Saving the Beast

An Awakening Pride Story

By Lacey Thorn

Resplendence Publishing

R·>♦<·P

www.resplendencepublishing.com

Gems of Romantic Fiction

Saving the Beast
Copyright © 2014, Lacey Thorn
Edited by Delaney Sullivan and Liza Green
Cover Art by Les Byerley

Published by Resplendence Publishing, LLC
1093 A1A Beach Blvd, #146
St. Augustine, FL 32080

Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-841-1

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement
without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in
federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Electronic Release: December 2014

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of
the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or
occurrences, is purely coincidental.

A Primal Panther...

An injection of a feral virus surges through his veins, trapping him in the skin of his animal. He’s
fighting for dominance, struggling not to lose himself to the beast. There’s only one thing that can save
him, one person who can help set him free.

A Mate’s Love...

Diane left everything she knew behind to follow the Professor into the unknown. Now, she lives
among people she never knew existed and fights daily to keep them alive and healthy. She’s felt a
spark with Zane since the day he arrived, but his avoidance leaves her guessing.

Mine...

As the virus rages, only the touch of a mate can rescue the man trapped inside, leading Diane down a
path she feels ill-prepared to take. If she’s not his mate, Zane might just kill her. If she is, then she’s
the only one with a chance at saving the beast.

This one goes out to my close friend, Brynn Paulin. I love the fact I can pick up the

phone and call her anytime to bounce ideas or just share my excitement. When I first

came up with the storyline for Waking the Beast, I called her. I know she could tell

how excited I was and how much the story and series idea meant to me. She was just

as excited and urged me to hurry and write the book. Who knew all those years ago

when we met in a “Frog’s Pond”, we’d end up becoming such fast friends.

Chapter One

Diane Renway stood at the window, looking out into the woods that surrounded the cabin. Once

again she waged an internal debate over Zane Ephraim and whether or not she should go after him.

According to Clara, only his mate could save him now, and the veiled looks she sent Diane indicated

who Clara thought that person could be. Diane wasn’t so sure. She’d been around long enough to

know how these shifters were with their mates, and they didn’t avoid them as Zane had her. It was the

uncertainty that dominated her thoughts lately, at a time when she couldn’t afford to split her focus.

There was too much demanding her attention at present.

Most important was Abby—the wife of their pride leader Tah—who was pregnant and

expected to deliver within the next ten to twelve days. Then there was the Professor, who had so

many studies going on when it came to the shifter blood that Diane’s head hurt. It didn’t help that the

man was prone to keeping things to himself until situations forced him to share with the rest of them.

His latest project had them monitoring Finn Dockery closely and running scheduled testing on him to

watch for any changes.

Finn had been captured by a group of hunters and left for dead. Luckily his brother, Murphy,

along with Zane, found Finn in time and got him back to them. The Professor had given Finn a shot of

the concoction the Professor had been working on using shifter blood to help speed up the healing

process in the human contingent of their little group. Finn was the first person tested with it. Finn was

also the brother of a shifter, something the Professor only disclosed after he’d been given the shot. As

a full-blooded sibling, Finn carried the same DNA coding as his brother and was also thought to

carry an animal spirit within him. So far that animal remained dormant.

“Wouldn’t you agree, Diane?” the Professor asked, interrupting her train of thoughts.

“What?” she asked, trying to focus once more on the conversation around her. She wanted to

disappear back into the lab, not be up here for this meeting. Unfortunately, Tah had informed them it

was mandatory and demanded her presence.

“The tests, Diane! I was telling them about the tests we’ve been running on Finn,” the Professor

answered, sounding exasperated with her.

“Are you okay?” Abby asked, rubbing her hand over the mound of her belly.

“I’m fine,” Diane said. “I apologize.” She glanced at Tah. “So far, all the tests show is an

increase in the hormone we’ve isolated as being present in only the shifters, but the level is still much

lower than the rest of you so we’re assuming his animal is still dormant at this time.”

“Which sucks,” Finn interjected, making Murphy laugh.

