Resisting the Moon (Royal Shifters #2)(19)

“Tyla?” Sebastian called.

I waved my hand in the air. “Over here.” Sitting up, I made room for him on the couch.

He sat beside me, dressed in only a pair of dress pants with the button undone. I was starting to think he didn’t own a pair of jeans. “Any wolves out there?” I asked.

“Not that I can tell.” My gaze drifted to the opening in his pants again and my pulse raced. A small smirk splayed across his lips. He knew I wanted him, and with each passing day, it was getting harder and harder to fight against my need. He tapped the journal, grabbing my attention. “Find anything?”

Sitting up straighter, I cleared my throat. “Actually, I did. She was involved with a wolf named Jaret Bleddyn. Looks like they were intimate.”

His heart rate flared, along with his desire; serving only to fuel my mine more. Dammit, he was going to kill me. “Is that the last entry?” he asked.

I shook my head. I hadn’t gotten all the way to the end. Flipping through the pages, I got to the last entry. It was dated just three weeks prior. I read it out loud.



“I decided to do it. Tonight is the full moon and I’m going to complete the bond with Jaret. He’s on his way now to get me. My parents are angry. They say he’s not my true mate. How can that be when I feel the way I do? Their constant badgering has left me no choice but to see him in secret. Why couldn’t they just understand? The decision has been made and I’m going to see it through. Once they meet him, they’ll see he’s my mate. I love him.”



Sebastian’s gaze narrowed. “So your aunt and uncle never met the guy?”

Closing the journal, I sat it on the table and grabbed my phone. “Doesn’t look like it. And Amelie had been seeing him for months by that point. It makes no sense.” I dialed Blake’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“What’s up, Tyla?”

“Hey, Boss. You doing okay this morning?”

He chuckled. “Believe it or not, I can run my ranch on my own. You just happen to make it easier.”

“Trust me, I wish I was there.”

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

Blake didn’t know I was a shifter and he probably never would. “Everything’s great,” I lied, “just visiting some of my family. Is there any way you can look up someone for me?” He was one of the best undercover cops in the country and his resources were vast.

“Sure, what’s the name?”

“Jaret Bleddyn,” I said, before spelling it out.

“All right, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll give you a call as soon as I find something.”

“Thanks, Blake.” We hung up and I blew out a frustrated breath. “If she’s mated, Jaret has to be somewhere.”

“Not unless the wolves killed him,” Sebastian replied. The thought made my chest tighten.

“Let’s hope not. I don’t want Amelie going through that kind of heartache.” My voice cracked and I wanted to kick myself in the ass for letting my emotions slip.

“You sound like you’ve been through it before.”

Eyes burning, I couldn’t stop the tears even if I wanted to. “I need some fresh air.” I jumped to my feet and rushed outside. Snow fell from the sky and I lifted my face to it, the cold flakes melting on my warm cheeks. Gripping the wooden rail of the porch, I squeezed it, waiting for Sebastian to join me. When he did, I could feel his warmth beside me.

“I think it’s time you told me the truth. You’re pushing me away and I want to know why. I know you’re scared; I can feel it. You don’t have to be afraid of me.” His hand closed over mine and my heart ripped wide open.

“I’m not afraid of you, Sebastian. I’m afraid of being with you.”

“Why?” He grabbed my wrist and turned me to face him. “Tell me.”

My tears burned like hot lava down my cheeks. I couldn’t keep him in the dark forever. “Have you ever lost someone you loved?” I asked.

He nodded. “A lot of them. My parents, family, some of my closest friends. I’ve been around a while.”

Which was true, he was about fifty years older than me. “What about a person you were in love with?”

His jaw tensed. He knew where I was going with this. “No, but I take it you have. Was his name Cliff?”

My mouth gaped and I gasped. “How did you know that?”

He lowered his gaze to our clasped hands. “I followed you the other day and heard you talk to him.”

“Looks like you have a habit of following me.”

His head lifted, eyes flashing. “I’m an unmated male trying to keep my mate safe. Given our situation, it’s the only thing that has helped. And also this,” he said, squeezing my hands. “Your touch keeps me sane.” He wasn’t lying. I could feel his tension seeping away. “Was he human?” he asked.

I nodded. “Basically, our relationship was doomed from the start. No one knew I was dating a human. My parents, especially my mother, would’ve given me a hard time. But I loved Cliff. He was a good man.”

“What happened?”

Closing my eyes, I remembered seeing his face for the last time in the hospital. I could still hear the last beats of his heart. “When I wasn’t aging, I had to cut ties with him before he noticed. A few years later, I went to check on him and found out he was in the hospital, dying from cancer. Before he took his last breath, I was able to see him again.”