Page 114 of Beneath the Blue Moon

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A wolf? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I

look around at the other men and they’re all staring at me like they expect me

to run from the room screaming.

“What do you mean? Is that like a secret society or

something?”

“Not in the sense you mean but, basically, yes.”

“In what sense, then?”

“We call ourselves wolves but I guess to you, we would be… werewolves.”

Werewolves. Werewolves? I hold his stare for a split second

before I lose my cool and double over in laughter. Werewolves… Good one.

“Seriously, Ethan. I never knew you had it in you.” I turn

to his friends. “Did you guys put him up to this?”

Oh, they’re good. Not even a smile in sight. They’re actually

looking at me like I’m the crazy one. Do they really expect me to believe this?

“Casey. It’s no joke.”

“Even your cop voice won’t help this time. Good one, though.

You had me for about a minute.”

“Casey, listen to me. I’m serious.”

“Yeah, right.” I roll my eyes.

“I’m Sheriff.” I roll my eyes again, wondering what being

the sheriff is supposed to prove. “The wolf… your wolf… Sheriff.”

“What?” All mirth disappears at that statement. I told him

about the wolf, but I never told him—or anyone else, for that matter—Sheriff’s name.

“How do you know about Sheriff?”

“Because he’s me. I’m him.”

No. There must be some kind of explanation for this. He’s

not a werewolf!

“Remember that first night you saw him? He was lying next to

you when you woke up. You got so scared and you ran into the house.”

I rack my brain, trying to remember what I told him about

that night and realize I did not give him those details.

“And the night you gave me the name… I found you crying on

your back porch and we just sat there while you stroked my fur.”

Oh, my God. No one knows about that, either! How could he

know? Maybe he was stalking me. He could have easily watched me in my backyard.

“You can’t expect me to believe that you turn into a wolf on

the full moon.”

“Maybe it’s best if I show you.”

“It’s not a full moon,” I reply in a snarky tone.

“I don’t need a full moon. I can control the change.”

“How?”

God! Am I really entertaining this conversation?

“I can change at will because I’m an alpha”

“Of course! You would be an alpha.”

His frown deepens at the sarcasm in my voice, and he

straightens, moving a few feet away from me. This I have to see.

“Don’t be scared, Casey,” he tries to reassure me.

“Why would I be scared?”

It’s not like I actually believe this bull. He drops

to his knees once more and closes his eyes. When he opens them, they’re yellow.

I’ve seen it happen before and thought I was hallucinating, but now as I stare

at them, I recognize those eyes. They’re Sheriff’s eyes. His mouth opens, and I

watch in horror as his teeth elongate. His shirt begins to rip as his chest

expands, and claws materialize where his fingers should be. This can’t be

happening! I must be dreaming.

“Stop!” I scream. “Just stop it!” I slap my hands over my

mouth as tears stream down my cheeks. How is this even possible? “I suppose

you’re all wolves?”

The answer is in their eyes; they don’t even have to verbalize

it. Ethan moves forward, reaching for my hand. He’s himself again.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Casey, please… Just let me explain.”

“Explain what? That you’ve been lying to me? Or that you’re

a… monster?”

He cringes at the word. “You have to understand. I couldn’t

tell you.”

“Why now?”

“The attack—”

“Oh, God.” I cut him off. “Don’t tell me they’re werewolves,

too?”

“Yes, they are. The black one, his name is Stone. He’s had a

kind of vendetta against my family for a long time.”

Something clicks in my confused, messed-up brain and I snap

my head up to look him in the eyes.

“Are you telling me that he attacked me because of you? That

my father and my babies died because of some sick, supernatural vendetta

that has nothing to do with us?”

“He wanted to get back at me by hurting you.”

“Oh, God. Oh, God….”

“He used to be a member of our pack—my father’s beta,

actually. When Dad decided to retire, Stone thought the position would

automatically go to him.”

I stare at him, wondering what the hell he thinks this

explanation is going to achieve.

“Remember I told you Kyle died in a fight?”

I nod.

“For us, new alphas are chosen by the outgoing one. When Dad

announced that he was passing on the position to Kyle, Stone went crazy. He

challenged Kyle and Kyle lost. Stone was exiled, and he went off, started his own

pack by turning humans.”

I spring from the couch, unable to keep still any longer.

Pacing the space in front of it, all I see is Daddy’s face and the faces of my

unborn children. Wait… Stone? I stop pacing and turn back at him.

“Stone? Tall, dark hair, grey patch?”

“You know him?” he asks, clearly shocked.

“He was in the bar once. Tried to hit on me.”

He glares at Sam and Brad, and they shrug helplessly. What

would they know about it?

“When was this?”

“A couple months ago.”

“Son of a bitch! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“So I’m supposed to tell you about every random guy who hits

on me? How was I supposed to know who he was?” I yell.

Closing his eyes, he tries to rein in his anger. “You’re

right. I’m sorry.”

He reaches for me, but I recoil from his touch. I need to

get out of here. I spin on my heels, only to stop in my tracks when he speaks.

“Casey, there’s more.”

“More?”

I turn to him with an incredulous stare. What more could

there possibly be?

“I didn’t find out until a few days ago but… that night,

Stone scratched you.”

Scratched me? I haven’t seen any scratches on my body.

“I found it when you collapsed with the fever. It’s on your

lower back.”

Werewolf… scratch… fever. Drawing from the information in

all the werewolf movies I’ve seen, I think I know where this conversation is

going. I fall into the couch dejectedly.

“So, you’re telling me I’m one now?”

“You will be… on the next full moon.”

“No….”

“You’ve already begun to change—your sight, hearing, sense

of smell. Remember you told me I smell different? That’s my unique wolf scent.

I’m sure you’ve already noticed all the different scents in the room.”

The difficult thing is he’s right. I can tell each of them

apart. Ethan’s scent is different, though; his is more potent, sweeter.

Something about it just draws me to him. As much as I hate to admit it, I know

I’m not the same.

“Yours is stronger. Is it because you’re the alpha?”

For the first time since this weird conversation began, they

all seem to relax a little, taking seats around the room. Ethan sits next to

me, taking my hand in his.

“It’s because I’m your mate,” he says quietly.

Mate. Mate? “You mean….”

“My partner. You’re meant to rule by my side, Casey.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Since the night I met you, I knew you were the one.

The fact that you were human did nothing to abate the feelings I was having.”

“How did you know?”

“When you walked into my office, I almost fell out of my

chair. My whole body just vibrated. The way I smell to you now, imagine

that multiplied by a million.”

Wow, just wow. Now I know what Helena meant when she said

there were things I wouldn’t be able to handle. I gaze into his eyes and think

of how much my life has changed since I met him. And it’s about to change a

whole lot more. How do I even begin to process this? What am I supposed to do

now? Pulling my hand away from his, I stand and slowly back away.

“Casey?”

“I… I need some time. Alone.”