 
Southwest Shifters

Sizzling Paranormal Romance with Werewolves, Witches, Alpha Heroes, and a Hint of Magic

by

Anna Lowe  
Lisa Kessler  
J.K. Harper  
Bianca D'Arc
Southwest Shifters

Copyright © 2020

(C) Anna Lowe, (C) Lisa Kessler, (C) J.K. Harper, (C) Bianca D'Arc

Cover art by Kim Killion

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental.

# Contents

Southwest Shifters

Desert Hunt

The Lone Wolf's Wish

Guardian Wolf

Phoenix Rising

Author Information

## Southwest Shifters

### Four sizzling shifter romances set in the Desert Southwest

###

Immerse yourself in seductive, suspenseful paranormal romances set amidst the spellbinding scenery of the Desert Southwest. Take off on the back of a coyote shifter's motorcycle, soar through the sky with a phoenix shifter, and fall in love with the wolf shifter of your dreams. Howl at the full moon as it rises over mesas, canyons, and mysterious ruins of cultures long past. Surrender yourself to destiny and lose yourself in sizzling romance. Don't miss these four unforgettable shifter romances set in the Desert Southwest!

### Desert Hunt by Anna Lowe

Rae has a secret — one she can't allow any wolf pack to discover. But with an old enemy hot on her heels, she has no option but to trust Zack, the man from the wrong side of the tracks. Taking off on the back of Zack's Harley seems like good idea at first, but when she lowers her defenses for the captivating coyote shifter, she might just be risking it all.

### The Lone Wolf's Wish by Lisa Kessler

Shane Dodd has lost everything, his Pack, his home, and hope. His only wish this Christmas is to live long enough to exact revenge on the Nero assassin he believes killed his Pack. But when he steps between a bullet and Piper Holland everything changes. The woman dressed as one of Santa's elves is his mate, and she ignites a flame in his heart. But hope and love are dangerous wishes for a lone wolf.

### Guardian Wolf by J.K. Harper

Being a Guardian for the Black Mesa Wolf Pack meant everything to Lily Bardou, until the night she made a fatal mistake. Since then, she's kept her wild side tightly leashed, denying her responsibilities to her pack and her own sensual needs. Then Kieran Rendall prowls into her life, very willing to help Lily let go of the past—and to unlock her caged passions.

### Phoenix Rising by Bianca D'Arc

Lance is inexplicably drawn to the sun and doesn't understand why. Tina is a witch who remembers him from their high school days. She'd had a crush on the quiet boy who had an air of magic about him. Reunited by Fate, she wonders if she could be the one to ground him and make him want to stay even after the fire within him claims his soul...if only their love can be strong enough.
Desert Hunt

The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch

by Anna Lowe

## Desert Hunt

### Strictly off limits — or destined mates?

Rae has a secret — one she can't allow any wolf pack to discover. But with an old enemy hot on her heels, she has no option but to trust Zack, the man from the wrong side of the tracks. Taking off on the back of Zack's Harley seems like good idea at first, but when she lowers her defenses for the captivating coyote shifter, she might just be risking it all.

The new she-wolf in town may be strictly off-limits, but Zack just can't keep away. When the thrill of the chase gets his blood pumping in more ways than one, he's ready to overstep every boundary and break every rule. Destiny says she's his — but the pack's ruling alpha says she belongs to another.

## Prologue

"Rae!"

It was a barked order, not a request.

Rae gritted her teeth and counted to five before turning slowly and facing the source: Sabrina, the daughter of the wolf pack's ruling alpha. The girl was seventeen and still a spoiled brat. Rae didn't want to imagine what the girl might be like in another couple of years.

"My father wants you in his office. Now." Sabrina underpinned the command with a flick of her glossy mane.

Rae wouldn't have thought it possible for a wolf shifter to be a princess, but there it was. Sabrina made damn sure she punctuated every sentence with a jangle of gold bracelets and the same two words — _my father_ — reminding everyone of the pecking order around here.

That was one of the bitter truths of pack hierarchy. The alphas and their offspring ruled the roost, and the rest of the pack had no choice but to fight or submit. Twenty-eight hardscrabble years had taught Rae that all too well.

She chipped another little piece off her soul and did as directed, pretending to be like the others. A good little female meant for hearth and home — and definitely, definitely, not for the hunt.

She worked off the tension steeling her jaw, reminding herself she had something far, far more special in her heritage than alpha blood. Something secret. But she'd be damned if she let on to anyone. A pack would claim her forever if they found out, and then she'd never be free.

"Do you ever bother looking in a mirror?" Sabrina eyed Rae's tangled hair.

_Not nearly as often as you._ Rae nearly shot the words out but caught herself on the first syllable. So what if her long brown hair was usually thrown into a loose ponytail? So what if her figure said _athlete_ and not _cover girl_? That's who she was, and she liked it that way. She'd leave the plunging necklines to curvy girls like Sabrina, because attracting unwanted attention could be a dangerous thing.

She set off, finger-combing her hair on the way to the alpha's office and flicking away a burr she'd picked up that morning. So she'd been out wandering again. Was that so wrong for one of their kind?

Except she wasn't exactly their kind. Oh, she was a wolf shifter all right, but one born to another pack. And even back home in Colorado, she'd always been different. The one who didn't quite fit in.

Her inner wolf let out a snort. _A lot different. If only they knew._

Rae eyed the alpha's office door warily before giving it a nervous knock. There was a grunt, and she entered, dropping her eyes in the required sign of subordination to the grizzled old alpha and his haughty mate. Even after all these years at Westend pack, the gesture didn't come easily.

"Your lucky day has come," Roric announced, curt and cold. "Pack your things."

For this alpha, a smile and a sneer were one and the same. What did he mean by _lucky day?_

Rae glanced uncertainly at Roric's mate, who frowned in acid disapproval of Rae's dusty jeans, her plain blue T-shirt, her... Well, her everything.

"Get moving." Roric jutted his square chin toward the door. "Another pack is willing to try you out for a season."

Rae's heart thumped. She'd been hoping something would come along in another pack — a job, an internship, anything. She'd had enough of Nevada. Not so much the heat or the dusty flats but the stifling hierarchy of Roric's Westend pack. That and the fact that these shifters had sold their souls. Gambling was big business in Nevada, but as far as Rae was concerned, it was a business wolf packs had no place in. What happened to their connection to the earth, to the old ways?

Unfortunately, Roric's pack had only let go of _some_ of the old ways. They'd clung to the rest: the crushing, absolutist authority, the strict delineation of male and female roles. The only consolation was that Roric wasn't as bad as some others — like the alpha Rae had fled in Colorado ten years earlier. Here, her body was safe. And by now, she'd learned the ropes. If she toed the line carefully, she had a modicum of freedom. After all, no one ever paid attention to what the odd wolf out did on the night of a new moon.

But who knew what it would be like in a different pack?

"Where?" she blurted.

Roric waved a lazy hand as if it were all the same to him. But that gesture, like so many others, was probably rehearsed. The alpha didn't do anything without analyzing it for the benefits — to him and his pack. Individual wishes didn't register on his list.

"Arizona. Twin Moon Ranch."

She caught a breath. When she'd put in a request for a transfer, she'd been thinking East Coast, where the packs were said to be more modern-minded. But Arizona? Wolf packs in the Four Corners area were known to be old school. And Arizona — that was old-old school. Who knew what kind of alpha she'd have there?

She glanced around, second-guessing herself. Westend had never felt like home, but did she really want to start all over again?

The hard faces greeting her provided all the answer she needed: the decision was made.

"Who knows," the alpha female added with a conspiratorial glance at her partner. "You might finally find a suitable mate there."

Rae hid the stutter in her breath. Was that a hint? A threat? The room leaned in over her, as enclosed spaces always did. She let her chin dip into the briefest nod, asking — begging — to be dismissed while her mind spun. _Arizona?_

Roric flicked a finger toward the door. She was released.

"Good luck," Sabrina called, her tone clashing with the words.

Right, luck. Rae had been in Nevada long enough to know that it took a hell of a lot of waiting to win at any gamble. Better to make her own luck, or at least stack the odds in her favor.

She hurried to her room, forcing calm over her mind as she decided which of her few belongings mattered enough to take. Topping the list was her recurve bow and a freshly fletched set of arrows, with a few silver-tipped ones, just in case. Because there were wolves, and there were _wolves_. Who knew what Arizona might bring?

## Chapter One

Zack stretched and squinted into the morning sun. He took a deep, testing breath and got a lungful of promise. He did it again, just to be sure. No, he hadn't been dreaming. The desert really was alive with an enticing new scent. One of those fresh, optimistic scents that said spring was coming and everything would be new, good, and clean. He'd gotten home late last night after a week away tracking, but the scent had struck him the minute he rolled his Harley back onto the ranch. Something like the fragrance of a century plant in bloom — something that didn't come along but once in a very long time.

He looked around, searching for the first hints of spring as he walked the meandering path that connected his hermit's cabin to the bustling central part of the ranch. But nothing was blooming, at least not yet. The ocotillo weren't showing any scarlet buds, nor were the manzanitas giving any hint of color.

So what the hell was that scent?

He sniffed again, figuring it was one of those tricks of nature. The desert was full of mirages that showed a man what he wanted to see, only to cackle and whisk them away. For all that his Navajo mother had tried instilling the beauty of nature in him, his white father's skeptical nature seemed to win out. The desert was simply another place on earth — just emptier, quieter, and more dangerous than the rest.

He wound around the ranch outbuildings, heading for the work shed. A tracker's job was an on-and-off gig that he balanced with projects on the ranch. This past week, he'd been tracking trespassers on the north edge of pack territory. A gang of three, it seemed, who'd long since come and gone. Nothing to worry about.

Today seemed like a normal morning on the ranch with the usual guys out on the usual jobs. Except that Ty, the pack's second-in-command, was over there, looking like a thundercloud that had stalled on a craggy mountain peak. Zack pulled up in midstep, wondering what was wrong. Ty was hacking at the earth like it was his mortal enemy.

"Hey," Zack called by way of greeting. He walked up and steadied the fence post while Ty chopped the earth around it in short, angry swipes.

"Hey," Ty grunted without looking up.

For Ty, that passed for warm and fuzzy. Anyone but Zack, his oldest friend, would have earned an outright growl.

The funny thing was, they had no business being friends. They'd both known it, even as kids. As the alpha's oldest son, Ty couldn't mix with just anyone and neither could the no-good half-breed from out on the western fringe of the ranch. Yet somehow, that was enough to bond them in spite of the odds.

"You okay?" Zack ventured, watching Ty hack away.

"Sure. Good."

Zack lifted an eyebrow but kept his mouth shut. He sighed and found himself savoring the air. That scent was stronger down here on the ranch. A scent that tempted him to hope for something better in life. He bent his head against it, concentrating on his work. Hope only led to disappointment — a lesson he'd learned young and hard.

Of course, that lesson only held true for some people. Hope sure seemed to work for people like Ty's younger brother Cody, who was walking by now, chipper as always.

"Heya, Zack! Ty!"

Zack gave him a nod. Yes, optimism worked if you were the younger son of an alpha and life laid a golden path before your feet. Light on responsibility but heavy on privilege.

Ty straightened, bringing his six-foot-two frame eye to eye with Zack's. As the oldest son and heir apparent, Ty had it the other way around: heavy on responsibility, light on privilege. These days, his intense eyes pretended he was more machine than man, but Zack knew the truth. Inside was a man yearning to breathe free.

Funny how two friends could be so different, yet so very much alike.

Working and sweating side by side... They hadn't done that in a while, and it felt good. Zack could forget he was the son of a vagrant wolf and a coyote mother, and Ty could pretend he could take on the whole world all by himself.

"You got it?" Ty murmured.

"Got it."

They switched places, Ty bracing the post while Zack excavated. He couldn't resist another long drag of that air. Might as well enjoy it while it lasted. That scent was full of color and life and... Damn it, there it was again: promise.

A dog huffed in the distance, and a woman turned the corner at the very same moment that the desert expunged another breath of that sweet, clear air. Zack watched her glide by with an easy, graceful step, and his wolf gave an appreciative whistle before launching into one of his inner monologues.

_Bet she could run for miles._

Yeah, she probably could.

_Bet she could scale the hills without losing her breath._

That, too.

_Bet she could lead a wolf on a chase to remember..._

He slammed the brakes on there and gave his head a firm shake.

"Check it out," one of the ranch hands whispered to another. Zack's keen ears caught every word. "The new girl."

"Yeah, welcome to the ranch, sweetheart," the other ranch hand said, not loud enough for her to hear.

Zack's inner wolf growled.

With that windswept almond hair and lanky limbs, she was much, much too appealing for her own good. The defiant jut of her chin wasn't for show; this was a woman ready to defend her cause, whatever it was. Pretty and totally unafraid. A dangerous combination for an unclaimed female away from her home turf.

Zack followed her movements much longer and closer than he'd intended. Everything about her said wild, tangled, and free. Everything he wanted to be.

A dozen pairs of eyes trailed after her as she strode across the work yard, with one strap of her overalls loose, the other tight. A new female on the ranch was always cause for speculation, and a colt-legged, sharp-eyed country girl like this scored highest of all. And from the looks of it, _score_ was on every man's mind.

He tested the air. She was a shifter, all right. He could sense the wolf in her, see the self-control holding the beast in check. It was right there, under the surface — closer than most females shifters allowed their wolves, as if she was on guard. The question was, on guard against what?

_Not your type,_ part of his brain ordered. _Definitely not your type._

_Just my type,_ his wolf growled.

_Exactly my type,_ his coyote agreed.

That's what he got for being a mixed-breed: two voices in his head, even if he only ever shifted into the same canine body — big as a wolf with the dun-colored coat and pointed muzzle of a coyote. But the voices were always separate inside, and the wolf and coyote parts of his brain rarely agreed.

_We agree on her,_ both chuckled at the same time.

## Chapter Two

Zack watched a dog run up to the new girl, putting on a snarling show. But she stopped it with a single firm syllable. Within a minute, she'd turned the vicious mutt into a leg-thumping puddle of mush. Half the guys in sight looked like they'd be ready to do the same until a harsh whisper broke the mood.

"Crap! Look."

"Quick. He's coming."

Everyone scrambled back to work as the sound of booted feet stalked into the yard. Old Tyrone, senior alpha of the pack, was approaching, and everybody went on high alert. Zack's shoulders tensed and he gripped the post tighter. Ty did, too; he could sense it.

The alpha stomped right up to Zack, clamped a viselike hand over the back of his neck, and squeezed. Zack held his breath and stood very, very still. From a distance, the older man's gesture might pass for a wise old alpha leaning in to give a young up-and-comer a word of well-meaning advice.

Something like, _Doing good, son?_

As if the old man had ever taken the time to give him words like that.

_Good job on the last tracking assignment._

That would be like a foreign language, though. The only praise he'd ever gotten came from soothing female voices like Aunt Jean's, or his mother's, a long time ago.

But this was old Tyrone, and his grip was a threat. A warning.

_My son will be alpha of this pack someday._ That's what the gesture said. _You, boy, are nothing. You never will be. Dare to think otherwise and I will snap your dirty neck._

As a kid, it had been terrifying.

As an adult, it should have been laughable. Zack had done a lot of growing since then, topping out a good two inches over the alpha. He could take on the grizzled old man if he wanted. But why would he want to? He would never do anything that might threaten the stability of his pack.

He shrugged out of the hold. What was the old man warning him off now? The woman? He could have snorted. All he wanted was to finish the day's work so he could get out in the open and find whatever it was that was tickling him inside. That scent — everything in him screamed to track it down until he knew it, understood it, rubbed himself in it. To possess even a tiny part of it.

His coyote sniffed the air, considering. _That scent is nice. New._

_Mine,_ the wolf snarled.

Zack stood quietly, willing Tyrone away.

The old man rolled his knuckles until they cracked, waiting for Zack to submit. Except submissive wasn't in Zack's blood, and they both knew it.

He wished the old alpha would just get it. Was he a born alpha? Yes. Did he have to challenge pack leadership to prove it? No. All he wanted was his own space, and out on the periphery was fine with him. He'd never do anything to the detriment of the pack. Never. Why couldn't the old man get that?

_Back off, old man,_ Zack's wolf snarled inside, though he held perfectly still.

It was Ty who broke the impasse by clearing his throat — turning the old man's ire on him.

"You talk to her yet?" the old alpha growled at his son.

Zack nearly answered. _Not yet._ Because it felt like he ought to have talked to the woman, or he already had. Like he somehow knew her, or they'd met before.

But the question wasn't directed at him. It was aimed at Ty, who let a second tick by before answering.

"Not yet." His voice was so low, it could have been a rumble from behind the hills.

"When then?"

What the hell was that all about?

"When I decide," Ty growled back.

"There's nothing to decide. Just do it," the old man ordered.

Zack had to wonder what was worse: having an absent bastard of a father, like his own, or an all-too-present bastard of a father, like Ty's. The old man was always there, looking over his son's shoulder. Over everyone else's, too.

Old Tyrone aimed another glare of warning at Zack — who stared back — before releasing a regal grunt and moving away.

Another minute ticked by before either Zack or Ty released a breath. Ty scratched at his ear and drilled his heel into the ground, suddenly weary.

"The new girl, Rae..." he started.

Zack glanced at the retreating figure as the letters roller-coastered through his mind. Rae. A name for the face already imprinted on his memory. Something rumbled low in his gut before she turned a corner and disappeared, taking the breeze of promise with her.

Two of the younger ranch hands strode purposefully after her, only to suddenly divert under Tyrone's withering glare.

"Make sure none of the guys mess around with her," Ty finished, his voice grim.

Zack barely arrested the sharp swivel of his head. What did Ty care for the newcomer?

He hazarded a covert sniff of his friend. A second sniff confirmed the first: there wasn't a trace of lust on the alpha-in-waiting. Ty hadn't shown sincere interest in any woman for years — at least, no interest in anything more than a quick romp and roll. The local girls threw themselves at him like a herd of lovesick broodmares but rarely lucked out, unless Ty's wolf decided to sample the offerings. His human side was more restrained and had been for years. Ever since the time he'd come home from a trip and gone half out of his mind, searching for a mate that didn't exist.

And there it was: proof that the desert was full of tricks. If Ty — unmovable, unassailable Ty — could be thrown into a tailspin over a mystery scent, then Zack should be on guard, too.

He willed his nostrils to stop testing the air as he covertly regarded his friend. If it wasn't lust, why did Ty care about the woman? The only emotion he could pick up in Ty was a platonic kind of protectiveness, the kind he showed around any man who had the nerve to prowl too close to his sisters. Maybe Rae was a distant cousin or something. Maybe that's why old Tyrone pushed Zack away.

"We need a new post-hole digger," Ty grumbled as the tool snapped with a rusty crunch. "Damn thing's broken."

"How broken?" Zack used a familiar old line from their childhood to ease some of the tension.

Ty didn't smile, but his head bobbed. "Broken enough."

Part of Zack wanted to go back to those more innocent days, while another part knew it was no good. Nothing would change the way things were now.

"Got it." He nodded back and set off for the tool shed, crossing the open space in a couple of long strides.

Even before he turned the corner to the shed, his ears picked up the sound of jangling bells, low moos, and sharp whistles. The cattle were being herded to the stock pens.

He cleared the turn and saw a hundred head coming his way. In a minute, they'd be at the narrow neck between the barn and a long row of sheds. He let out an impatient breath and moved aside. There was no way through until the cattle funneled out.

They swept toward him, lowing and huffing, kicking up a cloud of dust that threatened to consume a figure in front of him. It was the new girl — woman, he corrected himself; despite her tomboy look, everything about her screamed hot-blooded woman — moving out of their path. Step by step, she backed up to the line of sheds. Another step, and she was right in front of Zack, still blind to his presence. One more, and his hands went up in warning just as she pressed into him, her back to his front.

_Warm_ , was all his mind registered at first.

_Tight_ , his fingers added, feeling the muscles wrapped around her middle like a corset.

_Sweet_ , his body hummed, picking up her scent.

_Mine_ , his wolf growled, starting to pace inside the mental cage Zack had constructed around that side of his being.

Because the scent that had him on tenterhooks all morning wasn't washing in from the open desert. It was coming from her. It _was_ her.

Something in her called to him — to a deep, primal part that didn't know the meaning of no.

"Gotcha," he half-whispered, half-growled.

His ears filled with the ringing of more than just the cowbells. It was an internal alarm triggered as she squeezed even closer, her tight rear setting off fireworks in his groin. The fine line of her back curved into his chest in a custom fit, and his thoughts shattered into a hundred chopped-up syllables.

_Mine! Mate!_ the wolf growled.

The human part wasn't much better. _Holy. Shit._

The coyote, he just laughed.

They stood plastered together while his heart sounded with the solemn stroke of a grandfather clock, somewhere far, far down the imaginary hallway of his mind. Low, resounding strokes separated by pregnant pauses.

_Bong._ He sucked in a long, shallow breath, trying to clear his mind. _Bong._ Was it nearly midnight, the party about to end? _Bong._ Jesus, how could it be? The very woman Ty asked him to protect was the first to ever to penetrate this deep into his soul.

_Bong._

Trouble, sure trouble, on the way.

## Chapter Three

Rae had been so engrossed in thought that she'd come face to face with a couple of thousand pounds of beef on the hoof. Here she'd been thinking about which people to watch out for on the ranch when it seemed livestock was the greater threat.

She started backing away from the oncoming herd, trying to settle her mind. Maybe she was being too wary, trying to judge her new pack. Everyone seemed welcoming enough, and if some of the men were a bit too welcoming, well, that was to be expected in a den of wolves.

Still, she wasn't ready to let her guard down and accept that she'd lucked out with a good pack. Not just yet. For all that she'd had a good start at Twin Moon, there was a weird vibe in the way some people treated her. Not everyone, but a select few. Like the old alpha, who watched her come and go like a man judging a panel of job applicants. A ranch hand like her shouldn't merit the attention of the alpha. Meanwhile, his older son avoided her like the plague, and though the younger son, Cody, had come on strong in their first meeting, he'd done an about-face and backed right off since then.

Either she was imagining things, or something was going on. Something she couldn't make head or tail of.

Then again, maybe she was too used to searching for ulterior motives. The people here seemed honest and sincere. That or they were doing a damn good job of tricking her into a false sense of security.

She'd been tricked before. In life, in love. And she damn sure wasn't going to fall victim again. So she kept her guard up, just in case.

Except she hadn't kept enough of it up to avoid walking straight into the cattle. To make matters worse, now she'd gone and backed into a mountain of living, breathing flesh.

Man-flesh.

_Melted_ into him was more like it, because the minute they made contact, her bones went molten, her muscles turning to mush instead of jumping away when she realized that she'd parked herself right on top of a stranger.

_On top of,_ her wolf breathed, a little giddy. _Not a bad idea..._

Apparently his wolf was on the same wavelength because she could feel an unmistakable hardening against her lower back as he hummed into her ear.

"Gotcha."

Two choppy syllables that promised more than just a snug fit in his arms.

Her inner wolf all but purred. _Got me, for sure._

She batted at the beast, ordering it to behave.

_Don't be such a prude,_ the wolf complained.

_Don't be such a hussy,_ she hissed back.

His hand slid along her spine, sending uneven shots of heat to her core. For all that she wanted to stick an elbow in the ribs of the stranger who dared press up against her like that, she found herself pressing back. Inhaling. Enjoying, almost.

If he'd said one more word or leaned half an inch closer, she might have shoved him away. But his stunned silence told her his reaction was just as involuntary as hers. So she stood still, basking in his presence.

_Damn cattle._ She tried off-loading the blame.

The herd lumbered on, jostling and complaining, oblivious of their crime.

_He wants us like we want him,_ her wolf hummed, smug.

Rae shook head firmly even as her soul heated under his touch. _Jed wanted us, too. Remember him? Remember how close we nearly came to—_

Her wolf snarled, cutting her off. _Jed was a mistake._

_A mistake we won't repeat._

The beast howled. _A wolf needs a mate!_

Rae stiffened. Mate? Where the hell did that come from?

_He's ours. Don't you know the scent of your destined mate?_

She could barely tell if the thumping in her chest came from her heart or his. _Destiny plays tricks, all the time. We make mistakes._

_This is no mistake!_ The howl turned to a scream as the pressure against her ribs increased. Her wolf was trying to get out.

She pushed the beast back into her inner cage. The man behind her, though, was impossible to ignore.

He was big, that much was clear. Half a head taller than her, judging by the angle of his minty breath on her ear. Broad, like his shadow. Blissfully warm and somehow soft for all the slabs of muscle plastered over his frame. Layer upon layer of it that slid and groaned over each another like so many tectonic plates.

The herd lumbered closer, and a panicked corner of her mind was thinking of climbing the fence to get away from it all: the dust, the cattle, the man. Between the space of one breath and the next, though, the man whipped out from behind her and took up guard in front, forming a solid wall between her and the livestock. And just like that, Rae found herself in a little bubble of calm, listening to her heart thump.

Whistles and alarms went off in her mind, but her wolf just purred in pleasure, canting her hips forward. _Damn perfect ass..._

She couldn't resist going up on tiptoe and nosing closer to his neck to inhale a deep breath of his musk. He was fresh, smooth, and edgy all at the same time, like a man who washed in a mountain stream and slept naked with the covers off. The wolf musk was there along with something foreign — something earthy, scruffy, and wild. Her errant fingers ran up his back and brushed the curly bottom edge of his hair that barely cleared the collar of his cotton work shirt. His hair was thick and wavy and satchel brown, though the sun-drenched tips were dun-colored, like...like...coyote?

Rae's nostrils flared as her nose continued its inspection. Apparently, the he-wolf had a splash of coyote in him. That was unusual. The human part of him was just as hard to decipher. The lemony smell of honesty was in there, mixed in with the chili-laced scent of regret. He turned slowly with a look that dared a thousand head of cattle to break past the barrier he made.

She looked up at green-brown eyes filled with the residue of a stormy past. Hurt and loneliness were in there, overwritten with a fierce sense of pride and honor. Hope, too — a faint glimmer of it, like the first star at twilight.

"You okay?" he whispered.

She took in the parentheses around his mouth, the chunks of muscle on his arms. His left arm boxed in her waist, while his right arm reached up past her shoulder to grip the fence behind her. She could have ducked out any time, yet she remained rooted to the spot, listening to her own uneven breath.

"Perfect," she murmured.

Vaguely, she registered that the cattle were gone, and it was just him and her, standing impossibly close. Her lips moved a little more, though she failed to produce any sound.

The man watched, waiting, with his head tilted as if a rare songbird were singing and he needed to catch every fleeting note. She could smell his arousal, feel the cool of the first layer of morning sweat breaking from his body. A tip of her chin and their lips would line up—

A dog barked at the heels of one last cow, jolting her back to rational thought and a less brazen pose. Another minute and she'd have her ankle wound around his calf. Who was this man? And how could he have such an effect on her?

Her wolf heaved a dreamy sigh. _Mate._

Then it was his turn to blink and snap to, breaking whatever spell had been cast over the two of them. His forehead folded into a hundred anxious creases as he sidestepped away, murmuring incoherently. Was he apologizing? Aghast at her brazenness? Turned on?

Maybe all three. Rae couldn't tell. Only that he was gone the next instant, and she was alone.

## Chapter Four

Zack decided to blame his oversensitivity to the new woman on the full moon. He could feel it rising — once the buzzing in his ears settled down, that is. Yeah, he'd blame that on the moon, along with the tightness in his jeans and the sweat breaking out on his brow. The man who could run a full day and night through the desert was winded by a lightweight. A woman.

Damn, but she'd brought something out in him.

He hastily corrected himself. It was the full moon. It had to be. Because why else was he trying to hang on to the feel of her in his arms? Why else would the scent of her make it hard to walk a straight line, even after hours had gone by?

"Coming out tonight, Zack, honey?" a sugar-sweet voice called, full of thinly veiled promise.

_Hell, no._ Zack barely bit back the comment as he turned to face Audrey.

Dear God, what was the woman wearing today? Some kind of pink frou-frou thing that barely covered her nipples, let alone the rest of her breasts. Which, he supposed, was the point. The self-styled playgirl of the ranch had her role down to the hilt, from the highlighted tips of her overbleached hair to the ruby-red lips that shaped words like, _Here. Now. Me._

He backed away. Yeah, he'd played around with Audrey a couple of times — or had gotten played by her. Hell, every man on the ranch had, but whatever the appeal had once been, it just wasn't there any more. Besides, he was tired of being second or third choice.

"Lemme guess," he offered, resuming his swinging stride as Audrey hurried alongside. "Ty's busy tonight. Cody, too."

Everyone on the ranch knew how the singles scene worked. Audrey, like most of the local women, always tried Ty first. If that didn't work, well then, she'd work her way down the pack hierarchy until she found a man who'd play along for the night. That was the way it worked. The women would try Cody next, and if they somehow struck out with him — hard to do, given Cody's willingness to please — then they would head for third choice.

Third choice came in two flavors. If the girls were after fresh meat with a strong dose of dark and tragic, they went to Kyle, the new guy on the ranch. If they wanted to prove how rebellious they could be, they came to Zack. He was the closest thing to the wrong side of the tracks the ranch had to offer, and the women found their way to him regularly.

Audrey's martyred sigh told him that she'd already exhausted options one and two.

"Cody is off with some other girl," she scowled.

Yeah, Zack figured as much.

"And Ty's off hunting for his phantom again," she grumbled. "The mate that doesn't exist."

Everyone knew that story: how Ty had fallen hard for an ephemeral scent that had come then simply disappeared. He'd hunted weeks for his destined mate, only to come back darker and emptier than before.

Audrey tugged Zack's elbow and pulled him around, bringing him face-to-face with her impossibly lush lips. "You know what they say about alphas."

That it was notoriously hard for strong characters to find their mates? Sure, Zack had heard that. And hell, maybe it was true. But at the moment, he was more concerned with warding Audrey off, now that she had her breasts crushed against his chest.

"You're an alpha inside, Zack." She came to the tips of her toes and let her moist lips brush his ear. "A big, strong man." Her hand ran south along his abs and teased at the top of his jeans. "Why don't you come out and find your mate?"

The woman was a siren, calling him toward a rocky shore. One he had no intention of wrecking on tonight, no matter what his animal wanted. It would be empty, meaningless — and he'd had plenty of that in his life. Just because women tried him out regularly didn't mean he took them all in. Especially Audrey. Especially tonight, with the scent of Rae — er, the full moon — still lingering around him like a smoky haze. He shouldn't have been able to scent anything over the barrage of odors coming from the cattle that morning, but Rae's distinct flavor had stayed front and center, finding its way past everything else to invade his senses.

And just like that, he jumped back in time to live it all again. The cattle, the fence, Rae. The bonfire she'd ignited in him.

"Zack, sugar?" Audrey called.

He blinked himself back to the present. The sun was low on the horizon, the sky starting to split into layers of red, orange, and yellow. He'd somehow made it through the work day and to this point. Quitting time, and time to head home. Alone.

"Gotta go," he mumbled, pulling away. "Find yourself another party, Audrey." Her face went from seductive to solid ice until he added his usual line. "You deserve better."

She flashed a satisfied smile and dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Don't sell yourself short, coyote."

He clenched his jaw. Right. He was just a coyote, but he shouldn't sell himself short. He suppressed a grimace as Audrey smoothed her skirt, reapplied her pouty look, and headed off into the night. To Kyle, no doubt.

He walked off, wishing his stride felt more purposeful and relaxed than it looked. It would be good to get some distance from his day. Good to get home to the cabin he'd grown up in. Like him, it stood on the fringes of pack society, firmly on ranch land but facing the coyote territory that bordered the ranch's western border. Funny how half of a man's blood could determine his whole being, at least as far as his wolf packmates were concerned.

He tried to blank his mind out. Just let it all go: the pack, his day, the subtle reminders of who he was and who he'd remain for the rest of his life. Third choice.

Usually, he could shed those thoughts like so many layers of clothing as he walked the rough path past acacia and graythorn. Tonight, though, that mechanism was off. Way off.

He sat a long time on his sloping porch, watching the stars blink on, one by one. The sight that normally brought him a sense of peace only mocked him tonight. And it only got worse when the moon rose over the horizon.

_Aroooo..._

A lazy howl sounded in the distance: one of the younger wolves, calling the pack out to play. Minutes later, the night came alive with voices. Some mournful, some teasing, others lusty. As usual, the full moon was bringing out the full range of emotion in wolves.

The longer he sat there, the harder it was to resist the moon's pull. He wanted to shift and run this itchy feeling off. Maybe Rae was out there. Maybe she'd let him lead her to a private spot. Maybe—

He shoved off his chair and headed inside. He'd call it an early night, that's what he'd do. He didn't understand why Rae was off-limits, but both Ty and old Tyrone had made it clear that she was not to be touched.

_More like implied_ , his wolf complained.

_Right,_ the coyote agreed. _They didn't actually forbid—_

He shoved them into the dog house he kept at the back corner of his mind and slammed the door on their protesting yelps.

It was no better, though, in bed, lying naked atop the sheets. Especially when the distant howls of his packmates grew more frenzied with the sounds of a lusty chase. Cody, by the sound of it, had found himself a willing playmate for the night. Barks turned to yowls of pleasure, male and female, that carried through the night.

Images flashed through Zack's mind, and the heat in his body rose. Images of Rae, tossing her ponytail behind her shoulder.

His hands slid from his ribs to his hips, down and up and back again.

He imagined Rae's gray eyes narrowing on him, swirling like harried clouds. Had she felt it, too?

He ran a palm over his groin, hastening the rush of blood, the hardening of flesh.

He pictured Rae's fingers playing over his shoulder, heating his skin as they went.

His fingers slid along the length of his cock, and his mind substituted her light touch for his, telling himself his wolf needed this.

He let his eyes slide shut and pretended it was her hand working him. She would glance up and those gray eyes would have darkened with desire. Her lips would part when her eyes dropped to his cock, and then she'd move down and take him with her mouth. Warm and wet and soft, it would be so much better than this crude self-service job of reality. Then she'd come up, looking dazed and lusty, and thrill him with the taste of himself on her lips. She'd lower her hips over his and take him in in one long, certain push. No hesitation, no games. Just two kindred souls united at last.

He dug his free hand into his own hip, making it hers, pulling her closer as he worked himself harder, faster. Going deeper and deeper as her eyes told him no man was his equal. None.

He continued until he was panting, then lying spent and shamefaced in the dark of his room, just as lost and lonely as the teenager he once was. What the hell was he doing?

He scowled out the open window. Whatever it was, he was definitely blaming it on the full moon.

## Chapter Five

Rae was completely unaffected by her day. Completely unaffected by the full moon, too. And above all, completely unaffected by the man who'd invaded her senses before backing hurriedly away.

She knew this because she told herself so a hundred times throughout the day and into the night. Because being affected wasn't an option — not for a woman who knew exactly what she wanted.

Well, most of the time.

She lay on her bed, pillow pulled over her ears to block out the sounds of the night. It seemed that the wolves of Twin Moon Ranch reveled in the full moon like any other pack: they were loud, gleeful, and blissfully free of human inhibitions. Mated pairs sang sweet duets, howling their devotion into the night. The elders were hunched in a circle by the sound of it, voices joined with decades of practice as they sang an ode to generations past. Among them was a gritty bass that could only be the old alpha, joining in or warbling into silence whenever the hell he pleased. From farther out in the desert came the sound of the young and the restless, romping and yipping with the joy of youth, the thrill of desire.

_That should be us out there,_ her wolf growled.

She ignored it. The last thing she needed was to go cavorting with a dozen randy males, all of them more than willing to initiate her into the pack in the most intimate way. A little bit of loose and easy didn't mean much, not with wolves, but some shifters had a way of letting too much carry over into the next day.

_Not like I'd run with just anyone,_ the wolf sniffed. _Just with him. Zack._

Rae pretended not to hear. _I just want to be left alone._

_So alone that we'll be alone forever?_

She strained to pick his voice out from the others. Zack. A man she knew nothing about, except that his soul carried the scars of the past. A man whose power pulsed and glowed under the mantle of submission he pretended to wear. A man at home but not at home.

A man who flipped some dormant switch in her and set off a thousand blinking lights. Some soothed like Christmas bulbs strung on a tree, while others set off lightning bolts of anxiety.

_A wolf needs its mate._

_Enough with the mate nonsense,_ she snapped. _He's just another alpha-type. The same as the rest._

_This one is different,_ her wolf insisted.

_How can you be sure?_ Alphas took what they wanted, when they wanted. Alphas were to be avoided at all costs.

_He's not Jed._

_He's worse,_ she retorted. _With ten times the power._

_And ten times the restraint. Couldn't you see it in him?_

An image flashed in her memory: that moment right before Zack pulled away, his brow furrowed, eyes dark. The man wore a code of honor like a suit of armor. Restraint? Yes. But there was a reason for it. Under that armor was a powerful beast. What happened when it ran free?

_He could set us free,_ her wolf whispered. _We want him. We need him._

Outside, another wolf howl joined the rest, deep, gritty, and full of heartbreak. She froze, trying to place it. Not Zack, for all that she could picture him howling that way. But Zack's voice was smoother, more secretive. If anything, she'd guess that was Ty, standing apart from the others as he always seemed to do.

In the distance, another male sang in triumph, joined by a sultry female voice that purred satisfaction into the night. The moon urged; the body obeyed. It didn't have to mean more.

Except some men didn't get that. She hugged herself under the bedsheets. Some men thought that a female who was willing to put out as a wolf would be willing to hand her human body and soul over, too. Like Jed. One casual canine romp with him — the mistake of her life — and he thought he could claim her. He had her up against a wall the very next day, teeth bared at her neck, whispering all kinds of promises he'd never keep. He'd gone on about how happy she'd be serving him and how the two of them would someday rule their own pack.

Jed had gotten so carried away with his crazed vision, she thought he'd try to claim her that very night. All it would take was one deep bite in the right spot and she'd be bound to his whims and violent desires forever. Because a mating bite could be forced, and it was forever. The worst kind of forever.

She shook her head. If Jed was her destiny, she didn't want it.

Lucky for her, Greer — top dog of the Colorado pack — had come along and chased Jed away. Greer had saved her sorry little ass.

Unlucky for her, Greer had also taken notice of her sorry little ass, and something in his eyes said she hadn't won much of a reprieve from unwanted attention. Greer was a tyrant of an alpha who took what he wanted, when he wanted. Next to him, Roric of Nevada's Westend pack was a goddamn saint.

She drew the sheet over her head along with a long, deep breath, reminding herself of the long road she'd traveled since then. She'd fled her Colorado pack and started new in Nevada. From that point on, the only lovers she'd accepted were all low-ranking, easygoing types. And if sex with them left part of her unfulfilled, such was the price of protecting her soul.

_Destiny is a myth,_ she told her wolf as gleeful howls carried through the night.

She flipped sideways in the bed, fighting the memories of Jed away. Her mother used to say, _to take away bad dreams, you need to bring in good ones._ So she tried conjuring up something safe and satisfying. Chocolate, maybe? It hardly fit the bill. The blanket she'd always slept under as a kid? Slightly better. She tugged the imaginary fabric tight around her body, closed her eyes, and tried again.

Vague threads of color wove and combined into an image of a brown-haired, green-eyed stranger who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet moved with silent grace.

Maybe Zack wasn't out cavorting with the others. Maybe he was at home in his cabin out by the mesa, where she'd seen him disappear to over lunch. What a perfect place that would be. A wisp of smoke in winter, the cooling shade of a sycamore in summer. It was just close enough to belong to the pack, but just far enough to call one's own.

_Or maybe,_ her wolf cooed, _he's on his way over here right now._

She tried pushing the thought away but found herself too weary to resist. If the vision insisted on intruding into her dreams, so be it. As long as it didn't happen in real life. Her imagination turned the tap of a tree branch into a soft knock at the door, and the fantasy took off.

"Rae."

He'd whisper from the doorway where he'd be standing, silhouetted by moonlight.

"Zack," she'd call softly and reach out her hand.

He'd slip into her room, pull up a corner of the sheet, and slide in beside her.

She curled her arms around her torso and let the hug of comfort turn into a different kind of embrace. Slowly, she stroked the length of her body, making her nipples harden. What would Zack's hands feel like, traveling that same path? How would he hold the weight of his body when he lay with her? Was he a tender lover or a demanding one?

The former, she decided. After all, it was her fantasy. He would murmur something sweet and low while one strong hand cupped her breast and the other stroked her hair. Then his thumb would start working her nipple, the way her own thumb did now, and her aching body would press against his, asking for more. Then his hand would wander lower, stirring warm, wet need in lazy circles that would have her biting back a moan. This man would know just where to touch her, and how.

He was doing it now, she decided, and in the darkness, she imagined their eyes locking as he lined up their bodies and slid home. Skin on skin, his heat would consume her. They'd move slowly at first then harder and faster until they hit a perfect rhythm. His movements would grow more urgent, his face tighter as they both climbed to the top of a mighty peak, then tumbled over the other side together.

They would come together again and again, first in the guesthouse she'd been assigned to, and then over in the cabin by the mesa. Her heart soared with every imagined encounter, every shuddering climax. When they ventured outside, she would let him press her up against the very fence where they'd first touched and bring her as high as the stars, as bright as the moon. Then they'd shift and run together into the desert, and the howls of joy would be their own.

_Arooo...._

Her fantasies carried her straight through the night and into the next morning, staying with her even after she rose, stretched, and headed to breakfast in the community dining hall. The sun was shining, the birds singing, and still the glow lingered.

She yawned. Too bad it was only her imagination that had experienced so many fantasies last night.

The dining hall door banged open, and a tall figure stepped out. Rae stopped dead in her tracks, facing her fantasy, this time in the flesh. When Zack's gaze caught hers, he stopped cold.

For a minute, all she registered was the hazel of his eyes and the thump of her heart. The whiff of unmasked lust reaching out to her like an arm. Then a voice behind her startled them both.

"Oh, Rae, Zack, have you met?" It was Tina, the alpha's daughter, who'd been the first person to welcome Rae to the ranch.

Heat filled Rae's cheeks as she forced a smile. "Yes, we have."

It might have been the morning light, but Zack's deep tan seemed to have a splash of red in it, too. His scent, however, had gone from full heat to guardedly neutral. The man was an enigma, impossible to read.

"Mmm." His deep hum reminded her of Nevada: the rare sound of distant thunder behind the clouds. "We have." He nearly left it at that, but then he rushed on. "Met, I mean."

"Yes, we have met," she echoed in a wobbly voice.

_Most intimately,_ her wolf added with a satisfied yowl.

## Chapter Six

Ten days. Zack had been counting. Ten days since the day Rae had pressed him into the fence, and damn it, he still couldn't let the feeling go. What started as a tingle turned to an itch and then a burning need that was spilling over from the fantasies of nighttime to the broad light of day.

Of course, his blame-it-on-the-moon theory was getting stretched thin, especially now that the full globe waned to a three-quarter silhouette and an ever-slimmer crescent, but he liked it better than the alternative.

_What fool doesn't know his destined mate?_ his wolf growled. The beast had been clawing at his inner cage for days now.

Zack shoved the suggestion down every time.

_Mate? Hell, no._

Destiny didn't work that way. Not for him, it didn't. Destiny was a bitter old spinster who showered rewards on a select few while pushing mudslides at everyone else. That was the way it was.

He told every part of his body and soul that, drilling the message into the furthest reaches of his mind. His duty was to the pack, and the pack — in the form of its second-in-command, Ty — wanted him to protect Rae. To keep the others away.

So he prowled, snarled, and hurled murderous looks at any male over the age of twelve who dared glance Rae's way. He'd guard her, all right.

In no time, he'd succeeded in creating a no-go zone around the newest member of the pack. Even Cody, who chased skirts the way a dog chased a ball, steered clear of Rae — almost suspiciously so. The best Zack could figure was that Rae must be some distant relative of the alpha's family. Why else would she be off-limits? Whatever the cause, he didn't care. The fewer men around his woman — he cleared his throat and corrected himself — _this_ woman, the better.

Rae, meanwhile, seemed to go about her work unconcerned — unless Zack ventured too near. Then he sensed it again; the tremble of uncertainty, the hitch in her step. The same thing that happened to him if he got too close. So they tiptoed around each other, day after day.

She'd been sticking to herself, going about her work quietly and efficiently, taking meals apart from the others. Twin Moon pack didn't get many visitors, but those who did either settled in quickly or got the hell out. Rae hadn't done either — not yet. The woman consistently sought out the edge.

A little like him.

So it was no surprise to find her alone on the tenth evening, out in a little hollow at the foot of the hills where the desert smelled greener, the sage sweeter. The place where she had set up an impromptu archery range and practiced every evening. Twilight seemed to draw her there like a doe to a secret watering hole.

The only surprise was that his feet had brought him there, too. Didn't they get the memo about keeping away from her? Straying too close held danger, he knew. Next time, it might be him pressing into her. And if he started, God knows how he'd find the willpower to stop.

_Thwack!_

His ears flicked at the dull, striking sound. Rae was at it again. He'd never met a shifter who practiced archery, let alone a female shifter who did. But there she was, standing tall and lean, drawing back an arrow like one of Robin Hood's goddamn Merry Men transplanted to the desert. You'd have to have the eyes of a hawk to hit the distant target in this slanting light, but Rae nailed it every time.

She was all business: her hair pulled into a loose ponytail, long legs shoved into an earth-colored pair of overalls that couldn't hide the lithe curves of an athlete. Every inch of her screamed, _Expert! Stand back!_ as if she knew something no one else knew. Like she could do things no one could even imagine.

There was something different about her, without a doubt. He just couldn't pinpoint what it was. It was more than just the trimmings: the bow, arrow, and wary attitude. There was something about the way her blue-gray eyes studied the sky, like she was waiting for some sign. A sign of what?

_Thwack!_

Another arrow, another perfect shot. He sidled a step closer. Watching from a distance would have been smarter, but his feet brought him right to the edge of the hollow.

Rae curved an arm up and over her shoulder, flipping the harvest gold ponytail aside to draw another arrow from the quiver strapped across her back. Her fingers tested the fletching the way a musician might test the strings of a guitar, and he couldn't help but imagine those fingers brushing over his back. The first one would be coarse and callused, scrubbing his skin. The second smoother, the third a tease, and the fourth finger — the pinkie — would be a butterfly on the heels of the rest. He imagined her doing that over and over, slowly coaxing the tight knots of his back into blissful release.

_Thwack!_

He took another step forward, coaxed on by a hypnotic inner voice. Not his wolf half this time, but the coyote: the clever, scheming half of his soul.

_Just a little closer,_ it whispered. _Won't do any harm. Just one more step. Just a little—_

"Getting ready to kill someone?"

He heard the words before even realizing they were his own, murmured in her ear. Somehow, the last couple of steps had happened all on their own. And somehow, his voice was steady despite the blood hammering in his ears.

Rae tensed, though she casually brushed a lock of hair behind an ear as if she weren't surprised to find a near-stranger at her side.

"Depends," she muttered.

"Depends on what?"

"Depends how much _someone_ pisses me off."

Okay, so he'd snuck up on her. Stealing up unnoticed was one of his best tricks. Coyotes knew stealth — one of the few things about that part of his ancestry that did him any good.

Rae was playing it cool, but his coyote caught the flare of her nostrils, the pink flush on her cheeks. Either she was annoyed at being caught off guard or she liked having him so close.

_Maybe a little of both._ His coyote grinned and decided to push a little more.

Never mind that he was supposed to be keeping guys away from her.

_Of course not,_ his coyote huffed. _We're just doing our job. Keeping a close eye on her._

Right. Not showing inappropriate interest. Not salivating over whatever it was about her that was so...so...irresistible.

Well, trying not to, anyway.

"And what does it take to piss you off?" the coyote made him say.

She kept her eyes firmly fixed on the target. "You don't want to find out."

_Zip!_ The arrow's flight sounded different from up close, but the effect was the same: another shaft nestled amongst the dozen bristling from the bull's-eye. Part of him wouldn't have minded if that arrow had gone wide of its mark, giving away her emotions. But Rae was cool, calm, collected.

He hid a smile. He'd been worried about other men getting too close to her, but clearly, this woman was not someone to mess with. And yet she let him this close. Why?

"Calling it open season on straw targets?"

"Archery season on pronghorn opens next week," she murmured, lips against the string.

"You like to hunt?"

"I like to chase."

_So do I,_ his wolf nodded, licking his lips.

For a moment, he wondered if she'd somehow caught that. Because her lips parted and her shoulder dipped just enough to make him wonder if she felt it, too. This link. This pull. Like the two of them were a couple of wobbly magnets suspended in that moment of truth before the poles finally made up their minds on whether they'd line up or repel.

"What's the bow for, if you're just going to chase?"

She fingered the barbed tip. "Just in case."

"In case of what?"

He watched Rae's eyes close on some ugly memory and regretted the question immediately. Wary fingers stroked the shaft like a talisman, and just like that, her easygoing veneer vanished, revealing something hard and angry beneath.

"In case I find the right kind of prey."

Zack sniffed and found the peppery scent of fear intertwined with the ammonia odor of hate. Or was that shame? His mood shifted in a heartbeat. Had Rae been mistreated by some shit of a man once upon a time? Had she been hurt?

His mind replayed what the ranch rumor mill had been saying about her. Where was she from — Nevada? Or was it Colorado? There was a pack up there rumored to have a brutal alpha. One who rode supreme over the minds and bodies of his pack. The kind who liked to break his pack in and ride them hard.

Literally.

The kind of alpha who would snuff out a soul just to show he could.

He could picture why an alpha would be drawn to a woman like Rae. She had that inner spark, that flame. A woman who could bring out the best — or the worst — in a wolf. But Rae was too restless and independent to ever settle for being an alpha's mate.

He didn't even realize she'd released the next arrow until he heard the furious smack of it. Bull's-eye.

In one smooth move, she pulled another arrow from her quiver, notched it, and took aim. The woman was a wall of ice, her gray eyes thunderous as they narrowed on the target.

_Zip!_ The arrow flew, sending a clear message. _I am not a woman to fuck with. I will chase the past away._

Zack shifted his weight back, even as the coyote inside ran his tongue over his lips. The more she pushed him away, the more he wanted her.

The _coyote_ wanted her, he told himself. Only the coyote. The man knew where to draw the line.

But there was a wolf in there, too. And Rae was so irresistibly untamed. Wild and free, unfettered by the expectations of society.

At the moment, though, she was tenser than her recurve bow. Time to ease off.

"You got a hunting tag for that pronghorn, miss?" he teased, dropping his voice in his best sheriff's imitation.

"Don't need one," she huffed, feigning annoyance though her voice was laced with relief. He'd hit the right tone, at last. "Not for the kind of hunting I do."

His pulse jumped, wondering what kind of hunting that was.

"And wolf?" he ventured. "Got a tag for that?" God, when had he become so...so forward?

Rae gave an exaggerated sigh. "You haven't figured out yet that I'm not interested?"

That's what she said, but everything about her screamed the opposite. The catch in her voice, the sharp intake of each breath, the sweet scent of arousal enveloping her like perfume.

"I think you are," his coyote made him whisper, much too close to her ear.

She let out an exasperated huff, like he'd been hounding her for a week instead of a minute. Why he was doing it, he didn't know. Only that the coyote was to blame. Oh, and the moon, too, no matter what phase it was in.

"I figure a guy like you must have plenty of women to mess around with."

That barb went right to his gut. "Think I'm messing around?"

"You're missing the point," she murmured out of the side of her mouth, sending his eyes down the arrow's shaft until they found the steel tip. "I don't mess around." On that, she sealed her lips, took aim, and released.

_Thwack!_

Zack didn't have to look to know it was another perfect shot.

"Neither do I," he insisted, though he knew he should back off. But it was true: he wasn't messing around. This was sheer need. Instinct. Whatever it might be called, he couldn't fight it away. And suddenly, he didn't want to any more.

So when her eyes fell to his lips and lingered there long enough for him to be sure, he acted on impulse. The next thing he knew, his hand was on her shoulder and his lips reaching for hers. When they connected, the surprise in her eyes was replaced by something soft, willing, and lonely enough for him not to break away. A look like the one he sometimes found in the mirror, the few times he bothered to check.

A heartbeat later, his eyes locked away the world, focusing entirely on the kiss. Rae's lips were sweet and soft and tangy, a secret elixir brewed just to stir his soul. That was what a hummingbird must feel when it closed in on nectar: a world bursting with color, texture, flavor. And the taste of her! Sweet and shy and unexpected, like wild blackberries that only cropped up in good years. The ones you were lucky to get a handful of before they'd gone, quick as they'd come.

Rae's scent was like all of spring concentrated into a single day, a single moment. His lips moved with unspoken words, while hers curved and bent in echo. Rae leaned into him, her lithe frame fitting perfectly alongside his.

_Perfect. Home. Mine._ Thoughts bounced like tumbleweeds through the uneven landscape of his mind.

The bow went limp at her side and her hand slid around his ribs, tugging him closer. Zack had the vague feeling he might be running out of air.

"Rae," he whispered, and even those three letters tasted sweet.

Her eyes flicked open, the gray warm and soft as a fair weather cloud at sunrise.

But the very next instant, she tensed. Her eyes jumped, and she pulled away. His wolf let out a whine, wanting to explain that he would never hurt her. He would hold her, love her, protect her. Forever.

But Rae was scuttling backward, her face on the rise behind them. Someone was coming.

Zack swung quickly to the woodpile while she pulled another arrow and faced the target as if nothing had happened. The two of them were perfect conspirators already, though they'd shared nothing more than a kiss.

A twig snapped and a voice cursed, breaking the peace of the hollow. Zack spun around, every muscle primed to defend his mate.

"You," came a curt, accusing call.

Zack's spine stiffened as Tyrone stepped into view. What the hell was the old man doing out here?

The alpha approached, power radiating off him like a living, breathing thing.

"You."

He stuck an accusing finger at Rae, and Zack immediately stepped into the man's path. Alpha or no alpha, no man was coming near Rae.

Tyrone shot him a look that was pure malice then turned his sights to Rae. "You shouldn't be here alone."

_She's not alone,_ Zack wanted to point out. _She's got me._

The old alpha reached out, fingers aimed for their usual spot on the back of his neck. Every time the alpha did it, Zack let him. He had to; it was the way of the pack.

But this time, the coyote dug in its hind feet and refused to be swayed. Whether the beast was trying to impress Rae or just plain crazy, he couldn't tell. Only that he'd had enough. Taking a tiny side step, he let the alpha's hand land on his shoulder, short of its mark. Tyrone's eyes widened and flashed.

_Test me, old man,_ Zack's coyote nearly said. _Try it._

The alpha's eyes flicked from Zack to Rae and back again, lips curling down.

"Time to do what you do best, boy," Tyrone spat, turning every word into an insult. He pulled Zack aside, fingernails biting into his flesh. _And if I find you anywhere near this woman again,_ his glare added, _I'll skin your no-good coyote alive._

Before Zack could compose a reply, the old man went on. "We've gotten word of a possible trespasser."

At that, the old man gave Zack a shove toward the ranch. And in the old days, Zack might have stumbled along on command. Now, he took a single, stiff step — the shortest possible movement that wouldn't ignite a battle. He didn't need one, not with an inner battle already raging over Rae. The effect she had on him. The reaction his inner wolf and coyote — in agreement, for a change — both had to her.

_Mine. Mate!_

The words flicked like fireflies through his mind. Much as he wanted to watch them glow and play, he knew he had to snuff them out. It couldn't be. There was no mate for him, no peace. Just a trespasser to track. That was his duty; the ruling alpha said so.

_Duty,_ his wolf nodded.

_Mate,_ the coyote cried.

Tyrone broke the impasse with a second, angry shove. "Go! Get on it. You understand me, boy?"

Oh, he got it all right. When the old man said _trespasser_ , he meant the shapeshifter kind. The kind looking for trouble. Straying onto pack territory without permission was more than an insult: it was a crime. And a danger to his pack was a danger to Rae. Any trespasser who intruded on pack territory — and into this crazy _something_ between him and Rae — was dead meat.

Rae's gray eyes found his and hung on for all they were worth. Her face was hard, but her gaze softened just enough to make his ribs tighten.

Duty? Mate?

Zack tore himself away. If he kept thinking along those lines, he'd be the one who was dead meat.

## Chapter Seven

Two days passed in which Rae told herself the ranch didn't feel any different with Zack gone, but it was impossible to kid herself. Something was missing, even if it was just his unmistakable presence. The man was like a mesa after dark: a brooding, lonely mass caught somewhere between the past and the future.

_It doesn't have to be that way_ , her wolf said. _He can have better. He can have us._

_Look who sounds all haughty_ , she shot back. _Not like I'm such a prize._

_Ah, but I am_ , the wolf purred.

That part, at least, was true, and she nearly smiled at her secret.

Another part was true, too: Zack could do better than playing second fiddle to the alpha-in-waiting. A healthy pack needed more than a single leader, and Ty seemed man enough to recognize that. The problem, as far as she saw it, was that Ty and Zack were still the boys they'd once been, subservient to the old alpha. What would it take to shake up the old guard?

On the other hand, was it any of her business? No. For all she knew, Zack didn't want better. Maybe he didn't even know what better was.

_We can show him,_ her wolf said, glowing at the memory of his kiss. A kiss that had been a gamble, a hope, and a promise, all wrapped together. Electrifying and soothing, assuring her there was a place on this Earth for her: a happy, safe, and serene place close to him.

She gave herself an inner shake. A kiss could be a brand, too, marking her as his. That was the danger: an alpha male deciding she belonged to him. She'd already fled that threat twice. She didn't want to be anybody's. She wanted — needed — to be her own.

So she did her best to pretend she didn't miss Zack and concentrated on doing her job without drawing attention to herself. That was the key, especially now that the new moon was sneaking up.

She worked her way down the fence line on the southwest side of the ranch, checking every beam. The midday sun sucked all the life out of the air, and heat pressed down over the landscape like a sheet of lead. The buzz of honest activity that had so captivated her when she'd first arrived on the ranch seemed lackluster today.

Funny the difference one lonely tracker could make.

That much about Zack, she'd gathered. He was a tracker, and not just any tracker, but the best in the Four Corners region. She'd learned as much from the sweet old woman everyone called Aunt Jean. Jean seemed to be the unofficial matron of the pack, given that the grizzled old alpha had never taken a mate.

