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“Did you forget… Former Gamma Vale took a large group of warriors out for training today.”
“I know.”
“He's been running them harder since the hunter attack.”
“I know.”
“That means fewer warriors spread through the territory.”
“We're still inside Silver Moon.” She reaches for my hands. “Arlene, please. Twenty minutes. I just want to walk somewhere quiet with my friend without fifteen warriors and an overprotective Lycan breathing down my neck.” My wolf shifts beneath my skin.
She's right.
I nearly groan. "You are supposed to be helping me protect her."
We can protect our Luna.
Of course she would say that. I look at Selena again. She smiles, knowing my wolf is on her side. “Twenty minutes.” Her entire face lights up. “Then we're coming straight back.”
“Deal.”
Darian looks at me. I look at him. He knows that look on my face. “You're going with her.”
“Yes. I’m her accomplice. Don’t worry, we’ll be back soon.”
“Stay inside the territory.”
“We are.”
“Mindlink me if anything feels wrong.”
“I will.” His eyes narrow. “I promise.” That satisfies him enough to return his attention to our son.
Paige smiles. “Go. I've got everyone; we’re going to the pack house.” All the kids cheer. We mind as well pack our bags and go live there as Darian suggested. I’ll have to talk to him about that when we return. I walk over and kiss Damian and Darlene, then bend to kiss Arian's soft head. Darian catches the back of my neck before I can straighten and pulls me into a kiss of his own. “Twenty minutes,” he murmurs.
“Twenty minutes, my love, and then we can have some mate time.” Selena clears her throat. I pull away. “You interrupted my maternity leave for this,” I tell her.
She grins. “You're welcome.”
*****
For the first several minutes, I understand why she did it. Cypress Moon Park is peaceful and quiet enough that we can hear the wind moving through the trees. The cool breeze on my skin, the smell of pine from the tall pine trees, flowers dancing in the fields. Selena walks beside me with one hand supporting the underside of her stomach, breathing deeply as if she hasn't been allowed to do that in weeks. “No warriors,” she says. I smile. “No Rylan,” she continues.
“Twenty minutes,” I remind her.
“No one asking if I need to sit down.”
“Do you need to sit down?” Sarcasm is my specialty today.
She glares at me. I laugh. “You're terrible.”
“I'm responsible.”
“You're becoming just like him.”
“Take that back,” I press a hand flat over my heart, my jaw dropping in theatrical offense. Her laugh follows us beneath the trees. For a little while, she's simply Selena again. Not the Luna. Not a pregnant Lycan carrying an Alpha heir. Not someone everyone is terrified of losing. My friend. Then the pack alarm explodes through my head.
Rylan mindlink cuts through like a blade. “ROGUE ATTACK.”
