Resisting the Moon (Royal Shifters #2)(12)

I was her mate. Why was she fighting it?

Once we got off the plane, I rented a black SUV, then we were on our way to the mountains of North Carolina. Tyla was right beside me, but she might as well have been a thousand miles away. Why did she have to be so goddamned stubborn?

“Why don’t you tell me about Amelie? What is your family doing all the way out here and not in Wyoming with you and your parents?” I asked, hoping to strike up some conversation.

Sighing, she leaned her head against the seat, refusing to look at me. I’d give anything to look into those gray eyes of hers. “Amelie’s my cousin. We’re the same age. When our pack was attacked many years ago, we all went our separate ways. Instead of coming with us, my aunt and uncle felt safer going rogue. That way, they could travel wherever they wanted and stay hidden. Amelie went with them and I haven’t seen her since.”

“Who attacked your pack?” I asked.

She shrugged. “A psychotic wolf in search of a mate.”

“What happened to everyone else in your pack? Where are they now?”

Her face fell. “I don’t know. I’m assuming they’re dead.” I could feel her pain like a knife to the gut.

“Do your parents not know where they are?”

Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “Can we please stop talking about this? I spent years grieving the loss of my pack. I don’t want to think about it anymore. Why don’t we talk about something else?”

“I would, if I knew it wouldn’t piss you off. It seems everything I do these days makes you angry.”

“I guess that’s the problem of being you,” she grumbled.

I swerved the car off the road and slammed it into park. Grabbing her chin, I turned her toward me. I wanted her to look at me for a change. Eyes wide, she froze in my grasp, before anger took over. “Why are you doing this?” I growled.

Her chest rose up and down with her rapid breaths. “I’m upset. I have a bad habit of saying things and thinking later.”

“That’s for damn sure.” I let her chin go and she sighed.

“It’s true, isn’t it? How did I not realize it was this bad?”

I could see it in her eyes, she knew. “Are you scared of me?”

She shook her head. “I know you won’t hurt me. And if you tried, I’d kick your ass. I just wonder how many women you’ve slept with to keep you from going insane.”

Now it all made sense. She thought I’d been f*cking around. I threw my hands in the air. “So that’s why you’re pissed? Why didn’t you just ask and save us both the trouble?”

Her jaw tensed. “Don’t know, don’t care.”

“You may not care, but if it helps, I’ll happily let you know I haven’t slept with anyone since I’ve been here.”

She scoffed. “Who’s the liar now? I’ve seen you with other women.”

“Seen, yes. But did I f*ck them? No.” I stared her down, waiting for her to challenge me. “Besides, you’re the one who pushed me away first. I know you’re scared of something, and I want to know what it is.”

She swallowed hard and blew out a shaky breath. “You wouldn’t understand.”

The whole back and forth thing was infuriating. Putting the car in gear, I sped back onto the road, my knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel. “It’s a good thing we have time then. I’m not going anywhere, Tyla. No matter how much you push me away, I’m always going to be there.”

She waved me off. “Don’t you need to concentrate on keeping Bailey safe?”

“I don’t watch after her anymore. I’ve chosen someone else to protect.” Her head jerked my way and I smiled in answer.

“No,” she moaned.

“That’s right, love. You’re stuck with me for the rest of your life, mated or not.”

It wasn’t exactly the way I’d wanted to tell her, but she needed to hear it. One way or another, I was going to make her submit. She couldn’t fight me for the rest of our lives. Or at least, I hoped to hell she couldn’t.





Tyla

For once in my life I was stunned into silence. I knew he was telling the truth; I could see it in his eyes. As soon as he stopped at a gas station, I jumped out of the car and rushed inside to the bathroom. I didn’t care what time it was, Bailey was going to talk to me.

She answered on the second ring, her voice groggy from sleep. “Tyla?”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Sebastian? I can’t have him as my protector. He’ll drive me insane!”

“That’s what mates do. Stop fighting it and give in. You’ll be much happier. Besides, he could’ve easily picked another wolf to protect. How would you have felt then?” Angry. Pissed. Infuriated. “That’s what I thought,” she said at my silence. “Not to mention, he went to your parents and asked permission.” She snorted. “He’s so old-fashioned.”

“Oh my God,” I groaned. Even my parents knew? It felt like the whole universe was against me. I leaned against the bathroom door and bowed my head. “Have you ever been in love before, Bailey? With someone other than Ryker, I mean.”

“No, why?”

“That’s what I thought. Well, I have. Twice. And both of them were taken from me. I just can’t do it again.”