Page 67 of Taken by Moonlight

Dread curled in my stomach. Felicia spoke with such passion and conviction, her aura swirling with colors indicating she spoke the truth. Feeling as if I needed to talk her off the ledge, Inodded.

“Your brother can be overwhelming attimes.”

“At times? He’s apain!”

Seeing the rise of bright silver in her aura, I resorted to instinct. “He’s an alpha, head of your pack. Wolf or human, you must obeyhim.”

The angry colors faded a little. She sank back into the seat. “Yeah, you’reright.”

“Talk to him. He’s arrogant, but I’m sure he can be reasoned with.” I smiled. “Bring food. All guys usually respond better with food. Human orwolves.”

She beamed. “Great idea!” Then she leaned close, sniffing me again. “You smell like the beach. You smell likevacation.”

I laughed. “It’s the coconutshampoo.”

“You don’t mind if I sniffyou?”

“As long as I’ve showered.” I squeezed herhand.

Felicia’s smile faded and she drew away, her brows furrowing. “You should know something about me, Peyton. I’m dangerous. I’m a wolf, and I hurt skins. That’s what everyone tellsme.”

Sensing this was a critical juncture, I leaned close. “Maybe you did in the past because someone hurt you. But I refuse to believe you do itdeliberately.”

Amber flashed in her eyes, signaling the rise of the wolf. Claws emerged from the hand I held. I did not withdraw or loosen my grip. “You don’t?” she asked, and her tone turned deeper, like a growl. “You barely knowme.”

I did not, but I did know auras. “I’d like to get to know you better. You’re a talented young director and writer, and you’re a shifter. And your aura right now tells me you’re scared of hurting me more thananything.”

The amber faded from her eyes, though her claws remained. “You can read my aura that well? What else do you see? Whatcolors?”

“Girlish, spirited pink, tinged with pure love. Imaginative purple and murky red, which meansanger.”

“I am angry a lot lately. Most at myself.” She sighed. “Whatelse?”

For a moment I hesitated. But she should know the truth. “Cloudy gray. It means fear. There’s a lot of fear threading through all the colors, Felicia. And… there is much silver lining the green line of your aura. More than any other werewolf I’vemet.”

“Silver means my wolf. It’s controlling me,” she saidslowly.

I reached over with my other hand, covered hers, claws and all. She remained motionless. “Then learn how to control it. It’s like having a bad temper, Felicity. You have to work at it. TrustDante.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

The claws retracted as quickly as they had emerged. Felicity glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s time for my lessons. Every day I go for lessons with Ryder, one of the cowboys. He’s been teaching me to curb my wildness through barrel racing. Wannawatch?”

“For a while.” I needed to find Dante, share with him what Felicia had told me. It seemed the alpha was dangerously close to pushing his beloved sister so hard, he could loseher.

Dante didn’t giveme time to find him. He hunted me down soon as I left the lodge and headed outside. Felicia was already bouncing toward the corral near the barns. She vanished around the corner of the lodge as Danteapproached.

Warmth suffused me as he swung me into his arms, gave me a deep kiss. When we managed to pull apart, he set me on my feet and smiled atme.

I’d never seen such a smile on him. Usually serious, this smile made him look younger and carefree, as if the weight of the pack didn’t rest on hisshoulders.

I poked him in the chest with my finger. “That was not nice, baiting me likethat.”

“I know.” His smile faded. He picked up my hand and kissed each knuckle, a gentle brush of his lips. “I apologize for doing so, Peyton. But I had to be certain how you were around ouryoung.”

“Why? Plan to ask me to babysit thisweekend?”

His gaze searched mine. “I do have plans for you this weekend, but they are more of the adult nature. I was more concerned with how you acted around Felicia. She means the world to me. Forgiveme?”