Riley's Redemption, A Moon's Glow Novel, # 3

By Christina Smith

Is it possible to be at peace and content in life when you have so many regrets?

After everything Megan and Nate have been through, things are finally looking up. A trip to Vegas solidifies their relationship, and everything is as it should be. Or is it? Megan is the happiest she’s ever been, and although Nate says he is too, she sees the torment in his eyes when he thinks she isn’t looking. She knows the guilt he feels for everything he has done weighs on him daily. But she hopes that one day he can let go of the past and finally live a life without regrets. After the note Nate found on his old enemy six months ago, he is determined to find out what it means, even if the answer puts him and his new pack-mates at risk.

When Megan gets a call from her friend Adrian asking for her help to find his sister, she is compelled to join him. And everyone in their group is shocked at what they find. When they return home, controversy and tension erupts, creating more questions and few answers.

In an unexpected twist, conflict comes between Nate and a friend he has known for fifty years. Will there be harmony in the pack once again, or will the anger and hostility rip apart their formerly tight knit group?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christina Smith
• Release date: Sep 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301673070

Christina Smith

She is a wife and mother, who lives in a small rural town in Ontario Canada where she spends most of her free time writing.She has always loved to read, but didn't realize she could write until a few years ago. She has told stories her whole life, but never thought to write them down.She took a novel writing course at Winghill writing school, and since then has written four books. Two are finished, the others are being edited.Her book Fated Dreams was named Semi-Finaliast in the 2011 Textnovel writing Contest.

Book preview

Prologue

The regal buck grazed lazily in the meadow. The soft light from the full moon shone on his smooth russet fur as he bent down and munched on the plump, juicy clover. His previously enormous antlers had been rubbed down to velvety stumps that bumped against a nearby rock. The only sounds in the surrounding forest were rodents scurrying in the underbrush and the frogs and crickets croaking their spring serenade. The buck continued its meal with the occasional grunt and chomping of its teeth. He was so engrossed in his feeding he was unaware of the two wolves watching nearby.

The tan wolf observed the buck with calculation. The animal was huge; its flanks thick and juicy. If the hunt was successful they would dine well tonight. His pack mate was across the meadow, hidden behind a juniper bush. The plan was all set and it was time to put it in motion. Just as the wind shifted direction, he stepped out from the cedar tree that had been giving him cover. The deer caught his scent as he knew it would and jerked his head up, gazing right into the wolf’s penetrating yellow eyes. The deer’s ears flickered and his nose twitched with curiosity more than fear.

Instantly forgetting the clover, the buck took a few steps in the opposite direction and eventually started to trot slowly away. Taking that as a cue to move, the wolf began to follow. The moon shone full above as the wolf trailed behind his prey, his paws pounding over the cold uneven terrain.

He kept a steady speed for about thirty feet until he saw the buck approaching a patch of juniper. It was exactly where he was hoping the deer would go. When he saw movement behind the bush, he pushed his limbs forward, picking up speed. The deer noticed and did the same, running faster than the wolf could keep up. But that was okay. The wolf’s intention was not to catch the deer, but to push him into a trap. His rust colored pack mate dove out of the bush right in front of the deer, causing the buck to slip to the right and stumble. The rust wolf took her chance and pounced, digging her claws into the buck’s neck.

The tan wolf sped up, closing the distance between them. When he approached the fighting animals the rust colored wolf spun around. She stared at the crimson blood that was now dripping from the deer’s neck and froze, her yellow eyes turning glassy. The buck took advantage of her hesitation and jumped up, taking off at full speed. The tan wolf began to chase it with a glance at his pack mate—but she was gone. All he could see was her back side far-off in the distance. The wolf skidded to a stop as he watched his mate getting farther and farther away. He huffed out a bark that sounded like a laugh. The man inside the wolf guessed that they’d be ordering pizza yet again—just like the last full moon.

