Why did Daniel look so shocked to see her? Beth frowned at him over Luna Margaretta's shoulder, mystified by the abrupt stiffness that came over Daniel's face where he stood in the doorway. Was he still angry at her after all? That show of contrition earlier had been convincing, but Daniel didn't wear his heart on his sleeve so clumsily. Maybe he still had lingering resentment to deal with. But that expression didn't look resentful at all. More taken aback and confused, if anything. Was he all right?"Oh, love! You're here." Margaretta beamed like a blooming flower when she turned and spotted her son. In her dress and with her hair done up for the first time since she had fallen ill again, she looked like a different person. "I was going to send for you later but you can come with us now if you want," she called to Daniel. "We've just had a runner come ahead and let us know that Beth's mother, Luna Dahlia, is on her way this second. It's too dark outside to navigate comfortably so I'v

Beth nearly jumped out of her skin. She whirled around, arm still extended and eyes wide as they searched the darkness for the source of the voice. But she didn't have to. She knew who it was, had known it from the very first syllable. It was funny how she recognized it even more quickly than she would that of her own mother or sister now."Daniel! What are you doing here?""...I couldn't sleep. I was going to ask you the same question.""Me neither. I can't sleep a wink.""Even though you stayed up all last night with your family? You should be exhausted.""I know, but I still can't seem to fall asleep anyway. My eyes close and the world lights up behind my eyelids."The conversation fluttered off, leaving them to stare at each other under the beaming moon. A few nocturnal butterflies flitted between them. Well? Was that it? Beth had no intention of returning to the house, but since Daniel had apparently been here first, she should probably leave. She could go on a walk, clear her he

When his mother fell asleep in her bed, Daniel quietly closed the door to her bedroom and wandered the halls, still plagued by the thoughts of Adrian's betrayal and the Luna's blind trust in him. How could she believe that he had no ill intentions? He had already irreparably damaged the pack once before when he defected and no doubt supplied the Troy pack and the rest of Gold Nation with all the ammunition they needed to keep Silver Nation underneath them. But now that he was here again in the flesh, she was talking to him like they were the same old chums, as if he had never abandoned his family and gone running to another for decades.He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice where he was until he stopped in front of a door and looked up. He had been walking all this time? He hadn't realized at all - and of all places, he had ended up outside Beth's bedroom.Beth. Against his better judgment, his thoughts swirled back to the night when they had sat by each other for hours, wat

Daniel knew he was taking advantage of his mother, that she wouldn't be able to tell him no. But in truth, he needed this. He had ulterior motives, but at the core of it, he did need closure. All that time he had been trapped in Andrew Troy's prison, full of impotent fury and utterly useless, the world had gone on without him. Warren, Brian, and Carlo had died and been sent off without his ever being there, not for a single second.His mother knew. This was his way to mourn them, even if was far too late.* * *It was three days later when they held the funeral. Only a mock funeral, technically, but it was as solemn as the real one. There was only direct family gathered here tonight, cousins and aunts, uncles. The ones who hadn't been lost to the slaughter too, anyway. Everyone looked exhausted and grim, but they all shared in each other's sadness and held each other up, joined as family.Except for two outsiders, ones Daniel had specially invited. He hadn't mentioned he would ask th

Matt gave in, and easily, too. Daniel wanted to think it was because Adrian had struck at the heart of his reasoning ability and convinced him it was for his own good that he cooperate, but seething anger coiled in every corner of his body whenever Matt glanced at Beth every few words as he explained his suspicions about Gold Nation treachery, as if seeking a reaction, approval, something he far from deserved. So maybe it wasn't that Beth ever had feelings for him before, but that he was the one who had chased her and courted her to no avail. Was that what it was? If so, Daniel almost hoped Matthew would try to fall out of line again. Maybe before, the man had gotten away with overstepping because of connections with the Rokley pack, but Beth was his now. Beth belonged to the Heether pack, his to protect.And Daniel would be damned if he let Matthew try anything."And there's more," the man added. "I'm still collecting reports, and they're scattered far and wide, but I have reason to