Resisting the Moon (Royal Shifters #2)(57)

My heart pounded with each of her steps. “I wish I knew what was going to happen,” I whispered.

Sebastian sighed. “Me too. We should probably leave for a little while to give them privacy. I know my brother. If he thinks we’re close, he’ll be on guard. He doesn’t like to show emotion.”

“Just like another Lyall I know,” I teased.

Taking my hand, he led me through the house and out to the car. “I was only like that at the beginning. You don’t have to worry about that now.”

“I know, babe.” He opened the car door for me and I got in. “Laila won’t be mad that we left her will she?”

“I don’t think they’ll be done anytime soon.” He shut my door and got behind the wheel. “Is there anything you want to do?”

My insides tightened and I squeezed my legs shut. Ever since I’d found out I was pregnant, it was as if my whole body was in heat. I loved it and I knew Sebastian did too.

“I think we have plenty of time for that,” he said, reading my mind.

We started on our way home and I closed my eyes, remembering our last vision. It had been a beautiful place. I opened my eyes and turned to him. “How about once everything settles down, we go to Canada? I want to see your home, where you grew up. I want to be where we were in the vision.”

Taking my hand, he lifted it to his lips. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. I know you’ll love it there. There’s so much I can show you. It’ll be nice to see it again.”

“Then it’s a date. I want to go as soon as we can. After everything we’ve been through, we need a vacation.”

He chuckled. “That’s for damn sure.”





Laila

My heart pounded the closer I got to him, and his beat even harder. I was still staring at his back and I longed to see his face. I’d seen it in my mother’s stone, but that wasn’t good enough. I wanted to run and jump in his arms; to tell him how, even though I didn’t know him, I loved him. Maybe it was stupid of me to think we could have a normal relationship. But I had to try.

Sebastian accepted me as his niece. If all else failed, I’d have him and Tyla. Swallowing hard, I closed the distance, leaving only three feet between us. I didn’t know if I should say the first word or wait for him to turn around. I’d heard of the Lyall stubbornness and figured it was probably best if I made the first move.

“Hi,” I said, my voice just above a whisper. He stiffened and didn’t turn around. “My name is Laila, but I’m sure you already know that by now.” Still, I waited for him to turn around and he didn’t. It didn’t matter though, as long as I said what I had to say. “I know all of this has come as a shock to you. Believe me, it was the same for me when I found out. I just want you to know I don’t blame you for not knowing. How could you? Nobody knew, other than my mother, but by then it was too late.”

His shoulders hunched and his head fell, breaking my heart. “Please talk to me,” I pleaded. When he didn’t, I held back my tears. I remembered what it had been like on the day I’d found out the truth. It had taken me some time too. “There’s something I want to give you. It was my mother’s.” In my hand, I held a black, velvet bag that kept her pink stone safe. I set it on the ground behind him and stepped back.

“I don’t know if you ever saw her with it, but it’s her rose quartz. She spelled it to capture her memories. It’s where I saw you for the first time.” I took another step back, hoping he’d face me. “If you ever want to find me, I’ll be at Tyla’s. She was nice enough to let me stay at her place.” For another few seconds, I waited, before realizing nothing was going to come of it. My throat closed up tight. I didn’t think I could speak, even if I wanted to.

Turning on my heel, I pulled out my phone and started to text Sebastian but thought better of it and put it away. He’d only get pissed if he found out my father ignored me, and probably start some big fight.

“Wait,” my father’s voice called out. Heart pounding, I turned around quickly. He glanced down at the velvet bag and picked it up, keeping his gaze on it. When he looked inside, a sad smile spread across his cheeks. “I gave this to her when we were kids. She used to carry it around everywhere. I found it in the creek by my house.”

My moonstone was in my pocket and I pulled it out. “I must take after her then. I always carry mine with me too.”

He took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to mine. Eyes wide, he stared at me. “You look just like her,” his voice cracked, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

I turned my head. “I know it pains you to look at me. If it’s too much, I’ll understand if you don’t want to see me again.”

He took a step forward, and then another, until he was right in front of me. His fingers lifted my chin and I lost the battle with my tears. “Don’t ever think that, Laila. Seeing you makes me miss your mother more, sure. But now I have a piece of her here with me. I just wish you knew how much I hate myself right now.”

“Why did you leave?” I asked.

His fingers fell from my chin and I could feel his anger. “Being a protector has always been my way of life. I knew that when the time came, I’d have to make a choice. I was prepared to defy my pack to be with her. And so, the night after your mother and I were together, I left to go back to Canada. I was to be back in a couple of weeks, but it ended up being closer to a month. When I showed up at her house, she was gone. There wasn’t a trace of her anywhere.”