Page 53 of Moon Claimed

I clicked Send and messaged Rhona.

How did you get on? Notice anything?

Cameron replied.

You deserve it.

Rest up. I’ll come see the place tomorrow!

This felt so much like a goodbye.

Did everyone survive the transformation? With so much else to organise, it struck me that I may not even bealivetomorrow.

This could killme.

The only alternative was to get Sascha involved… but I just couldn’t give him more power over me. His presence wouldn’t change the outcome.

This would be my dirty secret for as long as I could manage it.

I read Rhona’s reply.

Yeah, SG noticed straightaway. Smelt it maybe? All of them did.

He was pissed.

They didn’t say anything though.

Part of me expected Sascha to, well,cry wolfto the head team. I’d relied on the guilt Sascha still held about Herc’s death and his desperation for me to view him as worthy. Looked like it worked.

I typed back.

Thank you. Love you.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

She replied.

Please be careful or I’ll never forgive you.

My single wish would be for Rhona to know everything and still love me the same. If there wasn’t a slim chance of that, I couldn’t say whether or not I’d still be in the valley.

A pain stabbed me in the stomach, and I gasped, phone tumbling from my fingers.

Another followed, and I sank down, clutching my torso.

Eyes streaming, I peered up to the full moon peeking between the thick trees.

Fuck.

Stumbling inside, I grabbed my prepared pack. It contained a change of clothes, soap, a towel, a first aid kit, food, water, and spare shoes.

Snatching up my keys, I tried to remain upright and casual on the way to Ella F in case Heather was watching.

I had to get far enough away so no one could see or hear me.

I gunned the engine as a fresh bout of agony ricocheted through me.

This is it.