Killian's Secret: The Lone Wolf Defenders Book 1 Read online

  “What did you do to me?” Luna asked when she finally spoke. “You did something to me, and now I’m a freak!”

  “What the hell are you talking about? I haven’t seen you in four months.” Killian felt his blood boiling. She was the one who walked away from what they could have had. And now she was accusing him of doing something to her?

  “It’s the only explanation why I’m like this!” she shouted. She withdrew something from the pocket of her coat. Metal glinted in her hands.

  “Jesus Christ,” Quinn exclaimed as he stepped forward. “Put that thing away before you hurt someone, doll.”

  Luna held up the knife and pointed it at Quinn. “Stay away.”

  Quinn rolled his eyes and continued to advance. Luna’s scent, thick with fear filled the air and Killian held his hand up.

  “Quinn—no.”

  “But she can’t hurt me—”

  “I said no,” he commanded and Quinn stopped in his tracks. “Luna,” he began. “Put the knife down and we’ll talk.”

  “Talk?” she cried. “Talk? Okay, let’s talk. You can explain to me what this is about.”

  “No!” Meredith screeched as Luna held the knife to her wrist and slit the delicate skin there.

  His inner wolf howled. On instinct, Killian leaped forward and made a grab for Luna, but she stepped quickly stepped aside. “Are you insane?” he growled as he turned around to face her. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

  “Look.” Luna held her hand out showing them her wrist. Blood dripped down from her wrist, but there was no wound. The skin was completely healed.

  Meredith gasped. “Oh, my God.”

  “What is happening to me, Killian?” Luna asked in a frantic voice. “I…I tried everything. I mean, I got hit by a car the other night. And then…I don’t know, I thought it was strange that nothing happened to me. Then last night I tried to cut my hand, but it kept healing, over and over again, no matter how many times I tried. I’ve racked my brain to find an answer until I realized there’s only one explanation.”

  Killian didn’t know what to say. Couldn’t say anything. So Meredith spoke up.

  “Honey,” she soothed, moving closer to her. “Give me the knife.”

  “No.”

  “Please. Give it to me and I’ll explain. I’ll tell you what’s happening to you.”

  Luna’s expression of determination faltered and she held her hand out, the blade pointing towards Meredith who grasped it, her fingers wrapped around the sharp edge before dragging her hand deliberately along the length of it .

  “No!” Luna yelled and pulled the knife away, letting it fall to the ground. “Why did you do that?”

  Meredith held her hand up. Although smeared with blood, there was no wound on her palms. “See? I know what’s ‘wrong’ with you. I have it too.”

  Luna looked relieved, her arms falling limply to her sides. “What’s wrong with us? Are we sick?”

  “No,” Meredith shook her head and looked at Killian meaningfully. “It’s our babies. Protecting us from harm. We’re invincible. That’s what happens when we become pregnant with our True Mate’s child.”

  Luna collapsed to the floor.

  ***

  3 Months Ago…

  Killian never thought of himself as a one-woman kind of man, but Luna made him entertain dangerous thoughts that veered towards just that. Commitment. Rings. Forever. Hell, he was practically there already. He hadn’t even looked at another woman since he met Luna. Quinn was disappointed that he’d lost his best wingman.

  But he couldn’t deny that he was deliriously happy.

  After that first date, he spent nearly every free moment he had with Luna. Taking her to lunch; dinners at her place, and of course, making love to her every chance he got. He thought all he needed was one night to get her out of his system, but he only wanted her more each time. Luna was beautiful and gorgeous, yes, but she was also passionate and giving, matching him in every way.

  The rest of his time was taken up with the job. Trying to find a way to steal the Gastlava Tapestry was more challenging than he’d thought. He was running out of time and options. Unfortunately, as he grew more desperate, it seemed there was only one option available to him. Luna.

