Chapter Six
“Here you go. Lemon chicken,” Luna said cheerfully as she laid the fragrant dish on the table. “And some beef broccoli for you.” She wiped her sticky hands on her apron and smiled down at the older couple. “Anything else I can get for you?”
“No, dear, thank you,” the woman said. Her eyes immediately dropped to her belly. “When are you due? Is it a boy or girl? What do you plan to name him or her?”
A pained expression flashed briefly on her face, but Luna immediately replaced it with a fake smile. “Uhm…”
“You don’t need to answer that,” the man said. “Sorry, my wife’s a little nosy.”
“I’m just asking,” the woman huffed in indignation.
“It’s all right,” Luna assured her. “I’m due in about twenty-two weeks. And as for the sex, I’m not sure yet.”
“Ah, you want it to be a surprise. Good for you! I’m sure you and your husband will be happy to have a healthy baby.”
Luna gave her a tight smile, nodded her thanks, and turned away before they could see the sadness on her face. She checked her other tables, made sure they didn’t need her, and then went to the corner to sit down on the chair Mrs. Tan had placed there so she could take a breather between trips to her tables.
Well, the truth was finally out. Luna felt as if a massive weight had lifted from her shoulders, but now what? Would Killian try to take the baby away? Sue her for custody? He was obviously doing well for himself and Luna wouldn’t be able to afford a lawyer. How dare he come to her home and insult her? She was doing much better now at least.
The first week she arrived in New York, she’d had to sleep on a mattress on the floor in an apartment in Greenwich Village which she shared with two students from Cambodia. She used the last of her money to put the deposit for her apartment in the East Village and moved in as soon as she could.
The other thing that made her sigh with relief was the fact that her baby was okay. It seemed strange what was happening to her, but Killian’s sister seemed healthy enough. Meredith didn’t seem pregnant, though the woman was much taller than her, so she probably carried it better.
Killian. He had this whole family she never knew about. What was this genetic disease they all had? Would her baby have it, too? She somehow had to find a way to scrape together the money for a doctor’s visit.
A dinging sound by the kitchen door told her that her next order was up. She got to her feet and retrieved the tray of hot food then proceeded with her shift on full automatic mode. Luna had been doing this for two months after all, and she knew how to plaster the smile on her face and serve food. Tips had never been a problem especially after she started showing. A lot of the diners were generous to the pregnant waitress and tonight, she just might have enough money to treat herself to a burger and large fries after her shift.
When the last table was wiped clean and utensils put away, Luna put on her coat and waved goodbye to her coworkers and Mrs. Tan, then braced herself for the chilly weather.
The news had predicted a snow storm tonight, probably half a foot by morning and the flakes were already starting to fall from the sky. Luna had always loved the winter growing up, especially when the snow would cover the lakeside. She and her mom shared a small suite in the Van der Meer’s mansion and though her room was small, it had the best view of the lake.
Luna stopped for a moment, closing her eyes, just to concentrate on the feel of the flakes melting on her cheeks. She turned her face skywards, enjoying the sensation and forgetting for the moment that her life was in the toilet.
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
Luna’s thoughts snapped back to earth. It was dark and she thought she had been walking alone, but she was wrong. Three men stopped in front of her, their faces obscured by the shadows of the building around her. They were all large though, from what she could see. Much taller and broader than her and they were taking up the entire sidewalk.
“Excuse me,” she whispered as she motioned to get by them.
“Where ya going?” one of them asked.
“I’m going home,” she replied in a much firmer voice.
“I don’t think so,” the one in the middle said.
What the hell? But before she could protest, a pair of hands grabbed at her arms. Fearing for her and her child’s life, Luna let out a piercing scream. A large palm slapped her and then muffled her mouth.
“Make another sound and I’m gonna do more than smack you around, ya hear?” the man who hit her said. “Dammit, Kurt. You’re supposed to wait for us to shut her up before making a grab for her.”
“She was going to get away,” Kurt, the one who was holding her arm, protested.
“You idiot, she’s five-foot nuthin’ and with that thing in her belly, she’d never get far. The client said no complications. And cops are complications.”
Dear God, what was happening? Was she being kidnapped? Did they know about the Van der Meers? Thomas and Carla loved her like one of their own. They would gladly pay a ransom. She just hoped someone heard her scream.
“C’mon! The van’s in the alley. Pick her up and let’s go!”
Luna felt her feet lift up from the ground and the slide of beefy arms under her knees and armpits. Should she struggle? She tried to wiggle free, but the arms around her tightened. They walked a few steps and then turned into a shadowy alley. Oh God, this was actually happening. Or maybe it was a mistake. Maybe they were trying to kidnap someone else.
“Get her in the van and tell her to stop—What the fuck?”
