CoalI had to stay away from her. I told myself that a hundred times a day. And a hundred times a day, it was just as hard as the last time to keep from seeking her out. My muscles ached from the constant tension in my body.I turned up a beer, letting the cold liquid slide down my throat. It did nothing to quench my thirst for the one thing I couldn't have- Brinley.Daylight was waning. Vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows followed the sun over the horizon, fading away into the dusk of night.Another day without her.My Wolf whimpered in my head.She should be returning from work right about now. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to see her from a distance......I just wanted to smell her sweet scent. That was all. I told myself. And then I would leave.I pushed up from my chair and stealthily made my way toward Lena's, careful to stay in the line of trees, covered in shadows. I didn't want to catch that old bitty's attention.When Brinley came into sight, I sucked in a deep breath, my gaze trans

CoalI walked away from Brinley in the woods. There wasn't anything else I could say. Shoulders hunched forward and footsteps heavy, I trudged back to the house.My thoughts tumbled over and over with the story of her assault. I'd demanded details, and she'd given them to me, not holding back. It was what I'd asked for, but now the images of what that bastard did to her, rolled through my mind on repeat.I entered my room and slammed the door shut, the hinges shuddering with force. I needed to take a shower, and then I wasn't sure what I was going to do. My Wolf was equally on edge, pacing back and forth in my mind, growling his desire to hunt. We both wanted to taste the coward's blood.Making my way into the bathroom, I stepped into the shower and let the liquid rain down on my flesh. The water was cold. There was no other option. I scowled.My horndog of a wolf just hadn't been able to contain himself, licking the heat between her legs. Between the scent of her arousal and tasting

It didn't matter what this madness was, I was going to put an end to it. My skin shifted to fur, and my Wolf charged forward, his sharp teeth snapping, trying to find purchase in their flesh. We clamped down on one of the male's arms, tearing muscle from bone. He howled in pain.I twisted and bucked.If I could just get my canines into his neck...But, once again, I was tossed across the room by the dark-haired beauty. I cursed and scrambled to get back on my feet, my attention searching for my brother.Ryder's head dropped to his chest, his breath coming in heavy pants. His hands clenched the edge of the table. The vamp, behind him, continued to rock his hips against Ryder's ass. At the same time, I noticed he had released Ryder's rock hard erection from his pants and was aggressively stroking him up and down his shaft.Ryder's moans filled the air. His hips jerked forward, eagerly pushing himself into the vamp's hand. It was as if the world around them ceased to exist. I wasn't sure

Winter SolsticeBrinleyThe days ticked by slowly. After my unexpectedly intimate meeting with Cole and his Wolf in the forest a month and a half ago, he had stayed away. His Wolf, however, was another matter. I frequently felt the animal's eyes on me, his body hidden in the forest, and more food continued to appear magically. I tried to stay awake so that I could catch him, but he always evaded me.Between the food my Wolf caught, the meals Coal's Wolf provided, and my weekly trips for 'cleaning' at Darcie's home, I was faring much better than anticipated.Lena interrupted my train of thought. "Before you go into town today, stop by the packhouse. Cook has a list of items you need to pick up for the Winter Solstice Celebration this evening."The packhouse?My stomach trembled. I prayed I wouldn't run into Coal, but I was never much of a lucky person. I made my way quickly to my destination. Just as I snatched the list from Cook, and had my escape in sight, I rounded the corner and ca

PunishmentBrinleyI couldn't breathe. I couldn't seem to remember how to force air in and out of my lungs. I'd been the unfortunate recipient of many physical altercations with members of the pack and had received less severe punishments, but I'd never been whipped before.Coal faced his father, his expression a cross between absolute fury and guilt, the deep timbre of his voice much closer to wolf than man, "You can't do this! I'm not going to let her be punished when I antagonized her. This was my fault, not hers. She was just defending herself!"I was surprised Coal interjected on my behalf. Maybe he thought it would help, but I had no hope Alpha would change his mind. I knew better.Exactly as expected, Alpha spat, "You know her status in the pack-she doesn't have any status! The circumstances are irrelevant. She doesn't get to speak out, causing disruption. She was well aware of that rule and chose to break it."A small crowd had gathered around us.Several Onyx Moon warriors au