Chapter 3:
The Weight of the Past
Coal's first session with Lily was strained. He was guarded, his grief for Laura still raw, his guilt a heavy weight. He spoke of the Newland pack's retribution, the chilling efficiency with which they'd taken his Luna. Lily listened patiently, her empathetic gaze never wavering. She sensed the depth of his pain, the self-blame that gnawed at him. She gently probed, trying to understand the circumstances surrounding Laura's death, the accident that had triggered the tragedy. Coal, initially resistant, slowly began to open up, the scent of roses and lavender a constant comfort in the room.
As Coal spoke of how he mistakenly killed a Newland young wolf, thinking he was the Rogue that had been going around killing livestock and familys. How was he to know Luke that was only 15 was one of the Newland pack kids and second to become alpha to the New Blackland pack if his brother turned it down. Coal opened up slowly but still had his wolf growling at him as he longed to touch Lily, to feel her skin on his, her lips on his, to grab and pull her close. Coal spoke on to distract himself from Lily's beautiful eyes and her scent it drove him wild with desire for lily.