Moon Vowed (Mirror Lake Wolves Book 8) Read online

  Her eyes shifted to me, and I thought I knew where she was thinking of—the lake. I couldn’t agree more.

  “Thanks again.” I lifted the jars of ash in my hands and turned toward the front door. “Merry Christmas. Please tell Ridley we hope she feels better soon.”

  “I will, and Merry Christmas to you too.”

  As Rowena walked us to the door, I spotted Ridley coming downstairs. Her face was pale and beneath her eyes was dark. A flush of color tinted her cheeks, and she hunched over as though she couldn’t stand straight without her muscles aching. She paused on the steps and wiped her nose with a tissue.

  “Hey, guys. I thought I heard you down here.” Her voice was nasally. “What are you doing?”

  Rowena shook her head, and I knew she didn’t want us telling Ridley the true reason for our visit. She must have no idea what her being sick was doing to the other side.

  “Mina wanted to stop by and check on you,” I said. “Also, we needed to get something for a ceremony when Taryn has the baby in a couple of weeks.”

  I held up the jars of blessed willow ash, hoping she didn’t know what it was used for and ask questions.

  “How are you feeling?” Mina asked. “Your aunt said you were taking a nap. I would have come up, but didn’t want to bother you.”

  I wasn’t sure where she got the nap idea from, but it was genius.

  “I’m a little better. Not much.” She sniffled. “But it can only get better from here, right?”

  “Yeah.” Mina chuckled. “Right.”

  God, I hoped so.

  “Well, we should probably get going. I would hug you, but I don’t want your germs,” Mina teased.

  I inched closer to the front door.

  “Ugh. Definitely. You don’t want this. Trust me. I feel like I’ve been run over by a freaking truck.” She adjusted her glasses. “Wait a minute... is that a ring on your finger?”

  Mina held her hand out. I could feel her happiness from where I stood. It warmed my chest and settled my wolf.

  “Yeah.” Mina glanced at me before shifting her eyes back to Ridley. “Eli popped the question.”

  “Oh my gosh, you guys! I’m so happy for you!”

  “Thanks,” I muttered.

  “Well, Merry Christmas. Congratulations. And, we have so much to chat about once I get better,” Ridley insisted.

  “Yes, we do.” Mina chuckled. “Call me once you’re better.”

  “I will. Don’t get married before then.”

  “I won’t,” Mina said.

  We let ourselves out and climbed into my truck. I cranked the engine and then headed for home with three jars of blessed willow ash resting on the seat between Mina and me.

  11

  As we turned into the trailer park, I noticed lights on at the party building. Some kids in the pack were playing out front, and I could see others inside.

  “I’m guessing wreath making is in full swing,” I said.

  “Oh, I’m sure. You know how much Gran enjoys Christmas crafts.”

  I pulled into our driveway and parked behind Mina’s car. When I cut the engine, I glanced at Glenn and Taryn’s place. Would Taryn be at home or at the party building with the others? I needed to talk to Glenn, and I didn’t want her to overhear anything. Glenn stepped out of his trailer, opening a soda, and headed to his truck. His driver door was open, and there were tools tossed along the bench seat.

  “I should give a jar of ash to Glenn and explain what we’ve learned.” I scratched the back of my neck. I didn’t want to have this conversation with him, but it was unavoidable. Their baby could be in danger, and he deserved to know. “I don’t know how to start the conversation, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out.”

  “You will. I know you will.” Mina placed her hand on my arm and squeezed. “Telling him is the right thing to do.”

  “I know.” I exhaled a long breath. “It’s just that no one wants to learn their kid is in danger, especially not one that isn’t even born yet.”

  Mina held out a jar of ash to me.

  “Still. It needs to be done.” She grabbed the handle on the passenger door once I’d taken the jar from her. “You’ll figure out what to say to him, and then he can tell Taryn what he wants. If he decides to tell her anything at all. Let that be his choice. As long as one of them knows, that’s what matters. I’ll head to the party and give a jar to Gran. Maybe she can sprinkle the ash on the wreaths without anyone noticing, and then everyone will be doubly protected at home at least since a wreath is going to everyone.”

