Page 20 of Taken by Moonlight

Fightandfuck.

“Norm,” I yelled, not for me, but out of fear for the crowd, which would erupt into violence any minute. Someone could getkilled.

I had never witnessed this kind of violent aura energy since workinghere.

Dante shrugged out of his dinner jacket and placed it around my tremblingshoulders.

Fortunately, Rodney’s alpha, Sam, ran over. He shook his younger brother some more. “You numbskull.” He jabbed a finger at his brother’s chest. “How many times did I warn you? Do. Not.Touch.”

Sam shook his brother again. “Apologize to the lady. AndDante.”

Staring at the ground, Rodney muttered a half-heartedapology.

The bear alpha shook him again. “Louder, younit.”

Rodney took a deep breath. He looked straight at me, and then Dante. “I’msorry.”

Dantenodded.

Sam noddedback.

Whether that was some secret shifter thing, an alpha acknowledgement, I didn’t know. Or care. The important matter was the crowd’s auras faded to a mild yellow laced withred.

No more black. Shoulders sagging with relief, I released a smallsigh.

At least I could feel safe now. Facing a room filled with angry, cranked up shifters wasn’t pleasant for anyone, let alone a human who couldn’t change into awolf.

Or abear.

Or atiger.

Or alion.

Or apanther.

Or acoyote.

Even a snake shifter like Norm could defend himself better than I could against fangs andclaws.

“When we get home, you’re scrubbing the bathroom floors on your hands and knees. With a toothbrush,” Sam admonished hisbrother.

Sam dragged his red-faced brother away. The rest of the clan surrounded him and they left in ahurry.

Saying nothing, Dante watched them. When they had exited the room, he studied thecrowd.

“Peyton is ours. Understand? The next shifter who dares to touch her will leave here in a bodybag.”

Ours?

“Ah.” I struggled to find my voice. “Dante, what is this about…ours?”

His dark gaze flicked to me. He offered a reassuring smile that did nothing to reassureme.

“I’ll see you soon, Peyton. I have to settle with Norm. Go to the room, getcomfortable.”

Surprise shot through me as he stepped forward, and pressed the sweetest kiss against my coldcheek.

He turned and leapt off the stage. I could almost envision him as alpha wolf, leaping onto the floor on all fourpaws.

A cold chill shot down myspine.

Ours?

What the hell had I gotten myselfinto?