She giggled. “Again!”

After three more times, Lexi was out of breath. “I shouldn’t have started doing this. Maizy never liked it, but Mel will probably ask me to do it when she’s twelve.”

I giggled and patted her cheek. “You’ll be a good mama someday.”

Her smile waned. “Maybe.”

Chapter 21

That evening, we split up and headed to our assigned locations. Trevor and William were on point to guard the front and back of the house, and Jericho’s wolf circled the property. Shifters communicated with their animal on a completely different level. During the shift, there’s a moment when both spirits inhabit the same space and intentions are understood, so Jericho’s wolf knew his job was to guard the territory. Shifters are intuitive creatures, vastly superior to their animal counterparts in the wild.

“What do you do for a living?” Lorenzo’s packmate asked in a rich baritone.

“Moreland, I’m an exotic dancer,” I said matter-of-factly.

He chuckled. “With a body like yours, it would be a sin if you weren’t.”

Moreland looked like a strong man. He was three shades darker than me with the appearance of an exotic islander, from his broad nose to his almond-shaped eyes. Most men with long hair kept it free or tied it back. But Moreland had precise rows of braids against his head going back.

“So, how long have you been with Lorenzo’s pack?”

Moreland switched on the high beams when we exited the highway. “Since the beginning. Enzo values loyalty, and we’ve been like brothers since before our change. Except now our brotherhood has grown,” he said with a thick chuckle. “He’s a better man with a good woman at his side.”

“How’s Ivy been getting along with her new family?”

“We’re glad she chose us—chose him. A Packmaster is only as strong as his mate. She might look like a delicate little flower, but Ivy’s fierce. That woman doesn’t mess around. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a compassionate soul and keeps a nice balance in the pack. After they had the baby, pregnancy became contagious in our pack.” He laughed and turned the wheel. “It’s good to see the mated couples finally having children. Lorenzo made it a house, but Ivy made it a home.”

“I guess that makes her a good bitch,” I said with a playful smile.

“Noo.” Moreland wagged his finger. “Don’t ever use that word to describe Ivy around Enzo; he’ll have your head for it.”

“And I thought all this time the wolves defended their use of the word as a term of endearment.”

He smiled. “You’re funny. Those damn humans always have to dirty up a good word. It seems like most men have a problem with it after they find a good woman.”

I looked into the inky woods when he pulled the car off the side of the road. Moreland shut off the engine and the lights blinked out. “You stay behind me. Hear? This is just a reconnaissance mission.”