“You should not have to knock and wait at any door in your own packhouse. Sloane has just passed a test I devised to help me appoint my personal Chief of Luna Security. Sounds like a grand title deserving of a highly skilled warrior. Congratulations, Sloane, you’re now my new go-to for anything security. You’ll need to liaise with Chief Warrior Glen and Beta Earl to arrange three teams that can rotate for my personal safety. Agree numbers, schedules for home and away escort, etc. I’m sure you know the requirements. If you need new warriors so that we don’t deplete existing teams, get some into the training program quickly. As you’ve chosen to work your day off, you may as well get started right away.” Grinning at her shocked expression, I nod towards the door, and she looks at me in confusion.
“Congratulations on the promotion, Sloane. Now get out and close the door firmly behind you!” Lyle also nods at the door and his wide suggestive eyes get her moving.
“Oh…right…I’ll tell the warrior on guard to make sure you’re not disturbed.” Rushing out as she blushes furiously, Lyle laughsand comes to the desk. Leaning over, he kisses me, and it curls my toes, I have to say.
“Is that why you’re here? You want to test out the desk again?” I stand and wrap my arms around his neck.
“As exciting as that sounds, no, it isn’t why I’m here. I have spoken to Bronze, and we think we need to have a meeting with Flint.”
“Flint? Ah, the councilman.”
“I’ll arrange a visit from him, and then you can be formally introduced. He will be upset too. He has been the one to attend all the Alpha’s bonding ceremonies and pack runs. We did ours without him.”
Chapter 23
BRONZE
Taking the call from Alpha Lyle confirmed the information I’d received from Flint, and his southern sector informant. It’s strange that the southern sector would know so much about the rogues in no-man’s-land, with them being so far away and all. Mind you, nobody saw the connection between Porter and Arric, and that was a shocking revelation, so nothing should come as a surprise anymore.
It would be advantageous if Lyle, Falan, Flint and myself could hold a meeting and discuss Lyle’s latest intelligence, but trying to do that face-to-face will be out of the question. A conference call will have to suffice. The sooner the better, too.
There doesn’t appear to be much happening on the borders lately either. Blood Pearl and Spirit Walker Packs were bearing the brunt of Arric’s skirmishes, but there has been aconsiderable drop in their frequency of late, which begs the question, why?
I don’t think Arric’s army is as big as we all first thought, and he couldn’t sustain the numbers he was losing in those skirmishes. Another possibility is that he was expecting more of the northern and southern sector packs to jump on board. He didn’t sell himself or his big ideas as well as he expected to. Or we could be completely wrong and he, or his mysterious general, could be a military genius. Lyle mentioned something that I found curious. This Number Seven character. Where does he fit in all this? He is certainly aligned with Arric’s cause. An outsider wouldn’t just barge into a camp, wipe them out and walk away. He knew about their orders, too. Could he be the mysterious general? That’s a possibility.
A knock on my door has me looking up, and seeing the door is already opening, I know this will be Taria. My heart still beats faster whenever I see her, and I doubt that will ever change. I suppose it’s the same for all mates. I was happy to hear that Lyle now has his mate. If she is anything like mine, she will make him a very happy Alpha, male and mate.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, my sweet Luna?”
“Flattery, my rugged Alpha, will get you nothing that you haven’t already had. Perhaps just more of it, so do continue.” Taria gives me a sweet smile.
“I was just thinking of Lyle and his mate. If he is as happy with his mate as I am with you, he is a very lucky male.” I give my mate a smug smile.
Taria commences to give me gossip she’s heard. “I hear on the grapevine that she led him a merry dance before she caved in. Apparently, she wanted nothing to do with being mated. Not justto Lyle, but to anyone, and she certainly didn’t want to become a Luna.”
I raise my eyebrows at this, as I’ve heard nothing regarding the matter. “Well, he must have given a compelling argument if she changed her mind. I mean, he’s not exactly unpleasant to look upon. Not as handsome as yours truly, but he’s fair to middling.” I watch for Taria’s reaction to this.
“Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t have thrown him out of bed if the Goddess had offered me first dibs.”
Seeing her wide eyes, I know she is teasing me, but I can’t help the green-eyed monster that surges forth. Grabbing her, I throw her across my knee, give her ass a good slap twice, and then sit her on my lap for a deep and passionate kiss. When we come up for air, she looks at me through glassy eyes. “Maybe I made the right choice, after all.” Placing her hand behind my neck, she pulls me in for another kiss. Ending our second kiss, I wait for her to tell me why she’s here. Not that she needs a reason, but there is usually something. Knowing what my unasked question is, she stands, brushes herself down and smiles coyly. “I have absolutely no idea why I came to see you, but you can be sure I’ll by dropping by more often.” Walking dreamily across the room, she exits and even leaves the door open.
LYLE
Sitting in the orchard on such a beautiful day, you’d think there would be better things to focus on than a coming war. Perhaps if I’d brought Fenya with me. I could have changed my focus somewhat.
I doubt that. She is still extremely combative. She thrives on her warrior nature.Hunter pops into my mind.
‘It’s not always a bad thing. It should keep her safe. She trusts so few people that she is rarely going to be taken by surprise.’
I noticed when running with Astra, she is very alert. Her eyes are everywhere, and she misses nothing.
‘That’s a good habit to have. Oh, talking of eyes, you were going to tell me something about eyes, weren’t you.’ I reply through the mind link to Hunter.
Eyes? What could I tell you about eyes?
‘Number Seven, the mystery shifter, had black eyes. You said you’d tell me about them. With Fenya and the mating bond, I forgot all about it,’ I remind Hunter.
Ah, yes. Those black eyes. Years ago, and I’m talking centuries here, not decades, before the Shadow Warriors became honorable and ‘protectors of the people’, they were indeed a shadowy lot. Essentially, they were the cream of the then-criminal world. All the best criminals sought to become members of the shadow clan. The elite of assassins, thieves, whatever their specialty may be. As they became more and more in demand, so their notoriety grew. They developed into fearsome warriors in an effort to defend themselves against others, who would seek them out for the bounties placed on their heads. Few were captured, and they began to band together, realizing that the more bounty hunters that died, the fewer would come. Eventually, the Shadow Warriors were born out of this necessity, and the monies from the crimes they used to commit became nothing compared to what they could earn as mercenaries, to the rich and noble. In a bid to enhance their strength and stamina, they took to using certain herbal concoctions supplied by equally shady healers. One of the side effects of these herbs when used regularly was all-black eyes.Hunter sits on his haunches in the back of my mind.
