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

/"Star,/" a little voice said, followed by a gentle tug at my hand. /"Emmy help?/"

Burning with hope, his eyes peered up at me, his head tilted cutely. Tigger was pressed to his chest, and his breakfast— or dinner, depending on how one wanted to perceive it, as none of us had woken up until late afternoon— lingered around his mouth, the chocolate syrup he had on his pancakes creating a crusty ring.

/"Help?/" I asked slowly. /"By help, do you actually plan on helping, or are you just going to lick the spoon like him?/" I jerked a finger to where Lumen sat on the counter, cross-legged and encased in more flour than had ended up in the bowl. We had attempted to bake cookies and muffins, but Lumen had grown impatient and had begun scooping the mixing spoon in every time my eyes had strayed from him. The boy was a damn chocolate chip thief, too, if the half-empty packet was anything to go by.

Chapter135