Resisting the Moon: A Royal Shifters Novel (29 page)

His shoulders hunched and his head fell, breaking my heart. “Please talk to me,” I pleaded. When he didn’t, I held back my tears. I remembered what it had been like on the day I’d found out the truth. It had taken me some time too. “There’s something I want to give you. It was my mother’s.” In my hand, I held a black, velvet bag that kept her pink stone safe. I set it on the ground behind him and stepped back.

“I don’t know if you ever saw her with it, but it’s her rose quartz. She spelled it to capture her memories. It’s where I saw you for the first time.” I took another step back, hoping he’d face me. “If you ever want to find me, I’ll be at Tyla’s. She was nice enough to let me stay at her place.” For another few seconds, I waited, before realizing nothing was going to come of it. My throat closed up tight. I didn’t think I could speak, even if I wanted to.

Turning on my heel, I pulled out my phone and started to text Sebastian but thought better of it and put it away. He’d only get pissed if he found out my father ignored me, and probably start some big fight.

“Wait,” my father’s voice called out. Heart pounding, I turned around quickly. He glanced down at the velvet bag and picked it up, keeping his gaze on it. When he looked inside, a sad smile spread across his cheeks. “I gave this to her when we were kids. She used to carry it around everywhere. I found it in the creek by my house.”

My moonstone was in my pocket and I pulled it out. “I must take after her then. I always carry mine with me too.”

He took a deep breath and lifted his gaze to mine. Eyes wide, he stared at me. “You look just like her,” his voice cracked, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

I turned my head. “I know it pains you to look at me. If it’s too much, I’ll understand if you don’t want to see me again.”

He took a step forward, and then another, until he was right in front of me. His fingers lifted my chin and I lost the battle with my tears. “Don’t ever think that, Laila. Seeing you makes me miss your mother more, sure. But now I have a piece of her here with me. I just wish you knew how much I hate myself right now.”

“Why did you leave?” I asked.

His fingers fell from my chin and I could feel his anger. “Being a protector has always been my way of life. I knew that when the time came, I’d have to make a choice. I was prepared to defy my pack to be with her. And so, the night after your mother and I were together, I left to go back to Canada. I was to be back in a couple of weeks, but it ended up being closer to a month. When I showed up at her house, she was gone. There wasn’t a trace of her anywhere.”

“Vincent,” I growled.

He nodded. “But I didn’t know that at the time. I searched and searched for her, and there was nothing. I figured she’d gone back to the Land of the Fae. She’d always gone back there for visits because she loved it. In fact, the only reason she’d stayed on Earth was because of me.”

He turned the stone over in his hand and rubbed it between his finger and thumb. “After months and months of looking, I went back to Canada to fulfill my duty as a protector. Sebastian and Micah still had time to explore the world and it was Sebastian who found out she had been killed by Vincent. Only, he didn’t tell me until
after
he’d already killed him.”

“And you were mad because it was your right to do it yourself,” I added.

“I loved her, Laila. For the past thirty years, I’ve lived in a darkness I can’t seem to find my way out of. And now there’s you, a daughter I had no clue existed. The thought of what you went through while being with those monsters plagues me. And again, my brother was the one who ended them, when it should’ve been me.”

I shook my head. “Life isn’t all about vengeance. But if it makes it any easier, the Sierra Pack never hurt me. They knew they couldn’t. I was actually the one who turned on them and delivered death to their door. Sebastian and Amelie helped, but it was my doing. Take comfort in knowing that it was me who did it as well. I’m a part of you which means you were there too.”

He brushed a finger across my cheek. “Wise beyond your years.”

“I must take after my father in that respect.” He chuckled and it made me smile. “I don’t know much about my mother and I’m hoping you can help me with that. I was left with only a few of her memories, and a couple journals written in Elvish that I can’t translate.”

“I guess that means you’ll need my help.” He smirked.

I gasped. “You know Elvish?”

He nodded. “Your mother taught me. I’ll help you with anything you need.”