Chapter One

Forever

Mmmm, good morning Mrs. Riley, Nate murmured with a sleepy contentment. I awoke one morning in early June, just as always, wrapped in his strong arms. It was the best way to greet the day. But this morning was different. For one, we weren’t in our comfortable cozy cottage. Instead, we were in a luxurious hotel suite in Vegas and he was no longer my boyfriend, he was my husband.

I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my lips. Since he proposed, six months ago, we had been intimate many times, but after we said I do in front of our two best friends and the Elvis impersonator who married us, it just felt, right. He was mine and he would be forever, now that I was a werewolf like him.

Good morning, Mr. Riley. My voice was a little raspy from sleep, but it also held the joy that I felt since we exchanged rings, sealing our lives together. I turned to face him, leaning my arm against the silk sheets. His pale blond hair was messy, most likely from last night when I ran my fingers through the soft strands. His vivid blue eyes were even more vibrant as he smiled at me. We lay next to each other, faces inches apart. Our gazes were intense and filled with so much emotion that the air seemed to crackle with energy. As our eyes locked, the image of his face the very first time I saw him, that fateful day in the cafeteria flashed in my mind. I had never seen such beautiful blue eyes in my life and as he stared at me with that wolfy glazed stare, I felt more in that moment than I ever had for any boy before him. When he rushed away, I felt such strong disappointment, it shocked me.

Finally, he broke the silence and the image disappeared. I am so in love with you, he rasped, his voice filled with devotion that matched his expression.

Those words never failed to make my heart soar; and now that he was really mine, I felt at peace. Nothing could come between us again. We had already been through so much. What could happen that would be worse than finding out he wasn’t fully human and that a sadistic werewolf wanted to kill me in order to hurt him? That was tough, but we got past it, just like we got past me being kidnapped by Nate’s werewolf creator, Charlotte. She had held a grudge against him since he had left her over a hundred years ago and wanted him to suffer. By taking me, his werewolf mate, she got her wish.

Believe it or not, it was none of those things that made me leave him. No, that happened when I found out that he had accidentally bit me, turning me into a werewolf like him. That was a harder pill to swallow; knowing that the person I loved more than anyone else in the world was responsible for taking away my humanity was devastating. It had almost been the end of us.

But our love finally made me forgive him. It was and still is, so intense and real, I had no choice but to except what had happened and forgive him. Now, we were finally in a good place. If we could get through all of that, we could get through whatever came our way in the future; especially now that we were married.

I lifted a finger to gently trace his strong jaw, over the stubble that left tingles on my skin as I moved up to his soft lips. That’s good. Since we just got hitched and all. I laughed softly as he nibbled on my finger. The giggle turned to a gasp as he sucked the tip into his mouth. The all too familiar sensations flowed through me and I closed my eyes as he let go and moved to my neck. The soft sigh that came out of me was filled with pleasure and I thanked who or whatever was responsible for bringing him into my life over a year ago.

So much craziness and drama had happened since then, but despite everything we had been through, it was worth it, because all of it had led to this moment.

His lips moved down, over the thin strap of my nightgown, onto my bare shoulder and the scrape of his teeth along my skin sent shivers all over my body. I sucked in a breath revelling in his touch, just as a knock sounded at the door.

Room service, a male voice called out. It was muffled through the steel door and separated by a large living room. However, with our enhanced hearing, we had no trouble hearing him.

Nate groaned as he drew away, hovering above me, his shaggy hair hanging like a curtain around his face. Damn. I forgot I pre-ordered breakfast last night.

He hesitated, looking torn between continuing with what we had started and eating the food that I could smell through the door. As if on cue, my stomach growled. I was so excited yesterday that I hadn’t eaten all-day. He frowned at the sound, his eyes washing with concern. Since I had become a werewolf, he was steadfast in making me eat regularly. He never wanted me to lose control—like he had.

Decision made, he stood up and threw at pillow at me. It bounced against my face before falling onto the bed. Come on, let’s eat. I want to feed my wife.

My stomach flipped at the sound of that word coming from his mouth. I could definitely get used to that.