  He didn’t set out to chase after her just because she was a curator at the museum. The attraction between them that first night was undeniable and he knew he had to have her. Of course, he couldn’t help it that he spent a lot of time there now they were dating. It gave him an excuse to scope out the place and assess the security without bringing about any suspicion. The guards all knew him and didn’t bat an eye when he strolled into the office looking for Luna. His naturally observant nature immediately picked up on the keycard she used to open the door to the office when he would bring her to work in the morning. Memorizing the guards’ rotation duty and usual routes they took when patrolling the galleries during the day was a snap, as was making a note about the peak times of day and when it was least crowded during the week.

  The guilt wrapped around his heart like a vice, but he had a job to do. The Mornavian Government and their people were counting on him to bring their treasure home. He told himself that although Luna never explicitly said she would prefer the tapestry went back to its rightful owners, he knew that’s how she felt. They had long conversations about art and politics, and this strong, beautiful woman had convictions that ran deep. She believed in doing what was right.

  Killian made the decision. He would have to be careful though and decided that in the days after he stole the tapestry, he would lay low—keep the heat off her. Right before he planned to pull off the heist, he was careful to make himself scarce around the museum. The month of the exhibit was nearly up and he had to move fast.

  But of course, life always threw curve balls and this time it was a big one.

  “I’m pregnant,” Luna blurted out as they lay in each other’s arms, sweaty and tired from another intense lovemaking session.

  Pregnant? How could that be? Killian didn’t grow up in a Lycan clan, but he knew that their kind had problems reproducing. Archie had been married to a Lycan for years and never had any children, no matter how much they tried. He never bothered with condoms when he had sex with Luna and she didn’t protest, so he assumed she was on birth control. His inner wolf, on the other hand, relished the thought of a pup. No—not a pup of course. Only two Lycans could produce another Lycan. Any child he would have with Luna would be human.

  “Killian? Are you mad?” Her voice was small. He didn’t answer back and she stiffened, but when she tried to disentangle herself he clamped his arms around her.

  “I’m not mad. Just surprised.”

  “Why aren’t you asking if it’s yours?”

  “Of course it’s mine.” He would kill anyone who touched her, and his inner wolf agreed.

  She relaxed against him. “I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be, sweetheart.” He kissed her on the forehead. “It will be okay.”

  He wanted to believe that, but a child would complicate things. They didn’t talk about the baby again for the rest of the night and the following day after he had brought Luna to work, he went to the only man he could talk to about these things: Archie.

  The old man’s reaction went swiftly from shock to happiness. He seemed ecstatic that he was going to be a grandfather, but agreed that it wasn’t going to make his plans easy.

  “What are you going to do?” he asked as he poured Killian a glass of his best whiskey.

  “Move her into my place. Put my ring on her finger. Raise our baby together.”

  “I know that. But what about the job?”

  He had no choice. The exhibit was closing in two days. He had to move fast, and so he did. With Luna’s keycard, he was able to get into the museum after hours. He stole the tapestry and hid it then decided to lay low for a while. It was a week later when he hadn’t heard anything in the press about the theft that he thought he was in the clear. But he was
wrong.

  And everything turned to shit.

  Chapter Four

  Meredith and Quinn moved to catch Luna as she fell, but Killian was faster. Her delicious scent filled his nostrils, sending desire straight to his groin. He suppressed a groan, lifted her up and walked over to the couch. As he laid her down, he untied the wool coat and let it fall open.

  There it was. The evidence that Killian hadn’t imagined that month he spent with her. The bump was evident on her slight frame, making it seem much bigger than the four months since that first night. Yes, if he calculated correctly, that was how far along she was.

  “Christ on a cracker, Killian!” Meredith exclaimed when her eyes zeroed in on Luna’s pregnant belly. “What’s going on? Who is she and why does she have your bun in her oven?”

  “Shit,” Killian ran his fingers through his hair. “This is Luna. Luna Rhoades.”

  “How did you get her pregnant?” Quinn asked.