"If it's on two feet, our Zack can find it," old Jean had said with pride.

Rae's wolf ears perked at that. _What about tracking something on four feet?_

If her tail had been out, she'd have given it a lusty swipe.

She slapped a firm hand over her thigh, warning the beast to cool it. But even that couldn't keep her from imagining a nocturnal chase. She, the quarry, he, the tracker. Now that would be a fun game.

_Hunting isn't a game,_ she reminded herself, hearing the echo of her grandmother's words, spoken long ago in what seemed a different lifetime, a different place.

_Love isn't a game, either,_ her wolf replied.

In the distance, the lunch bell sounded, calling the ranch hands to the dining hall, but Rae kept working. Coming in at the tail end of a meal meant less time making polite small talk. Not that she didn't like the others; it was just that the company she wanted wasn't there today.

She bent down to test the lower beam of the fence, and that's when she heard it: a step behind her, then another.

When she whirled, the approaching figure — all six-plus feet of him — threw his hands up like a guilty man expecting an accusation.

She cocked her head. It was Ty, the alpha's son and heir apparent. She'd only ever seen him from a distance — and always, always exuding that nuclear-power aura that kept everyone at arm's length. But right now, his eyes were on the ground, his demeanor hesitant.

"Hi," he murmured, so low Rae could barely hear.

Her heart beat a little faster in the urge to flee.

"Hi," she forced herself to say. It came out clipped and hurried. Cold.

Ty glanced back toward the ranch, and for a second Rae thought she saw the imposing figure of his father scowling from the shadows. But noon in the desert had a way of playing tricks on the eyes; it was probably just in her head.

Ty stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked at the ground as if maybe he could find a cue card among the pebbles and dirt.

"How you doing?" he asked after a long, quiet minute had passed. "I mean, how are you settling in?" His gaze was reluctant, the corners of his dark eyes sad.

That was the only thing that kept Rae from sprinting off. Ty wasn't there to harm or demand. He was there to...to... Wait. Why had the second-highest ranked wolf in the pack gone out of his way to talk to her, looking at her like she was a problem he couldn't solve?

"Um...fine."

In truth, she was more than fine. Arizona suited her perfectly, and her heart sang with every whisper of the clean, dry wind. There was nothing she missed about Westend pack, and nothing she could fault in the way Twin Moon pack worked in quiet harmony with the earth.

But she'd be even more fine if Ty left her alone — and finer still if Zack were around. The tracker had a way of either soothing her pulse or making it thump in excitement. Ty, on the other hand, set off all her alarms. Who he was and what he represented scared her. He was a man of power, and power had a way of corrupting men — even good men.

"Good." Ty nodded, but his tone was unenthusiastic, as if he might have preferred a different answer.

"Good," she echoed.

God, this was awkward. What did he want? She looked south, avoiding his eyes, and he looked north, avoiding hers.

"You coming to lunch?" he finally asked.

She couldn't quite say no, but she didn't want to say yes. "Soon."

He nodded and stared into the distance with the hollow gaze of a man who'd given up on wishes and hopes. So much, she almost ached for him. Even with everything she'd had to escape in her past — two brutes in Colorado and a suffocating pack in Nevada — she'd never given up hope. Hope to find a place she could call home. A place like this, maybe.

If only everyone would just leave her alone.

Ty might have read her mind, because he gave her a grim nod and strode away. Quickly.

She watched him go, wishing it was Zack coming and not a man she had no interest in going. But at least Ty was giving her some space, and she was happy for that.

She checked another three sections of fence before pocketing her hammer and heading back to the heart of the ranch. What had that strange encounter been all about?

She loitered every step of the way, watching a bird sip from the irrigation ditch, then flit into the shade of a palo verde tree. Her feet took her on a long detour to the ranch gate, as they'd done nearly every day. Something about the way the proud, simple structure framed the landscape fascinated her. The solid trunks of two ponderosa pines formed the sides, supporting a long cross-beam high overhead. At the midpoint hung the ranch brand: two circles, overlapping by a third.

Twin Moon Ranch. The name fit the place perfectly.

She stepped to the threshold of the gate then paused. One step farther and she'd be in the outside world. One step back and she would be firmly on the ranch. She rocked on the balls of her feet, undecided. Was the ranch a prison or a sanctuary? Which way to go?

_Forward,_ she coached herself. _Out._ That was the way to go. To find her freedom and her destiny, whatever it might be.

Her wolf sniffed. _Or free to stumble into the biggest mistake of your life. Your choice. Our destiny could be right here._

She wavered, and then took a step back, wondering what held her in place.

_We're waiting, silly,_ her wolf said.

_Waiting for what?_

_For Zack to return._

Rae wanted to snort. _That's pathetic._

_It's romantic,_ the wolf insisted.

_If it's so romantic, why did he leave?_

The wolf just shrugged. _Duty._

Ah, the simplicity of a wolf's mind.

A wolf might be content with that kind of life — waiting at home like a good little mate — but not a woman who could stand on her own two feet.

_Well, Zack's not here, and now we have Ty sniffing around. That's the last thing we need._

The wolf gave a lazy huff. _He wasn't sniffing. He wasn't interested. Not a whiff of lust on him._

"Thank God." Rae said that part out loud. But what did he want?

_Not us,_ her wolf shrugged.

Rae had to give the wolf that. Whatever Ty wanted, it wasn't her, and she was happy for that. Let the other women heave longing looks him at that mountain of a man. She wasn't interested. Not in him, at least.

She glanced at the sky, where a hawk soared in broad circles. There was something magical about watching a fellow hunter at work: wheeling, gliding, choosing exactly the right instant to swoop in toward its prey. She knew what the casual lift of its feathertips meant: today was just another day of many, but tonight... Tonight was the night of the new moon.

Even her wolf couldn't hold back a shiver of anticipation, knowing what that meant. The blackest, deepest night, a night when time stood still but for the slow arc of stars overhead.

A new moon called to her the way a full moon called to the others. Every wolf in every pack had a duty, but Rae — she had a higher calling, one that superseded duty to any one pack.

_Tonight,_ she promised herself. She'd put Zack, Ty, and everyone else out of her mind and remind herself who she was and what she had to do.

To do that, though, she needed more space, because roaming too close to the others might expose what she was. A glance at the sun, swinging past its zenith, said she'd better get moving soon. She would have to drive a couple of hours north then set out on foot to find what she sought.

So she headed to the dining hall, gobbled down a quick meal, and jotted a note to leave on the guesthouse bed. She ought to ask the alpha's permission before leaving the ranch, but technically, she was headed to a distant corner of the vast property, so that didn't quite apply.

_Be back soon_ , the note said.

_Soon?_ Her wolf laughed.

Well, _soon_ sounded more polite than _Whenever I damn well please._ She stared at the paper, wishing she could write exactly that. Would she ever find a pack that understood what destiny had intended for her?

She waited until the others had all settled back into work then grabbed her bow and arrows and headed for the battered old Ford she'd driven over from Nevada. She'd scrimped for months to buy it just for the sake of independence and pride. For convenience, too, and the security of an escape pod, should the need arise.

The thrill of car ownership was still there as she hopped in and took off. Driving out the gate was easy once she'd picked up a little mental momentum. She drove three miles down the dirt road, made a sharp left onto the highway, and headed north, where the pull in her bones pointed.

North. That's where she would find her prey.

## Chapter Eight

It started well, as every promising hunt should.

Rae drove a couple of hours north and then out on a long, winding side road, letting instinct guide her to her prey. But then the engine started laboring and spouting steam before finally rattling to a stop.

She got out, popped the hood, and studied the smoking engine long enough to conclude she had no idea what to do.

Crap.

She lifted her head and looked around. Closing her eyes, she sniffed and found a whiff of hope. A broken-down car she could deal with — later. The important thing was, she was close enough to continue on foot. She could sense her quarry out there, not far away. Soon it would be dark, and the hunt would be on.

The hunt. Her lips curled into a smile.

Anvil-shaped clouds rumbled along the horizon like an enemy army in full march, but that hardly mattered. Her quarry's scent was strong and vibrant. Of course, finding her prey was rarely an issue. The trick was catching it.

It was still daylight, though; a little too early to close in on her prey. She pulled a water bottle from the back seat and drank her fill. Let the sun set. Let the clouds thunder in. Let the car wait. She would be like the hawk wheeling in the sky, biding its time.

She lifted the bottle to her lips, but stopped abruptly and turned. A plume of dust rose from the dirt road, coming her way. The back of her neck prickled in alarm when she caught sight of a dark red pickup with tinted windows. Every muscle in her body went stiff.

Trouble. Trouble for sure.

She pulled her bow out from the open window of the back seat along with a silver-tipped arrow — just in case. Then she spun back to the road, notching the arrow just as the truck came to a halt and the front door creaked open.

Her fingers stroked the fletching as she waited, prepared to fend off the stranger if necessary. She had several weapons to choose from: words, fangs, or the tip of her arrow. She'd start with one and move on to the others as the situation called for.

It was only when her nose got hold of his scent that she trembled inside. Behind the scent of tobacco, stale beer, and a cheap cologne was the unmistakable peaty musk of a shifter. A wolf shifter, one of her own kind.

A big brute of a man unfolded himself from the car.

"Hello, Sunshine." He grinned. "It's been a long time."

Rae froze. It had been years since anyone used that stupid nickname. Her eyes flicked to the car and found the green and white ridgeline of Colorado plates. When they jumped back to the stranger's face, everything clicked into place.

A cocky man driving a truck with Colorado plates. One with a cleft chin so deep, you could hide a dime in it. One who called her a name she hadn't heard in years.

A nightmare straight out of her past.

"So happy to see me, you're speechless?" he chuckled.

"Jed." She nodded, forcing all emotion out of her voice.

It really was him. Or more like an extra-large version of the old Jed. He'd always been big and cocky, and she'd always known he'd grow into a force to be reckoned with. But this? The teenager who'd been growing like a weed had bulked up and added eighty pounds of muscle. His chiseled face was accented by a sharp line of facial hair that followed his jaw from ear to either side of that cleft chin. He stroked it as he looked her up and down, his gaze slow, sure, and hungry.

"Little Sunshine, all grown up," Jed murmured. Then his eyes narrowed and he launched right into conversation as if they'd left off ten minutes ago instead of ten years. "I meant what I said, Sunshine. You and me got great things ahead of us."

He was just as crazy as he'd been back then. Crazier, even. Rae stepped back and held the bow higher, keeping the arrow notched.

"How did you find me?"

He grinned like the devil on a hot, sultry night. "Got a nose for my mate, Sunshine."

"I'm. Not. Your. Mate." She broke the words up, so that maybe this time, they would penetrate that thick head.

He only grinned wider, flashing the points of his canines. "You always did like to play."

She eyed the empty landscape for some avenue of escape. Jed's version of play most likely meant violent sex followed by a mating bite that would bond her to him forever. No way. She ordered her racing heart to calm down, her freewheeling mind to think.

Last she had heard, the alpha of North Ridge pack in Colorado was still Greer Roberts. And last she'd heard, he was still a ruthless tyrant. Had he sent Jed to track her? Unlikely. Jed would have been cast out a few years ago, before he stirred up too much trouble. Less stable packs did that with powerful up-and-comers, lest they challenge the leadership. The young bucks roamed restlessly, causing trouble until they found a place they liked the look of and staged a takeover, challenging the local alpha in a fight to the death.

"You and me, we'll head back home." Jed outlined his plan in a tone more suited to weekend plans than a major power play. "I take out Greer, we rule the pack. What?" He paused, seeing her jaw go slack. "Greer's a self-centered, greedy ass who has no business being alpha."

_So are you,_ she nearly pointed out. Did Jed really think he could take on Greer, the biggest, baddest alpha she'd ever seen?

But this new version of Jed was pretty damn big and bad. Maybe, just maybe, youth would triumph over experience. Not that North Ridge pack would benefit either way.

"I'm never going back," she insisted, scanning the area. Using her bow at close range was a fifty-fifty proposition, but if she shifted into her wolf form, she could outrun Jed. The question was, had he come alone?

"Sure you will." He nodded, all smiles but for the warning in his eyes.

A second engine sounded in the distance, and her gut sank.

"Friend of yours?" Jed growled, turning to the source.

A sleek black motorcycle came roaring down the road, kicking up a trail of dust that reached toward the ever-darker sky.

Right. She wished. A friend with a fast bike and a perfect sense of timing would come in awfully handy right now. A friend with an old-fashioned black helmet and biceps that bulged as he roared up and squealed to a stop. A friend with a fierce countenance who would jump off the bike and toss his helmet aside.

"Who is this asshole?" Jed jabbed a thumb in the newcomer's direction.

Rae blinked. "Zack?"

It really was him, though his whole bearing had changed. He was taller, darker, meaner. For a moment, he looked more like a man who could shift into a fire-breathing dragon instead of a wolf.

"Who is _this_ asshole?" Zack growled back.

## Chapter Nine

Zack looked the intruder up and down, slowly taking him in. Then he glanced at Rae. Did she know this ass?

Step by wary step, he and the intruder circled each other, two paces apart.

"You're looking at the future alpha of North Ridge pack," the ass had the nerve to say with a perfectly straight face.

Cocky son of a bitch. Zack sniffed and got a lungful of raw wolf power. But it was all bulk and bluster, no brains or balls.

"Give it a break, Jed," Rae muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

_Jed?_ Zack's wolf bristled. _Who the hell is Jed?_

A good thing he had arrived in time, before...before... Well, he didn't want to imagine what this ass wanted with Rae. Only that it wasn't good, and she didn't want any part of it. That much was crystal clear.

His pulse spiked just from seeing her again. It had only been a couple of days, but the ache for her had only gotten worse. He'd been rushing through his tracking job as fast as he could.

Normally, it was the opposite with him: he loved the feeling of being out in the desert alone. But this time, something felt off. The minute he'd left the ranch, he'd been haunted by the feeling that he'd forgotten something in that timeworn shack he called home.

Something. Maybe even someone.

Zack had told himself it wasn't her, but the minute he did, his wolf got all worked up again, pulling him away from duty and back to her. So he'd tracked long and hard to hurry up and get the job done. So far, he'd tracked and rid the property of three intruders. Two had the good sense to run off, while the third was stupid enough to think that he might best an angry werewolf on his home turf.

That one was dead.

He'd had a fourth in his sights when the call came. Rae had been reported missing on the ranch, and old Tyrone was throwing a fit.

"She's run off," the old alpha snarled into the phone. "Track her. Find her. Bring her back."

Zack didn't like the alpha's urgency. Audrey had once taken off for three weeks when she'd hooked up with a passing trucker and no one had blinked an eye. Why the three-bell alarm when Rae had only been gone for a few hours? Why did she merit the special attention?

Was she the daughter of another alpha, maybe? She didn't seem like the type. Too flighty. Too defensive. Too damn modest.

He just didn't get it. But he'd done as he was told and dropped everything to track her — which was easy, as it turned out. She'd been in his general area, and it wasn't like he could miss her scent once he was tuned in to it. He'd picked it up from miles away; there was something regal and Old World in it. Then it was just a case of racing after her. That was one of the advantages of his Harley — the one useful thing his father had ever left him, even if it had been half-wrecked at the time.

The crazy thing was, he'd not only found Rae, but another trespasser, too. This jerk, Jed.

"Future alpha, huh?" Zack asked, unimpressed.

Jed puffed his chest out another inch. "Got that right."

If it were just him and the intruder, Zack would have launched straight into a fight, even if he knew it meant risking death. Jed might not know much, but he obviously knew how to fight. Big, young, and cocky added up to danger in its own way, and Jed had the brash confidence of a young gun who'd yet to be put in his place.

Zack would have been happy to do just that, even if meant the fight of his life. But Rae was standing right beside him, and prudence held him back from launching into flesh-tearing violence. Right now, it was better to keep his cool and go for the diplomatic solution.

He could always kill the motherfucker later.

The prospect was tempting, given the way the ass was crowding Rae. Like he owned her. Like she was his.

Zack's wolf growled. _Mine!_

He superimposed an even tone over the low rumble in his chest. "Well, future alpha of North Ridge pack, you're trespassing on Twin Moon territory."

Jed threw his head back and laughed. "This ain't pack territory."

Zack lifted an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

Jed's cool gaze lost its edge. Definitely not the brightest bulb. They were on ranch property, but the far outer fringes. There was no one here to contest Jed's intrusion but Zack. Not that he was going to tell Jed that.

"Of course, we can fight here and now to solve this," Zack started.

"We will," Jed growled and stepped closer. "And I will wipe your sorry ass straight into the dust."

_Try me,_ his wolf snarled.

"Right," he said calmly. "Let's say you do. Then the whole pack will be on your ass, and the lady here will be less than impressed."

Jed's eyes slid to Rae, and for a moment Zack saw something like affection there. The question was whether the affection was for the woman or a lunatic's cocky vision of the future. Either way, he wanted those eyes off Rae and on him.

_You touch her, I kill you._ He hurled the words out, straight from his mind to Jed's.

Let Jed know exactly who he was dealing with. Let him show a little respect. That's what it always came down to. Respect.

He knew he had it when Jed's chin whipped over to him, eyes registering surprise. Bull's-eye. Now he really had the man off-balance, because few shifters could reach into the mind of a complete stranger.

_Maybe we should try that trick with Tyrone someday,_ his coyote snickered.

Zack ignored him. It was time to get Rae out of Dodge. Keeping a firm eye on Jed, Zack tilted his head just enough for Rae to get the message. _Get on the bike._ His mind was already calculating — he could get her back to the ranch within a couple of hours, then turn around and chase Jed down.

He threw a leg over the bike and nodded Rae onto the back. The crazy woman detoured to grab her quiver of arrows out of the car first, which had him steaming, but once she slipped into place behind him, his innards went all warm at the barrage of sensations. Her thighs, clamped around his hips. Her breath, tickling his ear. The soft flesh of her breasts, pressing against his back. And most of all, that scent, like a whole season was clinging to her shoulders, ready for a wild ride.

Thunder clapped in the distance, snapping him out of his trance. The storm was close. Very close. He started the engine with a sharp kick and took off. Originally, he'd been thinking to head back to the highway, but the hills were a better place to take shelter, and he knew just the place to go.

His wolf hummed in recognition. _The cozy little cabin tucked in behind Scarecrow Mesa?_

Yes, that would be just the place.

## Chapter Ten

They reached the cabin just after sunset and only seconds before the rain hit. Rae ran straight inside, holding the door for Zack. He pushed his Harley under the overhang of the porch then whisked right up to her, and they stood side by side, watching the storm break.

She'd never seen anything like it, not in Nevada, not in Colorado. The front edge of the clouds rolled and twisted, while dark, thin tendrils reached ahead of the mass like scouts. The storm was menacing. Powerful. Thrilling, too.

Only part of her attention was on the storm, though. The rest was on Zack, standing shoulder to shoulder with her while the thunder rumbled. His chest rose and fell as if he wanted to fight this intruder, too.

She breathed him in as if she hadn't been doing that for the past hour, half an inch away from his neck while the motorcycle throbbed between her knees. At first, she'd inhaled Zack's scent to settle her fears, because Jed was back after all this time. A crazy man on a mission — and he wanted her in on it. She'd been so absorbed in thinking ahead to her hunt that she let Jed sneak right up — her worst nightmare come true.

So she'd nestled deeper between Zack's broad shoulder blades and inhaled the thick scent of his leather jacket. She'd concentrated on the tiny curl of saddle-brown hair behind his ears and his steady heartbeat. Bit by bit, her anxiety faded, replaced by another emotion aroused by the heat of his body and the pulse of the engine.

Desire.

At least her nose had had the good grace to maintain a tiny distance because what her arms and legs had been up to under the guise of hanging on was positively scandalous. His heat pulled her in, inviting her hands to slip into his jacket pockets and trace everything underneath. Like the thick layers of muscle stretched diagonally over his ribs. Like the mogul course of his abdomen. Like the waistband of his jeans...

Thunder shattered the air, and Rae fought the urge to flinch.

"After you." Zack tilted his head toward the cabin doorway.

"After you." She echoed his movement, trying to keep her cool.

Zack arched one perfect eyebrow, and she held her breath. This was it. Either the alpha in him would show his true colors, or he would prove himself able to give and take.

The air around them crackled as the next stroke of lightning gathered its energy. She could feel the power building, building, waiting to snap.

Finally, after an endless stalemate, one corner of Zack's mouth twitched, and he headed in.

Rae exhaled, long and shaky, then followed. A lightning clap exploded, chasing her over the threshold and directly up to his chest.

Zack looked at her, wondering, perhaps, what demands she'd place on him next. There was only so far an alpha wolf could be pushed. So she took a step back and nodded at the rafters, pretending she hadn't noticed the king-size bed that took up most of the tidy space.

"Nice place."

He smiled a small, secret smile, the first she'd ever seen on her dark knight. If she hadn't been steeling herself to resist at all costs, that smile would have been devastating. A curl of those perfect lips, a crinkle in the corner of his eye, and the briefest flash of white teeth. Part of her heart melted right there, wondering what this man would look like if he had a little more joy in his life.

She forced away a lump in her throat. What would it feel like to be the one to help him find joy — not just in tiny doses on stormy nights but in broad daylight, too?

"The pack has a few cabins scattered around. Just in case," Zack said, nodding around the cozy space.

Rae leaned her bow in a corner, making sure to place the quiver at exactly the right angle for quick action.

_Just in case,_ the stubbornest part of her insisted — the same part that said men were not to be trusted. She'd had a prime example of that not an hour ago with Jed. So what was she doing letting her guard down with Zack?

Lightning illuminated the single room in three distinct flashes, chased by a mighty clap of thunder. The storm was directly over them now, surging with power.

"How did you know where I was, anyway?" she asked.

Zack shrugged, as if finding her in a several hundred square miles had been child's play. "I'm a tracker. I track."

_Anything on two feet,_ she remembered Aunt Jean saying.

"Wait. Why were you after me, anyway?"

As soon as she said it, she wanted to rephrase the sentence so he wouldn't take _after me_ too literally. But Zack was already breaking into a mischievous grin.

She hid a smile. Maybe she should get him off the ranch more often. He seemed freer here, more at peace.

She leaned in, wanting more of that look, then froze at what she found. Deep in his eyes lurked a wolf, and the green of his irises shone with resolve.

_I would come for you,_ the wolf said, _through a thousand fiery hells._

That look went on for an eternity, and she wondered if she'd ever break free. She wondered if she even wanted to. Everything about Zack was honest, sincere, and strong — a promise that wrapped around her like a high, defensive wall. But when thunder clapped again, Zack blinked the look away. Mumbling something to himself, he pulled a phone from his pocket.

He dialed, held it up to his ear, and studied her. "What were you thinking, coming out here on your own?"

She opened her mouth, thought a second, then closed it. How much to tell him? How much to trust?

He lowered the phone and studied the display. "Shit." He squinted at her, like she'd hexed it or something. "No reception." His eyes bored deeper. "Why did you run away from the ranch?"

She huffed. "Can't a woman decide to hunt for a day or two without being accused of running away?"

"Hunt?" The way his eyes gleamed, she was sure his wolf liked the sound of the word.

A second ticked by, then another.

"You shouldn't be out here alone." He stepped so close, she had to tilt her head back to keep her eyes locked on his. The heat of him embraced her, pulling her even closer.

_I'm not alone. Not any more,_ she wanted to say.

"You sound like someone I know," she said, testing him.

Zack fixed her with a deep, dark look that said her comment had cut deep. "I will never be like him," he said, punctuating each syllable.

Every sentence the man uttered was an oath: that he'd never be like Tyrone, the overbearing alpha, nor Jed, who took without asking, nor any other alpha she'd ever known. He was Zack, no more, no less.

"I know," she whispered, bowing her head so low, it touched her chest. But he was already shunning her, turning to the window to study the emptiness outside.

_The emptiness inside,_ something whispered from the depths of her mind. That's what he was seeing.

Her wolf cursed. _Why do you keep pushing him away?_

_Because a man can steal my freedom_ , croaked a voice from deep within her scarred memories.

_This man can give us freedom,_ her wolf snarled back. _And we can give him his._

At that moment, it felt as though they were both out in the open, being buffeted by the storm. The cabin stood in the eye of one of those electrifying desert storms that filled the sky with raw power without the relief of rain. Clouds were swirling, building, and heaving all around, kneading her emotions.

Trust. That was the issue. Was she capable of it, even for just one night? Zack had come after her. Not to drag her away, as Jed would have, but to protect her. What was the malice in that?

Lightning lit his downcast face. Thunder clapped right on its heels, nearly on top of them, but Zack didn't flinch, not even as the walls shook with the power of the storm.

Some spark of lightning must have leaped over to Rae, because her lips tingled the way they had when Zack had kissed her. The feeling raced along her synapses, igniting something in her soul.

Maybe it didn't have to be one or the other: her freedom or a man. Maybe for once, she could give herself the freedom to take a man — a real man, an alpha. Like Zack, who promised her everything while asking for nothing.

Her wolf gave a long, lusty _grrrr._

Tomorrow, she reasoned, she would have plenty of time to be alone. Her whole life had been spent alone. So why not give herself this one night, far from the reach of the pack?

One short step and she was at his side, a hand resting on his waist. Layers of muscle, one chiseled over another, bundled around his torso like overlapping sheets of armor. She wanted to feel his arms around her the way she'd had hers around him on the motorcycle.

Trust. She pulled it around her like a blanket and then tugged the edge over toward him. With one quick inhale, she was on her toes, reaching for his brow with her fingers. No, with her lips. Because she wanted more than a stolen kiss. She wanted more of this man.

All of him, if only for one night.

## Chapter Eleven

Zack had given up counting the beats between sledgehammer blows of thunder and flashes of lightning. They were right on top of each other now, cracking directly overhead.

If only his brain could catch up to his body the same way. Because the more Rae melted into him, the harder he grew. His shoulders pulled back, his stomach knotted, his cock pushed at the confines of his jeans. He was a rock, but she was the stream, running gently, soothingly over him. So much, he wanted to dive right in.

_Deep in_ , the coyote in him growled.

While his body raced away on wild fantasies, screaming for the woman at his side, his brain muddled along in a fog. He was stuck, immobile, unable to react.

_Off-limits,_ his mind said. _She's way, way off-limits._

That didn't stop his heartbeat from spiking as she inched closer, though.

Thunder rattled the windowpanes, yet the tickle of her breath on his ear had a greater impact on him. He struggled to keep his breathing steady, not to give anything away. Why did he feel so out of control?

_Because she's so close._ The coyote grinned inside.

So close that every rivet in his mental armor was creaking under the pressure to break free.

_Take her! Take her now!_ his wolf howled.

In that moment, it was easy to believe the old stories. That there really was such a thing as a destined mate. Not that destiny had spent a lot of time visiting Twin Moon Ranch in the past century, or so much as spat in his direction. But maybe the drought was over. Maybe even a guy like him — a mutt, the product of an empty union — could get that lucky.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the harsh truths concealed amidst the desert landscape. He could see them cowering out there. Truth, like the fact that a life lived alone was empty. Truth, that good enough was not enough, not for his restless soul.

Truth, that the path to his future lay not in the barrens but at his side. His future was her.

For all that lightning tried to tell one tale, though, thunder told a different story. Each roar was like the stomp of an insistent foot.

_Duty! Duty!_

Every member of the pack had a duty and Zack knew his. He was supposed to bring Rae back to the ranch. To protect her, not get carried away with crazy ideas.

"Zack," she whispered, running a hand over his shoulder.

She seemed hell-bent on encouraging those crazy ideas, though. It was in her whisper and the warm slide of her hand along his chest. He'd sensed her wrestling with indecision earlier, but now she seemed to have made up her mind. Didn't she get the memo about the kid from the wrong side of the ranch?

_Apparently not,_ his coyote chuckled as she wiggled closer, making him feel impossibly good. As good as she'd made him feel on that glorious bike ride. He'd tasted freedom, purpose, and companionship, all on two wheels. Those forty-five minutes might have been the high of his life, what with her wrapped around him like a lining to his jacket.

_You think that was a high?_ his coyote sneered. _Try this._

Before he realized it, his hand slid around her waist, and sure enough, her body shuddered with delight that echoed through him.

_This is the way to get high,_ his wolf agreed as he tugged her closer.

Her hand settled over his heart while her lips played along his jaw, licking him up. She'd fought her inner battle and won; why couldn't he do the same?

The harder his cock grew, the more his wolf came up with lame excuses why this would be all right.

_Ty only said something about keeping other guys from messing around with her, right?_

Logic had never been the beast's strong point. Had it forgotten that Ty's father, the pack alpha, had also warned Zack to stay away from Rae?

Still, the coyote was mesmerizingly persuasive.

_This isn't messing around,_ the beast promised in a silky, sure tone. _This is destiny. Not even the old man can fight that._

And hell, it certainly felt that way. Every cell in his body seemed to lean toward Rae, and the urge he felt was as much a directive to hold her forever as to bury himself in her body.

_She wants us, too!_

That, Zack had to give the wolf. The woman who refused to flutter her feathers for any man was melting fast — for him! Her gray eyes were glassy with desire. For all that she'd been on guard with him, she'd reached the conclusion that this was worth it. He was worth it.

His heart gave a little sputter, then hammered on.

She tugged on his chin, turning his face to hers. "I'm declaring it open season on trackers. Fair warning."

He wanted to smile at that, and a lot of other sweet things about her, but his facial muscles were too stiff.

"I can't kiss you," he heard himself say, even though he leaned forward. He might as well put the rule he was about to break out there for the record, right? Maybe that would lessen the guilt, if the guilt ever came.

"I can't _not_ kiss you," she insisted.

A flash of lightning revealed the landscape, and it was different than the familiar view of home. A reminder of just how far away the ranch and its rules were.

Zack hauled in a deep breath. How long had it been since he'd taken a risk? How long had since he'd cared enough to dare?

_Too long,_ his coyote howled.

_So, dare. Risk. Kiss,_ his wolf urged.

Rae closed the distance, letting her lips cover his. Slowly, he locked his arms around her and pushed everything else away.

He'd been fighting the attraction with everything he had because this woman was to arrive back on Twin Moon Ranch untouched. She was forbidden. That was as clear as the ivory fangs the old alpha had flashed when he'd interrupted their first kiss. Zack was entrusted with her well-being. He couldn't fail in the one sliver of trust afforded him by the old alpha. For her sake, and his own.

But for once, he didn't want to settle for playing the good beta. He wanted to jump right to the top, where he belonged. To take destiny in his hands, not wait for it to come to him.

A man could spend a lifetime waiting, and he had had enough.

Finally, he closed his eyes on duty and opened his lips to hers.

That kiss should have been an explosion of sound and color and lust, for all that his wolf had been straining to have Rae. But it was soft, cushiony, and restrained. Lingering, as if every second represented a lifetime. Trusting, with more than just the physical. The kind of kiss he'd had only once before — the one with her, back on the ranch.

Lightning and thunder receded until all he heard was the tame crackle of a fireplace sparkling a cozy vision to life: a bowl of popcorn, two pairs of intertwined feet, and a couple of carefree lovers wrapped around each other atop a thick rug.

All that in one kiss. Either this was destiny or he was losing his mind.

Whatever it was, he had no choice but to go along for the ride. No seat belt, no helmet, no rules.

_No limits,_ something in him agreed. _Not tonight._

Rae's soft touch took him from the fireplace to a sunny mountaintop with a miles-wide view over a landscape carpeted in the colors of spring. Hope bloomed all around. In his imagination, the two of them lingered there a little while. Then they ambled to a hollow filled with the white fleecy fluff of cottonwood trees, so thick it came right up to his ankles. Rae pulled him onward, toward his little shack out by the mesa on the ranch and the bed inside.

Then his hands were hitting a mattress on either side of her body, and he was transported back to this remote cabin in the hills, far, far from watchful eyes on the ranch. It was real. She was real. And her need was as great as his.

"Zack," she whispered, pulling him closer.

He lowered himself, keeping his weight half an inch above her body, as if he might squeeze the goodness out of this if he went too fast. For once, he didn't want to lose himself in a woman. He wanted to find himself there.

Her hands traveled up his shirt and her fingers played along his spine just the way he'd imagined: the index finger first, callused and stimulating, then the middle finger, smooth and long. After that came the softer ring finger, and finally the pinkie, barely a brush.

He wanted to hum and tell her to do it again, but all that came out was a grumble.

His coyote sighed in exasperation. _Can't you get anything right?_

_I'm trying!_

_Try harder,_ his wolf muttered.

"No good?" Her eyebrows shot up.

"Very good," he assured her, pulling her hand back into place. He said it again, ironing out the kinks in his voice, just for her. "Very good."

Rae turned on a smile that was all cheek and only a little lip, like she was trying to hold it back. Then her clever fingers found the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. A breath later, she was wiggling under him, pulling her own top and bra off, and then settling back.

He held his breath, and his coyote sighed inside. _Very good._

His eyes raked her torso, a masterpiece of mixed art forms. The cubist planes of her abdomen melted into the soft, impressionist curves of her breasts, then swept up the length of her neck to the chiseled planes of her face.

_Your turn,_ her eyes grinned.

Zack felt the wolf rear up inside, body-checking the man and coyote aside. The beast's hungry eyes locked on the prize, declaring all bets off. It was definitely his turn. And if there were any rules to this game, he was about to blow them to tiny bits.

## Chapter Twelve

With all the electricity in the air, Rae expected a breathless tussle, a rush to fulfillment, the burst of a dam. But even after their lips met, Zack devoted a long time to nuzzling, staking his claim. The way he touched her suggested that sex came way down on a very long list that put worshiping and discovery above everything else.

She was the one turning up the heat. It was her, pressing her hips to his. It was her, guiding him back to the bed until he had no choice but to ease her into position beneath him. Even then, his kisses were slow and sultry, like a dance on a long winter's night. He seemed in no rush to peel off her layers, to get underneath.

Very un-wolf-like, she decided. And very, very good.

_Nuh-uh,_ her wolf countered. _This man is all wolf. Wait and see._

She pulled off his shirt, then her own, eager for flesh to meet flesh. That's when the beast flashed in his eyes, making her breath hitch. She saw impatient wolf paired with cunning coyote who was calculating how long he might stretch this night. Animal eyes that promised hot, pulsing passion and steel-hard muscle primed to take.

He dipped his head, found her left nipple, and sucked it into his mouth, gentle despite the raw need pulsing off him. Her nipple peaked, and she could already sense what a satisfied mess she would be before the night was through. She was whimpering already, crying under the stimulation of his tongue and fingers.

She arched back, completely at his mercy, and her wolf howled in glee. The irony wasn't lost on her: the girl who refused to give any man an inch was suddenly handing herself over in yards. But hey, if she was going to dive off the high board, she'd do it with style. Zack was like no man she'd ever met. Alpha, but all heart. Wounded, yet giving. Passionate, but controlled.

_Mine,_ her wolf growled. _All mine._

The muscles of his shoulders and arms were edgy, like a sculptor had been in a hurry to finish his statue or just given up on hacking at stone that hard. She ran a hand down the landscape of his stomach, diving under his unbuttoned jeans and toward his groin. When her fingers found his shaft and closed slowly over it, she couldn't help a little chuckle.

"Gotcha."

"That was my line," he mumbled.

"Mine now."

_All mine,_ her wolf purred as she worked him slowly up and down.

He groaned into her chest and lay panting, motionless.

_Relish_ , she told herself. _Do not devour._ If any man deserved it, it was him.

He tilted his head up, eyes seeking out hers, and there it was again, that secret, boyish smile. When she raised her free hand to cup his cheek, he leaned into her touch, humming as she explored him from base to tip.

"Promise me you don't bring all the ranch girls here on the back of your bike."

His eyes popped open. "I don't. Never." His voice was raspy, and she believed him. He shook his head and kissed her. "Never."

A clap of thunder brought on a flurry of hasty activity, the two of them rushing to tug off the last layers separating them. But even when her clothes lay flat on the floor and her hands gripped the headboard while her knees spread wide, Zack was tender and slow. A man in a museum, getting it exactly right.

Using his fingers, he explored her folds and tunneled slowly inside, working her in languid circles until she was wide, wet, and crying for more. He shifted his weight, and she was sure she knew what was coming next. He'd line his body up with hers, lock his hips over hers, and slide home at last. Then they would rock, roll, and howl their pleasure into the night.

But what Zack did next, no man had ever done to her before. He sat back, lifted her hips, and pulled her knees to his shoulders in one swift move. She couldn't understand why it felt so right to lie back and let him, but something in her demanded this feeling of being thoroughly and utterly taken.

_Claimed?_ the voice of warning sounded, muffled deep inside.

The raging heat in her smothered the worry right away. Tonight, she would not be denied — especially by herself. It was all about trust. His hung before her like a fragile thread, begging for reinforcement. What choice did she have but to wrap hers around it?

When Zack paused, she could have burst from the pressure building inside. He tipped his head back and breathed deeply, like a weary man on the verge of claiming a hard-fought prize.

Then he swiveled his jaw in a look that said, _Make ready for me, my mate._ Finally, he lifted her to his mouth like a meal too good to leave on the plate.

Her eyes rolled back in their sockets as he feasted on her, his tongue ravishing every fold, every hidden corner of her sex. The action drove her deeper and deeper into a fog bank of bliss. The man consumed her so thoroughly, so eagerly, that all she could do was ride the exquisite movement of his tongue. Her head fell limp against the mattress — the pillow was long gone, a casualty of their movements — and listened to her own moans fill the cabin as she came undone. Higher and higher, tighter and tighter, until every muscle clenched and shuddered.

Zack held her as she came, shaking and howling inside, then fluttered slowly back to earth.

_Heaven,_ her wolf sighed.

She wanted to say something, but her legs were already wrapping around his waist, guiding him home. Hitting the orgasm of her life suddenly wasn't enough; she wanted all of him.

His green eyes studied her, glittering with need.

Need. Not greed. The man was a prince.

"Zack, please." She was begging, but it was better than what her wolf was yowling inside.

_Fuck me. Fill me. Now._

Another man might have reveled in the power he held over her, but Zack simply nodded, like her wish was his command.

His green eyes narrowed as he pushed in, one delicious inch at a time. She was consumed by the slick, white heat of him, stretching her, tapping something deep in her soul. This was as emotional as it was physical, and she feared what it might make her say, vow, or promise. Her wolf was trying to bare her fangs and lick his neck in preparation for a mating bite, desperately thirsty for more.

_Mate! Mine!_ her wolf cried, and she swore she could hear his reply.

_Mate! Mine!_

With a mighty crack, lightning split a tree outside, and the sound boomed over the hills. Zack hammered home then started pumping to a steady beat. Out, and slowly back in. Out, back in. Rae succumbed to the climax coiling inside like a spring, feeling it slip out of her grasp even as she tried to grab on and yoke it back. Zack's pace went from strong and steady to deep and desperate as he, too, gave in to instinct. When he came with a low grunt, she found herself flying, then floating through space, her brain on standby as her body hung on through wave after wave of pleasure.

Then she was nestled beside him, listening to his heart race. Two thick arms wrapped around her: protecting, not possessing. Promising.

Even his sweat smelled clean. Honest. She burrowed against his skin, wondering if she could ever get enough of him.

She hung there, suspended between dreams and conscious thought, marveling at this sense of peace filling the cabin. She could lose herself in dreams. Lose herself in plans, in hopes. But lose herself in a man? It seemed foolish and foolhardy.

Yet it seemed so right.

## Chapter Thirteen

Deep in the night, Rae's eyes popped open. She lay still, struggling to comprehend what was tugging at her.

It wasn't Zack, not this time. They'd been up twice already, each time finding another way to dance into each other's arms and bodies, and each time as good as the first. She wouldn't be surprised if her skin was glowing like a beacon in the night. A beacon for him to find his way home to.

Right now, though, Zack's steady breath and relaxed limbs signaled sleep. She watched his chest rise and fall with every breath. Was there anything more appealing than a rock of a man babied by sleep? Especially a man whose moments of peace were as fleeting as his.

She was tempted to brush the hair back from his forehead, to smooth a hand over his skin. But the force urging her awake was a different one. It came from beyond their intertwined limbs, beyond the cabin. From out in the night.

_Time to hunt_ , came the whisper, the call.

Part of her wanted to jump up and obey, while the other part didn't want to budge. She glanced down at her naked body, locked under the weight of Zack's arm. Feeling possessed wasn't supposed to feel so good.

That was the frightening part: she wanted it. She wanted to be possessed.

She told herself she couldn't give in, not even to Zack's wounded warrior appeal. A man like him could take away her freedom and smother her soul. She'd seen it happen again and again. Greer, the brutal alpha in Colorado had been like that. Roric in Nevada had the same heavy-handed style, as did Tyrone of Twin Moon Ranch. His son, Ty, seemed decent enough, but he had that same inner power — so much that it created a black hole all around him.

Alphas were like that. They were all the same.

Even Zack. He kept his power under wraps, but it would snuff her out if she stayed too close for too long. He'd erase the special part that was Rae and shape her into just another mistress. Whether that happened through brute force or her own dumb cooperation, the end result would be the same. She'd lose who she was. Lose everything.

_No,_ her wolf insisted. _Our mate gives without taking away._

_He's not our ma—_ Rae wanted to insist, but somehow, she couldn't form the words, not even in her mind.

She gave herself an inner shake. _New moon. Time to go._

Her wolf nodded in agreement. _New moon. Time to hunt._

The storm was clearing, and Zack had chased Jed away. No reason to wait.

She slid slowly out from under Zack's arm and padded silently to the door, where she hesitated, looking at her bow. Would it be that kind of hunt?

She considered, testing the air. No. Not tonight. Tonight was a wolf hunt. The best kind.

Still, gravity seemed to double its pull on her feet, trying to coax her back to bed. Just further proof, she knew, of what she had to beware of.

Outside, she studied the sky. The storm was clearing quickly, heading south in search of a new stage for its mighty show. The first gaps were appearing between clouds, each twinkling with a pale star. Bit by bit, Rae cleared the clutter from her mind and focused on the task ahead of her. The hunt. It was her duty. Her passion. Her calling.

She closed her eyes and let the moon pull the wolf out of her. Her shift started with a yawn that gave way to a stretch as another body emerged from inside. It came willingly, her body folding into its familiar second shape smoothly. She dropped to all fours and curved her back as golden brown fur broke out over her skin. Her nose stretched long, filling with desert scents while her eyesight faded to grayscale. Her wolf sniffed and whisked its tail, left, then right.

_Free at last._

The first scent to stand out — jump out, was more like it — was Zack's, and she fought the urge to hurry back inside. She tilted her nose higher to catch more distant scents, slowly honing in on her prey. There — there it was. Warm-blooded. Musky. Meaty. Something young and healthy. Something strong.

She drew the scent deep into her lungs until it practically circulated in her bloodstream and she could imagine a dotted line snaking over the lumpy landscape to her quarry. Then she shook her furry body and set off on her hunt.

Hunt. A term that was frequently misunderstood — especially her kind of hunt.

Only certain hunts involved killing, and sometimes that task fell to her — to cull the weak and send their bodies back to the earth, their spirits back to the sky. That kind of prey often succumbed quickly, even gratefully. That's what her bow was for — to deliver a quick and merciful end.

Tonight, though, would be a different type of hunt, and it wasn't about killing. It was the trickiest kind of hunt because catching prey alive and uninjured was a far greater challenge.

Rae set off at a trot, ears perked, eyes wary. She would have one chance to get this right.

She settled into a long lope, trying to foresee how tonight's hunt would unfold. Her prey might flee, or it might fight — anything to stay safe. If only her prey knew what was best for it, her life would be a lot easier.

Her wolf pulled its lips back in a grin. _Now, what fun would that be?_

One mile stretched into two, then three, as she wound through the scrubby terrain, closing in on her prey. Her paws pounded over dirt and rock, nose high in the air. Zack's style of tracking would be different: nose to the ground as he traced his quarry by following their trail. Hers involved teasing her prey's location out of the myriad scents in the air and closing in on them. That meant she could take shortcuts without fear of losing the trail. But it had to be a fresh and active scent for that to work. A tracker like Zack, on the other hand, could follow older trails, and over longer distances.

_We'd be a good team,_ her wolf decided.

She pushed the thought away. Hunting was a solitary occupation, right?

_Wasn't always that way,_ her wolf grumbled. _In the old days—_

Rae cut it off there. Yes, she'd heard the stories of the glory days, when entire packs would join the hunt and run as one in the night. But those days were gone. Her kind had become as rare as the species it was her job to protect, and group hunts even more rare.

Still, it felt good to be out running in the night, even alone. Her heart pounded and her claws skittered over ground. She raced up a rocky mesa then padded to a stop and crept over a ridge. Below her, a tight little valley with a tall line of trees followed the meandering path of a stream. She could smell fresh water and the lush scent of the plants sucking it all in.

There. Her quarry was there, in the shadows below.

It was drinking from the stream in short sips, popping its head up regularly to scan the area before ducking down to drink again. Its movements were barely perceptible in the gray-on-black shadows, but once Rae had honed in on it, the shape grew clear.

A pronghorn. A magnificent desert pronghorn, one of the rarest of the rare. The pure white of its rump flashed against the landscape, while the darker lines accenting its curves blurred its edges, making it a mere ghost in the night. A female. Young, sturdy, and very much on edge.

As the doe should be. The few pronghorns left in the wild were valued by trophy hunters for their beautiful pelts and one-of-a-kind horns. They'd been hunted to near-extinction before making a tenuous recovery — but who knew? Every individual was critical to the species' survival — especially a young female like this.

Except it was too early in the season for the gazelle-like creature to be in this neck of the desert. What was the silly doe thinking?

Sadly, pronghorns weren't known for their brains.

_She'll be fast, though._ Her wolf licked its lips. _Fast enough to give a good chase._

Therein lay the challenge. A wolf would have to be clever _and_ fit to catch a pronghorn like this.

_Watch me,_ her wolf grinned.

She pressed her belly to the ground and let the earth's heat seep into her body as she formulated a plan. She'd circle and approach from the west, sticking to the thick line of scrub flanking the trees. Then she'd—

A twig snapped on her right and the desert went deathly still. The pronghorn flicked its ears — once, twice — then fled.

Rae cursed and whipped her head toward the intruder: a coyote, just coming over the rise. He'd been quiet, but not quiet enough.

No, not a coyote. A wolf. Or was it a coyote?

Something in between, she decided. A very sexy something with the imposing size of a wolf and the coloring of a coyote.

Zack?

She hated that part of her gave a happy zing to see him. The other part, however, couldn't help a yelp of protest. He was ruining her hunt!

She took off after her quarry, claws scuttling over the earth while her wolf lodged an entire catalog of complaints.

_Stupid man! Stupid tracker! Stupid..._ Then the memories kicked in. _Sexy man. Sexy tracker. Sensitive lover..._

_Enough!_ The hunter in her roared and concentrated on the chase. She could hear Zack tearing through the brush behind her; no reason for stealth now. Her ears flicked forward, concentrating on the pronghorn. She had to get it!

The pronghorn was fast but foolish in its panic. It crashed through the thicker scrub along the creek bank while Rae pounded a parallel path in the clearer ground above. She stretched her muzzle forward, lengthening her stride to keep pace with this fleet-footed doe.

The chase stretched on, over rocks, gullies, and hills. Rae lost herself in the sensations: the desperate hoofbeats over dry earth, the rhythm of her pounding heart, the sound of her fellow wolf close behind.

At first she'd been annoyed. What was Zack thinking, coming after her like this? But having him involved in the hunt added to the thrill. She'd done all her hunting alone, and while she'd never felt lonely, she'd also never felt so connected to her own kind.

_In the old days..._ her wolf started.

Yes, she'd heard about the old days, when wolves hunted in packs and tended their territories as one. They kept the herds strong by culling the weak, the old, and the sick. In return, the herds kept the wolves fed. It was an ageless, symbiotic relationship that ensured balance and survival of both species — and a responsibility still honored by hunters like her.

Rae ran as she'd never run before, tuned in to both her quarry and to Zack. To share the thrill of the hunt... There was a certain rightness to it.

Her mind spun as her limbs continued the chase. If the hunt was once a pack affair, then...

Her ears flicked back to Zack. Did he know anything about her kind of hunting? Would he know how to work in tandem to bring down their prey — not to kill it, but to send it on a better path?

She flipped through a hundred possible scenarios. Could she trust him?

In an instant, her decision was made. All or nothing. She cut sharply to the right, up the hillside. Could she trust Zack?

There was only one way to find out.

## Chapter Fourteen

_Jesus, but the she-wolf could run. That pronghorn, too._

Zack panted and searched for another gear to throw his four feet into, but he was already going flat out. He ought to feel guilty for scaring off her prey, but hell, he'd still been half asleep when he came across them. And anyway, Rae was the one who'd walked out on him in the middle of the night.

A night he'd thought was perfect, until he woke up alone.

He couldn't believe it at first. A couple of rounds of intense sex, a quick cuddle, and Rae had made tracks.

Well, maybe she was smart to do so. After all, a man like him couldn't offer much: just a shack on the edge of the ranch, a crazy job, and an uncertain pedigree. The only thing he could really offer was his heart, and that was worn as thin as an overused couch.

Still, it hurt. Bad. That feeling of being left behind was an old one, and the pain went further back than a couple of hours. It went back years. Lots of them.

One night, his father would be home, the warm bass of his voice filling the house. The next, a motorcycle engine would roar to life, carrying an impatient man out of a young boy's life. Every couple of months, his dad would drop in, looking clean, repentant, and deceptively sincere — a state that would last just long enough for Zack to save up a little hope. Long enough for it to sting when the man disappeared again. In and out, in and out, with little Zack hiding beneath his patchwork quilt, afraid to fall asleep for fear of who might come — or worse, who might go. Wondering what it might be like to hear an engine coming instead of going.

He'd pushed the memories away for so long that when they came back, they came back with a bang.

At first, he'd sat slumped on the bed, kneading his brow and wondering at when his subconscious had decided that things could be different. Where had the wild ideas come from? Ideas like sleeping long, solid, and off guard, knowing that he'd have a person he loved for more than one night.

He caught himself there. He wasn't a kid any more, and as for love — no, he didn't love Rae. More like...liked her. And he'd had his fun, so what more did he want?

_More,_ his wolf whimpered, morose. _Mate. Keep._

_Forever,_ the coyote added.

He shook his head. He couldn't love Rae. It was forbidden. This whole night had been a mistake.

Coyote and wolf voices roared in his head. _No mistake!_

He'd been planning to feel sorry for himself a while longer, but his nose had started twitching. There was something was in the air, and not just the scent of regret. Some nocturnal event; something exciting. His hands fisted in the sheets. Was Rae in danger? Was Jed back?

He leaped to his feet, flung the door open, and shifted to canine form, senses on full alert while scents and sounds assaulted him.

The new moon. The desert, caught between two breaths. Something was happening out there.

He paced on the porch, sniffing. Where was Rae?

Like needles on a thousand tiny compasses, every sensor in him swung north. There. She was there. Somehow, he just knew. He took off at a punishing pace, tracking her fresh scent through the night. It wasn't long before anger and pain gave way to the thrill of the chase. There was a high in it, running through the cool night air. His legs were strong and sure as they carried him over the hill, around a mesa, up over a rise—

Where two heads had popped up in surprise. He let out an inner curse. _Shit._

One was the slender face of a pronghorn — a doe with wide eyes, erect ears, and inward curving horns. The other was a she-wolf with a silky brownish-gold coat, long legs, and an aristocratic tilt to her chin.

Rae yipped her displeasure at the noise he made then shot off after the pronghorn.

The promise of a double chase pushed away any instinct Zack had to hang his head in shame. The pronghorn was taking off, Rae was taking off, and dammit — he was off, too. He would not be left behind!

So there he was, running with his paws on fire, his teeth clenched in resolve. But damn if the two females weren't giving him a run for his money. He caught glances of the pronghorn's thin legs pistoning up and down, its flag of a tail flicking as it ran in great leaps and bounds. The doe was running on high-octane fuel: fear for her life.

Rae, on the other hand, ran on the wings of some desert spirit. There was an aura about her, a glow. Her coat shouldn't shimmer quite so much on a moonless night, but there it was, flashing over the landscape like a golden fish in murky water. He'd never seen a wolf move like that: a tight package of grace, determination, passion, and pure feminine power.

_Oh, but you have seen that,_ his coyote hummed. _And not too long ago._

He nearly stumbled when the image jumped into his mind: Rae, tugging him toward the bed between flashes of lightning. Rae, lying back and inviting him to explore. Rae, writhing in pleasure as he thrust into her, again and again.

His inner thermometer jumped by twenty degrees. OK, so the two of them had been on fire. But that was only sex, right?

His coyote snorted. _Who else ever lit you on fire? Who else ever made you feel so alive?_

He thought long and hard but came up empty. Worse, he was lagging behind. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, determined not to lose contact with the chase.

But there was determination, and there was sheer inborn speed. His tongue lolled sideways out of his mouth while the females showed no signs of tiring. If anything, they were inching away. The pronghorn had two hundred yards on Rae, who had half that distance on him. And Christ, he wasn't sure he could catch them, not even at a full-out sprint.

Then his she-wolf suddenly cut off at an angle and hammered upslope, away from the pronghorn. He slowed, torn in two different directions. What was Rae doing?

His ears flicked, picking up a whisper in the night. By the time it wound its way into his mind, though, it was more image than sound. If he stayed behind the pronghorn, then drove it right...

An entire scene played out in his mind. If he edged left, the doe would veer right. And if Rae was fast enough, she could cut over the hilltop and cut the pronghorn off on the other side.

_We hunt as a pack,_ the whisper told him. _Like the old days._

Zack wasn't sure what those old days were, but he grinned and shot off after the pronghorn.

_Clever,_ his human side decided.

_Insulting,_ his wolf huffed. _She wants us to play sheepdog?_

_Cunning,_ the coyote smiled. _She does her part, we do ours._

It was two against one, because the man in him was with the coyote: smitten with the challenge. And hell, he'd never been on a hunt like this before. Tracking was in his blood, but that was slow and steady, his nose testing every inch of earth before moving on. This was a high-speed chase with whipping branches, crashing hoofbeats, and pounding hearts. This was thrilling, instinctual. The only times he'd been out on this kind of hunt had been frivolous, opportunistic chases of a wayward deer or boar. A pronghorn was in a totally different class, especially one as fleet as this.

Rae was in a totally different class, too. She carried her nose straight as an arrow, her tail proud as a banner.

His wolf wasn't sure he liked the arrangement, though.

_Aren't men supposed to lead and women to follow? Shouldn't an alpha fight from the front and force victory with raw power?_

The coyote laughed the notion aside. _Hate to point it out to you, but we're bringing up the rear. And the view ain't half bad._

He watched Rae disappear into the scrub from the corner of his eye as he followed the pronghorn. Maybe there were other ways to achieve a goal. Maybe a smart alpha knew when to lead and when to follow.

His eyelid twitched, the wolf in him uneasy. _Me, a sheepdog?_

His coyote snorted. _Pompous fucking wolf._

He swung left, decision made. If Rae wanted a sheepdog, he'd give her one. He took a deep breath, lifted his muzzle, and let out a howl as he raced along. A good howl that rumbled and threatened a thousand bloody deaths. Of course, running at full tilt like that, it was more hot air than anything else. A wolf would never fall for that bullshit, but a pronghorn...

Sure enough, the doe skittered right, just where he wanted her to go.

Zack bayed and yipped, putting on a show that filled him with childish pleasure, just like the kind he got from revving his Harley at a red light.

And it worked. The doe went wide-eyed in panic and drifted right, still a good hundred yards ahead. It was a gap his burning lungs would never close. But it didn't matter, because there was a flash of gold and a grunt on his right. Rae came flying through the air like a Valkyrie straight out of hell. She pounced, and wolf and antelope went rolling in a flurry of flailing hooves, wild grunts, and gleaming teeth.

Zack's heart seized. One lucky kick and the pronghorn could crush Rae's ribs, smash her head, or put out an eye. There was nothing certain about a hunt. Shifters healed quickly, but they weren't immune to pain. Besides, a lucky kick would let the pronghorn escape, and something about Rae's urgency told him that couldn't happen tonight.

When he was two steps away, the tussle came to an abrupt stop, and he skidded to a halt. What the hell was going on?

Rae had the pronghorn pinned as sure as any cowboy threw a steer. Her jaws were clamped around its neck, her body forcing the doe down. She huffed through her teeth, ordering her quarry to submit. He could see the panicked whites of the pronghorn's eyes roll, its striped flanks heave in terror.

But there was no death bite, no gush of blood. Rae wasn't killing the doe; she was holding it. There was a grunt and a wiggle and then silence as the pronghorn's eyes registered something else. It ceased the struggle and just...listened.

Zack listened, too, tilting his head. There was a whisper in the air, faint as filtered starlight from a thousand light-years away. A whisper that carried images, not words, and a scene formed in his mind.

There was a brokeback mountain, a crooked stream, and a wide, green valley swimming in grass. Somewhere up north. Not that he'd ever been there; he just knew. Next, he saw a rocky outcrop, an irregular hillside, and a flash of white: the tail of another pronghorn. A big male, by the look of it.

_There,_ the image seemed to be telling the doe. _That is where you must go._

Rae loomed over her prey, forcing it to listen to that whisper that rose out of the ground. Then the images rushed into a blur in a bird's-eye flyover of the route to that special place.

Zack sat down abruptly, hitting rocky ground with a jolt of realization.

_Holy shit._

He'd heard the legends, of course, but never imagined they were true. Legends of a great huntress with speed and stamina to match any prey. A huntress who guarded the creatures roaming her territory, keeping the herds — and by extension, her pack — healthy. The kind of hunter who tended the earth and maintained a natural balance thrown badly off-kilter in modern times.

The pronghorn struggled to its feet, wobbled a few steps, and dropped its head in exhaustion. There wasn't a drop of blood on its pelt; Rae had been careful. Then the doe gave a clicking kind of grunt and trotted off into the night, heading for the green valley in the north where she would find her mate.

_Mate,_ came a faint echo from his wolf.

