Page 2 of Forbidden Moon

“Don’t look so glum. One month to go and you’re free of all of this.” A hand clapped him on the back and he winced.

Caleb North, a white-haired male who had acted as his partner since he joined the Council, stood next to him and surveyed the room. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of these alphas will get pissy and attack another.”

Garrett snorted. “Doubtful. We’re just window dressing here. None of them would dare piss off the Supreme Alpha like that.”

Caleb cocked his head thoughtfully, almost as if listening to his wolf. “I don’t know. Many of them aren’t happy with how things are progressing. They might want to test Simon’s strength right about now.”

Garrett arched an eyebrow. “So it’s Simon now? Since when are you best friends with the Supreme Alpha?”

Garrett didn’t mind admitting that the dominance of the Supreme Alpha made him want to roll over and bare his belly. He grew up spending time around his pack’s Beta and Alpha since his uncle was around frequently, but the Supreme Alpha’s dominance was off the charts. How Caleb spoke so casually about the other male surprised him.

“Charles is grooming me to take over,” Caleb admitted. “We both know I’m never leaving the Enforcer ranks. I don’t have a pack to go home to, not like you. So this is it for me. Charles needs to spend more time as Council Beta and needs someone to take on the Enforcers full time.”

A slow grin crossed Garrett’s face, and he shook Caleb’s hand. “Congratulations. I know we talked about you petitioning to join Saranac, but this might be better for you.”

A shadow crossed Caleb’s face, but he nodded. “Yeah, I prefer to make my own way rather than join a pack again.”

Garrett considered the other male and what little he’d shared of his past. “I understand that. If you need anything, you can call on me.”

A ghost of a smile crossed his friend’s lips. “If your pack lets you.”

There was that. His pack was just an insular as others, and just as traditional in their ways. He had been surprised when he was sent to the Council to be an enforcer since he knew his uncle hadn’t been in favor of sending anyone, but it was a requirement. The choices were limited and his cousin, Brandon, didn’t have the right temperament for the role, or so his uncle felt. He wondered if any of that had changed.

“Things have been quiet in that region since the Tri-State pack war and the dissolution of that pack. I’m sure things are settled now.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “If that’s what you want to believe.” Before Garrett could ask what he meant, Caleb scanned the room again. “So, you haven’t found your mate yet. Do you have someone waiting back home for you?”

Again, his mind flashed to that laughing young she-wolf. She wasn’t from Saranac and his pack hadn’t been thrilled to find out he’d been sneaking off pack lands to spend time with her. In fact, he’d received a solid thrashing from his father before being sent away when they found out. He often wondered if she was his mate. If they had continued to spend time together, would a bond have formed? But she was probably mated by now, not that it would matter.

He shook his head. “No one. But I’m sure my father has picked someone for me to form a witch bond.”

Caleb wrinkled his nose. “Those bonds are becoming too frequent and aren’t good for us. We should find our true mates, not deny them. Too many of our wolves are denying the truth and forming bonds to more acceptable wolves based on pure blood status or rank.”

“You’re sounding bitter. You’re spending too much time in politics, my friend.”

Then a teasing scent wafted across his nose and his wolf perked up inside, pushing against him. Mate? He pushed off the wall and took a couple of steps into the room, following the scent of strong black coffee, a hint of rum and a tinge of sugar until he saw the source.

She was beautiful, of course. Her long dark hair was twisted up into a bun or something on the back of her head, with a few long tendrils framing her face. She wore an off the shoulder red gown that would display his mating mark beautifully, if she accepted him. His canines ached to descend and mark her before any other male could approach. Her honey skin was kissed by the sun, and he ached to touch her, run his fingers and tongue over her, tasting her, teasing her, possessing her.

She turned and faced him, her dark eyes widening in shock as recognition slammed into him. “Maya? Is that you?”

CHAPTER TWO

Maya stared as the tall male wound his way through the crowd, his dark eyes never leaving hers. She felt a bit like prey being the sole focus of his attention, but it wasn’t a negative feeling. Instead, that tug inside of her that she’d been feeling off and on since she’d arrived at Council headquarters the previous day seemed to solidify and expand, reaching outward toward Garrett, the last male she had expected to see here or anywhere, to be honest.

He barely stopped in front of her. Instead, he cupped her elbow and hustled her out the French doors to the small stone patio outside. It was a cool early spring evening, and she was not dressed for it, even if shifters ran a little warmer than most races. He ushered her to the side and out of the line of sight of prying eyes and stared down at her, devouring her with hungry eyes.

“It’s really you. Maya Wessex.” His voice was hoarse, and his fingers flexed on her upper arms where he gripped her still.

“It is. What are you doing here, Garrett?” She tugged her arms against his hold and he released her, as if just realizing he still held her. She wrapped her arms around her and gave a little shiver in the cool night air.

Garrett shrugged off the black evening jacket and draped it around her shoulders, pulling it across her chest. The welcome warmth was immediate, and his scent permeated her senses, sending her wolf into a frenzy.

“I work for the Council. Have been for four years now as an Enforcer. My time is almost up, though. I’ll be headed home soon.”

Maya’s heart leapt in her chest. He was coming home. “Back to the pack?”

He nodded. “I don’t know where they’ll station me, but I’ll be in the area again. Are you still in the Berkshires?”

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