Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne Read Free Book Online Page B

triumph. Could he be jealous? My heart gave a small unexpected leap at the idea.
    There were other Shifter girls waiting for the arrival of their full moon who would need a mate. Would he turn to one of them, or was he sensing the same thing I was: an inescapable connection, as if there were a rope bridging us, tautening and pulling us together. Was he as confused by it as I was?
    My gaze drifted back over to him. I’d always liked him, but his attention had always been on Lindsey. Now that he no longer had a destined mate, was he finally taking notice of me?
    “And then the squirrel ran up my leg searching for nuts.”
    I nearly spewed my coffee and my eyes went wide as I jerked my head around to stare at Daniel.
    He gave me a wry grin and chuckled. “I thought that would get your attention.”
    “I’ve been listening.”
    “No, you haven’t.” He gave a meaningful nod in Connor’s direction. So much for my subtle observation. “But I can’t blame you for wondering about Connor. We’re all wondering.”
    “Wondering what?”
    “What exactly happened with him and Lindsey and Rafe—out there in the woods, during the full moon. None of them are talking.”
    “It’s not really anybody’s business, is it?” My words came out tarter than I’d meant for them to, but I didn’t like people gossiping about my friends. “Sorry,” I said quickly. “Didn’t mean to snap at you like that, but well—”
    “I know. You’re a team. It creates a bond. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    Lucas, Kayla, Rafe, Lindsey, Connor, and I were a sherpa team. We usually worked together to lead campers into the forest. But our bond, our friendship, went beyond that. Although Kayla was new to our group, the rest of us had gone to school together. Daniel had just moved here from the Washington State area. They had Shifter sanctuaries out there, but everyone wanted to be skilled enough to be selected to protect the Wolford area. It was, like, the capital of the Shifter world—at least the North American contingent.
    “Would you feel better if one of our best guardians was dead?” I asked. While the challenge should have meant a fight to the death, we’d evolved, become more civilized. Surely.
    Daniel blushed. “Okay, I get it. Not my business.Anyway, I’ll see you at the meeting.”
    After he left, I looked back to where Connor had been sitting. The chair was empty. It was silly of me to feel a sense of loss, but I did. Even my appetite had abandoned me.
    I took my tray to the kitchen and headed out. In my rush, I nearly rammed into Elder Wilde. He was Lucas’s grandfather. The Wildes were almost like royalty. For generations, a Wilde had served as our pack leader, always passing the position down to the eldest son. Lucas was an exception, but no one questioned his leadership after he fought his older brother for the right to lead us.
    Elder Wilde’s surprisingly strong hands dropped down on my shoulders like lead weights. I nearly stumbled from the surprise of it. “Brittany, I’d sensed that you were back.”
    Smelled me more like it, but he was too polite to say.
    “The other elders and I would like to have a word with you in the treasures room.”
    Great. I couldn’t run. Even though he was old, when he was in wolf form he could outpace and outdistance me. I couldn’t hide. He’d sniff me out.
    So I did the only thing I could do. I swallowed hard and nodded.

FIVE
    The Council of Elders was made up of three. They didn’t look all that bad considering they’d each been around for at least a century. They weren’t immortal, but the aging process was slowed by their healing ability. Still, Shifters do eventually age, and they were showing the signs. A little more bent, a little more withered and sporting manes of snowy white hair.
    But their eyes were sharp, and damn it, their ability to scent probably was, too.
    We were sitting in chairs near the fireplace. I felt as though the snarling wolves on the mantel