Free 03 Long Night Moon - Seasons of the Moon by S.M. Reine Page A

werewolves. Levi was his age. Bekah was a little younger. Hunting them seemed… wrong.
    He knew Bekah Riese was waiting for him to make a move. She was always watching when Seth was with Rylie at school. It made Seth feel like he was the one being hunted instead of doing the hunting for once.
    When Seth went for lunchtime practice in the gym on Wednesday, it was no surprise to find Levi warming up with the team. But he was surprised to see Rylie waiting for him, too. She was at the top of the stands with her knapsack by her side and her hair in thick braids like Gwyn’s.
    He waved at her. She gave him a weak smile.
    Seth changed in the locker room and came out to find the guys shooting hoops. There wasn’t enough time for an organized game, but they dribbled the ball up the court and back again, elbowing each other and dodging and laughing.
    The ball flew at Seth, and he caught it. He was surprised to see Levi had thrown it.
    “You going to play?” he asked.
    A group of girls on the bottom row of bleachers giggled and sighed. Rylie had gone pale.
    “You’re on,” Seth said.
    A skirmish between the two city guys was too exciting to miss. The other athletes backed up with hoots and cheers. He couldn’t tell if they were cheering more for him or Levi.
    He bounced the ball a couple times to loosen his shoulders, then went for the hoop.
    Levi jumped in front of him. Seth twisted, guarding the ball with his body, and made a wide turn so he could run toward the end of the court.
    A hand shot in front of him, knocking the ball out of the way.
    People yelled as Levi made a fast lap around the gym. Seth blinked. He’d moved too fast to be seen, using his supernatural werewolf speed to steal the ball.
    “Cheating?” he muttered under his breath.
    Levi’s eyes glinted. “I’m not holding back. Are you?”
    Rylie stared hungrily from the top of the bleachers as Seth took a deep breath, opening up all those special senses that made him the “legendary hunter” Bekah had called him. He ignored it most of the time. He didn’t like to show off.
    But now he narrowed his entire focus on Levi and those piercing golden eyes.
    The werewolf tried to fake him out by feinting to one side and then darting in the other direction, but Seth saw the move coming. He stole the ball and bolted.
    Levi was a blur as he darted in the way. Seth twisted and changed direction.
    The ball was stolen. Seth took it back a half second later.
    Girls screamed as Seth dribbled across the court. His heart pounded in his ears. He just needed to get across, and then he would be in the clear, and—
    Levi flew past him. The ball was gone.
    He slam-dunked and hung off the rim. The onlookers roared, stomping their feet and clapping, and Seth felt numb in the center of the court. Levi dropped to his feet, folded his arms across his chest, and stared at him in challenge.
    Levi was strong and fast—and definitely better at basketball.
    But was he deadlier?
    He imagined squeezing his finger on the trigger of his gun and the blood fountaining down Levi Riese’s triumphant expression. He could imagine himself kneeling by the body, snapping off a tooth, and making a matching earring.
    Rylie stood in the bleachers, chewing on her thumbnail. She was whiter than the snow outside.
    “Rematch?” Levi asked, tossing the ball at him. Seth let it bounce past him.
    Soon. Very soon .
    He went back into the locker room without responding.
     
    Rylie’s wolf was hungry for Levi Riese.
    She shouldn’t have watched them playing basketball. Her skin was hot, her hands were shaking, and all she could think about was the taste of blood. Eating roast beef for lunch did nothing. She was starving .
    The address for the Riese house was in her pocket. Abel was right. They had to do something now—before anyone else got hurt.
    So she ditched her last class and went to find their den.
    The house Bekah and Levi lived in looked plain from the outside. Rylie had seen it a hundred times