Softly spoken lies moonl.., p.1
Softly Spoken Lies (Moonlit Book 4), page 1
SOFTLY SPOKEN LIES
Copyright © January 2024 by Gabrielle Evans
Cover Art by Black Butterfly Designs
Published by Peccavi Press INC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal, except for the case of brief quotations in reviews and articles. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
Contents
Synopsis
A Note from Gabrielle…
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
Epilogue
About the Author
Other Titles by Gabrielle Evans
Synopsis
Hunter for the Council and newly appointed alpha to a pack he knows nothing about, Blaise Taylor has enough on his plate without adding two very male mates to the mix.
Cole Cunningham didn’t exactly picture himself mated to two men either, but he’s not about to throw away the gift fate has given him. He just has to find a way to bring them all together before their relationship self-destructs.
Free at last after years of imprisonment, Willow just wants to be happy. He’s been blessed with two insanely gorgeous mates, but he’s got his work cut out for him. Blaise needs to be the hero, and Cole can’t resist the urge to nurture. Tired of their constant bickering, he has big ideas to turn their worlds upside down.
Until danger comes knocking.
With three very different personalities and a new threat looming over them, can this trio find middle ground, or will their love story end before it can even begin?
A Note from Gabrielle…
Softly Spoken Lies was originally released in 2011 by a different publisher as the fourth book of The Moonlight Breed series. This new version has been edited to add details, smooth out any rough spots, and include updates from this decade.
It does not, however, contain any meaningful changes to the characters or the storyline.
one
His palms sweated. Every breath came in shallow pants. His heart pounded against his sternum as he fought not to fidget under the scrutiny of the Council.
Why did he ever think he could do this?
Blaise Taylor looked down at the man beside him and fought to swallow past the tightness in his throat when long, elegant fingers twined with his. He should have been thrilled that he’d found not only one mate, but two.
He liked Cole and Willow well enough, but while most shifters batted for both teams, he wasn’t one of them. Having two very male mates he had no idea what to do with wasn’t his only problem, either. In the past week, his entire life had been turned upside down, and it seemed some new problem was thrown at him every day.
He suddenly found himself the alpha to a pack he knew nothing about, and it had happened under some nasty circumstances, too. Fuck, he still wanted to beat Talon bloody for turning over the responsibility to him.
Talon Cartwright had won that fight, and the position of alpha, fair and square. Why couldn’t he just man up and accept it?
Now, Blaise had an entire pack to protect, along with his two new mates. He could no more turn away from Cole and Willow than he could cut off his own arm, but he still felt uneasy every time he’d catch their scent, and his cock would perk right up to take notice.
Clearly, he wasn’t quite as hetero as he’d assumed.
Then, because he enjoyed making a bad situation even worse, he’d just accused one of the Council elders of a whole slew of unsightly charges. Accusations sure to land the vampire in prison for the rest of his days—er, nights. Whatever.
Worse, if he couldn’t provide proof of his claims, he’d be the one shackled to a prison cell wall. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought, and he swallowed reflexively when saliva flooded his mouth.
Another hand landed on the small of his back, and Blaise didn’t have to turn to know it was Cole. While foreign and confusing, he couldn’t deny that just the presence of his mates calmed him, cleared his head, and gave him the courage to face the International Council of Code Enforcement.
Elder Josiah Means, the lycan representative of the Council, cleared his throat as he stared down his long, crooked nose from his seat on the dais. “Cyrus Redway, you have been accused of a multitude of serious offenses against the supernatural population you have sworn to protect. You are in violation of at least seven different laws you took a vow to uphold.”
Elder Samuel Macintosh, the shifter representative, cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up his nose. “You have been charged with kidnapping, blackmail, illegal experimentation, unlawful confinement, ownership of blood slaves, inappropriate distribution of Council weapons, and general disreputable conduct.”
“Not to mention being a pain in my ass and a nasty son of a bitch,” Elder Layke Winters, the elven representative, added.
Blaise almost choked. He’d never heard any member of the Council speak in such a way. Maybe he wouldn’t be torn to shreds after all.
“Do you have anything to say against the allegations?” Elder Means asked.
“This is ludicrous!” Cyrus exclaimed. “I had nothing to do with any of those charges, and I will not be held responsible for the crimes of an insane man. Former Alpha Roan Cunningham acted of his own accord.”
“Ah, but there are witnesses, members of your own coven, even.” Elder Winters spoke calmly as he smoothed his silver blond hair back from his handsome face.
“They lie.”
“Alpha Taylor, do you have anything to add?” Elder Macintosh turned his penetrating gaze on Blaise.
Willow squeezed his hand again, and Cole leaned more insistently against his other side. Blaise swallowed loudly, took a deep breath, and nodded. “My mate, Cole Cunningham, is the son of the former alpha. He will testify to witnessing Elder Redway and Alpha Jennings exchanging not only money but members of their own pack and coven.”