Jumping in his arms, I didn’t care if it was overstepping my boundaries or not. I was surprised when he wrapped his arms around my waist. “I feel like I’ve waited an eternity for this one moment.”

“So have I, my dear. And I promise I won’t let you down.”

For once in my life, I finally felt like I belonged.

Tyla (Three Months Later)

“S
o you’re quitting on me, eh?” Blake called, joining me at the fence.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not quitting. I’m just taking a leave of absence, I think. I’m not sure yet. Besides, I found a replacement. You can’t complain too much.”

Amelie rode around the field on Nightshade, Blake’s black stallion. She was just as good with horses as I was. Blake stood beside me—leaning his elbows over the fence—watching her with a skeptical eye. “I don’t know if she’s as good as you, but I’ll see what she’s got. She can start on Monday.”

I waved Amelie in and she trotted over. “Thanks, Boss. I think this is exactly what she needs.”

Smiling, he nudged me in the shoulder. “No problem. Just please consider coming back after the baby’s born. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”

“I thought you said you could handle this place on your own?” I teased.

He chuckled. “I can, but you’re my friend. I’ve kind of gotten used to you being around. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

“I promise.”

“Hey, before I forget, I need to catch up with Sebastian. Maybe we can meet at the bar tomorrow night? There’s something I need his help on.”

“Of course, I’m sure he’ll be happy to help.” He patted me on the back and walked back toward the barn. Amelie finally made it over to me and I rubbed Nightshade’s muzzle. “Looks like you have a job come Monday,” I told her excitedly.

She beamed. “Thank you, Tyla. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t. But let’s put this big boy back in his stall for the night, so I can get home.” I helped her put Nightshade back and showed her around the barn. There were two new horses she’d have to help train and I knew she could do it.

Once I dropped her off, I hurried home and rushed to the kitchen. I was craving grapes. Morning sickness didn’t bother shifters, but the cravings were ridiculous. One day, I’d want grapes, the next, Brussel sprouts, and so on. My weirdest craving had been tuna and chocolate syrup sandwiches.

I grabbed a handful of grapes and popped them into my mouth, one after the other. “Sebastian?” I called.

“Up here.”

What was he doing in the nursery? I walked up the stairs but couldn’t see him because the door was closed. I opened it up and gasped when the room came into view. The walls were no longer cream, but a light shade of aqua. It was the exact color I’d wanted, but that wasn’t what had me in tears.

With the widest grin I’d ever seen, Sebastian stepped out of the way so I could see what he’d done. “What do you think?” he asked, beaming with excitement.

I walked over to the crib, running a hand over the smooth wood. “Did you make this?” It was perfect, the wood carvings so detailed and delicate.

He pulled me into his arms. “I did. I’ve been working on it for the past two months. When we find out if we’re having a boy or girl, I’m going to carve their name right here,” he said, pointing to the top wooden piece of the crib.

Biting my lip, I tried to keep from smiling. “It’s amazing, I love it.” I tried to block him from getting into my mind, but failed.

“What are you hiding from me? Is there something you know that I don’t?”

I burst out laughing. “Okay, fine, I was going to tell you tonight, but I can’t keep it a secret anymore. Seraphina was at my old house when I went to pick Amelie up to take her to Blake’s. She kind of told me what we’re having.”

“Well?” he asked, eyes wide in joy. “What did she say?”

Stepping back, I placed my hands on my stomach. “We’re having a girl,” I announced happily.

Sebastian picked me up in his arms and twirled me around, hooting and hollering. With tears glistening in his eyes, he bent down and kissed my stomach before placing his lips on mine. “You have no idea how happy you just made me.”

I felt the baby flutter inside me. Eyes wide, he glanced down at my stomach, then back to me. He must have felt it too. “Was that her?”

I nodded. “She loves you too.”

“What about you?” he asked, rubbing his thumb across my lips.

“Why don’t you take me to the bedroom and I’ll show you?”

Not wasting any time, he picked me up and carried me to our room. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

More of the Royal Shifters Series will be coming soon!