Page 59 of Broken Moon

Physically, he was something tolook at. He was around six feet three inches tall, dark hair, a sexy smile thatrarely left his face, like he knew some amusing secret that no one else wasprivy to. He had a fondness for animals—especially dogs—that made it hard tohate him. How could an animal lover be a monster?

But even as he was smirking andhis eyes were full of sex and promises and smiles, his brutality could sneakout of nowhere and totally and quickly destroy a person.

“You’ve grown,” he said.

I curled my lip. “What have youdone with my mother, Thorne?”

Anger flared in his eyes at mylack of respect, and finally, he took his stare from me and gestured at someonein the shadows. Two wolves brought my mother into the clearing, and I glancedat her, emotionless and cold, unwilling to give Adam the satisfaction of seeingmy pain, fear, or worry. I would give him nothing. The ghost of my father stoodat my side—not literally, but I imagined him there, watching.

In the beginning I had calledfor him, hoping he’d appear and take me into his ghostly arms and tell meeverything was okay. That he was okay. He never had. I guessed he’d crossedover immediately.

My mother was unmarked, andinstead of anger, her eyes were lit with fear. Fear for me. She was too afraid tohave room for rage.

“Kait,” she said, her voicehoarse. “Please.”

I knew what she was asking.Don’tmake the alpha mad. Don’t make him hurt you. Give him what he wants.

Which begged the question…

“What,” I asked the alpha, “doyou want?”

His eyes glittered. “If I’dwanted you or Susan dead, I would have killed you long ago. Relax, Kaitlyn.”

I only stared at him.

He shrugged, finally, but that angerwas still there. He needed submission. He neededmysubmission. But Iwould absolutely die before I gave it to him.

“I’ve been informed that JaredWalker is promising to free your wolf,” he said, the darkness in his voicemixing perfectly with the night. “You will not allow that to happen.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed.“It’s been twelve years, Adam. You can’t sentence me to a lifetime without myshift because of my father’s sins—or just because I cut your face.” I looked atthe scar still decorating his cheek. “I see you couldn’t manage to heal it.” Iwas shocked the scar was still there. My baby claws shouldn’t have been able todo that to him, and even if I’d sliced him up with a knife, he was a wolf. Hewasalpha. He should have erased that mark like it had never happened.

And yet, there it was.

I smiled.

He sighed. “So like yourfather,” he murmured, but before I could puff up with pride, he continued, “selfish,weak, and stupid.”

I clenched my fists. “My fatherwas a better man than you’ll ever be, Thorne.”

He looked at my mother. “Isthat true, Mom? Was Daniel Silver a good man?” But he didn’t want an answerfrom her. He took a step closer to me. “There are things you don’t know, Kait.About your father, about that night…” Another step. “About yourself.”

I felt the cold power of hisvoice in my very soul. I was afraid to speak, because I knew if I did, my voicewould crack and waver and he’d know how weak I really was. So I simply staredat him, and I put all the hatred I felt into my stare.

“You asked me what I want, sohere it is. I want you. The Gray Shadow alpha can’t control you or your wolf ifyou’re mine, so I reclaim you. You were born my wolf, and you are still my wolf.You and Susan will come back to Stonebridge to live. I’ll take care of both ofyou.”

Like hell he would. “And mywolf?” I was simply curious. No way would we return to him or his pack. No waywould I accept him as my alpha.

His stare wavered.

“Oh,” I said, “I see.” I didn’twait for him to take another step toward me. I took one toward him. “Why areyou so afraid of my big, bad wolf?”

He wasn’t smiling now. “As Isaid. There are things you don’t know.”

“So tell me.”

“My seer has shown me things,Kait.Youhave shown me things. I took that information and used it tobest protect my pack.”

“Yourself, you mean.”