Taken Under the Moon Read online

  TAKEN UNDER THE MOON

  A ROYAL SHIFTERS NOVEL

  L.P. DOVER

  CONTENTS

  Royal Shifters Series

  1. Kara

  2. Chase

  3. Kara

  4. Kara

  5. Chase

  6. Kara

  7. Chase

  8. Kara

  9. Kara

  10. Chase

  11. Kara

  12. Chase

  13. Kara

  14. Chase

  15. Chase

  16. Kara

  17. Kara

  18. Chase

  19. Kara

  20. Kara

  21. Chase

  22. Kara

  23. Chase

  24. Kara

  25. Chase

  26. Kara

  27. Chase

  28. Kara

  29. Kara

  30. Kara

  31. Chase

  32. Kara

  33. Kara

  34. Kara

  35. Kara

  About the Author

  Also by L.P. Dover

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written consent from the author.

  * * *

  Taken Under the Moon (A Royal Shifters Novel)

  Copyright 2021 by L.P. Dover

  Edited by: There for You Editing Services

  Cover Designed by: RBA Designs

  Photo Taken by: Furious Fotog

  * * *

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Created with Vellum

  ROYAL SHIFTERS SERIES

  Turn of the Moon

  Resisting the Moon

  Rise of the Moon

  Unleashed by the Moon

  Bound by the Moon

  Claimed by the Moon

  Taken Under the Moon

  Awakened by the Moon

  1

  KARA

  New Year’s Eve

  * * *

  My head feels like it’s been crushed by a sledgehammer. When Amelie attacked, and my skull cracked, it sent a wave of nausea through my stomach. Then, darkness overtook me, and I fell to the floor like a heap of nothing. I’ve lost all control of my body, and the only thing I feel is the searing pain in my head. The crack in my skull begins to mend, but not fast enough. The coldness of the hardwood floor against my cheek soon becomes warm as my blood makes a pool around my temple. I can smell it, and it infuriates me more. I hate myself for being weak. How could Amelie get the best of me like that? Where did her strength come from? She isn’t a royal, just a worthless, gray wolf.

  I try to move, but it’s a futile attempt. It is as if there’s an invisible weight pressing me down on the floor. When I try to open my eyes, they’re too heavy. I’m stuck in the darkness of my mind. Even still, I can hear everything around me. Footsteps pound up the front porch steps, and I already know who it is.

  Kami. If there’s anyone who hates me in the Royal pack, it’s her. The feeling is mutual. The slam of the front door hitting the wall echoes all the way upstairs into Amelie’s room, where I’m a sitting duck. I have to get up and fight, but my body doesn’t respond. Before, anger would motivate me and give me the strength I need, but it isn’t working.

  Kami is here to kill me, and I’m going to die in a puddle of my own blood.

  She enters the room and kneels next to me. “Looks like you got your ass beat.”

  I can hear the satisfaction in her voice. I’d give anything to smack off the smugness I know is on her face right now. She has no idea what I’ve been through or what my life has been like. I can sense her moving closer, her breath warm against my neck.

  “If you can hear me, just know that if things didn’t work out the way they did, I’d hunt you down and make you suffer as you’ve never suffered before.”

  I would make her suffer, too. She may be a mated royal, but I am also a royal. I’ve lived over two hundred more years than her. Her arms grab me around the waist, and she hauls me over her shoulders. I’m trapped inside of my body, waiting for my wounds to heal. Usually, I mend a lot faster, but something is holding me back. Although I can’t sense any magic around, there’s an invisible force intentionally keeping me in the dark.

  The sound of glass crunches beneath Kami’s feet as she carries me out of the room. “I should make you clean this shit up, but we have other plans for you.”

  That’s not going to happen. As soon as I wake up, I’m gone. The Royal pack will never see me again. I’ll disappear as I did for the past two centuries. Kami takes me downstairs, and I can sense someone else around.

  Colin. Her mate. They’re silent, and I can only assume they’re communicating through their blood bond so I can’t hear. I want to know what happened between my brother and Zayne. Knox was going to fight him tonight, to take Amelie as his own. For the life of me, I will never understand. Royals belong with royals. I tried to tell Knox there were more royal females out there, but he would never listen. I saw them when I took a vacation in South Dakota. Wolf packs aren’t known to be in that state. However, when I went out for a run, I saw them—there were three, two females and a male. They didn’t see me, and I didn’t try to seek them out. Although, now I wish I would have. Maybe I would have more allies instead of being on my own.

  I can sense another wolf in the area, and my stomach sags with dread. Chase Maheegan. He’s the last man I want to see me like this. My body begins to have feeling again, and I open my eyes. A groan escapes my lips, and the room falls silent. I have to get up and run away, but my arms move slowly as I try to push up off the floor. There is no strength in my muscles so I roll onto my back. The side of my head throbs, and when I touch it, my fingers come back covered in blood.

