Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Daughters of the Moon Goddess – Prologue Kas’s POV

“Are you sure about this?” my wolf Elexis asks when the timer on the oven goes off.

“Absolutely,” I say confidently, “I refuse to be a prisoner in our own home, Lex.”

I pull the cupcakes out of the oven. Carrot cake caramel – I’ve been experimenting to perfect the recipe for my bakery for weeks so we can add it to the fall menu. The little browned mounds of cake finally look perfect and smell like heaven. I set them on the cooling rack and make a few notes in my notebook before I go get a shower.

I choose my outfit carefully, a loose, casual dress I can quickly remove with slip-on shoes. Once I’m changed, I check myself in the mirror. I don’t look out of place. People won’t notice anything strange. Satisfied with what I see, I go back to the kitchen and put a thick layer of cinnamon cream cheese icing on the cupcakes. I add orange and gold sprinkles for effect.

Sunday is usually my lazy day. It’s the day my mate Bronx and I stay in the apartment. We do that so my guards can have the day off and so he and I get to spend time together, but since m y birthday a little over a month ago, Bronx has decided he has more important things to do than spend time with me. 2

What important things, you ask? Who knows? He won’t tell me. He just says he needs time

alone with the guys. Which guys, you ask? Who knows? He won’t tell me that either. For the past five weeks, he leaves on Sunday morning and doesn’t come back until after dinner as if it were no big deal. 1

Sorry, I’m being rude. I should introduce myself before I complain too much about my life. My name is Kas Mason. I have been the Luna Regent of the Blood River werewolf pack in Montana for a little over a year now.

Bronx hasn’t really been treating me like a Luna lately though, more like an afterthought and I am getting pretty sick of it. I tried to talk to him about it. I really did, but he brushed me off. H e just rolled his eyes at me and walked away, muttering something about always nagging at him.

Not only has he been leaving me alone on the one day of the week we get to spend together, he has also put a substitute guard on duty outside the apartment door. And on top of all that, the guard has orders: I’m not allowed to leave the apartment unsupervised. If I leave, the guard needs to tell Bronx where I am headed.

It’s such bullshit. It’s not like I’m a child. I don’t even need a guard anymore. I mean, I used t o, but I’m much stronger now than when the guards were first assigned to protect me.

What does Bronx really think is going to happen while I’m in our apartment inside the packhouse, anyway? It’s not that I don’t like Tyree. He is a great guard and a fearsome warrior,

but it’s just stupid that he needs to be out there when Bronx should be in here with me

I smooth my clothes and open the apartment door.

“Is everything alright, Luna?” Tyree asks with a concerned look on his face.

“Oh yeah, no problem, Tyree,” I smile innocently at him, “I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to try another cupcake? Be my taste tester since the Alpha isn’t here? I think I have perfected the recipe this time.”

“Of course, Luna,” his dark eyes brighten at the offer of food as he smiles back.

“Great! You always give the best critiques of my baking.” I hand him a plate with three cupcakes on it, “Dig in! I just want to grab my notebook so I can write down your feedback.”

“I’m happy I can help. Thank you so much, Luna,” he nods, raising the cupcake toward me like a beer mug

I open the apartment door just as he takes a big bite of the little cake. I let energy build in my hand, making a slight violet aura form around it, and curl my fingers into a fist. Everything around me becomes deathly still. I look back to see Tyree frozen in time, mid-bite.

Perfect. I have half an hour before the effect wears off.

it’s just one person, like poor unsuspecting Tyree, for example, it can last for more than half a n hour. If it’s a large group of people, I can only

hall, down the stairs, and out of the packhouse before anyone can see me. As I race to the wood line, I pull my clothes

fur and bolts deep

going to do if you find him?” Lex asks as

me and Bronx,” I huff

in a sing-song tone,

River and there he is, hanging out with his buddies. He is laughing, smoking, and drinking beer like he doesn’t have a care

going on with him lately, but sneaking out to drink and smoke, that’s just wrong,” she snarls, “I thought for sure he was hunting rogues and didn’t want to tell

“Shift, Lex.”

clothes. Those other guys will see you

to talk to him,

anything you’ll regret,” she says with a worried tone

storm out of the woods, naked as the day I

turns to face

is at the surface when he sees I have no clothes on. He stands up and strides toward me.

and after you shift, but standing around with no clothes o n is a different story. Wolves have a tendency to get protective when their mates naked, so covering yourself up as soon as possible is usually proper etiquette.

raspy voice growls from Bronx’s mouth as he grabs me by the upper arm and pulls me roughly toward the

fuck, Kas? I think I should be the one asking you that, Saint! And don’t grab me like that! You’re hurting me!”I growl dangerously at him, yanking my arm away. I

his arms

Hell are you doing? Let me

doing. Why isn’t Tyree watching

at him, and snarl back

control back from his wolf. “Kas, you need t o leave right now.

and treat me like that? I can’t believe this man or his

me because you should b e AT HOME, not out here smoking and drinking! You know you shouldn’t be out here, otherwise you would be at the packhouse doing it. Not out where no one will look

HOME,” he roars in his

mind, “I hate to say it, but just comply, Kas. Let’s get out of here. Please. It’s not worth arguing with him when he’s clearly been drinking. We can deal with

is NOT over, Bronx Mason,” I take his shirt off and throw it at him before I shift and Lex

on the dress. I pick up the shoes, putting them on as I run back up to my apartment. Tyree is still frozen in place, mid cupcake bite. I grab my notepad from the apartment and step back out, unfurling my fingerst

frosting really makes it perfect.” Tyree

brightly. “Well, you can

he dutifully responds, “I’ll be out here if

the apartment and immediately mind link my two regular guards, James and Marco. I push down my anger so they won’t sense it. They already know how unhappy I’ve been with Bronx lately. They always tell me to come to them if

hear them respond almost

know I figured out a new strategy.

Bronx’s POV

growls in my mind as we watch Lex run off into the

can feel his emotions influencing me, making me annoyed with our mate. He’s been doing that a lot lately, and I have been letting

front of the pack members? Our friends?! She’s gonna pay for that!” Saint’s anger grows, making