Hunter’s Moon Rising
Some secrets are worth dying for…
A past that won’t stay buried…
Sylvie Monroe thought she left the past behind when she moved to Winter Forest. She’s happy with a cozy life and a devoted boyfriend, Lukas Raines. But everything shatters the night a dangerous stalker from her past breaks into her apartment—a fling she fled across state lines to escape.
One moment changes everything…
Lukas arrives home to find Sylvie being beaten, and the attacker is more than just an unwelcome ghost. He’s Lukas’s rival, who should’ve been old news. To save the woman he loves, Lukas makes an impossible choice: reveal his werewolf secret or let his beloved girlfriend suffer.
Love put through the ultimate test…
Now that the truth is out, Sylvie must decide if she can accept the man she loves, claws and all. Not everyone in the Pack believes a human should know their secrets. As danger closes in, Lukas will stop at nothing to keep Sylvie safe… even if it means unleashing the beast within.
Rubbing my eyes, I stepped inside the apartment my boyfriend and I shared. Work had zapped my energy, and I craved the moment I’d curl up in bed with a cup of hot tea and the sexy romance novel I’d borrowed from the library. Lukas coming home unexpectedly would make this evening so much better. But I couldn’t count on that. His business trips were usually pretty consistent. If he said he’d be home on a certain day, it was usually true. I tossed my keys into a basket on the side table, then leaned back against the front door.
“Home at last.” I stifled a yawn and glanced down at my outfit.
Wet clothes clung to my skin, including my soaked navy blazer. I peeled off the damp wool to hang on the coat rack. These clothes needed my attention if I didn’t want them to mildew, but I deserved a hot shower first. A shiver chased down my spine as the air conditioning’s cool breeze drifted over my arms.
READ MOREToday had tested my patience. That virtue wasn’t a strong suit of mine on the best of days.
Traffic had been horrible on the drive home. So many assholes had swerved in front of me because apparently driving like a bat out of hell in stormy weather was fine. At home, it’d been almost impossible to find a parking spot. Had I packed an umbrella? Hell no. I’d ran—in heels—three blocks in torrential rain. I was lucky I hadn’t twisted an ankle. Property management needed to rethink their stance on no assigned parking, but what could I do? Nothing at all.
We could move somewhere else, but this apartment was our first shared home together. It felt special to me. Perhaps I could talk with Lukas when he came home.
I walked to the bathroom, then stripped off the rest of my drenched clothing. With a sigh, I leaned over the sink, staring at my tired reflection. Light brown hair plastered to my forehead, and mascara trailed down my cheeks. Ugh. I looked worse than a drowned raccoon.
Lukas always knew how to brighten my day. If only he were here…
His job forced him to travel a lot, and I hated it. But again, what could I do? He enjoyed his work, unlike me. Most days, I wanted to punch my alarm clock and bury my head under the pillow. Trying to convince him to find a new job wasn’t the solution here. Maybe he’d prove his worth to the company one day, and we’d have more stability in our relationship again.
Would I be able to wait that long for him?
Stop it! Don’t think like that.
Lukas truly made me feel loved. None of the men I’d been with before treated me this way. To them, I was someone to cook meals and have fun in the sack. Lukas, however, made me feel pampered and cherished.
Shaking the thoughts aside, I cranked on the hot water before stepping into the shower. The feeling of warmth and comfort soaked deep into my bones, helping to eradicate the chill. I lifted my face to the spray, savoring the peaceful moment.
A small smile spread across my lips. Maybe I’d been too pessimistic. My crappy day at the office didn’t really matter, nor did the lack of parking our complex provided. What mattered was the close relationship I had with Lukas. When he came home, we’d talk about how his time away impacted me, but I wouldn’t ruin his trip. We would work through this. Our future together was bright.
After the shower, I’d change into my cute blue polka dot pajamas, deal with the laundry, make tea, curl up in bed, and call Lukas. If I couldn’t reach him, I’d devour my library book until I fell asleep.
After I dried off, I wrapped the grey bath towel around me. My cellphone lay on the bathroom counter. No texts or missed calls appeared on the screen, which meant Lukas hadn’t reached out. For a few seconds, my heart ached with sadness, but his job kept him busy with meetings and schmoozing galore. If he could reach out, he would. He’d already proved his love in so many ways.
I left the bathroom but paused in the hallway. The bedroom door was closed. That didn’t seem right. Had I shut it this morning? Lukas couldn’t be here. He would’ve greeted me. But he never closed the bedroom door either. Neither of us had any reason to. We rarely had guests, and both of us thrived in a tidy home.
Was it just an absent-minded mistake on my part?
Alarm bells rang at the back of my mind. Should I call the police? I glanced down at my phone. If I was alone, I’d look like a frightened idiot in nothing but a towel. Maybe this was some strange memory lapse.
Taking in a deep breath, I jerked the door open and flipped on the light. Delicate shades of blue and white decorated the cozy bedroom. Lukas had helped to paint the walls, pick out the decor, and put our furniture together. We’d created a perfect sanctuary. The memory brought a smile to my face. I took a step inside, lost in the moment. Until I saw him…
COLLAPSE