In the silvery waterfall of moonlight, Jonathan Aztec, my second in command, holding rank as Beta of the Northridge pack, was something to behold. His powerful shoulders seemed to carry the waning gibbous, and the shadows that devoured the vast grounds of Battleridge manor granted him a wide berth.
He was a superior specimen. He was a male worthy of the ranking he'd been bestowed. But like all creatures, he wasn't born perfect, and his character flaw was a fault that bled out into the night like a severed artery: Concern.
It charged the air between us, a thick blanket that settled against the lungs like a boa-constrictor's loving embrace.
"What did you find?" I asked. The perverse silence that had entombed the dilapidated courtyard, screaming so loud it rang through my ears like a twisted lullaby, was shattered upon his approach. His boots smacked against the waterlogged ground, echoing in a way that spoke of his failures before he'd even opened his mouth. 
"Nothing,"
.......
"Until I can figure out what's going on, nobody finds out about the boy. Understand?"
"Understood."
"You're not going to ..." The pause that followed dragged out. "He's just a baby, Sterling."
"You're dismissed."

The Littlest Light

Jonathan was the only exception, and it was why his number was one of the few that had gained the privilege of being saved by name. I hit it. It dialled. Rung twice, then —

/"I need you to do something for me,/" I told him, dismissing his question and side-stepping all pleasantries.

Pause. Chuckle, and then, /"You know, for a second there, I actually got worried you'd phoned to check that I'd made it home safely. Was about to send the healer around to check on you./"

/"I'm going to need some things./" Wasting no time on his wisecrack, the plight of my call was thrown into effect. /"I expect them here by morning./"

/"If I tell you no, am I fired?/" he joked.

/"Yes,/" I deadpanned. He couldn't be fired, per-say, but he could certainly have his ass demoted.

Chapter9