  My unease dissipated. Mina was the reason. I didn’t know what I’d do without her half the time.

  “That’s a good idea,” I said. “What about the other jar?”

  “I guess we should keep it inside. If Ridley isn’t feeling better by the wedding or if the other side isn’t stable yet, then at least we’ll have something to protect the area near the lake where I want to have the wedding.”

  “Ha! I knew you were thinking about the lake.” A satisfied grin twisted my lips. I loved it when I knew what she was thinking.

  Mina winked before she slipped out of my truck. “I’ll talk to you later. Let me get this to Gran before anyone takes a wreath home.”

  “Okay.”

  I climbed out of my truck, leaving the jar of ash for the wedding on the seat. My boots crunched across the gravel as I made my way to Glenn’s truck. He spotted me when I was a few feet away and flinched. It was clear seeing Regina had him on high alert. I didn’t blame him; it was freaky.

  “Hey man, how’s it going?” I asked as I approached him.

  “Good. For now. I’d be better if I could quit seeing fucking ghosts around my place.” His eyes were dark when they met with mine. He wasn’t sleeping. “Did you figure out what’s going on?”

  “Sort of.” I passed him the jar of blessed willow ash as though it would reveal everything to him without me having to speak again. From the look on his face, it did no such thing. “This is from Rowena Caraway. It’s ash that’s supposed to protect against the spirits.”

  Glenn stared at the contents of the mason jar. “How does it work?”

  “You sprinkle it around your windows and line your doorways with it while thinking of using it to keep evil spirits out. They aren’t supposed to be able to pass the barrier the ash creates afterward.”

  “Cool.” Glenn smirked. “Is this what everyone’s getting for Christmas this year? I saw Mina carrying a jar too.”

  I crammed my hands into the front pockets of my jeans and dipped my head to the gravel beneath my boots. “No. Just you two. Everyone else is getting a wreath sprinkled with the stuff.”

  “We get a whole jar to ourselves? Why are we so special?”

  My wolf grew uneasy. He didn’t like the situation we were in any more than I did.

  “Rowena had a theory on why the spirits are hanging around the trailer park.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “They want access to your baby.”

  Glenn tossed the hand tool he’d been holding onto the seat of his truck. His dark eyes never wavered from mine. I could sense his wolf on the surface. He didn’t like what I had to say any more than I cared to say it.

  “What do you mean they want access to my baby?” His words came out in a growl that instantly had my wolf rushing to the surface and wanting to put him in his place for the challenge in his eyes.

  I forced myself to take in a few deep, measured breaths before speaking. Glenn was protective of his kid; it was a natural occurrence. He wasn’t challenging me. Not necessary. He was scared. I understood. My wolf, not so much.

  “Calm down.” My voice was firm when I spoke. I held Glenn’s stare and took a step closer to him. He needed to know I was doing everything I could to protect him and his family, that I was in charge and had a handle on things. As his alpha and his friend. “It’s going to be okay. That’s what the blessed willow ash is for. It’s to protect you, Taryn, and the baby.” Glenn opened
his mouth to say something, but I pressed forward, refusing to give him a chance to speak. “The reason y’all need to be protected is because the spirits are hanging around the trailer park because they know Taryn’s close to giving birth. There’s only a few weeks left in her pregnancy. They can somehow sense it.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Apparently, souls are vulnerable when they first enter this world as a child. The spirits lurking around, like Regina and Shane, want a second chance at living, and they want to do that through your baby.”

  I hated breaking the news to him on Christmas Day and in this way, but I didn’t have a choice.

  “What’s causing all this? How are they even here?”

  “Ridley. She’s got the flu and doesn’t realize the other side has become unstable because of it.”

  “Shit. I should’ve known it had something to do with her. I keep forgetting what she is.” Glenn paced. “Is there anything the Caraways can do to speed up her healing process?”

