Riley's Torment, A Moon's Glow Novel #2 (3 page)

"Whatever," I
muttered, pretending to pout.

He reached out
and squeezed my hand, and his warm touch sent tingles up my arm.
His expression turned sincere. "I'm not surprised, honestly. You
are capable of so much more than you ever imagined. Julia said
you're doing great in my old position at Riley House."

“That reminds
me. Do you know the house next to the shelter?”

“The red brick
one with the gnomes out front?” he asked as he munched on a piece
of chicken.

I nodded. “It’s
for sale. And I want to buy it and donate it. That way we can put
on an addition to Riley House.”

He shook his
head. “No. I won’t let you use your own money.”

“Nate, it’s my
money, and I can use it how I want. My grandmother left me a lot
when she died. I have enough.”

He reached out
and placed his warm hand on mine. “I know you want to help, but we
can’t help everyone.” It was the same thing he’d been saying since
I had first expressed my frustration with the Riley House’s lack of
space. I ignored the heat that shot through my hand at his
touch—this was not the time to think about how sexy my boyfriend
was.

“You’re right,
we can’t. But you didn’t have to turn down a widower and his two
children or a pregnant woman. I did, and it wasn’t easy.”

He squeezed my
hand and smiled. “Have I told you how proud I am of what a great
job you’re doing? And that I’m so happy you’ve taken such an
interest in the shelter?” His vivid blue eyes were proud, and love
shone from his face. Unlike my parents, Nate made his love very
obvious to me. And for a girl who had craved the emotion since
childhood, it was a blessing. However, I knew he was trying to
distract me from my plan.

“Then let me do
this. I really want to.”

His face grew
thoughtful, until he finally said. “Okay. Go ahead. I’ll support
you on whatever you decide to do.”

I pulled his
hand up, and held it against my cheek. “Thank you. I’ll get in
contact with my financial advisor and the real estate agent in the
morning. I can’t wait to tell Julia.” Flutters of excitement
bounced inside me. I couldn’t wait to expand and take in more
people. I hated turning away that family today.

He took a sip
of his drink and then gazed at me. “How are the volunteers
doing?”

“Great! Lilly
is such a help.” A thought popped in my head. “Did you hear that
Natalie got into Harvard?” I asked, jiggling my fork against my
knife, making a soft tinkling sound. Natalie was a resident of
Riley House when I had first started there. We bonded over my old
clothes which I had donated. Her mother got a job, and they moved
into an apartment a few months ago. They were thriving in their new
life, and it was because of Riley House and Nate.

His eyes went
round in surprise as he sat up in his chair. "No. When did that
happen?"

"Yesterday. She
was so excited when she came in to volunteer."

His face was
filled with pride. He was attached to the residents and always
loved hearing when their lives turned out well. It was like they
were his children. He didn't take just anybody into the shelter.
They had to want a better life, and when they did get accepted, it
wasn't a free ride. They were expected to look for jobs and help
out around the house. Once they were able to move out on their own,
they were asked to continue to volunteer. It gave the current
residents hope for their future to see others succeed. “I'm so
glad. Did she get the scholarship she applied for?”

I nodded,
swallowing some iced tea. “With her grades, how could she not?”

He took the
last bite of chicken before shoving his plate away. I couldn’t help
but notice it was practically licked clean. I mentally patted
myself on the back.

"Are you going
to the shelter tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yes, but not
until eleven. Lauren’s coming too. She's home for the weekend."

"I know, I saw
her. Joseph will be excited."

"Why? He's not
going to do anything about it;" I grumbled, frustrated by the whole
situation. Like me, Lauren was a mate to a werewolf, but she didn't
know. Joe, Nate's best friend for the last fifty years, had
instantly known she was his mate. He was in town helping Nate with
another werewolf situation when he met her. He wanted to tell
Lauren, but Nate advised him to ask her father, Will, who just
happened to be Nate's great, great, great nephew. He, like Lauren
was human, and they guarded Nate's secret.

