Page 13 of Violet Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #1)

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Emmaline’s cottage was down a grassy path that led away from the house and towards the bakery.

There was a sweetness in the air surrounding it.

From the first moment Emmaline opened the door, any visitor would be met with the scent of fresh bread or other bakes — all the things Emmaline made for fun before or after her bakery shifts.

That day it was filled with the scent of baking choux pastry, a feat Sera would have never taken on herself.

“So, how do these compare with your last cookie batch?” Emmaline asked, looking over Sera’s first batch of choux buns.

“Well, the cookies were hard as hockey pucks, but softened in milk, so I’m calling them a win. These are —” She paused, picking up one and holding it up with a grimace. “Flat as paper, so I’m taking the loss here.”

Emmaline smiled softly. “Choux buns can be difficult! It’s why I picked it for today. I wanted you to have a challenge. And this is only the first batch. You have plenty more opportunities to shine.”

“Thanks.” Sera stared at her first “opportunity.” They weren’t even worth finishing. There was no way they were getting filling inside these and covering them in chocolate seemed like a waste. She flicked one with her finger. “Hey Emmaline. Have you noticed anything off about Parisa lately?”

“If anyone would know it’s you,” Emmaline replied. “But she has seemed more scattered in the bakery lately. And I don’t see much of her in the pack house. Why? What have you seen?”

“Sometimes she’s perfectly fine and other times I feel like I’ve poked an angry bear. It makes me wonder if the ‘fine’ times are actually her covering up something.”

“What would she be hiding?”

“I don’t know,” Sera said. “I guess she’s never really been an open book, has she?”

“No, not that one. She keeps things close to her chest. I think she thinks she does it to protect the pack, but I say she’s just like that. And that’s okay. We all handle things in our own way.”

“I just can’t shake this feeling that it’s something I should be worried about.”

“I’m sure she can handle it. And if she can’t, she’ll tell someone — tell you — when she needs help.”

“I guess.” The more she thought about it, the more she got a tight feeling in her stomach. “It reminds me of how Parisa used to be, decades ago. She was kind, but she was --”

“Unapproachable? Secretive? Untouchable? Times were different then. I know you don’t remember much of your early years with us, but she had to be that way. Every male Alpha in the area looked to challenge her.”

“To take control of the pack?”

“To take control of the tiny pack, sure. But, more importantly to them, to prove she wasn’t a real Alpha.”

“Assholes,” Sera muttered.

Emmaline chuckled. “You got that right.”

“You understand Parisa so well. You two were a pack long before I ever came around. You should have been Beta, not me.”

“Now where’s that coming from?”

Sera sighed. “Maybe Parisa wouldn't have to handle everything herself if you were her Beta.”

“She never asked me.”

Sera stared at Emmaline. “Wait. What?”

“She never asked me. I wouldn't have wanted it anyway, but she never asked me. Parisa picked you,” Emmaline said, emphasizing the final word. “With good reason, too. What you two have isn’t —” Someone knocked on the front door.

Emmaline glanced at it before finishing her thought.

“It isn’t something you can force. It happens naturally.

You fit together well.” With a smile, Emmaline excused herself to get the door.

Sera turned back to her failed choux buns and started cleaning the mess to get ready for the next batch when a familiar voice made her tense.

“Oh sorry! I didn’t know Beta Seraphine was here, too.” Jo apologized from the living room. “I can come back another time.”

“Nonsense. You can join us,” Emmaline replied.

Jo tried to excuse themselves again, but Emmaline refused to take “no” as an answer.

Sera kept her back towards the opening to the living room as the two approached.

“Beta! What are you making? Are these for the bakery or just for fun? Are you really learning to bake? Because that’s so cool. You could make something special for Violet Moon! I’d love to see it.”

“Choux buns,” Sera replied, her body tense.

Jo slid in place next to her, peering at the flat buns.

“These look a lot like when I first started, though mine were flat and soggy. Or had sunken middles. Or cracked tops. But it’s whatever.

We can always get better, right?” Jo waited for a response and when it didn’t come, continued.

“I usually come over here to complain about my family because Emmaline’s a good listener and my family is the literal worst.” Jo drummed their fingers on the counter. “Can I try some anyway?”