His eyes settled on Rae, who had eased into a sitting position and was studiously licking her paw. Most shifter packs — wolf and coyote — had master hunters. But a master huntress... His mind fumbled for the term he'd heard whispered, long ago. Mistress...Mistress of the Hunt. She who tended the herds as a servant of Mother Earth.

It had been generations since a true huntress had walked the earth. So long that the Mistress of the Hunt had fallen into the realm of legend.

But it wasn't a legend. It was true.

It was Rae.

He lowered his head slowly with a reverent huff.

Rae. His Rae. Mistress of the Hunt.

## Chapter Fifteen

Rae watched the pronghorn disappear into the night.

_Godspeed, my friend. Good luck._ She pushed the thought, loud and clear, from her mind to the doe's, then dropped her chin. The usual post-hunt high washed over her like a drug: she felt weary, yet triumphant. Humble, yet all-powerful. So much of her life was lived at the whim of an alpha's command; this was her chance to run free, to sing her song.

A rare chance, too. Soon, this magical night would be over, and she'd be back to just plain Rae, hiding her secret, fretting about her future.

At least it had been a successful hunt. Rewarding, too: that pronghorn was on its way to a safer place and one of her own kind. If Fate smiled on the doe, she would find her mate, breed, and add another generation to a long, beautiful line.

Rae was one in a long and even rarer line. She sensed the connection during every hunt: a link to her grandmother, great-grandmother, and so many others, so long ago. They'd come to the New World in centuries past to tend once-plentiful herds: bison, antelope, elk. But even the great huntresses couldn't hold back the relentless onslaught of pioneers and trophy hunters. All they could do was guide the last survivors to safe havens where they might hide and persevere.

Part of her itched to give chase to the pronghorn once more, while another part was glad to see it run free. Hope rang in its footsteps, and who knew? Maybe there was hope for Rae, too.

She sighed and bent her head to lick a paw trampled in the fight. Zack was watching, but she wasn't quite ready to face him. Having him join the hunt had given her a thrill that a hundred brass horns couldn't provide. The thrill of leading others on a hunt, just like her grandmother had said.

_A little like the old days._ Her wolf smiled.

Well, it was a long way from the old days, but she'd take what she could get. If only she could hunt openly with a pack that appreciated her gift. Unfortunately, such packs were few and far between. Roric's Westend pack couldn't give a damn about balance; their souls were sold to the casinos. Other packs might value a huntress like her, but there was a danger in that, too. The wrong kind of pack would rein her in, tie her down. She needed to range wide and far in search of worthy prey, something packs today with their splintered territories would hardly support. If the wrong pack claimed her, she would be reduced to hunting sheep or javelina when her blood called for the rarest of the rare — bighorn, pronghorn, and other species toeing the thin line between survival and extinction.

And now, Zack knew her secret. What if he gave her away?

Rae growled, pushing her human anxieties away. Tonight — what there was left of it — was for celebrating small triumphs: a successful hunt, and a single doe on her way to safe territory and a mate.

_Mate._

On cue, her wolf turned to Zack. His green eyes were deep and honest. Wolf, coyote, or human: a trio in one, who looked at her in wonder and surprise, then dipped his head in respect.

Something primal in Rae stirred, and she wanted it again: that feeling of being worshiped — not as a Mistress of the Hunt, but as an ordinary woman who couldn't deny her attraction to this man.

_Mine. Mate._ Her wolf growled as she stepped toward Zack. He would make a worthy mate. Honest and true. A friend. Who could understand her better than a tracker?

He kept his head low as she circled him.

_This hunt is finished,_ she wanted to say.

_But we're not,_ her wolf grinned, grinding her shoulder against his.

His eyes shone as if he still couldn't believe what he'd seen, so she butted him lightly with her hip. But this time, the contact slowed and stretched until it was a full-body rub along his side. Long, sleek, and close, she slid along the length of his coat. The coyote coloring made him appear smaller from a distance, but he loomed over her now, big as a wolf. Bigger, in fact, than most. She rubbed all the way around him and down the other side, sending up sparks.

When Zack turned his head and his eyes met hers, they said everything. That he was done with the hunt, but only getting started with her.

Heart thumping, she forced herself two steps away and took a measured breath. Hunting brought out her passion, and that passion wasn't easily quenched. In hunts past, she would slip home and find herself a wolf lover to take the edge off. She could do the same now with him. Her wolf wanted it, and his, too.

But tonight... Tonight was different, somehow. She didn't want fast and hard. She wanted slow. Graceful. Satisfying — not just for her body but her soul. And wolves, well, they weren't much good at anything but a hard, fast fuck.

_Hey!_ her wolf huffed.

But her mind was made up. Humans were much pickier about choosing partners. Rae was picky. She wanted Zack — the man.

But would he want her? Would he want slow, graceful, and sweet?

As she looked into the warm peat of his eyes, Zack stood impossibly still. Wishing, wanting, waiting. For her.

And just like that, she slipped from arousal to full heat. She wanted him — all of him, for all of her. She pushed forward, shifting smoothly in midstep to her human form. Her back lifted and straightened, her shoulders stretched, and her jaw clicked. Then she breathed deeply and stood naked on two feet in the desert night. It was cooler like this. Invigorating.

Zack stood still, holding his breath. His wolf stood so tall, she could run a hand along his back without dipping a shoulder. His fur was wiry and thick against her palm, and she couldn't resist working her fingers down to the skin as she circled him once again. She ran the back of her hand along his right side then stepped in front of him, naked and exposed. She shivered, both from the night chill and the primal heat zipping through her body.

_Decide, wolf,_ she strained to tell him as her nipples hardened into tight peaks. _Take me or leave me. Take the risk._

He blinked, slow and ponderous, and she circled him again. Her hand rose as he shifted and came to two feet, his human side stealing the night back from the beast. Fur gave way to smooth, supple skin as her fingers continued her path, sliding from his hips to a rear so tight and square with muscle that she shivered. She came around his shoulder, a dancer in a slow waltz, and stepped right into an embrace.

Zack — human Zack — pulled her close, nose to her hair, and continued the movement without missing a beat. His arms stroked her the way she had stroked his wolf, making her body throb with building need.

"Rae," he whispered.

He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip before kissing her exactly as he had the very first time. The scent of wolf hung on him still, and the flavor of coyote was on the tongue that tangled with hers, soft and sweet. Yet he was all human, all man.

She couldn't help glancing down when he reluctantly broke the kiss off. Definitely all man.

He smiled that secret smile, and her knees wobbled just a little bit. She wanted to hand herself over to him, then and there. The hunter in her was gone with her wolf, and now she was all woman. She wanted to surrender, to give herself over to his touch. To trust.

Trust. She turned the word over in her mind. When had she ever really trusted a man?

She closed her eyes and sighed as Zack slid his hands along her ribs, ghosting along the outside curve of her breasts.

Tonight. Tonight she would trust.

His hand cupped her fully, setting her on fire. She pressed into him, trying to squeeze away every last atom between their bodies.

_Zack..._

It was an inner sigh more than anything else, because speaking now might break the spell of this magical night. Her body cried for more, and he readily gave it, toying with both breasts, pushing his erection into her stomach. Heat pulsed off his chest as his mouth explored hers, swift and sure.

His hands slid down to the small of her back, then climbed up, and finally dove again, scooping her close. So close that her balance was thrown, her body tipping backward.

Trust. The word echoed in her mind as she forced herself to let go. She tipped farther and farther off-balance, so far she was sure she would crash gracelessly to the ground.

"Gotcha," Zack whispered, locking his arms firmly behind her. She felt feather-light as he lowered her to the ground and followed, settling carefully along the length of her body. The rock beneath her was flat and smooth; above, Zack was all heat.

_Take me. Love me. Mate me._ Her wolf was begging inside, and it was all she could do to lock the words in.

Dipping his head, Zack went to work on her breasts. She arched into his mouth, wanting more of what she'd tasted earlier that night — that screaming, soaring high. The physical high was only one part of it, though. The rest went deeper, sending her soul singing and dancing. Rae wanted to drag this out and make the last hours of the night stretch on forever.

But her body was skipping ahead, making her drop her knees wide and guiding his hand down to stroke her sex. She caught a grin _— Jesus, that smile_ — before closing her eyes to the sweet sensation of his fingers tickling her folds. She gasped when his lips grasped her nipple at the same time, bringing her higher and higher. One finger, then two slipped inside her and stirred a moan from her throat.

"Good," she couldn't help whispering. "So good."

Zack's grin stretched, and his green eyes narrowed. Just when Rae was sure he'd nudge her legs wider and push home, Zack took firm hold of her hips and rolled them both around. She reared above him, her knees straddling his hips.

"You want the bottom?" She gaped.

"I want this view."

She sucked in a breath, let it out slowly, then leaned back on her heels to sit tall over his prone body. She tilted her chin up toward the stars. "They are beautiful." The sky was almost free of clouds now, and the stars sparkled in one of those nights of million-mile clarity that only come after a storm. "Like jewels in the sky."

"Not the stars," he murmured. "You. Riding me." He tipped his hips up.

She caught her lower lip in her teeth and formed a triangle over him, one arm on either side of his muscled chest. Then she slid a little higher along his body and lowered herself slowly over his cock.

"Oh!" she cried, taking him deep.

"Oh," he chuckled.

She rocked back, taking him deeper, forcing those perfect lips open in his own silent _Oh._ Gripping her hips tightly, he pushed up, seating himself deep as her inner muscles gripped tightly.

_We make a good team,_ her wolf purred.

_That we do,_ she could have sworn she heard him think, but her mind went blank with his next grinding thrust. She let her muscles ripple over his cock, tightening and loosening in a sensual wave.

His eyes closed while he groaned, long and unsteady, like a rolling log in a swirling river.

"Gotcha." She smiled, liking what she saw.

Zack opened his eyes and found a new grip on her hips, guiding her into another plunge. Down she went, wet, wide, and aching for more. She let her muscles tug on him as she pulled up, hovered over the broad head of him, and pushed down again. She could have played there forever, but a new inspiration seized her. On the next up, she slid her whole body back and away, her breasts bouncing over his thighs as she took his cock with her lips. Not a lazy lick, or a slow glide down. She made a mental oath to deliver that next time. Instead, she rushed to inhale him, extracting another groan from her lover.

_Mine. All mine._

She took him again and again until he was slick and swollen, his body motionless but for the fingers twirling madly in her hair and the garbled words pouring from his throat. A rush went through her as the balance of power tipped toward her end of the scale. Of course, power wasn't the point — it was about trust. Zack was trusting her to take him this way — a rare act for a dominant wolf. The question was, how far did her trust go?

Far enough that when he jackknifed up a moment later, rasping her name, she let him take control and roll them until he came out on top, wearing a devilish grin that said, _Watch this._

## Chapter Sixteen

Zack could have thrown his head back and howled when he came out of that roll. Rae was beneath him, wide-eyed and ready for more. She'd given him the ride of his life and now, he would reciprocate, so she'd never want anyone else again. It would be him, only him.

_Mine!_ the wolf inside him roared.

The way her wolf had teased him with those long drags on his fur had nearly been his undoing. But when Rae shifted back to her human form and let her fingers play along his back, his wolf had started humming inside, leaning into the touch. When she circled him the second time, the shift snuck up on him, so smooth and so fast he barely found his balance on two bare feet.

Vague inner warnings like _Forbidden_ were forgotten the instant Rae molded herself to his body in a perfect fit. Her trust wasn't given lightly, and that alone was enough to push aside duty and honor and pack. He had to touch her, taste her, fill her.

Her skin was soft and warm, and underneath was a taut layer of muscle: thin as sheet metal in places, corrugated over her abdomen, thicker in the thighs. Thighs that were gripping him now, drawing him in. The thunder and lightning had long since moved on, but he could still feel the electricity in what she did to him. His lips moved over her shoulder, tasting her again and again, and then everything became the squeeze on his cock as he slid home.

He thought he'd climbed as high as a man could climb, but he soared even higher when Rae tipped her chin down to watch his cock disappear inside. Her face glowed as she watched him slide in, one hot, tight inch at a time. Her lips parted, her eyes slid shut, and deep inside, he could feel her tremble.

He wanted to memorize the feel of it all. The sight of her under him. The perfect fit at the juncture of their bodies, the tight tangle of their legs.

He thrust so deep, he nearly lost himself on the first plunge. Rae's eyes were glassy, and he penetrated again, burning with pleasure every inch of the way. A pull back, then another thrust, and another — he let momentum build until the movement was a thing of its own. His breath was ragged, barely in control.

"Zack," she groaned, tightening her legs behind his back.

_Mate,_ his wolf growled inside.

When she clamped down over the length of his cock, all thought fled except the desire to fulfill her.

"Now," she cried.

"Now," he echoed while he still could. Then his hips took over in a crescendo that seemed to rock the stone they lay upon, as hard and fast as an out-of-control wave. It built and crested inside then came in a rush as he emptied into her.

He kept his tight grip on her hips as his body went stiff, feeling Rae clutch him with every muscle and limb. She convulsed with a cry then went limp and breathless against his chest.

Somehow, he found just enough coordination to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight, listening to the wild beating of her heart.

"You're amazing," he murmured at last.

She was so much more than what was visible from the outside. A few minutes ago, she'd been a mighty huntress; now, she was all woman.

All his.

"Not bad yourself," she chuckled back.

Her scent filled his nose, and her heat filled his arms. Their breaths evened out, and time stretched and decelerated, as if Fate were giving him the gift of time.

Mistress of the Hunt. Had he imagined it all? The chase, the pronghorn, the scene that had appeared in his mind? Could a woman like her ever settle for a half-breed like him?

He glanced down, finding stroking him like a harp. She sighed, sinking deeper into him as the stars arched slowly overhead.

"Is this what you came out here for?" He ventured at last. "To hunt?"

She gestured toward the valley, the mesas, the endless miles beyond. "I need space," she said, determination creeping into her voice.

Zack peered into the starry night, wondering how much space she needed. Wondering whether she might be willing to share.

"But you...you held it," he whispered, snuggling her closer in case the words set off her instinct to flee. "The pronghorn, I mean."

Rae shook her head slowly, looking weary, yet satisfied. "Wolves have always been the guardians of the herds. We keep them strong."

He ran a finger over the soft skin of her neck. "Never seen a wolf do that before."

She shrugged and cast her eyes down. "You know that corny line. If you love something, set it free."

But there was more to her hunt than that corny line, and he knew it. "You didn't kill it."

"That pronghorn didn't need killing. She needed..." Rae trailed off, studying him as if to gauge how much to say. "She needed to listen."

"And that's what you do? You tell them where to go?" The image of the green valley had been so clear, he could smell the fresh grass, taste the clean breeze. "Where they'll be safe?"

Rae took a long time measuring her words before speaking. "I don't say anything. The Earth Spirits do. I just make sure she listens."

He nodded. "So she'll know where to go. Where she'll be safe. Where she'll find a mate..." He trailed off, glad Rae's eyes avoided his while he fought down the squeezing sensation in his chest.

The thing was, he didn't need a whisper in the night. He knew where to find his mate.

_Right here._ His coyote hummed in satisfaction.

Rae cleared her throat and mumbled, "A good hunt."

_A very good hunt_ , his wolf rumbled inside.

"Interesting kind of hunt," he added, trying to keep his voice steady.

Rae pursed her lips. "There's killing, too, when there needs to be. The old, the weak, the sick. Everything has its time. I do it right, though," she continued, sounding fierce. "Quick, and with honor. Not like those damn trappers, the bear-baiters, the humans who get it wrong. They take the strongest bucks, the brightest females."

It all fit perfectly with the stories his grandmother used to tell. But Rae was no coyote. "You're not Diné," he said.

_Diné?_ her eyes asked.

"Navajo."

She shook her head. "My family came from Europe. They couldn't stop humans from decimating the herds there, so they came to the New World. They did their best to keep the herds strong, but others came, too. Too many, too fast."

That story, Zack knew all too well. "Are you the only one?"

Her pulse slowed to a sad thump. "My grandmother was the only huntress in the Four Corners region. The gift skipped a generation with my mom. And me... I'm the only one I know who's...different."

Zack pulled her closer, wishing he could say what he felt: that he knew how it felt to be different, to be alone. But Rae was special, one of a kind. And he was just a mutt.

_Try selling that,_ his coyote cried, suddenly morose.

## Chapter Seventeen

To Rae, a night had never felt so good, and dawn had never come so swiftly. She lay snuggled alongside Zack, alternatively snoozing and watching the stars until orange and pink hues invaded the sky.

A new day. What revelations would this one bring?

She rolled to face Zack, matching each part of her body to his, and took his lips in a last kiss. The last, at least, for that night. Then she stood, stretched, and offered him a hand.

He didn't move at first, and she wondered what was going through his mind. He'd gone from passionate and hopeful to downright quiet as the first rays of sunlight tiptoed over the earth.

"Hey." She gave him an encouraging smile. "Time to get up, Sleeping Beauty."

He cracked one eyelid open. "That would be you."

The crazy thing was, he wasn't joking. His fingers closed around hers like he never wanted to let go.

She squeezed and pulled him up. Lying on the ground, they'd come out eye to eye, but standing, he towered over her. There was so much of him, and so much to him. The man was more than a tracker.

_This man could be our mate,_ her wolf said.

She took a deep breath and looked over the hills. It was a long way back to the cabin.

"On foot or...on foot?" she joked.

He flashed the smile she was hoping for, catching her meaning right away. Should they shift into wolf form to cover the miles back or walk on bare human feet?

"Four feet would be quicker." He said it quietly, almost testing her.

"Right, then." She nodded. "Let's go on two feet."

The smile stretched. "Right, then, two feet."

They picked their way through the scrub, cutting over the hill, then winding through the valley where she'd first found her prey. It all seemed so different in daytime and as a human, but one thing was the same: the thrill she got from Zack being there at her side.

_Imagine hunting like this all the time. With him._

It was so easy to imagine, and so tempting.

_But can we trust him?_

_Purrr-fectly,_ her wolf replied, thumping her tail.

Which only brought her to the next question: How much could she trust herself?

The question hung in every prickly pear thorn she tip-toed around and every edgy pebble on the ground. But with Zack's hand tight around hers and his quiet presence at her side, finding a definitive answer didn't feel quite so urgent any more.

They reached the cabin and paused just inside the threshold, gazing at the evidence of their lovemaking. The tangled sheets... The heady musk that still clung to the air. It would be easy, too easy, to slip right back to where they'd left off.

Zack's hand tightened around hers, and he whispered, "We need to get back."

She wanted to stay and pretend that last night could be every night for the rest of her days. But pretending wouldn't get her anywhere, so she scooped up her clothes and dressed. Meanwhile, Zack pulled on his jeans then straightened the bed. She tugged on her shirt then slung her bow and quiver over her shoulders, wishing it wasn't already time to go.

When Zack stepped out the door and pushed the motorcycle off the porch, there was a metallic ting as the keys fell out of his pocket. Rae picked them up as she stepped into the intense morning light, squinting. The night was gone. If she wanted her future, she had to go out and get it.

Zack put out his hand like a catcher's mitt, and she hesitated. Was she ready to put a man in the driver's seat of her life? She jingled the keys, turning the thought over like a tarnished penny.

"You have a motorcycle license, miss?" Zack called.

His tone was joking, but his eyes said, _Give me the keys._ And there it was again — her inner doubt. A bossy alpha was the last thing she needed.

She stiffened slightly. "As a matter of fact, I do."

He studied her then added a lifted eyebrow. _Give me the keys, please._

She fingered the jagged ridge of the key until her wolf nudged her thoughts. _This man, we can trust._

She tossed the key chain to him, putting everything into a look that said, _Do not betray my trust._

Zack tossed her a helmet by way of a promise.

"What about you?" She motioned at the single helmet.

He rapped his fingers on his skull, smiling. "Hard head." Then he started the bike with an easy kick and motioned her onto the back.

With a deep breath, she slid into place. The minute she got in position — chest to his back, legs against his, arms circling his waist — the worries fled. This felt good. Safe. Right.

_Home,_ her wolf murmured _._

With a twist of his wrist, Zack revved and took off, and promise shimmered on the horizon. Maybe it wasn't the end of a beautiful night but the start of a beautiful day. Who knew?

Rae leaned into Zack and let herself revel in every turn and every gear he accelerated through. What a car window was to a dog, she decided, a motorcycle must be to a shifter. Her worries blew away with the wind as she gave herself over to the joy of it. Judging by the swell of Zack's lungs under her tight grip, he felt the same. His shoulders went wide and sang of the joy of an open road, of a humming engine, of a woman's arms — his woman's arms — around his waist.

She smiled into his shoulder blades and let her fingers strum the line of his ribs. When he revved past the spot Jed had cornered her in, she turned her head away. She would deal with her broken-down car later. And as for Jed, Zack had scared him off, right?

She wasn't going to let anything ruin this day. And she was damn well going to stretch it out for as long as she possibly could. Why rush back to the ranch?

But the phone vibrated in Zack's pocket when they hit the highway and turned south. Several times, in fact, in what seemed like a series of urgent messages. He pulled over at a roadside diner, took it out, and scowled.

"Shit."

Maybe hiding out at the cabin forever hadn't been such a crazy idea after all.

_What?_ She wanted to yell the question. _What did the message say?_

He glared at the display, glanced at her, then back at the phone. His fingers tightened around it so hard she thought the housing would crack.

"Zack?"

A cloud passed over his face before he punched the phone off for good. _Let them wait,_ those green eyes said, screaming defiance.

What was going on?

He stomped into the diner, pulling her with him. "Breakfast."

It wasn't so much an invitation as a declaration, the taking of a stand. Never had she seen the alpha in him come that close to the surface.

_But he's holding the power back,_ her wolf said. _Holding it back, just for us._ _See what a good mate he would make?_

She squeezed her lips together but didn't protest.

"Coffee?" she asked cheerfully.

"Coffee," he rumbled.

They sat down and lingered over every bite of pancake, every sip of coffee. And if their movements were mechanical at first, the tension gripping Zack's shoulders gradually unwound. Like the storm that had come and gone last night, his mood moved on, and blue skies followed.

Literally. She got back on the bike and tipped her chin to the sky, soaking in the sun. Zack drove under the speed limit, no more eager than she to get back to the ranch. They'd barely gone twenty miles down the road before he pulled over at a scenic overlook where they went straight from taking in the view to taking in each other's lips for another happy minute, or an hour. With him, it was easy to lose track of time.

"This is beautiful," she murmured at last.

"This is nothing," he said, and his secret smile hinted that he knew a better spot.

Sure enough, it wasn't long into the last stretch of road before he swung the bike off the highway at an unmarked juncture. They bumped off-road for half a mile before dismounting and walking to a field of boulders in the shade of a bluff. He pointed to swirls and lines etched into the rock.

"Petroglyphs," she murmured, tracing the air a millimeter above the rock. "Navajo — I mean, Diné?"

He shrugged. "Nobody knows. But there's a feel to this place."

She closed her eyes and tuned in until she felt it — a vibration in the air, like an ancient chant. The whisper of the past. His past?

She opened her eyes on Zack. Coyote, Diné. White man, wolf. Zack had a little of everything in him, and she loved it all.

She stepped closer and hugged him, reaching for his lips to taste what she'd seen. They kissed until their arms started to wander and their tongues reached deeper, when Zack broke off with a start.

"Not here," he whispered, moving away with her hand firmly in his.

Apparently, it was taboo to get heated up in a place as sacred as that. Rae followed her lover silently downslope. A few minutes later, Zack pulled her into a sycamore grove.

"Here," he whispered, picking up where he'd left off.

His hands explored her body, firing every nerve into action, until they'd both stripped and made slow, sweet love as only two destined mates could. By the time the sun was low and they made their way back to the bike, Rae was sure.

_Mate. Mine._

She waited a moment for some inner voice of protest, but none came. Those words sounded just right.

_Those words are right,_ her wolf decided.

She could have laughed at herself. There she was, hanging on much tighter than necessary as Zack motored down the highway. The tables had turned, because she wanted to possess him. To keep him, to care for him, to share good and bad and everything in between. And if he wanted to possess her the same way, well, that was a good thing. Especially if he shared the same feeling settling over her now: the one that had her swearing she'd do anything for him.

She closed her eyes and let the wind brush her face. Maybe she didn't have to sell her soul for a man. Maybe she could free it.

"Zack," she called softly, but the wind dragged her voice away.

She wanted to make him pull over so she could tell him what she felt. But they'd already made so many stops and whittled the day away... It really was time to get back to the ranch. The minute they got there, though, she would follow Zack home to his cabin and make sure it was lonely no more.

She smiled into his back, because a day had never been as perfect as this one.

She only snapped out of her thoughts when they rumbled over the cattle grid beneath the ranch gate. Zack's entire body stiffened, and her head popped up to take in the scene. Two words sounded in her mind, and the voice that spoke them was his.

_Oh, shit._

## Chapter Eighteen

Zack drove straight into a maelstrom more intense than the lightning storm of the previous night. It was in the air, in the guarded faces that greeted them, and in the strange sense of anticipation that cramped his shoulders.

He rolled the motorcycle to a stop. What was going on?

Ty pushed away from where he'd been leaning against the council house, studying the sky for some sign from the gods or some miraculous means of escape. Either would have explained that weary look on his face. When Ty brought his chin down, Zack saw those dark eyes flash between him and Rae.

Whenever Ty was worked up, his eyes packed the power of a punch. And while he was certainly worked up — the set of Ty's jaw was always a dead giveaway, along with his telltale scratching of an ear — tonight seemed different. His eyes mimicked the steady swing of a clock pendulum, solemnly winding up to the hour.

_Bong._

The pendulum swung left, and Zack felt that gaze bore into him.

_Bong._

It flicked to Rae.

Another silent tick went by, then another heavy bong. Ty's gaze went back to Zack.

_Make sure none of the guys dick around with her._ The words of the pack's future leader echoed in Zack's mind.

When Ty's gaze swung back to Rae and his nostrils flared, Zack knew he knew. For all that the whipping wind had scoured them on the ride back, the scent of sex remained.

Part of Zack wanted to fold up and slink away, while another part wanted to stand tall and beat his chest. Frozen between the two, he waited for Ty's eyes to ignite, sizzle, and spit. He waited for the pendulum to morph into the sweep of an angry tail on a very ferocious wolf.

But the light in Ty's eyes fizzled away. They only sparked again when old Tyrone stomped over, his eyes overflowing with the rage so strangely absent from his son's face.

When the old alpha's eyes jumped to Zack, he had to fight the instinct to stumble backward. Then those eyes shifted to Rae and went suddenly neutral. Calculating.

Zack looked at the way the old alpha studied Rae, and suddenly, it all clicked.

Rae. A Mistress of the Hunt. A legend reborn.

A legend said to bring prosperity to the lands she tended.

His pulse throbbed through his veins. Somehow, the old man had found out Rae's secret — or he'd known it all along.

Rae hadn't come to the ranch as casual help. She had come to be studied. Verified. A pack that claimed a huntress among its ranks would boom and prosper. She would bring prestige to the pack — and to the family she mated into.

The old alpha's eyes flicked to Ty, and Zack's heart sank to his boots.

Rae had been brought in to be mated to the alpha's son — Ty.

"Where the hell have you been?" Old Tyrone snapped. His head jerked toward the door of the council house. "Inside, now!"

Everything in Zack screamed for him to bundle Rae onto his motorcycle and get the hell away. To rev the engine higher than he'd ever done and race far, far away. But his feet were already shuffling to the council house, pulled by Tyrone's fury and sheer force of habit. His whole life, he'd obeyed the alpha, and habit was a hard thing to break, even with his soul howling inside. It was his duty to serve the pack.

_To hell with duty!_ his coyote cried.

Rae gripped his hand as she moved toward the council house, even though she looked like she wanted to run. Her eyes grabbed his, begging him to keep her secret.

_Warn her! Save her!_ his coyote screamed. _Tell her the secret is already out!_

His wolf, though, had its head down. Duty came above everything else. Everything.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Tyrone slammed the door shut behind them. Then he stalked to the front of the room then spun on his heel. Ty took the spot on his father's right, looking empty and defeated. On the left stood Cody and Tina, the alpha's younger offspring, their lips tightly sealed, clearly wanting no part of what was about to transpire. Beside them stood three of the pack elders, all cronies of the alpha.

Zack knew he had to speak up first, to grab the momentum from the old man. He had never asked the pack for anything, as if he'd been saving up all his wishes for now. For Rae.

He opened his mouth to start, but the old man butted in first.

"You never leave pack territory without permission. You understand me?" he jutted a finger at Rae.

Her lower lip trembled, but she threw her shoulders back and spoke out when any sane person would have withered and crawled away. But that was Rae: brave, ballsy, insistent.

"I didn't leave the territory. I was just exploring."

"You do not go anywhere without my permission. Do you understand, woman?"

Rae held her chin high as the alpha waited for her to submit, her arms crossed in defiance, though trembling.

"Not without my permission — or your mate's," Tyrone continued.

Rae froze. Ty went stiff. Zack's wolf howled inside. A long, mournful howl that echoed through his soul.

"I don't have a mate," Rae half-shouted, beating each syllable for emphasis.

"You will tonight." Tyrone jerked his thumb at Ty.

"No!" Zack growled at the same time that a choked cry popped out of Rae's throat.

"But I don't love him!"

"You'll learn to love him," old Tyrone retorted.

"But I don't want him! I want..." When her eyes shifted to Zack, everyone else's followed.

His lungs pinched as he faced her, straining to catch her next words.

_I want you,_ he thought and waited for her to echo.

But her pupils went wide and she shrank away from him, uttering one word.

"You."

It wasn't the end of a sentence. It was the beginning of an accusation. She trailed off, disgust and betrayal filling her eyes.

"You knew. You told them."

Knew the alpha's plan? Hell no! Told them her secret?

"Never!" His roar went right through the walls of the council house and out over the far corners of the ranch.

"You've done enough!" The old alpha cut him off with a stomp that made the floorboards shake. "And you," he barked at Rae. "You should be grateful!"

But her eyes were still on Zack. Her cheeks were crimson, and her lips tremble with unuttered words. Then she gave a vicious shake of her head and ran out the door.

"Ach," the old alpha grunted. "She thinks she can run."

When Ty moved to follow her, something in Zack snapped. He stepped in front of the alpha's son, blocking his way.

Ty blinked then made to weave around Zack, who sidestepped and put a hand against his friend's chest. He'd had enough. Enough of the old alpha's bullying. Enough of the easy way out. He'd never defied the alpha on anything, never asked for any favor. But it was time to take a stand. Rae was his, and his alone.

Fire began to build in Ty's eyes, and he took hold of Zack's wrist. One flick and Ty would break it.

Then again, one shove and Zack could send Ty stumbling back. They were at an impasse.

"Don't," Zack growled.

Old Tyrone pushed forward. "Get the hell out of the way! My son has a mate to catch!"

Zack couldn't hide the emotion. "She's mine!"

The air in the room trembled the way it would in the split second before the snap of a whip.

"You challenge my son?" The old alpha's face twisted into something between anger and glee.

Challenge Ty? The pack's future leader? His friend? It was the last thing Zack wanted. But when he considered his choices, he came up empty. He couldn't step aside and surrender Rae to Ty, and he would never convince the old alpha that love should preside over an advantageous match. A huntress mated to the pack alpha would strengthen the old man's bloodline with powerful offspring.

But Jesus, did the thought make him sick.

The air shifted, carrying a whisper from far, far away. _You are a powerful alpha, too. The pack would still benefit._

If Zack stood a little straighter at the thought, it did him no good. The old alpha had been waiting for an excuse to get rid of Zack for years. He would never back down now.

Ty could be reasoned with, except he was a dutiful son who would never, ever cross his father. That was his sole weakness; it always had been.

"She's mine," Zack repeated, meeting the old man's brutal gaze.

"She's his!" Old Tyrone said, reaching out for his favorite spot on the back of Zack's neck.

Zack smacked the old man's hand away, and the room went deathly quiet. "She's mine."

"A fight, then." Tyrone all but rubbed his hands together in glee. He might not have orchestrated this turn of events, but he certainly would capitalize on them. "To the death!"

Zack saw Ty's eyes slide shut. He wanted a fight as little as Zack did. But what choice did he have?

"Uh..." Cody's voice had all heads turning in his direction. "What about her?" He jabbed a thumb at the door that Rae had fled through.

The old alpha huffed. "Let her run. We don't need a tracker to catch her."

"Catch her?" The mercury in Zack's internal thermometer pushed at the limits of his self-restraint.

"She should have a choice," Tina protested.

"She made her choice when she came here!" Tyrone's bellowed, and the room went still.

Still but for the whisper in Zack's head. _She would have chosen you, if you hadn't fucked this up._

He pulled his hand away from Ty's chest. "A fight, then."

Ty's eyes locked on his. "A fight."

The old alpha snickered behind them, as always, grabbing the final word. "To the death."

## Chapter Nineteen

Images and words hammered in Rae's mind as she ran for the hills. Somehow, she had to escape.

Mate?

Ty?

Tonight?

Old Tyrone had been serious. Worse, he expected her to be grateful. If she hadn't been running full tilt, she would have kicked the ground.

Sabrina, the spoiled daughter of the Westend alpha, was the type to be grateful. Sabrina would do anything for power, just as her father Roric would do. She would even agree to a strategic match, as long as it came with prestige.

Rae stumbled as realization set in. She hadn't been careful enough in Nevada. Someone must have discovered what she was doing on her solitary nocturnal jaunts and deduced who she was, then sold the information to Roric. He, in turn, had sold her to Twin Moon pack.

Who knew her secret? The faces of possible culprits jumped through Rae's mind and only one stuck. The alpha female at Westend was a distant relative of Rae's father. Could she have known what line he had mated into?

More importantly, why? And how did Westend pack stand to benefit?

Her mind spun through the possibilities. Maybe Roric was making a sick trade of some kind, offering her in exchange for a powerful male to come to Westend and mate with Sabrina. The alpha pair had no sons, so Westend pack would need a new alpha someday. A powerful Twin Moon male mated to Sabrina would keep Roric's bloodline in power and the two packs united.

It made sense, in a warped, medieval way.

But which powerful male from Twin Moon would transfer to Nevada? Ty was destined to lead his home pack, and Zack would be deemed unacceptable. No one else matched the power of those two. Cody might, if he ever stopped playing Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up.

Rae ran on, anger fueling her step. She hated alphas! Alphas and their power plays, manipulating individuals like pawns in a chess game. They were all the same.

And Zack was no better. He'd tricked her. Betrayed her trust. He'd had his fun with her, and then delivered her straight to her doom.

She saw it all in slow motion: Zack naked and hunched over her. God, she'd let him touch — taste — her everywhere. She'd been thinking _mate_ and _forever_ , while he'd taken advantage of easy pickings for one hot night. Then he'd handed her over to his own friend as an arranged mate. Maybe they even had some sick sharing arrangement in mind, those two.

_Tricked. Betrayed._

Any fool could have seen it coming. But no, she'd done it again — let her imagination take over and fill in one too many blanks. Zack didn't love her. Zack didn't understand her.

And Ty was no better. She thought he was a decent man, but obviously she'd misjudged him. What kind of man would take an arranged mate who didn't want him?

A power-hungry man. One who would force her to submit.

She ran faster, squinting in the dim evening light.

She didn't have it in her to be a ruling alpha's mate. Couldn't they see that? She was born to hunt. And she could never love Ty. Not when her heart was already with Zack.

Her broken heart, she corrected herself. The one that would despise him forever. He'd even had the nerve to tell her, hand on heart, _I will never be like him_ , meaning the manipulative old alpha. And she'd believed him.

She ran and ran and ran — in human form because her wolf refused to come out and aid her escape. At the same time, she tried to form some kind of getaway plan. Maybe she could get to her car and get it running. Or hitchhike. Maybe she could head back East and find an enlightened pack to grant her shelter if the Twin Moon wolves came looking.

_The East? What would we do there?_ her wolf protested. _Hunt raccoons? There's no space! Not like here._

She shoved the beast away. She would go where freedom beckoned, and if that meant the East Coast, so be it. She ran on, begging her wolf to come out and give her twice the speed. Her knowledge of Twin Moon territory was enough to know there were plenty of twists and curves on the northeast edge for her to step off ranch property soon enough.

_Just another couple of miles._ She gritted her teeth and ran on along a rough track. _Just a little farther..._

She pounded up a punishing slope and paused at the crest of a mesa. The ranch lay behind her, aglow with soft tungsten light. There was a brighter smudge where the dining hall would be, and dots surrounding it where common buildings gave way to a scattering of private homes. It always looked so welcoming at night. Even now, the deceiving effect tried to sway her resolve. But she knew better now. One of those lights came from the council house, where the old alpha had so casually announced her fate.

Where was he now? Where were the others? She watched the headlights of a single truck speed out the ranch gate, kicking up a plume of dust. It was only a question of time before they caught up with her. There would be trucks, wolves — and hell, maybe even Zack on his motorcycle, leading the chase.

She ran downslope in great leaping strides, making for the line of lights on the highway, a few miles distant. Everything hinged on her getting there. Everything.

She had just readjusted her stride to the flatter valley floor when she heard the sharp pant of wolves in pursuit.

_Come out and help, you stupid wolf!_ she yelled at her animal side. Why did it refuse?

A shadow flickered to her left. The wolves were closing in. She could have screamed at the irony. She should be the hunter, not the hunted. Especially when the wolves chasing her were not out to let simply let Mother Earth whisper in her ear.

Her lungs and legs burned with effort, and every muscle straining as she sprinted away.

An excited yip sounded from her right, answered by another immediately behind. The wolves were closing in.

She leaped over a rock and made a clean landing, but her next step found a rut, and her ankle twisted. She tumbled and bottomed out so hard, her vision lit up with a hundred points of light. By the time she scrambled to her knees, the wolves had her surrounded.

Five of them, big, dark, and awfully pleased with themselves, judging by the way their tongues swished over their fangs. Rae did her best to look menacing as she pulled herself to her feet — and promptly lurched as sparks of pain shot through her ankle.

"I am not going back!" she shouted, wondering which wolf was which. None had the smoky scent of the old alpha, but she doubted he would have joined the hunt personally. None had the brownish-black hair of Ty, nor the blond pelt of his brother, Cody.

And none was Zack. She would have spotted her lover from a mile away.

A wolf stepped forward, but a bigger one grunted, sending the first scuttling back to the ranks. Which meant that the big one with the dull brown coat was the highest ranking of the lot.

"I am not going back to Twin Moon Ranch!" she shouted, forcing herself to stand tall.

The wolf's lips curled up before he stepped forward and shifted to human form. She let out a gasp of recognition even before he spoke.

"I don't want you back on Twin Moon, Sunshine. I want you to come with me."

## Chapter Twenty

The sun was setting, and instinct urged Zack to follow Rae — north, where his inner compass was pointing most vehemently. But he walked west instead, taking jerky, mechanical steps.

He was off to a fight to the death with his closest friend, for a woman only one of them truly wanted.

He wanted to shake Ty, not that that would do any good. Ty's father's word was his command, and Ty had long since shut down the feeling part of his heart. Zack could practically hear him thinking things through. _Might as well make a match that profits the pack_.

It was wrong, even if Zack knew his best friend would treat Rae right.

_We'll fight to the death before giving her up,_ his coyote and wolf snarled as one.

He could have shaken his head and said, _Yes, it will be death_. The outcome of this fight was a foregone conclusion. He was going to die.

Oh, he could take on Ty, all right. That would make a close fight between two evenly matched wolves. Where Ty had the upper hand in sheer intensity, Zack's agility put him a nose ahead. He might even be able to work around Ty's ultimate weapon: that powerful glare that had melted many a potential opponent. Having play-wrestled Ty since he was a cub, Zack knew how to avoid those eyes.

On a good day, he would give himself a fair chance of holding his own with Ty. Hell, he might even beat the alpha's son. But no matter how well he fought, he'd never come out on top, because Ty had a secret weapon that Zack would always lack.

Family.

Everyone gathered to witness the fight knew that the minute Zack gained the upper hand, the old alpha would jump in and straighten things out.

Zack could take the old man on, easy. Would even enjoy it. He could take Ty on, though he didn't want to. But taking them both on? Maybe even three, what with Ty's brother Cody waiting to pitch in? Never.

The crazy thing was, Ty and Cody were good, honest men. But blood called to blood, and their father would do whatever it took to keep his offspring on top.

Zack ducked between the second and third poles of a fence, heading for the hollow between the old machine shop and a toolshed that was already flooded with artificial light. The place had seen its share of deadly fights back when Tyrone was rising to power, but it hadn't hosted any action for decades now. Zack squinted against the lights, swallowing his bitterness. It hadn't taken the old coot more than five minutes to turn this fight into an event. And Zack, of course, was being ushered to the less favorable side of the ring, where the lights blazed directly into his eyes.

He tried drowning out the noise of the gathering crowd. Old Tyrone was front and center, hammering him with a blazing glare. Ty's siblings were there, too: his raven-haired sister, Tina, and couldn't-be-more-opposite brother, Cody. They stood a conspicuously long step away from their father, eyes cast down to avoid the ugly truth. The nervous knot of Tina's fingers told him that their futures were as closely tied to this fight as Ty's. Today, Ty's mate would be forced on him; tomorrow, it might be Tina. And as for Cody, well, even the swinging bachelor couldn't be far behind.

Family. Ty had his back to a mountain; Zack had his to an abyss.

"Get him!" Tyrone barked at his son.

Zack saw Ty's eyes tighten in a wince. Family had its pluses and minuses.

Making no move to start, he waited for Ty. This fight wasn't about winning; it was about buying Rae time to escape, hopefully to a pack where the alpha let her choose her own mate.

He swallowed the thought like a bitter pill. Rae with another man? She was his, and he was hers. They were destined for each other.

Except destiny had its hiccups, just like life. He took in the scene around him — Ty's clenched fists, the old alpha's narrowed eyes, the spectators behind him — and knew it was not to be. He and Rae had already had all the time fate had allotted them.

God, it hurt to consider that. And the way she'd looked at him with accusing eyes — that was even worse. Even if he won this impossible fight, Rae would never take him back.

Ty stepped forward, looking darker and more haunted than ever. Zack circled, trying for a better angle against the glare — and not much else. He had to drag this out, which meant fighting long and hard, and possibly wounding Ty enough to keep him from pursuing Rae. The thought sickened him. Why was he even fighting his friend?

_For Rae,_ his wolf snarled as Ty unleashed his first blow.

Half the crowd went into a frenzy. The other half hushed as Zack ducked and swung back, landing a glancing blow off Ty's shoulder.

"Come on, Ty!" a shrill voice cried. Audrey, the ranch playgirl, knew how to side with the winning team.

They shuffled around each other, knuckles raised, chins low, looking for an opening. Ty came in with a bolo punch then followed up with a series of lackluster jabs Zack could parry with ease. The vocal part of the crowd cheered in excitement. Old Tyrone, of course, was barking for blood.

"Get him!"

"Why don't they shift?" someone in the crowd cried.

Zack knew as well as Ty why not. Fighting with their fists kept the damage to a minimum. Neither one of them had his heart in this fight. Anyone could see it in the way they traded blows any quick-witted kid could have avoided.

Ty advanced with a quick combination that Zack had perfectly under control until his footwork brought him in a direct line with old Tyrone's sights. The man's laser-like glare distracted him long enough to let Ty land a punch on his chin. Zack stumbled back, and a gasp went out from the crowd.

"Follow up, follow up!" Old Tyrone yelled.

Ty lumbered slowly forward, giving Zack ample time to get his bearings before he came in with an easy uppercut. Zack smacked it away and followed with a very wide hook.

That's when he saw it: the wrinkle in the corner of Ty's mouth. Not quite a smile, but a smile all the same.

_He's doing it, too._ Ty was pulling his punches, throwing pitty-pat blows that wouldn't hurt a kid. Because Rae's escape, he realized, suited Ty, too.

He hid a smile and went back at Ty with a haymaker guaranteed to go wide.

_Perfect,_ his coyote snickered, trying to make the punch look good.

Perfect except for one thing, as he realized when the fight wore on. It was impossible to put two alpha wolves in one ring and expect them to play nice. Bit by bit, he felt his wolf creeping toward the surface, in the same way that Ty's eyes grew more intent. So much that Zack took to avoiding them altogether, just in case. With every blow, every parry, every grunt from the audience, the fight escalated.

Showtime was over. Soon, he would be fighting for his life. Rae's life, too. She would die before giving in to a forced mate.

Ty's blows came faster and in more effective combinations. Eyes stinging with the salt of his own sweat, Zack did his best to leash his inner beast. But Ty came at him harder and harder, and Zack was forced to put more power behind his own punches. When Ty got in a good uppercut, Zack responded with a heavy cross that pulled a vicious growl out of Ty. Zack stepped left, looking for an opening, while Ty went right, his shoulders blocking the floodlights. But then Ty slid farther, and a beam of light pierced Zack's eyes. He threw a hand up against it, blotting out the blinding combination of floodlights and the old alpha's glare.

There was a mighty crack, and Zack had the vague feeling it might have been his jaw. At least, that's as much as his mind registered as he flew sprawling across the hard-packed dirt. When he could process something other than the pain shooting through his jaw, it was an inky sky with tiny points of lights, soothing and soft.

_Beautiful. Like jewels in the sky._

He focused there, trying to blink away the pain. A hulking form shifted into view above him: Ty, leaning in to assess the impact of that last blow.

The word echoed in Zack's mind, bringing out a crazy smile. There'd been an impact, all right. Rae. The woman had been like a meteor in his life, rocketing in and changing everything.

He could have howled, thinking of her gone, but in that off-balance moment, his coyote got the better of him and started laughing. His gurgling chuckle turned into a throaty laugh that built until his jaw and ribs ached.

He flopped back into the warm earth and took in the scene around him, feeling strangely removed from it all. The lights, the barn, his packmates. A tiny and strangely absurd universe. Ty frowned, and his eyes went from killer to confused.

_What the hell is so funny?_ Ty's voice thundered in his mind.

_Try two friends fighting over a woman one of them doesn't want and the other one wants too much._

Zack laughed until tears blurred his sight. The bubbling laughter grew louder and deeper, as if a bass drum had just seen the humor in this strange scene and decided to rumble along. When he paused to suck in a breath, the sound went on, and he realized it was Ty, leaning over with his hands on his knees, either from a laughter-induced shake or the exhaustion of the fight. Maybe a little of both.

A soft, scolding voice from the past echoed in his ears: old Aunt Jean, the former schoolteacher and surrogate mother to underdogs like him. What would she say to them now?

_Two little ragamuffins, laughing in the dirt._

The recollection only made Zack laugh harder. They couldn't have been more than eight when she said it, that day on the schoolhouse grounds. And that had to have been the first and last time anyone had associated the word _muffin_ with him or Ty.

He laughed until Ty reached a hand down to haul him to his feet — whether to restart the fight or dust his ass off and head for a bar, Zack wasn't sure. He gripped the rough hand as if to stand, but then yanked Ty down beside him. There was a heavy moment of silence before their laughter picked up where it had left off, and for a minute, they really were a couple of ragamuffins in the dirt.

They spent a few minutes like that, the two of them, while their mute packmates looked on, unsure how to react. Then Zack took a deep breath and threw an arm out to tap Ty.

"Oof," the alpha's son let out, biting back a grimace. "That rib's broken, man."

Zack rolled to all fours, slowly, painfully, then sat back on his haunches and gingerly touched his chin. "So's my fucking jaw."

"How broken?" Ty challenged, and Zack grinned. It was another line from the past, one they'd used back in their play-fight days.

Except this was no play-fight. This was real, and Rae was out there. He locked eyes with Ty, suddenly going quiet.

_Rae. Mate,_ his wolf growled. _Mine._

Ty's eyes flared, and Zack wondered how this night might end. Would their friendship be forever ruined or renewed?

A slow second later, Ty gave a curt nod and accepted Zack's hand up.

"What the hell is this?" Old Tyrone barked.

Zack stiffened, but Ty jerked his hand northeast, in the direction Rae had gone.

"Got a mate to catch," Ty declared in a quiet but deadly voice. " _His_ mate," he added, jabbing his chin toward Zack.

A moment later, they were both in wolf form, sprinting into the night.

## Chapter Twenty-One

Much as Rae blinked, she couldn't change the reality confronting her. Jed was back. And this time, with reinforcements: four strapping young wolves who looked hungry for action — any kind of action they could get.

"Sunshine, you knew I wouldn't let that jackass take you away. Now, come home with me." Jed's voice went from sugar sweet to acid sharp on the final words.

Home? She leaned toward the ranch, then forced herself ramrod straight. There was no home for her. Not with Jed, not with Zack, not with any man. She nearly barked it out but held her tongue, not wanting to set Jed off.

He was crazy. She could see it in his eyes. Crazy and utterly convinced of himself — a dangerous combination. Forget about reasoning with him. So what if she wasn't interested in him and never had been? So what if she had her own dream? That was all negligible in the madman's master plan. Jed wanted a mate, a pack, and supreme rule. And he would stop at nothing to get it.

"Sunshine, you okay?" His eyes shone in the dark. "I should never have let that asshole take you away. But I wasn't ready to take on the whole pack, so I had to let you go. For your own sake. But you see?" He broke out in a proud grin, waiting for her approval. "I came back for you, just like I promised."

Her stomach twisted and rolled. He'd promised, all right.

Jed would never stop coming after her. He would never give up. Coming from another man, that might have been touching. With Jed, it was terrifying.

Instinct told her to flee, a plan her wolf was all on board with.

_Let me out! Let me run!_

Although she'd been wishing for her wolf's help, she reined the urge in. Running would only set off the chase instinct in these wolves. From the looks of it, Jed had assembled a gang of young males cast out from their home packs. They would have been kicked out when they were still immature and manageable. Now, though, they had filled out — like Jed — becoming formidable fighting machines. Jed's vision of taking over Colorado's North Ridge pack might be less suicidal than it first seemed. She could see it now: Jed had probably promised each of these vigilantes leading roles in his new pack if they helped him overthrow Greer, the pack alpha. Even for rogues, the call of a pack was strong.

So was the call of the chase. If she ran, they would follow, bring her down, and... She didn't want to think about the rest.

Jed, though, seemed excited about exactly that. "Hey, Sunshine. Why don't we play? You run, we chase." The wolf to Jed's left licked his chops, and Jed grinned. "Where I come from, brother, we share our prizes. She's mine, but if you're good, you can have a taste, too."

Rae's stomach folded in on itself. Jed had learned one trick too many from Greer, that greedy brute. Neither of them was half the man Zack was.

Then she cursed herself. Why did Zack pop back into her mind? She had banished the thought of him. Or tried to, anyway. Zack had betrayed her. He was as bad as the rest.

She could only count on herself. So, how was she going to get out of this mess?

_Run,_ the wolf said.

She tested her ankle, finding the pain gone. Either it was only a twist, or her accelerated shifter healing had already gone to work. The ankle would hold if she ran.

_Fight,_ her heart cried.

_Talk,_ logic urged.

"Look, Jed, we need to think this through. Are you really going to take on Greer with four wolves?"

He grinned, his teeth flashing white in the night. "Who says I only got four?"

Her heart sank as three more wolves slunk out of the shadows. Seven wolves — eight, with Jed.

Despair seeped into her shoulders, and she wondered if she should give in and hope Jed took it easy on her. Maybe later, she would get some chance to escape.

"I know, I know," Jed crowed. "You're impressed. Old Jed is finally moving up in the world. And you, Sunshine, are climbing right along with me. So, get moving! We got our trucks parked a couple of miles away."

"Right, climbing," she murmured.

_More like descending the steps to hell._ Her mind spun, looking for some way out. The minute she let these wolves close ranks around her, her chances of escape were nil. It was eight to one, with more arriving any time because the Twin Moon wolves were after her too. Soon.

Her heart jumped on the idea. How soon?

The Twin Moon wolves would fight these rogues off, which would suit her just fine. But then what?

Before she had the chance to think out a plan, her wolf tore out of her skin and started to run in the direction of the ranch.

In an instant, they were after her — eight baying wolves already lost in the thrill of the chase. She could make out Jed's scratchy tenor among the others. He sounded delighted with his mate's cooperation in a bit of fun.

Well, she didn't want any part of it. Her legs pounded the dirt as her eyes picked out the best path through the scrub ahead. Jed and his gang were running for sport, but she was running for her life, and that kept her three lengths ahead.

For now, at least. She hammered up the slope she'd come flying down earlier. It was hard going over loose scree and rocks, but she made the most of her lead, kicking back all the loose material she could to hinder those in pursuit. One wolf, though, was making steady progress up a parallel route and slowly closing in. The crazed gleam in his eyes and curled lips identified it as Jed in wolf form. His claws scuttled over rock as he launched himself in her direction. It was only a burst of speed, together with lucky footing, that allowed her to jump clear.

_Whoosh!_ His outstretched paws swept the air an inches behind her.

Jed cursed into her mind as he fell back into the rhythm of running.

Rae's muscles wailed with each desperate step she heaved up the final yards of the slope.

_Close — so close!_

The flat edge of the mesa was right there. Once she reached it, she would gain precious seconds if freewheeled down the other side before Jed followed. And after that?

Damned if she knew.

Forcing her screaming muscles to obey, she threw herself over the rise — and immediately dove out of the way of two wolves hurtling up from the opposite direction. One was blackish-brown, darker than night. The other, a familiar deep brown.

Zack. A wave of relief came over her even as she tumbled. Zack would help.

Her body ground to a halt against a boulder, but the impact hurt less than the thought that followed.

Zack had betrayed her. She could never trust him again.

Behind her, the wolves crashed together, and the night exploded with sound. She had never heard roars so fierce and outraged, not even back in Colorado, where fights were a regular occurrence.

_Run!_ Instinct screamed in Rae's ear as she rolled to her feet. _Let them fight while we get away._

Three shaky steps later, she petered to a stop.

Zack and Ty had come for her. She couldn't run and leave them to fight her fight, could she?

On the other hand, they hadn't really come to help. They had only come to claim her for their pack. Whichever side won the skirmish splitting the night behind her, it would all be the same in the end. She would be nothing more than the spoil of war.

_Zack is not the same!_ her wolf insisted, shuffling around so that she faced the fight.

One trembling step after another, she crept toward the action at the crest of the hill, fighting herself every inch of the way.

Zack and the other wolf — it had to be Ty, given his coloring and the intensity of his glare — were firmly planted on a stage-like rise of the mesa, taking lethal swipes at the wolves attacking them. The two of them were an army to themselves, so big and angry that the air around them wavered. One of Jed's gang was already down while another dragged himself out of the melee. The others jumped in and out of range. Zack roared in an outraged tone that she would never have imagined coming from him. He batted away an attacking wolf with one broad paw and followed up with jaws that flashed white.

The next time they flashed, they were red. Rae gulped. Three down, five to go. Could Zack and Ty do it?

Her eyes swept over the battlefield and counted again. Four — she could only find four other wolves. Where was the other?

The air pressure by her left ear squeezed and shook, and she spun to find Jed, leaping in to force her back against a boulder. He'd snuck around the others and cut in around the rear.

_Come on, Sunshine._ He smiled. _Let's go._

Even at the height of the fight, the man was grinning. She could feel him forcing his words into her mind.

_You and me, Sunshine. Just like old times._

## Chapter Twenty-Two

Rae stepped back. _There were no old times._

Jed's growl became a snarl. _Come now, Sunshine._

_I will never come with you!_

With one angry swipe, her claws ripped his shoulder, opening four parallel gashes just deep enough to stoke his anger.

The growl turned low and deadly as Jed faced her, his tail slashing the air like a saber. _You are mine._

He lunged for her, and she sprang away, scrambling to a landing. Jed paused, wild-eyed and bristling as she bared her fangs.

_I love it when women play with me,_ he chuckled.

She wondered how many women had suffered at his hands. How much pain would he inflict on her if he won? The fact that Jed wouldn't kill her was a small consolation.

_You have a twisted definition of play,_ she growled, backing toward a boulder. She needed some point of orientation in this crazy night. Jed stood before her and at least another half-dozen wolves battled just out of sight at her back.

_You are sick._ She all but spat the words out.

His grin bent into a frown. _And you are mine._

_I will never be yours!_

She'd barely formed the words when he leaped. Dodging at the last minute, she hoped he would crash into the rock. But Jed twisted and roared, catching her haunches in his front paws. His claws scraped along her ribs, trying to get a grip.

_All mine, Sunshine,_ he growled. The threat drummed from her ears to her desperately calculating mind.

She wanted to scream for a miracle burst of adrenaline to heave the brute away. She tried dragging herself free, but Jed was too heavy. With a push and a grunt, he worked himself higher, shouldering her into a roll. An instant later, he had her pinned and clacked his ivory fangs in her face.

_All I have to do is bite, bitch, and you will finally understand that you are mine._

He lowered his muzzle, going for her neck. She could feel the sappy drip of saliva work its way through her ruff even before his teeth scraped along her skin. Either he'd gut her there and then, or bite clean and deep in a mating bite that would bind her permanently to him. Either way, there would be no escape.

She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and pretend the horror of it away, but she forced herself to act. Even death would be better than a lifetime of abuse. With a mighty kick, she raked the claws of her back leg along his belly, drawing blood.

_Bitch!_

Jed pulled back to study the wound. When he looked up again, his eyes were sheer malice, and she knew it was the end. She opened her jaws in defense when he came back at her, but she knew she couldn't win. He slammed her back onto the earth, knocking the wind out of her lungs, and took up position over her throat.

_Mine!_ His hot breath burned her skin.

Rae writhed in a last act of defense before the inevitable bite. Behind Jed's looming body were the stars. So beautiful, so far away. She closed her eyes.

There was an explosion of sound, a tussle, and suddenly, Jed's weight was lifted away. Instinct brought Rae to her feet, and she would have fled if she hadn't been disoriented by the eruption of sound and shape before her.

Jed and another wolf were wrestling on the south side of the ridge, just steps away from her. His opponent was a mighty wolf with a satchel-brown, dun-tinted coat. Half coyote, half wolf.

Zack. Rae knew her heart was foolish to swell at the sight of him, but it did anyway.

Jed launched a counterattack, howling his rage, and there was the sickening rip of flesh as Zack staggered. A moment later, he battled back in a burst of energy that drove Jed to his haunches. The wolves scrambled for each other's throats, boxing and slashing until they broke apart, then crashed together again.

