Luna - Beasts of Beauty Series - Book 1

Chapter Thirteen

"I'm only doing this because my mother started crying," he makes sure to tell me. "I don't want this curse to break. I enjoy hurting you." Evander's words cut like a knife, twisting in my chest. I push the feelings aside, knowing that this isn't him.

"I know," I tell him. "I'm sorry that you're being forced to do this. I'll be fast." He nods his head, pleased with my response. Bullshit; that's what's coming out of my mouth and I hate it. "I need you to take a deep breath and not fight me when I enter your consciousness. It'll only make getting to your subconscious harder." He rolls his eyes as if he already knows what I'm saying and tells me to get on with it. That's why I need to spout bullshit, I convince myself. If I piss him off, this will never work.

I rest my fingertips on his temples and close my eyes. I chant the spell quietly, entering his mind.

The sensation is odd and it takes a moment for me to get accustomed to it. If anyone were to walk into the room right now, they would just be looking at me holding my hands to Evander's head. I look around though, and I see nothing but darkness, until colors fade into view and I am standing in the middle of a memory. I look down, but do not see myself.   

"Sam," a man says, looking at a younger Evander. I watch as he holds a hand on the boy's shoulder comfortingly. "You are strong. You are tough. You can do anything you set your mind to."

"Why do you have to leave, Grandpa?" little Evander asks him.

"There's something very important that I have to do. There's a little girl who needs to be protected. As soon as I know she's safe, I'll return. I promise."

"What about me?" Evander asks. "Why can't you stay and make sure I'm safe?"

"Because, my little Sam, this girl is going to be your powerful Luna someday," he says. "You are strong, you do not need me to protect you. But, there are people in this world that want to hurt your mate, your Luna. She needs someone to protect her until she can protect herself. Do you understand?"

"Why does she have to be so weak?" Evander asks his grandfather in a whiny voice, tears threatening his eyes. "I don't want a weak Luna."

The scene fades around me before his grandfather can say anything else and I am instead standing in Evander's office.

"Did your Grandfather say any more about her?"

Evander is older in this memory. This is only a couple years ago based on the date on the paperwork on the desk.

"No," Evander answers. His face is deflated. "It was almost a hundred years ago, Asher. Whoever my grandfather was trying to protect is probably dead, and so is he."

"What did he say about her?"

"He said she would be my future Luna, that she was young and needed protecting until she could protect herself. That's it. He didn't say her name or where she was or anything. We've been through this, Ash."

I will myself to move on from this memory; I can't bear to see him giving up like this. I'm not dead, at least. 

"Has anyone found any trace? Any sign of him?"

Evander paces in what appears to be his office, again. Though, the furniture is arranged differently and there's less books, decor, and clutter everywhere. If my assumption is correct, I'd say I've gone back in time.

"No, Alpha," a guard says. He appears frightened of Evander's reaction. As Evander's fist slams down on the desk in frustration, I realize the guard's fear was not misplaced.

"Get Asher in here," Evander growls.

"I'm here," Asher says. He nods to the guard and the guard leaves the room.