“Damn it. I thought this was going to work. Tonight I was going to tell her and show her, and she’d accept it. It’s all fucked up now because of me.”

Kilani shook her head. “You can’t take all the blame. Lana’s still inside trying to explain to the twins why they can’t say werewolf in front of new people.”

I groaned. “It’s not their fault. I should’ve told her sooner. I tried. I just…I was afraid this would happen.”

“She’ll come around,” Kilani said.

I turned her way. “Did you see that? Like one of your visions? It’s going to be okay?”

“Not a vision of the future, but she and Charlie love you.”

“She did.” I clenched my fists. “Now she thinks I’m an insane liar who brainwashed her son.”

Nadya sighed. “Just let her calm down. Give her some space, and then try to talk again without your entire family watching.” She gripped my shoulder. “At least you and Sebastian got Damian out of her life. This will all work out…eventually.”

Jason and I had searched multiple times over the past two weeks for any sign or scent of Damian in Lake Tahoe. Taryn’s office said Sebastian had picked up the keys to the new property, but other than that, it was as if he and his brother never existed. The house Damian bought remained empty, and the rented place we’d discovered on Halloween was back on the market.

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I want to make this right. She’s my mate. I didn’t even get a chance to tell her that yet.”

Kilani raised a brow. “Finding out your wolf recognized her as your mate is probably the last thing she wants to hear right now.”

Adam came out. I smelled him before I heard his voice. “Can I get a minute with Jared?”

Kilani and Nadya headed back to the cabin, and Adam walked up to stand beside me. “You know, I told Lana I was a werewolf right off the bat because she was a jaguar, so I figured she already knew about us. It would’ve been perfect except she had no idea jaguar shifters and werewolves existed, let alone that she was one.” He clasped my shoulder. “I’m trying to say, there is no
perfect
or easy way to bring a woman into our world.”

“Yeah, but what just happened was a total clusterfuck, and I have no one to blame but myself.”

He shook his head. “It could’ve been worse, she could’ve set the house on fire.”

“She was barely containing it when she drove away.”

“She’ll be okay.” He turned toward the cabin. “Come inside and eat before we shift, okay? Give her a night to sleep on it and try again tomorrow.”

I let him lead me back, but I had one thing in mind. I was going to shift, and then I was going to find her.

Charlie could help me. We’d make Taryn believe.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Taryn

D
riving into the late afternoon sun was treacherous on a normal day, having it reflecting off the snow made the icy road even more dangerous. The cold gusts of wind coming through my window helped me focus and contain the fire. Barely.

Charlie had his sweater back on with his arms crossed.

“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you from this. I should’ve been more careful. I had no idea Jared had such crazy ideas.”

“They’re not crazy, Mom.”

I sighed. “We’re not discussing this anymore. I’m your Mom. I’m supposed to keep you safe. I had no business bringing him into our lives.”

“Please don’t keep Jared away.”

A black Lexus came up fast in my rearview mirror. “I know you like him, but he’s not good for you.” I swallowed a lump in my throat. “For either of us.”

Behind me, the Lexus followed so close I couldn’t see the telltale L on the grate. Didn’t this ass understand the roads were icy? I reached my hand out the open window and waved for him to pass me.

He stayed on my tail. I gripped the wheel a little tighter. Finally, the car crossed the broken yellow line, only to swing back behind us again. I kept my speed steady. I wasn’t about to put our lives at risk over an impatient asshole who didn’t know how to drive in the snow.

There was a turn off in a few miles.

Suddenly my Escalade lurched forward. Charlie yelped. “Did that guy just hit us?”

My tires glided, losing traction. I struggled to keep the wheel straight as the Lexus crossed into the other lane. I ached to slam on the brake, but that would only send us sliding or spinning to who knew where.

Beside us, the tinted window slid down and Damian’s crazed eyes met mine.

Impossible. He was gone.

