The Royal Legacy 1: The Rise of the Crescent Moon

JOSEPHINE

This is crazy. I’m going crazy.

I repeated this mantra to myself as I drove away from the hospital. I’d known this was going to happen. I’d known the ridiculously blue eyes that I had been dreaming about would belong to a man in my hometown, a man who was meant to be my mate.

But now, I wasn’t ready for it. I wasn’t ready to meet him on day one. I wasn’t ready for him to have a claim on me. As soon as I opened up to him, I’d have to admit to my past, and I wasn’t ready to face all that.

I yelled at the steering wheel as I raced through the streets. Originally, I wasn’t planning on staying in the hotel tonight—I was going to go home.

The house where I’d grown up was a modest A-frame that sat surrounded by woods on the border between Little Compton and Black Hallows, an even smaller neighboring village. It was home—all that I had left of my parents.

Now, though, it felt too dangerous to stay there. It was closer to my past than Little Compton. It was closer to August than Little Compton.

I knew I’d have to go home eventually. I couldn’t make a decision about staying here without visiting that graveyard of memories first and deciding if I was really ready to come back. But today was not that day.

Coming back for good meant explaining to my brother why I had disobeyed my parents’ dying wish. It meant facing what had happened to my parents and uncovering all the secrets they’d kept. It meant reuniting with my childhood, a time that I had long since decided to forget.

But it also meant being with my mate. No matter how hard I’d tried over the years, I’d never been able to stop the dreams. I’d never stopped wondering who might be waiting for me here, attached to those eyes.

Now that I’d met him for real, it would be even harder to walk away.

I wasn’t ready to face any of these choices. Instead, I would run and hide. I drove straight back to the hotel, handing my keys off to that same creepy valet from yesterday. “Back so soon, beautiful?” he said with a leer. I didn’t bother to respond before rushing inside.

After checking in with a very confused-looking receptionist, I ended up back in the very same room I had checked out of a few short hours ago.

I abandoned my suitcases on the floor and dramatically flung myself down on the oversized bed.

My life is a disaster.

I stared at the pattern of the ugly hotel bedspread for hours before finally flipping myself over and switching on the TV. I lay in a puddle of self-misery for the remainder of the day, eating bad room service and watching cheesy movies until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

Then, finally, I gave in to sleep.

The startling blue eyes that I now knew belonged to August Hayes flickered in my mind. But for the first time in one of these dreams, I could speak. “August,” dream-me said aloud, over and over. “~August, August, August~.”

I woke up in a cloud of bliss, my skin hot with a blush. I stayed like that, warm and unmoving, until the sun started to creep through the hotel curtains.

I glanced over at the alarm clock: eight thirty. Okay. I’d wasted enough time moping. I pulled myself out of bed and prepared for the day.

When I checked my phone, I had an email from Dr. Grace asking me to come in for a follow-up meeting today. I agreed to meet her around noon.

This time, I left my suitcase in the room rather than checking out. I’d treat myself to another few days at the hotel before confronting my old house. I deserved some breathing room.

I decided to go to Rosie’s for breakfast, taking my chances with being recognized. I was pretty sure she’d figured me out yesterday, anyway.

“Ah, back again, are we?” Rosie greeted me at the door.

“I just couldn’t get my mind off your pancakes.” I smirked as she led me to a table.

“Let’s cut the act, shall we?” Rosie leveled her gaze with mine, leaning across the table.

I sighed and folded my hands in front of me. “I’m surprised you didn’t call me out yesterday,” I admitted.

“I figured that you had a good reason for the secrecy. Your bond with August is unconventional; best to leave it to you two to figure it out on your own.” Rosie peered at me over the brim of her glasses.

“You know?” I asked, shocked.

Rosie was one of the few Crescent Moon Pack elders my father had ever allowed me to talk to. She was more human than wolf—figuratively speaking, at least. She loved her restaurant, and she loved the humans she served. My father thought she would be a good influence on me.

“Of course, dear.” Rosie chuckled as if my bond with August were visible from space.

“Great,” I grumbled.

“I know you’ll come to the right decision in the end, child. Now, let’s get you some pancakes.” Rosie patted the top of my head before waddling off to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, the same bubblegum-lipped she-wolf from yesterday arrived with my food. She nearly threw the pancakes down on the table, sloshing water over my lap as she handed me my glass.

