Turn of the Moon (Royal Shifters #1)(10)

I nodded. “All the time, but I just thought you were a rogue. What else happens when you meet your mate?”

He paused and cleared his throat. “I’m sure you remember the visions?”

My heart sped and my body tightened between my legs. I crossed them to help suppress the ache. “Are the visions always like that?”

“No. From what I’ve heard, they vary. Sometimes they’ll be from a hundred years in the future, where you’re holding your grandkids, or ones like ours that were recent.”

“Does that make a difference?”

He closed his eyes, releasing a heavy sigh. “It does.”

“What does it mean?”

“Visions can always change though, depending on the choices we make.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, hesitating before responding. “You read me well, angel. If you want to know the truth, usually when the visions aren’t of our extended future, it means something will separate us; whether it be running away, death, or another tragedy.”

“Or someone else,” I whispered.

His temper spiked, his eyes flashing green. “That’s not going to happen. No one will take you away from me. Again, the visions can change. The future isn’t always set.”

“How many times do the visions occur?”

“Every time blood is exchanged. The females are usually the ones who experience them, but the males see them through the bond.”

I leaned my head against the couch. “I see. So if we want to know our future, we just have to bite each other. How messed up is that? Not to mention you can control my emotions.”

Ryker moved closer. “It’s used to help the other, not control them. I’ve deliberately not tried to calm you down because I know you don’t like it. Believe me, it hasn’t been easy. But as far as the biting, I think we could both enjoy that.”

I elbowed him in the side. “Not if I’m biting off your ear.”

He chuckled. “You can’t hide the truth from me, angel.”

I’d never bitten another wolf out of pleasure, only pain. I was curious to know what it’d be like, drinking his blood and feeling him inside me. The vision said it all though; we would complete the bond, even if it was short-lived. Gazing out the window, the sky was gray, with sheets of snow blanketing the ground and mountains in the distance. It was beautiful, but I knew I couldn’t stay there, even if Ryker was my mate. Eventually, I would be hunted down and I couldn’t bring that kind of war to him and his pack.

“All I want was to be normal, to live my life by my own choices, making my own decisions. What’s the point of being an alpha if I can’t do that?”

Turning my face toward him, he looked straight into my eyes. “You do have choices, Bailey. I’m not going to make them for you, unless I absolutely have to. You’re my equal and I know that.” He moved closer, his lips so close to mine. I didn’t even want to move away. “However, I can’t promise I won’t be the alpha in the bedroom.”

I leaned into his touch and let him comfort me. “If we complete the bond, will I be able to alter your emotions as well?”

“Yes. But I’m not in a hurry. Right now your mind is everywhere, you’re not ready. I only want you to come to me when you’re absolutely sure this is what you want.” He brushed the hair off my face, placing his forehead to mine. “We have time.”

Sighing, I held onto his hands and closed my eyes before pulling them away. Why couldn’t my life be simple? With furrowed brows, he stared down at me with those emerald green eyes of his. I couldn’t believe the amount of power coming off of him; it was exhilarating and more powerful than any other alpha I’d encountered. My wolf stirred and I knew what she was thinking. Mine.

I swallowed hard, dreading my next words. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, lowering my gaze to the fists clutched in my lap. “I was never happy with my pack. I always dreamt of something more—something else for my life. When they let me go to school, it was the best time in my life. But my parents had made me promise that when I turned twenty-three, I would come back to the pack and fulfill my duties. I was willing to do that; at least until a week ago.”

His body tensed. “What happened?”

“My parents had promised me to another wolf. The day I ran away was the day he came to claim me.”

Eyes glowing, Ryker growled and his fangs lengthened, but he drew them back. “They promised you to someone who wasn’t your mate? Why the f*ck would they do that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to them since I left. I kept running until I found my way here.”

Taking my face in his hands, he tilted my chin, demanding I look at him. I knew he was trying to see into my mind, but I couldn’t let him. With as much force as I could muster, I envisioned a wall to block him out, just to see if it could work. Thankfully, it did. I could feel him attempting to penetrate through, but with no success. “What aren’t you telling me, Bailey? You can’t keep me out forever. That kind of power only lasts for so long.”

He was right. “It’s not easy to talk about. I don’t even know where to begin.”