Page 101 of Taken by Moonlight
26
The imagesof blood and gore were stamped into my brain. I stumbled away, weary cold, and spent. Probably the adrenalin rush leavingme.
Or maybe the violence had repulsed me to the point where I couldn’t function. The slick, coppery smell of blood and death lingered in the air, heavy and cloying. Colors swirled in the air as well, the muted black signaling death mingling with them. I ignored the colors. Theauras.
The gift that I used to help killanother.
Dante followed me and shrugged out of his shirt. He draped it over my trembling shoulders. “You’rechilled.”
I didn’t look at him. “Did you loseanyone?
“A few wounds, scrapes. They’ll heal. Thanks to you, our pack remains safe.” He rubbed my shoulders, warming me, but the internal coldnessremained.
“I did it for you, Dante.” I finally did look at him. “Not because of any pack loyalty. I did it for you, Gabriel and Alex, and for Felicia and all those kids in the bunker who were pretending not to be scared out of theirwits.”
“I know, sweetheart. You’re amazing.” He kissed my cheek. “Thank you forcaring.”
Caring was dangerous. It could break my heart. I had come to care about this pack, about my boys. Sex was one thing. But engaging my heart and becoming further involved had shown me the flip side to the fun pack of shifters who had barbecues and rode horses and shared love andcompanionship.
The deadly side of betrayal, anddeath.
Dante glanced toward the gate. “The Council of Shifters are sending a representative to ensure all the rules were followed. I have to deal with him, and my men, but I want you to return to the lodge. Shower and rest, sweetheart, and when I finish with business I’ll joinyou.”
“What business? More pack members to punish? To ripapart?”
His expression darkened a minute and then he seemed to struggle with his emotions. “Peyton, this is our world. We protect our own and we punish those who betrayus.”
“I understand about Earl. He deserved it. But Paul… couldn’t you have given him anotherchance?”
I barely whispered the words. Amber glowed in his gaze. His wolf still surfaced, clawing to getout.
Dante took a deepbreath.
“I gave him three. I even promoted him to sous chef, even after I caught him in town fraternizing with members of the Brown pack. I thought the extra responsibility would appease him. I promised if he worked hard for a few years, there would be other opportunities. But always, he wanted more. He didn’t like hard work. He could have left on his own. I gave him the chance. Instead, he chose to remain and betray me, endanger thepack.”
He kissed my forehead. “It will be all right,Peyton.”
I stared up at him, my heart twisting. “Will itbe?”
Gabriel and Alex ran up to us. I turned and hugged each one of them, not caring about the blood on their shirts, the stench of violence surrounding them. I needed to touch them, assure myself they weresafe.
Dante searched my expression as I released his betas. “I’ve changed my mind. Gabe, you deal with the rep from the council. Alex, you’re in charge of cleanup. Peyton, come with me. Let’s check on thekids.”
His betas nodded. Gabriel beamed at me. “Way to go, Peyton. You savedus.”
I did not meet his fist bump. “I helped to kill a man. Excuse me if I don’t feel likecelebrating.”
But Alex, dear, sweet and gentle Alex, barred my way as I started to walk off. He clasped my face between his thumb and forefinger. “Stop it, Peyton. Stopit.”
Wide-eyed, I stared. “Alex…”
He dropped his hand and spread his arms out. “This is my family. We protect our own. Out there in the skin world, you have laws and authorities to enforce them. We have pack. The rules exist for a reason. Earl knew what he was doing. He’d been warned. Paul was given a chance. Dante gave him more than enough chance to save himself. Had he made it to the gate, we would have let himgo.”
Alex glanced at Gabriel, who nodded. “Tell her,Alex.”
“I lead the charge against Paul. I reached him first. Instead of trying to escape, he turned.” Alex lifted his shirt and showed an angry line stretching across his torso, seepingblood.
I gasped. “He didthat?”