“We’ll keep up the testing—” Diane began.

Finn groaned.

“But move it to weekly at this point,” the Professor continued.

“How are you feeling?” Tah asked Finn.

“Great,” Finn replied. “Never been better.”

“He’s just ready to get away from the labs and the Professor,” Murphy interjected.

“Finish up tests today and we’ll talk about putting you back on permanent rotation,” Tah said.

“I’d be happy to have him with me,” Murphy offered. “I’m used to keeping an eye on his sorry

ass.”

“You wish,” Finn grunted good-naturedly. “Everyone knows I’m the one who watches out for

you.”

“We’ll talk about it after the tests.” Tah interrupted the brothers then turned back to the

Professor. “What about Logan?”

“I’m fine,” Logan vowed.

Diane shook her head without thinking, earning a glare from Logan. He’d made his wishes

abundantly clear—he didn’t want Tah worrying about him anymore.

“What is that exchange all about? Are they keeping something from me, Diane?” Tah demanded

while the Professor sent her a glare, too.

He’d also asked her not to say anything, though his reasoning was to wait until they had more

information to go on. Too late now.

“The feral virus hasn’t dissipated like we expected,” she admitted. “There are still traces

showing up in his blood work.”

“What does that mean?” Tah demanded, then turned to glare at Logan. “And why the hell wasn’t

I supposed to know this?”

“You’ve got enough on your plate to worry about.” Logan grunted.

“Fuck that!” Tah roared.

“Logan is fine.” Diane rushed to assure the leader of their growing pride. “He’s not displaying

any other signs of the feral fever as he did immediately after being injected.”

“Is that true?” Tah turned and demanded of Clara, Logan’s mate.

She nodded. “He’s fine, Tah. I’m keeping an eye on him. I promise.”

Tah snorted. “I swear if one more person tries to hide shit from me, I’m going to come totally

fucking unglued on their ass. You’re not alleviating the stress by trying to keep me in the dark. You’re

adding to it!”

Tah turned and glared at Diane. “Don’t keep secrets from me anymore,” he thundered.

She felt her temper flare as his gaze locked with hers, making her feel as if she were the one

responsible for all the half-truths and undisclosed information. Luckily, the Professor answered

before she opened her mouth to vent the scathing remark hovering on the tip of her tongue.

“We’ve only kept quiet because we don’t know what it means,” the Professor stated. “It’s there

but doesn’t seem to be causing any problems. We’re watching it. If it changes in any way, we’ll let

you know.”

“I want full disclosure, Professor.” Tah growled, his canines flashing.

The Professor narrowed his gaze but didn’t reply.

“Is there anything else I need to be aware of?” Tah asked, and Diane saw him make a point of

meeting the eyes of everyone in the room.

The Professor shook his head, and Diane could almost hear him reminding her there was

nothing to report until there was something to report.

“Diane?” Tah asked, turning toward her once more.

“Oh for God’s sake,” the Professor boomed out when she didn’t answer immediately. “Pay

attention to the conversation.”

“Are you asking me if there’s anything you should be aware of?” she asked Tah sweetly,

sending a veiled look toward the Professor. She saw him blanch and give an almost imperceptible

nod of his head. If she didn’t have so much respect for the man, she’d let her temper have free reign.

But she did respect him, and damn it, she loved him like the father she’d never had.

“Diane,” Tah prompted again.

“No,” she answered. “There’s nothing I’m aware of. We’ve got our hands full as it is.”

Tah nodded, but Diane wasn’t sure if he believed her or not.

“What about Lydia?” Clara lobbed her question into the silence. “Any change there?”

Diane shook her head and hated the sadness that filled Clara’s eyes and the wary concern that

shone in Amia’s. Both women had loved Lydia at one time as a mother figure. Amia Blane, mate to

Reno, was the biological daughter of Lydia and Marcus Blane. When her mother had escaped the

cruelty of the Blane Hunters, she’d left Amia behind with Marcus, the leader of the Blanes. Despite

the reasons that had come to light about her mother’s decision, Amia still couldn’t forgive her.

