Claiming the Moon by Loribelle Hunt Page B

into the darkness, back the way he’d come, with a silent reminder to himself. Not yet. The time would come, but not yet .

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    A small, curious group of Hunters met Anthony and Ellen when they entered with her things. She left him to explain and went in search of an empty guestroom. She picked one on the second story at the end of the hall. It had a small balcony and overlooked the backyard.
    Dropping her things on the desk, she considered finding a meal, but her stomach rolled at the idea. Her body wasn’t up to that yet. She lay down and closed her eyes, almost afraid to test the theory that when she did, she’d see the attacker again. But it wasn’t his image that rose in her mind. With a groan, she got up. Clint wouldn’t leave her alone, and he wasn’t even aware of it.
    She hesitated over her bag. In a moment of insanity back at her condo, she’d dropped a vibrating egg in it. She considered using it now, desperately needing the sexual release, but she hesitated. There were too many werewolves with superior hearing and sense of smell in the house. They already looked at her with pity whenever Clint’s name came up. Their knowing she had no choice but to get herself off would be the final humiliation. But she couldn’t stay up here alone. The longer she did, the more tempted she became.
    Maybe some company would help distract her. She left the room and went back downstairs, but paused outside Anthony’s door. It wasn’t closed all the way, so she caught his part of the conversation.
    “Just thought you’d like to know that while you’re busy being self-righteous in Tennessee, your mate was attacked, asshole. Ellen is an incredible woman. I have no idea why you refuse to see that. But this shit is putting her in danger now.”
    There was a long pause while she presumed Clint answered. She leaned back against the wall and put a chokehold on her anger. At Clint. At Anthony for calling him. The hell with this . She barged in, stopped in front of the desk, and held her hand out for the phone. He cocked an eyebrow at her silent, imperious demand but handed it over.
    “Damn it, Anthony, answer me. I left her there to keep her safe.”
    “She’s perfectly capable of keeping herself safe,” she said icily. “Which you would know if you were around.”
    His tone changed, softened. “Are you okay?”
    “I’m fine.” No gentleness returned in her voice.
    He sighed. “Put Anthony back on.”
    “Why? For some reason he thought you should be informed. Consider that done.”
    “’Cause I want to ream him a new—” he bit the words off, and she almost laughed, barely holding in the bitter response. His concern for her welfare didn’t generally go beyond keeping her away from him.
    “Thankfully, you’re not here, so that’s not possible.”
    “I’ll be there in a few hours.”
    She felt as if he’d reached into her chest and squeezed her heart. It was painful. “Don’t bother. We have everything under control.”
    “I’m coming. And don’t even think about taking off on your own, Ellen,” he warned.
    She scowled. How the hell did he always seem to know what she was thinking? “Fine. Suit yourself. But you’re wasting your time.”
    She heard a dinging sound, like a car door was open, and knew he really was coming. The knowledge filled her with a mixture of dread and hope, anxiety and anticipation. Shit . She had to get control of herself, had to be calm and resolute when he arrived. Otherwise, she’d do what she always did. Let her guard down, let her heart soften toward him again, only to be left alone to put the broken pieces back together. She tossed the phone to Anthony and spun on her heel, fleeing the room before the tears started.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Clint was in the grip of the worst rage of his life and thanked god when he finally crossed the state line. Twenty miles closer to Ellen. Twenty miles closer to keeping her safe while