Read Online Hyena Moon by Jeanette Battista - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeanette Battista
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imagine kind of and mad aren't the appropriate terms for what she got." There was a faint chuckle in his father’s voice.
"Well, yeah." Cormac waited for his father to say something. When the man remained silent, he continued. "She's not happy with anyone, it sounds like."
"No, she's not." Alaric paused. "But that's not your problem, it's ours. You've got enough on your plate." Cormac heard the rustle of papers. "How's that houseguest of yours working out?
Cormac frowned at the mention of Rafe. "So far the hyena's been behaving himself." The night in the Everglades and Rafe's convenient disappearance before the werehyena group showed up still bothered him. He debated about telling his dad about the run-in during their hunt, but wavered. "Finn's keeping an eye on him when Kess' people can't."
Alaric didn't dig for more details. That struck Cormac as odd. It was almost like his father was according him a certain amount of leeway and respect; like he was accepting that Cormac could make the decisions on his own. It was exciting. And terrifying. "Sounds like everything is settling nicely." Cormac waited while his father composed his next thought. "Any idea what Kess is planning to do about the hyenas?"
Again Cormac was torn. He wanted to tell his father, especially because the man had a wealth of experience running a pack, but he also knew this was Kess' show and she might not take kindly to him spilling her secrets. "She's got a few ideas, but is waiting to see which way Samara jumps. But she knows it has to be taken care of soon. Before we all head back for school."
"Okay." His father paused, almost as if he were weighing what to say next. "Keep me in the loop, son."
Cormac didn't think that had been what his father really wanted to say, but didn't press the issue. "Will do, Dad. Talk to you soon."
"Take care, Cormac."
"You too, Dad."
He closed his phone and sat back on the couch for a moment. He was thrown by his father not pushing for more information. Yes, he was the one who was here, who was best able to evaluate the situation. But this was his dad. He never unclenched enough to let someone else take the lead. The only person who ever came close was Griff, the pack Beta. Maybe he was getting soft in his encroaching old age?
Cormac heard the soft slide of footsteps behind him and he turned to see Kess drape herself along the back of the couch behind his head. She curved her body around his shoulders. He inhaled the contrasting summer-winter scent of her, all sunshine and cinnamon. He turned his body so that he could look at her. He never got tired of looking at her.
She had bronzed since they'd been down here, and her skin positively glowed. Her black hair had gotten sleeker, if possible looking more like the pelt of the cat she became when there was no moon in the sky. And her eyes, as always, were still a wonder to him; an amazing greenish gold that collected the light and reflected it back.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, putting his head close to hers. She smiled one of her secret smiles reserved just for him. "Hi," she mouthed.
"Hello there." His mouth was very close to hers.
"I've missed you."
It was an invitation he didn't turn down. He kissed her, reveling in the feel of his mouth slanting down on hers, the soft sound of her breath escaping in a satisfied sigh. For a few minutes he lost himself in the taste of her, content to just exist in this space outside of anything but the two of them.
When he let her back up for air, Kess whispered, "Much better." She slid down the back of the couch to rest in his arms.
Cormac nodded. They hadn't had a lot of time with just each other since they'd come down here. First there were the mysterious circumstances surrounding her brother's death to solve, then the problem of Samara and her werehyenas, and finally the Keepers of Divine Order. Kess had been under enormous pressure since they'd hit Miami; it was only right that she was preoccupied. Still, Cormac
"Well, yeah." Cormac waited for his father to say something. When the man remained silent, he continued. "She's not happy with anyone, it sounds like."
"No, she's not." Alaric paused. "But that's not your problem, it's ours. You've got enough on your plate." Cormac heard the rustle of papers. "How's that houseguest of yours working out?
Cormac frowned at the mention of Rafe. "So far the hyena's been behaving himself." The night in the Everglades and Rafe's convenient disappearance before the werehyena group showed up still bothered him. He debated about telling his dad about the run-in during their hunt, but wavered. "Finn's keeping an eye on him when Kess' people can't."
Alaric didn't dig for more details. That struck Cormac as odd. It was almost like his father was according him a certain amount of leeway and respect; like he was accepting that Cormac could make the decisions on his own. It was exciting. And terrifying. "Sounds like everything is settling nicely." Cormac waited while his father composed his next thought. "Any idea what Kess is planning to do about the hyenas?"
Again Cormac was torn. He wanted to tell his father, especially because the man had a wealth of experience running a pack, but he also knew this was Kess' show and she might not take kindly to him spilling her secrets. "She's got a few ideas, but is waiting to see which way Samara jumps. But she knows it has to be taken care of soon. Before we all head back for school."
"Okay." His father paused, almost as if he were weighing what to say next. "Keep me in the loop, son."
Cormac didn't think that had been what his father really wanted to say, but didn't press the issue. "Will do, Dad. Talk to you soon."
"Take care, Cormac."
"You too, Dad."
He closed his phone and sat back on the couch for a moment. He was thrown by his father not pushing for more information. Yes, he was the one who was here, who was best able to evaluate the situation. But this was his dad. He never unclenched enough to let someone else take the lead. The only person who ever came close was Griff, the pack Beta. Maybe he was getting soft in his encroaching old age?
Cormac heard the soft slide of footsteps behind him and he turned to see Kess drape herself along the back of the couch behind his head. She curved her body around his shoulders. He inhaled the contrasting summer-winter scent of her, all sunshine and cinnamon. He turned his body so that he could look at her. He never got tired of looking at her.
She had bronzed since they'd been down here, and her skin positively glowed. Her black hair had gotten sleeker, if possible looking more like the pelt of the cat she became when there was no moon in the sky. And her eyes, as always, were still a wonder to him; an amazing greenish gold that collected the light and reflected it back.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, putting his head close to hers. She smiled one of her secret smiles reserved just for him. "Hi," she mouthed.
"Hello there." His mouth was very close to hers.
"I've missed you."
It was an invitation he didn't turn down. He kissed her, reveling in the feel of his mouth slanting down on hers, the soft sound of her breath escaping in a satisfied sigh. For a few minutes he lost himself in the taste of her, content to just exist in this space outside of anything but the two of them.
When he let her back up for air, Kess whispered, "Much better." She slid down the back of the couch to rest in his arms.
Cormac nodded. They hadn't had a lot of time with just each other since they'd come down here. First there were the mysterious circumstances surrounding her brother's death to solve, then the problem of Samara and her werehyenas, and finally the Keepers of Divine Order. Kess had been under enormous pressure since they'd hit Miami; it was only right that she was preoccupied. Still, Cormac
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