Sample Chapter 2 for "The Night Goddess"

​​When Deimos wasn’t overtaking other packs to expand his control or spending days and nights in the harem, he was making deals.
One of them was with humans.
He taught Selene and her sisters to never interact with them in any capacity, as they could be even crueler than werewolves. 
There was an exception for alcohol, apparently. In exchange for various forms of it, the Moon pack traded livestock that they raised as well as its subsequent products. 
And of course, the store was off-limits to a good list of wolves, including Deimos and Monday’s own family.
Sidra strode up to the door at the end of the dimly-lit underground corridor where a massive Alpha male stood guard in his human form in front of the cellar door.
“Greetings, Shaw,” Sidra announced. “I would like—”
“I don’t care what you would like,” Shaw interrupted gruffly. “Neither of you are supposed to be down here. Go back upstairs.”
He was the second biggest werewolf she’d ever met, but his build and intimidating expression didn’t scare Selene away because he was also one of her “babysitters,” acting as a playmate when she was younger. Which meant he was capable of being a gentle giant. And he had let her get away with a lot of her shenanigans. 
Selene shouldered past Sidra and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. “You said you would never deny a princess’s request, Shaw.”
His indifference eased just a little, cracking a smile and rolling his dark brown eyes. Leaning down to brace his palms on his knees, his grizzled face was level with hers. She forced herself to beam brighter with innocence. “And I meant it, little moon, but only when I know we can *both* get away with the shit you pull. Downing a bottle of wine on my watch?”
Shaw tapped her nose with a forefinger. “Not a chance.” He straightened and his smile snapped off. Looking between them, he asked, “What are you two rebelling against?”
Sidra placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “*I’m* not rebelling—”
“Liar.”
He whirled on Selene’s cold tone. “The fuck—”
“No swearing,” Shaw noted blandly.
“Why’d you ask me?” she demanded with a glare at her cousin. “Not because you felt like trying to make me feel better.”
His matching glare only made her feel triumphant. It was easy to get werewolves riled up, especially young males who thought they couldn’t be transparent. If they could tease her, she would tease them right back. 
Shaw bent toward Sidra. “She’s too smart for her own good.”
Sidra rolled his eyes. “If I knew this was going to turn into an interrogation…” He sighed. “Fine. Before Deimos walked into the foyer and scolded your ass? He was insulting me.”
Selene quirked a skeptical brow. ‘Insulting’ seemed like the wrong word to describe Deimos’ harsh verbal tirades, which usually lasted far longer than need be. He insulted everyone, but it was always more specific than simple insults. “Be less vague.”
“Gods you’re annoying—”
“I wouldn’t have to be if you just—”
“I don’t owe you shit, Selene—”
“All right, all right,” Shaw intercepted in exasperation, coming between them before they could get in a tussle. “We all have unresolved familial issues, what else is new? Go upstairs and have breakfast, you two, and maybe I will sneak something cheaper. Just get away from each other’s throats.”
Selene assumed innocence and batted her eyelashes. “I knew I could count on you, Shaw.”
Sidra’s mouth gaped. “The fuck! You are *evil*.”
“You’re the one who thought you could get past a large and powerful Alpha easily,” Selene said with a shrug. “If I’m evil, you’re just stupid.”
“That’s *enough*.” Shaw’s voice boomed and echoed in the stone corridor. Before Selene could fight back, he grabbed her by her scruff—actually lifting her off the ground—and shoved Sidra forward. “I am off-duty as your nanny. Go have breakfast for gods’ sake.”
Sidra stormed up the stairs, the bottom of which Shaw dropped Selene. She bared her teeth at him. “I’m not a pup anymore, don’t you ever—”
The much larger werewolf bared his teeth too, far thicker and more menacing than her little fangs. Her ears flattened and she stumbled back a step. If he felt back for scaring her, he didn’t show it. “Get it through your head, little moon,” Shaw growled, “that you only have so much power, even as Deimos’ daughter. Don’t stretch your privilege or you will make enemies.”
Selene bit her tongue to stop herself from retorting. Her father sometimes hit her, and he gave Shaw permission to, but he had never laid a hand on her. She decided not to give him a reason.
So she spun on her heel and stomped after her cousin.
