Only to be woken again, not long after. I groaned, blinking my way to consciousness at a snail's pace. I shouldn't be so tired after having slept so much yesterday! “Come on, Silver, we need to talk to my father.” Logan shook my shoulder gently, trying to coax me into full wakefulness. My mind didn't want to connect to my body, so I felt like I was piloting a robot through a thick fog. Slowly, I moved my head off Logan's chest and sat upright rubbing my eyes. “You can go back to bed after this, baby.” Logan smoothed down my hair as he also sat up then pressed a kiss to my temple, and slid out of bed. The promise of being able to go back to sleep and the pressure of my bladder finally got me moving, though I still had trouble coordinating my limbs. I yawned, tossing the blankets off my legs and stumbling to the bathroom to pee. I didn't remember putting on the t-shirt that I wore, but I was grateful to be wearing something. I hated the way Logan's eyes trailed over my legs. I
True to his word, Logan took me outside that night to sit in the moonlight. It felt electric, like sparks running down my spine, but also soothing. I laid out in the damp grass, letting the pale light play over as much of my skin as possible. A dreamy smile crossed my lips, and a sigh escaped my lungs. This really was magical. The Moon Mother was definitely smiling down on me as I gazed up at her. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this good. I hadn't been allowed out into direct moonlight in years and only recently began to see her through Logan's bedroom window. She was beautiful. Though the dew laden grass soaked my clothes and the night was chilly, I didn't feel the slightest bit cold. It was like moonfire was bathing me in heat. Sadly, the perfect view of the mostly full moon, just barely beginning to wane, was suddenly blocked by Logan’s head as he leaned in and kissed me. It should have been romantic, a kiss under moonlight, but with his ulterior motive… I suppre
It was another quiet, misty morning when, in the chill of the predawn air, I crept from the warmth of blankets beside Logan, intending to go for a run. I pried myself from the alpha's son's grasp and dropped lightly off the side of the bed, scuttling around to collect my discarded clothes like a thief in the night. He didn't stir, too exhausted from trying to put a pup in me. I was grateful that he slept so soundly. As swiftly as I could, I stripped out of my pj's and into a faded sweatshirt with matching pants and a pair of Silently, I crept from the room, avoiding the creaky floorboards that refused to be fixed. It was still dark out, but I had excellent night vision, so the thick surrounding blanket of shadow didn’t bother me. Making sure not to wake anyone, I snuck downstairs and outside, easing the door closed behind me. I had nearly an hour before the dawn patrol ran circuit. Plenty of time. Breathing in the cool air, I felt full of life and energy. The scent of rain that had
Just as I started to think that I was safe, thundering footsteps tramped down the hall in my direction. Panic flooded my system, and I looked around desperately for something, anything that would keep my secret. I could not allow myself to be caught. My heart raced faster as the footsteps drew nearer. What could I do? With that thought, calm slid through me, and Silver took control of my body, letting me sink into the safe embrace of her pelt. “Worry not, Little One. I have you.” With that simple reassurance, Silver removed the clothes that I had been wearing and tucked them at the bottom of the dirty clothes hamper. Then, slipping back into the overly large t-shirt that I insisted on wearing as pajamas, she padded silently into the bathroom and closed the door just in time for the bedroom door to bang open. “Logan, get up.” The Alpha snapped. “Mmph… What time is it?” Logan asked groggily. I could hear him rolling over in the bed I assumed to face the door. “It's about a quarte
I can't do this! The moment I stepped through the door and saw the three burly strangers standing with the Alpha, my stomach flipped, and I wanted to bolt. They were totally unknown variables, and I had no idea how they would act. But I knew that I was valuable to Alpha Greyson and to Logan, so I could only hope that I would be somewhat protected if they chose to attack. The door closed behind me, and I felt trapped as three heads turned towards us. “Ah, here they are now!” Alpha Greyson proclaimed wearing a large smile. “Gentlemen, this is my son Logan and his lovely mate-to-be, Silver. Logan, these men are from the White Mountain Pack to the south.” I did my best to keep my chin up as befitting a Luna in training, but I couldn't bring myself to look any of them in the eye as I gave them all a timid smile. Instead, I followed Logan to the coffee table between two couches on the left-hand side of the room to set down the tray I held. Logan, now free of his burden, quickly turned
"It's a Kindness, really.” Tyler chirped, snapping my attention to the overly relaxed and cheerful male. “A mercy killing if you will.” He twirled a hand and shrugged with a small smile.This one, who seemed so warm and charming, was too flippant on the topic of death. He was too casual. This one…I blinked, trying to cover my revulsion as realization struck me like a lightning bolt. This one relished in the hunt. He enjoyed watching life slip away with every fading beat of the heart. This one was a killer.“While he may be callous, Tyler is correct.” Nick spoke then for the first time since introducing himself. “They are tortured souls suffering for their sins, often driven to violence by their pain. So don't go on any runs alone until we catch this beast, little miss. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you.”Logan's grip around me tightened slightly. Whether protective or possessive, I wasn't sure, but I spoke quickly to put everyone at ease.“Oh, I won't be going very far from
As promised, I was permitted to go back to sleep once the guests had left. I wasn't tired anymore, but if I was going to run tomorrow, I was going to need my rest to gather all of the strength that I possessed. I managed to nap a little, but mostly, I thought about how I would escape. Patrols would be doubled with the lykaon nearby, and those four males hunting it could also pose a problem. I either needed to get enough of a head start that they couldn't catch up or find a way to slow them down. Pondering my options, my mind drifted to a little plant that I had thought of using on myself, but Silver had never allowed it. Now, it might give me the time I needed. The little wolfsbane had grown considerably despite my best attempts to prune it back to keep it hidden. It looked lush and vibrant, tucked against the wall where it grew despite the late February chill. The small buds had barely begun to form, but when they opened in several months, they would open into beautiful purple b
Skye gestured for me to follow him from the office to a small adjoining room that held a sink in the corner. “Thanks.” I gave my hands a hasty scrub with the antibacterial soap under some very hot water. When a quick sniff check confirmed that I had gotten all of the plant juice off my fingers, I sighed and dried my hands on my shirt, leaving dark smudges on the gray fabric. “Okay, well, if we're going to be leaving soon, we should probably start making a plan and packing supplies.” Skye mused. He folded one arm across his chest, tucking that hand in the elbow of his adjacent arm while tapping his chin with the other hand. His hazel eyes sought the ceiling in thought. “Do you know how long we'll be traveling?” He asked, turning his gaze to meet mine briefly. I shook my head, and he hummed. “We won't need a tent or sleeping bags since we can sleep in our fur. I won't be able to run on four legs, so stealth will have to be our prerogative.” “My wolf should be big enough for you t