Something made the man who was carrying her freeze and suddenly, the air grew thick. The snowfall had picked up now, raining thick flakes down on them.
“Motherfucker…what is that thing?”
Luna was facing away from the street and she tried to turn her head to see what was going on. She couldn’t see anything, but she heard clicks of something sharp on the pavement and a loud growl, like that coming from an animal. A very large animal.
A guttural cry pierced the still air, and Luna abruptly found herself on the ground, making her cry out in pain. The man who had been carrying her had dropped her unceremoniously. As she rolled to her hands and knees, she shook her head, trying to unscramble her brain and figure out what was going on.
Luna lifted her head and blinked several times. There was a huge dog—no—a wolf in the alley, snarling and growling at one of the kidnappers, trapping him against the wall. One of them was huddled in the corner clutching his arm while the man who had been holding her approached the animal from behind and Luna saw something glinting in his hand. A gun.
“No!” Luna warned.
The wolf turned its head and seeing the gun, immediately jumped on the attacker, knocking him to the ground. Its massive paws held the man down and then the large, bared teeth chomped down on his shoulder.
“Let’s get outta here!” The other man cried as he helped his colleague up.
Luna quickly scrambled against the wall, shrinking into the shadows and prayed that the kidnappers had forgotten about her. They must have because both men jumped into the van and backed it up.
She screamed. The rear of the van collided with the wolf, sending it back a couple of feet. The whine of pain sent a stab of worry through her and she ran to the wolf’s side. Meanwhile, one of the kidnappers hopped out of the van and helped the third up, tossing him into the back of the vehicle.
Good riddance. She knelt down holding her breath as she carefully laid a hand on the injured animal. What kind of wolf was it? She’d seen these animals on TV, but they were never this massive. The head alone was the size of her torso and it must be over six feet tall sitting up.
She brushed the fur on the wolf’s head aside, trying to figure out how bad it was hurt. When she stared down into its face, she gasped and drew her hand back. Turquoise eyes looked up at her. Familiar eyes.
Luna watched in horror as the head began to shrink. Midnight fur sank back into skin and its snout flattened back. Limbs shortened, claws retracted, and its canines receded into a smaller, very human mouth.
“No,” she whispered. Her legs wouldn’t move and her arms stayed very still at her side. As the wolf transformed back into Killian, her breath caught in her throat.
“Luna,” he rasped. “I…I can explain. Please, stay here.”
Her mouth dropped open as she watched a very naked Killian get up, walk back into the shadows and come back, hopping into a pair of jeans.
“A-a-aren’t you cold?” she asked with a blank stare. The snowflakes landing on his bare chest melted when they touched the hot skin.
“No, my kind doesn’t get cold easily,” he said as he took her elbow and helped her up. “Jesus, you’re shaking. You must be in shock. Dammit!” he cursed when his eyes landed on the bruise on her cheek. “It’s already healing. Good.” He let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.
“I want to go home, Killian,” she said slowly. There was a buzzing in her ears, and she feared she might faint.
“Of course, I’m taking you home. To my home. But first, we need to stop uptown.”
“What?” she asked incredulously, her head snapping up at him. “What happened? Oh my God, you’re a…you...” Her throat was closing up and she couldn’t make out the words..
“Yes, I’m a wolf. Or as we prefer to be called—Lycans. Now,” Killian drew her coat tighter around her, “let’s go flag a cab, and I’ll explain everything.”
“O...okay…”
She followed him meekly out of the alley to the street corner. The meager light under the lamppost highlighted his features, while adding shadow to others. He appeared at once familiar and alien, causing a shiver to ripple through her. “Explain. Now.”
Killian took a deep breath. “I’m not sure where to begin, but here’s the short version. Wolf shifters, like me, have existed for a long time without the larger human population knowing. We live like normal people except, well, we can turn into wolves. Lycans also have enhanced strength and senses.”
Luna still couldn’t believe it, but she had seen it with her own eyes. “Where are we going?”
“I have to take you to the Alpha. Most Lycans live in clans. It helps keep everyone safe and the secret easier hide. New York is just one of many clans around the world.”
“Wait—so you’re taking me to your leader?” Oh God, what would happen? Would they silence her?
“Grant Anderson is Alpha of New York and leader of this territory, but he’s not my Alpha. I don’t have one.”
“I’m confused. What do you mean you don’t have an Alpha?”
Killian’s jaw tightened. “I’ll explain more later, but I’m a Lone Wolf. It’s a special status for Lycans like me who have no clan.” He raised his hand to flag a passing cab and when the driver stopped in front of them, he opened the door. “Get in and you’ll know more.”
Luna considered running for a moment, but what would she do? Where would she go? With a loud gulp, she slid into the seat and Killian climbed in right after her.
“Upper West Side,” he told the cabbie. “I’ll let you know when we’re there.”