At the mention of family, Sera lost her grip on the present. Her skin felt itchy. Her vision got blurry as memories threatened to replace what she could see. “They’re not good enough to try,” she said, voice sounding far away to her own ears.

“Please,” Jo insisted.

Sera was no longer at Emmaline’s, but back in that seaside town with her brother looking up at her, begging in that gentle voice of his, his little hand sliding into her own so she could hold it as they crossed the street.

“I’ve got to go.” This isn’t how Sera wanted her day to go. She warred within herself because this was an opportunity to be a better Beta, to get to know Jo and deal with her past, but she wasn’t ready. It didn’t feel right. “I forgot I have somewhere I need to be.”

“Oh that’s too bad. I was hoping to get to bake with you,” Jo said.

“Yeah, too bad something so suddenly came up,” Emmaline said, arms crossed in front of her chest. She clearly wasn’t buying it.

Sera didn’t care. She needed out. She wiped her hands on a dishcloth and started towards the door in a daze. “I’m sorry. I’ll come back another time.”

Closing the front door behind her, Sera turned in the direction of the stable. After all that, she needed to change out of this skin and run as her wolf.

After Emmaline’s, Sera wanted a quiet night by the fire. She prepped everything for an evening chat, took her seat, and waited for Parisa to settle in beside her.

She didn’t have to wait long. Parisa walked into the room, eyes wild and hair unusually out of place.

“We should spar tonight.”

“You want to do what?” Sera sputtered, coffee flying out of her mouth.

“Spar,” Parisa repeated, “It’s not that odd of a request.”

Sera narrowed her eyes, searching Parisa’s face for some reason behind this sudden request. “Not odd, but it’s been a while.”

“Precisely why I thought it might be useful. If you’re not up for the task I can find someone else,” Parisa tapped her foot on the floor.

“No one else would be at my level,” Sera said, though she was still trying to figure out where this was coming from.

“Too bad no one’s at mine.” Parisa raised an eyebrow.

“We’ll see about that.” She stood, brushing cookie crumbs off her trousers. “I’m surprised because I can’t remember the last time we sparred.”

“And doesn’t that alarm you?”

“Not particularly. The world is different now.”

“The world may get dressed in different outfits over the ages, but it’s still the same at its core. I honestly don’t know why you’re fighting me on this.”

“I’m not.” Sera pulled a face, wondering why Parisa was so defensive.

Parisa huffed, crossing her arms. Sera’s skin felt warm under the intensity of her stare. “Then you will?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Finish your coffee and I’ll meet you in the woods.”

“Right now?”

Parisa threw back the rest of her tea and stood. “Yes, right now.” She left out the back door without another word.

Her Alpha was right where Sera knew she’d be. It’d been ages since they sparred but it wasn’t so long ago that she’d forgotten everything. The small clearing in the forest was more than enough space for two humans or two wolves to try and stand their ground.

With her back turned to Sera, Parisa began to strip. She unzipped the back of her dress and Sera covered her eyes when the soft fabric rolled off her shoulder.

“I take it we’re doing this as wolves, then?”

“God, yes. I need out of this skin,” Parisa said.

Sera grinned. That she could understand.

Relaxing, she put her hand down, only to have it quickly snap back into place over her eyes.

Parisa’s tan skin in the moonlight was a lot to take in.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. Sera had seen Parisa naked before, but usually the rest of the pack was around, all of them preparing for the full moon run.

She couldn’t recall the last time it was just the two of them like this.

Sera worked herself free of her clothing with her back turned to her Alpha.

She heard rustling in the grass behind her and prayed Parisa wasn’t watching.

Sera had let herself grow more docile over time.

Perhaps that’s all Parisa saw now — a weak Beta.

Sera finished undressing and dropped her clothes in a messy pile near a tree, eager to trade her human self for her wolf.

She sighed with relief as her bones cracked and took on a different form. She welcomed the pain of transformation, breathed in the night air, and begged the wolf to come faster. She needed to trade her weaker form for the one that made her feel strong and worthy of being at Parisa’s side.

