Midnight Moonrising (Moonrising #2)(7)

She needs time. He shook his head and began to pace, another huff expelling from his mouth to the cold air in a puff of white vapor. Why do women always need time? He grunted.

As he pondered ways to make her realize that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her, a thought came to him, and he stopped flattening Mena's sod with his boots. She would need help with her new pack. He had been a leader for over a century, so he was certain he had advice and tips to offer her. He would make her need him first, and then the want would follow.

The image of Mena in his arms, with desire filling those intoxicating pale green eyes, made his head spin. He had been two seconds away from untying that blasted robe belt and having his way with her, right there on the Persian rug. They may have eventually made it to the bed, but he had imagined Mena's dark hair splayed out on the carpeting and a sheen of sweat glistening off her bare body from the light of the nearly full moon through the window, from the moment he walked through the door and saw it.

It had been tough to have a normal conversation with her after that. He knew she had been nervous, and that was probably all that had saved him. The girl did not pay attention to detail when she was nervous. That was good for him, but bad for leadership. That was one thing he could help her with, that was if he could concentrate himself. She was right about him clouding her mind. He found it difficult to concentrate on anything except getting her clothes off whenever she was near him.

"Foolish man," Phoenix whispered into the night, and looked up at the stars, seeking the answers to his problem. There was nothing.


The cell phone in his pocket chimed, and he pulled it out to see he had received a text from Jaxon.

At the club. Lots of blue lights. We've got trouble.

Phoenix cursed under his breath, and ran to his electric blue Corvette Z06 without responding to the message.





Chapter 4



Mena





"This may not be what you're used to," Daryn said as he took the keys out of the ignition. "I know you knew the part of Marc that was a big-shot lawyer, but he was actually comfortable here." Daryn seemed uncomfortable, or maybe he was ashamed or embarrassed to show me the wolves' den.

I opened the door and stepped out. The wind had died down since that morning, but the air was still biting as I let my eyes take in the scene before me. Cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles had been parked, in no apparent order, beside the trees and bushes of the dense forest, and there were two lit torches on either side of a hole in the side of the mountain: a cave.

I beamed at Daryn as he rounded to my side of the car, and my expression seemed to surprise him. "I love it!"

His lips parted over his teeth, and he smiled back at me in relief. "Good."

I took his outstretched hand, and he led me inside.

"How do you keep people from stumbling across this?" I said in a whisper. Torches lined the stone path he had taken me down, but it was still dim, and voices were always louder in the dark.

"Well, it's private property—now your private property—but we take everything with us when we leave, so there really isn't anything for anyone to find besides a big empty cave."

"Oh."

There was an opening about ten yards ahead, and two men stepped into view, carrying torches. One was older and tall. The silver of his hair glinted from the light of the torch in his hand. The other was about my age and average height. His build was stocky, and his skin was tanned by the sun. I imagined him to be some sort of construction worker.

"Any news of her whereabouts?" Daryn asked the approaching men, and my focus moved to him.

"Not yet," the older man replied.

"Damn it," Daryn swore.

"Who?" I said.

Daryn pursed his lips and gave the two men long looks before answering me. "Jess has been missing since last night."

With so many names and faces of my new pack to remember, I was having a difficult time pinpointing who Jess was. "Do you think she is hurt?"

Daryn shook his head. "No, but I do think you're in danger. I suggest that you appoint four of us as bodyguards until she is found, two for the day shift and two for the night."

"Wait," I said as Daryn began leading me forward. "Why would I do that? Who is Jess?"

Without stopping, Daryn said, "Jessica was Chris's mate, and now she wants revenge."

I vaguely remembered a pretty girl with long, dark, curly hair staring me down at Chris's funeral. I was just about to speak, when the older man spoke.

"There are still a few who don't like the idea of you becoming our leader, but we all agree that Jess as a leader would be even worse."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come to me. I didn't know whether that had been a compliment or an insult.

The guys led me into a massive round room. Torches lined the stone perimeter, lighting the entire space with a golden glow. The sound of rushing water pulled my attention to a twenty-foot wide creek on the far left where it disappeared through a water-worn black hole in the stone. I assumed it went deeper into the cave and then fed into the Alabama River somewhere.

A crow cawed overhead, and I glanced up to see a hole in the stone ceiling with twinkling stars beyond it. I could see how this place would have been comfortable to Marc. It was so peaceful here. Why hadn't he shared that part of his life with me? I thought sadly.