  “They’ve done all they can. All we can do is give her time and allow her to rest. We can protect Taryn and the baby with the blessed willow ash as well as the rest of the pack too.”

  “How are you going about that?”

  “I’ve got Mina helping Gran sprinkle the wreaths everyone’s making with the ash.”

  “Smart.” Glenn took a step closer to me. “Have any of the others been told what’s going on?”

  “No.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I was thinking of calling a meeting tonight, but with it being Christmas, I wasn’t sure if I could get everyone here. I know everyone has plans with their families and significant others, and then there’s the party too.”

  “You’re the alpha. They have to come.”

  He had a point. If I called a meeting with my inner circle, they would come. They had to know I wouldn’t do it unless it was important.

  “How about now instead of tonight if you’re worried about cutting into their family time,” Glenn suggested. “I doubt any of the guys are making Christmas wreaths. Taryn got me a CD player for Christmas, and I’ve been installing it in my truck. Everyone else is probably doing something similar or lying around.”

  “Great point.”

  I pulled out my cell and created a group text. After I tapped out a message, asking everyone to meet at my place in fifteen minutes, I crammed my phone back into my pocket.

  “Done.” I glanced at Glenn. “You should be there too. Not only have you seen Regina, but you’re a much larger part of this too.”

  “Not me. My unborn kid.”

  My wolf growled, partly at his rude tone but also because he didn’t like the sound of any pack member, born or not, being in danger.

  “Even so,” I said. “I still want you there.”

  Glenn nodded. “Fine. I’ll be there.”

  My cell chimed as a slew of responses to my text came through.

  “Everyone’s on their way.”

  * * *

  Fifteen minutes later, everyone crammed into my tiny living room. Glenn’s unease rippled off him in waves, making everyone’s wolves on edge.

  “Thanks for coming, everyone. I’m sorry to pull you away from your families and celebrations on Christmas Day, but Glenn and I both felt there wouldn’t be a better time than now when most are making wreaths.”

  “Okay. So, what’s up?” Dorian asked. He spread his legs wide and folded his arms over his chest like he was bracing himself for some horrible news.

  “Has anyone noticed anything strange around the trailer park the last couple of days?” I asked.

  Frank stepped forward and I spotted a pink polka dot headband securing his long red hair away from his eyes. “Strange, as in?”

  “You mean like Frank here, wearing a girly headband?” Tate asked. He muffled a laugh and pointed at Frank.

  “What are you—? Oh,” Frank muttered. He ripped the headband off as his cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment. “Dad life. I forgot Farah put it on me earlier. Oops.”

  I chuckled but pressed forward. “No. I’m talking about strange things as in ghosts of the supernatural world who shouldn’t be here.”

  “Nope, can’t say that I have,” Sabin said. He scratched at his salt-and-pepper brow. “Why? What’s going on?”

  “My unborn child is at risk,” Glenn insisted. “That’s what’s going on.”

  “Whoa. Back up a little,” Dorian said. “Do what? I’m not following.”

  I released a long breath. “The other side has become unstable.”

  Everyone seemed disturbed by my announcement.

  “How? I thought Ridley had things under control. Didn’t Rowena make her some sort of necklace to help?” Dorian asked.

  “She did, but it doesn’t seem to be helping right now. I’m not sure if it’s lost energy or what, all I know is Ridley has the flu, and her being sick has somehow made the other side unstable.” I smoothed a hand across my forehead. “People who shouldn’t be here are.”

  “Like who?” Tate asked. I knew he was asking about our father, wondering if I’d seen him.

  “Bad people,” Glenn insisted. “I saw Regina on the steps of my trailer the other night. Eli saw her in the woods. She’s here because she wants my unborn child.”

  “Regina? What?” Sabin asked. Panic echoed through his voice, and I could feel his wolf snapping to attention at the mention of her name.

  “Shane too,” I said. “Mina saw him.”

  “Shit,” Dorian said.

  “Why do they want your baby?” Frank asked Glenn. As a father, he seemed as though he could relate to the fear rolling through Glenn. “Are they tryin’ to be reborn again?”

