Read Online Claiming the Moon by Loribelle Hunt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Loribelle Hunt
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Julian drive through town with his squad early that morning and knew the man was here to stop him. He hid from sight easily, sneering. Their esteemed leader claimed there were two factions of wolves warring with each other. That one side wasn’t the same brutal killers who had killed his Maggie. Even if that were true, it didn’t matter. They were animals. One day they’d all turn on the humans they considered prey.
His mission was clear. They had to be stopped. And Julian, with his extensive files, training, and arms, had unwittingly given Robert the means to do it. This wasn’t the first household he’d targeted, and it wouldn’t be the last. He had a long list to work through. But first, he would kill the female werewolf and her four companions.
He’d put his original plan into motion and found the diner’s deliveryman. When charm and a hundred bucks didn’t convince him to let Robert take the delivery out to the mansion on the edge of town, he’d knocked him out and left him tied and gagged in the trunk of his car.
He’d almost cackled yesterday when the woman didn’t recognize him, but restrained himself. She would soon enough. The male werewolves were suspicious now. One of them had gone into town to pick up their catered order. Robert found it easy to slip into the gate after the returning vehicle without being seen. Then he snuck in the house and hid when she walked out with the garbage. Now he just had to wait for the right moment. For the others to return.
* * * * *
When Ellen awoke, she was alone. The house felt quiet, forlorn, abandoned. She knew that wasn’t possible, but the lost feeling stayed with her as she showered and dressed.
No one was around when she went downstairs, when she entered the dining room. There was no way Anthony was letting any strangers on the property, so Asa had volunteered last night to pick up the delivery from the diner. The food was set up so she knew someone was around. Were they hiding? Avoiding her? She was known for her temper. It made her wonder when the other shoe would drop and what it would be. Shrugging, she decided she might as well be well-fed first.
When she finished, she took the leftovers to the kitchen and stacked them in the fridge. Then grumbling under her breath about men making useless housekeepers, she took the overflowing bag out of the garbage can. Frowning, she disengaged the alarm and carried it outside. The bigger can was behind the garage. She dropped the plastic bag in.
As she returned to the narrow sidewalk that led back to the kitchen, that prickly sensation on the back of her neck returned. Increasing her pace, she looked around but didn’t see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. She almost blew off the uneasy feeling, but her back was a stinging memory of what had happened the last time she’d ignored her gut instincts.
She almost ran the last few steps and slammed the door shut behind her, throwing the deadbolt and turning to reset the alarm. The feeling of being watched, stalked, didn’t diminish. Goosebumps pimpled her flesh, and she shivered, though it wasn’t cold in the house. Where the hell was Clint? Not to mention, everyone else?
She knew Anthony was running extra patrols on the grounds, but someone should be inside. She searched the downstairs, and then the upstairs. Clint’s cell phone was plugged into its charger and left on the nightstand. He had to be out in wolf form. Grabbing her phone, she dialed as she walked down the hall. No answer from Anthony. She tried the other Hunters while walking down the stairs. Nothing.
Dread increasing with each move, she stepped off the stairs and into the foyer. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion from then on. Her office door, near the front of the house, swung open, and crazy dude entered the foyer. He held the butt of a rifle in his right hand, the barrel leaning against his shoulder, like a soldier on casual guard duty.
Her mind screamed at her to run and
His mission was clear. They had to be stopped. And Julian, with his extensive files, training, and arms, had unwittingly given Robert the means to do it. This wasn’t the first household he’d targeted, and it wouldn’t be the last. He had a long list to work through. But first, he would kill the female werewolf and her four companions.
He’d put his original plan into motion and found the diner’s deliveryman. When charm and a hundred bucks didn’t convince him to let Robert take the delivery out to the mansion on the edge of town, he’d knocked him out and left him tied and gagged in the trunk of his car.
He’d almost cackled yesterday when the woman didn’t recognize him, but restrained himself. She would soon enough. The male werewolves were suspicious now. One of them had gone into town to pick up their catered order. Robert found it easy to slip into the gate after the returning vehicle without being seen. Then he snuck in the house and hid when she walked out with the garbage. Now he just had to wait for the right moment. For the others to return.
* * * * *
When Ellen awoke, she was alone. The house felt quiet, forlorn, abandoned. She knew that wasn’t possible, but the lost feeling stayed with her as she showered and dressed.
No one was around when she went downstairs, when she entered the dining room. There was no way Anthony was letting any strangers on the property, so Asa had volunteered last night to pick up the delivery from the diner. The food was set up so she knew someone was around. Were they hiding? Avoiding her? She was known for her temper. It made her wonder when the other shoe would drop and what it would be. Shrugging, she decided she might as well be well-fed first.
When she finished, she took the leftovers to the kitchen and stacked them in the fridge. Then grumbling under her breath about men making useless housekeepers, she took the overflowing bag out of the garbage can. Frowning, she disengaged the alarm and carried it outside. The bigger can was behind the garage. She dropped the plastic bag in.
As she returned to the narrow sidewalk that led back to the kitchen, that prickly sensation on the back of her neck returned. Increasing her pace, she looked around but didn’t see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. She almost blew off the uneasy feeling, but her back was a stinging memory of what had happened the last time she’d ignored her gut instincts.
She almost ran the last few steps and slammed the door shut behind her, throwing the deadbolt and turning to reset the alarm. The feeling of being watched, stalked, didn’t diminish. Goosebumps pimpled her flesh, and she shivered, though it wasn’t cold in the house. Where the hell was Clint? Not to mention, everyone else?
She knew Anthony was running extra patrols on the grounds, but someone should be inside. She searched the downstairs, and then the upstairs. Clint’s cell phone was plugged into its charger and left on the nightstand. He had to be out in wolf form. Grabbing her phone, she dialed as she walked down the hall. No answer from Anthony. She tried the other Hunters while walking down the stairs. Nothing.
Dread increasing with each move, she stepped off the stairs and into the foyer. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion from then on. Her office door, near the front of the house, swung open, and crazy dude entered the foyer. He held the butt of a rifle in his right hand, the barrel leaning against his shoulder, like a soldier on casual guard duty.
Her mind screamed at her to run and
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