Page 103 of Taken by Moonlight
Felicia peered at me as her brother released her. “Thank you,Peyton.”
Dante touched her nose. “You and I are going to have a little talk about breaking into myoffice.”
She bit herlip.
“But for now, I’m glad you did it. And I want you to take on new responsibility, Felicia. It’stime.”
She looked so hopeful and happy my heart turned over. This was the rightmove.
“I want you to organize the teens to rebuild the fence in the back and institute a junior patrol group.” Dante rested his hands on her shoulders. “Can you do that forme?”
She nodded, her short hairbouncing.
“It means shifting into wolf form at times to regulate the group. I’m trusting you can do this, Felicia. I’m trusting you will have control over yourwolf.”
His sister looked at him with shining eyes. “I can do it. If it means protecting our pack, I will doit.”
A smile touched his handsome face. “Good. Now, organize all the young and have them make arts and crafts to welcome back our warriors. They’ve fought hard and they deserve a special thank you from all ofyou.”
Felicia brightened. “Rightaway!”
She dashed off, the younger children following her like Felicia was the Pied Piper ofwolves.
Dante glanced at Leila, one of the women in charge. “Keep them busy here for at least two more hours while we clean up thegrounds.”
We returned outside. Dante leaned against the fake tree and crossed his arms. He closed his eyes for a moment and I sensed his tremendous weariness and relief. For a moment, he appeared like any other guy who’d been through a horrid day and needed arespite.
And then his eyes opened and he became the alphaagain.
“I have a favor to request,Peyton.”
“Ok.”
“I need your help.” Dante rubbed my arms again, the contact between us warming me all over again. “I need you to assess the auras of each pack member, children included, as they swear a new oath of loyalty. If any of them is lying or isn’t since, I need toknow.”
I understood. “No more betrayals orrisks.”
“None.” He searched my face. “Will you do this for me? Forus?”
“Of course.” I bit my lower lip. “What will you do with the ones who aren’tsincere?”
Impish mischief twinkled in his dark gaze. “Force them to eat junk food and deny them watching Animal Planet for amonth.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”
He smiled. “I’ll turn them out of the pack. The council will find them jobs, places to live. They understand how dangerous it is for rogue shifters to live in a pack where they feeluncomfortable.”
The loyalty swearingprocedure took less time than anticipated. By lunch, all members of the pack, the children as well, had sworn a new oath of loyalty to Dante. Not one flicker of lying colors orhesitation.
We celebrated by ordering takeout lunch, a gift from the representative from the Council of Shifters for keeping the pack troubles confined to the ranch. As I nibbled on a turkey sub, I listened to the representative assure Dante that Earl’s pack members would be found, and dealtwith.
I had more faith in Dante and his betas than the council politician, but it would have tosuffice.
After lunch, I went upstairs to Dante’s bedroom to rest. I crashed for two hours andslept.
When I awoke I was no longeralone.
All three of my boys were in bed withme.
And I knew what they needed. What Ineeded.
It wastime.
