Ella As a group, we head together into the darkness of the forest. “Did we have to go somewhere so creepy for this?” I ask Sinclair, looking warily around the woods. Usually my wolf thrills to be under the canopy of the trees, but today, I can feel her wary inside me. “It’s a sacred space,” Sinc
“Who presents this child for dedication?” she calls out, her voice steady and resonant. “We do,” Sinclair responds, his voice resonant and strong. “His mother and I.” The priestess nods deeply to us, part of the ritual, recognizing our intent. Then, she continues. “And who will carry this boy to m
Cora I’m a little out of breath when I finally catch up with Roger and Rafe, having had to work hard to keep up with his long wolf stride. “Rude,” I say when I finally come to a stop next to them. “You couldn’t have waited for me?” “I’m being rude?” Roger says, raising his eyebrows at me in disb
I gasp, suddenly afraid, but Roger brings a quick hand to my waist, steadying me. “Don’t pull the baby back,” he says, peering into the white light of the moon, likewise trying to make it out. “If you do, we won’t be able to see…” So I keep holding the baby out, my arms trembling a little, and wat
Ella It feels like my sister has been gone with my baby for…hours. But in reality I know that it has been, at best, maybe half an hour. Still, while the rest of us mill around the dark forest, drinking champagne and waiting, I can’t keep myself from continuing to glance anxiously into the darkness
“I swear, Roger,” I warn, narrowing my eyes at him, “if you keep this from me, I will torture you for the rest of your life –“ My brother-in-law bares his teeth at me playfully, leaning forward. “Ah, Ella, but don’t you see? Now I have the power to torture you, as I have information you want, and I
Ella Two hours later, Sinclair and I welcome our friends back to our house for a casual breakfast and coffee – or mimosas, according to preference – to celebrate Rafe’s moonlight baptism. I can tell our guests are dragging – they’ve been up all night, after all – but spirits are high. “Wow,” I say
“Please, Ella,” she says softly, anxiously looking to where Sinclair is standing. “I’m sorry – maybe I shouldn’t have told you –“ “No,” I say, shaking my head and looking at her with a new determination on my face. “I need to know, Isabel – I’m getting strong, I need to do this sort of work. If Sin