I sat up and wrapped the sheet over my shoulders as I watched him pull on his dress pants. He had tossed them onto the only arm chair in the room after yanking them off last night. He winked, giving me a devilish grin before disappearing out of our bedroom and into the main room. His messy hair that was still standing up, bounced as he walked. I could hear his deep voice as he spoke to the man at the door.

When the suite door closed, announcing the departure of the porter, I stood up. Wrapping myself in the white sheet, I made sure to tuck the ends under my arms. I didn’t want to get dressed. After all, this was our honeymoon. I wanted to enjoy the fact that I was miles away from the responsibility of Riley House and my mother’s relentless phone calls. I wanted to be lazy and concentrate on only one thing—Nate. I padded barefoot out to the living room, stepping on the bottom of the sheet as I made my way over the thick plush carpet. Nate was just removing the covers of the dishes from the food cart, releasing a gust of delectable aromas. The sudden smell of bacon, sausages, pancakes and eggs wafted toward me and again, my stomach growled.

He smiled, closing the distance between us to give me a kiss. It was meant to be a quick one until I reached up to grab his face, holding him in place so I could prolong it. His lips were soft and inviting. They tasted like the sweet wine we drank last night after our wedding. Who could blame me for wanting more?

But unfortunately, he pulled away. None of that until you get some food in your stomach. He raised a brow. When did you eat last?

I looked down at the floor, noticing my bright red polished toes sticking out from under the sheet. Yesterday morning, I mumbled waiting for his typical response. I felt like a child waiting for a reprimand.

Surprisingly, it didn’t come. Instead, I heard him take a seat at the table, the chair scraped against the marble floor of the dining area, the loud squawk bounced off of the walls around us. Well, come on then, dig in.

My eyes widened in shock as I gaped at him. What? No lecture on the reasons why a werewolf should eat?

A shadow crossed his face at the word I used to describe myself, but then he chuckled, the uncomfortable expression vanishing from his handsome face before I could acknowledge it. He lifted a fork to pick up a pancake off of the tray and flop it onto his plate. I’m no longer worried about you killing, or even hurting anyone. He lifted a shoulder lazily in a half shrug.

I moved forward, the cold floor of the dining area cooling the soles of my feet in spots, while the sheet I was still stepping on, warmed the rest. I took the chair across from him, holding the silky material up with my arms. Why not? I asked, dumbfounded. Ever since Lauren and I were changed into werewolves he had been extremely verbal about our need to keep ourselves full. He was worried that if the wolf ever took over and we were hungry, we might hurt someone. He was speaking from experience and he wanted to save us from the guilt that haunted him for most of his long life.

After he swallowed the bite of pancake in his mouth, he smiled, his eyes flashing with mirth. I’m not worried about you killing humans, when you can’t even hurt an animal when you are a wolf.

Oh, right.

I had become the joke of our group of werewolves. Joe, Adrian and Nate didn’t understand my aversion to killing animals when I was in my wolf form. Even Lauren had begun to kill the odd bunny, but not me. Nate had tried to get me to hunt like the rest of them, fearing that if I didn’t, I’d go for humans instead, but I couldn’t. I was not a killer and I never would be. Besides, my human stomach couldn’t take eating raw, bloody meat; not to mention ripping through the fur and bones. Just the thought of that had my stomach churning. I grabbed a piece of bacon and took a bite, hoping to get the thoughts that had unwillingly appeared, out of my mind.

Nate smiled at me as if he knew what I was thinking. He took a drink of orange juice and held the glass in front of him, pointing it at me. The liquid sloshed inside the cup, threatening to spill over. Are you going to call your mother and tell her what we did?

My stomach turned again, for an altogether different reason. I was not looking forward to that call. She was the reason we were here in Vegas. We had never planned on eloping. We had both wanted to share our love with the people that were closest to us. But months of my mother’s so called ‘help’ was more than I could take. Who knew the way to get her to pay attention to me was to get engaged? A week after the engagement party, she had gone crazy. She was obsessed with having ‘the wedding of the season.’ Her goal was to outdo all of her socialite friends. The first time she called she had gushed that it would be the wedding that Creekford would never forget.

