Moon Child (The Year of the Wolf #2) - Serena Akeroyd Page 0,74
over, and something we’d never forget.
I could remember mine as if it were yesterday, and with the current ache in my bones, I could confirm that, most definitely, my covenant hadn’t been the day before—I was a hell of a lot older now.
Blowing out a breath as I remembered that eerie place, where the mist surrounded a forest of trees, where I stood looking up into a sky that was filled with nothing, and a voice that came from everywhere and nowhere like the best stereo system in the world, I carefully got to my feet and rasped, “Whatever you need to fulfill your duty, son, you just let us know.”
Daniel’s head jerked back at that, and tears pricked his eyes. The sight of them made me want to walk over to him, to hug the kid, but I couldn’t.
Not when Seth was there.
So close.
Too close.
What he’d done to me, I didn’t appreciate.
And the thought of having him in the house with my woman and child, and that Daniel was evidently tasked with a duty that would require him to be near Seth at all, set me on edge. But Daniel saw my hesitant step forward, and those tear-brimmed eyes filled with disappointed understanding.
I knew why he cried too.
Acceptance.
Blind acceptance. Not just because of the covenant, but because I trusted Daniel too. I knew him and would fight for him.
Ah, fuck.
I forced myself to move forward, ignoring the evil kid on the bed, and strode over to him. Grabbing his shoulder, I hauled him into me and hugged him tight—if ever there was a kid who’d needed hugs, it was Daniel. And I knew that because the lonely boy in me had needed them just as much as he did now.
While I knew Sabina was incredibly affectionate with him, he was an alpha whelp. He needed to know that being so strong didn’t mean he couldn’t get a fucking hug every now and then.
As I squeezed him, I felt the second whatever Seth was doing hit me. I backed off, and knew I was right to when Lara called out, “Ethan. Move away.”
Daniel jolted a little, ducking his head with dismay because I knew he hadn’t wanted the hug to end, and I muttered, “Sorry, son.”
He gulped. “You keep calling me that.”
“It’s what you are, isn’t it?” I rasped, before I cut a look at Seth, who was back to staring straight ahead at the wall.
What in hell’s name were we going to do with him?
I scrubbed a hand over my face, before I muttered, “Daniel, you understand that we have to lock this door.”
He nodded. “I do. He’s a danger to his sister.”
I jerked at that. “His sister? Not his mom?”
“Maribel’s only in danger while she’s in her belly.”
The fact that he knew the kid in Maribel’s womb was a girl was telling enough. Maybe he figured he’d said too much, because he twisted around and, ducking down some, peered into Seth’s eyes and grumbled, “What are we going to do with you?”
That was a question I’d just asked myself, and it felt wrong to leave the burden on Daniel’s shoulders, but fuck…
Just, fuck.
What were we going to do with the evil little bastard?
Only the Mother knew.
Eli
“The child is imperative.”
I stared up at the totem, cursing under my breath at the only words the Mother would tell me about Seth.
This, supposedly, was an alpha’s gift.
Constant contact with the Mother.
Only, it was bullshit.
She barely let me communicate with Her anymore, and when She did, if the conversation didn’t follow the train of thought She wanted, then I’d be stonewalled.
That was, of course, if She even let me into the goddamn sacred circle.
She knew when I had something on my mind, and would act accordingly. Locking me out of the one place that was mine by right.
I gritted my teeth at Her answer, and snarled, “How is he imperative? The child is a lunatic.”
“The child is imperative.”
She was worse than a fucking broken record. Reaching up, I rubbed a hand through my hair and snapped, “This is ridiculous.”
“Ask the right question, and I’ll answer.”
The place where She answered wasn’t like the land where I’d claimed Sabina. It wasn’t Earth either though, wasn’t the circle back in Highbanks. It was foggy all around me, the totem up ahead, the sky a dull gray with stars twinkling through the mass of clouds, but shadows were at my feet so it looked like I was floating.