_
*10 years later*
-
Selene was lounging on the old leather couch in front of the fireplace in her family’s manor. 
She ran in her wolf form at breakneck speed from the human town she was hiding out in all the way to the abandoned house. Her nightmare-ridden sleep had tricked her into thinking it had caught fire and burned to the ground. While she knew it was a dream and she told herself repeatedly that she didn’t give a fuck and good riddance, she realized she couldn’t bear the thought of it being reduced to ash.
Of course it was still intact. Just a mess of rubble and dust. She brought in logs and sticks she found in the nearby forest and managed to start a fire. All the stale scents cloistered her nose and make her brain feel just as musty, but she tuned it out as memories seemed to appear in the flickering flames.
And when she heard someone else picking their way through the wreckage, Selene snatched the fire poker. She found one of Monday’s dark blue slips uneaten by moths; it smelled terrible and the dust was itchy, but she decided that sentiment looked good on her—and she felt a smidge of rebellion at wearing something she was never allowed to even touch.
It was the dead of night and she had only lit a few other wall lights. The shadow of a human form was thrown down the hall to the foyer before its body appeared, and the sound of his heart made Selene relax.
She dropped the poker and flopped back onto the couch, sending up dust onto her own skin. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Olwen huffed and emerged from the hall, padding into the large space. He was naked, which meant he had run here in his wolf form as well. Selene averted her eyes before they could seek below his hips.
“Looking for clothes, firstly,” he said with an almost shy chuckle. 
Selene waved a dismissive hand. “Up those stairs on the right, the first room had a raided dresser.”
The Winter pack Omega bolted up to her father’s old room and returned a minute later wearing one of his black robes with only a few holes in it. “May I sit?”
Scowling, she tucked in her bare legs to allow him space to sit and lean against the opposite armrest. She turned her head away to keep him just barely in her peripheral vision. “Don’t make me repeat my question, Olwen.”
“I can ask the same thing—” Selene flashed a vicious glare, and he shrank back. “Sorry,” he muttered. She looked away again. He sighed softly. “Selene…you just left without a word. I worried about you.”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Worry about you?”
“Yes,” she growled, her shoulders tense with irritation. Ever since meeting her, Olwen developed a puppy love for her. He made it very obvious by following her around, trying to offer her gifts, speaking positively on her behalf… For some ridiculous reason, he thought there was hope she could ever even like him back.
Selene did not gravitate toward Omegas, male or female, because of their readiness to feel emotion before sexual impulse. At least in the Winter pack. She hadn’t met another pack that didn’t want to mate before anything else. They were disgustingly romantic.
And they were the pack reasonable for her family’s deaths all those years ago. So why and how could she ever tolerate one? He was lucky she didn’t kill him on sight.
“I didn’t ask you to follow me here *or* the inn.”
Olwen’s brows knitted in hurt. That was another thing! Omegas were so easily wounded. Alphas buried their feelings, didn’t wear their hearts on their sleeves, and it was easier to deal with. It made it easy for Selene to not focus on hers.
“But you keep getting into trouble,” he continued as if the venom in her tone didn’t infect him. “You barely make it out anywhere without someone trying to kill you. After you left Winter, I wanted… I hoped to protect you.”
Selene’s incredulous bark echoed. Olwen winced. “Lanky little Omega male,” she chuckled darkly, finally facing him, “there are two things you already know. Firstly, the last thing I need is protection from *anyone*. Secondly, I don’t want you fucking following me like a motherless pup.”
Olwen’s cloud-gray hair was ruffled and damp with sweat, one cheek smeared with blood as if he’d scratched it while running here. His pale blue eyes were wide and impossibly still brimming with hope for her. Like most Winter Omegas, his face was fuller, unlike the chiseled features of Alphas. Though a year older than her, Selene saw him as more of an adolescent than an equal. The only positive comment she would ever give about him was that he was pretty in a cherub kind of way.
His voice was low and gentle. That also annoyed her. “You’re lonely, Selene. I know you don’t need protecting or me following you around… I just thought you could use a companion.”
She snorted. “And you think you are the perfect candidate? Whatever did I do to invite—”
“I’m in love with you, Selene.”
-
*To be continued!*