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breath. “Between us, I’m not ready for this. I curse my father every day.”
    Kieran had been present for most of those curses. Blaine called his father a couple times a day to bust his balls about ditching his responsibilities. However, Kieran knew it was all in fun. “You’re more than ready. You know it, your leopard knows it.”
    “Who’s staying here until the last of the Pack are moved?” Graham asked.
    Checking his cell, Blaine replied, “Kieran and I are. You go in the second wave.”
    Graham worked his jaw but didn’t argue. As if sensing something Kieran didn’t, Blaine cupped his mate’s head. “I can’t lose either of you.”
    A growl rumbled from the puma. “ We can’t lose you. You need another guard.”
    “Guard.” Quickly, Blaine kissed Graham on the lips then turned to Kieran. “Alpha guards. The bears have Sentinels whose sole purpose is to protect the Alpha.”
    Kieran nodded. “All Packs have them at some time.”
    “That’s your job. Find and train Sentinels.”
    “The Elders are putting together an enforcement team. I’ll mention to the Council about extending it to Sentinels.” Kieran pulled out his phone and sent a text to Keegan.
    Ask me about Sentinels at the Elder meeting .
    The one thing that worried Kieran was finding shifters with the strength and discipline needed to be an Alpha’s protector.
     
    ****
     
    Ana stood in front of a large group of chatting, and in some cases, babbling toddlers and their mothers who were blocking the tunnel’s entrance. They were waiting for the signal from Cora, who was at the other end, to go as a group.
    Holding her hand up, palm facing the group, Ana spoke in a soft and steady voice. “I need everyone quiet for a few minutes.”
    For some reason, the kids listened to her. Whether they found her fascinating or scary, she didn’t know. They fell silent, and she smiled. “Thank you. I want everyone to grab on to the hand of the cat or wolf next to you. That is your buddy until we reach Ashwood. Understood?”
    They nodded and did as she said. Then a yip echoed through the tunnel. Ana sucked in her lip to keep from smiling. She turned to see the only four-year-old – soon to be five-year-old - in the Pack who was able to shift into the most adorable white wolf. “Are you leading us to the new den?”
    Joselyn—Josie—Hunter, Travis and Shayna’s daughter, let out another yip and trotted down the tunnel toward Ashwood. A moment later, Shayna’s voice entered her mind. “ She’s your single. Sorry, she insisted. ”
    “ No problem .”
    “Okay, pups and cubs, I want everyone to be very quiet. Place your fingers over your lips, and don’t remove them until we are through the tunnel.” Ana turned and followed Josie at a slow pace.
    About halfway through, Rhea, the wolf den mother and school director, stepped up beside Ana. “You are great with kids.”
    “Thank you.” Ana’s chest ached. Someone had to be the small shifters’ protector and teacher at Onyx. She was the only one who seemed to care, besides Sable.
    They walked the rest of the way in silence. Once at the border, so to speak, of MoonRiver and Ashwood, Ana stopped everyone then pressed her right palm to the wall where a hidden sensor was. The sensor read her fingerprints as well as her magickal energy.
    From this day forward, only the Pack officials, enforcers, and sentries would have access to the tunnels. If someone without access wanted to travel them, they would be escorted through.
    A green light shown at the end of the tunnel, indicating that it was safe for them to continue.
    Rhea whistled. “This is high tech.”
    Ana smiled at her. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
     

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Ana settled onto Kieran’s sofa and sighed at the fire going in the fireplace. A cold front had moved in about an hour after the move from MoonRiver was complete. The sudden change in the weather chilled her to the bone.
    Kieran handed her a glass of