  Kami stands over me, her voice dripping with disdain. “You’re awake.”

  “What the hell happened?” I growl. With the things she’s already said, I have a feeling I know the answer.

  Kami clenches and unclenches her fists. “You failed, that’s what.”

  I have to get out of here. Using all the strength I have, I try to pivot my body out from under her and take off, but Kami grabs my neck, slamming me back into the floor. Pain explodes all around me, and I hiss. I squeeze Kami’s wrist, but she’s too strong. “Where’s my brother?”

  Her fingers squeeze harder, cutting off my air. “Knox is dead. You can’t come here and threaten my pack and expect to live.”

  “You lie!” I shout, choking out the words. Tears fill my eyes because I know she’s telling the truth.

  Kami clucks her tongue. “I don’t know why you’re so upset. Knox was going to kill you if Amelie hadn’t bashed your head into the floor. You should be thankful he’s gone.”

  Her words sting like fire, and they burn me to the core. Even my tears feel like they’re scalding my skin as they fall down my cheeks. “Fuck you. Knox would never hurt me.”

  Kami stares right into my eyes. “Do you honestly believe that?”

  I want to scream and fight against her, but I can’t. Deep down, I’ve always known Knox would turn on me if it served his interests. Voices echo from outside, and I jerk my head toward the door. “Who’s here?”

  Kami snorts. “No one that concerns you. It’s time you go back to sleep.”

  Before I can take a breath, she grabs my neck, lifts me, and my head cracks against the floor, submerging me into darkness once more.

  I float in and out of consciousness, but I can still feel my body. I’m on the edge of waking up, and everything aches. I don’t even know if I can run away. There are too many wolves here, ones who want to see me dead. The grip on my neck loosens, and my lungs fill with air.

  “You didn’t let me say hello.” I recognize Chase’s voice.

  Kami huffs. “Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of time with her in California.”

  California? What the hell are they talking about? I can’t go to California. My life is in Virginia, with my vineyards. If they take me away, I’ll lose everything. Their voices drift off into the distance, and after a while, they all jumble together. California is mentioned several times, and something about how Chase’s wine always beats me out in the competitions. Not for long. Once I’m free, I’m not going to let anyone beat me again.

  As the seconds pass, my body begins to heal, but I stay as still as I can. The presence of more wolves prickles my skin, and I recognize Laila’s essence above everyone else’s. She’s a mated royal wolf which gives her phenomenal strength, but she’s also half-fae. As a result, her power outranks every single wolf in the Royal pack. If I tried to fight against her, I’d look like a fool.

  She kneels next to my left, and I hold my breath.

  “What is that going to do?” Kami asks, her voice on the other side of me. I want to open my eyes to see what they’re doing. All I know is that it’s not good. I tried to hurt Zayne, Laila’s father. She will undoubtedly unleash her vengeance on me, and there’s nothing
I can do to stop her.

  “It’ll give Kara a taste of what she deserves,” Laila replies.

  A few seconds later, the room fills with a mixture of earth magic and fae power. It circles all around me, and I can barely breathe from how strong it is. The moment Laila’s hand touches my bare skin, all of the magic in the room thrusts into my body. Time seems to float into nonexistence as I drift further and further into my mind. Instead of feeling the hard floor on my back, everything grows numb. I’m not in Amelie’s house when I open my eyes but in a dark room with no ending or beginning. I look down at my body, but I can see through myself like I’m just a haze. It’s as if I’m a ghost inside of myself, neither here nor there.

  “What does the bracelet do?” Kami asks, her voice echoing all around me.

  As soon as she says it, I glance at my wrist, and a silver bracelet appears with glowing green vines etched onto the surface. Laila whispers words in the ancient fae language, and the radiance intensifies to the point where I have to close my eyes.

  Looking down at the bracelet, panic rises in my chest. “What does it do?” I shout as I desperately try to pry the bracelet off my wrist. I can’t get a grip on it. It’s like there’s an invisible force stopping me.

  The vines glow again, and Laila’s voice rings loud in my ear. “This takes away all her power. She won’t be able to shift or use any of her wolf senses. She’ll be just like a human.”

  Doubling over, I suck in a breath and clutch my stomach. Fear overtakes me, and I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. A blue haze floats away from my body, and it swirls like the wind is taking it. I reach inside of myself for my wolf, but I can’t feel her … it’s as if she never existed. The blue haze is her; it’s my power leaving me and floating into the darkness.

