A portion of my favorite piece of the lake happened to be on Alec’s uncle’s property. Apparently, I’d trespassed numerous times without realizing. This explained how he knew I enjoyed looking at the moon and visiting the lake.

The moral of the story: I needed to pay more attention to my surroundings.

We finished our milkshakes as we walked the property, heading toward the lake. Once we reached it, Alec sat and I followed suit. The night sounds surrounded us, and all the tension I’d been feeling from our lack of conversation disappeared as contentment washed over me. This lake was home.

Alec’s knee brushed against mine as he better situated himself beside me. It was intentional, I could tell, but I was okay with it because I wanted to feel him too. I licked my lips and shifted to glance at him. He was staring at me with an intensity in his eyes I found surprising.

“You really love this place, don’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah.” The word came out as a breathy whisper.

“Everything about you seemed to relax the second we sat down.”

He was so observant. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. “Tell me something about you. I feel like you already know so much about me, but I know virtually nothing about you.”

It wasn’t the entire truth. He hadn’t been the only one watching.

I’d picked up on some things about him. I knew he had an older brother who still lived in town. His dad was a carpenter, and his mom worked at the local grocery store as a cashier. I knew his entire family had been born and raised here. He went to church every Sunday. He was a lover of sweet tea and all things barbecue, and as of tonight, I knew he enjoyed four-wheeling.

“There’s not much about me you don’t already know. I’m pretty much an open book,” he said.

“What’s your favorite type of music?” I thought I already knew, but sometimes people surprised me.

“Country.”

“Well, no surprise there. That’s what I would have guessed.”

“See, I told you I’m an open book.” He chuckled and bumped his knee into mine. “What about you? What kind of music do you like?”

“Guess.”

“Okay, um. Well, I doubt you like country. On the other hand, you don’t seem like the type to enjoy pop music either. Maybe rock?”

“Yeah, I’m not much of a country fan and I can’t stand pop. Rock is okay, as long as it’s not the hard-core, head-banging stuff. I prefer rap. There’s something about the beats that really get me moving.”

“Actually, I don’t find that surprising at all. I’ve always thought of you as tough. Makes sense you’d like thuggish music.”

I laughed. I’d never heard rap referred to as thuggish. It had a nice ring to it.

Something moved through the woods a few feet away. I shifted around, glancing through the brush to see what it was. Being this close to the trailer park had me thinking it might be Eli or his brother, Tate. If it were, I was going to flip out on them.

“What’s wrong?” Alec asked as though he hadn’t heard anything. Maybe he hadn’t. Maybe my hearing was slightly better than his.

Maybe I was destined to be Moon Kissed after all.

“Nothing.” I shifted back around to face the lake. “Thought I heard something.”

“Probably an animal. There are all kinds of them out here, especially at night.”

I held my breath, waiting for him to say something about wolves rumored to run through these woods. He didn’t. This surprised me because he had to have heard the stories. His family had lived here forever.

“I’m glad we got to spend some time together tonight,” Alec said.

“Yeah, me too. I’m sorry, again, for the way things have panned out. I don’t want you to think I’ve been blowing you off. There’s just been a lot going on at home.” I tucked a few stray hairs behind my ear, unable to meet his gaze. Suddenly, I felt vulnerable, too vulnerable, and I didn’t like it. I needed a swift change of subject. “I’m excited to go four-wheeling with you on Sunday, though. It should be fun.”

“Yeah, I’m glad you wanted to come. The guys tend to be crude, just so you know, but Becca will be there. She’s pretty cool. I think you’ll like her.”

“Was she the short girl with brown hair?”

“Yeah, she’s pretty shy. You might have to give her a little while to warm up. Once she does, you can’t shut her up, though.”

“Noted.” I chuckled. I was glad he’d told me, otherwise I might’ve written her off as stuck up or bitchy. Shy people often gave off those vibes for some reason.

Something crashed through the woods again behind us, garnering my attention. I glanced over my shoulder, but still didn’t see anything. Whoever, or whatever it was, they weren’t the most graceful. My lips pinched into a frown.

Alec shifted beside me, pulling my attention back to him. He glanced at his cell. “It’s getting late. I should probably get you back to your car, unless you want me to walk you to your front door instead? My curfew is creeping up fast. If I’m not home before it, there won’t be any four-wheeling this weekend.”

My heart shrank two sizes at his words. “Oh, okay. I can walk home by myself, that way you’re not late. My Gran can take me to my car tomorrow.”

“No. I don’t mind walking you home.” His words were laced with a sense of earnestness, but also something else I couldn’t name. Was he worried about letting me walk home through these woods alone? “There’s plenty of time for that.”

“All right.” I stood and brushed off my bottom, hating to see my night with him end so soon. I could have sat by the lake with him for hours.