She hit the ground with four feet and growled, loving the way the sound rumbled through her chest. Finally, she turned to face her Alpha.

Gorgeous in her thick, chestnut fur, Parisa stood along the edge of the clearing, teeth bared in a slanted, wolfish grin.

She would never make the first move. Sera knew that.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She was nervous but, more than anything, she’d missed this.

If eating together outside of the house was its own sort of thrill, then this was something else entirely, and more wonderful than she remembered.

A rush of power surged through her, making the fur on the back of her neck stand on end.

She circled the outer edge of the clearing.

Parisa did the same.

Sera feigned a jump like she was about to strike, but Parisa didn’t flinch.

Her Alpha kept her eyes trained on her, large frame imposing and ready whenever Sera decided to make her move.

Anticipation simmered in Sera’s stomach.

She took one slow step, another, and another.

She waited for her opening and, when it never came, she lunged anyway, growling with excitement.

Parisa was ready, her feet firm. At the last second, she dodged Sera’s attack, swiftly switching their positions.

Sera had half a second to react before Parisa flipped her onto her side, shoved her down, and rolled her onto her back, pinning her to the forest floor.

Parisa playfully bit into the scruff around her neck.

Sera squirmed under her hold with a high-pitched whine.

Parisa pulled away and loomed over her, tongue darting out to lick across razor sharp teeth.

She backed off and gave Sera enough room to stand.

Sera had gotten rusty. It was time to remember what she could do even without the immense power of the full moon transformation. She stood firm and stared down her Alpha. Motionless, they both waited for the other to move first.

Parisa flicked her tail and Sera charged, mouth open and ready to grab fur between her teeth.

She stopped short, feinted to the side, and lunged in a new direction, aiming to catch Parisa off guard.

It didn’t happen. Her Alpha was ready for her, rearing up on her hind legs to come crashing down on Sera’s back.

She shook Parisa off and dashed to the side, surging forward again.

She tasted victory as her tongue passed over chestnut fur for a second before Parisa leapt away.

As she dove in again, Sera could feel her instincts taking over and her mind fading away.

She knew it was next to impossible to land a strike on Parisa, but it didn’t keep her from trying.

Her senses sharpened. She dodged more of Parisa’s attacks and got as far as scraping her teeth along her shoulder before Parisa sprinted past. When Parisa grabbed hold of her scruff or pinned her to the ground, she didn’t taste defeat.

She’d look into Parisa’s eyes flashing in the darkness and feel joy and a sort of pride rushing through her veins.

She dodged too late and Parisa’s teeth sunk into the loose fur around her neck, one front leg across her back pushing her down towards the ground. Sera submitted, panting for breath, and waited for Parisa to back away so they could go again.

When it didn’t happen, she gave a grumble of warning. Parisa’s teeth pressed in harder. Sera growled and thrashed beneath her, trying to break free. Parisa let go just enough to let Sera think she’d been freed before Parisa knocked her prone and stood above her.

Parisa licked her teeth in the moonlight and pressed her paw into Sera’s chest. She lay there, staring up at her Alpha, unable to see anything but those teeth and amber eyes.

Parisa leaned in closer until their panting breaths mingled in the scant space between them.

Seconds stretched into minutes. Sera squirmed beneath Parisa’s grasp, but her Alpha held her there, eyes locked.

Parisa licked Sera’s nose then leapt backwards. Sera rushed to her feet. They stared at each other, neither moving until Parisa flicked her head towards her pile of clothing and ran off, leaving Sera stunned with a shiver running down her spine.

They shifted back and dressed in silence. Sera didn’t dare peek over her shoulder and she dressed faster than she ought to, ripping a few stitches along the way.

“Thank you,” Parisa said to Sera’s back.

Sera swallowed hard as she handled the last few buttons on her shirt. “Of course,” she replied, voice shaky.

“I’m going for a walk. Are you headed back to the house?”

Sera nodded.

“Sleep well, azizam ,” Parisa said, tone soft.

Sera turned to look at her Alpha, dressed again in a somehow perfectly pristine, long-sleeved dress with a bright white collar. She smiled, chest blooming with warmth. “Sweet dreams, Pari.”