Page 41 of Seduced By Moonlight

Ward had dealt with hunters, rogues, and even bigotry within his own ranks, but never had he encountered magic so unpredictably fused with technology.

And wasn’t that exactly what the hunters had achieved with their DNA experiments—combining magic and technology in a way that shouldn’t have ever been attempted?

The sounds of the night wrapped around him, a soothing symphony of distant animal cries and the rustle of leaves in the gentle wind. These sounds often brought comfort, but tonight they underscored his loneliness. If only he had someone to stand with him under the moonlight.

Instead, he stood alone, his mind churning with the duties of leadership and responsibilities to his clan, plus to the paranormal community as a whole.

Still, there was something invigorating about the new challenges ahead. It wasn’t just managing threats. Hudson and Kage had offered the opportunity to strengthen bonds with them.

Tank’s words came back to Ward as he stared out into the night. Tank worried if they didn’t change with the times, they’d become stagnant, and then Time would leave them behind. Ward would not let that happen.

His stomach grumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. Satisfied with what he’d accomplished so far, he made his way downstairs to grab something to eat.

Right before he arrived in the dining area, he got a text back from Celine saying she didn’t recognize the description. That was too bad, but not surprising. Celine tended to stay in his territory like the rest of the clan.

Arriving in the dining area, he absentmindedly moved through the buffet line, collecting his meal while preoccupied with strategies and alliances. His thoughts drifted to the upcoming emergency meeting at Isadora’s as he ate. How would the others react to Rihanna and what she was?

After finishing his meal, Ward returned to his quarters. He needed to send the inspiration stuff to Kayden. Seating himself at the desk, he powered up his computer and started browsing the Internet for ideas he liked for his castle.

He’d just sent all the information to Kayden when a message from Hudson popped up on his computer.Upon opening it, he found the time and location for the emergency meeting, which was scheduled for the upcoming Tuesday night.

That was convenient, because construction was set to begin Wednesday night. He stared at the email. Normally, he only brought Tank with him, but this time he’d be taking not only Tank, but his entire council as well. It was time for them to meet the other leaders.

He wondered how his council would react. Joel had always been the skeptic, the one who questioned every alliance and scrutinized every new development. Which was fine, but Ward needed all his council members on board—complaints and all.

Ward prepared a brief message in response to Hudson’s email, confirming the date and the additional attendees.

He paused momentarily before hitting send, considering the potential ramifications of bringing his entire council into these discussions. It wasn’t just about sharing insights or strategic planning—it was about showing a unified commitment to collaboration.

After sending the email, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. There was an underlying tension that came with these kinds of interactions.

Each group had their own secrets. Finding common ground required navigating a minefield of hidden motives and historical grievances.

But the other paranormals had done it, so Ward’s council would just have to suck it up too.

CHAPTER TWELVE –KAYDEN

“I’M SORRY, what?” Kayden asked. Surely, he hadn’t heard Lance right.

Lance hunched down in the driver’s seat. “You heard me.”

“I know I heard you. I just don’t understandwhatI heard.” Kayden glared at Lance, but he was driving, so he couldn’t see Kayden’s excellent death glare, dammit. “Explain who that woman was.”

“Gah. Fine, fine. Remember, I told you I went to Club Nomadic to help me switch over from days to nights?”

“Yes,” Kayden said, fingers tapping on the center console. “I do remember you telling us. You damn sure mentioned nothing aboutthis, though.”

“I really didn’t see a point in it. I mean, nothing happened.”

“Nothing might have happened,” Mika piped up from the backseat, “but you didn’t pick up anybody that night. Instead, you went for a run. Was she the reason you did that? Because you’d met her, and your tiger needed room to run its aggravation off?”

Lance flashed Mika a dirty look in the rearview mirror. “Maybe.”

“Which in Lance speak means yes,” Mika said.

“Can you just tell us what happened?” Kayden counted to ten in his head. Sometimes they really drove him crazy.

“Really, it was nothing,” Lance claimed.

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