Alec scooped up his milkshake cup, and I bent to retrieve mine. A howl ripped through the night that sent cold chills sweeping through me. Was someone from the pack blowing off steam, or was it a howl of something else? I thought I’d heard panic layered in it.

“Yeah, I’m walking you home. No way would I let you go alone after hearing that,” Alec insisted. He reached for my hand and interlaced his fingers through mine.

“I’m not afraid, but it is nice to have you walk me.” I licked my lips, enjoying the sensation of my hand in his more than I should. Being around him made me feel good, and something that felt this good had to be right, right? Maybe this was a sign I wasn’t Moon Kissed. Maybe the wolf gene would lie dormant inside me forever.

It could happen. It had before.

The question was, could I stand being on the outskirts of our pack for the rest of my life if it was never triggered? What if I was stuck as I was forever—not a human, but yet not a wolf either? I’d never fit in, no matter where I turned. I’d always be caught somewhere between.

“Don’t worry. I’m not walking you because I think you’re afraid,” Alec said with a grin. His thumb rubbed along the top of my hand in a lazy pattern as his gaze drifted around us in a calculating way. Was he scared to be in the woods at night? Probably. We’d heard a wolf howl.

I squeezed his hand in mine as we entered a thicker part of the woods. The ground was pitted with rocks and roots, but I’d been in the woods so frequently it didn’t affect me. Alec stumbled over a winding root, but righted himself before he could tumble to the ground. He let out a snort, but I didn’t return it with a laugh of my own because I didn’t want to embarrass him. Another howl ripped through the night. It was farther away this time. A crash followed, as though something was chasing after it.

“More distance is between us than last time. It must be moving in the opposite direction,” Alec whispered.

“Yeah. I thought so too.”

His grip tightened on my hand as though he was trying to reassure me. “I wouldn’t let it get you, even if it wasn’t.”

His words were sweet, but I could hear a slight tremble waiver through them. Anyone else might not have noticed, but I did. I could sense his anxiety lingering in the air. Gran would call it my wolf intuition. I thought of it as more confirmation I wasn’t normal.

I could be, though, with him. If I weren’t Moon Kissed, I could be happy with Alec. Normal and happy. My intuition would always be present but nothing else. I thought of Sylvie Hess. She seemed content with the way her life had turned out even though her wolf gene had never been triggered. She’d still married and had three beautiful children within the pack. Her life had continued.

That could be me. But would it be enough? My subconscious asked. I didn’t answer.

When we broke through the clearing of the trailer park, I steered him toward Gran’s place. His body seemed to relax now that we were out of the woods. If only he knew the truth about everyone inside the park. He might not feel so safe then. The hum of Mr. Russel’s air conditioner sounded as we passed by his trailer. All of his lights were off, which was normal for this time of night. He wasn’t much of a night owl. In fact, he was the one who shouted for the rest of us to keep it down once seven o’clock hit.

We made our way past the Bell sisters’ trailer next. Lights were on, but thankfully, I didn’t see either nosy sister peeking through their blinds. A gentle gust of wind blew through the park, jostling the wind chimes the sisters hung from their porch. The noise was soothing and much better than the rapid beating of my heart filling my ears. I was worried Alec would try to kiss me while the others were watching from the shadows. While no one had come out and said it, except Gran, dating outside the pack was sort of frowned upon.

The living room light was still on when we reached my trailer. I wasn’t sure if Gran had left it on in case my dad needed to get to the bathroom, or if she’d left it on for me. There was also a chance she was still awake. She’d always been a night owl. My gaze drifted over the living room windows as we paused in front of the porch stairs. Neither Gran nor Gracie seemed to be peeking out at us.

“All things considered, I had a good time tonight,” I said.

“Me too,” Alec insisted as he leaned forward. He pressed his lips against mine in a featherlight kiss.

My legs grew weak at the feel of his warm lips, and I found myself gripping for the front of his T-shirt to steady myself. He stepped closer and placed his hands on my hips. The plastic lid on his empty milkshake cup dug into my skin, but I ignored it, wanting nothing more than for him to remain where he was. Heat spread across my face at the sudden sensation of eyes on us. Someone was watching. I thought to break the kiss and say goodnight, but Alec’s tongue skimmed across my bottom lip and every thought evaporated.

I parted my lips to allow him to deepen the kiss the way he seemed to crave, unsure which of us was more desperate for it to happen. My milkshake cup slipped from my fingers and fell to the gravel, bouncing with a hollow sound. I clasp my arms around Alec’s neck and allowed myself to become lost in the taste of him on my tongue. His grip on my waist tightened, his fingers digging into my skin. My teeth scraped along his bottom lip, and I found myself going to war with a darker side of me that wanted to take over. It wanted so much more than just a sweet kiss from Alec. I raked my fingers through the hair at the base of his neck as his tongue stroked across mine, fueling the building sensations inside me. His solid body pressed against mine, and I sucked his bottom lip into the recesses of my mouth. I nipped it unintentionally. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth as Alec jerked back, bringing his fingers to his lip.