Then there was Clara, who’d been living in the community Lydia had run to for help and safety.

Clara’s father had been the captured shifter who’d sent Lydia to them. Unfortunately, his fate had

already been sealed when Lydia had tried to save him. Clara had lost her dad but gained a mom for

the first time since her birth when her biological mother hadn’t survived the delivery. Clara had found

it hard not to remember the broken down Lydia who’d arrived devastated about leaving her daughter

behind. Clara tolerated the hatred and contempt that spewed from Lydia now because she

remembered the early days—the broken days. But even with Amia and Clara’s differing opinions,

they still seemed to have become the best of friends, along with Abby.

“Dillon isn’t talking about what he gave her. Her blood work doesn’t show the same anomaly

Logan’s does, making me think it’s not the same form of feral cat virus. There are enough similarities

to make us suspect it could be a similar strain. But without knowing for sure…” Diane’s words

trickled off, and she shook her head again in frustration. “Whatever drug he gave her, she’s had it in

her system a long time. It’s had an enormous effect on her body, and…” She paused, unsure of how to

disclose the rest.

“And what?” Amia asked and went over to stand next to Clara, taking the other woman’s hand

with hers. “Tell us.”

“Lydia Blane is dying,” the Professor informed them all when Diane faltered. “Whatever drug

she’s been fed, it’s taken over her entire body, every system. And now without it—she’s shutting

down.”

“Dying? Is there nothing we can do?” Clara demanded, shaking her head in denial.

Logan moved behind her, wrapping his arms at her waist and pulling her back to rest against

his chest while Amia continued to hold her hand.

Reno moved to Amia’s side, showing his mate support and love with an arm at her hip and a

shoulder where Amia leaned her head. The way they stood, the four of them, warmed Diane’s heart

and made her ache for something similar for herself. Before her thoughts could once more turn to

Zane, she shoved them aside and answered.

“We don’t know,” Diane answered softly. “Everything we’ve tried to do, hoping to counter it,

isn’t working. I don’t know what he gave her or why. Unless we find out and can get our hands on it

or find a way to help her body begin healing, she won’t last much longer.”

“I’ll beat it out of the bastard,” Logan swore as tears trickled down his mate’s cheeks.

“Already tried,” Murphy admitted with a grunt. “Even broke his arm.”

“What?” Tah snarled. “You tortured him?”

“He’s a shifter. He’ll heal…eventually,” Murphy said with a shrug. “Diane needed answers.

He wasn’t willing to speak. I showed him what I thought of that.”

“Murphy!” Abby admonished.

“Jesus!” Tah grunted. “We’re not monsters. We can’t just break bones to get answers.”

“Didn’t work anyway,” Murphy said. “Man’s got his lips sealed tighter than a vault. He’s not

saying a word.”

“No more torture,” Tah admonished.

“If you say so,” Murphy agreed with a jerk of his head.

Tah paced from one end of the room to the other and silence descended over them. Once more,

Diane’s mind returned to thoughts of Zane. She missed seeing him. Lately, he’d been coming around

more often. She remembered when he’d arrived with a seriously wounded Finn. She should have

rushed out to Finn, but instead, she’d gone straight to Zane. She’d touched his face, looked in his

golden eyes and let her hands move over his broad chest, assuring herself he was okay. For a moment,

she swore she saw promise in his gaze.

She’d known then there was something about him she’d never be able to deny again. That one

touch had sent a bolt of…something…through her. Something that set her blood on fire with a need for

more from him. She wanted his kiss, his touch, wanted to feel him skin to skin. Her body ached deep

inside with the need to feel him there. But was it because she was his mate? She wished for the

millionth time that she had more experience with men, with sex, and relationships in general, but she

didn’t.