  “I think we all know how, Quinn,” Meredith quipped.

  “I mean,” Quinn shot back. “He can’t have been that lucky.You know we can’t knock up anyone easily.”

  “Have you not been listening or watching, Quinn?” she asked in an exasperated voice. “Luna is Killian’s True Mate. That means the first time they bumped uglies, his soul mate sperm sped down the uterus express and went to town on that egg. But why aren’t you together?”

  “It’s a long story,” Killian said.

  “You didn’t know, did you?” Meredith deduced. “She didn’t tell you she was pregnant.”

  “She did.”

  “What?” Quinn yelped, his expression clouded in anger. “You knew she was pregnant, and you left her anyway? How could you leave her?” His brother held his hands in tight fists at his side and his eyes began to glow, signaling his wolf was ready to burst from his skin.

  “Chill, Quinn,” Meredith soothed, rubbing a palm along his arm. “I’m sure there’s a good explanation for this. Right, Killian?”

  He wished there were. Before he could speak, Luna began to stir.

  Thick lashes fluttered open and her pink lips parted in a soft gasp. Her hands dropped to her belly, feeling the bump there and then she let out a sigh of relief. Amethyst eyes stared up at the ceiling before finding Killian.

  “Killian,” she murmured. “What’s happening to me?”

  What should he say? Luna was human and didn’t know about shifters. He couldn’t tell her all those months ago—not when he was sworn to keep the secret. If they had gotten married or moved in together, he would have had to petition the High Council for permission to tell her and have her pledge to the Lycans. Currently, the Lycan High Council was in shambles thanks to a traitor who had infiltrated them. Still, he didn’t know what to do or say now.

  “Luna,” Meredith said as she knelt down next to the couch. “I’ll try to explain.”

  “Are we sick? Is my baby going to be okay?” Her lips and chin trembled.

  Meredith shook her head. “No—everything’s going to be all right. I’m Meredith, Killian’s sister.”

  “You said it’s happening to you too. This sickness?”

  “Er, sort of. It’s kind of like a genetic condition. But don’t worry, your baby is safe.”

  Good save, Killian thought. Hopefully, it would buy them time.

  “Now, why don’t you tell us what you’re doing here? Where did you meet Killian? Do you live here?”

  “That’s not important now,” Killian said to Meredith then turned to Luna. “But we do need to talk.”

  Luna sat up awkwardly, planting her feet on the carpet, her hands wringing on her lap. Her head was bowed and her breathing uneven.

  “Killian,” Meredith began. “Can I talk to you first?”

  “Yeah, we gotta talk,” Quinn interjected, his voice edgy.

  “Quinn, go get Luna a water or juice, will you? She looks like she’s going to faint again,” Meredith ordered.

  The other Lycan’s gaze moved from Luna to Killian, alternating in pity and anger, but he nodded and left the office.

  “Just stay put for a second, Luna, while Killian and I talk privately.” Meredith tugged on Killian’s arm and led him back to his office. When the door closed behind them, she crossed her arms over her chest and pinned him with her gaze. “Explain.”

  Where to begin? Killian let out a deep sigh and gave Meredith the quickest version he could muster, at least up until the time she told Killian she was pregnant. What happened after…it hurt too much to say out loud. Shock and disbelief were still running through his system, not to mention he was battling his inner wolf. It was in a rage—pacing and howling, slashing at his insides. It was like the wolf was mad at him for keeping him from his pup.

  “You didn’t know she was your True Mate?”

  “How could I, Mer?” he shot back defensively. “Did you know Daric was your True Mate when you met him?” True Mates were rare. In fact, they were virtually unheard of until over a year ago when the first pairing emerged.

  “But why did you leave her when she told you she was pregnant? Even after the job?”

  “I didn’t want to leave her!”

  “Then what happened?”

