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“I’m guessing she doesn’t know about your condition neither.”
    “There’s nothing to know.” His voice was strained, gruff. “I’ve got it under control.”
    “ Bullshit . I saw you during dinner. You’re pent up. When was the last time you let your Beast out? Your bear is gonna come busting out if you don’t deal with it soon.”
    “Can’t,” he said as he plated the pie.
    “What do you mean, you can’t ?”
    “I mean I can’t . I keep thinking that if I change, that might be my last time. I might not come back.”
    Cassidy sighed and then said, softening her tone, “You’re moon sick, baby. You can’t pretend it doesn’t exist and hope it goes away. Jacob.” He felt her hand on his shoulder and she gave him a little squeeze there. “We can’t lose you. Not like we lost Dad.”
    “I’m fine!” His voice rang out rough, more like an animal bark than a human voice. In the other room, he heard the conversation come to a halt.
    In the mirror behind her, he saw the yellow-gold shimmer around his irises.
    ( I’m here , his Beast purred. Waiting. )
    Cassidy froze in her spot, her eyes wide. He saw her own animal spark golden hues in her eyes and he felt her nails extend into his shoulder. He was dangerous in this state and—siblings or not—her mama bear would tear his head from his shoulders before she let him rampage around her children.
    Guilt cinched around his heart. He leaned in closer to Cassidy, dropped his voice, and murmured so only she could hear, “What do you think I’m doing now? Holly will change everything. When I’m with her…she calms my Beast. She marries me; I’ll be able to control the bear. Then we don’t have to worry about any of this.”
    “I hope to God you’re right,” Cassidy said. Her nails retracted and she picked up two plates, swiftly carrying them to the table. “Who wants dessert?” she asked cheerfully.

Chapter 12
    When Jacob returned to his seat beside her, Holly could tell something was wrong. She slipped her hand over his and whispered, “Is everything okay?”
    He pulled his hand back and murmured, “It’s fine.” But he was cold now, like stone, and she felt him pulling away from her.
    Had it been something she said? Miserable, Holly offered a smile and forced down her slice of pie. Jacob said nothing over dessert, so neither did she, and conversation continued around them. After dessert, she helped Mama Mae clean the table and then excused herself to go outside. She needed a breath of fresh air.
    Evenings took on a particular charm on Red Moon Ranch. Out in the distance, she could see the silver glow of the Marble Mountains, dotted with green oaks and firs. The sun dropped behind the mountains, framing them with a golden-red, fiery hue. So that’s a red moon , she thought to herself. Trees—large, looming giants—hung over the edges of the ranch, thinning out as they got closer.
    At the bottom of the hill, Holly had a good view of the Red Moon Ranch. Her eyes followed the serpentine dirt road up to Cassidy and Dave’s wide ranch house with a robin’s-egg-blue roof. Further up, to the right, perched Brent’s less-taken-care-of shack. Then at the top of the hill, as though watching over all the others, loomed Jacob’s cabin. Around the back of Mama Mae’s house ran a picket fence and Holly followed it, her heels making indents in the soft dirt, until she came to the stables.
    The smell of horse—that sharp, earthy smell, but not unclean —was the first thing that hit her; it was clear Mama Mae kept her stables in good condition. Red-stained wooden enclosures kept the animals tucked away and piles of hay flowed out from corners. Holly counted two horses in their stables, a dark black stallion and a softer, chestnut mare. She approached the mare, extending her hand over the divide.
    “Nice to meet you,” she murmured as she patted the animal’s snout. She swore those eyes could see straight through her. A bucket of oats sat beside