I gasped in shock. The waitress, Savannah according to her name tag, smirked at me before walking away without a word.

Lovely woman.

I ate my pancakes in peaceful silence and then went up to the counter to pay.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, dear. You get the August Hayes special.” Rosie winked at me, coming out from behind the bar. “Can I offer you some advice?”

I nodded, eager for any help I could get.

“Trust your heart—it’s usually right.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze, before pushing me out the door.

I paused on the sidewalk for a minute, thinking about her words and the comfort I’d felt at her touch. She reminded me so much of my mother, it almost hurt.

I left my car on the street by Rosie’s and started walking toward the hospital. I didn’t even realize I had walked past it until the window displays of small boutiques started catching my attention.

I looked at my watch. I still had two hours before my meeting, so I decided to browse the stores. Not much had changed since I left. The same shops owned by the same people still lined Main Street.

Little Compton wasn’t home to chain restaurants or name-brand stores—it was all small businesses and local owners selling handmade items. I’d missed this small-town vibe while I was living in New York.

I was admiring a window display when the aroma of cinnamon and spice filled my senses.

“Doing a little shopping, I see.” His voice sent goosebumps scurrying across my arms.

I turned my head to the side and met the blue eyes of August Hayes. “Just looking.” I shrugged, attempting to string together a coherent sentence.

“There’s lots to look at here,” August replied. Something about the way he was eyeing me suggested that he wasn’t talking about the shops. “Any news on the job offer?” he asked.

I looked at him skeptically. “I have a meeting with Dr. Grace in an hour.”

August’s eyes pulled together for just a moment before his face relaxed again. “I see,” he said plainly as he pulled out his phone. “Excuse me for one minute; I have to get this.”

I looked down at his phone just as he placed it against his ear. Funny…I didn’t hear it ringing.

August wandered off, but not before I caught his blank expression and darkened eyes. A moment later, my phone dinged. It was an email from Dr. Grace, canceling our meeting for today. I glared at August as he returned.

“Sorry about that. It was a work call,” he said calmly.

Liar.

“Oh, and what do you do, exactly?” I asked, trying to control my irritation.

“I own an architectural firm. I inherited the business from a family friend,” he replied, ignoring my attitude.

I softened a little. I knew exactly who he had inherited his business from.

My grandfather had founded Valentine Architecture when he was a young man. He’d handed the business down to his firstborn son, my father, and it was supposed to go to my brother after that.

But before my parents’ deaths, my brother had left home and declined the family business—both of the family businesses. I’d never known what became of the firm. I guess now I had an answer.

“That sounds like impressive work,” I mumbled, biting the inside of my cheek to keep my composure.

“Nothing like being a doctor.” August grinned.

I focused my attention back on him and his obnoxious charm. “Well, it would seem my meeting for today has been canceled. So, I’m off to my hotel.”

“Oh, well, can I interest you in some lunch?” He hurried to my side as I began walking away.

I sighed. “I already ate,” I said, knowing damn well he already knew that. Rosie must’ve tipped him off via their pack mind-link as soon as I left the diner.

He nodded, undeterred. “Of course. Then would you care to join me for dinner later?” August blocked my escape route back toward where I’d parked my car at Rosie’s, his eyes begging me to say yes.

This man is relentless.

I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand and bit my lip, trying to keep myself together. My heart was beating so loudly in my chest that it was hard to ignore, but I couldn’t tell what it was saying.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said quietly, despite how badly I wanted to say yes. I watched his face fall a little in disappointment. “Can I take a raincheck?” I added.

“I would like that.” He perked up, smiling softly. He walked me back, opened my car door, and checked to make sure the road was clear before motioning for me to climb in. “It was so good to see you again, Josephine,” he said, his hand lightly brushing mine as he shut my door.

I sighed and watched him cross the street. “You too,” I responded to my empty car.

As I watched August Hayes disappear down the sidewalk, I made up my mind. I still didn’t know what my heart was saying, but I didn’t want to hide out in my hotel room anymore.

I quickly called the hotel and asked them to bring my bags down to the lobby. I tossed them in my car and checked out, again. I was sure the receptionist thought that I was certifiable at this point.

Then, I drove my car straight out of town and toward Black Hallows. I was ready to test fate, to jump in feet-first and pretend like I knew how to swim. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I had to start sometime.

Might as well be now.