Elder Winters smiled warmly at them. “And which one of these men is your mate?”
Blaise swallowed again. “Both, sir.”
No one seemed surprised by the news. “Ah, I see. Then which is Cole Cunningham?”
Cole stepped forward and nodded respectfully. “I’m Cole, sir.”
“And what can you tell us, Mr. Cunningham? Did you, in fact, witness the exchange of supernatural beings for money?”
“Yes, sir.” Cole dipped his head. “I also saw my father offer up members of the pack as blood slaves in exchange for vampires from the Redway Coven to be used in his experiments.”
“Do you have proof of this?”
Blaise’s pulse tripped into a wild gallop. Eyewitnesses were great, but without factual evidence, they were dead in the water. He couldn’t let his mate take the blame, though. He started to pull Cole behind him, but the man took another step forward and spoke again.
“I do, sir. Once I began to suspect my father and Elder Redway were involved in illegal transactions, I began secretly documenting their meetings. I even have photographs.”
“You little shit! I told Roan we should have killed you off with the others!” Cyrus’ lip curled over his teeth as his fangs elongated, and his eyes shone with a manic gleam.
He launched out of his seat and dove across the railing that separated them, his arms extended in front of him, his claw-like fingers aimed directly for Cole’s throat.
Blaise’s heart leapt into his throat, and his muscles coiled in preparation for a fight. Before he had even finished assessing the situation, however, his friend and Council Enforcer, Stavion Shogard, rushed forward. Pulling a silver-tipped dagger from his belt, he shoved Cole out of the line of attack and plunged the blade straight into the vampire’s heart.
Cyrus’s eyes widened, and he stared down at his chest in stunned disbelief. For a moment, time stood still. Then, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he crumpled to the ground, limp and very much dead.
Stavion wrenched his dagger from the vampire’s chest and wiped the blood on his leather pants, wrinkling his nose but otherwise showing no emotion.
“Well, that saved a lot of time and trouble.” Elder Macintosh stood from his chair and waved a hand around the room. “We are all witnesses,” he said loudly. “Enforcer Shogard’s actions were justified as he was protecting Alpha Taylor’s mate. No charges will be brought against him.”
Elder Winters stood as well and actually winked at them. “Congratulations, Stavion. You have a new coven.”
Both Stavion and Blaise jerked their heads up to stare at the Elder.
“Excuse me?” Stavion asked. “I think I heard you wrong.”
“Since you have slain their former master, the Redway Clan needs a new leader. That responsibility now falls to you.” Elder Means shook his head and frowned. “Your first order of business is to elect a vampire represen
Willow stared open-mouthed at the dais as the Elders exited through a door off to the right. “That’s it? It’s over? Just like that?”
Blaise felt dumbstruck. “I guess so. We probably could have saved a lot of time and trouble and just killed him in the first place.”
“Don’t I even get a say in this?” Stavion asked indignantly. “I already have a coven. I lead my Enforcers. I don’t want to be in charge of another coven.”
Blaise snorted. “Welcome to the club.”
Pulling up in front of the former alpha’s house, Blaise cut the engine and sighed. The cabin now belonged to him, but he still considered it Cole’s. The man had grown up in the house after all.
Now that Cyrus was dead, and he didn’t have the Council breathing down his neck, Blaise’s attention turned to his new mates. He’d spent the last week gathering evidence, talking to victims, and delivering different pack members to await their own trials. Every day, he had worked himself to exhaustion, coming home well after midnight and falling asleep on the sofa.
His new status as alpha meant he had a whole new list of things to keep him busy, but Blaise doubted his mates would let him continue to put them off for much longer. He just didn’t know what to say or even how to act around them.
“Blaise, what’s wrong?” Cole spoke quietly, and he stared straight ahead through the windshield, the moon reflected in his spring green eyes.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Blaise sighed and started to open his door.
“Why don’t you want us?” Willow’s musical voice drifted to him from the backseat, and Blaise closed his eyes at the uncertainty in his mate’s voice.
“It’s not that I don’t want you…” He trailed off, unsure of how to explain.
“Then what is it? You’ve been ignoring us all week.” Cole’s voice hardened, and he carded his fingers through his sandy brown hair. “If you don’t want to be mated to us, fine, but I think we at least deserve an explanation.”
“I just don’t know you yet. Give me a little time.”
“How do you expect to get to know us if you won’t even talk to us?”
Blaise could feel Cole’s intense gaze on the side of his face, but he didn’t turn. “I have responsibilities, Cole. Things I have to take care of as alpha. We’ll talk later.”
“You’ve been saying that all fucking week. You won’t even look at me.” Cole’s voice rose in volume until he yelled the last word. “Look at me!”
“Please don’t fight,” Willow pleaded, his tone filled with anxiety.
