Page 4 of Violet Moon (Pitch Mountain Pack #1)

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“Why do you always insist on meeting here? We could try somewhere closer to where we live.” Seraphine huffed with no real bite when she saw Hugh at their regular table near the back of the heavenly-scented, dark, but cozy cafe.

No matter how her day was going, visits with Hugh always made it better.

“Not that I don’t love supporting our friendly neighborhood feline shifters, but we both travel across town to get here when you literally work in a coffee shop across the street from our bakery. ”

Hugh raised an eyebrow as he closed his book. “I don’t work at the shop. I am co-owner of that very successful shop.”

The vampire was striking in appearance, like firm, steady mahogany, both in complexion and personality. He preferred to use as few words as possible to get his point across, though he did have a flair for the dramatic. His playful side only came out with those he trusted.

“And how many co-owners are there?” Sera teased.

“Four, but glad to see you’re as cheeky as ever.”

“You wouldn't have it any other way.”

“And to answer your question for the millionth time, you know we meet here because I cannot stand the idea of running into any of the younger members of our coven when I direly need a break from wrangling them and all their baser instincts.”

“Your numbers do grow more often than ours.”

Hugh rubbed at his temples as if vampires could have headaches. “There is no need to remind me.”

He cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. “We are blessed with a Lord whose transfigurative powers are unparalleled in the region. It is only natural that he adds worthy members to our ranks regularly. I would expect nothing less from my dear Clemente.”

“Spoken like a very fine, upstanding member of your coven and Clemente’s very good boy.” She smirked.

“As though you’re one to talk, mon lou lou .”

“I fear my lou lou days are quite far behind me. Much too old for something so childish.”

“To me, you are still a little sprout popping up from the fertile soil. And I’d warrant that today you were still quite the rule following, upstanding little representative of your pack that you’ve always been.”

“Naturally, of course.” Sera replied with an air of dignity. “Why would I do anything to harm the pack’s reputation?”

“At least where people can see.”

“Yes, away from prying eyes things can get a little, well, grayer.”

“But never in front of your Alpha,” Hugh finished, looking smug.

“You’re no different. I doubt you’ve ever done anything around your dear Clemente that he wouldn't approve of.”

“Good thing his list of things he disapproves of is so short,” Hugh added with a salacious tone. “There’s plenty of room to partake in a dalliance of decadent delights in the dark. Together. Separately. You know how we are. We don’t bother with unnecessary boundaries.”

“I wish I didn’t know what you mean, but we’ve been friends for long enough that my mind is filled with things I’ve tried to forget.”

Hugh puffed out a laugh. “I’ll get you to loosen up one way or another. Or maybe I could get you to help that Alpha of yours loosen up a little.”

“Choose your next words carefully, Hugh.”

“What’s with the warning, my dear? I’m the innocent party here, just sitting by watching two obviously in love —”

“Hugh.”

“Obviously attracted to one —”

“Hugh.”

“Watching two wolves dance around their love and lust for one another for decades and wishing they could see what is so obvious to the rest is absolutely exhausting. You must understand the pain I’m going through here.”

“And how are things going with Eugene?” Sera deflected, enjoying the way Hugh’s smirk slipped from his face. It was easier to point out his own romantic entanglements than consider her own.

“He’s insufferable as always. The loudest, most obnoxious new vampire we’ve turned in years. Years! And he’s glued to my side.”

“Because he’s —”

“An idiot.”

“Because he’s infatuated with you.”

“If he is, that’s a personal problem.”

“Especially personal when you’re growing quite fond of him yourself.”

“As if that could ever be true.” He focused his attention back on Sera. “And don’t think that distracted me. You two were made for each other. You and Parisa work as a perfect pair.”

“Exactly. Work. We run the pack together. It’s not a relationship, not in that sense. There’s a deeper level than most working partnerships, but it’s biological, instinctual. You know this, Hugh, and yet you insist —”

“But she gets your heart beating faster, doesn’t she? Gets those little wolf hairs standing up at the back of your neck?”

“And this conversation is done.” Sera shot him a look, mustering malice but coming up short because she could never be angry with Hugh. “What are you ordering?”

At least Hugh was gracious enough to drop it. “The usual, my love.”

Sera walked off to order, rolling her eyes at Hugh’s comments.

Sera was no stranger to romance. She’d dabbled in dating.

It’s just that over the years nothing had stuck.

Man, woman, or somewhere in between, she hadn’t found anyone she wanted to spend that much time with and she’d eventually given up on the whole thing, choosing instead to focus on her role as Beta at her Alpha’s side.

Her connection to Parisa was the bond between an Alpha and a Beta. They were close friends at most. Parisa was objectively attractive — Sera had eyes — but there was no quickened heartbeat, a sudden realization, or any of those other cliches. That wasn’t the nature of their bond.

There was more to it all than just the title of Alpha and Beta.

An Alpha underwent changes when they fought the wolf within and emerged victorious.

The same happened to a Beta when they followed tradition and sparred with their Alpha to accept the new position in the pack.

The change didn’t give a Beta the strength and speed of an Alpha, but it transformed something in them at a deep level and the bond between Alpha and Beta grew stronger, too. It was bone-deep and instinctual.

Hugh could never understand. It was a wolf thing.

Sera flopped down on the couch in the busy living room and wrapped her hands around her warm mug of coffee, a store-bought bag of cookies beside her.

“Any new additions to the ‘Edgar library’ lately?” Sera asked her packmate.

Edgar glanced up from his book, still dressed every bit like a stereotypical college professor with his tweed blazer. “Why? You need another?”

“Not yet. Just curious if you’d found anything new.”