It was a fight of finesse and calculated blows versus raw power, each wolf briefly gaining the upper hand before the other wrestled it away. Jed rolled, using his greater weight to take Zack with him, and Rae let out a scream. _No!_

Zack's face lit briefly before folding into a snarl, and he pushed Jed back with strength he shouldn't have possessed. Then he was on top of Jed, jaws held wide.

It was over in a splash of crimson and a garbled cry. Rae swayed on her feet, not sure if it was relief or fear that was pounding through her veins. Jed was dead.

That moment was her chance at escape, but she found herself rooted to the spot, eyes closed, waiting.

_Waiting for what?_ part of her mind screamed.

She forced her eyes open at the sound of footsteps and a growl. Zack's power preceded him like a battering ram, and she found herself flopping belly-up in submission. A moment later, he was hovering over her throat, just as Jed had, with his clover green eyes wide and hungry.

Zack's scent hit her, and for a moment, she saw everything that could have been. A home. A future. A good life with a good man.

A betrayal.

She closed her eyes, wishing the past three weeks away. There was a time when she'd trusted the man inside that wolf, even wanted him. And dammit, part of her still wanted Zack. But she would never submit to being claimed against her will.

Every muscle in her tensed as she twisted her head away, gasping for one final breath of freedom. Zack's breath heated her neck, and behind him, the darkness of the night pressed in.

Ten seconds passed, and then ten more, and still neither of them moved. She was vaguely aware that the fight between the other wolves and Ty had settled into ponderous silence, but that barely mattered now. She kept her eyes shut tightly, waiting for the end.

But it was a gentle hand, not pointed fangs, that ran over her throat. A human hand that traced a light line along her neck. She blinked and found that Zack had shifted. Somehow, he'd taken her with him, because her wolf had slipped away, leaving the woman pinned under the man. A man hanging his head so low, his hair brushed her chest. She froze, trying not to breathe.

Zack made a choked sound then slowly backed off her and lurched to his feet, heaving her up with one hand.

She swayed. Zack's face was a mess of blood and indecision. When he reached out for her, she jumped out of reach.

Shame shadowed his face. _I didn't want any of this to happen. I only wanted you._

Rae didn't know if she'd read the words in his face or in his mind, but there they were.

_I only wanted you._

Her eyes stung with tears she refused to set free. The two of them might have remained standing there all night like two sad statues had an engine not sounded in the distance. Ty came over the ridge, still in wolf form and red around the muzzle. His ears pointed toward the sound. Behind him, all was silent, telling Rae Jed's rogues were vanquished.

The wolves threatening to steal her soul were gone, only to be replaced by two others who threatened the same thing — and a rapidly approaching third. Would it be the old alpha? Would Ty claim her now? Or would he drag her back to the ranch and force himself upon her right there?

A motorcycle roared up: Zack's Harley, with another man in the seat. It was Cody, Ty's younger brother, looking uncharacteristically grim.

He nodded to Rae in a curt greeting then quickly yanked his eyes from her naked body to Zack. The four of them stood there in silence even after Ty blurred back to his human form.

She waited. Surely Ty would make some proclamation now. After all, he was the pack's future alpha.

But it was Zack who moved first, stepping to the motorcycle and pulling the key from the ignition. The warrior in him was back; she could see it in the square of his shoulders, the clench of his jaw. But he was a weary warrior who'd lost sight of his cause. With a grunt and a jerk of the chin, he ordered the other men to back away.

To her utter surprise, Ty and Cody only hesitated briefly before complying. For that moment, at least, they ceded rank to their packmate.

When Zack faced her, his face was limp in defeat even though he stood on the scene of a triumph. He mimicked a toss then threw Rae the key. It came arcing to her in slow motion, as if the world was decelerating on its axis to give her a chance to think.

Zack was giving her his bike.

Zack was giving her her freedom.

Zack was letting her go.

She reached out and fisted the key in one hand. Freedom. Her emotions swung somewhere between elation and grief.

Zack leaned over the bike and pulled something from the saddlebag then laid it across the seat. He stepped aside, holding his hands up as if she had a gun pointed his way.

"You're letting me go? Why?" Her voice had never sounded so raspy and unsure.

His lips moved, though no sound came out. It was his eyes that said it. _Because I love you._

A memory said the rest. _You know, that corny line. If you love something, set it free._

She looked out beyond the desert to the pulsing lights of the highway. She was free to go anywhere she wanted, to forge her own way.

Her heart thumped. The only place she wanted to be was here, with him.

Then she gave herself a stubborn shake and remembered: she was supposed to head far, far away. East — that had been her plan. The outside world and her future, lay just over there, where headlights were streaking by. Meanwhile, Zack stood nearby, watching her as if she had her finger on a grenade.

With a gulp, Rae made her decision. So what if it made her miserable for the rest of her life? Snatching the flannel shirt Zack had laid out on the motorcycle, she buttoned it hastily over her torso. It smelled just like him, dammit, fresh and musky and true, as if all the power and the harsh beauty of the desert had been woven into the fibers. The shirt was just long enough that she wouldn't be arrested for indecent exposure once she got on the highway and made her escape. From there — well, she'd wing it.

With every muscle screaming in protest, she threw a leg over the motorcycle, kicked the engine to life, and roared off, forcing herself to look forward, not back.

_No looking back,_ she ordered herself. _Too late now._

_Rae._ Zack's whisper carried on the wind, half plea and all heart.

She gunned the engine and rode on, tears streaming down her face.

## Chapter Twenty-Three

Zack forced himself to watch his mate speed down the bumpy trail and across the flats, the sound of a receding engine all too familiar to his ears. He stood long and utterly silent, following the single light until it paused on the edge of the highway, then merged and was swallowed up by the rest.

Gone. Rae was gone.

This is where his sense of honor got him: on the wrong end of a dust cloud, with his destined mate speeding out of his life. He vaguely registered a faint sound and wondered if it was his heart shattering, muted by the flesh and fibers in between.

Well, let it. He didn't need that particular organ any more.

He stood there a long time after Ty and Cody left, staring into emptiness. Then he walked back to the ranch, his step as slow as it had been fast and frantic on the way out. There was nothing to run back to. Just an empty cabin, his packmates, and an angry alpha. Not that the latter bothered him much. The fight against Ty had been a draw, but the confrontation with old Tyrone had been a clear win.

Respect. He'd won that, even if it was a small consolation for losing his mate. But life was what it was: cruel. Twisted. Unfair. He climbed the stairs to his porch and settled into his chair, feeling a thousand years older and none too wiser. Just emptier inside.

The aches in his body faded gradually, all but the one that mattered most.

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Zack fell back into his usual routine: doing odd jobs on the ranch by day, sitting on his porch at night, watching the stars arc slowly across the sky. Wondering if Rae was watching them too. The fact that there'd been a dearth of tracking assignments was just fine with him, because heading out to track would remind him too much of that magical night they had shared.

Spring was coming, even in the absence of Rae's scent. Paintbrush erupted in startling orange-red. Desert marigolds waved from the ends of their stalks. Hummingbirds zipped merrily to and fro. But scenes that should have sung with promise and new beginnings only cried regret in his ears.

Days stumbled along, and nights dragged, over and over, right up to the night of the new moon. Rae would be out hunting, he figured, a swift shadow in the night. She was out there somewhere. He sat, hushed, wondering if he'd hear Mother Earth's whisper if he tried hard enough.

He strained his ears until most of the night was gone, dreaming of his bike, the open road, and two tight arms around his waist. He dreamed it so desperately that when his chin fell on his chest, jerking him awake, the sound of a motorcycle engine still rumbled in his ears.

He creaked to his feet and turned for the screen door, resigning himself to another sleepless night. Then he paused at the threshold, because the engine noise was still there. Growing steadily louder, in fact, until he heard 750 familiar cc's come up the drive. He braced both hands against the doorframe and tucked his chin, keeping his back to the road. If this was his imagination coming to torture him again, he wasn't going to play along.

The engine purred right up to the porch and stood humming quietly for half a minute before the driver shut it off. Then it was only the crickets, the night owl, and his desperately fragile hope, dangling in the desert air.

## Chapter Twenty-Four

Rae's legs were shaky as she climbed the steps to Zack's cabin, and it wasn't due to the miles in her weary bones. The past weeks were a blur now: the mountains, the truck stops, the tears. Every bump in every mile of road had rattled through the handlebars, into her arms, and through her body until her teeth ached as much as her shoulders or back.

None of it held a candle to the ache in her heart, though, so she had driven on and on out of sheer determination — or stubborn stupidity. She'd driven past the barrens of Texas, past an ocean of bluegrass in Tennessee, and on to the tidewaters of Maryland until she saw the sun rise over the ocean. She'd nearly driven off the end of the rickety dock she'd stopped on, not caring what kind of end she'd meet. Because all those miles had taught her one thing: that the world was just as bleak and twice as lonely as it had been back in the desert.

She had checked in to a cheap motel and fell into a forty-eight-hour delirium of sleep, figuring it would do her good. But crawling out the other side of that tunnel was even harder, because where was the light?

There was no light, not without him.

She hated herself for even thinking it. She was supposed to be independent and strong, dammit. And Zack had set her up only to let her take a mighty fall.

Or had he?

_He saved us,_ her wolf insisted. _He loves us._

_Love or lust? Do alphas even know the difference?_

Her wolf growled. _This one does. He fought for us._

She tried ignoring the flutter in her stomach. _He fought so he could claim us. Make us his. Take our freedom._

The wolf raged at the suggestion. _He let us go. He gave us this thing you call freedom. And what good is it?_

_Freedom is everything._

_Freedom is alone._

Rae bowed her head to the truth. She didn't like this new situation any better than her inner wolf did. But sooner or later, she told herself, she'd find a new pack. The right pack.

Her wolf whined. _We found the right pack back at Twin Moon Ranch._

She pictured the high-altitude desert of central Arizona. The vast landscape — harsh yet beautiful at the same time. The tidy settlement, the friendly faces, and the meandering path to the cabin on the periphery. That's where her thoughts led every time she let them wander. To a cabin, a porch, and a man.

An honest man, or a liar?

There was a fine line between trust and treason, that was for sure. But beyond that? She didn't know whether to believe her mind or her heart.

She had considered the question for two pensive weeks, wandering to the shoreline each night, trying to find some shimmer of truth in the moonlight rippling over the waves. She'd tossed pebbles into the water and listened for the splashes. It wouldn't be long before the next new moon, and then where would she be?

A shadow flitted overhead — an osprey soaring effortlessly. Wings outstretched, it leaned into a wide turn and circled around, honing in on its prey. Rae watched, glad to distract herself from her thoughts. The osprey caught an updraft, soared effortlessly upward, then wheeled. Looking. Waiting. Calculating.

A second shadow joined the first. The osprey's mate? Rae's eyes narrowed and blurred until she didn't see a bird but a wolf, loping along in support of its mate.

Then the memories came back in a flood. The night of the pronghorn hunt had been magic — every moment of it. For the first time in her life, everything had clicked perfectly: the new moon, the prey, the place. The man at her side. Her lips curled into a smile just at the memory of it, but then fell into a frown, remembering what came next.

Joy.

Anger.

Betrayal.

The gutted expression on Zack's face.

For the hundredth time, she replayed the memory of him tossing the keys in slow motion, giving her freedom. Why?

The first osprey dipped and curved, while the second remained watchful, high above.

_If you love something, set it free._

There was a second part to that corny old line, she remembered.

_If it loves you, it will come back. If it doesn't..._

Her heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to rewind and picture it all over again: the mesa, the motorcycle, the man. One who faced up to his own shortcomings and took his punishment on the chin.

Was she woman enough to do the same?

Because Zack hadn't betrayed her. Old Tyrone's announcement that she was to mate with Ty had hit Zack as hard as it hit her. His gutted expressed had said as much, only she hadn't been paying attention at the time. Zack hadn't suspected what the pack alpha was planning. He wasn't bringing her to mate with someone else. He'd just been bringing her home.

He loved her. And he'd risked everything for her — his life, his honor, his standing in the pack.

And what had she done for him?

Shame flooded her, and a moment later, resolve. Then she was on her feet, scrambling for the bike, fumbling with the key.

_Drive slowly_ , the human part of her mind said. _Be sure._

Her wolf snarled. _I'm sure. Just get me back to my mate!_

The closer she got, the faster she drove, desperate to fast-forward herself back into his arms. Zack — an imperfect man, but her perfect mate.

Sixty-plus hours and four brief stops later, she crossed the Arizona state line. Even then, it was another couple of hours before she reached the dirt road branching off the highway and to the ranch. As she bumped over it, doubt spread in a heavy layer over her exhaustion. Would she even be allowed back on the ranch? She had defied the alpha and rejected his son. She had turned her back on Zack. Would he even forgive her? Would he want her?

The questions hounded her right up to the moment when she climbed the porch, her legs trembling from more than just road fatigue. But each step made her feel more and more certain, as if destiny was nodding her on.

She stepped to within a breath of Zack's back and stood there, soaking in his scent.

## Chapter Twenty-Five

Zack kept his back turned as the driver took a long time getting off that bike, and an even longer time climbing the three creaky steps to his porch. An eternity passed before Rae slipped slowly into his space, like he was a spooked colt liable to bolt at any minute. His skin tingled even before a warm hand eased his fingers open and pressed something thin and edgy inside.

A key. The key to his Harley.

"Thanks for the loan," Rae said. She spoke like she'd just been down the road and back, but he caught the waver in her voice.

He talked toward the doorframe, forcing the words off his clunky tongue. "Planning on getting a new ride?"

The air moved as she shook her head, and the tip of her nose brushed his neck. She was that close, and boy, did that feel good.

"I'm planning on staying put, if I'm allowed."

He exhaled, waiting for his heart to restart. Allowed? He'd make damn sure Rae never wanted to leave.

"Shouldn't you be out hunting?" He tried to sound unaffected, but he could barely breathe.

She nodded into his back and snuck her arms around him just as she'd done on his bike, an eternity ago.

"Different kind of hunt tonight," she whispered.

_Th-thump, th-thump._ So his heart did work, after all.

"What kind of hunt is that?"

A finger brushed against his cheek. "Man hunt."

His fingers curled around hers. "You think he's going to come willingly?

"I think he can be convinced."

That's when something in him cracked. He spun and pulled her tight, squeezing to make it clear he didn't plan to ever let go.

"I'm sorry I left," Rae croaked from where she was wrapped around his neck. Her arms clenched and reclenched to hug him from a dozen different angles.

He buried his nose in her hair, wondering if anything had ever felt this good. For once, someone was speeding into his life instead of speeding out.

"I'm sorry for everything else."

She shook her head. "No more sorry."

"No more goodbyes."

"No more anything but this," she agreed.

They hung on to each other like a couple of castaways still holding tight hours after being washed ashore. With every inhale, Zack felt stronger, surer. A feeling a man like Ty must have all the time — that he had a mountain at his back, and not an abyss. He had love. More than that, he had pure, unconditional love. Something Ty might never have, for all his unspoken privilege.

"Hey," Rae whispered in his ear. "Listen."

Zack hugged her closer instead of lifting his head, but even wrapped tightly in that spring-scented cloak she seemed to wear, he heard it. A whisper in the air, faint as filtered starlight from a thousand light-years away. A whisper that carried images, not words, forming a scene in his mind.

There was a little cabin, a crackling fireplace, and a bowl of untouched popcorn. A couple of carefree lovers settled back on a thick rug, their legs intertwined. A cabin very much like his, with a fresh paint job, a neat stack of firewood, and a bow leaning against one corner of the porch.

_There,_ the image seemed to be saying. _That is where you must go._

When Rae's breath caught, he knew she saw it too.

"But we're already here," he murmured.

"There's place," she said, letting her lips stroll over his cheek, "And there's time."

He replayed the winter scene in his mind. Maybe they did need a little time to find their rhythm. With spring just breaking over the desert now, they were three seasons away from letting that scene play out in real time. Plenty of time to settle in together and to finish those projects on the house.

Rae smiled into his cheek, and her thoughts projected into his mind. _Time to hunt._

_To track,_ he added, with the coyote and wolf nodding along.

_To love,_ Rae finished. _To mate._

## Epilogue

_Three months & three new moons later..._

Rae sat on the top step of the porch, gazing out over the desert as she waited for her mate to come home.

Home. She breathed it all in, from the tiniest speck of yellow flower to the banded hills that showcased millions of years of Mother Earth's labor. A good place for a hunter, with miles to roam on new moon nights and a ranch to help operate in the weeks in between. All that with a man she could call her mate.

Her heart bubbled as it always did when Zack appeared around the bend, his tall frame silhouetted against the blaze of the setting sun. If only she could see his face. Would it be etched with worry or creased in a smile?

"So, how did it go?" she asked when her mate was three steps away.

He sighed and sat beside her, slinging an arm over her shoulders.

"It went."

She wrapped her hand around his thigh and snuggled in close. His warmth poured into her, as it always did when they touched.

"Well, what did they say?"

Zack snorted. "Doesn't matter what they said. What mattered was what I said."

She could picture it perfectly — her man standing up to the leaders of two packs: old Tyrone of Twin Moon Ranch and Roric of Westend pack, who'd come over from Nevada to sort out what Tyrone called _This mess._

_Would have been nice to see that in person,_ her wolf grinned.

She shrugged the thought away. Much as she'd tried to work up the nerve to attend the meeting in the council house, she just didn't have it in her. She needed her energy for tonight's hunt, and spending it listening to a couple of old geezers blow steam wouldn't help.

She shivered and tugged Zack's arm tighter around her, thinking how close she'd come to another kind of life. If she had been Ty's mate, she would have been in for a lifetime of meetings, obligations, and compromises. If she had have been forced to be Jed's mate, she would have been in for a lifetime of abuse. Either way, a lifetime of regret.

"Hey," Zack murmured. "You okay?"

She touched her forehead to his shoulder and breathed him in. "Yep. I'm okay."

In truth, she was more than okay. A lifetime of love and hope stretched before her. She took several deep breaths, processing her luck.

"So what did you say?" she finally prompted.

"Well, first Roric ranted about broken contracts, pack alliances, and a lot of other nonsense."

She could picture that. Easily.

"Until I told him you're not a clause in a contract or a puppet in some game," Zack said, his voice rasping just a bit.

Her wolf swelled with pride, all but purring over her fine choice in a mate.

"And what did he do?"

Zack snorted. "He shut up."

Now that, she would have liked to see. "What about old Tyrone?"

He chuckled. "You should have seen Ty stand him down."

"How? What did Ty say?"

Zack threaded his fingers through hers. "He didn't say anything. He just stared and stared until the old man grumbled and looked away."

That glare was easy to picture. A damn good thing she'd never been on the receiving end of it.

"And that was it?"

Zack nodded in satisfaction. "That was it."

She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. Her mate had done her proud — again.

"Not like they could do anything about us now," Zack chuckled, fingering the faint mark on her neck.

She tingled at his touch and the hot memories they stirred. That had been quite a night — their first full moon together. They'd run, played, then come back to the cabin and made love until the sun came up.

_Oh, much longer than that,_ her wolf corrected with a lusty growl.

She blushed in spite of herself, remembering some of their antics. Somewhere along the line, round three had gone from warm and sweet to hot and hard. She could still see the glow in Zack's eyes when he went down for the mating bite. She could still feel herself rising to meet it because she knew what kind of possessiveness it would bring. And she could still see the happy glaze in his eyes after she'd reciprocated. They were one now, mated for life.

Zack's mind, though, must have still been on the meeting.

"Ty did good," he murmured.

"You did good. Both of you. It's high time those old alphas had someone stand up to them."

A changing of the guard was long overdue. Someday, change might even come to Greer's brutal regime at North Ridge pack.

In any case, change was coming to Twin Moon Ranch, her new home. With Ty stepping up to the plate and Zack there to support him, the future looked brighter than ever.

A corner of her heart squeezed and sighed. "Do you think Ty will ever find his mate?"

Zack considered the question long enough for Rae to sense his doubt. She'd heard what happened years ago — how Ty had nearly found then lost his mate. Even if his thick hide didn't show it, the scars were there, and she doubted that any of the local girls had it in them to heal those wounds.

"Maybe she'll find him." Zack's whisper carried into the night like a wish.

A wish Rae heartily seconded. All of her own were fulfilled, so it was time others got their due. Especially Ty, who had shown his integrity when it mattered most.

A firefly flitted past, drunk on the serenity of the night. Rae rubbed her palm against Zack's thigh, ready to wrap up the subject and file it away. The past was past, the future was theirs.

"What happened next?"

Zack shrugged. "I told them it was time to hunt, and we left — me and Ty." He leaned in for another kiss. "We can't keep the pack waiting."

Rae smiled against his lips. "How many tonight?"

"Depends if you count Cody. He wants to know if we get to kill anything tonight."

She play-smacked his arm. "Men."

He pulled her into a hug that pinned her arms safely to her sides. "Don't blame all of us."

She melted into his body in spite of herself, and then jerked her mind back to the hunt. Business first.

_Followed by pleasure,_ her wolf added.

Yes, there'd be that, too. Guaranteed.

"So how many?" she asked, trying to get back on track.

Zack rattled off a list of names so long, Rae ran out of fingers to count them on. A handful of wolves had tagged along her first hunt as a member of Twin Moon pack, and the number had doubled the second time around. From the sound of it, there would be even more tonight. Some of them were already trotting to the hills and yipping in anticipation, waiting for the Mistress of the Hunt.

Waiting for her. Rae took a deep breath and found the scent of a destiny fulfilled. She had her mate, her pack, her duty.

_Just like the old days,_ her wolf nodded, _when the huntress led her pack in the chase._

"No," Zack said, reading her mind. "These are the new days. And you know what?"

"What?"

He kissed her. "Something tells me they're going to be good."

## Thank you!

 _Desert Hunt_ is the prequel to Anna Lowe's Twin Moon series. _There's more than meets the eye on Twin Moon Ranch, home to a pack of shapeshifting wolves willing to battle for life and love._ Book 1 is _Desert Moon_, Ty's story. Will this lonely alpha ever find his mate? You should also check out Anna's most sizzling, suspenseful series ( _Aloha Shifters_ and _Fire Maidens: Billionaires & Bodyguards_) along with all the free books, audiobooks, & bonus materials available on her author website. If you enjoy atmospheric settings, smoldering passion, electrifying action, & edge-of-your-seat suspense, you'll love Anna's books!

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The Lone Wolf's Wish

Sedona Pack Prequel

by Lisa Kessler

## The Lone Wolf's Wish

### Will this sexy shifter get a second chance at romance?

Shane Dodd has lost everything, his Pack, his home, and hope. His only wish this Christmas is to live long enough to exact revenge on the Nero assassin he believes killed his Pack. But when he steps between a bullet and Piper Holland everything changes. The woman dressed as one of Santa's elves is his mate, and she ignites a flame in his heart. But hope and love are dangerous wishes for a lone wolf.

## Chapter One

### Shane

I tugged my coat up, covering the back of my neck from the chill of the winter wind. I'd tracked the jaguar shifter across the country, from my home in Lexington, Kentucky, all the way to Sedona, Arizona. And tonight, I'd finally avenge my Pack.

Since an explosion destroyed the Nero Organization two years ago, the trained jaguar assassins that used to work and live on the compound had started encroaching on my Pack's territory. For months, we fought them, but the casualties were high. The jaguars had military grade weapons and training to be silent killers. While we had heightened senses of smell and hearing, and our strength far out powered any human man, we couldn't compete with sniper rifles.

Their final assault on my Pack was cold, calculated, and heartless. I was the last living member of my Pack. Survivor's guilt suffocated me most days. I should've died fighting like my Alpha, but he'd forbidden it. I was the last hope to carry on my Pack's bloodline. He sent me away as the final fire fight blew holes through the walls and shattered the windows.

Shit. Enough. I'd gnaw off my own damn leg for a single day that I didn't have to relive hearing that final shot and the deafening silence following it. It was the fucking silence that taunted me late at night.

But it would be over soon. Revenge was the only thing I lived for now.

The full moon rose higher in the sky, calling to the animal side of my soul. I wouldn't be able to hold off the shift for much longer. My quarry entered the community center. Elvis Presley's Here Comes Santa Claus wafted out into the cold night air as the door closed behind him. I used to look forward to Christmas, seeing the light in the eyes of our youngest generation of Pack members.

This year it was a cruel reminder of the people I'd lost. I narrowed my eyes and crossed the street. The marquee on the outside of the building read:

_Help Santa find homes for shelter pets!_

_Adoption event 6 – 9 pm_

He was getting a dog? I raised a brow. Vance Park was one of Nero's deadliest assassins. I didn't take him for a guy who would adopt a shelter dog. Didn't matter.

I kept walking, right past the building, and out of the parking lot, into the vast red rock high desert. Snow dusted the tops of the mountain peaks as I waded through the bushes. I needed to be far from human eyes before the change took over.

Thankfully the night was quiet. The tourists were indoors, hidden from the chill of the winter wind. I sniffed the air before jumping into a shallow ravine.

I'd only been in town for a few days, but I'd caught the scent of another werewolf Pack here. Crossing paths with a Pack as a lone wolf was dicey at best, and I had no interest in joining another wolf Pack.

We'd always viewed lone wolves as trouble. The animal instinct of the wolf inside our spirits ached for the community of a Pack. Werewolves who lived alone, made Packs nervous. As shifters, our safety depended on humans never discovering we existed, and a Pack could police its members.

Lone wolves didn't have an Alpha keeping them in line. They were a threat.

And now I was one of "them". I ground my teeth, struggling to hold it together. My sole focus was taking out the bastard that killed my family and my Pack.

A dark spot in my soul whispered a promise of eternal rest once the job was finished. I wasn't _hoping_ I'd die in the attack, or at least I didn't think I was, but I wasn't afraid of it. As long as I took him with me, I could rest peacefully for the first time in months.

I took off my coat and laid it out flat on the ground. Quickly I stripped the rest of my clothes off and dropped them on top. My wolf was eager for Vance's blood. Losing our Alpha pained the wolf. He was a Pack animal. Being a lone wolf brought no peace, only an empty ache. If I got the chance to end Vance Park as a wolf, both animal and man would be satisfied.

The winter wind howled through the red rock mountains, stinging my bare skin, but I hardly noticed as the change sucked the air from my lungs. Fuck. I fell onto all fours, clenching my mouth shut to keep from screaming. The shift from man into a wolf was painful every single time, but the freedom that came with it was worth every second of torment.

My muscles tore, ripping and stretching, then reknitting around my new bone structure. Thick brown hair forced its way through my skin as my face jutted forward. Sharp teeth erupted through my gums, and I snapped my jaws.

I panted through the pain as it gradually faded away. Sniffing the air, my mammoth brown wolf hopped out of the ravine, his ears twitching as he took in his surroundings. During the full moon, the animal half of my soul took the lead. I was still conscious and aware, and at times I could even guide the animal. He wasn't obedient, but we respected each other.

We loped out of the desert, back toward the community center. He slowed, trotting around the back of the building. The lights in Sedona were yellow and dim, some kind of star gazing ordinance, but the wolf didn't care. His sense of smell was much stronger than his sight anyway.

Sorting through the mingling smells, he cataloged dogs, cats, cologne, brownies, humans, and finally, his lips drew back in a snarl. Vance was nearby.

The wolf started for the back door, sniffing the crack at the bottom edge, but I managed to coax him back, away from the lights. We had to be patient. If the humans saw a wolf they'd panic, and Vance could slip away.

The wolf crept back into the shadows outside the parking lot and crouched down, keeping all his attention on the door.

People and pets came and went. A couple of dogs barked in our direction, probably catching our scent on the wind, but no one outted us. A branch swished to the north. We turned, the wolf sniffing the air. His hackles rose.

A jaguar shifter, but this wasn't the one we were hunting. Quietly the wolf followed the scent, wary of the intruder. Jaguar shifters shifted during the new moon in the cover of darkness. So, while I was a wolf, the jaguar shifter would still be a man.

Careful to stay upwind, we finally found the source of the scent. A man dressed all in black from head to toe was crouched behind a boulder with a rifle and a silencer.

The wolf tipped its head, unsure of the threat.

I pushed my will on the animal. This wasn't our quarry, but any jaguar shifter, especially an armed one, was dangerous.

We lunged forward, snapping our jaws around his wrist. The man dropped his weapon, struggling to free his arm. Before we could attack him again, the back door of the building opened. Vance.

The wolf abandoned the man with the rifle, racing toward Vance, teeth bared.

Vance turned around, reaching for the door handle, but the door swung open and woman with fiery red hair and green eyes that sparked a memory. Piper?

The muffled pop of a silencer teased the wolf's sensitive ears. He leapt past Vance landing on the woman and knocking her to the ground. Pain seared through his haunches as they fell. She stared up at him, her eyes wide and full of terror.

She was dressed up as an elf, complete with a red and green hat with a bell at the pointy end. Vance took off on foot toward the other jaguar. Maybe they were working together.

I tried to get the wolf to move off of her, but it whined instead, unable to lift our weight with the injured back leg. Shit.

"Easy, big guy." Piper's voice was low and calm for a woman pinned by an injured wolf. She moved slowly, careful not to startle the wolf. "Let me help you, okay? I won't hurt you."

She slid out from under us. Pain flared in our flanks. She examined the wound and tensed.

"Crap," she whispered, glaring at the darkness over her shoulder. "I don't know who's out there with a gun, but I need to get out of here."

She looked at the wolf again, and I did my best to assure the animal she was a friend, not a threat.

Piper sighed. "Damn it. I can't leave you in the parking lot. They'll see a wolf and...you don't want to know." She shook her head. "Stay right here. I'll get my truck."

The wolf panted, and I struggled to fight the shift. *Fuck. No. Not here. Not yet. *

I forced my will on the animal, trying to get him up before he changed back into a bleeding naked man. We needed to get away.

A full-sized white pick-up stopped between the us and the desert. _Shit, shit, shit._ I fought to urge the wolf to run, but the animal wouldn't budge.

Piper came around the truck, keeping her head down. She had a syringe in hand. "Easy big guy. This will help, okay?"

She slid the needle between our shoulders, and my panic subsided as we sank into oblivion.

## Chapter Two

### Piper

I peered into the woods. The shooter must've been long gone by now, or they would have taken another shot when I came out with the syringe, but I waited it out just in case. I wished I didn't know that, but sadly this wasn't my first rodeo with gunfire.

Nothing moved. I started toward the wolf with no clue how I would get him loaded into the back of my truck. But I needed to figure it out. I'd given him enough tranquilizer to keep him out for at least an hour, but the clock was ticking.

The door opened behind me, and I spun around with a gasp. It was Vance, the Australian guy who just adopted Abigail the French bulldog.

He put his hands up. "Sorry 'bout that. Wondered if you needed any help with the big pooch."

"This is a wolf, not a dog." I blinked, trying to figure out why he was so friggin' calm about gunfire and a giant wolf. I tipped my head toward the woods. "And someone just shot at us."

"Yeah, but he won't do that again."

He seemed pretty sure of himself. "Did you call the police?"

"Nah, I handled it." His accent reminded me of Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter. Maybe all the deadly animals from down under made wolves seem tame.

I raised a brow. "Are you in law enforcement? What'd you do with him?"

"I don't have a lot of time for questions Dr. Holland, my new mate is waiting in my car. Want some help with this big guy or not?" He crouched down by the wolf's haunches. "He took a bullet for you."

I nodded, lifting the wolf's upper lip with my gloved hand. His gums were a healthy pink, and other than the gunshot wound, he appeared to be healthy. Really healthy for a wolf that I couldn't identify and was _not_ indigenous to Arizona. How the hell did he get to Sedona? Bearizona Zoo was nearby, and they owned some Arctic Wolves and Alaskan Tundra Wolves. This guy was definitely neither of those.

His dark chocolate brown coat set him apart from wolves in this area, and he was by far the largest wolf I'd ever seen. Much larger than the North American Gray Wolves so many sanctuaries were working to save.

Vance cleared his throat, yanking me back to the problem at hand. I straightened up. "I guess we better get him into my truck before he wakes up. I'll drive him back to the animal hospital."

Vance squatted down near the wolf's haunches, leaving me with the toothy head. On a three count, we lifted the limp canine, taking hurried steps toward my truck. Damn it, this wolf weighed a ton. Vance helped me slide him into the large cage in the back. I'd had eight rescue dogs in it earlier tonight. This wolf took up the entire thing.

Vance wiped his forehead. "I better go check on Abby before the poor pooch decides she's been abandoned again."

"Thanks for your help."

"Anytime." He paused, pointing at the cage. "Be careful with that one. He's not a wolf from around here."

I turned around, ready to ask how he knew that, but Vance was already jogging around the building. Weird. Maybe he was familiar with wolves in the area. New Mexico and Arizona did have a small population of wild Mexican gray wolves, but this big chocolate brown guy would never be confused with one of the smaller Mexican grays.

There were more important things to worry about than how Vance knew the wolf wasn't local. I closed the tailgate and double checked my new passenger. He didn't move. Good. Hopefully I could get him back to the vet hospital and sutured up without needing to sedate him again.

I climbed into the driver's seat and adjusted my mirror. The elf hat startled me. I forgot I was still dressed as one of Santa's helpers. I pulled off the hat and tossed it on the bench seat.

Hopefully no one saw us in the rear parking lot. A cell phone video of a wolf taking a bullet for one of Santa's elves would be a Christmas viral video I'd never be able to live down.

Ugh. I'd need to move to a new city again. After tonight's ambush, I might have to anyway. That gunman couldn't have been after Vance.

I shoved the thoughts away and focused on driving. The wind had dragged in a blanket of thick clouds that covered the full moon, making the darkness almost suffocating. Snow drifted into the beams of my headlights and I slowed little. The last thing I needed was to hit a patch of black ice with a tranquilized wolf in my truck.

When I finally parked at the back of the vet hospital, I breathed a sigh of relief. The automatic gate rolled closed behind us as I jumped out of the cab and hurried to open the tailgate. Icy wind stung my face as I eyed the big wolf. I'd never be able to carry him in alone.

I took my keys from my jacket pocket and headed for the back door. The vet hospital owned a wheeled surgical table, like a gurney for animals instead of people. The wolf would probably dangle off the sides, but it was my best chance of getting this guy inside without throwing out my back.

Seeing my name on a plaque on the wall still filled me with pride. I'd worked my ass off to pay my way through vet school, and landing a spot here at the Red Rock Veterinary Clinic had been the culmination of a lifelong dream to help animals. I'd been practicing here for almost a year, but I was still by far the new kid on the block.

My specialty was exotic animals, so this wolf would definitely qualify, but whatever care he needed would come out of my pocket since he didn't have a responsible party to foot the bill.

Unless he broke out of Bearizona. A girl could hope.

Either way, the office was closed until Monday, so I had a little time to see if I could track down where he came from. The bullet went straight through without braking any bones, so I could clean out the wound and suture it without calling in another vet to assist. Everyone had been very welcoming when I came on board, but I wasn't eager to rock the boat with an unpaid surgical procedure. Probably not my best career move.

I pushed the rolling cart out to my truck, the wheels sliding through the snow. It snowed in the high desert, but it came down at night, and was usually gone by noon the next day. I didn't keep a snow shovel handy.

But the white stuff stuck, collecting on the ground tonight, and coming down harder now. I managed to get a muzzle on the big guy, just in case he woke up while I tried to get him inside. He didn't move. So far so good. I grabbed his front legs and pulled. By the time I slid him from the truck bed onto the cart, I was sweating right through my elf costume.

At least it kept me from freezing my ass off.

I wheeled him inside and the metal door slammed closed behind us. My patient flinched. Shit. I hustled around the operating room, yanking off my coat and pulling on a fresh pair of latex gloves. I gave him a little more sedative and shaved the wound area.

The bullet went through his right hind leg. He'd been in midair, jumping in front of me. That bullet would've gone right through my chest.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and grabbed a surgical gown. There would be plenty of time to figure out who attempted to kill me later, right now I needed to heal the wolf who just saved my life.

## Chapter Three

### Shane

I woke up shivering, and every part of my body ached. I was also in a cage.

_What the hell?_

The bright fluorescent lights and lack of windows made it impossible for me to know how much time had passed, but I had no trouble seeing I was trapped in...a vet clinic. I took a deep breath and my heart stuttered.

_Oh shit._

The scent of another werewolf made warning lights flash through my head. As if I weren't fucked enough yet. Damn it. One of the vets here had to be a member of the Pack I'd been trying so hard to avoid ever since I arrived in Sedona.

But a werewolf vet would've noticed my wolf's scent. He would've recognized I was a shifter like him.

And last night he wouldn't have been in the clinic. He would've been a wolf like me. It was the full moon.

My heart took off at a gallop as the memories came flooding back. I'd seen Piper Holland. There was a shooter, a jaguar shifter, but not Vance Park. Not the assassin who took everything from me. The wolf heard the pop of the silencer and knocked Piper out of the way. A vague memory stirred of her staring into our eyes, her voice calming the wolf.

I glanced down and cursed under my breath. This just kept getting better. I was naked and locked in a cage in a vet clinic, and the wolf the veterinarians cared for was gone. It didn't take much detective work to connect the dots.

Fuck.

The wolf saved Piper, and in return, she must've taken the wild animal to the vet to save him. But if I didn't get out of this cage fast, I wouldn't be able to come up with enough lies to explain where the wolf went and how I got...I slid my fingers down my right thigh and sucked in a pained breath.

Stitches. I had stitches in my thigh. The same spot as the missing wolf.

Adrenaline shot through my veins as the reality of the fucking mess sank in. I needed to get the hell out before someone found me. My fingers trembled as I reached through the bars, fumbling with the latch on the cage. I gripped the snap and carefully popped it open to free the latch, but the damned thing slipped out of my numb fingers and clanked on the floor.

I froze, holding my breath. No one came into the room. Maybe I was alone. I could check once I had pants on. Finding clothes in a pet hospital was probably going to be tough.

"Oh my god!" A woman gasped behind me. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

I turned around, one hand up, the other shielding my junk. "I'll explain. I just need pants."

Piper. Her eyes were wide. "Shane? Shane Dodd? What are you doing here?" Her gaze wandered down my body. This wasn't her first time seeing me naked, but it had been ten years. I wasn't the teenager she knew anymore. Her attention locked on the stiches.

We'd been lab partners in high school. She was the most intelligent person I'd ever met. And while some teased her about it, I'd been in awe. We dated for over a year. God, I loved that girl.

And then she vanished without a trace. I'd convinced myself it was for the best. Not long after her family left Kentucky, I shifted into a wolf for the first time. That first shift changed us forever, once our wolf awoke inside us, our Pack became our grounding force, and the reality that somewhere in the world, fate had tied us to one mate settled onto our shoulders. I remember looking at my parents and wondering if I would ever find my mate, the other half of my soul.

It seemed impossible. With all the people on earth, how would we ever cross paths? So, I did my best to ignore the instinctive pull to find her. I dated. I slept with my share of beautiful women. But the stories the Pack elders told about that one moment when you touched your mate skin to skin tormented me. They said the wolf would recognize her.

Yeah, that legend never happened for me. Again, it was probably for the best since I was on a mission of revenge that most likely would get me killed anyway.

Piper cleared her throat, her gaze back on my face. "Where are your clothes?"

"Outside with my phone. I was...camping." There was no way she would buy this. Piper was way too smart, but the truth sounded even crazier.

She turned around and went into a closet. When she came back, she tossed me a pair of scrubs. "I can't concentrate when you're..." She gestured to me. "...like that."

I caught the pants in my free hand, keeping the jewels covered with the other. "Thanks."

After I walked around a bank of equipment, I pulled on the loose-fitting blue scrubs. I winced as I bent my injured leg. I healed a little faster than humans, but I was far from immortal. If she hadn't sutured the wound I could've died from blood loss or infection.

I came around to face her again. "You forgot to grab me a shirt."

The spark in her eyes told me she hadn't forgotten at all. And something in me warmed. After months of living in the darkness of my pain and rage, the slight curve to my lips felt completely foreign. I couldn't remember the last time I smiled.

"Sorry I surprised you." I glanced around the room. "I'm not sure how I got here. Must've had more beer than I realized."

She came a little closer and picked up the snap I'd dropped from the cage. Straightening, she put it down on the counter top and her bright green eyes met mine. Unlike me, she was _not_ smiling.

"Do you by chance remember seeing a huge brown wolf in here? He was in this cage recovering from being shot. I sutured him up myself."

Shit. Piper was the veterinarian. I looked at her rumpled red and green elf clothes. She'd spent the night at the hospital with her patient.

"You're a vet." I shook my head, the memories of our late-night talks about the future filling my head. "You did it."

She placed her hand on her hip. "You must've forgotten your fireman's gear while you were _camping_ , huh?"

My bullshit was falling flat. But no way would she believe the truth. It wouldn't go over any better. I needed to cut my losses and get the hell out of dodge. But part of me wanted to wrap her in my arms. Our bodies had always fit perfectly, and in the ten years since she'd been gone, I'd never been able to talk to anyone like we used to. When she vanished, I lost more than my girlfriend, I'd lost my best friend too.

I cleared my throat. "I didn't become a fire fighter." I glanced at the door. "Great to see you again, and I'm sorry about showing up like this. I better get back to my campsite."

Before she could reply, I went to the door and opened it to at least six inches of snow. The sky was still dark, and the wind stung my bare chest. I turned around and Piper crossed her arms with a curt smile.

"Unless you got here in a vehicle with chains, we're staying put for now." She tilted her head toward the hallway. "We've got a break room back here. I'll get you a coffee and maybe you can stop lying to me."

The door slammed closed as I followed her. She kept checking each room as we passed. Probably still looking for her missing wolf. I had no doubt she was almost hoping to find it someplace. Because the truth was too fucking nuts to ponder.

She sat across from me at a long table. "This is a long way from Lexington, Kentucky."

"It is." I nodded. "Is this where your family ran off to during our senior year? I didn't even get to say goodbye."

The last few words came out harsher than I intended. I'd thought I got over the hurt, but maybe I'd just pushed it aside. Now that she was here, her beautiful green eyes staring at me as she gnawed at her lower lip, the gaping hole she'd left in my heart was front and center.

"It's a long story, but I didn't want to go." Her expression softened. "I wanted to call you, but I couldn't. Anyway, eventually I figured you might not want to hear from me." She leaned forward, her forearms on the table. "You have stitches in the same place as the wolf I worked on, and if I didn't know better those are my blue silk surgical sutures in your leg, but I haven't seen you in ten years." She shook her head, flopping back into her chair. "Maybe I'm dreaming."

What could I say? I ran my fingers through my hair. "I had too much to drink last night. I don't know how I got the stitches either."

"They _can't_ be my stitches," she mumbled under her breath. "but where's the big guy with the pointy teeth." She rubbed her forehead. "None of this makes sense." She checked her watch. "Ugh. Two hours sleep. No wonder I'm losing my mind."

It _didn't_ make sense, that was the key. If I could get her to go back to sleep, I could slip out, and she'd wake up with no other alternative than to believe it was all a dream. And if I left the door cracked open, she might even convince herself the wolf escaped.

Not a perfect plan, but it was all I had.

I glanced around the room. "Do you stay overnight here?"

"Not usually." She massaged her temples. "But we have a couch in Dr. Vega's office, so I crashed in there."

I stood up. "Come on. You should get some rest. I'll help you look for the wolf in the morning."

She frowned. "If he's loose in here someplace, he'll be aggressive. We need to find him."

"Maybe he found a safe place to hide." I offered her my hand. "He's not going anywhere. You can find him in the morning."

"Maybe you're right." She sighed and looked up at me. "This has to be a dream anyway."

She took my hand and I lost my balance. The room went out of focus and inside my head the wolf howled so loud it was tough to believe he wasn't wandering the halls of the vet clinic.

And then I knew.

I opened my mouth, but no words would come.

Piper frowned. "Shane? What's wrong? You look like you're going to pass out." She came around to my side, hooking my arm around her shoulders. "You should lay down. I'll help you."

It had been her all along. I never knew because I hadn't shifted yet. My wolf clawed its way to the surface of my consciousness, making me punchy and possessive. I tried to calm it as we sat on the black leather sofa, but there was no compromise. The wolf had recognized his mate.

He'd saved her before he even knew.

She took my face in her hand turning my head to meet her eyes. "Are you dizzy? Are you sure it was just beer at the campsite? Have you ingested any drugs?"

God, she was even more beautiful than I remembered. I swallowed the lump in my throat and leaned back, away from her touch. My wolf growled through my soul. He didn't understand why we didn't claim our mate.

I was losing my fucking mind.

"No drugs. Sorry, just light-headed for a second."

She lowered her hands to her lap. "Since I must still be sleeping, just wanted to say sorry for disappearing like I did. I didn't have any choice."

And since I would be gone when she woke up anyway, I whispered, "I loved you, Piper."

She brought her hand up to caress my cheek. Her skin was warm and soft, making me ache to get even closer. "I know. I used to practice signing my name Piper Dodd." A wistful smile curved her lips. "I thought we were going to grow up and get married. Didn't expect to live in makeshift witness protection."

Witness Protection? I frowned and ground my teeth to keep from digging deeper. If she decided she was dreaming, then none of this ever happened. I fucking hated this. She was my mate, and she deserved better than what I was about to do, but Vance Park was still breathing, along with that other jaguar shifter asshole who shot at her.

I'd kill them both if they didn't end me first, and now it wasn't simply revenge...I needed to protect my mate. Even if she never knew...

"I wish things worked out differently." I ran a finger along her jaw until her lashes lifted and her eyes met mine. The sleepy bedroom eyes she sported had blood pumping below my belt and these lightweight scrubs didn't have a chance in hell of controlling my raging erection. Unable to control myself, I bent to taste her full lips.

Fireworks went off behind my closed eyes. She moaned into my mouth, her warm hands sliding up my cold chest. Her lips parted, and our tongues twined slowly together. She tasted like heaven, like home.

All this time I'd been mourning losing my home, and yet, here she was, in my arms. She moved closer, straddling my lap. Her foot brushed my injured thigh, but I barely noticed through the haze of desire. Her hands gripped my shoulders.

Finally, she broke the kiss, her forehead resting on mine. "Best dream I've had in years." Her chest heaved as she searched my eyes. "Make love to me, Shane."

The wolf howled, the yearning to claim our mate swamped me. I laid her down on the sofa, my erection throbbing between us as I covered her body with mine. There was nothing in the world I wanted more than to strip her naked and memorize every inch of her, but this wasn't really a dream, and if she knew she was awake, would she want this?

The realization hit me like a cold shower. Piper wanted the _memory_ of me. If she ever discovered the wolf she saved, and the boy she left behind in high school were one in the same, she'd be running out of the vet clinic screaming.

I kissed her one more time, slow, and whispered, "I don't have a condom."

"Don't need a condom in a dream." She mumbled against my lips, her heavy lids drifting closed.

"You should get some sleep."

"Sleep? You're half naked." Her hips rocked under me, shaking my will. "I can't get lucky even in my dreams? Shit." She rolled onto her side, and I carefully lifted myself off her.

Damn it, I wanted her in my arms more than I'd ever wanted anything in my life.

But not like this. I covered her with the wool blanket she'd left on the floor.

I held my breath waiting to be sure she was asleep. Finally, I turned and quietly went to the door. As I reached in to close it, she whispered. No man could have heard it, but as a werewolf I had no trouble. "Piper Dodd."

My gut twisted with regret, but I closed the door and walked away. Back in the operating area, I stripped off the scrubs and folded them up. Piper was much smarter than me, but if I woke up and wanted to see if I'd been dreaming, the missing pants would be the first thing I would check.

Once those were back, I made sure the cage door hung open, and the latch was back on the floor. I scanned the room one last time to be certain there weren't any other traces of a man instead of a wolf. Satisfied I'd covered my tracks, I went to the door. The snow and ice cut my bare feet, but the pain was nothing compared to the dagger in my heart.

I piled snow in between the door and the building, providing a crack for the "wolf" to escape. Then I found a stick and carefully erased my footprints as I jogged further into the darkness. By the time I climbed over the electric gate I was shivering.

But my secret was still safe. I looked over my shoulder at the Red Rock Vet Clinic, torn between my fate to avenge my Pack, and my destiny to love my mate.

I growled and forced my feet to keep moving, following my own scent toward my clothes.

## Chapter Four

### Piper

I stretched, blinking my eyes open...to find myself in my boss's office? The haze of sleep cleared in an instant. The wolf.

On my feet, I hurried to the operating room. My dream mocked me, but it seemed so real. In the light of day, I felt like a fool for believing the wolf somehow turned into the one guy from my past that I'd never been able to stop thinking about. The one I left behind. Shane Dodd.

And man, the years had been good to him. Too bad he only existed in my overactive subconscious.

As I neared the operating room, the temperature dropped. I shivered, wishing I had grabbed my coat from Dr. Vega's office. I pushed through the doors and an icy wind greeted me. The door was cracked open.

Shit.

I ran to the cage. The empty cage. The latch laid on the ground. I frowned looking at the empty counter. In my dream...I picked up that latch and put it...the scrubs. Rubbing my hands up and down my arms to keep warm, I went to the closet and opened it wide. I counted all the pairs of scrubs. Four tops and pants.

Damn. I really was losing it.

Of course it was a dream. Shane Dodd wasn't in Sedona, and he wasn't some kind of shape shifter. But it seemed so real. Best dream I'd ever had. And that kiss. God, no one had kissed me like that since...Shane.

Enough. There were bigger problems brewing. If the wolf escaped, it could be headed for populated areas. I needed to warn the authorities. Before grabbing the cordless phone, I peered out into the snow-filled parking lot, praying I might see a wolf's eyes staring back at me. But my truck was the only thing out there. No sign of a big brown wolf.

I kicked the snow out of the way and pulled the door all the way closed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Dr. Cole Vega was maybe ten years older than me and at least a foot taller. He founded the veterinary clinic, but he specialized in horses and cows. When I'd interviewed to join the team, I'd done my homework and presented myself as a vet who focused on exotic animals, a niche he'd wanted to fill.

Until last night, my typical patients were hamsters, cockatiels, bearded dragons, and I'd even treated a ferret. But I wasn't looking forward to explaining my most recent patient. After calling local animal control, I'd hopped in my truck, searching for tracks, or any evidence of the injured wolf. Nothing.

How did a wolf that big just vanish into thin air? I didn't find a rabbit carcass or any other animal the big guy might have eaten on his way out of town, and animal control hadn't had a single call about a wolf sighting.

After I gave up searching, I returned to the clinic and called Cole. Time to fess up. He drove through the gate, and it slowly rolled closed behind him. Even a healthy wolf wouldn't have been able to clear a gate that tall. No way. There must be a hole in the boundary fence someplace, or maybe he tunneled under. His front legs weren't injured.

Cole opened the back door and frowned. Was he sniffing the air? I glanced down at my rumpled elf costume and rolled my eyes. God, did I reek?

His bright hazel eyes narrowed as his gaze swung my way. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." I nodded, suddenly very self-conscious about my appearance and apparently...scent? "Sorry, I haven't gotten a chance to go home and change yet. After the shelter pet event I found a wolf with a gunshot wound."

I crossed my arms and lifted my chin, hoping to remind him I was still a colleague. "I tranquilized it and brought it here. The bullet went through the wolf's right hind leg, a clean shot straight through, so I aerated the wound and sutured it. I locked it in the cage, but..." This was where it got foggy. "When I came in to check on the wolf this morning, the snow had the door ajar and somehow it...escaped."

Cole raised a brow. "You took a big risk working on a wild wolf alone."

"I know." I lowered my hands, shaking my head. "In hindsight, it was stupid. But the wolf got shot knocking me out of the way of a bullet. I guess in the heat of the moment, I wanted to return the favor."

All true. I waited for his judgement, or at least an admonishment.

"Your heart was in the right place." He glanced back at the door. "I'm going to check around the back lot."

And that was it. Could I still be dreaming? I frowned watching Cole walk through what was left of the snow. He crouched down a couple of times on his way to the gate. He punched in the code and it rolled open. He walked down the driveway and I lost sight of him.

What if he found the wolf? An injured animal would be dangerous, and my boss just wandered off with no way to protect himself.

Wasn't I the one who was reckless with this wolf?

I grabbed my coat and jogged out to my truck. The wind stung my face, each breath puffing out in a fluffy cloud of fog. I opened the cab and pulled the seat forward, reaching for my tranquilizer gun. I loaded up a dart from the tool box and dropped two more into my pocket just in case.

It wasn't hard to track Cole. The snow hadn't melted away just yet, so I followed his footprints. I caught up with him at the end of the street.

He glanced my way. "This isn't your fault."

I chuckled. "We both know it is. I brought a wolf into the clinic after hours and must not have latched the cage correctly. If it hurts someone, it's my fault. And if you find it again, _you_ could be the one it attacks."

A muscle tensed in his cheek as he scanned the snow dusted red mountains. "Safe to say the wolf is far from us by now."

"Is it?" I stared out at the vast canyon.

"Yeah. Wolves are pack animals. They don't thrive on their own. I'm sure it's on the way back to its Pack now." He took one more deep breath and slowly nodded. "I don't think we'll see a news report about a wild wolf on the streets of Sedona."

We walked back to the vet clinic in silence. My feet were numb by the time he held the back door open for me. Suddenly my body ached all over, and exhaustion hung onto me like a second skin. Between being knocked to the ground by a big wolf, carrying the big guy to my truck, and then getting him out again, I hurt everywhere.

"I apologize again for last night. If that wolf attacked someone, it could've jeopardized your clinic." The weight of what I'd done wasn't helping with the fatigue.

"But he didn't."

I blinked. "How'd you know it was a male wolf?"

His eyes flicked to me and for a moment he seemed...surprised? He shrugged. "Just a figure of speech."

What was I missing? Probably sleep. That had to be it.

"I think I better get home and grab a shower and clean clothes."

He nodded. "See you Monday, Piper."

* * *

The hot shower was heaven. I closed my eyes, leaning back into the water, enjoying the way it warmed my skin. The last twenty-four hours had been bizarre to say the least, but the wolf wasn't the part I kept replaying.

I dreamed about kissing Shane Dodd.

He was my first love, my first everything, and for years I hated my father for spiriting me away and forbidding me to contact him. The only way he stopped me from reaching out was by reminding me that the people hunting us, might go after Shane to use him as leverage and track my contact in order to find us.

The thought of putting Shane in danger hurt more than the separation. Eventually, I moved on, or at least I thought I did. Seeing him in my dreams last night unsettled me. Why now after all these years? Maybe it was the snow last night. Our first dance had been the winter formal, and afterward we drove to the lake. He'd walked me out in the snow and gave me his class ring on a chain. I still had it.

But I'd been so preoccupied with the wolf, I'd barely noticed the snow last night. And I was right back to 'why now'?

And damn, why did the dream have to feel so real?

I stepped out of the shower and dried off, struggling to push the memories away. There were more important things to worry about...like who shot at me. A couple years ago, my uncle, Burt Jones, died in a tragic accident. Only we knew it wasn't an accident.

My dad begged his brother-in-law not to go to Senator Hanson's fundraiser that night, but uncle Burt was convinced with the right monetary pressure the senator might make some changes on the Armed Services Strategic Forces committee. It was the first step in getting the Nero Organization's military experiments declassified.

My uncle was a billionaire in the tech industry because of my father's genius, but because my dad had freelanced, he also wrote some coding for the Nero Organization, and saw something troubling. He'd been on their hit list ever since. Uncle Burt devoted himself to exposing the defense contractor, and it got him killed.

Not long after, the Nero Organization headquarters exploded, taking their CEO, Antonio Severino with it. I thought the nightmare was over, but it was really just beginning. Besides defense contracts, Nero trained assassins. Mercenaries for foreign governments. And apparently my father still knew too much.

He never told me what he saw on their servers, and I didn't ask. The less I knew, the safer I'd be. And because Nero had deep pockets and connections to elite members of the government, we couldn't even trust going to the police.

So, we moved. A lot.

Right now, I was the only person who knew where to find my father. I expected the Nero flunkies to darken my doorstep eventually.

But I didn't expect them to shoot. When my dad and I planned out my future, we thought I'd be safe because _he_ was the one they wanted, and they couldn't hurt me as long as I had the key to finding him.

Now I wasn't so sure.

I pulled on my black jeans and black turtleneck, then added my black shoulder holster. After checking to be sure my clip was full, I slid the Glock into the holster and grabbed my jacket.

During our ten years of moving around the country, my dad and I trained for the day Nero might find us. I was a damned good shot, and I could flip a man twice my size.

My pulse raced as I reached for the door. _Ready or not, here I come._

## Chapter Five

### Shane

I snagged a pair of rubber boots and a raincoat out of the back of a pickup truck on my way back to my clothes. The honest guy that my mom raised felt like shit for stealing them, but the lone wolf I'd become recognized it was too damned cold to be out here naked. I'd never make it if I didn't get some protection from the icy wind.

By the time I jumped into the ravine, I couldn't stop the tremors in my hands. Snow covered my clothes. I shook them out, relieved that I'd stuffed my cell phone into the pocket of my ski jacket. After I got dressed, I walked further down the ravine until I found a gentle incline. My leg hurt like a son of a bitch. There was no way I could jump out. Not today.

With my hands jammed in my pockets, I headed for the community center as fast as my leg would allow, praying my SUV wasn't towed overnight. I breathed a sigh of relief when the white Explorer waited right where I left it.

Once I made it inside with the engine running and the heater on full blast, I rested my forehead on the steering wheel watching my red, raw hands tremble. Still alive. I'd gotten out of the vet hospital without revealing shifters existed.

Now, I had a date with revenge, and Vance Park would never threaten another Pack again.

But all I could think about was Piper.

I lifted my head, staring at the quiet street. I'd found my mate. I'd loved her before as a teen, but I hadn't shifted yet. Last night, the wolf confirmed she was the other half of our soul.

And she could still short circuit my brain with a single kiss.

Fuck. I needed to get my head on straight. Going after Vance and the jaguar shifter who shot at Piper would require all my attention. If I went into this distracted, I could wind up dead.

And two days ago, I would've been fine with that.

Now...I wasn't so sure.