I stepped on the gas, trying to outrun him. Time seemed to slow. Damian swung into my lane, clipping my back fender, and propelling us into a spin. Charlie screamed. My steering wheel folded under the heat of my hands as we smacked into the guardrail, hard. The crash deafened my ears, and then silence suffocated us as the world tilted.

We were in mid-air.
Oh shit. God no
. I grabbed for Charlie’s hand as if I could hold him in the car more securely than his seatbelt.

The moment we hit the snowy mountain cliff everything went black.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Jared

W
e ate our Thanksgiving dinner in awkward silence. The twins moped, not understanding where Charlie went or why everyone was upset.

Madeleine kept explaining, “But I told the truth.”

My Pack avoided looking in my direction which was fine by me. Ruining my life and hurting my mate was bad enough. Having it happen in front of my entire Pack made the sting even more acute.

I cleaned my plate and wished the clock would move faster. The sooner it got dark, the sooner I could shift and get to Taryn. Now that she knew, I hoped seeing me as a wolf she might recognize my eyes. She might believe me.

It was the only chance I had.

Outside the sky darkened. Clouds rolled in fast on the mountain top. During the winter months, the weather could go from a drizzle to a full-on snow storm in less than an hour. The ski resorts loved it. Wasn’t so great for drivers.

That was what killed Bailey.

Heavy glops of icy rain hit the deck outside. Wintry mix. Memories of that stormy night filled my head. The snow getting heavier, the wind whipping across the road making tempests of ice beside the roadway. Bailey struggling to see the reflectors marking the highway. We should’ve pulled over until the storm cleared, but we were so close to her house.

I closed my eyes, resting my head on the door and trying to push the memories from my mind. I didn’t want to hear the twisting metal and the glass shattering as we tumbled down the mountainside.

Logan came to stand beside me. “Sorry man. Nothing worse than finding your mate and not being able to be with her.”

Logan and his twin Luke were the youngest members of my generation of the Pack. He was the lead singer of Logan and the Howlers. He killed it in the spotlight, but in private, Logan was a man of very few words. I appreciated he was trying, but in my agitated state I was tempted to tell him he didn’t know shit and once he found his mate we could talk.

I straightened up. “Thanks, Logan.”

“If there’s anything I can do…”

“I think the only one who can fix this is me. I fucked it up, so it’s only fair, right?”

His mouth curved into a bitter smile. “Just don’t wait too long. Don’t let her slip away.”

I nodded. “No chance.”

A
fter the clean-up was finished, Lana and Sasha, our resident jaguar shifters, turned on the TV. They would stay here and watch the twins while the Pack went out to shift under the full moon. Before we went outside, Jason cleared his throat, catching everyone’s attention.

“While we’re all together, Kilani and I have some news.”

My brother had already told me his secret, and now I felt even worse. They’d been planning to announce Kilani’s pregnancy tonight, before the evening imploded, thanks to me.

“Kilani is pregnant.”

The house erupted with cheers and our parents wrapped Kilani in hugs and kisses that would’ve had me gasping for air. At least their announcement shifted the focus away from the ruin of my life. They looked so damned happy.

I was too, a couple of hours ago.

My brother came over and gave me a hug. “Thanks for keeping it quiet for us for a few weeks.”

“No problem.” I pulled back. “My face probably doesn’t show it right now, but I’m really excited for you guys. You’re going to be great parents.”

“Thanks. Maybe in a couple days Kilani can come up and talk to Taryn.”

“I have no idea if that will help.”

“Just let me know.”

I nodded and followed the others outside. Snow blanketed us as we went further down the hiking trail, into the mountains. Adam, being our Alpha, would be the one to stop first. Then we’d all find a spot, strip down, and shift. And once I was a wolf, I could find Taryn. My hands trembled I needed to see her so badly. I wanted to make her smile, to take away her pain.

Finally Adam stopped. “Okay we’re clear. Let’s do this.”

He didn’t need to tell me twice. I went behind a thicket of trees and stripped off my clothes, my eyes on the moon. Inside my wolf paced, agitated and eager. His time was here.