Nate frowned at
me, lines formed at the creases of his eyes and the corners of his
mouth. "I wish they could be as happy as we are, but Joe respects
Will and won't go against his wishes." After four months, Will
still refused to let Lauren be with a werewolf. He loved and valued
both Nate and Joe, but he knew how dangerous being with a werewolf
could be. I was an example of that. A few months ago, a werewolf
named Rowan had wanted to hurt Nate. His plan had been to target
me, Nate’s mate, in order to make that happen. Rowan died, trying
to take me from him.

"What is Lauren
up to her first night back?" Nate asked, shifting his chair. He was
clearly hoping to change the subject.

I held my
glass, swirling the ice inside, the cubes clinking together. "She
went to Manic with Ally, Lilly, and Eddie." I took a sip and
swallowed, feeling the cool liquid slide down my throat. "She asked
us to go, but I told her we had plans." Manic was a bar—and no, my
friends and I were not old enough to go, but Allison knew the
bouncer who always let us in. We went for the bands that frequently
played, not the alcohol that they served. That was why her uncle,
the bouncer, allowed us entry.

"Good. I want
you all to myself." Nate’s voice was filled with intensity,
responding to my answer. "I have something for you."

I glanced up at
him, surprised by the sudden change in his voice. He stood up and
stepped toward me, his expression deep with emotion. I wondered
what was wrong. I was about to ask, when he knelt down in front of
me on one knee. His scent of leather and pine whirled around me
making me giddy. My heart leapt.

"What's
happening?" I whispered softly, my voice almost inaudible.

Instead of
answering, he reached into the pocket of his button down shirt and
pulled out a tiny white box. When he opened the lid, I gasped.
Inside was an enormous diamond ring that sparkled in the
candlelight. I couldn't help the look of shock that crossed my
face. I was breathless, unable to speak.

"Megan, the
moment I saw those green eyes and freckles, I wanted you to be
mine. Even though I pulled away from you, you were in my every
thought." His voice was filled with devotion. He meant those words
with all his heart. My heart swelled, and my eyes started to
water.

"For the first
time in my long life, I looked forward to my future because you
would be at my side.” He dropped his tone, soft and low. It held an
uncertainty, and for just a second, his nerves shone in his eyes.
“Will you be my wife?" As soon as the question was out of his
mouth, his eyes were filled with love and longing.

While I knew he
meant every word and wanted me to marry him, he sounded unsure that
I would accept. It wasn't long ago that I had a hard time adjusting
to what he was. Yes, some of the traits of his wolf side bothered
me a little, but once I got over it, I never questioned him again.
He was the one I would love until I died. I knew that. And now he
was offering me a future together. Even though I could see his
nervousness that I wouldn’t accept him, I didn't even hesitate.
There was no question. He was asking me to be his partner in every
way and to be part of a family. His extended family, the Rileys,
was a large, loving group that made my own look pathetic in
comparison. I had wanted a big family my whole life, and he was
willing to share his. Besides, I loved him with all my heart, and
since I was his werewolf mate for life, a piece of paper was just a
technicality.

I grinned as
pure bliss flowed through my entire body, filling my heart with
warmth. "Yes, of course I'll be your wife," I said loudly,
happiness echoed in my voice.

In the blink of
an eye, I was in his arms, and he was kissing me frantically. I
sucked in a shocked breath. After months of knowing the truth, I
still couldn't get used to how fast he could move.

He drew back,
gazing at me. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, a conflict between
self-doubt and hope filled his intense eyes.

Overwhelmed
with emotion, I simply nodded. I had lost the power of speech, but
it wasn't needed because his lips returned to my mouth with a
fervor I hadn't felt from him since I first accepted his werewolf
side. This man was the most kind, giving person I had ever met. He
was loved by his family and everyone at Riley House—the charity
that he founded over fifty years ago. But he continually questioned
why I loved him. He saw himself as a monster, just because some
evil werewolf named Charlotte bit him and killed his betrothed back
in 1894. Lucy lost her life, but Nate lost his humanity, causing
him to kill two people in his lifetime—a fact that still haunted
him. And since those regrettable incidents, he lived his life
helping others, hoping to make up for the lives he took.

If he could see
himself the way I did, he would never question why I loved him. My
thoughts melted away as he pulled back, trailing kisses down my
neck. I inhaled sharply as his hot breath brushed my ear; his
tongue skimmed my sensitive skin.

