Page 8 of Mated By Moonlight

What else would a woman want to know? “I was in the military before this, and now I’m a pack enforcer. It’s my job to protect everyone in the pack.”

As he spoke, a woman walked by and cast him a sultry look. Gideon initially ignored her, but then decided to address it, thinking it might help his case. “That woman,” he said, nodding toward her, “we were in an intimate relationship once. She clearly wants me back, but I’m no longer interested.”

Maize’s eyes widened, and she tilted her head, confusion etched on her features. “So you’re not interested in women anymore? Is that what you're trying to tell me? That you're into guys?”

Gideon balked, realizing he had completely missed the mark. “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m still interested in women. I’m interested in…”

Maize raised her eyebrow. Behind him, Gideon heard Caleb whistle low, like a missile dropping from high up in the sky just waiting for impact. Yeah, he was really blowing this.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m trying to show you that I'm capable and dependable."

"Why do I feel like I'm on a job interview, but you're the one who's being interviewed with questions I'm not even asking?"

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"Actually, yeah, I do. Is this whole fated mates thing a scam?"

6

Maize stoodat the edge of the dance floor, her eyes never straying far from Liza. Her sister was laughing, her face alight with joy as she danced with the attractive shifter. Maize hadn't tried to gouge his eyes out for two reasons.

The first was that the man was related to Gideon Blackwood. She could tell by his looks as he'd approached her and Liza. And then he'd introduced himself as such.

But secondly, she had let the young wolf keep his vision because she could tell he wasn't interested in her sister. Elijah was a flirt, that much was evident by the charm that oozed out of his veins. Maize saw past that. Beneath that veneer, he'd given Liza the same look that his older brother had. Well, mostly the same look.

Elijah looked down at Liza with a bright smile, but not a leer. The fingertips of one hand rested lightly, respectfully on her hip. The other held her palm in his big paw with a loose grip. His gaze was friendly. Not proprietary. Not calculating. It was a look that saidI'm safe, and I'll keep you safe.

White flag.

That was how Gideon had looked at Maize. Except there had been a light of interest in Gideon's eyes. As she looked up at him now, she could see that the light was flaring brighter.

“You don’t need to worry about Elijah,” Gideon said, his voice low and steady. “He’s not interested in finding his fated mate. He enjoys being single too much. And he would never pretend a woman was his fated mate if she wasn’t. That’s deplorable behavior.”

Maize’s heart skipped a beat, suspicion creeping into her voice. “How do you know what happened to my sister?”

Gideon didn’t flinch. “We looked you and Liza up. I needed to make sure my pack was protected. They’re my family.”

“So you spied on us?”

Gideon met her gaze without hesitation. “I did what I had to do to ensure everyone’s safety. And I suspect you did the same. You chose this job not just for the project, but for the safety and protection of being on this land with my pack.”

Maize didn't deny it. She had researched Moonridge Mountain and the Ironwood wolf pack extensively, hoping it would be a sanctuary for her and Liza. She looked into Gideon’s eyes, searching for any sign of deceit. Instead, she found sincerity and a quiet strength that made her heart ache with longing. Why couldn't Liza have fallen for this wolf instead of Rob? But then the thought of Liza with Gideon made her teeth clench.

“Rob won’t get to you here.” There was a promise in Gideon's voice. “You’re safe on this land. I’ll make sure of it.”

Green flag.

As she gazed into his eyes, Maize felt a surge of emotions—relief, gratitude, and an unsettling sense of attraction. Despite her fears and doubts, Gideon made her feel protected in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

For a brief instant, Maize allowed herself to believe in the possibility of fated mates, in the idea that maybe, just maybe, Gideon could be the one to stand by her side. But the scars of the past year ran deep. Trust was something that had to be earned.

She turned from Gideon, her gaze searching for Liza among the dancers. Before she could spot her sister, her view was obstructed by two children—a boy and a girl—running and playing with their friends. They were shifter children, adolescents really, their laughter ringing out like bells in the night. As Maize watched, the children caught sight of each other and suddenly stopped. Their playful expressions turned serious as they stared at each other.

A strange sensation washed over Maize, a feeling of warmth and joy that emanated from the children. It was almost as if she could feel the power of their connection, a bond that transcended the physical and reached into the very essence of their beings. The boy and girl grinned at each other shyly, their eyes alight with an unspoken understanding.

Maize turned to Gideon, her heart pounding. "Did I just witness a fated mate bond?"

Gideon nodded, his gaze still fixed on the children. "Yes, you did."

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