Pain ripped through my body, burning down my back until I fell to the ground on all fours. I’d shifted once a month for years, and every time the torture surprised me. My bones cracked, joints popping and reforming. I would’ve screamed if my vocal chords were still intact.

My jaw snapped, jutting forward into a snout, my teeth becoming deadly canines. I panted through the agony as brown hair pushed up through every pore. Falling onto my side, the transformation continued with claws on my feet and a tail lengthening from my spine.

Finally, the pain subsided. I got up and shook my entire body, my wolf eager to run. Usually, I allowed my wolf free-rein, to take control, but tonight all I could think about was Taryn.

Adam’s howl echoed through the night, calling the Pack to him. He would take the lead, ensuring the wolves stayed away from humans. My ears pricked as my Pack answered his call. Inside, I coaxed the wolf in the other direction.

We trotted slowly at first, tentative, but the cold breeze shifted, blowing the snow into our eyes. A growl ignited in my belly, my lips pulling back to reveal dangerous teeth.

Blood was in the wind.

Lifting my snout, I focused on the scent.

Taryn and Charlie.

I raced for them, tracking their scent over rocks and through the trees. Thankfully, the wolf ran on instincts because deep within, my heart had stopped. They were outside in the storm…bleeding.

There was light in the distance. Far from the humans and their roads. I ran toward it. The terrain below was easier to maneuver, but the light was further up the mountainside. My claws dug into the snow, scrambling to get traction. I pulled myself up the snowy rocks toward the light and the alarming smell of my mate’s blood. As I got closer, another scent assaulted me.

Jaguar.

My hackles rose as I made my way toward the crushed Escalade. My wolf didn’t understand the voice, but I did. Loud and clear.

“You fucking bitch.” Damian grunted. “If you’d stopped, instead of trying to run from me, I wouldn’t be freezing my ass off in the snow.”

I got on my belly, moving in the shadows. The SUV leaned on the driver’s side, twisted, with one headlight still lit. They’d rolled numerous times after going over the guardrail up above.

“I had to go buy supplies just to get down here. You better still be alive or I’ll start your heart again just so I can kill you slowly.”

Our night vision as wolves wasn’t as strong as a jaguar’s. He’d have the advantage once he got to the car. But he was still on the mountainside above. This was our chance.

I urged the wolf forward when suddenly we bolted for the vehicle. Catching the scent of our mate so close, the instinct to bite her, to convert her and make her ours overwhelmed what little control I had. Gareth had warned me.

Jesus she was already injured. I couldn’t bite her now.

I struggled for dominance over the animal part of my spirit, but it was a losing battle. When we reached the driver’s side window, the glass was shattered and the frame crushed. Peering inside, we jumped back when Taryn gasped. She was alert.

Before I realized what was happening, my wolf lunged at the small opening, jaws snapping in an effort to claim her.
No no no!
Nothing helped.

“This is perfect. Here puppy…”

We spun around at the sound of Damian’s voice. He pointed a gun at us. I snarled, growling as I paced away from the SUV, drawing him away from my mate.

“You’re the one who ran to my brother aren’t you?” He cocked the pistol. “He’s no match for me, wolf. You’ve gotten in my way for the last time.”

I lunged off my powerful hind legs. A gunshot deafened my ears as we knocked him to the ground. My jaws snapped onto his wrist, teeth shattering through bone. Damian wailed, dropping the gun and beating me with his other hand.

I released his arm and sank my teeth into his upper thigh, hobbling him before we ran back to Taryn’s side.

Her voice was weak, but lucid. “Jared, if that’s you, you need to help Charlie. He won’t wake up.”

My head tilted. The wolf didn’t understand her words. But I did. Perfectly. The wolf whined in pain, swiping at our face with his paw as I pushed my will. Gradually, he backed into the shadows. Forcing my shift while the moon was still high in the sky was going to hurt like hell, but I couldn’t get Charlie out as a wolf.

The dark crushed cavern of the cab looked so familiar, the scent of blood, the crunch of glass.

Already it was harder to breathe.