Blaise glanced over his shoulder to see the tiny elf with his hands over his ears and his eyes screwed closed. It broke his fucking heart to see Willow in such distress, and he hated himself for causing it.
“Sorry, Willow,” Cole whispered. “Blaise, talk to us. Just tell us what the problem is, and maybe we can help.”
“This isn’t something you can help with. I just need more time.” He exited the vehicle, every muscle in his body filled with tension, and closed the door behind him.
Striding up the driveway, he had to choke back a growl when he heard hurried footsteps crunching over the gravel behind him. When slender fingers wrapped around his wrist and jerked him to a stop, he spun around, a growl bubbling in his throat. He’d told Cole he needed time. Why couldn’t he give him that much?
Only, it wasn’t Cole.
Willow took a step back, his arms folded over his chest, and his lips pursed as he glared up at him. “You do not get to say shit like that, then run away. We are your mates whether you like it or not. So, pull your gigantic head out of your skinny ass and stop being such a douchebag!”
Blaise gaped. Since meeting the elf, he had never heard Willow raise his voice or curse. Honestly, he found it hot as hell, though he wasn’t about to admit that out loud. His dick twitched inside his jeans, standing up to take notice of the little sprite in front of him.
Stupid dick.
“My ass is not skinny.”
Cole snorted as he shuffled by and smacked Blaise on his jean-clad backside. “Don’t worry, love. You have a very nice ass.”
Blaise tensed but didn’t otherwise comment on the tingle that coursed through him at the feel of Cole’s hands on him. “Guys, it’s not that I don’t like you. I do.” He paused, running a hand through his thick hair. “It’s just…I’m not…”
“You’re not gay,” Willow finished for him. No judgment. No disappointment. Just a statement of fact.
Blaise nodded.
“Neither was I,” Cole responded as he wrapped an arm around Willow’s waist and pulled him close, placing a chaste kiss on the top of his head. “You can’t run away from fate, though. I really like Willow, and I really like you. I like you both for who you are, not because of what body parts you have.”
Yeah, that made sense, and when put that way, Blaise felt like the douchebag Willow had accused him of being. The idea of two—or more—men loving each other didn’t bother him. He couldn’t care less what happened between consenting adults.
Everyone had preferences, though, and his had always leaned toward the female persuasion. Sure, he could appreciate an attractive male, but he’d never been sexually attracted to them. Until now. It was so damn confusing, and he had no idea where to even begin processing it.
“Can we just talk? We won’t try to molest you.” Cole smirked at him as he drew an X over his heart with his finger. “Promise.”
A chuckle escaped him, surprising Blaise out of his thoughts. Both of his mates smiled up at him expectantly, each alluring in his own way. They were right. Nothing was going to get better if he kept trying to ignore the situation.
“Yeah, okay,” he relented. “Let’s talk.”
Willow stepped forward and hesitantly wrapped his arms around Blaise’s waist, resting his small head on his chest. “Thank you.”
Blaise melted, and some of the uncertainty drained away. How was he supposed to resist such open affection? He couldn’t. Slowly, tentatively, he eased his arms around Willow and held him close, dipping his head to breathe in the sweet scent of his mate. The elf smelled like rain and pine trees, and the combination drew a quiet sigh from him.
“Can I get a little of that?” Cole bit his lip, his expression reserved, unsure.
The gods help him, he just couldn’t say no. Everything in him called out for his mates, yearned to have them close. Keeping one arm securely around Willow, Blaise held his other out, beckoning Cole into their embrace.
Hurrying forward, Cole smiled as he joined them. “Thank you.”
“I’m so confused, and I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t understand any of this, and I have the pack thrown on top of everything else.” Blaise didn’t want to start another argument, but he didn’t want his mates to get their hopes up that everything would suddenly change overnight. “I can’t promise you guys anything right now.”
“We’ll take it slow,” Cole assured him.
“We can get to know each other and see where we go from there,” Willow added.
Closing his eyes again, Blaise rested his cheek on top of Cole’s head as his fingers drifted up to stroke through Willow’s hair. He didn’t know what the future held for them, but right then, in that moment, everything in his world felt right.
two
Another week passed, and Cole’s patience had reached its limit.
He sympathized with Blaise. Really, he did. Hell, he’d almost passed out when he realized the cute little elf hybrid in the cage next to him was his mate. Never having been attracted to men before, it had both confused and angered him at his immediate attraction toward Willow.
Seven weeks imprisoned inside a dilapidated barn, however, had given him a different perspective. Somewhere around the third week, he had stopped seeing Willow as a male and identified him only as his mate.
Some shifters went an entire lifetime without finding their amada, the missing piece of their soul. With that in mind, he realized he would be a damn fool to begrudge the gift fate had given him.
Willow brought so much joy to his life. Everything about him, from his petite frame to his waist-length raven hair, appealed to Cole. Though they’d yet to be intimate, and he hadn’t claimed him as his own, in his heart, Willow belonged to him.