At first, I was excited that she had finally started to give me the attention I had always craved. But with her constant string of phone calls hounding me I quickly lost that sensation. Finally, last week when she had handed me the guest list, my eyes popped out of my head. The head count, for just my side, was over five hundred people and I didn’t know half of them. If that wasn’t reason enough for me to freak out, the estimated cost for this extravaganza would have done it. When she handed me the total and I read the amount that was over one hundred thousand dollars, I almost fainted. That was it. From that moment on I decided to do this without her. Of course, I kept that to myself through the rest of her visit. I smiled and nodded when needed, but as soon as she left the cottage I informed Nate I couldn’t do it. His face had fallen and his eyes washed with sorrow, he thought I didn’t want to go through with the marriage. My heart ached at the sight. It was shocking that I had the power to break him in an instant. But, it was only fair, since he had that same power over me. I pulled him into my arms before the thought even entered my mind and I told him that he was wrong, I had something different in mind.

That was how we ended up in Vegas with Lauren and Joe. They were the only family we needed. After being overwhelmed with tulle, flowers, cake and even doves from my mother, I wanted to do it the simplest way possible. And that is what we had done.

Lauren and Joe jumped at the chance to get away. We wanted them with us, since they had been at our sides through everything else. I had also asked Adrian to come during our last phone conversation, but he didn’t want to leave his search. He was still on the hunt for his sister and after all this time he wasn’t giving up. He never imagined it would take so long after he found her address in Charlotte’s belongings. But when he located the house, whoever had his sister had whisked her away. That happened every time he got close. It would take weeks to find her scent and each time he did, she was gone. He was getting very frustrated and he suspected it was somehow Charlotte’s doing. Even from the grave, she was causing him pain.

Megan, did you hear me? Nate’s voice brought me back to the present and into the beautiful hotel suite.

I scowled at him as I took a few pancakes and placed them onto my plate. Do I have to?

He smirked at me, still holding his glass in his hand. Well, do you want her to continue dishing out money for deposits? Sure, lay on the guilt. He knew how to make me do what I didn’t want to. Even though my parents’ neglect had hurt me in so many ways, I still felt a twinge of shame for doing what we did. An image of my mother and me traipsing through the woods next to our house with my grandmother entered my mind. My grandfather had called us the three Lucy’s and I had giggled every time I heard the nickname. It was the last time I remember being happy with my family. A pang of sadness for the loss of my grandparents and the happiness of that little girl twisted in my stomach. But I pushed that unwanted feeling away. I was on my honeymoon; I wouldn’t let anything ruin it, not even my mother.

Fine, I grumbled. I’ll call them after we eat.

I ignored his soft chuckle as I dug into my meal. I was starving and the food tasted so good. We became silent as we fed our bellies. When I swallowed the last bite there was another knock at the door. It was Joe and Lauren. We could smell their werewolf scents through the crack under the door. I jumped up and rushed into the bedroom to change. I heard more of Nate’s laughter as I closed the door behind me.

I gazed at my wedding dress where it hung on the hook on the back of the door and let out a happy sigh. The fact that the garment was mine was extremely odd in itself. I was only nineteen, no one in my circle of friends were married or had even thought of walking down the aisle. But here was the evidence that I now was, along with the white gold band on my left hand. The dress was a simple white silk with spaghetti straps and a beaded belt at the waist. I had picked it out a few days ago with Lauren. I hadn’t found a gown when I was planning the wedding with my mom. I kept putting that off; I hadn’t wanted to hear my mother’s inevitable negative comments. Thank God, I had waited or I’d be walking down the small Vegas chapel in a huge monstrosity my mother had picked.

Since going out to join my friends in my fancy dress was out of the question, I slipped on gray tights and a long printed top. I didn’t bother with the rest of my appearance: I was on my honeymoon. If I wanted to wander around with messy hair and no makeup, that was my prerogative.