Diane had been the nerd in high school. The youngest in her class, who preferred to have her

nose buried in a book instead of cheering on the team at homecoming. Books were her only real

friends, whether it was the ones she studied to reach her goals or the ones she immersed herself in to

forget the taunts of bullies. She blamed that start in life for the fact that she was still technically a

virgin, as she assumed toys didn’t count. Well, that and the demands of her previous job. She’d had

opportunity and had even contemplated doing the deed a time or two, but something had always held

her back. It seemed part of her wanted the romance story hero, the strong alpha who would sweep her

off her feet and claim her before she could even think to say no.

She almost laughed at that. Perhaps she should have been more careful with what she’d wished

for. She had a feeling if Zane decided she was his mate, he’d do just that. Her heartbeat sped up, and

her breasts swelled, the nipples hardening with desire. She wanted his hands on her, his tongue and

teeth ravishing her. She wanted him, all six and half feet of the man she considered an ebony god. He

was beautiful, stunning, and his light-gold eyes took her breath away when he locked his gaze on her.

Would he be a demanding lover? A considerate one? Would he take it slow and easy when she

confessed he would be her first? Thinking of that, the knowledge he would be the first man to join

with her, to thrust a piece of himself inside her… Those thoughts did things to her, things that left her

thighs damp and her womb clenching with a need no vibrator could relieve. She wanted Zane, and

only him. She craved him with a carnality no virgin should feel. She desired him in a way that scared

her deep in her soul and left her drowning in uncertainty.

Why had he avoided her at first? She’d planned to find out. She’d hoped to spend more time

with Zane, getting to know him and seeing if this was more than just a touch of lust for such a sexy

man. She loved her fairness next to his dark, her curves next to his brawn. He made her feel dainty

and feminine due to his sheer masculinity and size.

“Diane!” the Professor yelled, interrupting her wayward thoughts that always seemed to be on

Zane lately.

“What?” she snapped, beyond caring about the flash of temper she revealed.

“Where is your head at today?” the Professor demanded. “We were discussing possible other

options for Lydia. I asked your opinion.”

“How the hell should I know?” she answered louder than she’d intended. “You all seem to

have forgotten I’m not an M.D. I have a Ph.D. in Biology. I specialized in zoology, specifically large

cats. I’m known internationally as an expert on lions. Lions, not people.” She gave a short bark of

laughter and shook her head. “Now I’m operating on humans. Pulling bullets out, closing wounds,

digging out foreign objects. I’m taking blood and running test after test after test, searching for God

only knows what. I’m so far out of my element, it’s not even funny anymore. You want my opinion on

other options for saving Lydia? I don’t know. I just don’t know.” She took a deep breath. Even she

could hear the hysteria edging into her voice. Jesus, this was not the time or place for her to lose it.

She glanced up warily.

Stunned silence descended over the room as they all stared at her. Diane sighed wearily and

wiped tears off her cheeks she hadn’t realized she shed. She took a deep breath and did her best to

regain control over her emotions. “I’m sorry. That outburst was uncalled for. You asked a simple

question. I don’t know of any other options for Lydia right now. I’ll keep researching and looking. In

the meantime, I’ll do all I can to keep her as comfortable as possible.”

“Diane?” Abby held her hand out and made a move as if to walk toward Diane.

Diane took a step back and held out her hands in front of her, stopping Abby before the other

woman could cross to her. “I’m not feeling well. I should have excused myself earlier. I’m sure the

Professor can handle any other questions you have. I’m going to head back to the lab.” She looked at

Tah and almost cringed at the stark concern on his face. “I apologize. I’m fine. Really. I’ll see you all

later.”

She didn’t wait for anything else to be said. She turned and headed into the hall and back

toward her lab and everything that was waiting for her. She wanted the peace, the quiet, but instead

found Orsai, sitting as if he’d known she’d be coming down to join him.

“You’ve been crying,” he stated softly.

She wiped her cheeks again and crossed to the computer she kept her notes on, typing in her

password to unlock it.

“I’m fine,” she whispered, emotion still clogging her throat. “May I help you with something?”

“There are many questions I have, but one stands out greater in importance than any other.”

Diane glanced up when Orsai didn’t elaborate further.

