Page 14 of Snow’s Charming (Hope Runs Deep #7)

The Plan has Bugged Out

“ W here’s my father, Bear? What happened?”

Bear placed his palms out in front of Sylus.

“Sylus, let’s get some clear heads about this. You know what happens when we don’t think clearly.”

“The fuck, Bear? Really? We had clear heads with this plan, and look where it got us! The plan is completely bugged out, as you would say. I can tell it went south by the look in your eyes. So don’t bullshit me, Bear. I’m not in the mood.”

I palmed Sylus’s thigh and gave it a tender squeeze. I wasn’t sure what else to do. We were discussing what to make for dinner in Sylus’s office. Bear rushed in as I sat on Sylus’s lap.

Sylus’s eyes darted between Bear’s and mine, and a blank expression hung on his face.

Sylus let out a steady breath as I continued drawing circles around the free part of his thigh not blocked from my body.

With each circle, he took a deep breath.

I mimicked each one of his breaths, hoping that would calm him enough to talk to Bear with a clear head.

His eyes softened, and for the first time since Bear came back, Sylus calmed.

He sucked in a couple more breaths before continuing.

“Is my father alive?”

“Yes, Sylus, he is. And apparently, we have some time because Jackie plans to entrap us all in a magical mirror she’s got over at the estate. She wants Sesi to give her life for the rest of us. We’ve got time to come up with a new plan.”

Shit!

A rumble vibrated from Sylus’s chest and radiated through my body.

He was getting angry again. I knew if his wolf came out, he’d kill Jackie.

Despite Jackie being an evil witch, she was human.

I wouldn’t let him commit murder. Sylus was too lovely of a person to be locked up for killing a threat to mortals. Bear’s eyes widened as Sylus growled.

“Fuck the plan!” Sylus said, his hands clenching and releasing with each stroke I gave his upper thigh. “Fuck. The. Plan. We need to take her by surprise!”

“Sylus, my boy, I get it. I’m pissed too. But we’ve gotta keep our heads. The entire pack is relying on us to keep them safe from Jackie and her coven. We can’t go to war with the witches—not after the Civil Were War. And need I remind you that when your father isn’t here?—”

“I get it, Bear! I’m the Alpha in his absence, and since she captured Sleeper, you are my Beta. You don’t need to remind me. But we should have researched those magical amulets. I had no clue they could counteract Sleeper’s powers as a hybrid.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, and I noticed his Adam’s apple working a little harder than normal.

“This fucking sucks because he’s my father and all I want to do is storm her castle and snap her neck. If she’s dead, the spell she’s put over my father, Sleeper, Joker, and possibly Baseline breaks—correct?”

His eyes flared with hatred. It was something I’d never seen in him before. He’d always talked to me with kind eyes. Jackie had to be dealt with, sure. But not like this. That hate scared me. My Sylus needed to calm down, and now!

I palmed his cheek and drew his lips to mine. If a kiss broke the spell Jackie put on the apple, perhaps kissing him would snap him out of this hatred—right?

The kiss was soft and playful. I didn’t want to give Bear a show.

But things changed once he wrapped his arms around my waist and hoisted me into his lap again.

His tongue parted the seam of my lips. It was at that point that I felt I was reaching him.

Once I felt my Sylus’s heart rate slow, I broke the kiss.

Wait… My Sylus?

The thought of him being my guy didn’t sound so foreign to me any longer. Sure, at first I opposed getting physical with Sylus. We lived together, and if it didn’t work out, it would be sheer torture to see him daily. But the more time I spent with him, the more I lo?—.

Woah!

Nah—let’s not go there yet.

Like!

A strong like is a better description of what’s going on between us—innit?

He gave me a smile that lit my insides again. Why did he have so much of an effect on me? No one else ever did.

Sylus told me all about the mate bond, and a part of me was unconvinced that my growing affections for him were real.

These feelings I had seemed more like a spell.

Something similar to what Jackie held over my father for a decade.

And I was tired of spells taking over my life. Fuck Jackie and fuck magic!

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to agree with Sylus about fucking the plan!

But one of us had to keep a clear head for the pack, and I knew it wouldn’t be Sylus.

I understood more than anyone what Sylus was going through.

But we couldn’t rush in. One wrong move and Jackie would kill them all.

I hated Jackie for taking Sylus’s father, and I’d do anything to right this wrong for him!

Before I could delve deeper into my thoughts about whether this thing between us was leaning less toward lust. And more towards lo—like—like, damn it!

Why couldn’t I keep things straight in my head when I was around him?

He cupped both of my hands. His gaze was on fire as he brought both my hands to his lips and kissed all 10 knuckles—who does that besides a Prince Charming? Amiright ?

“Princess, thank you for clearing my head. I’m grateful because now I can calmly strategize with Bear.

Would you mind waiting for me in the kitchen?

I understand this involves you, but until you decide on becoming the Luna, pack business needs to remain among the officers.

It’s for your protection, babe. Some witches’ powers include telepathy, and if that is the case with Jackie, she may have an open connection with you.

You are her stepdaughter, so it’s a possibility.

I can’t imagine what your life has been like with her.

But it isn’t a stretch for her to read your thoughts through the dark arts by using blood magic.

If she connected to you in that way, she’d know our plans before we strike just by tapping into your psyche.

We can’t risk it. Please understand that I refuse to let anything happen to you or the pack. ”

I smiled. What else could I do? He was not only making perfect sense but also putting my emotions about Jackie’s capabilities in a way for me to understand his war strategy.

No one except my father had ever done that for me before.

Jackie, my teachers, heck—even my dates spoke to me in condescending tones if I didn’t understand them.

Jackie was the worst. She always sent me to my room, and stupid me listened, because I didn’t want to disobey either parent.

Still, Sylus’s strategy would help me one day when I become…

Wait… Am I honestly considering this? Becoming the pack’s Luna?

Because if I become Luna, things change for me.

I still didn’t know if I was ready. Am I ?

His eyes softened again, and I squeezed both of his hands before responding.

“I’ll be waiting for you, and with a snack!”

That was the only thing I thought to say. I wasn’t about to talk about my feelings. He had his father to save, and Goddess, how I wish I could have saved mine from the bitch! If he could get his father back, I’d consider it karma against what Jackie did to me and mine.

“Great.”

He kissed the top of my head before I left his office with a wide and bright smile. My Sylus was a powerful and brilliant Alpha, and I was now confident about becoming his Luna—maybe.