  Killian gritted his teeth, his nails digging into his palms so hard he feared it would break the skin. “I finished the job. I used her keycard to get into the museum, making it seem like someone had stolen it from her car.” He paused, running his hand over his face. “After I had got the tapestry I laid low. When I came back, she figured it all out somehow and I confessed. She told me she hated me and that she got rid of the baby!” A low growl escaped from his throat. “She killed our baby because she couldn’t stand to have it inside her, reminding her of me. That’s what she told me.”

  Meredith’s face went completely white and moisture filled her eyes. “Killian, I’m sorry. So that’s what you’ve been keeping from me. From all of us this whole time.”

  The lump in his throat refused to go away and he was grateful for the door to his office slamming open so he didn’t have to answer her.

  “What?” he barked at Quinn, who stood in the doorway.

  “She’s gone,” Quinn replied. “I went to the vending machine to get her some juice and when I came back, she wasn’t there.”

  “Dammit!” Meredith cursed. “What if she goes crazy and tells someone? Or she goes to a doctor? Our secret could get out!”

  “Fuck!” Killian punched the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster. “I’m going after her.”

  “I’m coming with you,” Meredith said.

  “No,” he protested. “I have to do this alone.”

  “You’re not in the right mind,” she stated. “I can help smooth things over, and maybe buy us more time until we get to talk to Grant Anderson.”

  Shit, she was right. They would have to tell the Alpha of New York what happened. “Fine. Quinn,” he said to his brother. “You stay here and see if you can find her current address in New York.”

  “Will do. And Killian?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m sorry I got mad at you. I heard what you said—what she told you,” he said somberly. “You know I always got your back, bro.”

  He gave Quinn a curt nod. Truthfully, he wasn’t mad that Quinn took Luna’s side. From what he knew about Quinn’s childhood, he expected that reaction.

  “Let’s go,” he said to Meredith.

  ***

  2 months and 3 weeks ago…

  When people describe bad things happening to them, they always say things like they felt their entire world was falling apart. Luna never understood what that meant, but now she understood it all too well. As she left the police station she wanted to collapse, her knees so weak it was like the earth was crumbling underneath her feet. Bracing herself against a street lamppost, she took a deep breath.

  Was it just hours ago that everything seemed bright? Killian had been away on business for almost a week, but they’d been texting regularly. Of course things a
t work were chaotic, but when she saw his messages, she couldn’t help but feel that flutter in her heart that made her forget about everything. She spent whatever free time she had reading baby books and browsing for baby stuff on websites, as well as dreaming of what their child would look like. A girl with Killian’s turquoise eyes. Or a boy with his killer smile. Hopefully, he’d be back soon from his trip because she couldn’t wait to see him.

  When she got to work that morning she had a strange feeling; an uncomfortable pit in her stomach. She ignored it initially, but when she spied the two men in suits waiting outside her office the hole grew even bigger. Jordan and Heathcliff, the detectives from the Portland PD investigating the theft of the Gastlava Tapestry, wanted to bring her down to the station to ‘talk’.

  Luna agreed of course, and followed them down to their HQ, but she should have known. She should have asked for a lawyer or even asked them if she was under arrest and refused to come. But hindsight is always 20/20, and Luna had never suspected they were after her.

  They put her in a small room with a mirror and asked her questions one after the other. Yes, she knew her access card was stolen. Yes, she left it in her briefcase in the car which someone had broken into. No, she didn’t report it right away because it was the weekend. No, she didn’t go anywhere that weekend; she stayed home, alone.

  Finally, after what seemed like hours, they dropped the bomb. At first they said there was no way they could prove she had anything to do with it and they were going to drop the criminal investigation. However, Larry Bakersfield was going to file a civil suit against her and the museum so she had better find a good lawyer.

  She thought that was that, but of course there was more bad news. Her boss called and said they were going to have to let her go for negligence. They didn’t even want to let her come to the office and told her that they would send her personal items on. Perhaps she should be glad she didn’t have to go back to the museum, knowing her boss and coworkers thought she had something to do with the theft.