Page 50 of Taken by Moonlight

They settled back against the seat. Gabriel pointed at me. “What aboutyou?”

Bending over, I reached for the slim laptop kept in a case under the mini bar. “Never mind me. Get some rest. That’s anorder.”

Minutes later, they were fast asleep. When they’d first come into my pack, I taught Alex and Gabe how to slip into REM sleep quickly, as skins do in the military. It’s a matter of training your mind. Just as combat soldiers master this talent so they can rest in the field between engaging the enemy, I needed my men rested and ready to fight at a moment’snotice.

Pulling up a map of the ranch and the surrounding territory, I used a software program Alex installed for me to demarcate the weakest borders where the Browns could slip onto our land. Patrols would ensue at those areas, with high tech cameras and security monitors installed aswell.

Then I emailed the plan to my men waiting at the ranch, as well as Gabe, Alex, James andMason.

For us to function as a pack, we functioned as a highly efficient, oiled fighting machine. Every member knew their place and their duties. During critical times like this, when our borders were challenged by enemies, no one restedeasily.

Every male was on high alert. The females as well, but their job was to protect the weaker members, the old and frail ones, the young and the pregnantfemales.

I’d meant it when I told Gabe to teach Peyton to fight like a girl. I’d seen Chloe, one of my mated females, rip apart a shifter who dared to try to steal one of our babies. The shifter was fortunate enough to remain alive, although he’ll never father children of hisown.

Hard to do that when he’s missing both hisballs.

Satisfied I’d covered my bases, I opened a file on our investment portfolio and began analyzing stock acquisitions anddata.

Absorbed in my work, I almost didn’t notice the shift in the air. But I am attuned to her, and the slightest change in herbreathing.

Peyton wasawake.

She sat up, the blanket spilling to her waist. Sleep dazed her lovely face, but could not disguise the confusion there aswell.

Questions danced in her eyes. Questions I knew I’d have to answer to hersatisfaction.

If I wanted her to do exactly as the three of us hadhoped.