Hearing her voice again, feeling her skin, damn it, she reminded me of emotions other than pain and regret. Seeing she made her dreams of being able to help animals come true, filled my heart with warmth instead of the cold numbness I'd grown accustomed to. Being near her sucked the bitterness and rage out of my heart, threatening to replace it with hope.

I hit the steering wheel, enjoying the sharp pain in my frostbitten hand. It distracted me from the emotions I had no right to feel. For a brief moment, Piper had been back in my arms...and I lied my ass off. I'd done everything I could think of to fool her into believing I was nothing more than a dream.

My one true mate in this world, the other half of my soul, and I walked away. Not like I had any other choice.

Regret wasn't going to change what I needed to do. I'd have to take solace in knowing I protected my mate, even if she never knew I was the wolf she saved. I reached under the seat and grabbed my holster. My target was in town. I'd seen him last night. This would all be over soon. I pulled the gun free and checked the clip, I slammed it back inside and buckled the holster around my waist.

There were two targets now. Vance for my Pack, and the jaguar shooter who fired at Piper. If I could catch the shooter's scent, maybe I could track him down.

A dark thought whispered through my head. My wolf bit the jaguar shifter. He'd be infected. Fuck. We'd spotted Vance and bolted before finishing off the other assassin.

If I didn't find the bastard before the next full moon, there would be some kind of wolf-jaguar hybrid shifter out there.

The shifter gene was passed through the Y chromosome from fathers to sons, so only males were born shifters. Humans could be converted if a shifter was in their animal form. A bite could mutate a human's DNA, making them a shifter too.

From an early age, we were taught about the danger of a bite. If we had to defend ourselves during a full moon, it had to be to the death.

Unless the conversion was planned.

Before a woman could carry a werewolf's child, she needed to be a shifter too. If a couple made that decision, it was usually an intimate moment, a promise made under a full moon.

My bite last night was as far from that as you could get.

I needed to find that guy and finish the job before the next full moon.

This was as warm as I was going to get for now. I turned off the engine and went back out in the cold, careful of my leg. After checking for traffic, I crossed the street, grinding my teeth to keep from limping. If I found the shooter, I didn't want him to know I wasn't at full strength. I rounded the community center as the throbbing in my leg intensified.

A gust of wind brought me a familiar scent. Vance Park. But that wasn't all. A faint, almost sweet smell of death almost overpowered everything else. I drew my gun and I forced my pace, ignoring the sharp pain in my thigh. Careful to stay downwind, I kept my weapon raised and ready. Finding cover was challenging in this terrain. Back home, the forest was thick with large trees for cover. Here in the high desert, I had to duck and run between the large outcroppings of chaparral and rocks. Broad daylight didn't help. I hadn't been so exposed at night.

Peering around the brush, I finally found Vance. He crouched behind the boulder where my wolf had discovered the shooter last night, and he wasn't alone. The shooter's body lay motionless, frozen in the snow. I scanned the body and found the bite on his wrist.

There wasn't a pool of blood. I frowned. He hadn't bled out. So, who killed him? Vance kneeled beside the body, fishing for identification. Suddenly another scent had my head snapping up.

Piper.

She was approaching from upwind. Fuck. Vance stood up, no doubt smelling her approach. Even as men, shifters had heightened animal senses. My sense of smell was stronger than his, but at night, his increased sight would leave me at a disadvantage.

I stepped out of the brush, gun raised. I had to protect her. "Don't move," I growled.

Vance glanced my way and cocked his brow. "She must've patched you up pretty well, mate."

"I'm not your fucking mate. Where's your gun?"

As a werewolf, I'd learned that emotions had scents, a pungent tang, but I didn't smell a trace of fear on him. And the heartless bastard didn't even give off a hint of remorse.

"I got no fight with you." He glanced at the body. "This guy didn't either." His gaze met mine. "His target was Dr. Holland."

Before I could process the idea that a Nero assassin shot at Piper, she stepped into the open with her gun raised. "Freeze."

"You gotta be fucking kidding me." Vance twisted around to look at her, his hands up half-heartedly. "Dr. Holland, pleasure seeing you again."

I glanced her way, lowering my weapon. She was dressed in black head to toe, her red hair slicked back into a braid, and this was obviously not the first time she'd aimed a gun at someone.

This wasn't the studious girl I'd known. This was a badass version of her, I'd never imagined might exist.

And damn, I liked it.

"Vance?" She kept her gun pointed at his chest, but her gaze flicked to the body. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to clean up a mess." He crossed his arms, and again I wondered where he had his gun hidden. No way he came here unarmed. "What brings you here?"

"Is that the shooter?" She shook her head. "Wait. You killed him. Last night. That's what you meant when you said you took care of it."

I frowned. Vance killed one of his own? It didn't make any sense, but he didn't look like he was lying, and he wasn't offering first aid, he'd been patting him down for identification. Cleaning the scene.

What the hell was going on here?

Vance turned all the way around to face her, lowering his hands. "The less you know the better. Any idea why he might be shooting at you?"

"Maybe you should show me your wrists first."

My heart stuttered. Piper knew about Nero. There was no other reason for her make such an odd request. Vance must've figured it out too. His mask of Australian friendliness faded, and I finally recognized the man many had labeled as one of Nero's deadliest assassins.

He stared at Piper as he removed the leather glove from his right hand. I lifted my gun again, covering her whether she needed it or not.

"Wait for me in the parking lot, Shane," she said without looking my way. "We need to talk."

I had half convinced myself she didn't realize I was standing there. "This guy is dangerous. I'll stay."

Her green eyes finally flicked my way. " _I'm_ dangerous. And I'm pissed at you already. Don't make it worse."

"Sorry." I shook my head. "I'm not leaving you alone with him."

She rolled her eyes, all her attention back on Vance. He held out his hand, exposing a black lion head with a capital letter L in the center of its forehead on the inside of his wrist. Our Pack had killed a few of the jaguar shifters and quickly learned all of Nero's assets bore the tattoo.

She nodded slowly. "The shooter has one too. Why'd you kill him?"

Vance glanced my way, his eyes questioning. Every shifter lived in fear of the day humans might discover our existence. It's part of our culture. We're raised with the knowledge that while we have enhanced senses and strength, humans still outnumber us many times over. We would be hunted and exterminated no matter how well-armed and supernaturally strong we were.

I gave an almost imperceptible shake of my head. Somehow Piper knew about Nero, but I'd seen the confusion on her face last night, the eagerness to convince herself it was all a dream.

She didn't know shifters existed.

But she was damned close to finding out.

Vance looked at her again. "Nero died the day Antonio Severino did. I'm a free man now, a private citizen and business owner. The last thing I want is one of these bastards making headlines and putting my new lifestyle at risk. Any idea who would put a hit out on you?"

Damned fine question. Whoever it was, I'd add him to my kill list, right after Vance Park. Like hell he was a private citizen. My Pack was dead. Vance could take his new life and shove it.

Piper finally lowered her weapon. I kept mine ready.

She ignored his questions completely. "Thanks for stopping him last night."

Vance turned my way. "What about you, mate? I understand the Sheila pulling a gun on me, but what have I done to you?"

I frowned. "Who is Sheila?"

Vance rolled his eyes, his accent even thicker as he slowed his speech like I was a clueless little kid. "The wo-man. A Sheila." He shook his head. "Now mind explaining why you've got a gun in my face?"

"Lexington, Kentucky. Ring a bell, asshole?"

"Sorry, mate." He shrugged. "Means nothing to me."

My entire Pack, my family, everyone I loved was gone, and this fucking killer didn't even remember. Rage blotted out everything else. I strode forward, lining the sights on my gun with the center of his forehead. My index finger caressed the trigger, when a hand gripped my shoulder.

"Shane. Wait."

Piper's voice pierced through the haze of aggression, knocking me off-balance. I glanced her way, my gun still poised to end Vance Park.

"He saved my life." Her brow knitted with concern. "Don't do this."

"You don't know what he's done." I faced Vance again, wishing I caught the scent of fear or regret. Instead a cold gun barrel jabbed into my gut.

Vance's eyes narrowed, his voice low and all business. "Sorry for whatever Nero may have done in Lexington, but it wasn't me. I don't want to hurt you, but I also don't want to die. How about we both walk away?"

This was my chance. I could finish this. I'd probably die too, but my Pack would be avenged, my final promise to my Alpha, fulfilled.

"Shane. This is murder." Piper squeezed my shoulder harder. "Please don't do this."

My mate. The wolf clawed to the surface, the animal every bit as conflicted as the man. "You were ready to shoot him a second ago," I replied without taking my eyes off Vance.

"But I didn't. I just needed to know if he was still loyal to Nero."

"And you believe him? They're killers, Piper." I ground my teeth, aching to pull the trigger and at the same time yearning to walk away...with my mate. "He took everything from me."

Suddenly the barrel left my abdomen. Vance shook his head. "Wasn't me, mate." His eyes stayed on mine. "There's plenty of blood on my hands. But the day Nero blew up, I headed west, and I've never looked back." His eye twitched, the only sign he might be concerned. His voice dropped, a raw whisper. "So, either pull that damn trigger, or put the gun down. We can help each other."

"You're lying. I tracked you to Sedona. You were in Lexington." I caressed the trigger.

Piper moved in front of me so fast, I nearly fired. Adrenaline shot through me as Vance stumbled backward. I stared into her green eyes as I jerked the gun down, pointing it at the ground.

She holstered her weapon, never taking her eyes off mine. "Whatever you think Vance has done, he killed this Nero operative last night and probably saved both our lives. That's enough proof for me that he's a free man now."

I let out a slow breath and jammed my handgun into the holster at my waist. Vance was up, his gun hidden from view again, but he wasn't running away. I ran a shaky hand down my face. What if she was right? What if I had the wrong guy?

Vance interrupted my thoughts. "Mind if we talk later? We need to clean this up before the medical examiner is taking swabs of this bite to run DNA."

Oh fuck. Another wave of adrenaline crashed through my bloodstream. I could've exposed our entire race. My questions and doubts would have to wait.

I helped Vance carry the body farther out into the valley, away from the city limits. The irony of me working side by side with a jaguar assassin wasn't lost on me. It was like the world had flipped on its axis and I couldn't tell which way was up anymore.

When we were out of earshot, Vance whispered, "I helped the Sheila load your lupine ass into her veterinary truck last night. She fixed your leg?"

Shit. With all the adrenaline, I'd forgotten all about the hole in my damn thigh. "Are you nuts?" I glanced back over my shoulder to be sure Piper was still up on the bluff clearing the murder scene before focusing on Vance again. "There's no way you couldn't tell I was a werewolf by my scent."

"Course I could, but she already tranq'ed you, mate. She wasn't leaving you behind after you took a bullet for her." He finally stopped and lowered the guy's shoulders to the frozen ground. "How'd you get away?"

"Lying." I didn't want to think about it. "Lots of lying. It didn't hurt that she convinced herself she must be dreaming." I stared at the body. "Did you know this guy?"

Vance gave a half-hearted nod. "We were trained to work alone, so...I knew _of_ him." He looked up the incline. "What I don't know is why he was shooting at Dr. Holland."

"Because killing is what you're trained to do. _All_ you're trained to do."

Vance cursed under his breath as he let out a humorless chuckle. "What the _fuck_ is your problem?"

"After Nero exploded, your displaced jaguars started stalking our town. They killed humans during the new moon nights. Lexington isn't like DC. When bodies start turning up, people notice. The news crews were looking for serial killers and wild animals." I shook my head. "We finally fought back, protecting our secret in our territory, and they came in armed with military grade fire power and slaughtered my Pack." Bile burned the back of my throat. "Even the children." I stared out at the red rocks. "I'm the last one left."

Vance reached into his jacket and withdrew a small canister of oil and another unmarked container, probably gasoline. He knelt beside the body, covering it in oil. "Sorry about your Pack. Severino had over a hundred of us tagged and trained. We depended on him for shelter, employment, and protection during new moon nights. Most of my jaguar brethren didn't see Severino's death as freedom from slavery like I did."

"And killing children is their answer?"

He opened the second container and looked up at me. "If I had to guess, they were looking for a safe haven to replace the Nero grounds. Your Pack's territory must've been the choice."

I crossed my arms. "And why were _you_ in Lexington?"

He doused the body in gasoline and dropped a match. The fire roared to life, the wave of heat battling back the biting cold. "I can't tell you that, mate, but I know _damned_ well you can sniff out a lie. You _know_ I didn't kill your Pack."

## Chapter Six

### Piper

The shell casing from the shooter's bullet was the last remaining proof a crime had happened here. The bloody snow was dispersed, and the sniper's Glock and silencer were separated and hidden inside my jacket.

Flames erupted out in the valley. Hopefully Shane and Vance would be back soon. It wouldn't be long until someone noticed the fire and called the authorities. It was a stupid plan, really. Burying the body would've been safer, but for some reason both guys insisted on burning it. In fact, that was _all_ they could agree on.

I slid the casing into my pocket and sat on the rock trying to reconcile my emotions. If only it were so simple.

I kissed Shane Dodd last night. None of it was a dream.

The ramifications left me angry, confused, and...damn I almost wished it had all been a dream. Being in his arms again had seemed so right, like I'd somehow found my way home. But if the feeling had been mutual, he wouldn't have crept out of the clinic, content not to even look back. If I hadn't stumbled onto him confronting Vance, I probably never would have seen him again.

Seeing him again brought back all the feelings I thought I'd left behind. God, I loved him. _Used to_ love him. Big difference.

And then there was the wolf.

I didn't want to think about it.

But I couldn't stop. Shane had _my_ stitches in his leg. A gunshot wound in the same spot as the wolf, crazy coincidence, but I'd recognized the sutures.

Was I seriously contemplating that Shane and the wolf were one in the same? Maybe I was losing my mind.

Vance and Shane came back up from the valley. Shane trailed behind Vance, sweating in spite of the icy wind. He'd probably busted a few stitches with all the hiking.

Vance glanced at each of us. "Well kids, I have to go home and grab Abby so we can open the rock shop before ten o'clock. Can't say it's been pleasant."

"Wait." I put my hand up. "Should I be expecting more visitors with Nero tattoos?"

His well-practiced smile faded. "Depends. I don't know why they want you dead. Could someone have hired a hit?"

"I'm a veterinarian. I don't have any enemies that I know of."

He raised a brow. "That's part of your story, but you knew to ask to see my wrists, so this isn't your first brush with Nero. Why would they be hunting you?"

I bristled. "I guess the short answer is, I might want to wear a bulletproof vest for a while."

He shrugged. "I could ask around." He turned to go, but glanced back at Shane first. "Sorry about your family. I'm no angel, but I don't hurt tykes."

Vance walked away, leaving me alone with a ghost from my past. I had so many questions, but the ball of emotions blotted out my ability to speak.

He took a step toward me and I raised my hand, stopping him in his tracks. "I don't even know what to say to you. I think I need some time."

He nodded and sat on the same rock the sniper had used the night before. "Me too."

Blood soaked through his pant leg and I groaned inwardly. "You should get over to urgent care. I think you tore your stitches."

He shook his head, looking up at me with pained dark eyes. "I can't."

I raised a brow. "Can't or won't?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Jesus, Shane." I rolled my eyes. "You're just as stubborn as I remember."

He chuckled, staring into the valley. "For what it's worth, I didn't want to leave last night."

"But you _did_. I woke up thinking I dreamed you, and that was apparently what you were counting on." I shook my head zipping my jacket higher against the cold wind. Sirens blared in the distance. Someone must've called in the fire. "We better get out of here."

Shane stood up, a muscle tensing in his jaw. He looked like hell and I shouldn't care.

But I did. I went over and took his hand, completely ignoring the surge of awareness the simple touch sent up my arm. With my other arm around his waist, I helped him back down to the community center.

When we reached my truck, he draped both arms over the bed. "Thanks for the help."

"I need to take you to the ER. You can't drive like this."

"No." Suddenly he was upright shaking his head. "No hospitals. No doctors." His tone softened. "I can't."

"Why? I don't understand."

He turned my way. The intensity in his eyes had my pulse racing. "I think you do. You don't want to, but you do."

My mouth went dry. I broke eye contact and stared up at the sky, struggling to keep from remembering the way that giant wolf had looked at me after he took that bullet. He didn't growl. He didn't attack. Wounded animals lashed out until they could get someplace safe.

But that wolf inexplicably trusted me.

And even though all of this was insane and completely impossible, Shane had a gunshot wound in the same spot as the wolf. My stitches were still in his leg.

Without looking at him, I forced the words out, my voice no more than a whisper. "That wolf last night...that was you."

"That's why I can't go to the hospital. One blood test or a tissue sample, and I'd be locked away and studied like a lab rat."

I laughed, finally turning his way, tears welled in my eyes as I shook my head. "This can't be true. You're asking me to believe werewolves are real, that you're a..."

"Shape shifter," he finished.

My head hurt as I struggled to process his words.

Shane caught the side of the truck again. "I think I need to get off this leg."

This was something I could handle. I popped the locks on the doors and helped him into the truck. I drove him back to the clinic in silence, my mind churning with questions so fast, I couldn't articulate them.

We entered the clinic through the back door. "Can you get your pants off or do you need help?"

His voice was deep and raw, and way too sexy. "This wasn't how I imagined we'd be getting naked together again."

I shook my head as I took off my coat and snapped out a pair of latex gloves from the box. "Oh, we're not getting naked. You can keep your boxers on."

But now memories of his chiseled body from the night before filled my head, warming me from the inside out. I tried to distract myself by gathering my wound care supplies. Our operating room wasn't set up for human beings, so the table wasn't long enough for him to lay down.

Shane boosted himself up onto the edge of the table, and I did my damnedest not to notice the way his t-shirt strained around his broad shoulders and tense biceps. Okay, so I noticed. I shoved the hormones aside and laid my blue towels over his tan thigh to frame the wound. He'd ripped out more than half of my sutures. Shit. Blood oozed from the angry red laceration.

"This is going to hurt a little while I numb it up."

He caught my wrist. "Don't waste your drugs. I'm fine."

"You're far from fine, Shane. Once I get this cleaned up you're going to need antibiotics too."

I ignored his tough guy talk and injected the local in three places. While I gave it time to work, I glanced up at his face. Pain lined his eyes and sweat rolled down his forehead, but even beat up, the stubble on his jaw accentuated his chiseled features, and something in his eyes still made me feel like the only person who mattered to him.

How was that possible after ten years apart?

I shook my head. "I didn't say it before, but I'm really sorry about your family."

"My Pack." He clenched his teeth.

I sighed. "Because wolves live in Packs." I focused on arranging my tools, unwilling to waste any more time on monsters I wished I could pretend were fictional.

His cool finger caught my chin, gently raising my attention to his eyes. "Do you remember the winter formal, back home?"

"Yeah." I nodded slowly. I'd never forget that night.

"We walked to the lake and it started to snow."

His deep voice cast a spell, taking me back to the night we made love for the first time in the back of his car. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "I was wearing those dumb shoes."

He chuckled, the sound warming me all the way to my toes. "Yeah. They weren't made for hiking."

I'd worn a pair of four-inch heels to the formal. In high school at five foot nine, I was one of the taller girls, and I usually wore flats, but Shane towered over most of the guys at our school. I took the opportunity to try heels. I'd talked my dad into buying these sling backs made of clear vinyl with rhinestones on the straps. Secretly, I felt like Cinderella in my blue silk dress and sparkly glass slippers.

"I twisted my ankle and you carried me back to the car."

He nodded, his fingers sliding along the underside of my jaw, sending tingles through my entire body. "How many teenagers do you know who could carry someone a half a mile, uphill, on a rough trail?"

I stepped back away from the distraction of his touch. "You were always strong. That doesn't make you a werewolf."

He put his hand back down on the edge of the table. "You can keep making excuses, but you sewed these stitches into a wolf. How are you going to explain that they're in my leg now?"

And there it was. The reality I couldn't escape.

My hands trembled, my breathing shallow. "That's why the injured wolf didn't attack me."

"When I shift, I'm still alert while the animal part of my spirit takes over. I recognized you. The wolf sensed you were a friend, not a threat."

I forced a deep breath into my lungs. Panic wasn't going to solve any of this. I put some pressure around the wound. "Does this hurt?"

"No." He tightened his grip on the table. "How did you know about Nero?"

I cleaned out the wound, all my attention on his leg. "They're the reason we left Lexington in the dead of night." I peered up at him. "I didn't want to go."

He frowned. "Why would they be after you?"

"Not me. My dad." I started stitching. I'd double back this time. Hopefully they'd hold better. Maybe when he shifted from a wolf back into a man it weakened them or stretched the skin. I had no idea how it worked, but I was more than a little worried that I was starting to believe it could be real.

"Your dad was a computer programmer, right? Doesn't seem like someone Nero would be hunting."

I shrugged as I pulled the stitches tight. "He was doing some freelance coding for them and he saw something. He wouldn't tell me what it was. He thought the less I knew the safer I'd be, but whatever it was, he was convinced it was dangerous and the government was covering it up. I know he told my uncle, and now he's dead."

Shane cleared his throat. "Where's your dad now?"

I finished the last stitch and reached for my scissors. "Far from here." I inspected my work and straightened up. "I'm the only one who knows where he is or how to contact him. We thought it would keep me safe because then Nero would need me alive. Since the headquarters blew up, things have been quiet. I thought maybe the threat was over, but I guess last night proves I was wrong."

He took my hand. "Those Nero assassins are jaguar shifters."

I wasn't sure I could take much more. How much of my world was still a mystery? Were there other monsters lurking around the corner?

I cleared my throat, struggling to keep my head. "Vance looked pretty human to me."

"Nero won defense contracts from the government to create super soldiers. They did experiments on shifters." He clenched his jaw, a cold glimmer in his eyes. "A couple guys from my Pack volunteered once. They never came back."

The door opened behind us, and I spun around. Suddenly Shane was off the table and in front of me. How he moved so fast with a wounded leg was beyond me.

His voice was deep and...menacing. "Who are you?"

"I own this clinic." Dr. Vega's voice rumbled, almost like...a growl. "Who are you?"

I scooted around Shane. "Hi Cole. This isn't what it looks like."

My usually mild-mannered boss ground his teeth and...his nostrils were flaring. "Piper, I need you to wait outside."

Shane took my hand. "You know damned well it's not safe for her out there."

Cole raised a brow. "Not that it's any of your concern."

"She's not going anywhere." Shane's body tensed beside me.

"What the hell is going on here?" I looked at each of them. It was like they were speaking in a secret code and I didn't have a decoder ring.

Cole glanced my way. "Your friend here is trespassing and if he brought his...friends...we're going to have a problem."

"My Pack is dead." Shane's hands balled into fists. "I'm here for retribution against the Nero assassin who slaughtered them." He shook his head slowly. "I've got no problem with you. Unless you give me one."

Cole finally glanced down at Shane's lack of pants and newly stitched thigh. "You're in no condition to threaten me."

"I'm not threatening. I'm promising you that if you try send Piper out there alone, I'll tear your throat out."

"Enough." I put myself between the two men. My mouth went dry. This was the second time today that I struggled to convince Shane not to kill someone. What had happened to him in the ten years we'd been apart? I looked up at Shane. "I'm armed. I'll be fine."

The pain in his dark eyes made me ache to heal him. His voice softened. "Please stay." Before I could answer, he looked at Cole again. "She knows what we are."

We? I blinked, hoping the shock wasn't written all over my face. Dr. Cole Vega a...werewolf? He had a gift with animals. Maybe they could sense the animal in him too.

"You told her?" Cole's eyes narrowed. "Are you insane? You know how risky that is."

Shane met my eyes, but I couldn't read his expression. Finally, he faced Cole again. "Piper's my mate."

## Chapter Seven

### Shane

Standing off against another werewolf in my boxers with my wound exposed was not one of my better ideas, but there was no fucking way I would let Piper go outside alone. We killed a Nero assassin. More would come. Hell, another one might be waiting right now.

I'd be able to catch his scent.

Piper wouldn't.

I hated dropping the mate issue without talking to her about it first, but if her boss was in a Pack, he'd understand the instinct to protect her.

Cole crossed his arms. "So, I'm supposed to believe you're a lone wolf?"

"I am. Call your Alpha. Let him decide if I'm a threat." Alphas had a connection to their Pack that went above our heightened senses. My Alpha had been able to channel his strength into Pack members when they needed it. He gave me the last of his when he sent me away.

Cole ran a hand back through his hair. "Our Alpha was in bed with Nero. Now he's dead."

I frowned. "His son didn't ascend to Alpha?"

"He didn't have any offspring." He cleared his throat. "We all help each other. We don't need an Alpha."

That was pure bullshit. Since I'd been on my own, my wolf yearned for a Pack and a leader. Cole had to be feeling that same thing. But whatever was going on with this Pack in Sedona was none of my business. All I wanted was to find the jaguar who took my life and my future.

"Fine." I shrugged. "Once I kill the jaguar that slaughtered my Pack, I'll be out of your hair."

Cole glanced past me to Piper. "You sure about that?"

I turned around, and her gaze pinned me in place. My heart stuttered. My mate. God, I was an idiot. How could I leave her behind? I couldn't. But even if I earned her forgiveness for lying to her, I couldn't expect her to leave with me. Being a veterinarian was her dream as long as I'd known her. Now her name was on the wall with DVM after it.

This was her home now.

I looked over at Cole. "Can you let your Pack know I'm nosing around Sedona and not looking to get killed?"

"Vance already did." Cole almost smiled. "I caught your scent this morning, but I figured you left town. When Vance told me you were still here, I came over to check on Piper."

"Wait." I frowned. " _Vance_ told you I was here?"

"Things are...complicated here since the fall of our Alpha. Our Pack is anything but traditional." He crossed to Piper, and I struggled to give him some space. Although the man in me recognized Cole was her boss, the wolf was agitated to have another male so close to our mate. The aggression was a surprise. The mate instinct was primal and raw. I wasn't sure how to explain to the wolf that our mate may never accept us.

The thought scared the shit out of me. Crazy. A couple days ago, I welcomed death. And now...I craved a life. With her.

Cole stopped in front of Piper. "I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about werewolves, but it's important that this stays a secret. If word about shifters got out—"

"I've heard the lecture." She crossed her arms. "You'd be lab rats."

"Or hunted." Cole glanced my way, and back to Piper. "There are little ones here, and they've already seen too much death."

My chest tightened. Shifters were born in sets of twins. We'd had two pairs in our pack before Nero descended on us.

Piper shrugged. "Who would believe me anyway, right?"

"Yeah." Cole turned to me and held out his hand.

I reached past it, clasping his forearm in the traditional Pack greeting. Emotion swelled inside of me. I hadn't greeted Pack since I lost mine. "Thanks Cole."

"Piper has my number if you need me." He released my arm. "And Vance is calling in some favors to see if he can get a name for you. Sorry about your Pack."

He went to the door and peered back over his shoulder. "Don't forget to lock up."

"Will do." Piper replied.

The door closed behind him, and I faced Piper. "I know this is a lot to take in."

"I keep wishing I'd wake up. You called me your 'mate'? What does that mean?"

Nothing got past her. "Can we sit first? The local in my leg is wearing off."

She picked up my jeans and handed them to me. "Do you have a clean pair someplace? You're going to attract attention at the Red Rock Fantasy in bloody jeans."

"Red Rock Fantasy?" I followed her toward Cole's office.

"It's our festival of lights in Sedona. There's supposed to be fifty displays this year and each theme can never be duplicated. I was planning on going, so you might as well come with me. Since we're _mates_ or something." She sat on the leather couch and I settled beside her.

I rubbed my hand down my face. "I know I'm fucking this all up right now, but I came to Sedona with a death wish and now..."

She caught my hand with a tenderness in her eyes that I didn't deserve. "In your defense, everything was fucked up the second I stitched a hole in a wolf's leg, and then woke up to a naked ex-boyfriend. Everything else is really just window decoration."

I chuckled and rested back on the couch. "I thought I'd never see you again, and then when I think my life is about to end, there you are." I reached for her hand, memorizing every curve of her face. "Wolves mate for life. We're raised knowing there is someone out there that the wolf within will recognize, the other half of our soul. And last night, I felt it. It was always you."

"How come you didn't know it back when we were in love?"

Rational or not, I didn't like hearing her talk about loving me in the past tense. "The wolf doesn't come alive until our first shift. I didn't shift until I was almost nineteen. You were already gone."

She blew out a breath and flopped back against the couch. Finally, she turned her head, looking over at me. "This is nuts. We haven't seen each other in ten years, and we're...different species. What if it's too late for us?"

"Different species?" I rolled my eyes. "One night a month, I shift, and I have heightened senses, but I'm not an alien." My gaze locked on hers. "And I have to believe it's not too late, because that kiss last night is never going to be enough for me."

She broke eye contact, staring at our joined hands. "That's romantic, but the reality is, we don't know each other. Ten years is a long time. I don't remember you threatening to kill people when we were in high school."

I sighed, lifting her hand to my lips. "I grew up to be a better bodyguard than a fire fighter. I was my Alpha's protector."

She frowned. "How did you get away?"

Pain and regret festered in my gut, but I met her eyes, trusting her with my anguish. "He gave me his strength and sent me away. I didn't want to go, but an Alpha has a...mental push, like a compulsion with his Pack. The wolf in us makes it tough to defy his command."

"I'm so sorry, Shane." Her emerald eyes searched mine and she squeezed my hand. "How about just for tonight, we pretend there aren't jaguar assassins after me, and you're not a werewolf enforcer with a mission of vengeance." She swallowed, her voice softening. "I could use a little Christmas spirit. How about you?"

I couldn't find words. Instead, I pulled her into my arms, and closed my eyes, breathing in her scent. Every second I spent with her, she reminded me who I once was, and how much I enjoyed being with her.

And her acceptance was a gift I hadn't expected.

She wrapped her arms around me as I pressed a kiss to her hair. She pulled back and smiled up at me. "I hope that's a yes."

I nodded, basking in the warmth of her smile. "Definitely."

"Good." She unzipped her jacket and took out a gun and silencer. "Let me put these in my locker. Then I'll be ready for holiday cheer."

She walked away while I admired her ass in those black jeans, and parts of me sent an urgent reminder of how good it felt when she straddled my lap last night. She vanished into the locker room and I adjusted myself. Hopefully the Red Rock Fantasy would have some mistletoe because if I didn't kiss her soon, I might lose my mind.

## Chapter Eight

### Piper

As we entered the Tlaquepaque village, Shane took my hand and our fingers laced together like we'd never been torn apart ten years ago. Muscle memory was a strange thing. At least that would be the logical explanation. My heart seemed to believe I'd never "fit" so well with anyone in my life.

I glanced up, smiling at the wonder on his face.

This was my second Christmas season in Sedona, but the magic of the Red Rock Fantasy still wrapped me in its mystical spell. The courtyard was a mixture of candlelit luminaries and twinkling Christmas lights. Last year, I'd had a similar reaction. I'd never seen anything like it, a blending of old and new traditions. The light basked us in a warm holiday glow.

Shane glanced at me, shaking his head. "It's beautiful."

"Right?" I squeezed his hand. "And we only get polite snow here."

He grinned and, damn, I forgot how good it felt to see him smile at me. "Okay, what the hell is polite snow?"

"It falls at night, and it's just enough to make everything look pretty, but not enough to require a shovel." I bumped him with my shoulder. "See? Polite."

"Didn't know such a thing existed." He shook his head, chuckling. "Man, I can't remember the last time I laughed." He met my eyes. "Thanks for bringing me here."

"Oh, we're just getting started." I glanced down at his leg. "Are you too sore?"

"No." He lifted my chin. "I forgot all about my leg. You're magic."

His lips parted, and my heart raced with anticipation. He didn't close the distance between us, but the temptation sizzled like electricity.

His gaze wandered over my face like a caress. "I can't stop thinking about kissing you."

I ran my hand up his chest, my voice suddenly a raw whisper, each word a puff of fog. "What are you waiting for?"

A playful gleam sparked in his dark eyes, and suddenly he was on the move, gripping my hand as we wove through the people toward a dimly lit archway.

He stopped underneath and pointed up. "Finally found some mistletoe."

I laughed as he kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and the rest of the world melted away. Christmas carols faded into the background, drowned out by the pounding of my heart in my ears as he held me tighter. Even with our jackets on, his body warmed mine, making me ache to be closer.

His lips were warm, coaxing my mouth open. I hummed into the kiss as our tongues tangled in a sensual dance that had me yearning to get him naked. The realization cut through the haze of lust.

I broke the kiss, resting my forehead against his. "You're still the best kisser."

"You make me want to be." His crooked smile had butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"We're supposed to be finding Christmas spirit."

"I'm feeling pretty spirited." He raised an eyebrow full of innuendo.

How could he be so cute and sexy all at the same time? I laughed, my heart melting in spite of my efforts to keep my head with him. "Come on."

I took his hand, and together we walked down the uneven tiled corridor. The luminaries cast our shadows across the ground in front of us, our joined hands as natural as breathing. We browsed through shops, took a couple selfies with the giant Christmas tree, and found another sprig of mistletoe to kiss underneath.

Shane bought us a couple of hot chocolates and we settled on a bench with a view of Santa in his sleigh, greeting kids and families for photos. I sipped the cocoa and studied his profile. Ten years ago, I'd been so head over heels in love with this guy. He'd been a big burly teen back then. His face had thinned a little, bringing out the angle of his strong jaw, and his lanky body had filled out in all the right places.

He took a swallow of his hot chocolate, his eyes on Santa. "What's on your mind?"

I chuckled, forcing myself to face forward. "Just trying to wrap my brain around my first love being a werewolf."

He glanced my way. "Have there been others?"

"Others?" I raised a brow.

"Yeah. Did you fall in love again?"

I wrapped my hands around the cup, keeping them warm as a cold breeze blew past us. "I had a boyfriend in college, and I dated a guy when I first got to Sedona, but love?" I shrugged. "Not really." I took another sip and asked, even though I wasn't sure I wanted to know. "How about you?"

"No." He looked at me, resting one hand on my thigh. "I did date, trying to find the woman my wolf recognized. We're raised knowing there's one mate for us. When I couldn't find her, dating seemed pointless. One night stands are pretty empty when you're looking for forever."

"Okay, that's super romantic." I covered his hand. "But we're not kids anymore. What if I told you to hit the road and leave me alone?"

His eyes met mine. "Do you want me to go?"

"No." I answered way too quickly. "But this mate thing is almost as crazy as shape shifters being real. How does it work if your mate doesn't have that instinct and doesn't want you to stick around?"

"That's the kicker for a werewolf. If we can't win our mate's heart, you either go through life alone, or settle for a relationship that will never fill the empty hole in your soul."

He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing the back, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'll never settle, but I will respect your wishes, Piper. You're not stuck with me." He broke eye contact, staring at the kids climbing up on Santa's lap. "You've got a life here, and I've got one last mission to finish for my Pack. I can fade away again if I need to, and I will, if that's what you want."

I squeezed his hand until he looked at me again. My emotions were so jumbled up that I couldn't find the words I wanted.

So I kissed him, long and slow, and when we came up for air, he tipped his head back searching the stars for what...I had no idea.

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

A grin stretched over his delicious lips as he continued his search with a playful shrug. "Just checking for mistletoe."

I laughed. "That kiss was all me."

He set his hot chocolate aside and cupped my face in his warm hands. "We don't need mistletoe."

His lips met mine, my mouth opening, eager to taste him. His fingers slid into my hair, tightening as he deepened the kiss. My toes curled in my shoes, and heat swirled low in my belly.

I broke the kiss, breathless and no longer cold. "I've had enough Christmas spirit. How about you?"

"No offense to Santa, but let's get the hell out of here." The hunger in his eyes stoked my yearning for much more than a kiss.

I made record time back to my place. As soon as the garage door closed behind us, I kissed him again. His hands started at my waist, running up my body and cupping my breasts right through my jacket.

We had way too many clothes on.

"Let's get inside," I gasped.

He unfastened his holster and left it on the backseat. I jammed mine, holster and all into the glove box. We could put them in the safe later. For now, all that existed was this need to be closer to him. We barely got through the door before he fused our lips together again, pinning me against the kitchen wall. This passion was nothing like what I remembered from high school. We'd fumbled through sex the first time, and the few times afterward were either in his car or on a sleeping bag under the stars.

Plus, there was always an undercurrent of fear of being caught.

He unzipped my jacket, helping me get free of it as we kissed over and over. My teeth grazed his lower lip as I slid my hands underneath his shirt. His abs were tight, and his skin was so warm I wanted to lose myself in him. Now.

I broke the kiss long enough to pull his shirt over his head and drop it on the ground. Yeah, just looking at him had my heart racing. He got my top off and pulled me back into his arms as he pressed hot kisses along my shoulder. I tilted my head, opening myself to him, enjoying the rush of pleasure. Every inch of me wanted the attention of his mouth.

He popped the front clasp on my bra open, and pushed the straps off my shoulders. I lowered my hands until it fell to the ground and then went to work on his jeans. I'd never wanted anyone as badly as I wanted Shane right now.

I opened his pants and slid my hand inside, stroking his erection. He growled against my shoulder, working his hips into me as his fingers unbuttoned and unzipped my pants.

His teeth scraped my ear. "I need you."

"I need you too," I gasped, not recognizing my own voice.

He pushed my pants down past my hips, and I stepped out of them. In one movement he straightened up, gripped my waist and lifted me up like I weighed nothing. He set me on the edge of the kitchen table, as our lips fused together again, our tongues twining urgently.

Moving my thighs apart, he stood between my legs and wrapped his arm around me. I helped him push his jeans and boxers down his hips. He broke the kiss long enough to get his pants all the way off.

He kissed his way up my chest, my fingers tangling in his hair. He nibbled at my neck and the tip of his erection brushed my core. For a split second my brain engaged. "Condom."

"I'm clean." His teeth grazed my skin. "And I can't get you pregnant."

The whole werewolf thing. In the haze of desire, I forgot I was still human and Shane was...not. When did my life get so nuts?

I tugged gently at his earlobe with my teeth as my hand slid down to cup his ass. "I want you. Now."

I squeezed his cheek, and he plunged forward, filling me completely. My nails dug into his flesh. He growled against my skin and I moaned, more turned on than I'd ever been before. I shivered in his arms and he lifted his head, meeting my eyes.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No." I shook my head, my heart suddenly in my throat. "I forgot how good this could be. With you."

He kissed me, grinding his hips against mine. His voice was raw, his words whispered between feverish caresses of his lips. "I love you."

## Chapter Nine

### Shane

The words fell out of my mouth so naturally I didn't have a chance to think them through. But I meant them, every fucking word. I'd never been more certain of anything in my life.

Maybe I never stopped loving her.

It had nothing to do with animal instincts. It wasn't that complicated. No one had ever made me laugh, turned me on, or completed me like the woman in my arms, and making love to her, only compounded the connection. This was real.

Gradually the wolf clawed his way forward in my soul, claiming his mate. I broke the kiss, resting my forehead on hers. The invisible web, binding our hearts, our souls, pulled tighter, weaving her into the fabric of my spirit. I lost myself in her green eyes, and whispered words that had been written on my heart since I'd been born a werewolf with one fated mate. "You're mine, my mate. I'll protect you with my life. My heart, my body, and my life are yours."

Questions lingered in her eyes as her hand slid down my chest, covering my heart. "I love you too. I never stopped."

Her words shot through me like lightning, warming every inch of my body. I claimed her mouth, our tongues urgent and hungry as I slammed my hips into her harder. She fit in my arms perfectly, made for me. How had I lived without this woman?

I trailed kisses down her neck and along her collarbone. Bending lower, I caught her nipple, licking the hard tip until she cried out my name. Damn it. I wanted to enjoy her all night, but I was right on the edge. I slid one hand between us, my fingertips searching for her sweet spot.

Her fingers tightened in my hair. "Right there."

I rubbed her in time with my thrusts as I kissed my way to her other breast. Her back arched, offering herself to me, and tremors of raw desire fired through me. I lifted my head, my eyes locked on hers. "Come for me, Piper."

Her hips rocked into my fingers as our bodies crashed together. Her head fell back, and her inner muscles clenched around me. That was all it took. I slammed into her once more and erupted deep inside of her.

For a second, I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, time froze. And for now, nothing else existed. Just us. We were all that mattered.

She snuggled in close, her breath teasing my neck. "Damn."

I chuckled, kissing her hair. "Yeah."

Her legs were still wrapped around my waist, so I tightened my hold on her and lifted her off the table. "I need to lay down."

"Bedroom is down the hall," she murmured against my chest.

I carried her back there, sliding free of her body as I lowered her onto the bed. She folded back the covers and got underneath, inviting me to join her. Her gaze was on my wound as I got in bed beside her.

"My leg is fine," I whispered as I pulled her into my arms.

She kissed my chest and raised her head. Her red hair framed her face, falling around us like a fiery drape. "I was just admiring my work."

"Bullshit, you were checking to see if I popped any stitches."

"Fine." She grinned. "But in my defense, I just found you again. If you die on me now from a staph infection, I'll be pissed."

Her cheeks were flushed with color and her lips swollen from my kisses, beautiful. Mine. My mate. Blood was already pumping away from my brain. She was fucking magic.

"I've got you back in my arms." I cupped her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere."

She settled onto my chest, the lavender scent of her hair filling my lungs. "What about your vendetta against Nero?"

Shit, I wasn't ready for real life. Not yet. "It's been a long time since I felt this good. Let's not ruin it with Nero."

Her lips caressed the base of my neck. "You just promised me your heart, your body, and your life. I think I have a right to know if you're still planning on risking it."

"You're my mate." My fingers traced circles on the soft skin of her back.

"So they're just words?"

I sighed. "Look at me." She lifted her head, her gaze wandering over my face. When her eyes met mine, I whispered, "I meant every word I said, but the reality is, a Nero assassin tried to kill you, and they don't usually stop until their target is neutralized. We're going to have to face that tomorrow, but tonight...tonight is all ours. Nero can fuck off."

Her lips curved into a sexy smile as she bent to kiss me. "I like that plan."

I rolled us over and lost myself in her all over again.

* * *

Shattered glass woke me. It took a heartbeat for me to remember where I was. Piper's place. She was still asleep beside me. I crept out of bed, trying to dissect the scent stinging my nostrils.

Blood, fear, and...human sweat. What the hell?

I snagged my pants off the floor and quickly put them on, relieved to see my stitches weren't even red anymore. I was no super-fast healing wolverine, but we did heal up faster than humans.

Once I had my jeans on, I realized my gun was still in the car. Fuck. Whoever was inside the house, was injured, but that didn't mean they were weak. It could have been a small cut from breaking a window. And right now, they were between me and my gun.

I scanned her bedroom for a potential weapon. Nothing. Damn it. I went to the closet. Shoes, clothes, and leaning in the corner. I blinked.

Piper had a sword.

I picked it up, gauging the weight. About six or seven pounds. I was more experienced with firearms, but I'd have to make this work. Even though I was no swordsman, with my werewolf strength, I had no doubt I could inflict some damage with this blade.

Careful not to make a sound, I opened the bedroom door and made my way down the hallway. A man sat at the kitchen table with his back toward me. I approached him from behind, lifting the sword.

I pressed the tip into his back and growled, "Who the hell are you?"

He turned around and I blinked, lowering my weapon. Piper's dad. And he was beat to hell. Blood trickled down the side of his face from a gash in his forehead, and his skin was black and blue. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and his clothes were covered in dirt.

"Mr. Holland. What happened?"

He frowned, looking up at me with his good eye. "Shane? You're alive." He looked past me to the hallway. "Where's Piper?"

"Sleeping." I kept my grip on the sword. Something felt...off. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

His fingers twitched on the table and the tangy scent of fear wafted off him. He'd known me since I was in high school. Why would he be afraid of me?

Unless somehow he knew...

He drew a gun from under his jacket as I lifted the blade.

Spittle flew from his lips. "You stay away from my daughter, you animal." He spat the final two words, like I was the one covered in filth instead of the other way around.

"Daddy?" Piper's voice came from behind me.

"Get out of here, baby. I told you never to contact Shane."

"What happened?" She came to my side and frowned. "Put your gun away."

"I need to protect you."

"From what?" A wrinkle formed on her brow, confusion lining her eyes. "Dad, this is Shane. You know him."

"But _you_ don't, Piper. Go back to bed. I'll handle this."

Was he afraid enough to shoot his own daughter? I wasn't ready to find out. I put myself between her and the gun. "Do what he says, Piper." I kept my voice low, non-threatening. I couldn't promise my narrowed eyes were sending him the same message. "We can work this out."

"I don't think you can, mate." Vance stepped through the broken glass of Piper's slider. His Glock was aimed at Piper's dad. "Seems the veterinarian's papa fell for the oldest trick in the book and came out of hiding when his little girl was threatened. But he's a little harder to kill than my associates realized."

"Wait," Piper pleaded. "Put your gun down. My father's fighting Nero too." Piper reached for Vance, but I caught her wrist, my gaze locked on hers. "Why don't you go get in the car? I'll be right there."

I prayed to whoever might be listening that my brainy mate would understand my urgency. Our guns were still in the car. She started to shake her head, but stopped, her eyes on mine as she nodded slowly. She understood. Damn, I loved this woman.

She cleared her throat. "Fine. But if I hear a single shot, I'm calling 911."

I waited for the door to the garage to close before I glanced at Vance. "What the hell is going on?"

Piper's dad answered. "They cut my brake lines, that's what happened. They're killers. All of you are. But I'll expose you. The government won't keep covering for you. I have contacts." His hand trembled under the weight of the firearm, but he didn't lower his gun. "Piper will hate you when I explain what you really are."

"She already knows." I tightened my grip on the sword.

"You told her?" His jaw dropped slightly, and I took some solace in seeing the fanatical wind draining from his sails. "She obviously doesn't know you could hunt and kill her before she ever got a chance to defend herself."

My wolf clawed his way into my consciousness, my voice rumbling, a menacing snarl. "I would die before I ever hurt Piper. You know me."

"I thought I did." His finger twitched on the trigger, but he didn't fire. "But I see you, the real you. You're all bloodthirsty animals."

"Says the man who babbles online about genocide of shifter races." Vance glanced my way. "This is the guy who bankrolled the extermination of your Pack, mate."

Rage and disbelief shot through me like a lightning bolt of destruction. My vision narrowed to Mr. Holland's beaten face. Before I could attack, the door to the garage opened and the unmistakable sound of the slide on a Glock cut through the tension as a round of ammunition moved into the chamber.

"Vance, put your gun down."

The jaguar surprised me, obeying her without a fight. Then I caught the scent coming through the shattered slider. More werewolves. I recognized Cole. He must've brought the Pack with him.

Vance laid his gun on the counter. "Dr. Holland, before you decide your daddy's the victim here, might want to ask him why he doesn't want you snuggling up to Shane here."

"He always liked Shane." She turned to her father. "Right?"

The scent of hate and fear were very similar, a tangy pungent combo, but hate had the added touch of rot, almost sweet. And it was coming off her father in waves as he looked at me. I had no fucking clue why.

He kept his gun pointed at me as he spoke. "His twin brother, Sean, the one who dropped out of high school, they told us he joined the military."

"He did." Just hearing my twin brother's name brought back the pain of loss.

My brother shifted a year before I did. He volunteered for the military because he thought his abilities could help protect people. He and his best friend James signed on for a super soldier program with a defense contractor. That was the first time my Pack heard the name, Nero.

They never came home. The military delivered the notice to my parents that Sean was killed during a classified training mission. That was all we would ever know.

Mr. Holland shook his head, his one good eye shining with hate. "I saw him on the footage. Your brother was an abomination. His head contorted into a wolf on the body of a man. He murdered four men...and ate them."

I lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. The gun skittered across the floor as I pinned him and drew back my fist.

"Shane, wait." Piper clasped my shoulder, her touch soothing the wounded beast inside of me. "I need to talk to him."

I forced myself to back off the worm. "Sean was trying to protect his country. He'd never attack a human unless they were hurting someone."

Piper slid her gun into the shoulder holster she put on over her robe. She helped her father up into the chair at the table. I stood next to Vance, glancing outside. The Pack was nearby, but I couldn't see them.

Her father covered her hands with his. "We have to go. I know you've got a job in Sedona, but we'll find another one."

She shook her head. "I'm finished running."

Her father tightened his hold on her. "You can't stay with Shane. You don't know what he's capable of."

My gut twisted into a hard knot, but I didn't try to defend myself. Her father was responsible for the death of my Pack. He was the one I'd been hunting. But killing him would hurt my mate. She'd been outside when Vance dropped the bombshell about her father being the money behind the hit on my Pack. No matter how much I craved vengeance, I wasn't about to become the murderer he accused me of being.

But I'd never yearned to take a life more than I did right now.

Bile burned the back of my throat. Fucking fate.

## Chapter Ten

### Piper

"I'm not going anywhere with you." I pulled my hands away from my father's as the puzzle began to come together in my mind. "All these years. You were lying to me."

"No." He shook his head emphatically. "It was just like I told you. I found something disturbing on Nero's servers, and I think every American has a right to know the danger that could be in their neighborhoods. Dating their daughters."

I shot out of my chair, my voice rising. "You said I couldn't contact Shane without putting a target on his back for Nero."

"The reason doesn't matter. He'll hurt you. He could kill you in your sleep." He reached for my hand. "He's not like us, Piper."

I took a step away, speechless and repulsed by the man I'd been protecting. The last ten years were all...a lie. "You're right." I glanced at Shane and took his hand before facing my father again. "Shane gave me a choice. Something you never did. He also told me the truth even though he knew I wouldn't believe him. You gave me lies. Shane is nothing like you. He's _better_ than you."

Shane squeezed my hand. The simple touch meant everything to me. I pressed my lips together and focused on my father. "I want you to leave. Now."

He stood up, shaking his head. "I wasn't lying about Nero. They want me dead, Piper. They killed your uncle."

Vance grunted under his breath. "Ask your pop why a bunch of jaguar assassins want him dead."

"All right." I narrowed my eyes at my father. "Why are you on their hit list? And I'm guessing Vance already knows the answer, so don't try to bullshit me with more lies."

My dad broke eye contact, starting at his dirty hands. "I'm trying to get the government to declassify the video files I saw." He lifted his gaze. "Americans need to know."

Vance kicked the leg of my dad's chair. "Tell her the rest."

He stammered. "I took footage of the jaguars too."

"Tell her when you did that." Vance crossed his arms.

"After I paid them to kill all of Shane's Pack."

All the air whooshed from my lungs like I'd been sucker punched in the gut. My vision blurred as hot tears welled in my eyes. "No. Oh God. Dad, please tell me you didn't do this."

He looked up at me, pleading. "You were in love with Shane, but you didn't know what he was. I was protecting you. He was supposed to die with the rest of them. You could go on with your life. You'd be safe."

I slapped him so hard, pain shot up my arm. "You heartless bastard." A sob strangled my voice. "Get out!"

"I've got nowhere to go."

"You're a murderer." My voice cracked. "Get out."

"Piper, I did what I had to in order to protect you. I did it for you."

"No!" I yelled, pointing at his chest. "No. You don't get to put this on me. You are _not_ a hero. You're...dead to me." I looked up at Shane. "Can you walk him out? I need a minute."

"Yeah." His eyes searched mine. "You're sure?"

"Yes." I pivoted and went back down the hallway to my room before I fell apart. My father ordered the deaths of children. Innocent kids. And then he filmed it.

He stole ten years of my life and tried to kill the best man I'd ever known. I wasn't sure how to reconcile the truth with the man I thought I knew.

But my eyes were wide open now, and I was finished protecting him.

## Chapter Eleven

### Shane

When the bedroom door closed, I faced her father again. "You heard her. You need to go."

"Why don't you save us all some time and just kill me right now?" He wiped his nose with a shaky hand. "At least then my daughter will see who you _really_ are."

I grabbed his shirt and yanked him to his feet, taking much more pleasure than I should in hearing him whimper. Grinding my teeth, I fought the urge to beat the crap out of him.

"You're not worth it." I glanced at the hallway. "I won't hurt her by letting you goad me into a fight." My gaze landed on his face again. "You're a worthless sack of shit anyway. Good luck with Nero."

I dragged him to the door and gave him a shove to get his feet moving.

Vance picked up his gun from the counter as he passed by me. He stopped at the door and turned back. "I'm not as upstanding as you, mate, but I will give him a little head start."

"The Pack is nearby."

Vance nodded. "Cole told the others what was going down, and they wanted to bring some back up until we knew what we were up against." He paused. "This group here in Sedona...it's different than any pack of wolves I've ever seen, but if you and Dr. Holland decide to stay in town, might be worth getting to know them." He smiled. "Unless you're enjoying being a lone wolf. Catch ya later."

He vanished into the darkness with the stealth silence only a jaguar shifter could manage. I stepped through the broken glass door and onto Piper's backyard deck. I walked to the railing and kept my voice low. They were werewolves. They wouldn't have any trouble hearing me.

"I'm Shane Dodd from the Lexington Pack. I'm the last living member."

One by one, they came out of the shadows and approached the deck, gathering at the base of the stairs. I recognized Cole and scanned the group for his twin brother, but he was alone. Apparently, we'd both lost our brothers.

A big guy with a military haircut came through the others and up the steps. Another wolf in this Pack without a twin. He held out his hand and we clasped forearms. "It's like seeing a ghost." He shook his head slowly. "You look just like Sean."

I dropped my hand to my side. "You knew Sean?"

He nodded. "I'm Jett Kendrick. Sean was in my unit. He was a good man."

In light of Piper's dad's story about the video footage of my brother partially shifting and killing people, Jett had no idea how much his words meant to me. I had questions, but before I could ask, another wolf climbed the stairs. He was a little taller than me, darker skin, and long black hair.

I glanced at the others, but again, no twin brother. Vance hadn't been kidding when he said this was a unique Pack.

"I'm Asher. Cole tells me Piper is your mate." We clasped forearms, and I nodded.

"She is." I tensed instinctively. Cole has mentioned this Pack had no Alpha, but something about Asher had my wolf on edge. This was the first time my wolf's instincts were pushing me to run. We were in another Pack's territory.

"You're lucky. Our previous Alpha assigned mates. Finding your one true mate is...I wouldn't know, but I imagine it would be amazing." He looked over at the house while I tried to wrap my brain around an Alpha choosing mates for his Pack. What the hell happened in Sedona?

Asher focused on me again. "You said you were the last member of your Pack. Will you settle in Sedona with your mate?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead."

"If you stay, we might be able to help you find a job." Asher's gaze bore into me, and again, my wolf responded, this time more eager to please.

"Thank you." I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I'll let you know."

"Good." He nodded with a knowing look. "Cole knows how to find me."

One by one the others came forward and introduced themselves. The only twins in this Pack were Deacon and Dex. I couldn't help but wonder what happened that had taken so many Pack brothers. Did their Alpha kill them?

None of my business. I had bigger things to worry about right now.

Cole jogged up the steps and peered through the broken glass door. "How's Piper?"

"She turned her dad away knowing it would probably be a death sentence." I rubbed my hand down my face. "I'd say she's pretty fucked up at the moment."

Cole sighed and met my eyes. "Tell her I said she should take the week off. Call it a Christmas vacation. It's a short week anyway."

Christmas. Shit. We'd both be feeling the void of our families.

Cole clapped my shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Our Pack's having a gathering on Christmas Eve. You guys should come."

I blinked. "Are you sure? We're not Pack."

"Piper's part of my work family, and you're her mate. Just come. You guys shouldn't be alone for the holiday. Family doesn't have to be blood. You know that. That's what Pack is all about."

"Get us the address and we'll be there." I clasped his forearm. "Thanks, man."

He smiled. "I'll email Piper the details."

"I better go check on her." I nodded to the others and went back inside.

* * *

Piper was in the shower when I got back to the bedroom. I was still digesting the revelations about her father and my brother, but I couldn't imagine how much worse it was for Piper. All this time she thought her father was the victim.

If there was some way to take the pain away, I would do it. But I didn't know how.

And there were very few things I hated more than feeling useless. Fuck.

I got up from the bed as the bathroom door opened. She came out wrapped in a towel. Her eyes were swollen and red, but she was still the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.

"I'm not sure what to say," I murmured.

"I know that feeling." She nodded.

She came over to me and dropped the towel as she clung to me. Her breasts pressed tight against my bare chest, and I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes. She wasn't a werewolf, but her instinct for skin to skin contact was primal. A statement without a single word. We were one. Nothing would come between us.

Never again.

I kissed her wet head, and she tipped her chin up, searching my face. "I'm so sorry, Shane. I would have stopped him if I knew what he was planning."

The realization that she was shouldering any of the blame for the massacre of my Pack stabbed me in the heart.

I caught her face in my hands, shaking my head slowly. "Don't let him make this your fault. You thought you were protecting me by staying away. No one is responsible but him."

"Your whole family...if we'd never met they'd be alive."

"No." I brushed my lips to hers, hungry to erase her pain, wishing it could be so simple. "We were meant to me. I'm the luckiest guy on earth that fate chose you to be my mate."

Her gaze searched mine, and her voice hitched. "He stole ten years from us."

"We have lots of catching up to do."

She sniffled, wiping her nose. "So what do we do now?"

"Cole told me you have the week off, and I've never seen the Grand Canyon."

She chuckled through her watery eyes. "We'll freeze our asses off."

I slid one hand down her back to cup hers. "I bet we can find a way to warm up."

"How do you do that?" She almost smiled.

"Do what?"

"Make me believe in the future?"

I pressed my lips to her forehead. "I owe you. I came to Sedona ready to die avenging my family, but you changed everything. You showed me a different future."

"Your wolf saved my life."

I nodded. "And you saved my soul."

She rose up on her toes and kissed me. "I love you, Shane."

I lost myself in her green eyes as I scooped her up into my arms and carried her over to the bed. I laid her down, kissing her tenderly. "Rest. I need to fix the door before we get unwanted visitors."

She caught my hand as I stood up. "Wait."

I sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

"Besides everything?" She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "The only thing that's right, is us. I know this is going to sound crazy, but I want you to move in. We lost so much time already. I don't want to waste another minute."

Heat washed through my chest. I bent to kiss her, slow, savoring her soft lips. My eyes burned as I straightened up, pinching the bridge of my nose, and struggling to get a grip on my emotions. "Sorry, I thought I'd be a lone wolf until my last breath. I'm a little...overwhelmed."

She kissed my hand. "Don't apologize. Just say 'Yes.'"

