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

/"You care about him./" It wasn't a question, but it wasn't answered immediately. Another sharp clash of wind hit us, and a sound so fearsome that Lumen's eyes flew open and a scream escaped his mouth sounded.

It became the unspoken motivation we both needed to find our feet and keep moving. With how numb my limbs had already been, the loss of my jacket hadn't seemed like too big a deal. How could I get any colder, right?

Yeah. I was a fucking genius. A freezing, polar bear envying fucking genius. But even still, my decision came without regret. He had looked out for Lou; I paid my debts.

Lumen ended up hitching a piggyback. His legs were hurting, and he kept tripping. He was trying to be brave, but between fear and exhaustion, he fell victim to a series of mini tantrums. Plus, carrying him proved to be faster.

Chapter117