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.

I have supernatural powers. One of them is being able to stop time. If 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 hold it for about five minutes before my energy fades. I don’t really have time to explain right now.

and out of the packhouse before anyone can see me. As I race to the wood line, I

out her inky black fur and bolts deep into

to do if you find him?” Lex asks as she sprints

That’s between me and Bronx,”

replies in a sing-song tone, “Oh! I caught his

buddies. He is laughing, smoking, and drinking beer like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I try to swallow my anger, but now even Lex is mad, which is

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.”

we don’t have any clothes. Those other guys

I want to talk to him, so

tone in her

storm out of the woods, naked as the day I was born,

my scent and turns to face me with a shocked

at the surface when he sees I have no clothes on. He stands up and strides toward me. His surprise turns to anger as he tries to

they realize I’m not trying to hide myself. It’s one thing for other wolves to see you right before and after you shift, but standing around with no clothes o n is a different story. Wolves have a tendency to get

Saint’s deep raspy voice growls from Bronx’s mouth as he grabs me by the upper arm and pulls me roughly toward the tree line. His claws are slightly extended, drawing little

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 can feel the purple aura starting to glow all over my body now, “Let

his arms and

are you doing? Let

Why isn’t

at him, and snarl back

control back from his wolf. “Kas, you need t o leave right now. Don’t make me escort

treat me like

to escort me because you should b e AT HOME, not out here smoking and

GO HOME,” he

to say it, but just comply, Kas. Let’s get out of here. Please. It’s not worth arguing with him

conversation is NOT over, Bronx Mason,” I take his shirt off and throw

and hastily throw 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 o unfreeze

makes it perfect.” Tyree nods as he finishes

you

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

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 I have a problem, but I don’t want to burden them with my personal relationships

I hear them

I figured out a new strategy. I need your help to refine it,” I smile slyly as I tell

Bronx’s POV

she is trying to spy on us,” Saint growls in my mind as we watch Lex run

then. She needs to stay in her lane and just calm down,” I half-heartedly agree with my wolf. I can feel his emotions influencing me, making me

in front of the pack members? Our friends?! She’s gonna pay for that!” Saint’s anger grows, making me feel extremely irritable, “I just want time to blow off steam. What’s so