  “Apparently, that’s exactly what they’re trying to do. They want a second chance at living and are gonna try to do that through my baby.” Glenn’s nostrils flared. It was clear the more he thought about the situation the more pissed he became.

  “What can we do to protect ourselves and Glenn’s baby?” Max asked. He’d been quiet until that point. In fact, I’d nearly forgotten he was here.

  “There isn’t a whole lot, but we can use the blessed willow ash Rowena gave me as a barrier against them.” I glanced around for the extra jar Rowena had given us for the wedding, but remembered it was still in my truck. My gaze drifted to Glenn, but he didn’t have his with him either. “Mina is helping Gran sprinkle some on the wreaths being made for everyone. They will be placed on everyone’s front doors and should offer some protection.”

  “What about the baby? Are Taryn and the baby being protected in some way?” Frank asked.

  “They are. Glenn’s been given a jar of blessed willow ash to have on hand in case Taryn goes into labor before Ridley gets better,” I said.

  “What else should we be doing?” Dorian asked.

  “Nothing. There isn’t anything else we can do at this point. We can only wait and pray to the moon goddess that Ridley gets better or the Caraways get the other side under control,” I said. “I don’t want this spreading through the pack. What we’ve discussed doesn’t leave this room. I don’t want to put the pack in a panic.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Dorian said. I knew he’d have my back. He was my right-hand man.

  I nodded to him and he nodded back.

  “Okay, now that you are all up to speed, if a situation should arise, be cautious but calm. So far, none of the spirits were harmful. They’ve all disappeared within a few seconds. I don’t think they’re tangible.”

  “Right, okay. So, I guess what you’re saying is we need to pretend to not see them so no more trouble gets stirred up,” Tate said.

  “Right.”

  “How much of that ash were you given?” Sabin asked.

  “Three mason jars,” I said. “Mina has one and one was given to Glenn.”

  “And where’s the third?” Dorian asked.

  I scratched my neck. “In my truck.”

  “Maybe we should each take a portion to have on
us in case we come across a ghost. We can throw it at them before they have a chance for anyone else to see them,” Max suggested.

  It was a good idea, but that jar was being saved. Mina would have my head if I gave it to the guys to divvy up.

  “We could,” I said. “I mean, it’s an idea.”

  “But,” Tate said. His lips twisted into a smirk when I glanced at him. “It’s being saved for something else, isn't it? A special occasion perhaps?”

  “What sort of special occasion?” Dorian asked. “The full moon run? Do you really think the other side might be unstable until then?”

  “No. More like Eli and Mina’s wedding,” Tate said.

  “Wedding? What?” Dorian’s eyes bugged out of his head when he shifted to look at me. “No way. How did I miss that? When the hell did you propose?”

  “The other night.” Tate spoke before I could. “He did it next to the lake. All romantic and shit. I’m actually impressed.” He smirked.

  My face warmed. “Thanks for that, Tate. Really appreciate it.”

  “What?” He shrugged. “It’s not like it was some big secret. Everyone was going to find out sooner or later anyway, right? I mean, you’re not eloping. Are you?”

  “No. We’re not.” I smoothed a hand over my face. Damn, my little brother could be infuriating sometimes. “We’re having a real wedding. In a few days, actually.”

  The look on Dorian’s face was comical. “Days?”

  “The twenty-ninth,” I said.

  “Of this month?” Sabin asked. He arched a wooly eyebrow.

  “Yeah.” I nodded.

  Rounds of congratulations came from each of the guys. A wide smile formed on my face at the sound. Dorian stepped forward and patted me on the back then pulled me into a hug.

  “I’m happy for you two,” he said. There was real emotion in his voice, but when he pulled away, you couldn’t tell from his face. That was how Dorian was. He was a hard person to read, but I understood him. “I really am.”

  “Thanks. That means a lot to me. Thank you all,” I said. I ran a hand through my hair. “Mina and I are both excited.”