"I love you so
much," he moaned, pulling me against him so tight—he felt like a
second skin. "I want to be with you."

His words both
shocked and excited me. Even though we lived together for the last
few months, we still hadn't taken the next step in our
relationship. Nate had been nothing but patient, and a gentleman to
the core, never pressuring me. There were a few times that we had
gotten carried away and almost went through with it, but I always
pulled back. Not once did he become angry or even frustrated. His
constant patience always surprised me.

I still wasn't
sure why I was holding back. I was eighteen and no longer lived at
home. I had graduated high school and had a good job running the
charity. I loved him with all my heart. And right now, his words
made me question why I was waiting. It felt amazing to be loved so
much by another person. Why not take the next step? Now, with his
proposal, I needed to show him how much he meant to me and that I
wanted to be with him in every way. I pulled away from his lips and
gazed into his eyes that now flashed with longing.

"I want to be
with you too," I whispered.

His eyes
widened. "Are you sure? I don't want to pressure you."

I nodded,
confident in my decision. I wanted this man; he was kind, loving
and so incredibly hot. "I'm sure," I began, about to add that I
loved him, but I couldn't speak; his mouth was once again covering
mine. In an instant, I was in his arms as he whisked me into the
bedroom. His intoxicating scent washed over me.

He sat me down
on the bed and kissed me again, opening his mouth to make the kiss
deeper. My stomach twisted with need. I didn't know how much I
wanted this until it was happening, and now that it was, I couldn't
wait. I reached out and started to unbutton his shirt. As I worked,
he pulled away and began to kiss my neck, running his tongue along
my heated skin. I gasped, feeling so much emotion that my hands
shook as I undid the last button. I tugged it down over his
shoulders and stared at his smooth, muscular chest. A noise came
out of him that could only be described as a growl when I ran my
hands down his soft skin. My palms burned hot where our skin
touched. I gazed into his eyes and smiled, loving that I had the
power to make a man who usually fought his wolf side growl. His
eyes were wild, as he gazed back at me, but I wasn't afraid. He
would never hurt me—he couldn't. I was his mate for life. He
reached out, his arm shaking slightly as he pushed my dress down
over my shoulders until the wide collar rested at my elbows. His
eyes turned yellow as he stared at me.

"You’re
incredible," he said roughly, his gaze raking over me. I was
breathlessly silent. I didn’t know what to say. My cheeks warmed as
he studied me.

Slowly, he
reached out to wrap me in his arms and nuzzled my neck. The touch
of his lips, his tongue, and his gentle hands on my bare skin felt
so good. My mind was filled with a pleasure haze. I could not hold
a coherent thought as he nibbled, caressed, and kissed my fevered
skin. The feel of his teeth scraping my flesh made my body hum. I
felt drunk with sensations. I didn’t know what he was doing to me,
but I didn’t want him to stop. A low rumble came out of Nate's
chest as he explored my neck, my collar bone, and up to my ear. I
gasped as he flicked his tongue on my earlobe. He drew away and
stared up at me with glazed eyes. I wasn't sure who had control
right now—the wolf or the man. He smiled lovingly, leaning down to
kiss my lips, and stiffened.

"Damn it," he
snarled.

Did I do
something wrong? I know I was new at this, but all I was doing was
sitting here enjoying the feel of his lips on my bare skin.

"Someone's
here." His eyes became yellow, and his arms were shaking. The wolf
was taking over.

I watched him
clench his jaw and ball his hands into fists as he fought the urge
to turn. "Why are you changing?" I asked, just a hint of fear in my
voice.

He sighed
heavily staring at the side of my neck. "I'll tell you later." He
ran his hand over his face in frustration. "Get dressed. It's
Lauren."

I couldn't hear
anything beyond the low music playing in the living room. "How can
you tell?" I asked as I yanked my dress back up.

"I can hear her
car motor; it has a specific sound. Can you answer the door? I'm
not fit for company." He smiled sadly, unhappy that we were
interrupted. His eyes were still yellow, but he was no longer
shaking. His jaw clenched; he was looking at my neck with
dismay.