“Okay.” She should probably ask what the main question was, but God help her, she really

didn’t need any more on her plate right now.

“Are you my nephew’s mate, Dr. Renway?”

“I…I… What?” She couldn’t engage her mouth to form coherent sentences, which was fine

since her brain wasn’t coming up with any to say.

Orsai just stared at her, as if he could peer deep inside her and find the answer there. If he did,

she hoped he’d share them with her.

“Call me Diane. Everyone does,” Diane finally said. “Zane avoided me for the most part. I’ve

seen how mating works with Tah and Abby, Reno and Amia, and most recently Logan and Clara.

Zane doesn’t have that type of…reaction around me.”

“Ahhh,” Orsai said with a smile. “Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know,” Diane countered, getting angry and having no idea why. That wasn’t true.

She knew exactly why it made her angry. Because, damn it, she wanted to be Zane’s mate. She wanted

to have the type of relationship she was witnessing among the three, mated couples, and she wanted it

with Zane.

“All you know are the actions of two shifters who are only learning who and what they are.

You know the passion of a shifter who found herself captured and pursued by a mate unwilling to let

her hold back. You do not know the mindset of a confident shifter fully integrated with his animal

spirit—one who has always known who and what he is.”

“You think Clara didn’t have a choice? She doesn’t really come across as the easily tamed

type,” Diane countered.

Orsai grinned. “I’ve know little Clara since she was a child. I knew her father and her mother

before they left this world. I consider her Uncle Thomas a dear friend. It brings joy to my heart to see

Clara so in love and happy with her mate. It will bring me much more to see my nephew bonded with

his mate.”

Diane nodded, unsure of what to say. Really, there was nothing she could say. Zane’s mate was

one more thing to add to her list of things she didn’t know.

“A fully integrated male shifter is taught to protect, to accept the animal instinct that has him

placing himself in front of others in times of immediate danger,” Orsai said.

She flashed back to Reno shifting into a tiger and the way Zane had stepped in front of her. Had

it just been instinct? Was she no more to him than anyone else was? Is that what Orsai was trying to

tell her? She glanced at Orsai, who was watching her with that piercing gaze, making her feel as if he

knew so much more than he spoke of. Could he tell how much she craved to be Zane’s mate? The

thought had her cheeks flushing from embarrassment.

“Do you understand exactly what it means to claim a mate?” Orsai questioned softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Have you really talked to Abby, Amia or Clara about the emotional aspect, the physical ties

that exist and bind mates?”

“I…” She shook her head. “I can see the bond they share. We all can.”

“Ahh, but until you have felt such a bond, you can’t truly know. A male such as Zane

understands that to claim you is to bind you to his side forever, in this life and any other. Your very

thoughts become his, as his do yours. You will feel him inside, here.” He touched his heart. “Even

when he is not beside you. You will crave him like nothing you’ve ever known, and once he tastes

you, once his teeth mark the pale skin of your shoulder, there will be no going back for either of you.

He knows exactly what it will cost you to become his mate. That is why he would choose to protect

that woman further by protecting her from himself.” His eyes, so eerily similar to Zane’s, met hers.

“Until he absolutely couldn’t.”

Diane slowly let out the breath she hadn’t realize she’d been holding. “Do you think I’m Zane’s

mate?”

“I can only pray you are,” Orsai informed her. “Because without a mate to call him back, I’m

afraid we’ll lose him forever to the animal inside.”

“What does that mean?” she demanded.

“It means Zane will be gone. Forever.” With those cryptic words, Orsai left Diane alone.

She’d already realized Zane could be lost to them. It was all she could think about. Did that

mean Orsai believed she was or just wished that she was but knew she wasn’t? Diane was ready to

scream with frustration.

“Zane.” She moaned his name out loud. “Where are you? Please be okay.” She blinked back

tears then whispered softly the question that plagued her most. “Am I your mate?”

* * * *

The panther hissed then let out a loud growl. It was aggravated and getting angrier by the day.

