Resisting the Moon (Royal Shifters #2)(11)

Bailey smirks. “Something like that. Since our magic is running high with the full moon, I thought a game would be fun. The guys are all at my house getting ready. When Ryker howls, it will start. They’ll be coming after us.”

I scoff. “So we’re just supposed to let them chase us? Where’s the fun in that?” I’ve never been the type of girl to run away. I like to fight.

She leans closer, whispering in my ear. “We’re alpha females, Tyla. The other girls love the chase too, but I’m going to make Ryker work for it.”

“Then I pity who comes after me. I’m not going to make it easy on them.”

“That’s the spirit.” She laughs. “Maybe Sebastian will chase after you. You two seem to be finding your way to each other a lot. Every time I turn around, there you are. What’s up with that?”

“He’s fun to talk to.” I shrug. “I can’t help it we run into each other all the time.”

She shakes her head, clearly not believing me at all. There’s no denying I’m attracted to Sebastian, but he’s a player. Women constantly follow him around. His brother, Micah, would be more my style. He’s down to earth and easy-going, something Sebastian isn’t.

Ryker’s howl echoes in the air, followed by the other males. Bailey beams and turns to the girls. “It’s time. Let’s have some fun.” The others take off into the woods as Bailey and I finish undressing. “Good luck, Tyla.”

“Same to you.”

We shift and sprint in opposite directions. The energy is high all around us and it’s euphoric. The idea of a chase is brilliant. Most of the guys in my pack won’t pick me to chase though. They know they’ll lose. If all else fails, I’m prepared to enjoy the full moon on my own. Slowing my pace, I stop by the lake and dip a paw into the water. In another month or so it’ll be frozen over.

There isn’t a wolf around for miles, proving my point—no one is going to come after me. Shifting back into my human form, I walk the rest of the way into the water and swim out toward the middle. There are many times I’ll sneak away in the dead of night to take a swim. It’s the only time I can find peace. Floating on my back, I peer up at the glowing moon; it’s enchantingly beautiful. At least, until a set of arms come up from the water and I scream. My screams are cut off as I’m pulled down into the dark depths, sucking in a mouthful of water.

I can hear a muffled laugh, and I know exactly who it is. As soon as he lets me go, I shoot up out of the water and growl. “I am so going to kill you. You scared the shit out of me.” I splash him in the face and he laughs even harder.

“That was priceless. I thought for sure you heard me jump in the water.” Sebastian circles around me.

“Clearly, I didn’t. Just know that payback’s a bitch.”

He splashes water at me this time. “You should’ve been paying attention. What if it wasn’t me coming after you?”

I roll my eyes and splash him again. “Most do not have the ability to shield their presence. Why did you hide anyway? Scared I might attack?”

His blue eyes flash and it makes me shiver. “I just wanted to watch you. You’re different when you’re by yourself.”

“How so?”

He shrugs. “Not sure yet, but it’s kind of like you’re a million miles away.”

He’s absolutely right. “Sometimes I am. When I’m alone, I can’t help but think about the past.”

“Want to talk about it? We can go downtown and grab a couple of drinks. It’ll be my repentance for scaring you.”

“Sounds like a great idea. Let’s go.” I’ve refrained from talking about my past, but maybe it’s time to let it out. He grabs my hand to lead me out and at that point, everything changes.

His eyes glow and I pull away from his touch. I look up at the moon and want to curse it. “This can’t be happening,” I murmur. Sebastian tries to reach for me again but I throw up my hand. “Don’t.”

“But you felt it . . .”

I shake my head quickly. “It doesn’t mean anything. Every time I . . .” I start to tell him my fears and then stop. “I’m sorry . . . this isn’t going to work.” Without another word, I shift and race off into the woods, ignoring his call for me to wait.

The next day, I try to approach him, but he’s too busy with two human females at the bar to notice me. It’s like I don’t even exist. I deserve it after leaving him at the lake, but it still doesn’t change anything.

“Tyla, wake up,” Sebastian murmured in my ear. I jerked awake and sat up. His arm was around me, but he moved it quickly. “Bad dream?”

I looked out the airplane window and could see the lights on the runway. We’d landed already. Thank God we were almost off the plane. He was too close. “You have no idea,” I said.





Sebastian

Tyla didn’t have to tell me what she’d dreamed about, because she talked in her sleep and had said the exact thing she’d said to me that night at the lake, “I’m sorry . . . this isn’t going to work.” Those words had plagued my mind ever since they slipped from her lips. Watching her walk away from me that night was the most infuriating thing, and I did what was necessary to ease that tension. I drank. It was the only thing that dulled the nagging ache of rejection.