An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller and a user equipment in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a first set of subframes to a group of UEs for a DMC link, allocate a second set of subframes to a particular UE in the group of UEs, transmit a first message including information about the first set of subframes to the group of UE, and transmit a second message including information about the second set of subframes to the particular UE. The second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes, and information about the second set includes subframes in which the particular UE may transmit to other UEs in the group of UEs. Subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the particular UE.