Page 15 of Season's Greetings
Daniel snorted—half laugh, half grunted—his gaze catching on the prominent bulge in his mate’s pants.
“I can see you do. But I don’t think the cops will feel that way when they arrest me for public indecency.”
Hand in hand, they walked back to the lodge in comfortable silence, both lost in thought. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the familiar path, the towering pines rustling softly in the breeze. The air, still crisp from the morning’s chill, carried the scent of pine needles and damp earth—a fragrance they’d both come to associate with peace.
Matthew’s boots crunched rhythmically through the snow, the only sound.
The lodge, with its welcoming lights and promise of warmth, loomed into view.
It was sometime later, after they’d showered and dressed in warm clothes, that Daniel stood with keys in hand, waiting for Matthew to gather his things.
Now that his restless emotions had calmed, he could think more clearly.
Completing the ritual—solidifying the Hollow Moon bond—had healed them both of the wounds their years of separation had caused.
It was possible it might solve the Claudia problem too.
All he needed now was to track down the elusive lorekeeper of the ancient rites—and convince him to help.
Chapter 9
Daniel
“Is everything ready?”
Daniel cast a critical glance around the conference room before settling his gaze on his brother, who stood leaning against the window with his arms crossed, glaring back at him.
“Jeez, Danny—take a chill pill or something. You’ve been barking orders all morning, stressing everyone out.”
Grady’s use of his loathed childhood nickname was enough to push Daniel from obsessing over every minor detail to plotting his brother’s untimely death instead.
Unperturbed, Grady kept prodding the bear.
“What have I said about that look, hmm? That it makes you look old and constipated. And before you ask—yes, I called to double-check that he’s coming. No, I didn’t just send directions. I got Jessica to send a car for him. There. Now will you stop fussing?”
Jessica, their receptionist, was good at her job—and even better at deflecting tension between clients. But today was going to be a real test of her skills.
Fussing—that wasn’t how Daniel saw it.
How was ensuring everything was perfect… wrong?
It was bad enough Claudia had messed them around on the last two attempts to schedule this meeting. Instead, she’d sent her lawyer with a list of demands for reparations. What shewanted was ludicrous. No alpha in their right mind would agree to her terms.
Which was why he’d torn the papers up and thrown them in the air like confetti.
Not his most dignified moment—but satisfying, nonetheless.
Now the bitch was out for blood and thought she had them by the balls.
Well, wasn’t she in for a surprise?
The corner of his mouth twitched at the thought of her impending defeat—ifhis trump card actually arrived.
The lorekeeper had led them a merry dance tracking him down. Never staying more than a few weeks in one place. It had taken serious detective work to locate him—and even more persuasion to convince him to help.
They’d chosen the larger of the two conference rooms, hoping to keep a good distance between everyone. Daniel really didn’t want to be sitting too close to the alpha-vixen, just in case she got the urge to lash out.
He wasn’t fooling himself that this was going to be easy. It had all the hallmarks of a full-scale shit-show.