Fire burned in its veins—an unquenchable fire calling for him to explore farther away, to stalk and

kill. But the man inside him was still fighting, using all his strength to keep his beast from straying

farther. The man was focused on the image of a blonde woman, and the beast knew what his other half

was trying to convey. But if the woman was truly their mate, then she should be there with them. He

prowled the edge again, peering into the night, watching and waiting. Waiting for the arrival of the

woman or the weakening of the man.

Chapter Two

Zane…gone forever…

She absently sorted the empty vials on the counter. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate

on other things, Orsai’s departing words echoed in her mind and stabbed at her heart. She had no idea

if she was Zane’s mate, but she did know she didn’t want to imagine a world where he no longer

existed. She hadn’t realized just how often she’d searched for him around the cabin until he was no

longer there. And it hurt. The loss of him was like a physical pain, and it scared her.

“Diane!”

The Professor yelled, startling her. She jumped and knocked several vials over, barely catching

them before they hit the floor.

“What the hell is wrong with you? What’s going on inside that head of yours because you’re

sure as hell not paying attention?” he continued.

“Fuck!” she exploded, fisting her shaking hands at her sides as she turned and faced the

Professor’s wide eyes. “Why the hell would you sneak up on me?”

He shook his head and met her gaze with an expression that looked weary and tired. “I didn’t

sneak. I practically stomped, I’m so angry. And I began chastising you as soon as I hit the door and

saw you over here. You’re so wrapped up in whatever is going on in your head, you didn’t hear me.”

“What were you chastising me about?” she demanded.

“You know exactly what I’m upset about. There are certain things we need to know. Tah may

not like my…avenues of finding answers. Which is why we decided not to say anything until we have

them.”

“You decided,” she countered.

“Diane,” he warned.

She knew the stress he was under, could see the strain of it on his face, and her anger eased a

bit. “There’s nothing to report until there’s something to report,” she uttered with a sigh.

“That’s right. You need to get your head together.” He walked closer to her, and she could see

concern for her reflected in his gaze. “What’s going on? You’re not yourself lately.”

“I’m not sure I can do this anymore,” Diane whispered honestly. Doubt. There was so much

doubt and uncertainty eating away inside her. “When you came to me with this mad idea of needing

my help on a special project dealing with a unique breed of cats, I was intrigued. When you admitted

exactly what it was, humans with cat spirits inside them, shape shifters… Well, I figured you were

completely crazy.”

“You came,” he reminded her.

She nodded. “I did. I liked you and wanted to help if I could. I was also exhausted. The

constant traveling, dealing with cats so near the brink of death from illegal hunting. It drained me. I

was ready to walk away from it all when you came to me with your offer. A permanent place to call

home. Working with a species in desperate need of saving.”

“You have exactly what I promised you. This is home for all of us,” he assured her. “And this

pride needs you more than anywhere you’ve ever been. I need you.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing any more,” she wailed, tears sliding down her face. “I’m

terrified. Soon, I’m going to need to deliver a baby, and I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t scare the

living hell out of me. What if something goes wrong and Abby or the baby need care we can’t

provide? I’m so afraid my ineptitude is going to get someone killed.” She was almost sobbing now.

“Everyone wants me to take care of Abby. Hell, if it weren’t for the information Clara gave us, Abby

and her baby might be gone, now.”

“Where is the confident woman I first met? The one I had to have because there was no one

else in her league.”

“She learned what it means to really be afraid,” Diane answered.

“Everyone has fear. You can’t let it control you or make you think you’re incapable. You are

more than capable. I believed in you when I came to you, and my faith in you has only grown.”

“I feel like I’m failing you. The tests on Finn, the anomalies Logan still has in his blood and a

baby ready to make an appearance anytime now. You need someone better suited to handle all of this.

A real doctor for God’s sake.”

“You’ve more than proven your worth to this pride,” the Professor argued.

“I’m not sure I am worthy anymore.”

“What are you saying?” the Professor demanded.

“I think you need to start searching for someone else. A doctor trained to deal with this.”

