Read Between the LinesBrinleyI turned back around to find Coal seated on the couch with his head in his hands. I didn't know what to say. Too much had happened, too much for me to process.Before I could even try to come up with something, Darcie strode through the door with Langdon right behind her, each carrying a tray of food.Coal's head snapped up.Shock coursed through me.His eyes were glistening....were those tears?Darcie's perceptive and sharp eyes glanced at me and then landed on Coal. He blinked a few times and stood to his feet. He maintained eye contact with her, never looking at me, his voice stiff and formal. "Thank you for the offer of lunch, but I have interrupted your day enough. It's time for me to leave."My heart clenched. Every fiber in my body rejected the thought of Coal leaving me. But I still had no idea what to say to him. The hurt was still so fresh and raw.Darcie tilted her head to the side as she stared up at him. Her voice rang with motherly authori
They'd behaved just like she instructed. They clearly didn't like due to facts or just out of instinct, frequently, there is more going on than what you realize."I whispered, "Okay."She wiped the tears from my cheeks and spoke warmly, "Now, dry your tears, little pup. Are you hungry?"I nodded.She'd given me much to think about. We walked back to the living room to find Langdon and Coal finished with their food. They were both sitting stiffly, staring off in stony silence.They'd behaved just like she instructed. They clearly didn't like it, but they had done it. If the situation wasn't so tense, I would have laughed at their expressions. Maybe Darcie did know a thing or two about dealing with dominant males.Coal's head snapped in my direction, his body tense.I gave him a shy smile.He inhaled sharply, eyes opening wide, no doubt startled by my drastic change in mood. I made my way to the trays of food, selected a sandwich and a drink, and then sat down on the couch next to him.
All InCoalThe look of desperation etched in Brinley's eyes, had me on edge.She'd been calm, sitting next to me, talking.And then she wasn't calm anymore...She jumped to her feet, hissing, "No!" Her Wolf near the surface, her outlined blurred, she paced like a wild animal caught in a cage.I tried to speaking soothingly. "I'll be okay...I promise you."She spun to face me, "No! That's not what I'm talking about!"I blinked, confused by her words. I assumed she was worried about my sparring with three Onyx Moon warriors. What else was there? I replayed our conversation in my mind, trying to find the cause of her distress. What had I missed?She didn't wait for me to figure it out. She ranted on, "It doesn't matter if you can beat three, or even more, wolves in a fight because no matter what, the odds are not in your favor! Not when the fight is against your father. I can't let you do this. I won't! You're not going to die because of me!"The irony.It was the same thing I'd said ab
That just caused the hardening in my pants to increase tenfold.. Our little mate was stubborn. Brinley should have listened to my unspoken warning. I wasn't going to hold back anymore.Reaching down, I palmed her femininity between her legs, holding her tight."Ah!!" a sharp gasp came from her lungs. She stopped fighting me, her chest heaving. Her entire body quivered.I turned our bodies and forced her to walk backward toward the bed. She stumbled slightly, but my grip on the apex between her legs, kept her exactly where I wanted her..My voice was low and husky, "I can feel your wetness through the fabric." To emphasize my words, I curled my fingers, tickling her intimately."Coal!" she cried out.More, more, more! Make her scream it! My wolf howled in my head.The back of her calves bumped up against the side of the bed. I moved my hand out from between her thighs and lifted her onto the soft surface, climbing on top of her.Using my knee to nudge her legs open, I settled between t
Beautiful MemoriesCoalDarcie looked at the group in contemplation and murmured, "While we wait for Langdon's friends to arrive, I'd like to speak with Coal alone. Langdon, could you take Brinley to the north gardens? The fresh layer of snow has made the view quite beautiful."Oh, hell no, that wasn't happening. I bristled at the idea of Brinley being anywhere alone with Langdon. My spine straightened. A low rumble released from my chest, and I tightened my hold on her hand.In her usual intuitive fashion, Darcie eyed me and asked, "Coal, do you trust your mate?"I froze. The bluntness of her question washed over me, forcing me to consider my words before I answered. Did I trust Brinley?The mate attraction was hard to describe, but I could almost feel her heartbeat next to mine in my chest. She had given me no reason for mistrust. I answered carefully, "Yes...it is Langdon I'm not sure of."Langdon smirked. Darcie didn't appear to be the least bit offended at my words. Her tone was
TrainingBrinleyLangdon and I sat outside on a back porch overlooking the north garden. Darcie had just efficiently dismissed us so she could speak with Coal alone. I was surprised Coal had relinquished me so easily into Langdon's care.Well in truth, he hadn't, not until Darcie convinced him. Her presence and wisdom seemed to have a calming effect on him. Still, it was surprising behavior for any alpha wolf to go against their instincts based on the word of another wolf.But Darcie wasn't just any other wolf. She was special. Coal had lost his mother even younger than me. I wondered if he too felt the same motherly connection to Darcie that I did.I stared out at the snow-covered landscape, the white powder providing a glistening shine as the bright sun reflected off of its surface. Darcie had been right. It was beautiful.Langdon was still. From my peripheral vision, I could see him studying me. After a moment of comfortable silence between us, he murmured, "Are you happy?"I glanc
I twisted my head around to find two large males entering through the back gate. The taller of the two stood around six feet, older, probably mid-thirties, and broad-chested, with dark hair and dark eyes.The other was shorter, but not by much, less than an inch. His boyish features and the mischievous glint in his sparkling hazel eyes made him appear surprisingly young to have already achieved the status of an Enforcer. He sported dark ginger locks in careless disarray on his head, pointing every which way, adding to his boyish charm.They both shared equally wide grins, obviously excited for their task at hand. Their levity was a welcome change to the seriousness of my situation, and I found myself smiling in return. Langdon also seemed to lose some of his tension.As they walked up the steps to the porch, Langdon introduced them, nodding toward the older wolf first. "Brinley, this is Daniel and Jax."I extended my hand, and they each shook it in turn. "It's nice to meet you. Thank
By thirty minutes into the training, my nerves were a wreck, and I was seriously reconsidering if I made the right decision to stay and watch.As anticipated, they were loud. Thunderous growls echoed off the walls of the enclosed space as they sparred. The Onyx Moon Enforcers moved and fought fluidly as a unit, almost one mind in three bodies.I was sure they were communicating via mindlink, but their reactions were so fast, there was no way they were a result of particular orders. It was obvious they were familiar with each other's strengths and used them to their prime advantage. When one fell away, the other two surged forward, always targeting Coal's blind or weak spots.Coal held his own, darting, spinning and jabbing with incredible speed. But there was blood. A lot of it. All four had taken direct hits, splattering the crimson liquid in every direction.I had never seen Coal fight before and was shocked at his fast response and strength. My Wolf purred in my head. She had no pr