Page 25 of Seduced By Moonlight

Several of his clan members came there to eat, although not all. He ran his castle much like the wolves ran a pack house. Ward liked the community feel.

His clan lived in a working castle on the northern outskirts of San Delain on two hundred and fifty acres. There were forests, meadows, and ponds, along with a mountain range.

Ward shared the range with the dragons—and he built his castle into the side of the mountain. The castle measured around thirty-two thousand square feet, and many of his clan actually lived there.

“Care to share what’s got you looking like a thundercloud?” Tank asked as he sat down across from Ward.

“And a good morning to you too,” Ward said as he ate a plump strawberry. Gargoyles could eat anything and everything, although they required meat, since changing forms took a lot of energy. But Ward had a weakness for fruit.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Spill.”

Ward loved the other male like a brother, and Tank was definitely his best friend, but sometimes the grumpy gargoyle made him nuts. “I’m an idiot.”

Tank squinted at Ward. “It happens to the best of us. What did you do? Maybe I should askwho’dyou do?”

“Don’t make me pour this very fine coffee over your head.”

“Manny would beat you.”

“There is that.”

“So, since you avoided my question, what did you do?”

“It just dawned on me this morning that when the witches trespassed, I didn’t feel it,” Ward said as he bit into a perfectly made omelet full of ham and cheese. “That was the reason for the increase in guards.”

Tank opened his mouth, then shut it. He frowned. “Well, shit.”

“It’s like we all forgot about that little tidbit,” Ward grumbled.

“Could those witches have done a spell to make us forget?”

“It appears they most likely did. They definitely did something so the wards wouldn’t alert me.”

“Then we definitely need to strengthen them. Immediately.” Tank huffed as he stood.

Ward waved Tank back down. “Sit, sit. We’ve already increased the guards, and I’ve spoken to Celine and Rihanna about the wards. I’m going to attend to that as soon as Kayden and his crew leave.”

“Should they even come here right now?”

“There’s nothing to suggest they know anything about Rihanna or the Power of Three, but we’ll keep an eye out. And speaking of them, they should be here momentarily. After they’re gone, I’m going to have Rihanna help Celine strengthen the wards.”

Tank whistled softly.

“She offered to strengthen them with Celine overseeing.”

“Nice of her.”

“I’m not sure nice has anything to do with it. Probably more like she doesn’t want to end up in the same situation she was in earlier with those witches.”

“Hey, whatever works. And you’re fine with her helping?”

“Yes, because Celine will be there too. But it worries me those witches dampened my wards. If someone found a way through once, they might do so again.”

“That’s a possibility, but I’m not sure what they’d hope to accomplish. I mean, if they’re after Rihanna, she hasn’t left the castle since she arrived,” Tank said, buttering a biscuit. “So they’d have to infiltrate us to get to her.”

“I know.”

“I hate to say it, but it needs to be said. It’s funny how that ritual took place, and then Kayden and his crew showed up.”

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