“No!” the Professor yelled. “You are the right person, the only person I ever considered. I

would have promised anything to get you here, and do you know why?”

She gave a jerk of her head.

“Because there’s no one smarter than you. No one more capable than you. You came in here

with a confidence that put everyone at ease. Everything that’s happened, you’ve met with no

hesitation, just a confidence that you would find the answers. You’ve seen the truth of what I told you,

men and women who can take the form of animals.”

“I have. They awe me. The last thing I want to do is hurt one of them,” Diane told him softly.

The Professor looked at her with frustration. “Don’t say it, Diane. Don’t think it,” he ordered.

She ignored him.

“I think it’s time I leave. As soon as the baby’s born,” she whispered.

“I need you. We all need you. I never once thought of you as a quitter.” He gave her a hard look

and turned to head back to his office, slamming shut the door behind him.

Diane dropped onto a stool and lowered her head into her hands.

“You’re leaving?” Clara’s question startled Diane into looking up.

“How much did you hear?” she asked.

“That you plan on leaving after the baby’s born.”

Diane nodded.

Clara came closer and pulled out another stool. “The Professor is right. We do need you.”

“I…” Diane trailed off and lowered her head. She was no longer certain they did. “Without

your care, Abby might have died before I arrived and thought to give you the information about

transfusions. And don’t think I haven’t heard what you did for my mate. You’re the one who took a

bullet out of Logan and saved his life.” Clara shuddered and took a deep breath. “I’ll always be

grateful for that. Without you, I would have never met him. I wouldn’t be complete and whole like I

am now. I owe that to you.”

“No, I—”

“Yes.” Clara cut her off. “We all have moments of doubt. It’s the very human part of us. But I

have no doubt in you. Even Tah counts on you. To me that says everything about your place within this

pride.”

“I’m not sure I have what it takes to do this anymore,” Diane admitted again. “I can’t

concentrate. My focus, something I’ve always prided myself on, is completely gone. I’ve never lost

control the way I did up there.” She laughed, then groaned and buried her head once more in her

hands. “I’m so mortified,” she murmured into her palms.

Clara laughed. “I think you made a very valid point. You certainly had everyone listening. The

Professor chewed Tah’s ass when you left. According to the Professor, he’s been telling them you

two need help down here for quite a while.”

“Trust him to use my meltdown to get what he wants,” Diane said with a snort.

“The Professor cares about you. I saw it on his face. And he’s worried. Whether he admits it or

not, it’s there…in the way he looks at you.”

Diane started to deny it but had to admit Clara was right. In his own way, the Professor did

care. He wasn’t sleeping much and rarely ate unless Diane or one of the others reminded him. He was

always running tests, reading data and working on some new idea he had. It was all taking its toll on

him and leaving him snapping at those around him, which was usually her.

“I think I might be able to help you,” Clara spoke into the silence, and Diane glanced up at her.

“You know about medicine? Surgery? Lab tests?” She waved her hands around the lab. “You

should have said so when you first arrived.”

Clara gave a snort of laughter. “No, my Uncle Thomas could help with all this. Griffin, one of

the shifters who worked with my uncle, could help with this. But not me. I might be able to help you

with your concentration issues, though.”

“If you can’t help with this, then I highly doubt it.”

“I’m guessing you’ve been feeling restless lately. Not sleeping, not eating and not able to lose

yourself in your work like you normally do.”

Diane gaped at her. “How could you possibly know that?”

Clara shrugged. “Just a guess, actually. I think we both know what’s causing the problem…or

who.”

Diane shook her head in denial.

“Zane,” Clara said with a nod.

Diane stood up and turned her back toward Clara. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I believe you,” Clara said, surprising Diane into spinning back around. “At least that you don’t

know. You’re unsure. I’m not, and I need you to listen to me before we run out of time.”

Diane felt a chill race up her spine as if in warning that her life was about to change.

Clara met her gaze. “You’re his mate.”

“I’m not. I can’t be.”

“You are.”

