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

/"Did you pull the curtains down?/"

/"No?/" Lumen guessed, eyes trailing to where the entire structure had been yanked from the wall. He had either pulled it down, or tried to swing or climb on it to inflict the amount of damage the snapped pole had been acquired.

Rather than shout, as it was as effective as a chocolate teacup with the kid, I simply changed him before he sprung a leak — feeling pretty damn proud of myself when I only had to retry once — before locating his blanket. Despite it being an awkward ordeal, I carried him back down, if only to save time. Lumen was more than happy with those arrangements, snuggling into my neck, cooing happily.

Chapter19