Page 3 of Fated Despite the Moon

Makayla remembered the three wolf boys who’d taunted and teased her every summer since she was a child. She’d not seen them in forever though. When she’d reached junior high age their family vacations together had ended as their fathers grew busier.

Colt joined them and laid his hand on his mother's shoulder. "Maybe it's best if I take her."

Her mother shoved an envelope into Makayla's hands. "Here is the information you need. The jet is already waiting for you at Burbank airport. Colt will see that you get on the plane. Should you refuse or run, I will cut you off permanently. No more money. No phone. No trips. Nothing."

Makayla looked down at the envelope. Her mom was sending her away. All because of one stupid mistake. But more likely because…

Her mother's voice softened. "I love you Makayla, and I believe in the person you were before, and the person you can become. Believe it or not, I think this is actually for the best. And so, did your father. It had always been his wish that you would marry one of Jeremiah's boys."

‘Uncle Jeremiah,’ as Makayla had known him, was her father's oldest friend. They'd left Wolf River together to go to Stanford and then on to start a fortune five hundred company in Silicon Valley. They'd sold out right before the bust. And though Jeremiah had returned to Wolf River, he and her father had remained close and continued to do business right up until her father's sudden death. Now Jeremiah did business with her brother Colt. She wondered if that business relationship had anything to do with Makayla’s new status update of “Engaged to be Married”. Was she partial payment for something?

Her mother embraced her. "I do this because I love you, Makayla. And hopefully someday you will thank me. But even if you don’t thank me, maybe you’ll understand at the very least… once you become a mother yourself."

A blanket of numbness floated over her shoulders and shrouded Makayla in dread.

Her mother released her, and Makayla dropped her sparkly high heels to the floor. "Guess I won't need these anymore."

Chapter Two

"Mom really is trying to help you," Colt said as they drove to the airport.

Makayla stared out the window at the passing buildings. How long would it be until she saw California again?

"It's not so bad there. There's green like you can’t imagine. And the air is fresh and the water doesn't need to be filtered into bottles and–"

"Stuff it, Colt. You're not the one being sold off to the highest bidder in the Rocky Mountains."

"That's not what's happening, sis."

"Isn't it? Mom is ashamed of me being knocked up, so she'd rather marry me off to some guy I haven't seen since I wore a training bra than to let me just be single and raise the baby alone. Besides, Derek may come back."

Colt snorted. "Even you can't believe that. The jackass didn't even wait a full five minutes after you told him before leaving town. No one has heard from him since. Besides, if he did come back, I'd kick his ass along with half our pack. Especially Gideon. He vouched for the rogue, and this is the thanks we get? Never again, I can assure you."

Makayla shook her head. She'd known Derek was a bad boy rogue wolf from the moment she'd laid eyes on him at a club downtown. All leather and tight t-shirts, boots and jeans. He'd been just what she'd been looking for. And the last thing she'd needed.

They pulled off the freeway and exited toward the airport. This was really happening, not just a scare tactic. She was going to Idaho.

"Do they even have a doctor there that can deliver a baby?" she asked.

Colt shook his head. "Trust me. It isn't as bad as all that. Wolf River is just an hour from Moscow and two hours from Coeur d’Alene. It's beautiful, and they have everything we have here. Except for the pollution, corruption, clubbing, traffic—"

"I get it."

Colt pulled into the private terminal and stopped the car. Her mother's plane sat waiting on the tarmac. A small metal tube to fly her to her own private hell.

Colt jumped from his seat and pulled open the back door. Removing her bags, he carried them to the plane and handed them to the stewardess. Makayla glanced at the keys in the ignition. She'd make it only as far as one tank of gas and the thousand bucks in her purse would take her. But... then what?

Colt opened her door and held out his hand. They stared at each other for a minute. Since he'd taken over their father's business dealings, she'd barely seen him outside family dinners on Sundays. And since the announcement of her impending bundle of joy, Sunday dinners had been cancelled.

"Hey." He pulled her from her seat and into a hug.

She grabbed on to the back of his sports coat, taking in his familiar cologne. Tears threatened to rain down on his shoulder and words begged to be spoken. Words to convince him to help her. To get him to see she could do it on her own. That she didn’t need a man to raise her child. That she shouldn’t be sent away… But the words stuck in her throat like a strangled scream.

"It's going to be okay. I think a change of scenery is exactly what you need. And Jeremiah's sons are great guys. Either one of them will take care of you and do right by you and the baby. I wouldn't let you go if I wasn't certain of it."

"Wouldn't you?" she pushed away.

He touched her cheek. "Don't be like this Kaly, you know I wouldn't."

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