Blood Moon Sworn; Book 2

In the morning light.

 Broc’s POV

I woke this morning in an oddly cheerful mood; I’d had a perfect sleep, not a dream or a stir.

I subconsciously looked to Ivy’s closed door as I passed it, in the hallway on my way to the kitchen.

I hoped she had slept as well as me, although thinking back to last night, I suspected she had something on her mind.

I didn’t knock on the door, instead I boiled the kettle, preparing two cups of coffee subconsciously and retrieving the bacon and eggs from the fridge, I caught myself.

“I’m making breakfast for two..” I breathe, frowning at the cups beside each other, a matching set; white mugs with a floral pattern.

I debated throwing the second cup in the sink, when Ivy’s door swung open, I’d just placed the bacon in the frying pan, it popped and crackled with the heat.

“Mmm is that bacon I smell?” My eyes snapped from the cups to Ivy as she entered the kitchen, she was dressed in jeans and a knitted jumper, her scent wafted to me, caramel and vanilla, I almost melted there.

Swallowing she smiled, breaking my tumbling thoughts.

“Yes, I’m cooking some bacon and eggs, did you want some?” I said calmly, my voice sounding bored, I sounded d**k-ish.

“Yeah that’d be great and I’d love a..” click the kettle cut her off, as I moved to it, I filled both pre-prepared cups, my eyes flick back to where Ivy had sat on the breakfast stool, she watched the cups with a smile.

“Coffee?” I finished with a smirk, her eyes met mine for a second, they were fogged with a memory, I wanted to ask about it but then a fleeting look of pain crossed her features, that quickly stopped me.

“So sleep well?” I asked, as I retrieved the milk from the refrigerator.

“Yeah well enough, how about yourself?” She replied, I frowned as I stirred in the milk.

“Too well I suspect, it’s 9 o’clock, I’ve slept in!” I exclaimed with annoyed distaste.

“Hahah!” Ivy snorted trying to smother her laughter, I watch with confusion.

“You sound like an old man!” She exclaimed loudly, silver tears of laughter threatened in her eyes, but her smile was infectious.

“Hey is that burning?” Ivy asked, bring me back.

“Ahh s**t! The bacon!” I quickly turned the stove down, flipping the bacon.

Once under control again, I added 2 eggs and passed Ivy’s coffee to her and held mine, we chatted whilst I kept a closer eye on the bacon and eggs.

Ivy POV

I’d got up after I’d finished with Agni, dressing quickly, my nose had lead me to the kitchen, where many yummy things awaited.

“Mmm is that bacon I smell?” I asked, my eyes immediately meet Broc’s, he is dressed in navy jeans and tight fitted white shirt.

His black hair damp and tussled upon his head, his muscles move beneath the stretchy t-shirt fabric, I raise my gaze to meet his pitch black eyes, within them swirls desire.

My breathe hitches for a moment, when he speaks, wiping away my thoughts of attraction, at least from him.

“Yes, I’m cooking some bacon and eggs, did you want some?” He asks, his tone firm and flat.

“Yeah that be great and I’d love..” click I’m interrupted by the kettle turning off, following Broc’s hands I find he had already prepared a second cup for me, as well as for himself, a smile tugs at my lips.

“Coffee?” He finishes, my eyes move to his face, as a smug expression crosses his features.

For a second I see Conrad’s face instead of Broc’s before me, I remember him standing in the kitchen making me breakfast and a cup of coffee, a stab of pain pierces my chest, betrayal and regret was still fresh there.

“So sleep well?” Broc asks, as he retrieves the milk from the refrigerator.

“Yeah well enough, how about yourself?” I reply.

“Too well I suspect, it’s 9 o’clock, I’ve slept in!” Broc whines with distaste.

“Hahah!” I snort rudely, trying to smother my laughter, Broc watches me with confusion.

“You sound like an old man!” I can’t help but exclaim, as silver tears of laughter threatened in my eyes.

A burning smell fills my nose as I snort, causing me to pause.

“Hey is that burning?” I ask, pointing at the pan.

“Ahh s**t! The bacon!” Broc quickly turns the stove down, flipping the bacon.

Once under control again, Broc passes me my coffee, we begin chatting easily whilst both keeping an eye on the eggs and bacon.

Jace POV

I rubbed my eyes for the 5th time in ten minutes, narrowing my eyes I tried to focus on the paper in front of me.

I’d stayed after Conrad and I had finished speaking, offering to look over impending files and contracts the Pack’s small businesses required to inspected and approved.

Right now I looked over the pack’s shoe shop accounts, there were a few errors they I planned to look into further, I circled them with a red pen then slid it to the unapproved/further inspection pile.

It was 11 am, I was counting the minutes until 3pm when I’d go to see Florain.

I felt like I was betraying Florain as her Mate, when I’d told Conrad that his and Ivy’s loyalty came first, but it was the truth.

I’d been disappointed to hear, she’d put her own Alpha’s life in danger because she’d felt sorry for Garrett, it had been a poor excuse to reveal the truth.

Conrad had headed to be shortly after I’d agreed to sort files, I suspected he was suffering with Ivy’s absence and his own mistakes made a few nights ago, with Natalie, whom I’d not heard much from since.

Knock, knock.

I swivelled in time to see the door open, a head popped in the open gap with a disappointed expression.

Speak of the devil herself.

Conrad POV

I’d slept heavy last night, maybe it was the promise of seeing Ivy today, even just for a few hours or a few minutes, that had allowed me some decent rest, I’d appreciated every minute.

I’d been playing my part, the heartless, feared Alpha, instructive and ambitious, but I’d not forgotten my sins for a minute.

Every day woke with a thought of Ivy, a pang of regret for every time I’d hurt her, and yet the other night with the she-wolf Natalie showed me that I was fickle.

I twisted under the doona in disgust at myself, pressing my face into my pillow I accepted that my rest was over, and reality had returned.

Reluctantly, I raise myself into a sitting position, my blurry vision taking in the room around me, finally landing on the empty space beside me in the bed.

For a moment I remembered the morning before the incident, when the sun had streaked in falling on Ivy’s hair, turning the brown tresses into silvery strands, she’d been so peaceful, I’d snuggled into her inviting warmth and scent of caramel and vanilla.

Subconsciously I breathed in deeply, but no such scent reached my nose, instead I only smelt my own scent, musty books, dirty laundry and the laundry soap on the sheets.

I opened my eyes, frowning with disappointment, No Ivy lay there now, and no one was to blame but me.

But from now on I would try to redeem myself, starting with supporting Ivy anyway I could relating to Florain’s slip up.

I slid out of bed heading to the shower, the clock read 12pm, yeah I’d had a good sleep, but it was definitely time to get up.