“You know the bookstore always holds the best new romance for me, so I’ve got plenty when you need a new book. Of course, I get first read. I need to know if it’s good enough to share.” He smiled, warm like his copper skin.

“Your choices are always good enough to share.”

More of her packmates were sitting around the family room. Diah and Harry were on the floor playing a card game. Diah, usually sweet, was cutthroat during games. She tossed back her long, straight black hair and threw down a card and ordered Harry to “draw four!”

Carina looked paler than usual on the other side of the room after another day with her own pack of fourth graders. The magazine in her hands slipped to the side as she fell asleep.

“Beta!” Jo bounced into the room.

Startled, Sera’s coffee sloshed in her mug, some of it running over the side.

“Did you have a good day?” Jo beamed. “I hope it was a good day. Mine was good. Okay. Decent.” They stood in front of Sera, looking expectant.

Sera pinched her lips together as the wound in her heart reopened.

Her brother had been bouncy and excitable, too.

He had messy hair like Jo. He’d smelled like them, too, like sunshine and forests.

She couldn’t remember much of her life before the change, but she got flashes of him, so crystal clear sometimes.

She didn’t know whether she wanted to cling to them or bury them.

For now, she buried it the best she could, but the pang in her chest remained.

“It was good,” Sera replied, voice thin.

“Awesome.” Jo’s smile broadened and they plopped down on the couch beside Sera — right beside Sera.

There was plenty of room on the other end, but Jo chose a seat that forced them to nearly touch.

“You know, Wil’s been teaching me ceramics.

It’s really fun and my hands get gross, which is also great. Do you like ceramics?”

Sera didn’t turn her head, but her face tingled where Jo was looking at her. “I haven’t tried it. Not in years, at least.”

“Oh, you totally should. You could join us sometime when you’re not busy! Not that you’re not busy, just, like, if you have a moment when you’re not busy. But I know you’re busy so don’t worry about it if you can’t.”

“I don’t want to intrude on your friend time.”

“You’d never be intruding! We’d be happy for you to join us.”

Sera glanced around the living room and caught her packmates staring and hiding grins.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Awesome! And if you’re busy that’s fine. I know you’re usually busy. You’re Beta and all!” Jo tipped their head to the side and let it land on Sera’s shoulder.

Sera tensed at the contact. Jo was enthusiastic in their affections, but they’d never initiated anything beyond a handshake or a quick, jumpy hug.

This felt different. Her chest tightened as her heartbeat quickened.

The ringing in her ears was back. She wasn’t on the couch anymore, but on the coast, running after a little boy until, finally quiet and calm, he sagged against her side.

“Jo, I —”

Sera bolted upright half a second before the rest of the pack in the room did the same.

Their Alpha burst through the back door of the house, looking every bit as put together as always, but there was a wild look in her eyes.

The levity vanished from the room. The younger wolves dipped their heads in deference.

She stared at Sera. “We need to talk.”

“Close the door behind you,” Parisa ordered. She paced around her office with her arms folded and her face pinched in concentration.

“What’s the news from Crooked Creek?” Sera asked, tone low enough to avoid being overheard.

“Not good. Clyde’s worried Jason’s on his way to becoming a failed Alpha. He’s losing the fight to his Alpha wolf. The aggression’s gotten worse. He’s pushing back against Clyde’s authority. If this were the old days, he would have been taken care of by now.”

Sera shuddered at the insinuation. “How do we help?”

“Support,” Parisa said, locking eyes. “Clyde needed assurance that we could lend our strength if needed and that, if it came to it — heaven forbid — we could take in some of his pack if Jason were to duel him and he lost.”

“Has it really come to that?”

“Last night’s aggression was a wake-up call.

” Parisa leaned back on her desk, arms crossed.

“For everyone. We forget that the old ways are still alive because we don’t see them daily.

We run bakeries and bookstores. We lead tours up to waterfalls.

We don’t fight for authority. We don’t struggle like we used to, but, Sera —” Parisa took a step towards her.

“Nothing about our pasts, our natures, has disappeared. We just have the luxury of ignoring the darker sides — until something like this.”

“Fight for authority?” Sera balked. “Is that what Jason intends to do? To fight Clyde for control of the pack?”

It was unheard of for duels to happen these days. Now packs settled the matter of a new Alpha by sharing authority or breaking off and beginning a new, smaller pack.

“No,” Parisa replied, features darkening. “He doesn’t intend to duel Clyde.”

“So there’s no chance that Jason would try to take control of the pack?”

“We’re straying from the point.” Parisa clenched her fists at her sides. “He simply needs to know we’re with him.”

“Of course we are,” Sera added, voice quieter than before. She bowed her head, instincts taking over. An angry Alpha was an Alpha that demanded more deference and respect.

“I don’t mean for any of this to leave this room.”

“You intend to keep this a secret?”

“I intend to do what’s necessary to keep everyone safe, our pack and theirs.”

“But our packs interact regularly. Without knowing about it the rest of our pack could be in —”

“I’ve got it handled.”

Words that she couldn’t hold back burned on her tongue. “What about the upcoming moon cycle? There’s no way we’ll be able to spend it on Crooked Creek’s land, especially if our pack doesn’t know.”

“Things took a turn for the worse overnight. Things may also turn around as quickly. Clyde’s a strong Alpha. He can manage this.” Parisa glanced away. “I am cautiously optimistic.”

Sera took a moment to gather herself. “Me, too. Even at my worst, you brought me back. I’m sure they can bring him back, too.”

“Leave it to you to know exactly what I needed to hear tonight.” She let out a deep breath. “I will collect myself and then perhaps it’d be a great time for some tea and coffee by the fire, yes?”

Sera put away the ugliness of the evening and tried to smile. “I’ll put the kettle on for you.”