Ian
Jack makes for the bathroom with the duffle bag of clothes and Ivan heads for the wet bar as soon as we board. I let Darby choose and sit beside her when she takes a seat on the sofa, Tessa leaping up on her opposite side and laying her black and white head in her lap. She’s still protecting her arm against her body, but I can see the gleam working under her skin and the blisters are shrinking.
“How come I can’t go anywhere with you two without getting into a fight? Kasey’s going to kill me, you know that, right, Ian?” He tosses back a shot of Glenlivet and pours another before taking a seat to wait his turn in the bathroom.
“I don’t know,” Jack replies, emerging in baggy sports shorts, high top All-stars and a t-shirt. Swiping the glass from Ivan, he drops the duff
Ian When Darby and Dr. Myers start talking medicine, it confirms my earlier suspicion that helping out in the hospital, learning modern medicine, might be something Darby enjoys. Then Kasey interrupts, and no one can get a word in edgewise.Though she looks a bit nervous leaving without me, I know within moments, Kasey will have her feeling at ease—it’s one of her gifts—she’s the perfect hostess.But when I reach the packhouse and see how withdrawn my mate has become, I’m exceptionally worried.“Our rooms are down the hall to the left. Ivan and Kasey and their girls have the rooms on the left side of the hall, and the rooms on the right are ours.” I talk soothingly to her, but the anxious expression doesn’t leave her face. In fact, it seems to g
Darby By the time we finish Townsend’s sumptuous picnic, walk back to Ian’s office building to collect both laptop computers—these are a significant improvement over the computers I was introduced to the last time I left my valley—then drop Ivan’s at the hospital and get back to the hotel, it’s late afternoon.Afternoon tea is delivered to our room on a tray, complete with creamy cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and cherry sauce and a decadent chocolate cake so rich I can’t finish it. I feed Ian by hand from the tray, giggling and wincing and moaning in response to what he does while my fingers are in his mouth, while he reviews his e-mails and documents, triaging the work he must get caught up.Tessa sleeps belly up on a cooling vent in the corner, snoring soft
Jack “If we were going to wait until dusk to make her the Luna, why did we have to start this party at noon?”Though Candlewood’s a small town made up of mostly weres, a few other shifter species have taken up residence here too, along with a few humans, mostly extended family of humans turned were that live with their mates. Right now, I’m certain exactly all of them are crammed into every nook and cranny of the three blocks surrounding the pavilion in the center of town. The plaza is closed to vehicle traffic, but it’s packed nearly shoulder to shoulder and people have set up blankets and folding lawn chairs on the grass around the pavilion, even in the streets. Darla and Joe’s, the local sandwich and pie shop that makes my favorite
Darby Nearly unbearable pain throbs in my leg, blood streaming down it and over Ian’s sleek coat. I’m grateful for his smooth gait, because I don’t think I could take the jarring otherwise, but nevertheless I shudder with relief when he halts at the packhouse.I don’t know where he learned to do it, but as Ian shifts, I wind up in his arms. Carrying me as easily as a beloved small child, he rushes up the steps just as the door opens from inside. Looking over his shoulder, I see a timber wolf position itself outside, guarding, and two leggy but more finely built tan and black ones start their shift.The desert pack brothers. I recognize the deep honey colored eyes, one of them boring directly into mine.“Townsend—.” Ian shouts, working his way around t
Darby Good morning, beautiful.Have some things to take care of at the office.Townsend and David will take good care of you.I’ll see you at lunch time.All my love,IanI lay the note aside. “Tessa?”With a graceful leap, she lands beside me on the bed, looming over me and wiggling excitedly. Good morning, Luna.“And to you
Sean Did you feel it?Oh, shit, Sean. What have you done?It’s lifted! The curse is lifted! How?Candlewood’s Luna. Please don’t tell me you seduced her. I swear Sean, I’ll turn you over to Ian myself. On my honor, I did not. Your honor? Where females are concerned, you have no honor. I do now. Listen. We came here to bargain with Candlewood, but we’re in the weaker position. Are you trying to provoke me? Or did the Luna addle what’s left of your brains? Tell me something I don’t know. We have nothing to o
Sean“Luna?”“I’ve no desire to talk to you, Second triumvir.”Darby sneers the title and I sigh, trailing after her and Tessa behind the packhouse and out to the survey markers where the new addition made of more faery-friendly materials will be.It’s been nearly three weeks since Ivan and his family left for Desert pack and I assumed his role here at Candlewood. In every other aspect, this is pretty great. But Darby’s seething resentment is wearing on me in ways I didn’t expect it would, both as the triumvir and as her mate, which I’m certain now I am—her superbloom scent is intoxicating anytime I’m around her. I’m tired of my apologies falling on deaf ears, of her cruel avoidance.“It’s Sean. And yeah, you’ve made that clear.”
Jack So the whole threat to Darby thing really has Ian riled. And not that I don’t think what they’re contributing isn’t great, but Sean and the Desert trackers aren’t making that easier. Which means that my normally cush job, just got annoying, and it’s putting a crimp in my sex life.Between regular maintenance contracts, and now the addition to the pack house, there are all kinds of contractors and crews coming and going constantly. Getting their background checks and keeping track of them the whole time they’re in Candlewood is an exercise in irritation. I’m actually considering sending the alpha pair on a honeymoon—a long one.The team I put together to enforce the security protocols, while loyal, follows my instructions to the letter but can’t think outside