Dark of the Moon Read online

  Before I could object—not that I would have—he stood, grabbed my hand, pulled me to my feet, and led me out of the media room. In the hallway, he faced me. "Something is wrong. I know you're not still mad about this afternoon or you wouldn't have sat with me. Something else is bothering you. What is it?"

  His voice emanated power and command. I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted him to reassure me that somewhere I would find an answer, that I would become the beautiful wolf I'd always longed to be. But I remembered the odd looks I'd received when I'd hopped onto the treadmill. Those looks were nothing compared with the ones I'd get if the truth about me came out.

  "It's this Bio-Chrome mess." Partly true. "I just wasn't in the mood to watch a movie making fun of what we are. Mason and his dad view us as little more than lab rats to be dissected and studied, and portrayals like that"—I jerked my head toward the theater— "don't help our cause. We're stereotyped."

  "No, we're not, Brittany. No one knows we exist. Well, except for Bio-Chrome. The movies are fiction, based on someone's imagination or fears. We know they're grossly inaccurate but we can't be accurately portrayed if we're not willing to come out of the woods."

  His words surprised me. "Do you think we should?" I asked.

  "Some of us have been talking about it, but you heard the elders. They believe there's safety in secrecy."

  "Is that what you believe?"

  "I'd rather face the storm." He reached into the tub of popcorn and grabbed a handful. "Let's get out of here."

  "Like where?"

  "Just walk."

  He took the tub I still clutched and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Wrapping his hand around mine, he led me outside. Usually I wasn't so docile, but tonight wherever he led was where I wanted to go.

  We reached the edge of the yard, where it gave way to the woods. Leaning against a tree, Connor put his hands on my hips and brought me in alignment with him. My heart thundering, our eyes met and held. Very slowly, he skimmed his hand down my arm, and I hated that I'd had to wear sleeves to hide the bruise, that I couldn't feel the rasp of his touch over my skin. He threaded his fingers through mine, and a spark of electricity shot between us. Then he lifted my hand and began to lick any lingering butter and salt off my fingertips. It was probably the most sensual thing I'd ever experienced. But it didn't feel.. .I don't know. Honest.

  "I won't be your rebound girl," I said, pushing the words up out of my throat.

  He seemed surprised by my harsh tone. "Lindsey told me that you have the hots for me."

  I slid my eyes closed and groaned. She had no right. I opened my eyes to find him still studying me.

  "Well?" he prodded.

  I gritted my teeth, hoping he wasn't about to make a fool of me. But this was Connor. The Connor who'd gone to school with me. The one on the football field who I rooted for. The one who carried campers' equipment into the wilderness and never complained. The one with the sexy smile. The one who—if I was honest—cared enough about our kind to make sure he was choosing the right person to serve as his right hand. "Yeah, so?"

  "How much?"

  "It's not something I can quantify on a scale of one to ten." Mostly because what I felt for him was off the charts.

  "Was it like you just looked at me one day and bam'—you were struck by lightning?"

  "No."

  "That's the way Lucas said it was with Kayla. That when you meet your destined mate it's like taking a kick to the gut."

  "Well, that's romantic," I said sarcastically. "Why does it have to be like that? Why can't we just gradually fall in love? The way humans do."

  "Because we're not human." He pulled me closer until my hips rammed against his. "You let me win this afternoon. You relaxed your hold before I indicated that I was giving up. You know better than to do that."

  What I'd misread for desire, I now realized bordered on anger, maybe disappointment that I'd let him win. I swallowed hard. "I figured your ego took a pounding when Rafe beat you. I couldn't do that to you again—not in front of the others."

  "You think Rafe beat me?" he asked, slowly enunciating each word as though he found them difficult to comprehend.

  "Well, yeah, I know how these things work. A challenge is always a fight to the death, and neither of you died, but Rafe ended up with the girl, which means he won but showed mercy." I realized how awful that sounded, and that I was babbling. So untypical, but I wanted desperately to explain why Pd thrown the fight. "Believe me, if I'd been betting money, I would have bet on you. You're not as in-your-face as Lucas is or as intimidating as Rafe, but you're powerful and strong and I think you're the best of—"

  "Just shut up," he growled, right before he covered my mouth with his.

  I felt as though I'd waited my whole life for this moment—to kiss Connor. And it was just as feverish and wild as I'd expected. How could it not be when one of us was fortunate enough to harbor a beast inside of him?

  My mind stuttered with the reminder that my beast had yet to be released, but I shoved it aside to concentrate on the kiss. My skin tingled where the stubble on his chin abraded mine. There was hunger in his kiss, heated passion, and unexpected tenderness. His strong hands roamed over my back, slipped beneath my shirt, and skimmed across my spine into the curve of my lower back. I moaned softly. I wanted his shirt off. I wanted my fingers trailing over his chest. His hands clamped my hips, and suddenly he was pushing me away.

  "He didn't beat me," he ground out. "I walked away because I didn't love Lindsey."

  "But—"

  "Yeah, I know. Ink on my shoulder. Public declaration she's the one. Well, she wasn't. You don't want to be the rebound girl? Fine, but don't tease me with that fine-honed body either."

  Before I could respond, he started to run, discarding his clothes as he went. As he disappeared into the thicket of trees, he transformed into the wolf, the moonlight dancing over his golden fur in the same way that my fingers ached to.

  Was he expecting me to strip down, transform, and follow? Was that how I was supposed to prove that I hadn't been teasing him earlier, that I wanted more than kisses from him? By chasing after him?

  Breathing heavily, I turned around and placed my back against the tree. What had just happened? Had the test in the gym come about not because Connor had seen it as an ideal opportunity to test my skills, but because…well, because he'd been attracted to me? He'd wanted to get up close and personal—and challenging me had provided him with an acceptable excuse?

  He didn't love Lindsey. The words kept echoing over and over in my mind, like a song that I couldn't get out of my head. If he hadn't loved her, there was no rebound. And if there was no rebound—

  Was it possible that I could have Connor on my terms?

  Yes, right up until the moment when he realized I'd yet to turn into a wolf, that I'd couldn't lope along beside him. That he could hint that I should follow but I still wasn't able to catch up. That, for now, I was only half of what he was.

  There was none of the magic that bonded two mates forever. No sharing of moonlight.

  I couldn't go on like this. I didn't want to confess it to the elders, but my mom—I could tell her. She'd be back from Europe tomorrow. She might know what was going on. Maybe she was a late bloomer as well.

  Dejected by my present reality, I began walking back to the residence. I decided to use the approved front door for my entrance this time. As I rounded the corner, I nearly ran into a couple locked in a passionate embrace. His back was up against the brick and she was up against him. As they kissed, he moaned and she sighed. They reminded me of what I'd just left.

  Although I hadn't made any noise, they both suddenly broke apart. Lindsey released a startled laugh. "Oh my God, I thought I smelled Connor."

  Without a word, I started walking on. She grabbed my arm and spun me around. "I do smell him," she said. "You've been with him…like, right up against him."

  I was beginning to hate how much they could pick up from scent. Nothing