The Chronicles of Moon

Scared

Colin finally regains himself, and while he manages to look calm on the outside, he is anything but that. Farrell was close to killing Jamie, and Colin was close to letting him. Colin feels Moon shift next to him, making him aware that he still has her hand. He slowly lets it go and takes one more deep breath.

“We should go.” Colin tries to sound calm, but Farrell is still persisting and trying everything he can just to be near Moon again.

Colin is almost afraid to be alone with her in the car. He hopes he can ignore the insane wolf for the short drive back to the packhouse. Colin almost thinks of having someone else take Moon back for him, but Farrell’s threats and cursing make it clear he won’t stand for that.

They walk to the car, and Colin absentmindedly opens the door for her. He’s trying his best to avoid looking at her and thinking of her. Or touching her. Thanks to Farrell, Colin has already seen more of her than he wants to admit.

“Colin, are you all right?” Moon’s soft and gentle voice floats through the noise in his mind, and Farrell is quiet. Colin stops himself from groaning in relief and closes his eyes, relishing the brief calm.

“I’m fine. I just hate that Jamie disobeyed me,” Colin coolly states, and while it isn’t a lie, it isn’t entirely the truth.

Moon continues to stare straight into his eyes, almost like she’s looking to see if he has Farrell under control or not. Colin thinks for a moment that she must be afraid of him now. While she doesn’t act frightened, Colin knows how brave Moon can be. He is sure she must be afraid of him, and the thought causes Farrell to howl painfully and mournfully.

She would never be afraid of us. I would never hurt her. You are the one that hurt her feelings. I was just protecting her from Jamie. He is the one that should have listened to you, and he is the one that needs to be afraid. Farrell begins to whine again. Colin’s head is killing him.

Moon nods a little and climbs into the passenger seat. Colin is still reluctant to touch her, and as he walks to the other side of the SUV, he takes several more deep breaths.

Farrell, if you can please just stop and let me think clearly. I just need to get Moon back to the packhouse. Then we can go for a run. Colin pleads.

A RUN! I don’t want to go for a run; I want to stay near her. What if someone bothers her? What if she needs us? What if she leaves us? Farrell is threatening to go mad again, and it’s all Colin can do to keep him under control. Just because you think you don’t deserve or need love doesn’t mean I think that, Colin. I have let you sulk and keep people at a distance, but I won’t let you do that with her!

She isn’t even our mate. What does it matter if she stays or goes? She isn’t ours to begin with. Colin is angry now.

Then I will choose her anyway. She is the one I want, and you won’t stop me, Colin. Farrell is more than serious and tries again to take control.

Colin suppresses his wolf as he gets into the driver’s seat. He still won’t look at Moon, but he can feel the heat of her body, hear her breathing and the thump of her heart. The sweet smell of rain and honeysuckle fills the car so much that he rolls down the window. Farrell is giddy and begging just to talk to her. Colin just wants to ignore her completely.

“Colin, did I do something wrong?” Moon finally asks as they start driving.

“No, you didn’t.” Colin is short and gruff in his reply. His voice is a little rough and husky as he keeps fighting off his wolf.

Moon wants to say something to him, but she can’t think of anything to say. She is still trying to keep her own thoughts clear. She hasn’t forgotten how sexy he was standing there in the hall panting. She knows she should have been afraid like everyone else, but she was far from afraid. When she touched his arm, even through his white button-down shirt, his skin was so hot. Wolves are usually warm, but he felt close to burning. Then he took her hand, and Moon felt her heart flutter just a little. She keeps reminding herself that he is the last thing she wants. He’s just another arrogant Alpha, and she can’t stand that.

If that was entirely true, though, Moon wouldn’t be fighting so hard to keep from thinking about him. The voice in her head isn’t helping. Every now and then, an image of him shirtless and breathing hard flashes in her head. Moon is getting hot even though Colin has had his window down. So, she rolls hers down and lets the cool air hit her face. Colin shifts in his seat, and Moon looks over at him. He looks uncomfortable, gripping the searing wheel so tightly Moon thinks it might actually break in his hands.

“Should I put my window up?” Moon asks, thinking that is what is bothering him now.

“NO,” Colin nearly yells at her, and she blinks. “No, please leave it down if you don’t mind.” Colin tries to sound unconcerned, but Moon can see that he is anything but. She doesn’t really know what is bothering him so much. It can’t just be Jamie’s disobedience.

“I like your wolf. It must be great to have one,” Moon says the first thing that comes to mind, and Colin snorts.

“He’s being a pain in the ass right now.” Colin doesn’t mask his annoyance, and Farrell doesn’t care. Moon said she likes him.

“I still think it must be nice,” Moon says, looking back out the window.

That’s when Colin remembers she was meeting with Doc in his office.

“What did Doc want to see you about?′

“Oh, nothing really, but now that Johnny is better, I’m going to be going home. I’ll ask Ben to have someone come get me.”

Moon is looking out the window still, and Colin fights the urge to slam on the breaks and make her explain why she is leaving. He reminds himself that it is for the best that she goes home. Farrell just howls louder and blames Colin; he tries everything to get him to try to convince her to stay. Colin just reminds him that she is free to do as she likes. Farrell finally can’t take it anymore and retreats into Colin’s mind.

Colin is relieved that Farrell leaves him alone for a moment, but when he finally looks at Moon and sees her sitting there next to him with her hair blowing in the breeze, his heart sinks. She is going to leave. He knew she would, but now that she has said it, and she really is, he can’t sort out exactly how he feels about it. He was curious about this strange girl before, but now he almost finds her frightening. The thought that this girl could scare him makes him almost want to laugh. He has worked so hard to not be afraid of anything. Here she is scaring him, and she doesn’t even know it.