I nodded slowly, a grin spreading across my face. "Yes."

She pulled me down to her, kissing me until I forgot all about the damned door.

## Epilogue

### Shane

_Christmas Eve_

We parked in front of the sprawling desert ranch house. Piper squeezed my thigh. "It's gorgeous."

I nodded, scanning the area. The magic of the massive red rock mountains hadn't worn off yet, maybe it never would. Our weekend at the Grand Canyon had helped us mourn not only for the ones we lost, but for the time her father had stolen from us. We caught up on each other's lives and damn it, I loved her more every day.

After we got back to Sedona, I moved what little I had left into Piper's place. I'd also gotten to know Chase and Asher better over a few beers at the Wolf Pack Bar. Apparently, the Pack ran the bar, and it was a tourist favorite, complete with t-shirts and bumper stickers. None of them would ever guess an actual Pack owned the place and used the profits to help cover the costs of maintaining this estate.

They also offered me a job.

One of their Pack members, Raven, turned out to be the mate for one of the guys in the Pack up in Reno, Nevada. Since she moved away, Ryker had taken over tending the bar, but that left them without a bouncer.

It wasn't a career, but it would give me some income until I got some roots in Sedona, and I appreciated the offer. I'd start work right after Christmas.

We jogged up the steps and knocked on the door, stealing a quick kiss under the mistletoe perched above the door. When it opened, I looked down to find a little guy staring up at us with big blue eyes. "You're the new werewolf."

I nodded and knelt down, offering him my hand. "I'm Shane."

He did his best to clasp my forearm with his pudgy hand. Someone was already teaching him the traditional Pack greeting. "I'm Bart."

I looked over my shoulder. "This is Piper."

Bart waved at her. "You're human."

"I sure am." She chuckled with a nod.

"Bart, let them come inside. It's freezing outside." A woman with short dark hair came over. She smiled as she picked up the boy. "I'm Naomi, Bart's mom. Come on in."

We stepped into the warm living room, hanging our coats on the rack by the door. The sight of the tree, and stockings on the mantle warmed me more than the fire. They didn't have an Alpha, but this was definitely a Pack.

Cole came over and hugged Piper before we gripped forearms. "Merry Christmas, Shane."

"Merry Christmas." I glanced around the spacious living room, smiling at the two sets of twin boys on the floor playing. "Thanks for inviting us tonight."

"Have you thought about our offer?"

"We're still thinking about it." I slid my arm around Piper's waist. "I'm not sure how you're going to add new Pack members without an Alpha to accept them."

Cole chuckled. "I warned you we're not a traditional Pack." He sobered. "But you're both welcome here."

He headed for the kitchen and I turned to Piper. "You still haven't told me what you want for Christmas."

She squeezed my hand. "I already got it."

I grinned, glancing over at the kids. "Someday..." I tipped my head toward the little guys. "I want little Piper's chasing those boys around with her mom's sword."

Piper laughed, and I swore I'd never tire of seeing her happy. "It's a Scottish claymore, and it's not a toy." She shook her head, watching the boys. "Besides, I thought werewolves only had boys."

"Boys are born shifters, and they're much more common, but one of my cousins had a little girl." Maybe someday I'd be able to remember them with a smile instead of a pang of bitterness in my heart.

Piper chuckled. "So the rare girl is just an average human?"

I lifted her hand to my lips. "Nothing about you is average."

Asher cleared his throat, interrupting us. "Good to see you both." He focused on me just like we agreed he would. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah." I glanced over at Piper. "I'll be right back."

Naomi called Piper to the kitchen while I followed Archer into a spacious study. He checked the door and finally smiled. "You're sure about this?"

"Never been surer of anything in my life." He put the blue velvet box in my hand and I smiled. "Thanks for hiding it for me. Keeping it a secret from her has been killer."

"When are you going to do it?"

"I don't know yet, but I figure I'll know when the time is right." I slipped the box into my pocket. "Won't be in front of everyone though. I don't want to put her on the spot."

Asher nodded. "Smart man."

"I have my moments." I chuckled and headed for the door, but something made me stop. I looked back at him, and deep in my soul, my wolf howled. This was my Alpha. I crossed to Asher and clasped his forearm before pulling him into a tight hug. "Cole said the Pack was open to accepting me and Piper."

"We are." Asher lifted a brow. "Are you accepting the invitation?"

"I need to check with my mate, but...I think I'd be honored to join your Pack."

Asher stepped back, his dark eyes on mine. "It's not 'mine', but we'd love to have you with us. With jaguar shifters nearby, we can use all the help we can get."

I nodded with a knowing smile. "If you need me, I'll be there."

"I'll get your cell number from Cole and add you to my Pack list. When I find trouble, you'll get the call to help."

"You don't know, do you?" I studied his face. His eyes were a window to an old soul. Noble. But...he didn't feel the push to lead. My wolf recognized the dominant leader. The others already looked to him. Why didn't he see it? I couldn't figure it out.

Naomi poked her head inside the door. "Did you make the exchange? I can't keep Piper stirring mashed potatoes much longer, all the food is ready."

I patted my pocket. "I've got it. Thanks."

I followed her out to the front room, and Naomi announced, "Dinner's ready!"

Piper came over and smiled with a questioning look in her eyes. "Everything okay?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

The laughter and conversations interspersed with the little guys asking if it was time for presents yet were magic. Instead of making me sad, I felt grateful. And so damned lucky to get a second chance.

After we helped clean up, the little ones tore into the gifts like wild animals and I nudged Piper. "Come get some air with me?"

We grabbed our coats and slipped out back. The forecast gave us a chance of a white Christmas, and judging by the clouds covering the stars, it seemed likely. We walked out back to an empty fire pit and sat down.

"Are you going to join the Pack?"

"It's not just me." I took her hand. "You're my mate. You're a part of this too." I stared into her eyes. "Normally, I'd already be in a Pack and they'd welcome you to our family, but your mate is a lone wolf, so this is sort of uncharted territory."

"Do they want me?"

I kissed her forehead with a smile. "We're a package deal."

She smiled. "Well, I could be useful. I do have experience stitching up werewolves."

"Is that a yes?"

She nodded with a sparkle in her eyes. "Yes."

A tiny white snowflake settled on her red hair. I looked up as more tiny white flecks drifted down from the heavens. The hushed silence embraced us as the snow fell. I stared at my mate, memorizing every curve of her face, every snowflake in her hair.

I scooted off the bench onto one knee and her eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

Praying she would say yes. But I kept that to myself. I took out the box and opened it to reveal a diamond set into a white gold band with a wolf etched into it.

"I love you, Piper. And any other person would think we're nuts, but I have loved you for years, and I want to keep loving you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?"

She stared at the ring long enough that I started second guessing myself. Maybe it was too soon. But before I could say anything else, she bent forward and kissed me. Was this a consolation kiss or yes?

She rested her forehead on mine and whispered, "I've always wanted to be Piper Dodd."

I pulled her off the bench and into my arms, kissing as the snowflakes settled on our heads. Christmas music from the house spilled out into the quiet night.

_The wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth, good will to men..._

I held her tighter. When I was at my darkest, alone and numb, I'd found her again, and her love gave me a peace I never thought I'd know again. She saved me.

A tiny hand poked my shoulder. I looked up at little Bart and he leaned in close to my ear. "Did she say yes?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yep."

The little guy raced for the house chanting, "She said yes! She said yes! She said yes!"

The door closed behind him and Piper grinned. "They were all in on this?"

I nodded. "I ordered the ring online, and I couldn't have it shipped to our house so...they helped me out."

I slid the ring onto her finger. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," she whispered as her lips brushed mine.

I couldn't have wished for more.

## Thank you!

Find out what's next for the Sedona Pack in _Sedona Sin_.

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Guardian Wolf

Black Mesa Wolves Book 1

by J.K. Harper

## Guardian Wolf

### Smokin' hot wolf shifters with romance, intrigue, and fated mates!

Being a Guardian for the Black Mesa Wolf Pack meant everything to Lily Bardou, until the night she made a fatal mistake. Since then, she's kept her wild side tightly leashed, denying her responsibilities to her pack and her own sensual needs. Then Kieran Rendall prowls into her life, very willing to help Lily let go of the past—and to unlock her caged passions.

## Chapter One

With a single glance at the insanely hot cowboy leaning over the end of the bar, Lily knew to the ends of her toes he was trouble. The best, most devilishly _creative_ sort of trouble.

"Good grief, Lils." Her Packmate Sara sipped a third gin and tonic and eyed the cowboy with appreciation. "He's really gorgeous. I mean, really."

Lily nodded, too rapt in her own appreciation to respond verbally. The cowboy was long. Strong. Dark hair, dark eyes, skin that whispered of the sun-drenched desert and a hard fitness. Deliberate intention coiled around him, fitting to his muscles and informing every graceful, unwasted motion he made, from signaling the barkeep to touching the brim of his black Stetson with his fingers. And what gorgeous, talented fingers they seemed. Lily bet they could play her up, down, and sideways, setting off little earthquakes she'd deliberately forgotten how to trigger. Mm... Her wolf reared up, eager for the heat of mating. The heat she had denied herself for way too long now.

Of course, right then the dark, sexy cowboy turned his head and looked directly at Lily. Molten gaze. Heated blood jangled through her nerves in time to the toe-tapping of the band's fiddler. The noise of the bar became a muted background as Lily stared back, the hunter in her refusing to give an inch. This interaction she recognized. He was a predator. Like her. And right now it was clear she was his intended prey.

Lily shivered. But not from the guilty fear that had gripped her for the past two years. Sudden desire tongued through her instead, curling down her spine and tickling deep inside. Realization shook her like that crazy thunderbolt she'd heard about and always laughed off. She _wanted_ the wolf. For the first time in ages, she actually wanted to mate.

"He's your type, Lils." Sara's voice broke through the roaring. "He's perfect. _He 's the one._" The last words dropped low, giving them a portent that snapped through Lily's lust-filled thoughts.

Abrupt coldness scissored her body as the memories slashed through. That cold guilt washed over her again and threatened to consume her. Dammit! No. She had to be the responsible wolf here.

"I can't." She managed finally to wrench her gaze from the gorgeous cowboy and studied the smooth wooden tabletop instead. "No way. I won't let it happen again."

With a precise, almost angry thunk, Sara set down her glass. Startled, Lily looked up into her best friend's serious eyes.

"Liliana Bardou, you listen to me. It happened, it was unavoidable, you dealt with it, and it's over." Sara's voice was as firm as her expression. "It was something you had to experience for whatever hellacious reason, but it's over. And now it's time for you to take up arms again. It's time for you to regain your power, and the only way you're going to do that is with someone like him." She jabbed an emphatic finger in the cowboy's direction. "Besides, you know he's Pack. You can't turn him by accident. He's already one of us."

Still reluctant, Lily took a deep breath to reply. Sara beat her to the punch and went on.

"Lily, we're wolves, for crying out loud. This is what we do. Hot, wild beasts." Sara's lazy grin punctuated her words, and Lily found her own mouth start to turn up in a smile. "We get down, because we like it, and because we have to. If you don't mate soon, Lils, you'll start losing your mind. And that will not be good."

Although the thought could still make Lily blush a little, she knew Sara was right. Wolves had to unleash their intense sexual energy or it could overwhelm all their reason. As her wolf already threatened to do, bit by longing bit. She knew it was time, her wolf knew it was time. Hell, her Pack knew it was time. She had to resume her Pack Guardian duties. Her alpha expected that from her.

Lily slipped her gaze over to the gorgeous man once more and sucked in a sharp breath. He was staring directly at them. A raised eyebrow, a sardonic but bone-melting smile tugging his lips up...god. White heat zipped through her again and left her insides electric. Like the way she felt when she was on the prowl at night. The way she hadn't allowed herself to feel in these past two dead years. The scent of people crowding the bar, alive and lush with their needs and hopes, washed over her. And whispering through came the promise of a lusciously self-indulgent mating frenzy—if she allowed it.

Oh, yes, the undeniably feral tang of wolf. Lily's nostrils flared as she caught a whiff of all the potential delights, and the cold seeped away in increments. The cowboy _was_ Pack. She couldn't possibly hurt him.

"Lils, you owe it not only to yourself, but to our Pack. We need you functioning again." Sara's voice caught Lily's attention again with its firm reason. "Look...your brothers made me do this tonight. Take you here. They said it's time for you to meet someone. You've been ready. You just won't admit it."

Even the cowboy's seductive promise couldn't keep indignation at bay.

"They what?"

Sara giggled before returning to her drink and settling back in her chair. She scanned the room as she had been doing since they arrived, checking out the available men for any possibilities of fun that evening. The local cowboys were hot, brazen, and sexy. Just Sara's inexhaustible style. Sometimes, Lily wished she could be that casual about it all. She used to be. Before.

"Knew that'd get you. Now, go get _him._ Before he changes his mind. You won't hurt him, Lily. Look at him, for crying out loud." Sara eyed Lily's cowboy with critical appreciation again. To Lily's own amusement, a flare of jealousy scampered through her. "He's tough. He probably wrestles bulls in his spare time or something. And you want it. I can tell." Sara gave Lily a pointed glance.

Lily felt her cheeks heat. All wolf shifters could scent another's arousal, regardless of gender or relationship, if those aroused didn't bother to mask it—or were too fascinated by the object of their lust to focus on anything else.

The worst of it was that they _were_ right. Dammit. Lily needed to step back into her role as a Pack Guardian. She needed to regain her edge, her spark. Her driving hunger. And the only way to do that was by connecting with a male wolf in the most primal way imaginable. Through raw, hot-blooded, no-holds-barred sex. Wolves didn't fear natural, carnal—some might even say "animalistic"— needs the way humans did. Instead, they craved and even relied on the energy of mating. To Pack, sex meant life. And the mating frenzy created the most vibrant, unrestrained life energy possible.

Lily very deliberately shunned that need ever since the...event. Although she avoided her Pack duties, her father—the Alpha—let it slide. There were other Pack Guardians to pick up the slack, and they'd done so with remarkably little complaint. Lily's indiscretion was of the type that hadn't happened to this Pack in the history of the younger generations, and they'd been each and every one shocked, confused, and uncertain. Which meant they'd also treated Lily like a breakable piece of china ever since.

She could coast a long time on her Packmate bonds by drawing off their own life energy, which they willingly shared. That's what Pack bonds were for. But being fully involved in life and Pack Guardian duties, however, wasn't happening. Not until she got in the saddle again.

Her lips quirked up at her analogy. Bet the cowboy would love for her to get into his saddle. Mm...she did like the fact that her body was responsive tonight. It was a good sign.

The last time she'd had sex—over two years ago—she'd lost control during it and bitten the man. A human. Which was expressly forbidden by ancient Pack law. He'd turned. And because turned shifters, rather than natural-born, were strictly forbidden by those Packs that actually abided by Pack law, the consequences had been severe. His sentence was death, in order to preserve Pack safety.

And Lily had been the one required to do it.

Here, in the bar alight with human emotions and desires ping-ponging all around the room, guilt once again skittered along Lily's skin. But also the molten heat from the cowboy's presence. And her own tumultuous desires, clawing at her from the inside, demanding to be sated. She deserved to live again, didn't she? Yes. Live a _real,_ alive, feeling life. Sara was right. It was time. Besides, she had a duty to her Pack.

Her wolf whined in silent excitement, urging Lily on. With what felt like a small snap of instant relief, she let her wolf rise closer to the surface. She and her wolf were the same creature, and her wolf needed to mate. It was about time she started acting like it.

"Okay," she said. Resolve frosted her voice. Sara paused with her glass halfway to her lips and looked hard at Lily.

"You're going for it? For real?"

"Absolutely." Before she could question the determination beneath her words, Lily shoved the chair back in a fluid move, rose, and threaded her way through chairs, outflung legs, and hot emotions toward the waiting wolf cowboy. Blood thrummed in her ears as she moved closer to him.

"Hell, _yeah,_ " she heard Sara murmur somewhere behind her.

Lily was on the prowl again. Finally. And both she and her wolf loved it.

## Chapter Two

Kieran Rendall watched with hidden bemusement as the Black Mesa guardian came toward him with the deliberate, sinuous motion of a hunter. An enticingly kissable package of nerves, predatory hunger, and a touch of wariness, heading straight for him. Long dark red hair tumbled down her back. A fierce red wolf, this one. He'd known that since the first time he'd ever seen her.

He could also sense her deep hunger for sex. He could smell it, sizzling off her in waves that tempted and tormented him. Her wolf was hungry, and so was the woman.

Finally. He'd been waiting for Lily for a long time. Ever since the night she'd put to death the human she'd turned with her own unthinking lust, Kieran had been watching her. An emissary from the Silver Mountain Pack to the north, he'd been sent down by his father to observe the Black Mesa Pack's adherence to ancient law. Tradition demanded all regional Packs sent official observers when an errant wolf broke a law, to be certain justice was still served accordingly. It was an excellent method of checks and balances. Besides which, without laws, shifters eventually went totally wild.

He could still recall that cold night. Lily's eyes had gleamed with unshed tears, her back ramrod straight, as the punishment was read in front of the entire Pack and all attending regional members. The turned wolf, like Lily just barely into his twenties, had been in the center of the circle, naked and shivering in human form. He'd refused to become wolf even though told he could fight for his life. He refused to harm Lily.

Kieran remembered the suddenness with which Lily changed, her lithe red wolf gliding along the edges of the circle before she leapt onto her silent, unmoving prey. The naked human looked right at her the entire time, unflinching. With one terrible snap, it was over. She broke his neck with ease. The death blow was clean, immediate, and as humane a kill as a wolf could do. Kieran was impressed at the sight, and thoughtful. It had been planned. She likely had told her doomed one-time lover he had two choices: become wolf and fight her to the death, or accept as easy a passing as she could deliver. Kieran understood that. He would never have fought her either, if he'd had a chance to love a woman like Lily. He couldn't have borne the thought of killing such a beautiful wolf.

Lily had stood for a moment over the unmoving body of her lover, utterly still herself. Then she turned and leapt in a graceful arc right through the circle of spectators, her brothers howling after her, her father silent yet watching with an outstretched arm as if to stop her. Lily bounded into the winter-cold high desert, the flash of her red fur disappearing into the moonlight-silvered branches of the junipers and the shadows of the canyon walls.

No one saw her again until the following spring.

Kieran gave himself a mental shake. The woman was here, now, and she was ready. Oh, was she ready. The sway in her walk as she approached told him a fire banked between her legs. He knew exactly how to answer it. His wolf simmered beneath the surface, as eager as he to stir the qualities in this she-wolf that would catapult her back to her rightful place. She was a born leader.

He fingered the glass in his hand as Lily drew near. With a tremble of her lip, she stopped before him. He let his nostrils flare, taking in her scent. No fear. Sheer anticipation made her skin shiver, her mouth quake as if she could already taste him.

Practiced at the art of concealing his emotions, Kieran gave an internal snort at his arrogant fancy. Lily wanted him, of that he was sure. Her arousal was being broadcast loud and clear to any wolf within a few miles. But he highly doubted she was already playing every move in her head. He knew she hadn't touched a man in two years. With this one, he would have to go very, very slowly. He already knew she was more than worth it.

Lily parted her lips as if to speak, then wet them with her tongue instead. Kieran's hand tightened on the glass and almost broke it. Holy... He internally shook himself back to a semblance of respectability. Well, hell. She was going to test his control indeed.

"You've been looking at me." Her voice came out pitched low but clearly audible to his heightened hearing in the loud bar. She paused as if to gauge his reaction—or censor herself—then plunged on. "And you like what you see."

She tilted up her chin and gave him a bold stare with her green eyes. This close, he could see the purity of their color. He imagined them smoky with desire, and finally let a grin tug up his lip again. Let her see a bit of his very male appreciation.

"I do. Have a seat. Please," he added with soft insistence when she still regarded him with just a touch of that wariness she wore like a cape.

Never once looking away, she slid onto the barstool beside him. Obvious from her naturally confident bearing, as a one-time Pack Guardian she simply oozed alpha female. Despite her tight self-control and refusal to be a formal part of Pack hierarchy since that night, she couldn't conceal her true nature. And Lily was meant to be a leader. She was meant to mate with an alpha male for life and help guide the Pack, keep it strong. Whether she knew it or not, her innate talents were recognized by other wolves. Even ones not in her Pack. _Especially_ ones not in her Pack. The wolves outside the Black Mesa Pack stood the most to gain by winning Lily as a mate. Her status as the only daughter of Alpha of the most powerful pack in the region just about guaranteed another strong offshoot pack one day. And those outside wolves had been sniffing around recently, which was why Kieran decided it was time to make his move. He would never let this woman—this wolf—belong to another. She was far too precious in many ways. His only goal now was to convince her of that truth.

"Can I get the lady a drink?"

Lily still looked directly at him. It was a light challenge, one she was unaware she made, and it was hot as hell. Kieran's balls tightened in response, and he curbed his wolf as it practically sat up and salivated. Not yet. Slowly.

"Only if it tastes as good as you look," she said. Her saucy words were matched by her tone and stance. One hip cocked, head tilted, those eyes arrowing right through him.

Kieran almost swallowed his own tongue. He instantly felt his wolf leap into his eyes, smelled his own pheromones charging off of him as if they were warriors vaulting into battle. Maybe slow wasn't what she wanted?

Lily suddenly laughed, an infectious and even more hormone-inducing sound. The smile that cracked wide across her features was genuine, and all for him.

"I can't believe I just said that." She glanced away and shook her head, sending red waves of hair undulating across her cheeks. "I don't know what's gotten into me tonight." She raised her eyes to Kieran's again, her expression slightly self-deprecating. "My friend had to practically push me over here, and then I just said to hell with it. That sexy cowboy's been looking at me, he's Pack, and I deserve to say hello to him."

With each honest word, Lily's voice deepened with instinctual need. Kieran's entire body stiffened from the effort to keep from grabbing her, leading her out of the bar and across the lobby to the attached hotel, into his room. He could still go slowly.

Sure.

"But I'm being rude. My name is Lily. I'm from the Black Mesa Pack." She reached a hand out to him.

Kieran steeled himself for the electric snap he knew would happen when he let her touch him. Even so, when their palms met in an oddly formal yet insanely intimate handshake, the shock of it ran up his arm and exploded into every nerve ending. Lily felt it too, judging from her sharp inhale and widening of those amazingly clear eyes.

"Kieran. Silver Mountain Pack Guardian. It's very nice to meet you, Lily." He was ridiculously proud of his steady voice despite the hungry wolf clamoring to growl through it.

He let his fingers slide against her palm as he slowly pulled back his hand. Adding the barest of swirls with one fingertip against the very sensitive center of her palm, he was rewarded by a distinct gasp. Keeping his gaze on hers, he studied her expression closely for fear, annoyance, or any other sign that he was being too aggressive.

Lily simply radiated her lust even more. Holding still so as not to betray his own nearly overpowering lust, Kieran marveled that she was so ready, so soon. When this wolf Guardian made up her mind, she made it up fast and certain. Which shouldn't have surprised him, given how quickly and decisively she'd ended the life of the human she'd turned. It was another sign of an excellent alpha to be. She was a perfect mate for him.

Now, he just had to convince her.

## Chapter Three

Lily wasn't sure who was more shocked at their contact—her or her suppressed wolf. The human and wolf parts were both her, one being, yet somehow separate too, in ways that sometimes defied description. At the moment, both were in tandem in their surprise at her sudden boldness and the biting desire that gripped every sense she had.

Interesting. This was the Lily she used to be. Strong, certain, unafraid. Maybe that part of her hadn't completely turned tail and run that night. So it was true about sex being the jump start she needed to return completely to her Guardian role. There was something to be said about merely recognizing a concept on an intellectual level, and actually understanding its truth down to her marrow. This was the trigger that would launch her natural instincts, help her call upon what some termed "wolf magic." Sex with this gorgeous alpha, a pure mating frenzy, was the answer to unleashing her wolf magic and stepping back into her full lupine power. One night with him was just what she needed.

With tremendous reluctance, she freed her fingers from Kieran's sizzling grasp. Not that he was holding her hard. In fact, he'd barely skimmed his finger over her skin. But she couldn't think right even with that minor contact. What the darkly sexy wolf would be able to do to her when he touched her everywhere, skin to skin, body to body, every nerve ending quivering as though drenched in mindless, hungering fire—

Lily thought maybe the stool would melt beneath her overheated body. It was clear her brain was already fried.

Kieran regarded her with that cool stare. It wasn't cool, of course. She could sense his animal sensuality simmering just beneath the civilized human who remained in control. He was good at masking himself, no doubt about it. But Lily's own senses were so acute at the moment that it was almost as if she could read his mind. She'd never felt this sort of intense connection before. Not even with the man she'd changed, the one she'd thought she might love.

It had to be the long-repressed hormones. Pure and simple. She'd shoved aside her wolf's sexual needs for so long that now she'd opened the floodgates. Everything in her was coming alive tonight.

This was an achingly good feeling, actually. Something like power sizzled along her skin and nerves. Her wolf rolled over, reveling in the sheer sensuality of it.

"Actually," Lily began. Was she really going to say this? Yes. "Actually, I think I'll skip the drink. What I'd really like is to drink you. I've been parched too long, and you're what I need right now."

This time, there was no mistaking Kieran's purely male reaction. His wolf had nudged into his eyes earlier, his scent curled possessively around her. Now, though, his pupils widened. His skin darkened even more as blood rushed into it. She heard glass begin to splinter in his other hand, and she flicked her gaze to it. The amber liquid he'd been sipping from the short glass seeped through the spiderweb cracks the abrupt spasm of his grip had created.

Lily shivered with a wild leaping of desire. This wolf was strong. Stronger than most wolves she knew.

The black Stetson shadowed Kieran's face as he briefly tipped his head. Then he looked back up at her, dropping his hand to her thigh. Through a roaring in her ears, she wondered if it were possible for a palm to actually scorch with its heat.

"And here I thought I'd have to go slow with you, Lily." Kieran's voice was suddenly so dangerously soft, so deep, that Lily leaned forward to catch his words. "I thought I'd have to coax out your wolf to play, convince the woman to dance with me. Well, hell, darlin'." He drawled the word like a true cowboy. This Pack Guardian was the real deal. "Clearly, I underestimated you. And I've got to admit, I've never been so glad to have done that in my life."

Lily felt her smile reach down to her toes and up to the top of her head. Being desired was such a heady feeling— _ah._ That was it. That was the source of the power she'd sensed. He was making her feel like a woman again. Her wolf nuzzled and rubbed up in her mind, confirming Lily's revelation.

"I've never been this bold before. Maybe it's because it's been a while since I've been—social."

Even as she said it, Lily could have kicked herself. Apparently, sexual power also made her brain even less effective. She might as well have told him she was deprived and therefore insanely horny. An easy wolf.

But Kieran still looked at her as if she were the whipped cream and he was the lucky strawberry about to be dipped into it. She saw in his eyes the triumph of a man who knows he is going to make a woman very, very happy.

"Lean a little closer, Lily. I'd like to see how bold your kiss is."

Her last brain cell promptly fell to the floor. She felt her wolf take over that most primal center they shared. If her wolf were a cat, it would be purring about now.

Kieran reached over, grasped her hips with those strong hands, and slid her a few inches across her barstool toward him. His legs were open and pushed straight down against the old wooden floor, and he slid her right between them. Her thighs pressed against his. His face was centimeters from hers. She knew he could hear her spiked heartbeat because she could hear it herself.

More excitingly, she could hear his, too.

"May I, Lily?" The words were breathed against her mouth, and she smelled the richness of bourbon mingled with male spiciness. Her head actually spun from the intoxicating mixture.

"Mm-hmm," she breathed back, and let her lips settle against his.

It was simultaneously like coming home to sweet comfort and being shot off into the spiraling black velvet of the night sky. Kieran's warm lips were talented and confident over hers. They played against her mouth with a curiosity and wonder that robbed her of even more breath. Awareness of her every cell sped through her being. She felt her wolf rumble in unequivocal approval as Kieran staked a sexual claim upon her body like she'd never had before.

Never allowed, that is.

Lily forgot everything she knew except this moment, this kiss, this man. This dark wolf. He was claiming her, every willing inch. Fire roared up from her center and flickered across her skin. Kieran's tongue pushed against her lips and she let him in to taste her mouth, to stroke it with an intimacy that promised more to come in other places.

She thought she heard him groan against her. His hands slipped up her back, fingers playing with the waist of her jeans. He was kissing her so thoroughly she wasn't sure she was still sitting on the barstool. She wasn't sure of anything except the frenzied yearning swallowing her up. Her wolf writhed in ecstatic anticipation.

Kieran pulled back just enough to whisper, "Upstairs. I have a room. It's nice. Big bed."

"Uh-huh," she panted back. His black eyes—really black, like a starless night—looked deep into hers.

"Oh, Lily." His breath traced her lips and sent more shivers down her spine. "If only you knew how amazed I am right now."

"Not as much as I am," she managed. His thumbs were still on her waist, playing with the belt loops, tugging down as if to strip her right there. "I thought I couldn't—" She stopped. Could she be more gauche? There was no need to make it clear to the man how deprived she'd been.

An angry, scared curse, hissed right by their ears, startled them both into jumping. Yet even with her heart somersaulting in her chest, Lily noted with pleasure that Kieran didn't release her entirely.

Sara stood beside them. Tension and wary vigilance laced through her and reached out to them, alerting both their snarling, interrupted wolves.

"I'm so, so sorry, Lils. You too, cowboy," Sara added, shooting Kieran an apologetic glance.

Lily's wolf cocked a curious ear at Sara's crisp, professional tone, slightly less aggrieved at being thwarted in her mating ardor. Something was wrong.

"But we have trouble. You're from a northern pack, aren't you?" She addressed Kieran directly. "Under Alpha Weston Rendall."

"Sara, how did you know—" Lily began, but Kieran answered across her protest.

"Yes. Silver Mountain." His tone was flat yet concerned. "Weston is my sire."

"Good," Sara said. "I'll need your help. Lily—she's, ah, she's been on leave from her Pack Guardian duties for a while." She didn't look at Lily when she said that, but a suspicious red outlined the tips of her ears. "And we have a situation."

"What—" Lily started again, but both wolves shushed her. Sara held up her palm as Kieran slide a calming hand across Lily's lower back.

Sara tensed again, and her nostrils flared slightly. Immediately, both Lily and Kieran inhaled deeply. Lily caught the old creaky wood scent of the bar's floor, which smelled like a tired tree. Sweat, exotic flowery perfume, foamy beer, slightly stale peanuts.

And hugging the edges of it all, the wild, acrid scent of unknown wolves.

Lily would have stood up except that Kieran still had her effectively—and, she acknowledged, utterly willingly—trapped between his iron-hard legs.

"Rogue wolves. Here?" Her appalled tone turned grim as the implications hit her. "In _our_ territory?"

"I scented three of them, but there could be more. Just caught it. I think they're inside the building. The hotel part," Sara added, jerking her head toward the connecting hallway up the stairs at the back of the bar.

"What the hell? What are they thinking, coming into our territory like this? They know that's a death sentence."

Even as she spoke the thoughtless words, Lily recoiled from their sting. The snap of his neck cracking as she carried out the _death sentence_ she'd so selfishly laid down upon him...

"Lily. Don't do this to yourself." Kieran's urgent but controlled voice sliced through her still whirling head. She looked into his dark, hard eyes. "Focus, now. We have work to do."

She nodded, mesmerized by his gaze trapping hers. He steadied her like roots anchored a sapling to the ground. How could he make her so calm, so soothed, after the fever his exciting touch had ignited in her body only moments earlier?

"Upstairs. To the hotel lobby," Kieran said. His palm still rested on Lily's back, the heat of it searing her despite the suddenly very different urgency of the moment. "We need to get a better scent on them."

"They've probably split up." Sara's voice still retained control. The only sign of her unease was its pungent grip on her body, transmitting to Lily's keen nose.

Funny that she'd never stopped to wonder why her senses in human form were far more acute than any true human's. It was accepted Pack truth that all shifters, of any kind, shared defining characteristics between their human and animal selves. If they didn't, they would eventually go completely feral in their animal forms without the logical human mind guiding them. It made sense that the reverse was also true.

Thankfully, wild animal instinct held forth when mating as a human. Lily's toes curled in sweet expectation as she briefly contemplated that imminent future with Kieran. Then she shook herself back to the present. Find the rogues, determine the meaning of their intrusion into her Pack's territory, and take them to the Pack council. Then.... Then, she could discover Kieran's sweet, wild fire.

If she could wait that long.

"Okay. Lily, you stay here in the bar." Sara was operating in full Pack Guardian mode. "They wouldn't dare do anything with so many people around. Kieran and I will check it out."

Sara started to turn away when Lily shot out her hand to grab Sara's wrist. Sara stopped and gave Lily a confused, questioning tilt of her head.

"I'm not staying here." Lily could hear the chill in her voice. Her wolf, hunting instincts aroused, clawing to the surface. "I'm coming with you."

Sara stared at her Packmate. Lily didn't blink, didn't move. She felt Kieran's legs tighten against hers even more. The lazy twitch of his thumb against her back had stilled, and it seemed he almost held his breath. But she wasn't about to back down. Not when it was her Pack. Not even her insanely hot cowboy could stop her.

_Her_ cowboy? Lily flipped the thought away, pleasing as it was. Now was time to focus on the threat of the rogues.

Sara's expression betrayed a tumult of warring emotions. Trepidation, relief, and something else flitted across her delicate features in a lightning flash. Then she shook her head and turned her arm in Lily's grip to offer her hand.

"Okay. But if you get hurt because you're out of shape, it's on your head."

## Chapter Four

Kieran moved his approval of Sara up a significant notch. She knew what was good for Lily: to stop wallowing in the past and get back to the work she was meant for.

Lily struggled to free herself from Kieran's legs, although she didn't try too hard. He deliberately pulled her back for a moment and nestled her right in the crook of his legs. His unmistakeable erection, snugged up right against her rear end, should tell her how ready he still was for her.

Oh, she felt it, all right. She turned her head so those sun-dappled green eyes met his. Fascinated, he watched them turn darker in color as her breath hitched. Her pulse thumped against her neck, and he had an almost overwhelming urge to lick it.

"Later." His voice roughened with the intensity of the promise. "Right now, we have rogues to catch. And because of you, I'm at a heightened awareness."

"Which is a good thing, I assume." Sinuous, she shifted against him, eliciting a groan he couldn't contain. "Hmm, yes it is."

Sara rolled her eyes at them, although an indulgent smile lifted her lips.

"Come on. I'll take the back stairs, the ones by the alley. You two check the lobby." With that, Sara turned and wound her way through the boisterous bar crowd, deftly avoiding the pleadings of more than a few men for a dance. She did, however, reward more than one of them with a sultry glance. Kieran recognized a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to show it. It was also the sign of a healthy Pack, when the females were strong and sure.

He appreciated even more that Lily wanted him, only him, and showed it with her every lingering finger stroke and quickened pull of breath. She was as strong and sure as any member of her Pack. She just needed to remember that herself.

Lily gently tugged away, and he finally let her, rising at the same time so they were still body to body when she was on her feet. The top of her head came to just about his nose, which was the perfect angle for a kiss.

She must have thought the same thing, because she tipped her chin up so she could meet his lips with hers. She tasted like sweet spice: cinnamon sprinkled with nutmeg and a liberal dash of cayenne pepper to top it all off. Pressing herself into him, letting her curves mold against his hard edges, Lily took his exploring kiss and gave it back with an eagerness that again had his cock leap. Oh, yeah, she was soft, but taut muscles rolled under her silky skin. She'd kept herself in shape, despite what Sara had said.

"Come on," Lily murmured after a long, lost moment. Her hands worked on his neck, teasing and curling and stroking. Tantalizing chills ran from Kieran's head all the way down to his toes, then back again. "Let's go kick some rogue ass."

"Mm," he answered. The intoxicating sweet musk of her personal scent played havoc with his brain. They had a job to do, but he still firmly held the image of turning her over and plunging into her, watching her match him stroke for stroke.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Lily's sea-green eyes widened and her delicate nostrils flared. Her arousal swept off her in a wave ten times as strong as earlier. Kieran let a grin slide over his face.

Wordless, she nodded. Again, he saw her pulse ticking in her neck. Again, he wanted to lick it, to scratch his canines along it, to feel that life throb against his mouth. To know she trusted him at her most vulnerable point.

She turned to slip through the pheromones swirling with desperate intensity in the bar, heading for the low, sweeping staircase that led to the hotel's lobby. Kieran saw more than one human male watch her with open assessment. He took in her pert rump, the flow of hair over her shoulders, the swing to her hips as she walked. Low rider jeans revealed smooth skin rising above her waist before disappearing beneath the tied ends of her long-sleeved shirt. He definitely approved of all that bare skin.

He felt cheated he was denied the full view of Lily's naked body, though. His wolf snarled in soft agreement in his head as they entered the lobby. The rogues...they would be good prey. A good hunt, something to heighten the sensual roar igniting through him and his wolf both. Those rogues would pay for interrupting his time with the unbroken, sassy she-wolf whose touch he craved right now. And then some.

Sara lounged against the lobby's reception counter, flirting with the human male behind it. The human's expression revealed a bedazzled reaction to the woman who leaned over the counter and ran her fingers over his hand, dropping throaty words punctuated by brief snippets of laughter.

Lily stopped at the sight and Kieran almost bumped into her. He took advantage and pressed close against her rear, eliciting a welcoming growl from her. She wiggled her rump and almost caused a disturbance of the peace. Kieran restrained himself from assaulting her willing body right there in the lobby by focusing on the task at hand. The rogue wolves. Little trespassing bastards.

"What is she doing?" he asked in a low voice. Even he could hear the desire shot through his tones, and Lily could as well, judging by another wiggle. "God, woman. Watch that, now." He took a deep breath to steady himself again. "Doesn't much seem like the time to be lining up her fun for later."

"Isn't that what we've been doing?" Wiggle, wiggle.

She was killing him. He took a step back, even though that almost killed him too.

Lily relented. "She's sussing him out, asking questions, and checking his scent up close. Seeing if the rogues were talking to him and what he might have told them."

Kieran was impressed. "I like your Pack's techniques. They're pretty effective."

A tinkling laugh from the counter. Lily turned her head toward Kieran in a swirl of red hair to hide the giggle that escaped. Sara said a meaningful thank you full of lingering promise to the now clearly besotted human, and headed their way.

"And?" Lily drawled the word in the sort of tease that only female friends could achieve.

"Oh, he was so helpful," Sara whispered. She flung a look over her shoulder at her new friend. The poor guy actually waved, which Sara returned with such earnestness now Kieran had to choke back a laugh. "These rough biker types came in, asking about rooms, girls, partying. Their scents were all over him. It's them for sure. He said they asked if they could check out the hotel, walk around, maybe see a room in case they wanted to stay."

Sara paused and flicked her eyes at Lily. "They specifically asked about redheads."

Lily's indrawn breath and sudden lifting of her shoulders were the only sign of the words' impact.

Kieran muttered a colorful swear word that had both women raise their eyebrows.

"Damn them to hell and back." His voice was so grim Sara actually took a step back, bristling in agitation. "They know who you are, Lily. They know you're the only redheaded female in the Black Mesa Pack. The only red wolf."

Every wolf within a three hundred-mile radius knew that. Lily was unique in many ways. Apparently these rogues were smart enough to recognize Lily's potential...but stupid enough to try to get close to her. She was his. He would run them the hell away from Black Mesa's territory before they opened their mouths.

Lily growled low in her throat. Her gaze had shifted from Kieran to something behind him. Sara stiffened beside her. The hunting urge emanated off her in waves, rousing Kieran's own response.

"Well, look here." The rough voice carried from the front doors of the lobby, which had whooshed open seconds before. "That clerk was right. There _is_ a sweet little redhead in this neck of the woods. It's our lucky day, boys."

Keeping his calm, Kieran turned with an almost insolent slowness.

Rowdy biker types indeed. These rogues also seemed well-fed and well-organized. The lack of basic needs met by Pack living—companionship, social structure, protection, mating, food, money, meaning to life—eluded the average rogue. Rogues either shunned or were shunned by Packs, for a wide variety of reasons. Usually, rogues simply lacked the personality required by the Pack hierarchy. Life inside a Pack demanded utter loyalty, fealty to the Pack alphas, and unwavering adherence to Pack law. Most rogues just turned their noses up at what they perceived to be the rigidity of rules, and they left. Some came back, humbled and tail-tucked, once they discovered the sheer difficulty of life as a rogue. Even so, most were still cast back out. The streak of rebellion and individuality ran too deep in most true rogues to ever adapt well to Pack life.

For sheer survival, most rogues created mini-Packs of their own, ones that were not formally recognized by the regional Pack Councils. They simply banded together and existed in a slipshod gathering of loose rules, poor morals, and generally dissolute lifestyle. Kieran knew he looked down at rogues. Their outright dismissal of the Pack life that defined his very being disturbed him. They suffered hardscrabble lives, most of them, and died far before the centuries of life most wolf shifters enjoyed. It seemed an unfathomable concept when all they had to do was swear loyalty to a Pack, any Pack, and enjoy one hell of a better life.

But these rogues...something about them prickled the fine hairs on Kieran's body, spurred his own hunter lust along with wary realization. They seemed alert. Healthy. Strong.

The speaker, who seemed to be channeling a Sturgis bike rally persona, was their pseudo-alpha. His very stance screamed stature, dominance, leadership. What the hell was such a wolf doing as a rogue?

Before Kieran could wonder more, he noticed the wolf's brazenly possessive, appreciative gaze...on Lily. Bright blue eyes, ice chip cold, took in her every inch with bold arrogance. Kieran's wolf reared up in fury, pushing to be loosed. No other wolf looked at _his_ mate that way.

His mate? Kieran didn't pause to analyze the thought now. Focus.

The rogue wolf spoke with an unconcerned tumble of words that belied a cold calculation. "Seems like you don't want to share your women. Too bad about that. We need a few."

Sara sucked in a gasp at the sheer audacity of the challenge, then snarled. Kieran sensed Lily holding her Packmate back from lunging.

"Feisty," the rogue leader murmured, slicing his eyes toward Sara. "Now, you could be fun. Darlin'." He drawled the word in a mocking tone that elicited laughter from his crew, ranged behind him in menacing, if slightly desperate, rogue fashion.

Kieran's wolf bared its teeth in his mind. Kieran did too, letting his lip curl up over his human canines. A snarling shifter in human form was an oddly menacing sight because of the animal self lurking just beneath the surface. He leaned forward a bit, trusting himself to dominate these rogues—and stopped.

Lily, bold and unhesitating, had stepped forward. Her entire being radiated anger as she pinpointed the rogue leader with a calculating gaze of her own. Not a shred of fear leaked through, if she even felt any. Forcing himself to stay back, Kieran admired his tough she-wolf more and more.

"Who the hell do you think you are, coming into our territory? And levying fighting words like that? If you want Pack re-induction, that's not the way to go about it. At all." A ripple of scorn underlined her clipped words. A Pack Guardian, through and through. Kieran wondered if Lily realized she was slipping back into her natural mode.

The rogue leader stared at Lily for a long moment. His expression teetered between amusement and primal desire. Again, Kieran's wolf snarled.

Finally, the rogue laughed, which his followers naturally echoed. Lily straightened in surprise.

"Oh, now, that's funny." Again, the rogue's eyes made a leisurely journey of Lily's form, taking in Sara's as well. The rude stare bristled all three Pack wolves, although Lily stared the rogue back down, not giving an inch. Damn, she was going to make a fine alpha mate.

"What makes you think we want Pack re-induction?"

Before Lily could answer, Sara snapped, "Why the hell else would you come here looking for females? You want to breed. You need a Pack for that."

Rogue wolves sometimes mated with human women, but offspring never happened. Human women couldn't carry wolf shifters to term, so nature in all her resourcefulness made such couplings sterile. If the woman actually caught, she always miscarried early. For wolf shifter young to be born, two full shifters had to mate. Since females almost never went rogue, it posed a serious problem for any rogues who wanted to procreate.

A mocking smile turned up the rogue's lips. Kieran's distaste of all things rogue immediately ratcheted up.

"Well done, sweet thing. Yes, we do want to breed." He leaned forward, eyes still fixed on Lily. "But you've got one thing wrong."

He went silent for another moment, again appraising Lily in that unnerving way that had all Kieran's instincts screaming. Something was happening here that he didn't understand. Kieran hated to not understand any situation.

"We want full Pack status. Of our own. And for that, we need not only a female of breeding age, but special dispensation from the Pack Council. Which we intend to get."

## Chapter Five

Lily wanted to check her ears. She couldn't have heard right. These rogues, these _outcasts,_ wanted a Pack of their own? Pack status? She had to admit, they were organized. The pseudo-alpha facing her down with his laser eyes clearly was their leader. She wondered which Pack he'd come from originally, and why he hadn't stayed. He could have been an alpha in a recognized peripheral Pack of his own by now, one that self-governed yet remained attached to the dominant area Pack. The four other wolves semi-circling him clearly deferred to him. It was hierarchy, the ancient kind all Packs followed.

But full Pack status? He had to be crazy. The regional Pack Council would never go for that. Lily should know—her own father led the Council. He was a stickler for the rules, and he never swayed from them unless circumstances dictated. And circumstances had dictated only twice in Lily's memory.

No, these rogues were nuts. And they were on her Pack's territory, barging in on her time with Kieran—her wolf rubbed in agreement—and threatening her. Unacceptable all the way around.

Lily's wolf, so close to the surface from the dual needs to mate as well as protect the Pack, made her steel her voice even more. "You'd do well to remember, rogue, that the Pack world doesn't work like that. Just because you want something doesn't mean you automatically get it. There are rules in our society."

The rogue's eyes narrowed a bit at that, but the sardonic grin never dropped.

"And you chose to turn your back on those rules," Lily went on in the same implacable tone. "So they no longer apply to you in any form, and your misguided wish for them will never be granted. Never."

Flanking her, both Kieran and Sara stiffened suddenly before each relaxed just as quickly. Tightly focused on the threat before her, Lily didn't waste time wondering what that was about. She trusted them to have her back while she faced down these impertinent interlopers.

The rogue wolf chuckled again.

"Who's going to stop us from taking what we want, little wolf?" His eyes bored into hers with the intensity of a storm. "There are five of us to the three of you. I think we can take what we want. There aren't enough of you to stop us."

Lily's anger rose a notch. Any wolf who thought to bully her never fared well, even when she'd been licking her wounds and hiding from her role as Guardian.

The thought almost slapped her with its flash of insight.

Oh, what a self-centered little fool she'd been. She'd been hiding ever since that night. Not just running, but _hiding_ from what and who she was. And in the process, she'd also neglected her duty to her Pack.

No more. This Pack Guardian was back, and she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Well, maybe to Kieran. But only Kieran. Her insides heated again, a brief molten flare that bolstered her itch to fight.

"Then let's take this outside, _rogue,_ " she said with unyielding force. His grin finally slipped. Good. She had surprised the cocky bastard. "We'll see who's better trained, better nourished, and better motivated. When you mess with the Black Mesa Pack, you get more than you bargained for."

Even as she tossed off the threat, she wondered how the hell they could possibly run off five rogues without sustaining real injuries. Her words were half truth, half bluff. Kieran and Sara were in full fighting form, but Lily herself was merely in shape. She hadn't been participating in full training for two years now, and it would show as soon as they started to scrap in earnest.

Kieran gave her an imperceptible nudge, more of a tightening of his arm muscle against hers. He had an ace in the hole. What was it?

"Sure," said the rogue. Smug assurance again permeated every word, his entire stance. "Let's go."

Before he could take a step, though, a familiar voice cut through the uneasy air from Lily's right.

"You might want to rethink that decision, rogue. The odds just got stacked...and now they're well against you."

Lily's heard Sara's inhalation, laced with—interest? Then she smiled at the rogue, whose own smile had suddenly evaporated.

"Darn. I was really looking forward to seeing what you've got. Guess it'll have to wait for another time, rogue." She inserted as much bravado into her voice as the rogue had, while never taking her eyes off him.

Lily's brothers, all three of them, stepped into view. They had somehow come up the stairs from the other adjoining bar and slipped down the connecting hallway. Why the hell hadn't she scented them before now? She took a deep, unobtrusive breath through her sensitive nose and only now, when they were mere steps away, could it faintly detect them. They'd covered their tracks well with a simple product designed for hunters. Masking scent was an art form many wolves employed when necessary.

Briefly wondering how her brothers had known about the intruders, Lily let a victorious grin suffuse her face. The rogue curled his lip. Frustration, annoyance, and something Lily couldn't quite put her finger on altered his expression before it once again settled into the earlier disdain. He spared a glance for the male Bardous. Big, fit, and positively reeking of power, Lily's siblings stood there, an additional flanking force. They didn't need to take intimidating stances. Their mere presence was enough to scare most wolves, Pack or rogue, into instant submission.

The rogue leader's troops shifted nervously on their feet, although they didn't break and run. But the rogue leader...his reaction was strange. He was outnumbered, and he knew it. Yet he wasn't afraid. Before Lily could attempt to parse that reaction, he spoke in cool tones.

"We'll be back. You can't deny us. Your alpha knows why. Maybe you should ask him."

With one last ice-chip look at Lily, the rogue leader pivoted on his motorcycle boot-clad feet with an oddly elegant fury and stalked out of the hotel. His followers crowded behind him in their haste. Whatever he had meant, they didn't seem to buy into his same assurance.

As soon as they'd exited, Lily spun toward her brothers. Kieran's scent tickled at her again, supportive and already familiar.

"What—? How—?"

Rafe, the eldest of her younger brothers, laughed and stepped forward to throw an arm around her in a half-hug. She sensed he was checking her mental and emotional status as he did it, scenting her, making sure she was really okay on all levels. When he pulled back and cocked a pointed eyebrow at Kieran, Lily felt her face flush. But she met Rafe's stare without standing down. _Back off, little brother. I accept Kieran._

Rafe's lips quirked up in a grin of some surprise, though clearly he was pleased. "Well done, Lils. You looked like a full Pack Guardian with those rogues." He shot the briefest glance at Sara. "Nice to see you, Sara."

There was no mistaking it. Lust was on Sara's mind, and it was focused on Rafe. Lily forced her face into a blank expression despite her sudden curiosity. Well, she was about to jump Kieran's bones herself, and that would take up enough of her thoughts. Let Sara try for Rafe, the reserved, workaholic eldest male Bardou. Although if he hurt Sara, Lily would personally thump him.

She fixed her brother with another look. "How did you know about the rogues? Why were you all masking your scents?"

Caleb, the youngest of her brothers so of course the biggest, broke into the delighted chuckle of a man who's pulled off a good one.

"Dad tipped us. The northeast border scout scented them two days ago and reported back. And apparently they'd sent Dad some sort of communication. He knew they'd be coming, he just wasn't sure when. So he had us all on recon for the past few days."

"That explains why you knew to be here so darn fast." Lily grinned and tugged Caleb into a quick embrace. She would never admit it to anyone alive, but she had a soft spot for her very youngest brother. Not that she would ever use the word "favorite."

"We aim to serve the Pack." Rafe rubbed a finger along his cheekbone. The move was an unconscious carbon copy of their father's favorite mannerism when sunk in thought. "Being expedient is in our contracts."

Tate, Lily's irrepressible middle brother, rolled his eyes at Rafe's slightly imperious tone. "What he means is, we busted our asses getting here because Dad called and told us to step on it."

Sara covered a grin by coughing lightly into her shoulder. Lily took in Rafe's aggrieved oldest-brother look and reached over to give him a playful smack on his arm.

"Lighten up, Rafe. I'm just relieved you got here when you did. That rogue..." She paused as her thoughts landed on the interaction again. She sensed this would not be the last time they would deal with the rogues. But right now, she didn't want to think about them. "Good timing, baby brothers."

As planned, her playfully bossy words sent her siblings into protestations that ranged from good-natured to halfway demanding an outside brawl to prove who was top wolf.

Kieran's breath caressed her ear as he leaned into her. "Your brothers come remarkably well to heel when you lay down the law. And they had no idea that's what you were doing." His amused murmur sent chills down her skin. She wanted to mate. Soon.

"Now," Kieran whispered against her hair. Could the man hear her thoughts? He pressed his hard body against hers and all other thought but the drive to melt into him fled her ricocheting mind.

"That room I mentioned. It's on the second floor. I'd like to show it to you." His voice rumbled with tension that coiled itself around Lily's senses in a delightful surge of need. She nodded against him, afraid of what she might say out loud. Afraid it would cause her to strip first her clothes, then his, right here in the lobby.

A delicate throat clearing sounded somewhere nearby. Kieran's body tightened in annoyance, but he didn't step away. Sara's giggle reminded Lily that yes, indeed, the room upstairs would be a good idea. Like, now.

"See you in the morning, Lils?" her Packmate asked with a lascivious wiggle of her eyebrows. Lily groaned, then paused as her brothers stopped their playful bantering. As one, they stared first at Lily, then Kieran. The air clouded with suspicion, and something else. Lily looked hard back at Rafe. His expression was that of a satisfied wolf that had maneuvered its prey into just the right spot. Meddling little brothers.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered at him, while leaning more strongly into Kieran. A small grin cracked her brother's face, but that was all. "See you all at breakfast?"

Without waiting for reply, she grabbed Kieran's hand, turned, and rapidly began hauling him in the direction of the stairs. He more than obliged by staying hot on her heels, keeping his hand firmly clasped with hers. One whistle came from behind them, distinctly feminine in tone, before it collapsed into more giggles. Lily's face burned, but she kept moving until they rounded a corner.

"You seem very intent on our destination," Kieran said to her back. The energy of him behind her, crowding her willing body, raced through and lit her senses with a surge that left her wolf panting and her body shaking. Her legs suddenly unsteady, she wavered. Kieran moved his grip to her arm and stop her. Turning her to face him, he pushed her against the hallway wall. No one else lingered nearby, for which she was vaguely grateful. Yet with the heated blood roaring through her veins, she knew she was so close to a full-on mating frenzy that she still almost wouldn't care if they just started going at it right here in the hallway of the venerable old hotel.

"Lily." Her name on his lips, the sexy darkness of his deep voice, rippled through her. It stroked her wolf, raised the hairs on her body, promised things. She could feel her wolf's intensity leap into her eyes, which she kept locked on Kieran's. "Are you really ready for this? This has to be the right time. I don't want to push you too soon."

She laughed raggedly, knowing her chest heaved up and down as her breath grew more and more out of control. "Ah, if you only knew how ready I am." Her voice came out as a pant, and she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was the man before her, his eyes lit with wolf fire, wolf passion. The man pushing her against the wall, his arms braced above her, locking her in a cage of hard male chest, long male torso, solid male legs.

He looked at her still, his gaze shuddering deep inside her, as if probing for an answer she didn't know she had.

"Certain, Lily," he breathed, his musky and fully aroused scent enveloping her. "I need you to be certain."

She was too far gone to completely understand what he meant. She was ready right now, even right here, dammit, and he had to know that. "I'm more than ready, Kieran. Where is your room? I want a real bed for this."

With a sharp breath, Kieran hustled her away from the wall. They somehow made it down the hallway, up another flight of stairs, and through the door of a room that smelled like him. As he kicked the door shut behind them, Lily reached for a light switch. Kieran caught her hand.

"We don't need that."

The fog in her lust-filled brain lifted a centimeter. They could see one another just fine in the dark with their aroused wolf senses heightening their human vision.

Kieran's hand palmed her cheek, his fingers trailing down her neck. "Slowly, beautiful Lily. My beautiful, amazing wolf." His voice was only a rumble in the darkened space, its register so low usual human hearing would have had trouble distinguishing the words. "I want to savor every moment of this. Although if you keep touching me like that, it won't last very long."

Lily looked down to find her hand on his chest, stroking him, her fingers lightly skimming his hard nipples through the long-sleeved button down he wore. It was actually a snap-down, the pearly buttons against the black material gleaming softly from the street lights outside. The perfect cowboy garb. That she couldn't wait to pull off him.

"Hmm..." she murmured, and an echoing sigh drifted from Kieran's lips. Slowly. Okay. She could do slowly. Even though her wolf demanded immediate satiation. Slowly was good. Right?

With forced patience, still trembling from need, she hooked a pearl snap with two fingers. Though it seemed impossible, Kieran's eyes darkened even more. Gently, Lily pulled at it, listening with thrilled satisfaction when it snicked open. One by one, she unsnapped the rest of them, all the way down to the shirttails. Kieran remained silent throughout, his eyes watchful, something leaping behind them. It reminded Lily of a smoldering wildfire about to combust. Another purely physical shiver flew down her spine. Her entire body shuddered in response and her hands trembled.

"More." Kieran's abruptly soft voice sounded unnaturally loud in the room. The effort of his holding back sounded in the tightly leashed tone.

Lily had stilled at the sight of his half-naked chest before her. _So chiseled abs really do exist,_ she thought in a haze. _Right._ Her wolf whined beneath the surface, quivering as much as Lily.

"More." His voice became commanding under the thrall of his need. "Take off the rest of my clothes, Lily."

_Mate,_ her wolf whispered. She was as close to the surface as she could be without Lily actually shifting. This was the tipping point: the fine line between woman and wolf, human and four-legged animal, so-called rationality and pure, driving instinct. Lily teetered for a moment, feeling herself fall toward wolf, primal desire suffusing her senses and drowning out cold logic. Wild heat danced at the corners of her mind, demanding permission to blaze uncontrolled.

Could she do this?

Sara's words drifted through her head again. Kieran already was Pack. Lily couldn't hurt him.

Kieran gently rubbed his fingers along her cheek, just grazing her skin.

"I want this, Lily. So do you. Let her go. They'll play together. We'll play together."

Her wolf rubbed against the corners of Lily's mind, agreeing with Kieran. She wanted to play with his wolf indeed.

"Do you trust me?"

Lily stared at Kieran, drawn into the shaded depths of his inky eyes. Everything in the room seemed hushed with anticipation. Did she trust him? She'd just met him. She barely knew him. Logic argued strongly against it. Pure instinct, however, knew the answer without a doubt. Her wolf was never wrong about trust.

Did she trust him? Yes.

"No more hiding," she whispered, more to herself than Kieran. "Yes," she said firmly, meeting his gaze straight on with hers.