  “No,” I cry, chasing after it. Tears trail down my cheeks faster than I can run. It reminds me of those kinds of dreams where you’re running from someone, but you stay in the same place, not making any distance. My magic slips farther and farther away from me, and my body gives out. I don’t have the energy to continue. “Stop,” I scream, reaching into the darkness. My magic disappears, and I can feel the emptiness inside of me. What Laila says is true. My power is gone.

  Curling into myself, I close my eyes and hold my legs tight to my chest. No matter how loud I scream, no one is going to help. I’m a prisoner inside of my own body. I can listen to everyone around me, but they can’t hear me.

  “Is there a way for it to come off?” Kami asks, her voice echoing all around me.

  Quickly, I wipe away my tears and sit up, waiting to hear the answer.

  “Oh, there’s a way,” Laila answers, “but only Kara or I can take it off.”

  I glance down at the bracelet, wondering how the hell I can do it. How can I when I can’t even touch the fucking thing? It repels me.

  Kami scoffs. “How can Kara do it?”

  Laila sighs. “She will have to figure that out herself.”

  “So you’re not going to tell me?” Kami asks.

  “She’s laying right here, Kami,” Laila whispers. “For all we know, she can hear everything we’re saying.”

  Kami chuckles lightly, and the sound makes the hair on my neck stand on end. “Well, in that case … Kara, if you can hear me, I hope you enjoy being a lesser wolf for a change. Maybe it’ll teach you a lesson or two. It’s a shame I won’t be there to watch you suffer.”

  “No, no, no,” I shout, wailing at the top of my lungs even though neither one of them can hear me. “You can’t do this!” I get to my feet and circle around the darkness with nowhere to go.

  My body trembles with fury, and I fall to my knees. No one should be able to take your wolf away. My wolf is who I am, and now she’s gone. Closing my eyes, I scream until all that comes out is nothing but a hoarse croak. I’m in hell.

  2

  CHASE

  THREE WEEKS LATER

  * * *

  One would think wintertime in the wine country would be the least exciting part of the year, but it’s one of my favorites. Luckily, the weather here in California doesn’t affect my vines as much as it would if were in another part of the country. The winter season gives me more time to spend in the winery and hosting events until harvesting season returns. Plus, the downtime helps me to think up new wine recipes.

  “Maheegan!”

  Glancing over my shoulder, I see my second-in-command, Cameron Volk, headed my way through the vineyard. Every day I walk each aisle, inspecting my grapevines. Not that anything has changed since yesterday when I did it, but it’s what I’ve always done since I was a little boy. My parents walked the vineyards every day together; it was their time alone away from the pack and the duties that came with being the alpha male and female. I used to believe they never knew I was there with them, but it wasn’t until I was older that they came clean. They were happy to see I loved the vineyards as much as they did. It’s always been my legacy to take over the Timberwolf Creek Winery and Vineyards, and I knew the commitment it would take to keep our business afloat.

  Cameron catches up to me and gives me that big, goofy smile of his. He’s the same age as me at thirty-two, and we’ve been inseparable since birth. Our families have been tied together for centuries. When my father became alpha, he partnered with the Volk family, and they took over the Timberwolf Bistro, which connects to the winery. Cameron manages the restaurant along with his sister, Ayla, while their parents work in the kitchen. Cameron is also a master chef and works in the kitchens when we don’t have events. Tonight, however, we have a huge event—a bachelorette party that Cameron desperately wants to be a part of.

  “I see someone’s excited about tonight,” I say. Cameron’s light brown hair is combed to perfection, and he has on his favorite gray Tom Ford suit. He always says it brings out the bright gray in his eyes, and that’s what the women love.

  A mischievous twinkle sparkles in Cameron’s eyes. “You could say that. But, then again, you should be thrilled, too.”

  “Oh yeah, why is that?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

  We walk side by side back toward the winery, and he snorts. “Please. Eight single women are coming to this party tonight, and each one will be jumping at the chance to ride your cock. So just make sure you send some my way. We both know I’m better at pleasuring the ladies than you are.”

  Tilting my head back, I laugh. “And how the hell do you know that? I haven’t had any complaints.”

  Cameron smirks. “Yeah, that’s what sucks. All the women want you.”

  I slap him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, brother. I’ll be sure to be your wingman tonight.”

  “Sounds good. I knew you’d have my back.” Cameron elbows me in the side. “Just look out for the bride, though. She was adamant that you be at the party tonight. I think she’s got the hots for you.”

  I know she did. I could smell the lust on her when she came in a couple of weeks ago to pay the deposit on renting out the winery for her bachelorette party. Would I want to fuck her? You’re damn right I would. She’s sexy as hell, but …

  “You know I don’t get involved with soon-to-be-married women, Cam,” I say. “That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

  Cameron laughs. “You’re a better man than me.”

  “Don’t I know it.” I nod toward the winery. “We should probably head back and get ready for the party.”