When I emerged fully dressed, I found Lauren and Joe seated at the small table eating breakfast. They were each dressed and freshly showered. Joe’s auburn hair was getting longer and flopped over his forehead almost reaching his gray eyes. He was back to his usual casual attire, wearing a black t-shirt and tan cargo shorts. Lauren was a little more dressed up. Her long hair was down flowing just below her shoulders and she was wearing a purple silk blouse and short skirt. Joe was telling Nate a dirty joke and teasing his girlfriend. And I couldn’t help but smile at the scene. These were the people I wanted with us to share our joy. But the fact that their suitcases were by the door told me that they would be leaving soon. Because of school and work, they weren’t able to stay longer than a day. Nate and I had taken the week off. That was one of the perks when you married the big boss, you could get a vacation without a whole lot of notice.

Hi guys, I said softly, feeling suddenly self-conscious. It was the first time I saw anyone I knew since waking up a married woman.

Everyone in the spacious room turned to face me. Lauren grinned and jumped up, her hazel eyes sparkled as she enveloped me in her arms. I breathed in her guava and werewolf scent, smiling into her sandy colored hair. Good morning, Mrs. Riley.

I pulled away and beamed at her. It was the second time I heard that name in one day and to be honest, I liked the way it sounded. When are you guys leaving?

She sat back down and cut into a blueberry pancake. In an hour. She glanced around our luxurious surroundings and grinned. On second thought, maybe I’m starting to come down with something. I might have to stay with you guys.

When I only smiled, feeling so happy and was unable to wipe the expression off of my face, Nate cleared his throat. I don’t think the room is big enough for all of us. He didn’t say that they would seriously put a cramp in our honeymoon plans, but his tone of voice hinted at it.

Lauren’s grin remained as she rolled her eyes and shrugged. It was worth a try.

Joe smiled at his girlfriend and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckle. When she giggled, I looked away and headed back to my seat.

Joe dropped her hand with a wink and turned to me. So, Meg, has Adrian finally come to his senses and asked for help yet?

I sighed, frustration washing over me. No. And I’ve offered many times. He doesn’t want to cause anymore turmoil in our lives, so he refuses to take me up on it. I had met Adrian after Charlotte kidnapped me and Lauren. He told me that he was just another werewolf who wanted a friend. I didn’t believe him at first, since my history with werewolves wasn’t always pleasant. But when he began to teach me kick boxing to defend myself, I started to trust him. However, I might have been a little too hasty in accepting his story. Nate and Joe recognized him as one of the werewolves that had terrorized us on an island after Charlotte had kidnapped us. He eventually admitted to it, explaining that the only reason he helped her was because she had his little sister hidden away. And after Joe killed Charlotte, he began his search.

I hope he finds her soon, Lauren commented. I’d go crazy if something happened and I couldn’t find Nathan. Nathan was her younger brother and although he didn’t know she was a werewolf they were very close. Her face held a look of sympathy as a hush fell over the room, each of us trapped in our own thoughts. My mind was on Adrian, wishing he would let us help, as I’m sure the others were as well. He might have looked the other way too much when he was with Charlotte, but he was nothing like her. He reminded me of Nate actually, hating what he was and living with guilt.

Well, love, we should get going. We wouldn’t want to miss our plane, Joe said to Lauren, his Irish accented voice sounding loud in the silent room.

Lauren hopped up and we all said our goodbyes. Again, I found myself locked in her embrace, her scent flowing over me. I was so glad I had asked her to share this event with us. She hadn’t always been my friend, but I couldn’t find a better one if I tried. She had been through everything with me and only wanted me to be happy, which was exactly what I wanted for her. When she pulled away, Joe took her hand, leading her out of the room, gripping both of their bags with his other hand.

When Nate closed the door behind them he turned around to gaze at me, his lips curved up into a smirk, his eyes dancing with excitement.

