Page 24 of The Red Moon

“What,” I croak out and try again. “What was I saying?”

Nikolai lowers his head and clenches his jaw, teeth sure to be near the point of cracking. When he looks at me again, there’s sorrow in his golden eyes, dimming them a lighter shade. “You were saying Courtney.”

Fresh tears sting my eyes, and before I can stop myself, sobs break through my quivering lips. Nikolai is there, though, casting aside all reluctance and wrapping his arms around me the second the first tear cuts off my chin. He rests his cheek on my crown and squeezes me tight, incredible heat surrounding me.

“He—killed her,” I stammer, my voice breaking at each syllable. “He killed her and left her in that fucking club!”

Nik hushes me and places a kiss at the top of my head. “I know. I know what he did. And it’s my fault. I’m sorry, Natalia. I am so fucking sorry. Nothing I say or do will ever make up for the pain I have brought you. The loss.”

Another wave of sobs leaves me crashing into his bare chest, and he holds me tighter, continuing to rub small circles on my back. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, just caresses me in an embrace every part of me needs.

It’s only when my cries begin to stifle that Nikolai speaks again, his voice lowering with concern. “There’s something else I need to tell you, Natalia …”

Then, my entire world shatters.

SIXTEEN

NIK

“Breathe, Natalia,” I plead, my hands raised defensively.

She doesn’t. Fuck, I don’t even think she blinks. She jumps from the cot and backs herself in the nearest corner, wide, furious eyes glaring from me to Dimitri.

“When?” she screams, her voice cracking.

We nearly died for her⁠—

“Enough,” I snarl, silencing the wolf and earning a confused glance from her. She grabs the closest thing within reach, a desk lamp, and rips the cord from its socket. Hoisting it above her head, she aims the light fixture at me like a mallot.

I step closer, lifting my arms in surrender. “The red moon. That’s when you’ll turn.”

The blood drains from her face, then, she lowers the makeshift weapon and hugs the lamp to her chest. Disbelief knits her brows together first. Mourning comes next. Finally, a hint of anger sharper than my shifted claws.

“She take news better than I expected,” Dimitri says, his thick accent missing a few syllables.

Thanks, moy brat. You’re really helping here.

I chance another step forward, inching closer as her entire world unravels one uncomfortable string at a time. “You won’t be alone, Natalia. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

She scoffs, her voice reaching for the scaffolding near the ceiling. “Oh, great! Not only am I going to turn into a monster, but there will be witnesses! How in the fuck am I supposed to feel better about that, Nikolai?”

The distance between us seems impossibly large now, a sea no one, not even a person in the good graces of the gods can pass. I move forward anyway. Welcoming whatever punishment she will inflict if it means I’m close enough to catch her should her legs give out.

I’m with the big one, my wolf says matter of factly. Most pups don’t handle the news well when turned unwillingly.

“Stop fucking talking!” I shout and tilt my head to the side.

Natalia drops the lamp to the floor. Then, she holds her palm out to keep me at a distance. Her glare intensifies. “You’re talking to him, aren’t you?”

She knows. I’m not sure how, but she seems to understand I’m no longer flying solo in the thoughts department. Maybe Viktor told her, or worse, maybe she was unfortunate enough to be around him when his two halves were in the middle of a conversation.

I nod and take another step forward. “Yes.”

Her mouth hangs open, and one brow arches. “The monster that tried to eat me in your loft, that’s who you are talking to?”

I wasn’t trying to eat her, the wolf growls. She wouldn’t be standing here if I were.

“He says he wasn’t trying to eat you,” I say, my voice lacking conviction. I don’t know what to believe right now. I wasn’t there. It isn’t some memory I can recall. The images when the wolf takes over during a full moon were always muddied. Pieces of them missing at times. And there’s no way in hell I’d be able to know what his true intentions were, but I can only hope my companion wouldn’t lie to me.