## Chapter Six

Kieran growled a fierce, "Mm. Come here," just before scooping her up in his arms and striding the few steps to the bed. Carefully, he placed her down, rolled himself onto her and propped himself up with his elbows. But he held his body away from hers, and she whimpered from frustration.

"Come closer." Her voice sounded breathless, tilting ever closer to loss of control. Her wolf murmured an extremely pleased acceptance of that fact at the same moment Kieran did.

"Your expression is demanding," he said. "What exactly is it you'd like me to do?" The tightness in his voice belied his nonchalant words, and Lily curved her lips up. The knowledge that he wanted her as much as she wanted him made her entire body pulse with heady desire. She could do this.

"I want you to be naked with me in this bed." She carefully enunciated each word as she spoke, gaining more assurance with every word. "I want to feel you, every inch of you, touching me everywhere. Inside me. On my skin. I want to taste all of you, I want your scent on me so everyone knows—"

Without warning, Kieran cut her off with a relentless yet tender kiss. His mouth met hers in a single intent, and she welcomed it and him. Only raw, aching need propelled him, and she knew he'd been pushed over the edge into mating frenzy.

Arching her back so she could finally press fully against him, Lily took his kiss as hard as he gave it. _Now,_ her wolf whispered, and Lily relinquished the last of her control, the last of her fear, and let herself spiral up into the purely sensuous grip of the mating frenzy she had denied herself—and her wolf—for far too long.

"Lily," Kieran pulled back long enough to gasp. His eyes met hers again and took her in with a promise that left her completely wet. Then he reared back even more, and in one move ripped her shirt open, ignoring her brief protest. Her favorite apple red bra was treated in equal fashion, although he did award it an appreciative smile before it, too, was destroyed.

Lily couldn't figure out if she was more melted puddle or lit firecracker about to explode when he dipped his head down again and tasted her nipples with expert strokes of his tongue. Firecracker won out as he swirled his tongue against the hypersensitive skin, his teeth firmly grazing first one nipple, then the other, then back again until Lily wordlessly cried out. Her entire body shuddered with inarticulate need, the power of the physical sensations rendering her a vibrating mass of greedy hunger that threatened to shatter before he even got down to the heated ache between her legs.

"Take them off." She reached down to her jeans. "Now."

"With pleasure." With practiced moves he tugged off her favorite going-out boots, peeled off her socks and dropped them to the carpet, then had her jeans unsnapped and pushed off her legs so fast her head spun. The very air in the room seemed steamy, redolent with their mutual longing, each of their wolves barely contained from outright shifting, their wildness urging on the humans.

Exceedingly glad she had shaved earlier, Lily giggled inanely when he licked his way up her legs. Her smooth skin offered no resistance to Kieran's lips and tongue as he nuzzled her. First one leg, then back down to the other and up it in turn. Lily writhed on the bed and stretched out her hands to grab for a nonexistent headboard. Instead, she let her fingers grasp the silky bed cover, bunching it up and almost forgetting to breath when Kieran paused just at her thighs.

"Please," she panted. She felt her wolf controlling her desire, her movements, and allowed it with a groan of abandon.

"Please what, my pretty wolf? What is it you want me to do?" Kieran's voice was muffled, his lips still toying at her hip. His tongue flicked out, just inches away from where she wanted it, and she thrust herself toward him. She sensed the barest whisper of control still in him. She knew his wolf only allowed it because it prolonged both their pleasure.

"God, Kieran. Taste me, lick me, please! Make me come, please, I want that so badly. Kieran, please." She heard herself begging in a senseless babble and didn't care. She was past caring about appearances.

Another playful flick of his tongue, another frustrated gasp from her. Then Kieran firmly grasped her hips and slid her a little closer. He let his hands roam up her sides to find her breasts and her stiff nipples, then let a hot charge of breath exhale right over her already superheated center.

> * * *

Lily's voice rang through the small room. Kieran grinned like a satisfied wolf against her soft folds, tasting and licking her sweet essence. He loved the fact that the silky, neatly trimmed hair just below his teasing lips was coppery red like the hair that flamed around her face. As he probed into her with his tongue, her salty-sweet tang filled his mouth. He already felt half drunk off her taste. She was his. The thought sent both Kieran and his still restrained wolf tumbling over an edge of rawest need.

Lily's hands suddenly ranged over his head, her fingers skimming over his hair, rubbing into his skull. Firmly, she pressed down.

"More," she ordered in a ragged whisper, the feral tones of her wolf clear.

Kieran responded by pushing his face more deeply against her, allowing his lips to glide against her lush juices and satiny soft pussy. His tongue flicked against her sweet clit again and again, bumping it with a featherlight, steady rhythm that had her driving her hips into him and her hands pushing hard on the back of his head. Soft mewls escaped her throat, little exclamations that were more breath than pure sound. His body tightened even more in response, his cock almost painfully so. God, he wanted to thrust into her, lose himself in the mindless thrill of it all. He wanted to claim this beautiful she-wolf as his own and brand her in ways that would make her breathless every time he gave her a certain look.

"Kieran," she managed. She was so close. He could hear it in her voice.

Pushed on by his own fierce thirst for her, he nibbled gently at her wet folds and honeyed crevices. She jumped and then bucked under him, urging him on with her body. He lapped at her juices, getting the rich taste of her all over his mouth and luxuriating in it.

With his tongue he reached out and again flicked at the swollen clit nestled between her folds. He tongued her again again until she suddenly screamed, not bothering to muffle it. Her shriek echoed in the room and descended into a long, achingly sensual moan of pleasure that almost had Kieran coming himself. Her scent and taste altered subtly in his mouth, becoming more plush and cinnamon-spicy as her orgasm played out against his tongue and lips.

_Mine,_ his wolf thought. The primal surety enveloped wolf and man. Kieran waited until Lily's tremors became slight aftershocks before lifting his head away.

"Now," he said, his voice edged with need. Pushing up on his hands, he drew his body along hers in one sinuous move until his face was above hers. Her arms fell limply to her sides, her eyes wide open and looking at him. Pupils huge and lids heavy, her chest heaved as the sensations ebbed. Leaning down, he nipped at her nose, drawing a whisper of laughter from her.

Then, without warning, he thrust completely into her.

## Chapter Seven

Lily's body instinctively met Kieran's sudden plunge into her by lifting and taking him fully inside. His cock felt lusciously huge as it filled her, stretching her inner muscles and eliciting a groaning gasp from her. Bringing her fingertips to his shoulders, she let them dance across his sweat-slicked skin for a moment, marveling at the strength beneath. Then she angled her hands behind his neck and pulled down, urging him into her again and again. She let her wolf's needy, chuffing cry fill her throat and spill out in another whimper of bliss.

"Lily," he said, his tone a warning gasp. "I'll come quickly if you keep doing that."

She looked into his eyes, only centimeters from her own. "I know," she whispered, her voice torn between gasping pleasure and wicked insinuation.

A delighted half-howl leapt from him. Kieran placed his palms flat on the bed, balancing on his flexing arms as he thrust into her with a joyous abandon. She had forgotten what it could be like...what it should be like. This was what she and her wolf had wanted. This was what it meant to live!

Lily wrapped her legs around Kieran's back. Reaching down with her hands, she grasped her feet and held on. Slowly, she met his thrust with a rhythm that first stumbled, then found a euphoric simplicity. Kieran's face changed so much from one breath to another as her actions transformed his own sensations she almost giggled. But heady awe at the power she held over him in this moment stayed the sound. Pure ecstasy played over his face, his eyes lidded, his brow lightly furrowed as he concentrated.

"Lily." Her name was a muttered prayer, a fierce longing. His next inarticulate sounds washed over her as she rode with him in a tight, timeless, playful yet wild dance.

Then, "Lily!" he shouted. She watched with hungry satisfaction as Kieran's orgasm spilled across his face, tightening every muscle there into ecstasy. He pushed into her so deeply it seemed he wanted to mingle their skin cells together, trade fingerprints, sink into one another with all the strength of their wolves. The power of it took Lily's breath, and sent another, smaller yet even sweeter, climax leaping from her clit where Kieran pressed against it with his still shuddering body. Lily inhaled sharply as it swept through her like a tide, carrying her again to a state of pliant serenity.

Long, hazy moments later, she moved out of the delicious trance. Her seemingly boneless legs loosened from their grip across his back and thighs and fell to the sides. Kieran sprawled over her, as limp as she. She still sensed his wolf just beneath, as pleased as the man. Her own wolf stretched and rolled through her mind, utter contentment pouring through.

_Mate,_ her wolf thought in a lazy murmur.

_He is, isn 't he,_ Lily thought with utter contentment. Her wolf rolled and rolled, pleasure and satisfaction seeping from her to Lily and back again, two selves forever joyfully connected as one.

Sleep crept over Lily and lulled her into dreams where her wolf ran with Kieran's, romping and tussling and loving their way through a wild desert landscape of tall sandstone spires and deep, sinuous canyons, all theirs.

> * * *

Lily roused before dawn as she always did, no matter how late she'd gotten to bed the night before. The presence of that man, that dark-eyed cowboy with the sexy drawl and the prowling, protective wolf in him, immediately flowed over her. Smiling at the mere thought of him, she turned her head to nuzzle his shoulder and breathe in his musky male scent. Light just barely hinted through the windows as the sun rose over the hillside to the old hotel's east.

With gentle fingers, she explored Kieran's sturdy back, the ridiculously strong muscles that held him together, the hard planes dipping to the smooth skin of his tight rear. An unintelligible deep rumble of a sleepy response from him echoed through her body. Smiling, she held on with her arms, continuing to stroke him and trace random patterns over his skin to his occasional sounds of encouragement.

"Kieran," she said again. Her voice sounded rusty. With a quick blush, she realized it was from calling out his name in abandon the previous night. Quite a few times, since they'd woken up to repeat their gratifyingly hot nocturnal exercise more than once.

"Mm-hmm."

Lily let the deep tones wash over her. She imagined them soothing her to sleep every night, waking her up in the morning, urging her to frenzied heights each day. A delighted shiver tip-toed over her. Could this wolf really be hers?

Oh, yes.

"Kieran," she tried again. Her voice smoothed out a bit, coming out in a more normal register. "We need to get up."

"Why?" His voice came languid, satisfied and heavy. He nipped at the lobe. She felt the tingling rush down her legs and through her spine. Then she was lost in sensation as Kieran moved his mouth over hers in a manner designed to quiet her, to claim her, to be claimed by her. Their movements together felt liquid and perfect and searingly hot and perfectly normal.

"Yours," he said against her lips.

"Hmm?"

"I'm yours, beautiful wolf. What do you plan to do with me?"

Lily giggled, sheer delight suffusing her entire being.

"Anything I want," she said. She captured his mouth this time, a fierce desire sweeping through her at the motion. She claimed him, she captured him, he was hers.

Her wolf growled in utter approval as the kiss deepened, roughened, became firm and controlling yet wild and filled with abandon.

Then Kieran pulled back, slightly yet enough for his lips to form words.

"Pack Guardian."

"What?" But she heard him perfectly well. His words spoke a title. Her title.

"Pack Guardian," he said again. Patient, yet ardent. "You, Lily. You're a Black Mesa Pack Guardian again. Can't you feel it? Because I sure can."

Lily let his words flow over her and felt them in her bones. He was right, utterly. _Yes,_ her wolf whispered. Pack Guardian. The power of it, the responsibility. The mantle of protection that she wore again. Yes. It was there, all of it. She was Pack Guardian again, and it filled every inch of her being.

Never would she forget the human she had turned. Remembering him was the right thing to do, not to mention that forgetting past mistakes was a sure way to make them rise again someday. But...she was no longer ruled by that awful memory. Instead, it dropped into her soul as something that had shaped her, made her even stronger today.

Now, she was a Pack Guardian to reckon with.

"Wow," was all she managed after another few moments of taking stock. "I am, aren't I? I can actually feel it again."

Kieran laughed, a rich and full sound. Every morning, she could hear this. Not just one night, one morning. For a lifetime of mornings, this man was hers.

Energized, Lily rolled away from Kieran and threw back the soft sheet tangled about them. Her wolf leapt inside, eager and alert at Lily's sudden focus.

"Let's go kick some rogue ass, Kieran. We need to find out what they were doing here. This is _our_ Pack's territory. Not theirs. They are not welcome here." Her voice rang out with formidable intent, and she almost shivered at the power sizzling through it. She was back.

"Ours, hmm? Ah, my strong, beautiful wolf." Kieran reached out and caught her waist before she could swing her feet to the ground. "You are ready, aren't you?"

Unresisting except for a playful little growl, she allowed him to pull her back against him. Damn, he felt good, the entire hard length of his long body nestled right behind hers.

Lily went boneless again as sharp lust rose through her. How could the man do this to her so easily?

"One day, Lily, you'll be a fine alpha mate. And we'll have a Pack of our own. You're definitely your father's daughter. A leader, my beautiful she-wolf." Kieran stroked his fingers down the back of her thigh, and an uncontrollable, purely sexual jolt fluttered its way down her exposed skin.

"But first..."

"Yes?" she breathed in response as his voice stilled while his fingers increased their tempo, exploring her body.

"First," he whispered against her hair, "let's give you some more energy to go kick rogue ass. I have just the thing you need." A knowing, teasing chuckle punctuated his words.

"Really," she said, turning over to face him. A thoroughly devilish grin played over his features and sent a zing straight between her legs. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Right here, my smart, sexy, strong wolf. With me."

Lily's wolf rolled in ecstasy and agreement. She knew the rogues would just have to wait. For now, she just wanted to be with this most amazing wolf—her mate.

## Thank you!

What's next for the Black Mesa Wolf Pack? Rafe and Sara's story in ALPHA WOLF, Book 2 of the series. _Wolf shifter Rafe Bardou craves the one thing he can't have: free-spirited Sara Kenyon as his mate. Although her red-hot kisses have eluded him for over a year, losing control isn't an option. But it may be the only way to convince this sweet vixen he's her alpha wolf._ Click here to find your favorite retailer link for ALPHA WOLF.

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Phoenix Rising

Lick of Fire #1

by Bianca D'Arc

## Phoenix Rising

### Magic, fire, and passion combine with explosive results

Lance is inexplicably drawn to the sun and doesn't understand why. Tina is a witch who remembers him from their high school days. She'd had a crush on the quiet boy who had an air of magic about him. Reunited by Fate, she wonders if she could be the one to ground him and make him want to stay even after the fire within him claims his soul...if only their love can be strong enough.

Lance doesn't understand what's happening to him. He's just a regular guy who owns a high-end engine shop on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. But lately, he's been drawn to the desert in inexplicable ways, and has troubled dreams of flying...to the sun. Tina remembers him - her high school crush. But that was long ago and they're both very different now. Lance still has that aura of magic about him, though, and she's grown into her powers, gaining strength and hopefully, wisdom, over the intervening years. When she gets stuck on the side of the road out in the desert, it's Fate that sends Lance - of all people - to her rescue. Sparks fly as they reunite and rekindle the flame that had never quite extinguished between them. When Lance's business is targeted, Tina helps him defend his place and the odd assortment of shifters who have gathered around him. Lance is a bit clueless about the unseen world, but Tina is there to fill in the blanks and help him discover what he was always meant to be. But Lance is in a dangerous position. Most shifters of his kind don't survive their first shift. Tina believes she can help him through it and perhaps...just perhaps...she can be the one to ground him. She wants to believe she could be the reason he comes back down to Earth - if their love is strong enough. 

## Chapter One

Lance didn't know what was going on with him lately. Fire itched under his skin, and the desert called as never before. He wanted to just go out into it and... What? Self-immolate? Fly like sparks up into the blazing sun? Lay down and die, only to be reborn in the burning heat?

And where the _hell_ were these thoughts coming from?

He'd always been a little...odd. He'd had a hard time growing up and in school. He'd been one of the _bad_ kids. The kind who grew up to ride a motorcycle and live on the outskirts of town in what was basically an industrial area. It wasn't that he was stupid. Far from it. He'd hidden his intelligence from the other kids and tried to fit in at first, when he was little, but he'd soon tired of it all and just started acting out. He'd become the loner. The recluse. The kid everyone thought was a mental case.

Everyone except maybe Tina. The girl with the sad eyes who watched him almost constantly. Her gaze had made his shoulders itch all through senior year, though they'd never said more than a few words to each other.

She wasn't one of the popular girls, but she had a group of quiet friends with whom she hung out. They didn't mix with him, and he stayed well clear of them, but he noticed her watching hm. A lot. And he couldn't help but be intrigued by the fact that the pretty, shy girl seemed to be attracted to the bad boy biker.

He hadn't acted on it. No, he wouldn't do that to her. The idea of contaminating her with his inner turmoil didn't sit well with him. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy, after all.

But thinking about high school and the girl he hadn't seen in years was getting him nowhere. Lance got on his bike and set out across the desert, riding the lonely highway to god-only-knew-where. He had an itch under his skin that only the sun and wind might cure.

* * *

Tina couldn't believe her luck—all of it bad, lately. She'd been enduring one minor calamity after another for a while now. The latest was being broken down on the side of a lonely stretch of highway in the middle of the desert. Great. Just great.

She got out and opened the hood of the car, wondering if there was some sort of magic that might help her get the mechanical beast going again. She was staring at the metallic innards of the engine when it roared.

Okay, it wasn't _her_ engine that roared, but she definitely heard an engine roaring. She looked up to find a motorcycle headed her way. She wondered if the driver would stop. Then, she wondered if she wanted him to stop. She was way out here all alone, after all. Taking help from a stranger—one who drove a motorcycle that roared like the devil—might not be the wisest move.

Regardless of her feelings, the bike started slowing, coming to an eventual stop behind her recalcitrant vehicle. Something about the rider's aura seemed familiar, but that was ridiculous. He was still a good ten yards away when she thought she recognized his walk. She remembered that walk...

Holy crap. It _was_ him. Lance Fiori. Her high school crush. And, damn, he'd filled out really well over the intervening years. Tall, with golden blond hair and a smile that could set girls' hearts aflutter, he was even more handsome now, if that were possible. Now, if he smiled, she figured she might just melt into a little puddle at his feet.

The chiseled jaw was the same. The determined set of his shoulders as she remembered. The magic she had always sensed in him was a little closer to the surface now. She wondered how that had played out for him. She hoped he'd come to terms with the wild energy inside him and was stronger for it. He'd always seemed a little lost to her in high school, though they'd never really interacted. The large size of their graduating class had made it easy enough to avoid him, and he'd never sought her out—much to her secret disappointment.

But, now, here he was, her knight in shining armor, as it were. He even had the trusty steed, albeit a mechanical one. She wondered if he'd recognize her.

Tina took off her sunglasses and tried not to squint as he drew closer. She got her answer when his step faltered a bit. He _had_ recognized her! His next words proved it.

"Tina Bradbury?" He made it sound like a question, but she knew he was just as certain as she was.

He came right up to the side of the car, looking at her as she faced the engine, and met her gaze. He lowered his sunglasses, as well, giving her a peek at those startling blue eyes that had always reminded her of the sky at its brightest. Energy crackled in his irises. Magic and power. Little lightning bolts that only she could see.

"Lance," she acknowledged him, her voice was a little breathless, but she was powerless to do anything about it. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Stranger things have happened," he agreed easily. "I'm just not sure where or when." He sent her the rare dimpled smile she'd only seen a couple of times before.

She was glad her hands were still gripping the edge of the car because that sinful smile made her knees go weak. Wow. The boy had been the stuff of teenage fantasies, but the man he'd grown into was another beast altogether. His aura was potent. Secure. More intense than it had been at eighteen. Way more intense.

"So, I guess you're stuck. Mind if I take a look?" Lance asked politely.

Tina moved aside as he walked around the car so that he faced the engine head on. He touched a few things and checked a dipstick or two, keeping his own counsel, except for asking her a few pointed questions about what had happened just prior to her breakdown. He scowled a few times, and his overall expression was a frown when he stood back from the engine.

"What's the verdict?" she asked nervously.

"Well, this car isn't going anywhere until it gets a few new parts and some fluids." He launched into a technical explanation that she just about followed.

Apparently, she'd let one of the necessary fluids for the engine get too low—or maybe it boiled off somehow—which caused some small, but essential, parts to break. In short, the engine needed major repairs to get going again, which left her effectively stranded in the middle of the desert.

"Where were you headed?" he asked, looking from her to his parked motorcycle and back, speculatively. "I could maybe give you a lift."

She had to swallow hard before she could answer. The thought of riding on the back of his motorcycle brought that weakness back to her knees.

"I am running late for something. I just need to get back into town and drop off a package, but it's pretty important that it gets there on time," she told him. "I'd be grateful for lift, if you're sure you don't mind."

"How big is the package?"

"Small. It's in my purse," she told him.

"Okay, then," he said, closing the hood decisively. "Let's leave a quick note on the dash in case anyone comes along, so they know this situation is being dealt with, and we can be on our way."

She liked the way he seemed to know exactly how to handle things. That hadn't changed about him. He'd always been fairly resolute, even as a teenager. She'd liked the way he'd stood up for himself, even back then.

She scrambled in her purse for a piece of notepaper from the back of her date book and scribbled off a note, which she placed under the windshield wiper. She then checked the back of the car for anything she couldn't leave behind. Luckily, she kept her car neat out of habit. All she needed was her purse.

Tina closed the doors and headed toward the motorcycle where Lance was waiting for her. He had an extra helmet in one hand that he must've taken out of one of the big saddlebags. He looked at her dubiously.

"Have you ever been on a bike before?" He looked her up and down, his gaze piercing. Was it wrong that she felt his gaze like it was some kind of invisible caress?

"Um...no. But I'm eager to try," she told him, trying to show some enthusiasm. She wasn't about to turn up her nose at his mode of transportation. He was saving her a lot of trouble, after all.

He chuckled and moved closer to her, plunking the big helmet down over her head. "This will help. Keep the face shield down unless you like bugs in your teeth," he told her, giving her another one of those rare smiles.

He then took her shoulder bag out of her hands and lengthened the strap to its full capacity before lowering it over her helmeted head and sliding it around so that the bag rested against the small of her back.

"It'll ride easier this way," he told her.

Lance led her over to his bike and got on, then gestured for her to do the same. It wasn't as easy as he'd made it look. Of course, he was a lot taller, with longer legs than she had. Tina managed to hop on, resting her butt on the little pad behind him. She arranged her bag at her back, marveling at the fact that he'd been right about it resting easy back there. She adjusted the strap a bit, but then, she wasn't sure where to put her hands.

Lance solved that mystery by the simple expedient of reaching back and grabbing both her hands. She jumped a little but realized he was just being efficient. He'd put on his own helmet while she'd been fiddling with her bag, so it wasn't as easy to talk to each other. He placed her hands around his middle and patted them once, as if in reassurance. He then seemed to look down and nodded at the placement of her feet on the little doo-dads she'd found that seemed the logical place. She must've guessed right.

Lance half-stood, and she loosened her grip on him as he restarted the beast beneath them. Once he had the engine going, he sat back down and waited for her to put her arms back around him before he put the bike in gear and started off.

He went slowly at first, letting her get used to the movement of the bike under them. He was a considerate guy for all his bad boy looks. She would never have gone off with anyone else like this, but she had always had a soft spot for Lance. Her instincts had pegged him as one of the good guys long ago, and her instincts were never wrong. There was nothing in the mature Lance's aura that made her think anything had changed as far as his basic nature. If anything, he'd become even more of a good soul in the time since they'd last crossed paths, but she sensed a great deal of confusion just under the skin. Maybe...just maybe...she could help him sort that out.

Or maybe, she was daydreaming again. The very fact that she had, at this very moment, her arms around her high school crush seemed to indicate that daydreams could come true—it just wasn't all that probable. He'd take her back to town, and they would part ways. It might be years before she saw him again—if ever.

On that depressing thought, she decided to just enjoy herself in this moment. It wasn't every day a girl got to fondle a bad boy on a motorbike. In fact, such things never happened to plain old Tina Bradbury, the girl voted most likely to have her nose in a book.

## Chapter Two

Lance could hardly believe that he had shy Tina Bradbury on the back of his bike. Her arms tightened around him as they took a curve, and she flowed with him as if they'd done this a million times before. She was a natural, shocking as that was to consider.

He'd watched her in high school. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say he'd watched her watching him. He'd often caught her pretty green eyes following his every move when she thought no one was looking. He'd had a sort of sixth sense about it. He always knew when he was being watched.

That she was gorgeous and didn't seem to know it had helped boost his self-esteem a bit. The other guys left her alone because she gave off a powerful vibe that was intimidating to fragile young male egos. That long, wavy chestnut hair and stunning green eyes made her a bit too much for a young man to handle. The fools who tried—mostly the blustery guys who thought they were God's gift, and weren't—got cut down by her rejection. The regular guys saw that and headed the other way. Still, she was the beauty of the school, even if she didn't wield her potential power in any deliberate way. The fact that she seemed so unaware of her own looks made her all that much more attractive—and scary.

Like most of the guys, Lance had stayed far away from the tempting Miss Tina. He'd known all along that he wasn't nearly good enough for her. Plus, there was something a little spooky about her. Every time they'd gotten close, he'd felt a sort of buzzing against his awareness—as he was, even now—that he couldn't explain. It was like she had an electric current running through her body, and he was the only one who could detect it.

Lance still had no idea what that was all about. He wasn't one to believe in superstition or myths. He was a practical guy. He'd had to be. He was an orphan who'd grown up in foster care. When someone had been through what he'd been through at such an early age, they either got tough or got crushed.

Lance had decided, long ago, he'd never get flattened by life, by his circumstances, or by anything else. He'd survive whatever life threw at him, no matter what.

Only... That goal wasn't seeming so easy lately. He'd gone out to the desert, not sure why he'd bothered, only that he needed the wind in his face, the sun on his shoulders, the heat in his belly. He'd walked in the badlands by himself for a couple of hours, not sure if he was actually going to get on his bike and go back this time. He'd fought inner demons he didn't really understand, but he'd managed to get back on the motorcycle.

He'd headed on down the road, back toward civilization...and salvation from those inner demons. At least, for a while. And then, he'd spotted her—Tina fucking perfect Bradbury, of all people—broken down on the side of the road. Lance wasn't a big believer in coincidence. Whatever insane gods had put Tina on his path that day might just have given him the kick in the pants that he needed to get his head back on straight.

Or not. He still didn't quite know how it was all going to work out.

One thing was for sure, though. He really liked having her arms around him. For the first time in a long time, he felt grounded. Secure. Part of the Earth, not hovering above, waiting to fly away. Odd as it all seemed.

Lance had no idea where the imagery in his head was coming from. It was so damned strange.

He tried to focus on reality at all times. He had never allowed himself to be a dreamer. Dreamers were suckers, and Lance had resolved, long ago, that he wasn't going to be one of them. Not by a long shot.

But the reality of right now—being on his bike with Tina's arms around him—made him want to dream for the first time in a very long time. He thought about what it would be like if she moved those little fingers of hers over his body in a sensual caress. He wanted to dream about her taking him and allowing him to make love to her. He wanted to fantasize of what it would be like to have her in his bed for always.

Whoa. Always? What the actual fuck?

They drove into the outskirts of town, and Lance realized he hadn't actually found out where she needed to go. _Stupid, buddy. You were so eager to get her on the back of your bike you weren't thinking straight._

Instead of heading blindly into the center of the city, he detoured to his shop on the outskirts of town. They'd stop there for a few minutes while he found out where she wanted to go, and maybe they'd switch to a car, if she couldn't handle being on the back of the bike with him in traffic.

_Yeah, that sounds like a reasonable excuse._ Lance congratulated himself on his ingenuity. He was stopping at his shop for _her_ comfort, not because he had some weird need for her to see what he'd done with his life since graduating high school.

Tina wasn't sure where they were heading when Lance turned off the main road, but she wasn't too worried. Lance was innately good. She knew that much. He wouldn't be taking her anyplace dangerous, no matter how industrial the area seemed.

There were businesses all around, and he drove right through a large metal gate that stood open, as if for his arrival. The yard was huge and filled with all types of vehicles. Very high-end vehicles. Foreign. Custom. Race cars and luxury cars. It looked like he had one of everything she'd ever seen on those rich-and-famous shows she sometimes caught while channel-surfing late at night when she couldn't sleep.

He expertly guided his motorcycle through the yard and pulled up in front of what must be the office. It was utilitarian, but clean and nicely furnished from what she could see from outside. Lance stopped the bike and gestured for her to get off. After she had both feet on the ground again, he joined her. They took off their helmets in near unison.

"Sorry for stopping here, but I realized I hadn't asked where, exactly, you wanted to go," he said, surprising her. She hadn't even realized that she hadn't given him such an important piece of information. She laughed, shaking her head as he went on. "I also thought you might feel a little more comfortable on four wheels instead of two, but that's totally up to you."

"Is this your place?" She looked around, impressed anew at the setup. It was some kind of exotic car lot, but to what end, she couldn't quite figure out.

"Yeah," he answered, sounding nonchalant. She looked at him and realized he was far from it. His aura darkened as if he was actually concerned about what she might think. "I do custom work for select clients."

"Engine work? Or body work?" she asked, sincerely interested.

"Both, actually," he replied, looking at her more closely, as if surprised that she would ask.

"You have an impressive array of vehicles here. You must have one heck of a client list."

Lance shrugged. "Word gets around, and more people come. I've had to hire a few guys to help keep up."

As if mentioning his employees conjured them up, two guys came around the corner of the building at that moment and waved in a friendly manner before heading to one of the parked vehicles. They got in and moved the car around the back, out of sight. There must be workshops back there. The lot was even bigger than she'd first thought.

"It mostly runs itself these days," he went on, shrugging as if it didn't matter much to him, but she knew it did.

There was a feeling of pride in the spaces between his words. He was right to be proud of what he'd built here. She knew his origins. He hadn't started with much. What he had now, he'd earned. It was truly impressive.

"So, two wheels or four?" he asked, looking at her speculatively.

"Maybe...four?" She gave him a crooked smile to go with her tentative words. "Not that I didn't enjoy my first motorcycle ride, but now that I'm back on two legs, four wheels seems like the safer bet. Or, I could call for a cab if you're busy. I really appreciate you bringing me this far."

"It's no problem. I can take you the rest of the way."

"You don't even know we're I'm going yet," she cautioned him playfully.

"That's okay. I never abandon damsels in distress to their fate. And, I can send one of my guys with the tow truck to bring your car back here, if you want." He gestured toward a shiny tow truck sitting in one corner of the yard that she hadn't quite noticed yet. The truck looked nicer than her car.

"I honestly don't think I could afford a place like this. It's pretty clear you cater to high-end clients." She looked around at the fancy cars parked in the lot again.

"Don't let the flash fool you," he said quietly. "They're not mine. I just work on them. I don't mind an honest, hard-working engine. Your car is basically sound, except for the fact that you neglected her."

"It's a _she_ , is it?"

"Most cars are female," he quipped. "Like boats. Trucks are male. Maybe."

She laughed at the nonsensical conversation while he ushered her into the office. There was a desk with a bright-eyed young woman behind it answering phones and doing paperwork. She looked up when they entered, and Tina saw the telltale swirl of magic in the girl's aura.

Shifter. The girl was a shifter. Tina blinked.

It wasn't unheard of to run into shifters in the Phoenix area, but Tina didn't really expect to find one working at such a pedestrian job. And in such close proximity to Lance. Did the girl-shifter know what sort of magic Lance had? Was there something going on between the two? Tina felt a sudden stab of sadness at that idea.

"Hey, Lexi, this is Tina," Lance introduced them. "She's an old friend. Her car is stuck out on the highway. See if you can get Joe and Pete to go take a look and bring it back." He leaned over the desk and wrote down the location, make and model of the car for his employees.

"Sure thing, boss," Lexi said, a hint of curiosity in her gaze as she watched Tina.

No jealousy that Tina could sense. So, Lexi and Lance weren't involved. Satisfaction roared through Tina in an unseemly way. She had no claim on Lance. She shouldn't be so glad he wasn't seeing the pretty young shifter girl.

Lance kept walking into the back of the building, motioning for Tina to follow. He led her into a large office cluttered with stuff that just had to be his. There were plans for engines. Drawings and mechanical parts placed on a large conference table, as if he'd been going over them with someone not too long ago. There was also a drafting table set up for drawing and a large-scale schematic that looked about half-finished. Tina walked over to it.

"This your work?" she asked, truly intrigued. She hadn't known he had an artistic or scientific side. He must've worked hard to hide it while they'd been in school.

"After high school, I went out on my own and got a mechanical engineering degree at Carnegie-Mellon, back East," he admitted in a quiet voice, as if daring her to laugh or disbelieve his claim. She did neither.

"That's amazing, Lance. I always suspected you were one of the smartest kids in our class. You just didn't want anyone else knowing it."

He shrugged. "It was easier to blend in than to stand out."

She thought she understood, though she hadn't faced quite the same challenges he had growing up. She'd had a supportive family. He'd been an orphan. That had always bothered her. A boy like Lance should've had all the love in the world in his life. Instead, he'd always seemed so alone.

"Now, where is it you need to go and how soon do you need to be there?" he asked, his tone businesslike.

She gave him the address, and he nodded, saying he knew the area well enough to get her there. "As for time, I just have to be there before quitting time at five. So, I have about an hour and a half."

"Enough time for a tour?" he asked with only a hint of hope in his tone, though she suspected he was eager to show off his domain to her for some reason. "Or not, if it's not your thing," he said quickly, hedging his bets.

"Oh, no. I'd love a tour. I doubt I'll ever get a chance to be this close to so many pricey cars ever again. I'd like to see what you do with them," she told him honestly. It's not that she didn't like nice cars. It's that she couldn't afford anything better than the jalopy that had broken down on the side of the highway.

And so began one of the most interesting half hours she'd ever spent. Lance was at her side throughout, pointing out different things in the multiple buildings that made up his empire. He had his own giant paint booth and even his own car wash. He had multiple bays where mechanics worked on a much larger number of vehicles than she had imagined. This was a really big operation.

And almost every single one of Lance's employees was a shifter of some sort. At least, every one that she got close enough to really look at was definitely a dual spirit. Shifters. Everywhere.

There was no way Lance didn't know. When they got back to his office at the end of the tour, she felt she needed to say something. He had to realize—after all this time—that they were both part of the magical world, even if he hadn't fully grown into his power back in high school. Neither had she. They'd just been kids, not really knowing their place in the world.

It was pretty clear that Lance had to have figured out where he fit in. Otherwise, how could he have attracted so many shifters to work for him? For all she knew, he was their Alpha!

The thought stopped her in her tracks. She turned on him and just blurted it out.

"Are you their Alpha?"

Lance stopped short, a quizzical expression on his face. "Their what?"

"That's not going to work, Lance. You've gathered too many shifters around you to not be one of them. So, what are you? A wolf? They like having their Packs around them, I hear. Or some kind of big cat? I know the Southwest is teeming with cougar shifters, but I thought they usually stuck pretty close to Las Vegas."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lance protested.

"Seriously?" She shook her head. "Look, it's okay. I'm a witch. I've known for a long time that you had magic. I just didn't know what kind, and I was too shy and too unsure of my own powers in high school to approach you."

"I have what, now?" Lance seemed truly confused. Could it be possible...?

"No way." She walked a short distance away. "Do you really still not know?"

"Know what?" He looked confused and a little angry, at this point, but she was beyond being afraid. Lance would never hurt her. She knew that in her bones.

"This..." She lifted her hand, palm upward, and allowed a bright ball of energy to form in her palm. She watched carefully as his eyes widened. "Have you really never seen a manifestation of magic before?"

"Magic?" he repeated, watching the power in her hand as if it were fascinating in some way.

"Magic," she confirmed, walking toward him slowly and taking his hand with her free hand.

There was a little tingle as their energies connected, and she knew it would be okay. His magic wasn't rejecting hers. On the contrary, it was like they were oppositely charged magnets—attracting each other. Wow. Now, that was different.

She transferred the white ball of cool energy she had called to his palm, holding his hand up and coaxing the little ball of energy to go to him. It went and was enveloped in a golden flame as his power answered. It flared up and made them both jump a little, but she held his hand throughout, containing the magic as best she could.

She hadn't expected the flare of his magic to be flame. It was almost the exact opposite of her ice, which she hadn't counted on. No wonder she'd always been so attracted to him. They were opposites, and like those magnets she'd just thought of, they attracted. _And how_ they attracted.

"What the hell was that?" Lance sounded uncharacteristically nervous.

"You've never seen your own magic before, have you?" she asked him, taking pity and dousing the little ball of ice, which made his flame retract, as well.

"My own..." he trailed off, seeming unable to finish the sentence.

"Magic," she said to encouragingly. "I've sensed it in you since we were kids."

"So, _that's_ why you were always watching me?" he asked, making her blush with embarrassment and move to put some space between them.

She looked down as she answered. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I wasn't all that sure of my own power, back then, but I could always see auras. It's only gotten stronger as I got older and learned control. That's how I saw that everyone out there in your shop is a shifter. Even Lexi at the desk. You really didn't know?"

"What's a shifter?"

Oh, Goddess. He was still totally clueless. Tina felt a little amazed that, at least in this, she was way ahead of Lance.

" _Shapeshifter_ ," she said, emphasizing the word. "You know. People who can turn into animals and back again."

"You mentioned wolves. Like _were_ wolves?" His voice rose on the last word. He still seemed to be having trouble believing, but it looked like, somewhere inside him, understanding was dawning.

"Got it in one," she told him. "There are all sorts of werecreatures. Birds, cats, bears, wolves. Those are just the ones I've met. Most are pretty nice people. At least the ones I know."

"Just to be sure, you weren't escaping from a mental institution when I found you, were you?"

Tina laughed at his half-serious question. "I promise I wasn't. I was on my way to a client's to deliver a potion she asked me to brew for her."

"Potion?"

She saw he needed more convincing. She reached into her purse and drew out the vial that contained the potion. It was glowing. Swirly blue light emitted from the clear glass bottle. She held it up for his inspection.

"This will help my client find something she lost. But it only works for twenty-four hours. If she doesn't find the item in that time, we'll have to try another solution." She put the bottle away, and the glow went with it. "This kind of potion really isn't my specialty, but I told her I'd try." Tina shrugged. "Hopefully, it'll work."

"What _is_ your specialty?" he asked, as if afraid of what she might answer.

"Now, that would be telling," she said with a grin. "I can see auras, and my power is cold while yours appears to be hot. If you're not a shifter, what are you?"

"I have no clue," he told her, taking a seat behind his desk and putting his head in his hands. "I don't feel normal anymore, Tina. And what you've just shown me..." He sighed and ran both hands through his hair before straightening to look at her. "It should've blown my mind, right? But, instead, it just feels like you gave me a piece to a puzzle I've been trying to solve my entire life."

"You really don't know, do you?" she said quietly, sitting in the guest chair across the desk from him.

"I haven't the foggiest."

## Chapter Three

"You know..." Tina's tone was more tentative when she spoke again. "I have some contacts that might be able to help you figure out what you are."

Lance looked deep into her eyes, wondering why she'd been put in his path just when he needed her kind of help. Maybe he still believed in fate, just the tiniest bit.

"What kind of contacts?" He'd hear her out. Maybe she _could_ help him. It certainly couldn't hurt to listen.

"Most shifters believe in and serve the Goddess. We call Her the Mother of All. Think of Her as Mother Earth, if that helps."

"I have no problem with a female deity. I'm not a religious nut. I believe in live and let live," he told her, just to be clear.

"That's good," she smiled at him. "Tolerance is the sign of an enlightened mind."

"Thanks. So, what does this Goddess have to do with me and my little problem?"

"Well, the contacts I have are in Nevada, and I believe they'd be willing to help you if I asked. They both serve the Goddess. They are a mated pair, and the female is a priestess. They're the most magical people I know, and they would probably be able to tell you why all those shifters have gathered around you. I suspect you really are a shifter of some sort, even though you've never shifted." She paused a moment, thinking hard. "You haven't shifted, right? No gaps in your memory or dreams about becoming an animal?"

"No," Lance shook his head. "But I keep thinking about the wind in my face and the sun on my back. Like I'm flying." He didn't tell her about the horrific side to his thoughts—the part where he's burning.

"That's good," she said, oblivious to his darker thoughts. "You might be a hawk or eagle shifter. Maybe an owl. I'm not up on all the different kinds of flight shifters there are, but I know there's a concentration of them in Las Vegas, gathered around the Redstone Alpha. You're a bit like him, in a way. You employ shifters of all kinds in your business, just like he does. If I had to guess, I'd say you've got part of a werewolf Pack in your garage area, but Lexi is some kind of big cat, I think. And the big guy who was in charge of your painting operation was a bear. I know a few bears, and he has that same aura."

"You know a few—" He cut himself off. "Tina. You know how ridiculous this all sounds, right?"

"I'm aware," she conceded. "But you seem to be taking it in stride. Or, at least, better than someone who didn't believe in magic. Somewhere deep down, my words are resonating. You have the instinct. You probably always did. That's why you caught me watching you when most regular people wouldn't notice a glace from afar. You're just not fully in touch with it. Once you sort that out, I think you'll feel a lot better. A lot less confused, anyway."

"You really think you—or those contacts in Vegas you mentioned—could help me?" The look on his face nearly broke her heart.

She'd never seen strong Lance Fiori seem so uncertain. So...scared, if it came right down to it. He was in a bad way, and her mission in life seemed to be to help folks who needed it. That instinct was what had caused her to be on the highway in her junker of a car in the first place.

Huh. Maybe fate had something to do with this meeting, after all. It wasn't beyond the scope of possibility that the Mother of All should put her in Lance's path when he was clearly in such dire need of direction.

* * *

"How is she?" the new High Priest asked the healer mage who had been attending their liege lady.

"Weak," the healer replied. "She will take many months to recover, unless a source can be found to feed magic to her more quickly."

"We've already tapped out whatever sources of magic we could find in the area. She's run through them like bonbons. Frankly, I'm having trouble finding places to stash all the bodies." The High Priest shook his head. He had to find another way to recharge his lady's energies.

They had a war to start.

"Gabriella has the seer's gift to some extent," the healer reminded him unnecessarily. "She was talking about a disturbance in the desert and a vision of fire. A man on fire, flying toward the sun. It might be just a legend, but if there really is such a thing as a phoenix still around in this day and age, he might be the answer we seek. Power of that intensity would go a long way toward reviving the _Mater Priori_."

The mother of their order, Elspeth's wellbeing was at the center of their focus. They hadn't spent so many centuries of effort to bring her back from the forgotten realm to which she'd been banished to let her starve for energy once back in the mortal realm. Her thirst for magic must be met, and High Priest Ornish wasn't about to let her siphon the life out of any more of her loyal followers.

She'd done so at first, when she'd arrived back in this realm. She'd sucked the life energy out of everyone present at her arrival. Those who had worked so hard to bring her forth had sacrificed everything to her need. Ornish had stepped up to fill the role of High Priest because most of the rest of the leadership of the ancient order of _Venifucus_ were dead at the hands of their _Mater Priori_.

A decidedly unexpected turn of events, but it had worked out well for Ornish. He wouldn't make the mistake of starving her of the energy she needed, or she wouldn't hesitate to drain him of his own considerable power and fling the body into the pit where they'd been stashing all the others she'd run through. They'd been procuring humans with even the slightest hint of latent magical energy to feed her need.

They'd managed to trap a few shifters, as well, but Elspeth's thirst for power was great, and the trip from the forgotten realm had been arduous and draining. She'd been back for months already but was still too weak to rise, much less lead the revolution her followers wanted. How could she lead them against the forces of Light when she couldn't even sit up for more than an hour at a time?

A solution must be found. Perhaps there was something to these visions of a phoenix. Or maybe it was just a hallucination. Gabriella had been known to experiment with the drugs she imported and distributed through her network of dealers. Either way, Ornish needed to find out. And he knew just the witch to send on the mission.

* * *

Gabriella wasn't pleased when she hung up the phone. Her big mouth had gotten her into trouble again. This time with the High Priest. The bastard didn't want to dirty his hands tracking down her vision, but he didn't hesitate to order her to investigate.

_Order_. Not ask. Who did Ornish think he was? Jumped up little toady. She should've shanked him years ago, before he'd weaseled his way into the power structure and stepped into the vacuum when Elspeth had obliterated the previous regime.

But he was the High Priest now, and Gabriella was obligated to obey. She didn't have to like it, though. Still, she got her ass on her private jet and headed for—where else—Phoenix. She'd seen enough in her vision to know at least that much, though the coincidence of the name of the city the phoenix shifter had chosen to live in made her itch. Had she been wrong about what she'd seen? If so, she was in for a world of trouble from the order if she couldn't deliver a phoenix for the _Mater_ to snack on.

Gabby only hoped she didn't end up on the menu, instead.

* * *

Tina had parted with Lance, promising to call him after she'd spoken with her contacts. He'd been kind enough to take her to drop off her package, and by the time they'd returned to his shop, her car had been retrieved and was running again. She had offered to pay for the tow and the service, but Lance had refused. Tina had made a point to tip the guys who'd picked up her car and done the work on it, at least.

She drove away, shaking her head at the weird turn life had taken today. Her car purred like a kitten, making content sounds she hadn't heard in years from the engine. The shifter mechanics Lance had attracted were talented individuals if they could get her old clunker running that well in such a short amount of time. She was duly impressed.

Tina got home and placed a call. She had known Kate for a long time and had met her mate a few times. The dude was a scary-assed cat shifter of some kind with a magical talent that wasn't much like other shifters. Kate had hinted at her husband being something a little different from other shifters, but she hadn't said what, and Tina wasn't one to pry. Still, if Lance really was a shifter, maybe Kate and her mate, Slade, would have some insight.

Kate was the priestess for the Redstone Clan of shifters, based out of Las Vegas. Tina wasn't quite sure if asking for Kate's help meant she was soliciting aid from the Redstone Clan itself. She didn't want to cause any trouble for Lance or draw too much attention to him that he probably wasn't ready for, so she was cautious in what she told her friend.

"He's gathered a group of shifters around him, all unawares," she said, holding the phone close to her ear as she moved about her kitchen, making dinner.

"Did anything feel off to you? Any hint of evil anywhere near?" Kate asked, sounding skeptical.

"Not a whiff of evil to be found," Tina assured her friend. "And I know this guy. We went to high school together. He was always a good guy, if a bit rough around the edges."

"High school was a long time ago, Tina. People change."

"Not him. He's still just like I remember him, only older." And even hotter than he'd been in high school, but Kate didn't need to know that part.

"He seriously didn't recognize the shifters around him?" Kate asked.

"Not a clue, but he took the existence of magic well, and there was this one thing..." Tina remembered the way his power had flared up and still wasn't quite sure what it had meant—other than he definitely had magic inside him. "I conjured a little ball of white light to prove to him what I was saying. I put it in his hand, and fire came up from his palm to envelop it. I could see flames."

"Are you sure he's not a mage? Some kind of fire talent?" Kate said quickly.

"Pretty sure. He reads like a shifter to me, but not any kind I've ever encountered." She kept thinking about her encounter with Lance. "And he seemed really troubled by whatever was going on inside him. Is it possible he's a shifter who doesn't know how to shift or something?"

"I've never seen anything like that myself. I'll ask Slade. He knows more about shifter stuff than I do. But I've never heard of any shifter species having an aptitude for fire. I wonder if he's a hybrid of some kind?"

"I don't think there's any way of knowing from this end. Lance was a foster kid. I don't think he knows anything about his birth parents."

Silence greeted that statement while Kate seemed to think over Tina's words. Finally, she responded. "Wow," she said slowly. "You certainly don't make things easy, do you?"

Tina chuckled. "Sorry, Kate. I didn't do it on purpose."

They hung up after exchanging a few more words and Kate promising to be in touch as soon as she talked things over with her mate. Much as Tina wanted to call Lance right away, she hadn't really learned anything useful yet that she could tell him. Maybe after Kate talked to Slade and called back, Tina would have the excuse she needed to connect with Lance again.

In the meantime, she had work to do. She had to keep thoughts of her encounter with Lance to a minimum. He was simply too distracting.

Of course, he'd always driven her to distraction. He hadn't done it deliberately, but he'd been such an enigmatic presence in high school. He'd drawn her eye every time they were in the same room. She'd found him fascinating and attractive way back then. Now? He was even more compelling.

There was something a little lost about him. A bit more hard-edged and troubled. As if he had a shadow over him, not of his own making. She worried for him. He seemed so in need of her help. She was almost afraid of what might happen if they couldn't figure out what was going on with him. Like maybe, one day, he'd go out into the desert and never return.

She couldn't allow that to happen. Not to Lance. Not to a man who was clearly a magnet for Others, who grouped around him by choice because he drew them. Like he drew her. There was no other reasonable explanation for the way all those shifters had come into his employ. They didn't collect around humans like that.

She wished she'd had more of a chance to talk to some of Lance's employees. She wondered if they even realized what was going on there. What did they make of his power? Were they even aware of it? Did they just assume he was like them, but really private? Or did they know what he was and were there to...what? Protect him? Watch over him? Keep an eye on him?

There were way more questions than answers, right now, and it was all incredibly frustrating. Tina would have to get some answers before she could put the distraction of Lance completely from her mind, but she wasn't going to get any tonight, and she still had a bit of work to do. Tina turned on her computer and started sorting through the email that had come in while she'd been out fooling around with her car and spending time with the delectable, distracting Lance.

## Chapter Four

Tina's phone rang before dawn the next day. She turned, bleary-eyed, and reached for the demon device ringing to shake the house down in the silence before dawn. Something had to be seriously wrong for anyone to call her at such an hour, so she tried to stifle her annoyance and worry.

"Hello?" Tina croaked, her voice rusty from sleep.

"I'm so sorry to bother you so early but Slade didn't get in 'til late, and if he's right about his suspicions, you need to talk to your friend right away. Before dawn, even." Kate launched right into the conversation, but Tina was having a hard time comprehending because she was still half-asleep.

"Before dawn? Why?" Tina repeated fuzzily.

"If he's what Slade suspects, the sun draws him. You made it sound like he was on edge, right? Well, if so, he might be close to his first shift. If he's the kind of shifter Slade thinks he might be, that's the most dangerous moment of his life. In fact, it could be the end of this incarnation altogether."

"What are you saying?" Tina sat up, putting both feet on the floor as she sat on the side of her bed. "What is he?"

"Slade thinks..." Here, Kate hesitated. Tina took notice, because Kate rarely hesitated about anything. "He could be a phoenix."

The word hung there between them for a moment as Tina tried to wrap her head around the concept. She frowned.

"Aren't phoenixes mythical creatures? I mean, I didn't think they actually existed," she finally said, running one hand through her tangled hair.

"According to my mate, they can exist. They are just incredibly rare. Most don't survive their first shift. Or, rather, they burn up and have to be reborn into a new body. A new life. Just like the legend."

"Sweet Mother of All. Are you serious?" Tina got up and started pacing in her bedroom. She was feeling more awake all the time.

"He's not sure, but what you described seems to fit. Slade's people in Tibet have had experience with many kinds of shifters that you and I might call mythical. He doesn't have firsthand knowledge of any phoenixes in the U.S., but it seems kind of fitting that they'd live in Phoenix, don't you think? Especially if one didn't quite realize what he was. I don't find it strange that he would be drawn to that city."

"Yeah, I've seen stranger stuff in my day," Tina admitted. "So, what can I do? How can I help him?"

"Slade strongly suggests that you get to him before sunrise. If he's close to his first shift, it'll get harder and harder for him to resist the lure of the sun. If he's alone when it happens and he heads for the stars, he'll probably burn up in the atmosphere, and that will be the end of your friend, as you knew him."

Kate sounded grave, and Tina just shook her head, appalled at the idea of Lance dying alone in the sky, nobody the wiser, and no trace left of him. That thought was so sad it hurt her heart.

"So, I stay with him? Watch over him?" she asked.

"Yes. That's why the shifters have surrounded him," Kate replied quickly. "They probably don't even realize it, but they were likely drawn to him. Phoenixes are said to have healing powers and special magic that affects other shifters in surprising ways. But he's going to need more than just those gathered around him, if he's going to survive his first shift. He's not mated, right?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Tina answered.

"That's not good. When he flies toward the sun, he'll need something to ground him and call him back. If he were bonded to a mate or had a family, that might work, but according to what you've told me about his background, he's very vulnerable. He has no one to call him back. You need to try to do that for him."

Stars! How what she supposed to accomplish that? It seemed like Kate was asking her for the impossible. Lance was just a high school classmate—not even a friend. They knew enough to nod to each other, but they weren't close. Sure, she'd watched him for the four years of high school, but she hadn't seen him since, and that seemed like a really tenuous connection to her. Would it be enough to bring him back to Earth if he really was this fabled phoenix shifter?

One thing was for certain. It would break her heart if he died and she could've done something to help. It would probably also hurt if he died on her watch, but she couldn't stand around and do nothing. That so totally wasn't her style. She might've been a bit shy in her school days, but Tina had come into her own as an adult, and she wasn't one to stand by and let things happen. No, Tina was usually at the center of the action nowadays.

It looked like she was going to have to do something to try to help Lance. It was the very least she could do. She only hoped Slade was right, and she wasn't going to sound like a complete nutjob when she tried to explain all this to Lance.

"You need to get to him before dawn, Tina," Kate reminded her when Tina didn't reply. "Just in case."

"Yeah. All right." Tina shook herself. "Okay. I'll call if I have more to ask or report. In the meantime, I'm gonna go and get dressed, and give him a call. Damn. It's early to be calling."

"It is," Kate agreed. "But you have to. It could mean his life."

* * *

Lance couldn't take it anymore. He was awake before dawn. Again. It was like the sun was calling his name, and it was getting louder as the dawn neared. It was driving him crazy.

He was so tempted to go out to the desert again. He didn't understand any of this. He hardly believed the revelations Tina had made yesterday in his office about magic and the nature of the people who worked for him. He hadn't been able to think about anything else for the rest of the day and had fallen into a troubled sleep. And now, this... This haunting calling of the sun just over the horizon.

He just didn't know what to make of it.

When the phone rang, it made him jump, but he recovered quickly and picked up the call before it could ring again. "Yeah?"

"Uh...Lance? It's me, Tina. Sorry to call so early."

"It's okay. I wasn't asleep." He was surprised to hear her voice, but it calmed him. In fact, she almost drowned out the incessant call of the sun. "What can I do for you?"

"I just heard back from my contacts in Nevada. They have some rather startling suspicions about your situation, and they didn't want me to wait to share them with you. Are you, by any chance, feeling drawn toward the sun?"

"How did you know?" he asked before he was even aware of having spoken.

"Not me. My contacts. They think maybe you're a very rare flight shifter that has an affinity for the sun," she told him. "Look, can I come over? I'd really rather explain all this in person. You're not married or living with someone, are you?"

Lance was surprised by the seemingly disjointed questions but answered readily. "No, I'm single. And, yeah, I don't mind pre-dawn conversations, if you don't. Come on over. I live behind my shop. There's a separate entrance next to the main entrance to the shop yard. Turn up the entrance marked _private_ , and that'll take you right up to the house."

"Great. I'll see you in a few minutes. Promise me you won't go outside before I get there."

"I won't," he agreed, wondering why she'd sounded so adamant about.

She hung up, and Lance spent the next few minutes cleaning up a little. He wasn't a slob, but he had left a few things lying around, and the place looked a little sloppy. Five minutes of putting things where they belonged, and the house was presentable enough.

He put the coffee maker on and sat at the kitchen island, waiting for it to perk.

Surprisingly, the doorbell rang before the coffee finished, and he went to answer it. Sure enough, Tina was standing on his doorstep in the dark before dawn.

"You made good time," he observed.

"I don't live far," she told him as he opened the screen door for her. She entered, sliding under his outstretched arm and moving into the house. Damn, she smelled good.

"The coffee should be about ready by now. Come on into the kitchen," he invited, leading the way after he closed the door.

Tina followed quietly, and he resisted turning to catch her expression. He wondered what she made of his home. He hadn't had too many women here, so he wasn't sure what the female of the species would think of his decorating style. He liked it. It was all clean lines and metallic or stone surfaces. Sleek and easy to keep clean.

He motioned her to sit at the kitchen island as he took down two mugs and filled them with coffee. "Milk? Sugar?" he asked politely. She declined both, and he joined her at the counter with his own mug of black coffee. "So, what have you got to tell me?"

"It's a theory," she told him. "An incredible theory." She sipped her coffee before going on. "My contact says you might be a... And this is hard for me to believe, but they insist it's possible. You might be a...phoenix."

He took that in for a moment, considering. "Like a bird that flies into the sun, burning up and being reborn from the ashes? That kind of thing?"

"Yeah, strange as it sounds." She sipped more coffee.

"Doesn't sound like it ends well for me," Lance observed, stalling for time. He didn't know what to make of her words, but somewhere deep inside, the idea seemed to resonate. What the hell?

"Yeah, well. It could be bad if you shift, fly up toward the sun and don't come back. The theory goes that you'd die and reincarnate to a new life, new body, et cetera. My contact says most phoenixes don't make it past their first shift unless they have someone or something to ground them and call them back from their headlong flight toward the sun."

"Is that why you asked me if I had a wife or girlfriend?" he asked, putting two and two together. He'd hoped maybe she'd asked for personal reasons, but he didn't want to make a fool of himself, assuming things.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I also didn't want to barge in on you and any companion you might've had here," she admitted, smiling shyly, in the way he remembered from high school. She'd been such a sweet kid, and so totally out of his league. "But my friend insisted that I come before dawn, in case you..."

"In case I went crazy and flew into the sun," he supplied the rest of her sentence, shaking his head. "The thing is, the sun..." He had a hard time admitting it out loud, but Tina deserved to know. "It's calling me. I hear it, even now, singing to me, luring me out. It's very compelling, and it's getting stronger every day. I'm afraid, one day, I'm just going to go out there and never come back."

She reached over and placed her hand on his, surprising him into looking at her. Those pretty green eyes of hers were filled with concern.

"I'm going to try not to let that happen, Lance. I want to help you. I want to be here for you, just in case." She looked so earnest. So pretty. So caring.