The frisky expression on his face had me spinning around. I squealed as I took off toward the bedroom. Before I got to the doorway I was wrapped in my favorite strong arms. I breathed in his leather and pine scent as it wafted around me. It was my favorite fragrance in the whole world, because it meant that he was near. He picked me up and stepped inside, tossing me onto the bed.

My laughter turned to an intake of breath as he nuzzled my neck.

Chapter Two

The Honeymoon

The next day and the days to follow were filled with exploration and relaxation. We spent our mornings and afternoons playing the roles of tourists. We saw the Grand Canyon, the Hoover Dam and Botanical Gardens. Our nights, after a show of course, were either tucked away in the bedroom or lounging on the sofa watching movies and enjoying the view of the fountain from our huge picture window. I don’t know what I did to deserve such bliss, but I could get used to it.

The only dark spot in our time away was my mother. I had eventually told her that we had eloped and let’s just say…she wasn’t happy. She yelled, cried and whined that I had made her a social outcast. When I explained that our wedding was about us and not her social status, she hung up on me. I was left in a dark mood. Depressing memories of both her and my father yanked me even further into a cyclone of gloomy images of my childhood.

Nate wouldn’t allow me to be upset by her reaction and after some steamy kisses my mood instantly perked up.

I don’t want to leave, I whined as I watched Nate pack his things. It was the evening before we were to return home and I was sitting up, wearing a plush white robe provided by the hotel, my arms wrapped around my knees, my face buried in the soft, floral scented material. My possessions were still stubbornly hanging in the closet or tucked away in the drawers.

You do realize that the room is booked and the new guests might notice you on their bed?

Lifting my face up to gaze at him, I huffed out a stubborn breath, my lips in a pout. Why are you so happy to go?

He dropped a couple of balled up socks into his open suitcase, they rolled between his shaving kit and a pair of dark wash jeans. He sat down next to me on the bed. "I don’t want to. He traced the tip of his finger along my cheek, my skin burned at his gentle touch. This past week has been the happiest in all my life. But, now that it is over, I can’t deny how excited I am to bring you back to our life as my wife. I can’t wait to begin our lives together. He dropped his hand and reached for mine. I want to shout it from the rooftops that you are Mrs. Riley." The smile that appeared on his face matched the jubilance in his eyes. His face shone with happiness as the dimples I loved so much came out to play.

He never failed in making me feel wanted. And after the episode with my mother a few days ago, it was a welcome feeling. Don’t you mean Mrs. Green? Green was the name he had used when I first met him. He used it instead of Riley to distance himself from his family. He wanted to protect them from other werewolves that might try to hurt him by harming someone he loved. It had happened in the past with his father and then a friend.

He shrugged. Any name is fine with me, as long as it matches mine. He leaned forward and touched his lips to mine, creating an electric current on my skin. Although I was suddenly lost in his lips, the feel of his tongue on mine, I noticed his hand slipping under my robe. And right now I want to show Mrs. Riley or Green how much her husband loves her. He mumbled his words against my lips and I gasped as he bent down to trail kisses along my now exposed bare shoulder. My head fell back onto the pillow as he explored, relishing the sensations his kisses were creating. As we became lost in each other, I thought about what he said. He was right, we had the rest of our lives together and this was just the beginning.

Wake up sleepyhead. The soft, sexy voice in my ear was as familiar as my own. I sat up and blinked at the sun glaring in through the window of Nate’s sport car. I breathed in deeply and ran my hand over my face. I felt groggy and confused. Where were we?

I glanced around our surroundings and smiled. We were home. Our journey was over, but instead of being disappointed, as I thought I would be, I felt giddy. I didn’t know how much I missed our small comfy lake cottage until I was looking at it again.

Nate got out of the car and before I had the chance to open my door he was there doing it for me. Thank you, sir. I curtsied in front of him when I climbed out, loving how much of a gentleman he was. He grew up in the eighteen hundreds and manners were engrained in his brain. The smell of fresh lake water welcomed me home.

Nate grinned, taking my hand to kiss my knuckles. He lingered a few seconds, his