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

Another followed. Jonathan and I, back when we were younglings. Back before the pack had been mine, and we were more to one another than tolerant strangers. We had hunted, sharing our kill.

Sneaking away with Jonathan during the moon's rise was one of the few rebellions I ever attempted when it came to my father. Was it possible that even then, I had known he was my mate, but had buried the knowledge out of fear?

And then another one, except, this one, like the one of Jonathan and Lou, and the miniature person, this was one that had yet to happen.

One that I didn't want to see happen.

I was older. Much older. Age had eaten away at my face, leaving it a crass valley of scars and bitterness. Around me, the world smoked, bathed in shades of grey, not so much as a ripple to be seen. The air smelt of death and decay, and the ground beneath my marching feet was compact with ash.

Chapter114