Free Moon Tortured (Sky Brooks Series Book 1) by McKenzie Hunter Page A

Ethan had just made things far too real for me. I didn’t know of any blood relatives who could help me deal with what I was going through. I had vampires coming after me for unknown reasons. And I didn’t know how to control my wolf; that scared me most of all. What would I do on the next full moon?
    Attempting to force the thoughts out of my head, I tried to control things. The twinge changed to a surge of those familiar pains I got right before I changed. Dammit. My fingers balled so tightly together that my nails pressed into the skin. I fought to control things the best way I could. Shutting my eyes tightly, I saws flashes of color before them. Count backward from a hundred, I commanded myself. This never worked in the past; but at this point, I was willing to try anything. Now do it in Portuguese, I told myself as I continued with my effort to find calm. But it was too far from my reach as I fought the flood of emotions that was building in me.
    “You need to control yourself,” declared Ethan’s voice on the other side of the door. It had lost its harsh tone and was now a languid whisper. “You shouldn’t change again today. It will fatigue you too much.”
    I knew that. Who was he, Captain Obvious? Did he not realize I was doing what I could to stop it?
    Ethan sat next to me on the bed. I kept my eyes closed, fully aware that if I looked at him it would just compound the irritation. He was close enough that our arms touched and I became very aware of his presence and the calm that his touch brought. He was doing something but I had no idea what. Ethan leaned into me and a peaceful warmth engulfed me, sending me to a place of serenity where I wanted to stay.
    I opened my eyes in time to see him walk out the door and the blanket of calmness left with him. I was neither angry nor calm, returning instead to my place of abject emotions.

 
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 4
     
     
    The next day I stared out the window, basking in the bright sun as it gently warmed my face. I appreciated it for what it meant—no vampires. It was the first sunny day since I had been invited to stay with the were-animals. The other days were so dark and gloomy it seemed like dusk even at noon. Leaving the house would have invited another run-in with Gabriella and Chase. But today I was leaving the house to practice some well-needed escapism, no matter how impossible the task may be. Being confined here was so suffocating it was like constantly inhaling through a plastic bag. Until I came to the retreat, I never believed in cabin fever. Seriously, how could someone get tired of being in their home? But when it’s someone else’s home, it’s more possible than you can imagine.
    With my computer bag across my shoulder, I managed to navigate my way to find Sebastian’s office. When Steven had given me a guided tour of the house, he brushed over the location of Sebastian’s office as though he didn’t want me to remember—but I made sure, if nothing else, I would remember that. I headed down the stairs, around the corner, passing the living room and the entrance to the urgent care, to a room several feet down the hall. I knocked on Sebastian’s office door. When he didn’t answer, I placed my ear next to it and listened for signs of movement or voices. I knocked again harder.
    “What do you need?” Startled by the coarse baritone voice from behind me, I took several steps back. Sebastian didn’t seem to walk but rather glide into his position with such stealth it was hard not to feel like he was only moments from attacking. He folded his arms across his chest as he settled against the wall. His brown eyes, as usual, regarded me as though watching paint drying would have been far more interesting. Curiously, he eyed my computer bag hooked over my shoulder, the scarf around my neck, my coral-colored sweater, dark jeans and everything right down to my dark brown boots. Whoever packed my bags made sure I was prepared for whatever attire the