Free Moon of the Terrible (Seasons of the Moon) by SM Reine Page A

The kid was everywhere: in the kitchen helping Stephanie Whyte prepare dinner; in the dining room when the pack gathered to eat; and on the lawn when everybody moved outside to listen to Yasir explain their defensive strategies.
    But Scott was there, too. Which meant that Abel couldn’t respond the way he really wanted.
    God, he missed the ranch.
    He found himself wandering through the back fields of the sanctuary, alone in the cold night. The quiet was heavy. His only companion as he walked was the sound of his feet on the grass, and the occasional rustle of dried leaves.
    Abel had never been at the Whyte sanctuary without Rylie before. Now he had only been there for twelve hours, and he already didn’t like it.
    The walk didn’t improve anything. Not his mood or his situation.
    He angled his path to head back to the house, hoping that he could sneak into the east wing without running into Levi again.
    No such luck.
    The pack was still talking outside when Abel returned. Levi spotted him and jogged across the grass to catch him, nose pink with cold. “I need you to take the early morning watch. We’re going to work with the Union on defense, and rotate people around the walls to watch for hunters. You start at two in the morning.”
    It was already approaching midnight. Abel wouldn’t even be able to sleep before his shift.
    He lowered his voice to a growl that the rest of the pack wouldn’t be able to hear. “What do you think you’re doing? Rearranging rooms? Coordinating with the Union? Ordering the pack around? Ordering me around?” The last one was easily Levi’s worst crime.
    “I’m taking charge of my pack. Is that a problem?”
    Abel laughed disbelievingly. “Your pack? Your pack?”
    “Do you see anyone else here that can make that claim?” Levi asked, spreading his hands wide.
    “Just because Rylie isn’t here—”
    “The position is always up for grabs. It belongs to whoever can take it.” Levi turned to leave. “Have fun with the two o’clock shift. Howl if you get shot again.”
    Abel fisted Levi’s shirt and almost jerked him off of his feet.
    “Levi!” Scott called from the door.
    Reluctantly, Abel dropped him. Levi smoothed his hands down his sweater instead of leaving immediately. “It takes more than being a bully to be Alpha,” he said. “You’ve got to be a leader . Whether or not Rylie is here, she’s no leader. And neither are you.”
    He turned on his heel and went inside.
    Abel’s mood was blacker than the night of a new moon. His nerves thrummed with tension, and he was pretty sure he would bite anyone that tried to mess with him on the way back to his new bedroom. Fortunately, there was only one other occupied bedroom in the east wing. The lights were on when Abel approached.
    He spotted the room’s inhabitant as she headed out the door with a towel under her arm and toothbrush in hand. It was the girl with the pixie cut that Scott had been talking to earlier.
    She smiled brightly when she saw him. “Hi there! Are you in exile, too?” Abel only gave her a sideways look. She waved toward the west wing with her toothbrush. “All of the other rooms are filled, so Levi moved me out here. I think he doesn’t like me because I accidentally trashed his computer.” She stuck out her free hand. “I’m Crystal.” She pronounced it with an emphasis on the second syllable.
    Abel didn’t take her hand.
    His flat response only seemed to make her smile brighter.
    “You must be Abel. I’ve heard about you.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Anyone who doesn’t get along with Levi is cool with me. The enemy of my enemy… right? And now we’re practically roommates. We can be friends.”
    “I don’t need any friends.” The only friend he cared about was running across the country with his brother. Not a cheerful thought.
    He turned to leave Crystal.
    Footsteps pounded up the hallway.
    Bekah appeared, out of breath and pale. “Oh, thank God you’re here,