He let the moment stretch, and then, he leaned closer, fitting his lips to hers in the first kiss they'd ever shared. Not that he hadn't thought about it a million times before. When he'd caught her watching him in high school—pretty much every time he'd caught her watching him—he'd thought about what it would be like to hold her and kiss her. And make love to her.

Whoa. He was probably thinking way too fast for such a new re-acquaintance. But she kissed like a dream. Like she'd been waiting as long as he had to learn what it would be like—the two of them, together.

The kiss ended, and he backed off. When he opened his eyes, she was still poised close, a dreamy expression on her lovely face. He wanted to kiss her again, but he didn't want to push. She was special. He had to treat her that way.

Maybe it was his imagination, but the call of the sun was quieter now. It was still there, in the back of his mind, but it was much less urgent. Had kissing Tina done that?

He raised his hand and stroked a strand of hair away from the side of her face. "I've wanted to do that for a very long time," he whispered, not sure why he was speaking. Maybe it was easier to reveal truths in the dark before dawn. Whatever it was, he felt like he had to say some things to her now that he had her here, in his house. "I always thought you were the prettiest girl in our graduating class, but that I'd never be good enough for you."

Her eyes widened. "You were a rogue back then. The loveable bad boy all the girls wanted to date."

"None of them could hold a candle to you, Tina. You were, and still are, a class act." His gaze held hers, a magnetic pull between them that he was finding hard to ignore.

"And you're still a rogue, riding motorcycles and fast cars," she whispered, coming in for another kiss. Yeah. Maybe she was feeling it, too.

Lance moved closer, this time, taking her in his arms. He stood from his stool, and she followed him, moving into his embrace as if she'd been made to fit there. The kiss deepened into something even more serious and profound. Dipping low to cup her butt, he lifted her up onto the granite slab that covered the kitchen island. Then, he made a place for himself between her thighs, all while keeping the kiss going.

It was a smoldering fire that was quenched only by her lips. She soothed his raging inferno of desire into something altogether sublime. She was his equal and his opposite, and she seemed to be enjoying this as much as he was.

She scooted closer to him on the countertop, pressing her body into his. He was going to take things to the next level when the early morning silence was broken—for the second time that day—by the loud ring of his phone.

Lance broke the kiss and just stood there for a moment, resting his forehead against hers. "Damn." He was breathing hard, but so was she. They'd been lost to the world, but the phone had brought them both crashing back to reality. "I have to answer that. It could be something important. Nobody calls this early, except when they really need something."

"I understand," she whispered, reaching for the phone, which was on the counter behind her. She handed it to him as he moved away.

## Chapter Five

Tina couldn't believe she'd just been kissing sexy Lance Fiori as if her life depended on it. Damn. He was a good kisser. And she might've learned a whole lot more about his lovemaking had the phone not brought them both to their senses. Saved by the bell. Or not. She wasn't sure if she was upset by the interruption or relieved by it.

Lance was taking notes while still on the phone. It sounded like some sort of automotive crisis that only he could handle. She wasn't thrilled by the idea that he had to leave—not after they'd just been kissing like there was no tomorrow—but she also understood that he had his own business, and he had to keep that going, not only for himself, but for all those he employed.

When he finally ended the call, she was already on her feet, her pocketbook in hand. She was planning to make a hasty exit, trying to keep what little dignity she still had intact, but he stopped her, putting one muscular arm around her waist.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice gentler than she'd ever heard it.

She couldn't quite meet his eyes. "You've got work to do. I don't want to get in your way."

He turned her so that they were standing face to face, but she didn't know where to look. Lance was completely outside her limited experience with men. He was something greater than any man she'd ever been with. He was _Lance._ Her high school crush. Possibly a freaking phoenix shifter. It was all just a little bit too much.

But Lance wasn't letting her get away that easily. He lifted her head with one calloused finger under her chin. He didn't force her, but he also would not be denied. She met his gaze, cringing a little inside at what might be going through his mind.

"Will you come back later this afternoon?" His question took her by complete surprise.

"Why?" The word escaped without her conscious control.

"A lot of reasons. First, I seem to like having you around." His lopsided grin warmed her heart. "Second, I really want to talk to you more about this phoenix thing. And third..." He caressed her hair with one gentle hand as he looked deep into her eyes. "The call of the desert is less when you're around. It was driving me crazy before you called and all while I was waiting for you to arrive, but now... Now, it's much more manageable, for the first time in weeks. It's been driving me a little crazy, if I'm honest, and I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until now. You muted it. I mean, it's still there, but it's way less. You did that, Tina. I have no other explanation. If you hadn't already told me you were a witch, I'd start thinking it now."

His smile invited her to do the same. "All right," she agreed quietly.

"Will you go to dinner with me? I'll make reservations," he offered.

"Reservations? Should I get dressed up?"

He liked the playful light in her eyes. "Yeah, why don't we? Let's do this up right. I haven't been out to a nice place in too long, and I definitely owe you a special dinner for all the help you've been so far."

"I'd like that," she told him. He felt like he'd just won the lottery. "Now, I just have one more question before I go. Do you have a right-hand man? Some employee or partner in your business that you trust more than the others?"

"Yeah, I guess. Why?" he asked, surprised and a bit concerned by her question.

"Because I think we need to have a contact among your shifters. Somebody needs to know what you're up against, just in case I'm not here and you have a crisis. You need allies, right now, Lance. Is there someone you trust enough that you'll let him or her in on your secret?" Her gaze was serious, her words troubling.

"There's Stone. He runs the mechanics. He's a good man," Lance told her, confident in his friend and employee, but would Stone think they were completely nuts? "Are you absolutely positive they're shifters?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm positive," she assured him. "And don't worry. You don't have to do this part on your own. I'm going to come back before closing time. Maybe you could set up a meeting with this Stone guy in your office for like an hour before quitting time? I'll be glad to break the news and see if he's willing to help. I can also probably tell if he's on the level or not, which is something else we need to establish before we know exactly who you can trust."

"On the level?" This was getting complicated.

"Lance, the kind of power you have inside you is very tempting to magic users with evil intent. If you survive your first shift, you're not completely out of the woods. There may be people out there plotting against you. Like I said, you're going to need allies. The people who've gathered around you have done so for a reason. My contacts seem to think they would be a good place to start in the search for those allies."

"All right," he caved, willing to trust Tina in this crazy business, where he probably wouldn't trust anyone else so easily. "I'll set up the meeting."

"Then, I'll be here around four in the afternoon. Does that work?" she asked, smiling up at him so beautifully he had to bend down and buss her on the lips.

* * *

At four o'clock, Lexi announced Tina's arrival, and Stone showed up, a rag in his hands that he was using to clean the grease out from under his fingernails. His hands were clean, but he was a little fussy about removing all the traces of his labors before he headed home. Some of the guys teased him about it, but most followed his example. Lance privately thought he must have the cleanest garage in the history of garages, but maybe that was because shifters were more sensitive about things like odors and sounds.

Lance had been thinking about it all day. If a person could turn into an animal at will, wouldn't they have more acute senses than regular folk? He thought that was what the legends said, so maybe there was some truth to it all. He wasn't sure. Yet another question for Tina, or maybe for Stone...if he didn't laugh his way out of Lance's office first.

Lance hoped like hell that he wasn't about to make a fool of himself. All he really had was Tina's word for the fact that there were supposedly a bunch of shapeshifters all around him every day. What if she was wrong? What if he was losing his ever-loving mind? What if this was all a big mistake?

But then, he thought about the kisses he'd shared with Tina. Something that felt that right could never be a mistake.

He'd felt so good all day. Better than he'd felt in a long time. The call of the sun had been so much less. It had been a blessed relief not to have that itchy feeling in his mind, driving him to go out to the desert and...what? He still wasn't sure about this phoenix stuff.

What was he going to do? Sprout wings and fly? Yeah, right. Lance still didn't really believe that sort of thing was possible for him. Maybe werewolves were real. He was almost ready to accept that because there had been so many myths and legends throughout the ages about such things. There had to be some element of truth in there somewhere, right?

But people turning into birds? Flaming birds that fly into the sun? Fat chance.

Although... There were plenty of legends about the phoenix out there. He'd done a little web surfing at odd moments throughout the day and had read some of them. It was the stuff of fantasy. Mythology. Ancient lore that really didn't seem to have a bearing on the world today.

He just didn't know. It felt like maybe... Maybe there might be some truth to it, but he couldn't be sure. Not yet, anyway.

Still, he was troubled enough by the rising and setting of the sun, that he was willing to explore the possibilities. He sort of dreaded the meeting to come, though. What if Tina was wrong about Stone and the guys in the shop? Lance didn't want his employees thinking he was crazy.

"You wanted to see me, boss?" Stone took a chair in front of Lance's desk, still working on his fingers with the clean rag.

"Yeah. Just hang on for a minute. I have another friend coming," Lance told him, going to the doorway to meet Tina on the way in.

He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "Are you sure about this?"

When he stepped back, she nodded. "Quite sure," and strode into the office to look at Stone, seated in one of the guest chairs. "Hello, Alpha."

Stone sat up straight in his chair and narrowed his gaze on Tina. He didn't look friendly. In fact, Lance didn't like the way his employee was looking at Tina at all.

"Do I know you?" Stone said, sounding more than a bit unfriendly.

Lance stepped between them. "Tina is an old friend of mine. We went to high school together. Tina, this is Stone. Now, play nice," Lance ordered them, only half joking.

Tina looked at the open door and waved her hand at it. Lance's jaw dropped as the door slammed shut.

"I'm a witch. I serve the Light," Tina said rather boldly. "And I want to help Lance. He's in trouble, and he needs allies."

Stone seemed to weigh her words before he answered. "What sort of trouble?"

"Do you know what he is?" Tina countered the question with another.

"Not really," Stone admitted, looking uncomfortably at Lance then moving his gaze back to Tina.

"He doesn't know for certain either, but I've been in touch with the priestess of the Redstone Clan and her mate. They think they recognize the signs," Tina spoke more softly. "They think he's a phoenix."

Stone looked at Lance again, as if measuring him. He paused so long that Lance began to feel uncomfortable, but he refused to fidget.

"Well, hell. That would explain a lot of things," Stone finally said.

Holy shit. Had Stone just admitted to believing in the crazy world of shapeshifters and magic? Son of a gun, but Lance believed he had.

"Like why you and your Pack members were drawn here? Why you feel compelled to watch out for him?" Tina asked quietly. "If we're right, he's nearing the crisis point. If he shifts, he'll need something to come back for...or he won't come back at all."

"Sweet Mother of All," Stone breathed.

## Chapter Six

Lance was nervous as the sun started its descent. He was out in the desert behind his house. He'd built his shop on the outskirts of town and put his house behind that, so he'd have a vantage on the sandy scrub land that stretched for miles. It had called to him—like the sun was calling to him now—taunting him. Begging him to chase it as it sank below the horizon.

Once Tina had established the mind-blowing fact that he was, indeed, working with a bunch of shapeshifters, things had happened rather quickly. Stone had identified himself as the Alpha of the group of mechanic-slash-werewolves who were on Lance's payroll. Apparently, that meant he was their leader and could make decisions for the group.

Stone had gone on to identify the other kinds of shifters—the bear in the paint shop and Lexi the lynx up front among them. It turned out there was quite a wide range of Others working for Lance in one form or another, and a lot of their suppliers were also shifter businesses. That was something Lance hadn't even considered.

What had truly amazed him was the way his people had come together to stand with him as they attempted to bring on his first shift under controlled circumstances. The idea had been something Tina and Stone had come up with between them, and Lance was happy to humor them if it meant figuring this whole thing out sooner. He was feeling the pull of the sun more strongly than ever—the temporary relief Tina had given him had worn off over the day, and as the sun started its descent, Lance wanted nothing more than to follow it.

Such a weird thought. He still couldn't really wrap his head around it, but the gathering of his employees and Tina out in the wasteland behind his house said that they certainly believed it was possible. Or, maybe they were just humoring him.

He didn't think so, though. They certainly seemed to be taking this seriously. In fact, Stone had started barking orders to his guys, stationing them around the perimeter of the yard like sentries. Lexi had taken up a position next to Tina, as if watching for Tina to make one false move. Lance had to shake his head at that one. Lexi was a kid, not even out of her teens yet. She was good at answering phones, but a badass, she was not.

Or was she? Stone had seemed dead serious when he'd said Lexi was a lynx. Lance didn't know much about them, but he thought they were some kind of oversized cat with tufted ears. He also thought maybe they lived in Canada, so Lexi must be an anomaly if she preferred the desert. If she even was a lynx. Lance hadn't seen anything yet to prove all the claims Stone and Tina had made between them.

"I'm going to cast a circle of protection," Tina said, coming up beside Lance as they all took their positions.

Lance was in the center of a circle of his employees. Stone stood back, watching, and he nodded at Tina's words as if he agreed with her idea. Lexi followed Tina around like she had appointed herself Tina's guard.

"How are you holding up?" Tina asked as Lance took it all in.

He was beginning to feel light headed from the noise in the back of his skull. He squinted, holding the bridge of his nose. "I'm okay. Just not really sure what's happening."

"Okay. Hold tight for one more minute. The circle will prevent evil from sensing you while you are within it, and it will offer some protection for you and your people," she told him.

He wasn't sure what it all meant, but the pounding in his temples was starting to get unbearable.

Tina shot him a worried look and took off for the perimeter of the circle of his mechanics, sifting something through her fingers and onto the ground as she walked the circumference. He thought she might be chanting or singing something, but he couldn't tell for sure. The noise in his head overpowered almost every other sense at the moment. It hurt like a son of a bitch.

Tina came back to him, and Stone was with her. He reached out to touch Lance's shoulder and pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned. Lance felt hotter than normal, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"Okay, boss. Time to get this party started," Stone said quietly. "I don't know how your kind does it, but the rest of us have to strip so we don't ruin our clothes when we get furry." Stone gave his guys the nod, and all around the circle—unbelievably—everyone was taking off their clothes.

Everyone, except for Tina. Sadly, he realized, she was really the only one he was interested in seeing naked. He smiled a little at his own absurd thoughts as he caught her eye.

"Suddenly, my entire staff are a bunch of nudists?" he quipped. She smiled at him, but he could tell she was nervous.

"It's the shifter way," she said softly. "Try to relax. Don't fight the sun's song, and when it happens, remember, we're waiting here for you to come back. _I'm_ here, waiting, Lance. I want you to come back to me." She reached up and touched her palm to his cheek.

She was cool to his warmth. Soothing. Right.

"I'll do my best," he promised. Then, he bent to kiss her softly, just once. She made everything feel better, and for a moment, the noise in his brain lessened.

He drew back and stiffened. A fire was building in the pit of his stomach and wanted out. Tina, bless her, didn't flinch from him. Instead, she stood there, watching him with those beautiful green eyes that now were glowing with power, reflecting the rise he felt within his own soul.

Holy shit. Maybe they were right.

"Don't fight it, boss," Stone said. "Follow us into the shift. Let it flow over you. Just let it all go..."

And as Lance watched, one by one, his staff went from human to animal form. A fierce lynx sat on her haunches slightly behind Tina, standing guard over the sole human form in the circle. The men all around the perimeter were now wolves, standing guard. There were also a few bears, a fox, and a few other animals he didn't have time to identify with his human consciousness before something...other...took over.

Something burst out of him, becoming him, turning his arms to great wings of fire and his legs into taloned claws. The lower part of his face elongated into a beak, and his hair turned to feathers. The sun's call was triumphant. Welcoming. Luring.

Lance couldn't hold it back any longer. He jumped from the ground and leapt into the sky, beating his arms—wings—to attain height. The sky was his home in that moment as he trailed fire out behind him.

The roar of the wind was all he heard as he chased the sun, wanting nothing more than to become part of it. One with the flame that lived in his soul.

And the power! The strength was like nothing he'd ever experienced. He felt invincible. Magnificent. Completely different than he'd ever been before.

The song of the sun was part of him now. It wasn't something he would ever fear again because he understood it now. It was welcoming him. Singing to him. Calling him brother and son, origin and rebirth. It all made sense now, and he wanted to go to the sun...

But then, he heard something else, and his heart tugged him back toward the Earth. No! He was finally free. He wanted the sun. He wanted to be free. But he also wanted what waited for him far below.

Friends. People who cared about him. Responsibilities that he enjoyed. His beloved engines... And a woman...

Tina. Tina was down there, and her magic was calling just as strongly to him. She was cool white ice in the center of a hot desert. She was ice. He was fire. They were opposites, and they belonged together.

Lance made spirals, heading for the place from which he'd started. He wanted to be with his friends. He wanted to be with Tina, most of all. He liked the sun, but he loved his people far below. There would be time later to seek the sun. Much later.

"He's coming back," Stone said at Tina's side.

He and Lexi had shifted back to human form and dressed, keeping her company as she tried to follow Lance's flight. He lit up her magical senses, but she couldn't see him with her eyes. Her vision wasn't as acute as the shifters' abilities.

"Thanks be to the Mother of All," Tina breathed, feeling an enormous amount of relief.

"Could he really have taken off for the sun and never come back?" Lexi asked, at her side.

"That's what my priestess friend told me. He needed us to ground him. To make him aware that he had a reason to come back," Tina said, watching the fiery trail of magic that was the only trace of Lance. He was so immensely powerful—and so new to the unseen world. "He's going to need us more than ever now that he's out. His magic is a tasty target for the forces of darkness."

"We'll look after him," Stone promised. "He's been good to us. Looked after us when we were on our own. He's given us sanctuary and allowed us to form bonds we never would have otherwise. We take care of our own, and he's one of us, whether he ever realized it before today or not."

Tina was really glad to hear the Alpha werewolf say that. Lance would need all the help he could get while he learned the ways of his incredible power.

"We'll run patrols around his house from now on at night. We won't leave him unprotected," Stone promised.

"Good," Tina said, watching Lance approach. "Though, I'm not sure what he'll think about that. You know Lance. He always thinks he's invincible."

Stone chuckled. "So, we won't tell him. At least, not at first. He's going to have a hard time harnessing that beast, I think. We'll keep an eye on him until he gets it sorted out. However long that takes."

Tina turned a quick glance on Stone. "You're a good friend," she told him. "Thank you for standing by him."

"He means a lot to you, huh?" Stone asked.

Tina merely nodded, saved from having to give a full answer by the rather awkward flight pattern of the streak of magical fire that was Lance.

He didn't so much land as crash, but the wolves were there to catch him. After a few false starts, the wolves realized Lance was too hot to handle, but Tina went over. She had no fear of his magical fire. Her power was ice-like, so they complemented each other.

Lance had shifted to human form once on the ground, and he was naked. The simple T-shirt and jeans he'd been wearing had been burned to cinders by his phoenix. Wow.

"Let's get you back to the house," Tina said calmly, though inside, she was quaking. Lance looked really weak. So much so that he was trembling. She shot a questioning glance to Stone, who had followed at a slight distance.

"First timers are often shaky for a while after. It should wear off with a bit of sleep," he told her. "And food. Lots of food. I'll send someone to get takeout. We know what he likes."

Tina helped Lance to the house, and the others gave them a wide berth. Lance was still kind of hot, but he was cooling rapidly now that his initial magic had been released. It had been like nothing she could ever have imagined. He'd been flame itself, streaking toward the stars, like a meteor traveling in reverse.

He began to shiver long before they reached the house. Dark had fallen, and the outside temperature was dropping rapidly. Plus, he'd pretty much burnt out. His internal fire had been banked to a tiny ember. Tina had to get him warm, so she guided him to his bed. He collapsed into a sitting position on the side of the bed and insisted on wiping his feet on the sheepskin he kept on the floor there. She could always beat the dirt and sand out of it later. Better in the wool on the floor than in his bed sheets.

Once he was satisfied with his feet, he allowed her to tuck him into his bed, pulling the covers up to his chin. A moment later, he was out like a light, sleeping off his first amazing shift into a mythological creature.

## Chapter Seven

Tina answered the back door when someone knocked quietly. It was Stone, and he had a giant bag of takeout in one big hand. He brought it in and plopped it on the kitchen counter for her.

"How is he?" he asked in a quiet, somewhat urgent tone.

"Sleeping. He seems all right," she told the big man. "Thank you for the food, and thank you for helping earlier. Lance has always been special, and I'm glad to see he's got such a loyal group of friends around him now."

"You guys went to high school together?" Stone asked, sounding interested.

"Yeah," Tina replied. "We weren't really friends in high school. I don't think we ever even talked much, but we were aware of each other. Or, rather, I was always aware of him. He had that glow of magic around him, even back then."

"Did you know what he was?" Stone asked quietly.

"Oh, no. Not at all. Heck, I didn't even know what I was until I hit my twenties," she admitted with a chuckle.

"And what, exactly, are you?" Stone's tone was challenging.

"A witch," she replied succinctly. She wasn't going to tell this guy before she told Lance. No way, no how.

"What kind of witch?" Stone kept pressing, but Tina wouldn't budge. She would make one small concession, though.

"Nothing bad," she told him. "Nothing that would ever hurt Lance."

Stone eyed her for a moment, as if considering whether to push further, but seemed to take her words at face value. He backed off, heading toward the back door. "I'm right outside if you need help. I'm taking first watch, then my guys will work in shifts throughout the night. Someone will be available if you need anything. Just stick your head out the door and call out. A wolf will come running."

"I can't thank you enough," she said, meaning every word. Stone merely nodded and headed out, leaving the wafting aroma of barbeque behind.

That takeout food he'd brought smelled darn good. If Lance didn't wake soon, she might just break down and start in on it herself. It had been a long day, and she was getting hungry.

"I heard voices." Lance's words came to her from the entrance to the kitchen. He was up and dressed in sweats. He looked sleepy, and a little haggard, but otherwise all right.

"Stone just brought food. Are you hungry?" She went to the counter and put her hand on the takeout bag.

Lance ran a hand through his hair as he yawned. "I could eat whatever's in there and the bag, too," he told her. "Have I thanked you for looking after me yet?"

His voice had dipped low as he moved closer, and she didn't resist when his arms went around her waist. She allowed him to draw her up against his body, enjoying the warmth of him through the layer of soft fabric against her hands.

"No thanks are necessary," she told him, wondering exactly what form his _thanks_ would take.

"Oh, yes, they are. You've gone above and beyond for me, Tina, and I shudder to think what would've happened out there without you. I came back because of you. Nothing else mattered when I was on the sun's path. I wanted to chase it down. To merge with it. That's all I knew. But then, I remembered my guys and my business down here. The cars I love and the work and the friends I've made. But even all that wasn't enough. What tipped the scales and allowed me to break the pull was you. I wanted to come back to you."

Lance's voice had lowered to intimate tones as he rested his forehead against hers. There was a little bubble of intimacy around them that felt special and pure.

"I'm really glad," she whispered, feeling the import of the moment.

Lance leaned in and kissed her, deeply. It was a kiss of gratitude and care, tenderness and joy. When Lance pulled back, Tina didn't want him to go, but she knew there were other matters to tend to now that he was awake. Food was the first item on the agenda.

She stepped out of his arms and went back to the takeout bag. "Sit down. I'll unpack this and put it on the table. You need to eat. Then, we have to discuss a few things."

"You're bossy," he observed with a grin, even as he sat down as she'd instructed.

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully, unpacking and opening the containers of barbeque Stone had provided. She got plates down from the cupboard and brought it all over to the kitchen table over the course of several short trips. Surely, there would be enough here for Tina to have a few bites of something, just to keep her strength up.

"Don't wait on me," she'd told him on her first trip to drop off the plates and a container of ribs. "What do you want to drink?"

"Water," he told her. "Lots and lots of water."

"Coming right up." She bustled around the kitchen while he attacked the food she'd put out.

Tina noticed that he'd put a small serving out of every container on her plate before he scooped a much larger portion onto his own. He'd provided a full plate for her, even as he took care of his own hunger. That was the mark of a true gentleman, as far as she was concerned—and a sign that he cared, which touched her heart.

She joined him at the table after procuring two big glasses of water. She noticed that he had a pretty sophisticated purification system on his tap. She'd seen that kind of thing before, in shifter homes. They tasted the impurities more than regular folk and preferred the cleanest water they could get when they were in human form.

She sat, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. The food was delicious, and after the first few bites to sate her hunger, she slowed down and savored it. Lance was more in the mode of shoveling it into his mouth, chewing a little and swallowing to make room for more. He just kept going and going as she watched in surprise. But Stone had known Lance would be really hungry.

Shifters must burn a lot of calories when they shift, and the mass quantities of food helped replace what he'd lost, she supposed. Flying like that had to take a lot out of a being. At least ground shifters could stop moving and rest a while, but when you were in the air, you had to keep those wings beating or you'd plummet. Maybe flight shifters burned even more calories than their land-based counterparts. It was a theory. She'd run it by Kate and see if she knew whether it was plausible or not.

When Lance finally slowed down, most of the food was gone. He'd systematically gone back to the containers and cleaned them out, one after the other. She'd kept refilling his water glass too, which he drained with regularity. He'd asked her, each time he went for another of the containers, if she wanted any more of a particular dish before he demolished it, which she thought was very thoughtful, but she declined. It was clear he was in more need than she was, and to be honest, the plate he'd fixed for her when he opened everything had been more than enough to satisfy her hunger.

"Were you able to get any more information on my situation from your contacts?" Lance asked at one point when his inhalation of barbequed meat had slowed to a more human pace.

"I wanted to discuss it with you before I talked to them again. Now that we're sure of what you are, the decision about who knows what and how they hear it is up to you," she told him. "I didn't want to overstep. I mean, Kate and Slade know it's possible that I know a phoenix here in Phoenix, but they don't know for sure, and they don't know the particulars. I wanted to make sure you were okay with them knowing more before I said anything else."

Lance paused, lowering his fork, and looked at her. "Thanks." His tone was pleased, and she was glad she'd decided on that course of action.

Of course, her first impulse had been to call Kate, but she'd reined herself in. She was happy now that she had.

"You know, I wasn't kidding before when I said it was your presence that called me back, Tina. I think that's probably the key. If someone like me doesn't have a strong enough bond to something, or someone, on the ground, there's really no reason to return to Earth. Not when the sun's call is so strong you can feel it with every fiber of your being."

"I can only imagine something so powerful," she whispered. "But I'm really glad you came back. We need you here, Lance. The world needs you."

"What about you?" He gave up all pretense of eating as he faced her and looked deep into her eyes.

Tina swallowed hard. Dare she put her heart on the line here? He had only just come back into her life, and she didn't really know all that much about him as an adult. But...she knew enough. She knew how he lived and the powerful friends he'd gathered around him. She knew he was still as pure of heart as he had been as a teenager. She couldn't _not_ take that leap of faith and tell him the truth.

"Yeah," she whispered softly. "I need you, too."

He was out of his chair in the blink of an eye. In the next moment, he raised her to her feet and took her into his arms. His lips were on hers before she could even catch her breath, and then, he stole it again with the most intense passion she'd ever experienced.

She sensed movement but wasn't really aware of her surroundings until she felt the world tilt and she found herself on a bed. Lance's bed. The bed she'd tucked him into a little while before. He'd been naked, then, and he was fast becoming naked again as she pushed at his clothing and he assisted by removing it, piece by piece.

He was also removing her clothes, helping her fling them across the room. She didn't want anything between them. No fabric. No air. No nothing. She wanted to be skin to skin with him and learn what it felt like to be joined with him completely.

She needed him like she needed her next breath. She wanted to finally know what it would be like to be with Lance. Her girlhood dreams come true, only so much better. They were adults now. They had lives and experiences. They were coming together out of mutual attraction and respect, not just teenage hormones.

Although...he sure did make her feel horny as a teenager again. He was so hot. _Handsome_ -hot, but also just _hot_ -hot. His skin temperature was warmer than a normal person, but she figured that was the phoenix part of him influencing the human part. Her own power often made her cooler than normal, so they were perfect opposites. He warmed her, and she cooled him.

She wondered what would happen when his fire met her icy energy in passion. Would they combust, or would they fizzle? Somehow, based on the way he was making her feel so far, fizzling probably wasn't on the menu. Far from it.

Tina held onto his broad shoulders as he came down over her. There was no time or need for too many preliminaries. She'd wanted him for a long time, and their reunion had rekindled the desires she hadn't fully understood as a schoolgirl. Now, however, she was fully prepared to act on the longing that had never faded. The passion that seemed eternal.

Lance came down over her, blanketing her in his warmth. His magic reached out to hers, twining together in a dance mirrored by their bodies as their legs entwined.

"Do you feel it?" he asked, breathing as hard as she was, caught up in the moment.

"Our magics like each other," she told him, rubbing against him and loving the feel of his skin against hers, his hardness heading toward where she wanted it most.

"More than that. Our souls..." he whispered as he found his place between her thighs. She wanted to know what he had been going to say, but she wanted the climax that was so near even more.

He moved, taking her rapidly from passionate expectancy to the most amazing feelings she'd ever experienced. He touched her everywhere—if not physically, then magically. His power enveloped her and felt like little licks of flame all over her body. Delicious. Primitive. And enticing her to follow him into the fire.

That was really something for a mage whose power generated as ice. Nevertheless, she went where he led and had no regrets when they went up together in his flames, reaching a climax unlike any she'd had before in her life. The gold of his fire and the silver of her ice twined around them, bathing them in the extremes of power and pleasure.

Tina cried out his name, and she thought she heard him call hers, too. She couldn't really be sure, though. The roar of his flames was in her ears along with the shriek of her power.

As she came down from the heights he'd flown her to, she realized he'd been saying something about their souls. She reached out with her magical senses, and then, she gasped. They were connected now on the magical plane. Where there had been two separate entities—one of golden fire and one of silver ice—there were now two beings joined by a twining pillar of silver and gold.

They were bonded.

Had he realized this would happen even before they'd made love? If so, how? Lance hadn't even known what he was until today. How could he have known about the magic that would bind them?

She turned her head to look at him. He'd settled on his back at her side. They were both still breathing hard, coming down from the intensity of their joining.

He met her gaze, his internal flame glowing in his eyes. "You're my mate," he said in a soft, sure tone. As if he'd always known and had just been proven right.

"Mate? How do you know about shifter mating?"

She had no idea where he'd heard anything about the bonds shifters were said to form with one special person. And she wasn't even sure if that's what this was. It sure seemed like maybe it was, but she'd need to ask Kate to be sure.

"I had a talk with Stone. He explained a few things," Lance said with a hint of smugness in his voice. He turned on his side and put one arm around her waist, drawing her closer. "Who, other than my mate, could pull me back down to Earth, away from the sun? The drive to just keep going up and up and up, until there was no air and no way back, was so strong. You have no idea," he told her, his expression going deathly serious. "But I knew you were on the ground, waiting for me, watching for me to come back. I couldn't leave you, no matter how strong the draw of the sun. As long as you're here, I will always come back to you, Tina. You're my mate, and that means forever."

## Chapter Eight

Gabriella didn't like this town. It was too fucking hot. Too dry. But she had a job to do, and going back home without something to show for her trouble was not a good idea. A lot of people had been disappearing lately, and rumors were flying about bodies piling up as the task of feeding the _Mater Priori's_ hunger for magical power became harder and harder to fill. Gabby didn't want to become one of the missing, though she didn't want to give up the position of power she'd wormed her way into over the years. She'd have to tread carefully.

Either that or give up her goals for the _Venifucus_ completely and just stick to the drug, prostitution, and human trafficking empire she was building. There was a lot of money to be made, and in the human world, money could buy almost anything. Then again, if Elspeth had her way, the human world would be changing soon, and Gabby's plan all along was to make sure she had a place in the new order

So, here she was, in the fucking desert, with her skin crying out for moisturizer and her eyes dry as sandpaper. She did _not_ do deserts.

But she had her bully boys with her, and they were eager to kick some ass. She liked watching them beat the crap out of people, and she loved it when there was bloodshed to make her a little bit stronger. Blood magic was seductive, and she knew she was just as much of an addict as any junkie her network sold drugs to, only her drug of choice was blood and the magic derived from hurting people. Mmm. Nothing like it.

Gabby licked her lips, just thinking about it. She would bag the shifter and head home. If she managed to bleed him a bit before they got there, then so be it.

* * *

Lance felt better than he ever had after the night spent with Tina. The day before had changed him in so many ways. He felt more balanced now. More grounded. Less haunted by the call of the sun that had been hounding him for years now. Everything had come to a head, and he now felt better able to deal with it all.

The guys in the shop had been great. They'd accepted him as one of their own in a way they hadn't been able to do before. They all deferred to him even more than usual, but they also seemed to see him as a kindred spirit now, where before he'd just been the boss.

Tina had left in the morning when Lance went to work. She had things to do, she'd said, but she'd come have lunch with him at the shop. He was looking forward to it. He'd arranged a catered buffet for everybody, to thank them for their help yesterday.

In fact, the catering had just arrived, and Lexi had taken charge of setting everything up in the big room they kept for client conferences. It had been designed so that they could pull the client's car right into the room from the lot, but it was empty at the moment, and folding tables had been set up to hold the buffet.

Knowing what he knew now about shifters, he'd opted for meat, meat and more meat, and plenty of it. He'd ordered in from a local steak place that was known for their quality. It was a splurge the crew richly deserved, and as lunchtime drew near, he could tell everyone was eager to chow down.

Lance saw Tina's car pull into the yard, and he felt the smile stretching his face. He'd missed her in the few hours she'd been gone. He had so much to be thankful for in his life. Running into her again had to rank right up there with the many blessings he'd received in the past couple of days. Not only did he have a great crew who were slowly teaching him the ropes of this shifter thing, but he had a mate...if only she would agree to it.

He could be patient, though. He'd convince her one way or another.

Lance opened the front door, greeting her with a kiss as she made her way into the office area. He heard a few wolf whistles but was mostly oblivious to it while he enjoyed the kiss of his mate. Nothing and no one could compare to Tina. Only one night together, and he was already an addict.

Tina heard the wolf whistles coming from the werewolves and knew she was blushing, but she was powerless to resist Lance's kiss. So much had happened in such a short time, she still couldn't quite believe it all. Not only had he made his first flight as a phoenix, but he seemed convinced that she was his mate.

She'd spoken to Kate earlier this morning, and she was halfway to believing it was true, but Tina was going to bide her time. She wanted to make it special when she agreed to be his mate. The doorway of his office space wasn't exactly romantic. She'd save her acknowledgment for a more appropriate moment.

Lance ended the kiss but kept his arm around her shoulders as he escorted her to the big room where the wolves and other assorted shifter employees had gathered. They were all looking at Lance expectantly, as if they needed his permission to start in on the buffet. He paused just inside the door and let her go, turning to face his people.

"I can't thank you all enough for what you did for me yesterday," Lance began. "This celebratory lunch is just one small way for me to say thanks. You guys were always a great team, but now, I'm learning why and how. I assume I'm going to make a few mistakes as I learn about being...what I am..." He seemed to hesitate to name his animal side. "I hope you'll all be patient with me and let me know when I screw up." Laughter and cheers greeted his humble words, but still, nobody moved until finally Lance said, "Dig in!"

At that point, it was like someone had set off a starter's pistol as everyone made a grab for their favorites off the buffet. Stone was overseeing his wolves, but Lexi and the other shifters were in there, doing their best to get the prime bits they wanted before the wolves ate it all.

Lance had ordered way more than he thought they'd need, so he wasn't too concerned about anyone going away hungry. He was content to stand back and watch his people, making sure they were all taken care of before he waded in to get his own plate.

But Lexi, apparently, had other ideas. She hadn't been collecting her own food, as he'd thought. No, she came up to him and Tina, holding two heaping plates, which she offered to them.

"You two are the Alpha pair here," Lexi said with a shy smile. "Consider this my way of currying favor in hopes of a raise."

Tina took the plate Lexi gave her, and Lance followed suit, unsure what to say. He finally coughed up a rough _thank you_ , which made Lexi grin wider as she turned back to the buffet to hopefully get something for herself, this time.

"I think you're going to have to get used to a few changes around here, now that you've taken your place among your fellow shifters," Tina observed.

"I'm not really sure what to make of it all," Lance said honestly, heading for a pair of chairs.

There were places to sit all around the large room. He'd had tables and chairs brought in for everyone, and they were all beginning to find spots where they could sit in small groups and enjoy the free meal.

* * *

"They're all inside, boss," Gabby's favorite stud said, cracking his knuckles. "Some kind of party in what looks like a conference room."

"They didn't see you?" Gabby asked sharply. It wouldn't do to alert the phoenix that she was coming for him.

"Nah. They're all chowing down like nothing could possibly hurt them. They didn't even leave a lookout," he assured her. "And I was careful to stay downwind. Even if there's more than the one shifter, they won't have spotted me."

Gabby wasn't sure she liked her henchman's overconfidence, but there'd be time to cut him down to size later. First, she had to get the phoenix and get her ass out of this hellhole and back to civilization. It was so hard to get good help. Gabby had a habit of running through them, but she couldn't help it if men were so unreliable.

They were good for a few things, though. Kicking ass was right there at the top of the list. She loved watching her boys make other men bleed. She got off on it and recharged her energies with it. There was nothing like a little blood to give her a boost.

It was time she made this miserable trip worthwhile. It was time to hurt or even kill someone or—if she was lucky—more than one. She'd drink in the power from the fight, which would help her subdue the phoenix. If the boys could catch him by surprise and beat the ever-loving shit out of him first, maybe her job of holding his power in check until they got back home wouldn't be so difficult, after all. If he was unconscious, he couldn't fight back.

"All right, then," she told her right-hand man. "Do what you do best. Take them out as quickly and quietly as possible. I don't mind if you kill the bystanders, just leave the boss man to me. He's the one I came for."

* * *

When the big door from the yard burst open into the room, everyone was shocked into stillness for one frozen moment. Then, all hell broke loose as a team of big men came in, fists swinging, some armed with big knives, brass knuckles, or even chains.

_What the actual fuck?_

Lance sprang to his feet, as did all his people. He was at the back of the room, but Stone was up near the door with his Packmates. They sprang into action, fighting back with a speed and fury Lance had never seen. Within moments, the fight had rolled out of the room and into the yard where they'd have more room to brawl.

"Lance! Look out!" Tina shoved him to the side, just as a blood-red firebolt would have struck him.

He didn't know what the hell was going on, but now, he was getting pissed off. The newly awakened firebird inside him pushed for freedom. He wasn't sure what he could do as a bird against a veritable army of brawlers, but he was having a hard time fighting the new instincts riding him.

He looked over at Tina—the bolt of what could only be magical energy had split them up. She'd pushed him right, and she'd gone left. He'd have to thank her for that later...if they made it out of this—whatever _this_ was—alive.

"Do it!" she shouted at him above the noise of battle.

All the while, she was scanning their opponents, probably looking for where the mage energy had come from. He saw her gaze zero in on a target a moment before a highly-concentrated ball of icy energy formed between her palms.

She was going on the offensive. That stirred his ire again. Why should his people, and his mate, have to fight for their lives? There had to be something he could do to stop this.

Between one thought and another, the new presence inside him made itself known. The bird burst from him in a flash of orange, destroying his clothing, but he didn't care. All the phoenix wanted to do was protect those who were important to him. Lance let go of his conscious thoughts and let his instincts take over.

Tina was shocked by the attack, but she should have expected it. Lance's magic was a big, fat, juicy target for evil magic users who would try to capture him and steal his power. Tina had been a fool to let her guard down, but maybe they could fight their way out of this.

She spotted at least one mage—a scary looking woman with dead black eyes and curly dark hair. She was positioned behind the fighters, taking careful aim with her destructive energies. The moment Tina identified the other mage, she called her powers to her. That black-haired witch was about to be taught a lesson. But first, Tina would shield the shifters. No sense letting them get in the middle of a magic battle that would be fought between Tina and the other woman.

Tina let loose her concentrated ball of protection, encasing the shifters and their opponents in her own special magic. A glowing dome formed over the fighters, and little by little, they froze in place. That was one of Tina's special gifts. Her magic could totally stop people and things around her—at least for a short period of time. And the dome of protective ice energy wouldn't allow the other mage to harm anyone under it while it lasted.

Good. Tina nodded to herself. Now that the shifters were protected a bit, it was time to take out the trash. Tina called more of her magic to her, forming her next volley. This one would go straight at the woman aiming for Lance. No way that bitch was going to hurt him. Not on Tina's watch.

Tina walked farther out into the yard, through the bubble of her own magic and the fighters who were all frozen in place. They were aware of what was happening and could move their eyes...slowly...to follow the action, but they couldn't really move. Not while her magic lasted. She saw dismay on the faces of the men who'd attacked them as she made a beeline through the frozen fight scene, headed for the witch on the other side.

"If you thought it would be easy to take us down, think again," Tina said, holding her own special brand of icy energy aloft in both hands as she stepped out of the dome on the other side, a few yards from the other mage.

"You think you're going to stop me, little girl?" the other woman taunted.

Tina jerk her chin toward the bubble of frozen energy behind her. "I think I already have. I just missed one."

Ooh. That one had pissed the other woman off. Tina braced for the attack she was sure would be coming after her taunt, but she was prepared. The energy in her palms was ready. She could protect herself with one hand and lob the other ball of ice at her prey. It was a trick she'd used before.

And, just like clockwork, the blood energy shot forth from the other woman's hands. Tina blocked as best she could, but the other woman was strong. She must've been on the blood path for a very long time. Her aura was completely corrupt, and the feel of her magic was oily. Unclean. Tina tried hard not to retch.

After the bolt of blood energy was over, Tina launched her own power at the other woman, but it didn't even make a dent. Tina knew, then, this was going to be a long battle. She only hoped she was mage enough to win.

Lance flew above, looking down on his yard as the woman he wanted like no other faced the interloper. The phoenix shrieked its outrage as he saw the dirty magic through the phoenix's eyes. It looked different now than it had when Lance had been in human form. He could see magic in a whole new way now. He could easily tell good from bad. Light from dark. And the woman with the black hair reeked of evil.

The phoenix flapped its wings, watching as the volley after volley of energy went between the invader and Tina. Tina had protected Lance's flock, but she was fighting a very even battle with the dark woman. Lance had to do something, but he wasn't sure what.

Being a phoenix had to be good for something other than flying around, chasing after the sun. He had to have some kind of power of his own, right? Some way to defend his home and his people...and his mate.

## Chapter Nine

The black-haired woman was tough—Tina would give her that. She didn't play fair, and her power had the unmistakable taint of blood magic. It was wearing down Tina's reserves, but she thought, on balance, they were pretty evenly matched. The outcome of this showdown was too close to call. Something had to give some way or Tina was very much concerned that she wouldn't be the one to prevail in this battle.

She kept lobbing her offensive energies at her opponent, each blast weakening her. But the other woman was becoming weaker, too. Freezing the battle between the shifters and this woman's henchmen had been a bit of good luck. Without the violence and bloodshed to feed from, the other mage had only what she'd brought with her to the fight. If Tina's ice shield failed, then all was lost. She had to do something to end this quickly, before her dome of frozen protection started to thaw.

Tina went down on one knee as another blast from the woman took her by surprise and knocked her off balance. She fired her own blast back at the woman from her semi-kneeling position and was glad to see the other mage knocked back a few paces. They were both scoring hits now, in this fast-paced energy battle.

As she dealt with yet another barrage from the blood path mage, Tina thought she heard the phoenix shriek. She wanted to tell Lance to fly far away from this disaster of a battle, but she couldn't spare the energy. She was doing all she could just to withstand the concentrated blast of evil power directed at her.

Then, it lifted. All of a sudden, the attack ceased, and it was the other woman who was screaming, her fists raised to the sky defiantly, even as pure flame enveloped her from the phoenix. Magical flame that didn't burn anything it touched except for the evil taint that was all around the other mage.

The phoenix flapped its wings, and fire shot forth, bathing the entire yard in an eerie orange glow. Everywhere the phoenix's power touched evil, it burned, leaving the rest of the yard—and all of Lance's people—untouched. The phoenix fire didn't interfere with Tina's ice shield either. It seemed to lick at it, and went right through it in spots, but left it basically intact, seeking out only the spots where the blood path energies had touched, to cleanse the taint away.

The black-eyed woman screamed as she went up in flames. She tried to fight back, but the phoenix fire was too potent. Too overwhelming. Too awesome in its might.

Within minutes, the evil mage was no more, and every trace of her contamination had been burned away. Tina sobbed in relief as she sank to the ground for a moment of respite. It was over. The woman had been reduced to nothing. Even now, her ashes were being swept away into nothing by the magical wind created the phoenix's mighty wings. He landed in front of Tina. A man-sized bird of feathers and flame. A paradox that should probably not exist in this modern world of men and machines.

In bird form, Lance came over to her, leaning down and touching her with his flaming feathers in a gesture of concern. His touch didn't burn. Wonder of wonders... It healed.

Renewed by his presence and relieved that they were safe, Tina got to her feet and stepped into the bird-man's embrace. Lance had shifted about halfway, and the outline of the giant bird of fire stayed around him like a living aura, even as his beloved face reappeared. Tina hugged him, feeling the feathers fade away under her hands as Lance came back to her all the way, to his fully human form.

"Are you okay?" His deep voice sounded near her ear, concern in his tone.

She leaned back to look up into his eyes. Eyes that were still swirling with fiery magical energy.

"You were magnificent," she told him, so proud of him she couldn't contain it. "You saved us all."

"No, sweetheart, you did that. You put the dome over the fighting. You shielded my people, though it must've cost you a lot of power to do it. Thank you." He leaned in and kissed her, a too-quick joining of lips and hearts that they didn't really have time for but needed nonetheless.

Knowing she should release the shifters, she turned to look at her dome and was shocked to see that all the opponents had been vaporized along with their leader. There would be no one evil left to tell the tale of what had happened here today.

"How did you do _that_?" She gestured toward the dome, which still stood, and the frozen shifters trapped within its protection.

"I'm not really sure. It looked like the flames just went for anything that looked bad to my sight while I was up there." He pointed upward with one finger, clearly not altogether comfortable talking about his new abilities yet.

"Bad?" she echoed. "You mean you can see evil?"

Lance shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. I see things a lot differently when I'm in that other shape," he admitted. "It's going to take a while to figure it all out. I just followed the instincts that kicked in when I got a good look at what was happening below."

She patted his chest. "Thank the Mother of All for your instincts."

Gathering her power back to her, she released the shifters from their frozen state, dismissing the dome of protection. She figured she'd have to face the music now for freezing them like that. Shifters of their strength and caliber probably didn't like having their fight stolen from them. She held up her hands, palms outward in a gesture of peace.

"I'm really sorry, guys," she told them quickly as they all turned to regard her and Lance. "That woman was a blood path mage. The fighting was only making her stronger. It's probably why she'd brought those guys with her armed only with simple weapons. They could have just as easily been carrying guns and taken us all out quickly, but she wanted you to suffer and bleed so she could feed off it. Freezing you was the only way I could stop her overpowering us all."

Stone stepped forward and regarded her a moment. Tina held her breath, wondering if the Alpha werewolf was about to condemn her for what she'd done. Instead, he held out one hand to her. She put her hand in his, not quite sure what was going on.

"Thank you for sparing my people unnecessary injury. We like a good brawl as much as the next guy, but feeding our power to a blood path mage is not something we would do by choice. You made the right call," Stone told her.

She was shocked as he leaned over and kissed the back of her hand, like some kind of courtly gallant. Lance came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, staking a claim. Stone looked up, let go of her hand and then backed off, grinning from ear to ear. He nodded to Lance.

"Nice one, boss," Stone said, the rest of the shifters coming up behind him to gather around. "That phoenix fire tickles."

Tina gasped, but Stone's irreverent comment cracked everyone up, including Lance. It was just the icebreaker they needed to relieve the tension.

"You're lucky you're one of the good guys, Stone, or I think it would have done more than just tickle," Tina observed as the laughter died down a bit.

"Yeah, there is that. So, I guess we should figure out how these bastards got here and start erasing any evidence of their visit," Stone said, looking around innocently, as if feeding the next move to his boss wasn't something he did every day.

"Okay," Lance replied. "I... Uh... I guess you can tell I'm not very experienced with this stealth stuff. Can you do that without causing issues down the road?"

"We're really good at hiding our tracks," Stone assured him. "We've had to watch our tails our entire lives. We're expert at it."

"All right, then. Do what you think is best," Lance told his right-hand man.

Stone gave a few signals to some of his guys, and they all took off in different directions. A few shifted into wolf form, putting their noses to the ground like bloodhounds and then streaking off into the desert around the yard.

"Hey," Lexi called from the car-sized doorway that had been smashed in by the evil mage's power. "Most of the buffet is still intact if anyone's still hungry."

Tina heard the laughter and realized this group was going to be okay. They weren't mad at her for intervening. Far from it. And they seemed to know what to do to keep Lance—and all of them—safe from repercussions. Now, the only thing that had to be addressed was ongoing security, but that could wait a few minutes while Stone and his guys did their thing. Tina figured they'd be at the heart of any security planning, since they each had a lifetime of experience in keeping themselves and their people safe.

Lance had gone over to the smashed door and had already begun tearing out the parts that would need to be replaced. A few of the guys who had stayed behind came up to help, and within moments, they had cleaned up the debris inside the room and taken the broken furniture and chairs out to the dumpster. Ace, the leader of the bear shifters from the paint shop, was working with Lance on the door, and two more guys were already sourcing lumber and plywood to close up the hole while they waited for a replacement door.

Tina watched it all, marveling at the way Lance and his people worked together. Lexi had brought two chairs out and then followed those up with some drinks and a couple of sandwiches that hadn't been harmed by the fight. She and Tina sat side by side in the shade of a small awning at the side of the building, watching the guys work.

"They really are a good team," Tina observed to Lexi.

They'd sat mostly in silence, eating steadily. Tina wasn't sure if Lexi realized that, after such an expenditure of magical energy, eating a big meal was one good way to replenish energy. Tina thought it was the same for shifters, which was part of the reason they ate so much and never seemed to get fat.

"Most of them have worked for Lance for a while," Lexi replied. "I came on board last year, but Stone and the bears were here from the beginning. As Lance's business grew, Stone brought more of his wolves into the fold. When I moved to the area and was job hunting, I was sort of drawn to Lance's ad for a receptionist. It was an instinctual thing." Lexi tilted her head as if remembering. "I'm really glad I listened to those instincts because this is probably the best job I've ever had, and once Stone and Ace accepted me, I felt like part of the family, even though I'm the only cat here."

Tina looked at the other woman. "I'm glad you found your place," she said quietly, wishing there were some way Tina could fit in among these close-knit shifters.

"I think you've found yours, too, haven't you?" Lexi asked with a sly smile, looking pointedly over at Lance and then back.

Tina decided to lay it on the line a bit with Lexi. Sort of test the waters and see what at least one of the friendlier shifters might think.

"I hope so," Tina replied, keeping her voice down. "I'm not sure, though. Do you think my presence would disrupt the family vibe you've got going on here?"

"Girl," Lexi scoffed. "You don't recognize how well you've already been accepted? Stone kissing your hand before? That was a signal. You're okay in his book, and he was stating it publicly for all of us to see. I doubt Ace will give you any trouble. Despite how scary he looks, he's really just a big ol' teddy bear. The rest of the bears follow his lead. And Lance..." Lexi looked at her boss then back at Tina, her eyebrow raised. "If you can't see the way he looks at you, then you're blind. Or maybe just in denial."

"Or scared," Tina added in a whisper.

Lexi reached out and put her hand on Tina's forearm in a caring way. "Don't be scared, Tina. He needs a strong woman by his side, and from what I just saw, you're the right match for him. He's fire," Lexi nodded toward Lance, "and you're ice. If you're not meant for each other, I don't know who is."

Lance worked alongside his guys to clean the place up. It felt good to use his hands for something constructive. He was having a little trouble with the idea that he'd just killed a bunch of people. Okay, they were evil people, but still.

The newly awakened bird side of his mind didn't have any problems at all with the concept, but Lance had been raised human. He'd always _been_ human. Until recently. It was all just a lot to take in.

His guys seemed to understand. They worked with him to fix the shop, not speaking much. Just working steadily. Doing what needed to be done. At some point, Lance became aware that Lexi had taken Tina under her wing, so to speak, and was taking care of her. Lance should be doing that, but he didn't know how he could touch Tina now that he had so much blood on his hands. It was going to take a little time to come to terms with what he'd done...and what he'd become.

"I think that about does it for now," Ace said, standing back from the boarded-up doorway, surveying it with his hands on his hips. "You want to upgrade to a newer style of door when we replace it?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Pretend like we decided to spruce up the place instead of admitting that we got attacked by an evil witch and her followers." Lance heard the strangeness in his own voice, knowing he wasn't handling the aftermath of his actions well. "And how I blew them all away into dust."

A large hand came down on his shoulder. Ace was at his side, looking at him with solemn eyes.

"You weren't raised knowing what you are," Ace began, his voice low, just between them. "That's got to be a disadvantage to you, right now, but let me clue you in on one thing. Killing is something your animal side does instinctually to survive. At least, that's what my bear does. I'm not sure that a mythological beast like a phoenix needs to kill to eat. Maybe your beast serves a higher purpose. Maybe your function is to stop evil when you see it." Ace gave Lance's shoulder a hard squeeze then let go.

Ace was normally a quiet man. In fact, Lance had never heard this many words in a row from the big guy. But what he was saying made a lot of sense.

"I definitely saw things differently while I was up there. Can you see the difference between good and evil when you're in your other form?" Lance asked tentatively.

"I see in what I call bear-vision. I see in color, but not quite the same as I do in my human form. Things are sharper close up. Things in the distance aren't as clear, but I see them with sort of an energy halo around them. Like a heat signature or something around all living things. Maybe I'm seeing their aura—if such things exist, but I wouldn't say I can tell if they're good or evil. That's something I can sometimes scent, but not see. As an example, those who attacked us today, and especially the woman who led them, reeked of blood magic. As a bear, I'm a little more magical than the others. If you ask one of the wolves, they'll probably say they smelled the blood, but perhaps not the magic. And they see more like dogs—but don't tell them I said that." Ace gave Lance a grin. "You're saying you can actually see evil?"

"Oh, yeah." Lance remembered the way it had all looked from above. He hadn't realized what he was seeing at first, but when his phoenix instincts took over, he'd known without doubt what needed to be done. He told Ace as much.

"That's pretty cool," Ace allowed. "Just follow those instincts, and you should be all right."

"Even when they turn me into a mass murderer?" Lance asked bitterly, unable to hold back his feelings of guilt and shame.

"Son, what you did today wasn't murder. It was justice," Ace said fiercely, a hint of a growl in his voice.

"Who gave me the authority to pass out that kind of justice?" Lance wondered, feeling lost.

"Who gave you the gift of the phoenix inside you?" Ace shot back but didn't wait for Lance to answer. "The Mother of All knows what She's doing, my friend. You are what you are for a reason, and today, you were the tool the Goddess used to bring Her Light to the wicked. You are Her instrument. Trust that. Trust in Her."

Those words set Lance back on his heels. He hadn't considered the religious aspect of all this. He'd always thought he was human, with human ideas of right and wrong. The deity Ace was talking about seemed to take a much more active and ongoing role in people's lives than any deity Lance had ever heard about in the human world.

Lance might have asked for more enlightenment, but the phone rang in the office, and Lexi rushed past him to head inside. A moment later, Tina was at his side, looking at him with a fond expression that touched his heart.

"You doing okay?" she asked.

Lance was peripherally aware of Ace moving away as Tina stepped closer, but all Lance cared about in that moment was the touch of his mate. Of Tina stepping into his open arms.

"I should be asking you that question," he replied, hugging her close and tucking her head into his shoulder. She fit against him so perfectly there was no doubt left in his mind that they were meant to be together. Always.

"I'm fine," she assured him, her hands running over his back in a comforting way.

"Tina, will you...?" he trailed off, unsure how to phrase what was in his heart. The phoenix inside him knew what it wanted, and it wanted Tina.

She drew back to look into his eyes. "Will I what?"

He plucked up his courage. "Will you marry me?" he rushed the words together, but at least he got them out. Then, he tried to do better. "I want you with me always. I want your life to merge with mine. The new part of me that was always there but silent before knows it needs you. You are my balance. My strength. My reason for coming back to Earth every time I turn into that fiery bird. I don't know how to describe it, exactly. It's more than love. More than devotion. It's like you're the other half of my soul. I know the other shifters are content to just call each other mates, but until now, I always thought I was just a regular human guy, and I want you to be my wife."

Tina's eyes filled with tears. Happy ones, he hoped, though he was holding his breath, waiting for her response.

"Yes," she breathed through the tears. When she smiled, it about melted his heart. "I feel the same." She jumped up, and he caught her, hugging her close. "I love you, Lance," she whispered near his ear. "And now that I have you, I'm never letting you go."

He kissed her, then, and it was some time before the cheering in the background registered. When he drew back, he realized the guys in the yard were clapping and hooting and hollering, all wearing big, goofy grins on their faces.

Lance wasn't sure how it had happened, but he seemed to have gathered a large, noisy, fun and fierce family around him. Now, he had a mate and his wild side was out in the open and working with him, the future looked bright, indeed... And filled with love.

## Epilogue

Across town, a young woman felt the stirring of flame beneath her skin. Something was calling to her. Something out in the desert. Something she didn't understand and was afraid to acknowledge.

Diane had dabbled in Wicca as a teen, but the power that rose inside her now scared her. She was an adult and had put lucky charms and love potions behind her. So, why did she feel this strange calling to go out to the desert and...fly?

It just didn't make sense, but something had changed in recent days. Some power had awoken and was causing a reaction in her own soul. It was as if she was finally waking up after a long sleep, though why she felt that way, she had no idea.

Diane needed answers, but she didn't quite know how to go about getting them. She only knew that, somewhere out on the edge of town, she might find a clue. Now, the real question was, did she dare go after it?

## Thank you!

Read more about these shifters in _Phoenix and the Wolf_ , the next book in Bianca D'Arc's Lick of Fire series. Learn more about Bianca's many other books on her site at WWW.BIANCADARC.COM

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## Author Information

### Anna Lowe ( _Desert Hunt_, The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch series)

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### Lisa Kessler ( _The Lone Wolf's Wish_, Sedona Pack series)

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### J.K. Harper ( _Guardian Wolf_, Black Mesa Wolves series)

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### Bianca D'Arc ( _Phoenix Rising_, Lick of Fire series)

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