“Ouch,” he hissed. “Pretty sure you drew blood just now.”

A tingling sensation swept up the back of my neck and across my face. “Sorry, I guess I got carried away.”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. Just surprised me is all.”

I licked my lips, erasing the remnants of his blood. A compulsion to flee rushed through me at the taste, but I kept my feet rooted in place.

“I should probably go,” Alec muttered. His fingertips continued to press against his bottom lip. Had I bit him that hard? It had drawn blood, but I didn’t think it was a gaping wound. “As it is I’m probably going to be cutting it close to curfew anyway.” He dropped his hand to his side and flashed me a small smile I could barely make out in the moonlight.

“I can’t wait for Sunday,” I said, because I didn’t know what else to say. There was an awkward tension building between us. “I won’t get sidetracked or anything either. I’ll totally meet you at your house in the afternoon.”

“Good, I’ll be waiting.” He winked before walking away.

I watched him until he disappeared from my view between Mr. Russel’s trailer and old man Winter’s. A long sigh escaped me as I took a step toward the stairs of our front porch.

“I wouldn’t have been such a wimp if you bit me, just so you know,” a familiar voice said from somewhere in the shadows.

I spun around to spot Eli at the edge of his family’s trailer. He held a large cardboard box in his arms, and there was a wicked grin twisted onto his face. Now I knew who’d been watching us.

I folded my arms over my chest. “One, I wouldn’t kiss you, let alone bite you. And two, Alec didn’t act like a wimp. He just had to get home before curfew.”

Eli balanced the cardboard box he’d been holding on the bumper of his truck. His eyes never wavered from mine, and the devilish grin on his face only intensified. “Are you kidding me? The kid looked like you attacked him.”

“He did not.” Did he? He had seemed shocked, but wouldn’t anyone?

“Yeah, I think he did. Why else do you think he ran away so damn fast?”

“Like I said, he didn’t want to be late for his curfew.”

Eli shook his head. “Because that’s what every guy is worried about while lip-locking with a hottie.”

“Whatever, it’s none of your business anyway. You shouldn’t have been spying on me.” Thoughts of Tate and his other brothers at the diner flashed through my mind. “And you shouldn’t have your brothers do it either.”

“No one is spying on you, least of all me. Looking out for you, yeah. Spying, no.”

“Who said I needed you, or anyone else, to look out for me?”

“No one, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t going to do it anyway. Especially when you’re dating that boy,” Eli growled. He picked up the cardboard box he’d been holding and walked away.

“Stop calling him that boy. His name is Alec!” I shouted after him, enjoying the fact I’d gotten the last word.

“I’ll stop calling him that when you stop dating him,” Eli called over his shoulder.

“Not going to happen, so you better get used to speaking his name.”

“Oh, it will happen, trust me,” I heard him say before he stepped to old man Winter’s trailer. He started up the cinderblock stairs and disappeared inside.

Eli might have gotten the last word, but it was because I’d been surprised to see him enter old man Winter’s trailer. That trailer had been vacant for nearly three years. Mr. Winter had been in his seventies when he left. Or vanished. Whichever way you wanted to look at it, he was no longer in the park, the pack, or the town.

Some claimed the old guy knew his time was coming and wandered into the woods to be one with the moon for a final time. Some say he’d gotten sick of this town and its people, so he joined a new pack or became a solitary wolf. No one knew what actually happened to the old man, and I doubted anyone cared. He wasn’t the nicest guy. Maybe we were better off without him.

It had taken a year and a half before Bobby, the guy who owned the park, cleaned out all of Mr. Winter’s things. Some of the pack members had been pissed, but I understood his reasoning. This park was his only source of income. He had to clean the place so he could rent it again. Especially considering the condition old man Winter had left it in. He was the worst hoarder I’d ever seen. At the time he left, it had probably been years since he’d thrown a single thing away.

A light came on inside Mr. Winter’s trailer. It allowed me to see Eli clearly. He was in the kitchen. I watched as he set the cardboard box that he’d been carrying on the counter. He glanced around, and I wondered if he was moving in.

Had Eli finally moved out on his own?

He was twenty-one, so it was about damn time, but I still found myself shocked by the prospect of it. I folded my arms over my chest and continued staring at him through the window. When he reached inside the cardboard box he’d carried in and pulled out a mason jar filled with a clear liquid I knew wasn’t water, I grinned. He twisted the cap off and put the jar to his lips.

Yeah, Eli looked right at home. My grin grew. I was happy for him.

When he set the jar on the counter and shifted to face me, my heart thundered inside my chest. Had he felt me watching him? A lopsided grin formed on his face. He crooked his finger, beckoning me to come to him. Heat bloomed through my lower stomach as my heart rate spiked even higher. Before I could think of slipping inside my trailer as though I hadn’t been spotted, my feet moved toward Eli Vargas.