Novels by Riel

The Festival of the Blue Moon is approaching, and suddenly everyone is a merchant, selling trinkets, beverages, treats, and practically anything that has a price tag.Mom and Dad set up a stall every year. However, they are usually too busy to manage it, being the Beta pair and all. Talia and I take turns manning it, or we do it together when the crowd is too much for one person to handle.The air is fragrant with baked goods, roasted nuts, savory treats, and sweet beverages.Trinkets are being arranged — charms, glowing pendants, hand-carved figurines. I gawk at the sight of it all despite the fact that I’ve been seeing this setup every single evening for the last four days.But today feels a little different. There is just one more day before the festival, and almost every structure has been completed, every stall opened and filled to the max.The decorations — peculiar, whimsical, and probably magical — are all set up now.Glimmering threads in the lanterns. Slight flickers of light

I opened the window, sliding one foot over, then another.My feet landed lightly on the carpet, and I smiled at the sheer perfection of the action.The lights flicked on.I gulped.Talia stood by the switch, arms crossed, her face set in that “I caught you and you’re in trouble” look.Despite the fact that my stepsister was two years younger than I am, she had refused to accord me the respect of an elder sibling. Her favorite pastime on a good day seemed to be finding ways to get me into trouble with Mum and Dad.I sighed, resigned.“What are you doing here, Talia?”She scowled, as though that wasn’t the reaction she was aiming for.“I'll have you know I just caught you sneaking into your room at two o’clock in the morning,” she huffed. “You are in trouble when I tell Mum and Dad.”I eyed Talia as she shifted from one foot to the other, staring at me with obvious disdain.Despite the fact that I had lived with Talia and her parents for fifteen years—two months longer than she had know

I startle at the sound of leaves crunching under boots.“Who’s there?”“Mia? Is that you?”I turn to find Cole picking his way toward me.“Cole,” I breathe. “How did you—”“I had a feeling they were going to come for you after what you did.” He finally reaches where I’m lounging against a tree, my body too weak to stand on its own. “So I kept a close eye.”“On me, or them?”“Both?”I sigh. “I guess telling you I can take care of myself again isn’t going to convince you any more than the last time.”“I guess telling you to stop provoking them again isn’t going to dissuade you any more than it did the last time.”“Fair enough,” I agree. “However, I wouldn’t call it provoking. It’s more like strategic retaliation.”Cole ignores that. He pauses to scrutinize me. His eyes widen.“It’s not that bad,” I say quickly before he can get hysterical. “Just some scrapes and bruises. Nothing an ointment can’t handle.”“Did he do this?” His voice is calm. Too calm.“He rammed the tree,” I say, lookin

My screams does not deter him.Oh no.“Don’t—” I start.He lunges again.Below me, the group spreads out in a perfect semicircle.Waiting.“Catch her,” I recall Damon’s words.Panic claws at my lungs as I adjust myself on the branches so I can get a better grip.Bam!Another hit, stronger than the last. The tree shudders beneath me, leaves and nuts falling off.I hold on tighter, my knuckles whitening. I can feel the bark rough against my palms.Bam!My whole body shakes.Sweat beads on my forehead and seeps beneath my clothes despite the cold temperature.It is becoming terribly hard to hold on. The tree and branches still rattle during the pause before another impact.I yelp, my fingers almost slipping again. I shut my eyes and will my ragged breathing and raging heartbeat to let me think.I have no idea how long I can handle Damon barreling into the tree like that. I need a plan.Bam!My foot slips, and I try to get it onto another branch, but it snaps, sending me hurtling downward

Rule number one for anyone living in a werewolf pack—especially if that person’s human:Never humiliate the future Alpha.Rule number two?If you do, don’t get caught.I broke rule number one three hours ago.Now I’m breaking rule number two.“You can run, but you can't hide, human,” Darren says with a cackle.They’ve been chasing me for hours, and this time I know they won’t stop.The damp earth smells of decay and rain-soaked leaves. Every snapping twig beneath their feet sends a metallic twist through my stomach. My pulse pounds loud enough to betray me.There’s a half moon out. Moon and her little companions guard my path through the trees.Silver light slips between branches, streaking the forest floor.They can probably see, hear, and scent me far better than I can run — but I refuse to believe I’m helpless.“Run as fast as you can, Micaela,” Damon calls, his voice carrying easily through the trees. “Because when I catch you, you are going to regret ever being born.”And I know h