“I’ve seen how this bonding works. I saw the deep love between Tah and Abby when I first

came here. He went nuts when she wasn’t with him. He still does. He has to know where she is every

moment of every day. It’s the same for Reno and Amia. Reno would move Heaven and Earth for his

mate. They can’t be in the same vicinity of one another without touching. And you and Logan. I see the

same thing with you. The way your eyes soften now at just the mention of your mate. Zane and I don’t

have that, nothing even remotely like it. We’ve been thrown together several times, and he’s never

once crossed the distance between us as if he couldn’t stop himself.” Didn’t she just have this

discussion with Orsai? How could Clara be so certain of something Diane was so uncertain of?

“He stood in front of you when Reno shifted down here,” Clara said. “Zane put himself in front

of you to protect you.”

“He would have done that for anyone,” Diane argued, remembering what Orsai had said about

Zane’s need to protect.

“Maybe,” Clara said with a shrug. “But there were others in the room. Tah went to Abby. I

went to Logan. And Zane went to you.”

“I…” Diane felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest. There had been others, and Zane had

headed straight to her.

“It means something,” Clara assured her. “Listen to me, Diane. Really listen to me because we

are running out of time. Zane was born knowing who he is and what it means to be different, to be a

shifter. But I don’t think you understand what it means, at least not to the same extent. I do because I’m

just like Zane in this. I was born knowing who and what I am. We know the good and bad of what we

are. We’ve witnessed the joy of mating and the devastation of those who lose a mate. We are hunted

and killed simply because we exist. To knowingly bring another into this life… It’s not an easy

choice for any of us to make, especially when that mate is human.”

God, was this what Orsai had been trying to tell her? Was Zane trying to protect her by staying

away from her?

“You made that choice with Logan,” Diane argued.

Tah and Reno had both mated humans, as well, but she recalled Orsai’s reminder that they

were just learning who they were and what it meant to be a shifter.

Clara snorted. “Like he gave me a choice. You know Logan. He pursues what he wants with

single-minded purpose. I never stood a chance against him.”

Exactly what Orsai said. How did Zane’s uncle know so much?

“Logan loves you.”

Clara nodded. “We love each other. We’re lucky.”

“If I’m Zane’s mate, he wouldn’t have been able to stay away,” Diane snapped, feeling very

unlucky.

“You’re wrong. He would have done his all to stay away, no matter how much it killed him.

I’m willing to bet he was trying to keep you safe.”

There it was again. Protection—by staying away. Was that really what had been going on

between her and Zane?

“From a life I’m already involved in?” Diane argued. “I was already here, before him. What

exactly did he think he was saving me from?”

“How long have you been questioning your roll here?” Diane asked softly.

“I… What do you mean?” That question threw her off-guard. She’d been questioning herself

almost from the moment she’d arrived. She’d just hid it so much better in the beginning.

“There’s a connection between mates. We can sense what the other is feeling. Without marking

you, Zane might not have known for sure. But he would have picked up on something. Maybe he

thought it was him you wanted to leave, him you were afraid of. Maybe you are.”

“I’m uncertain, yes,” Diane admitted. “Scared of making deadly mistakes. But I was never

afraid of Zane. Never.”

“Do you want to save him? If you had the ability to, would you use it?”

Diane took a deep breath, understanding what Clara was asking of her. Zane’s image filled her

head. So strong, so brave and so compassionate. His golden gaze haunted her.

“This virus… If I’m not his mate, he could kill me,” Diane stated, daring Clara to deny it.

Clara looked at her for a long moment then slowly nodded. “Possibly. With his panther in

control, we’d all be in danger around him. The only one guaranteed safety is his mate.”

“And you really believe I’m his mate?”

“I think you already know what I think,” Clara told her. “I’m more interested in what you

think.”

“I don’t know,” Diane admitted. “I desire him. He’s a gorgeous man,” she admitted. “But for

all I know, what I feel could be nothing more than lust.”

“I’m sure you’ve wanted men before,” Clara countered. “Did it feel like this?”

Diane shook her head, not needing to think about it. No man had consumed her thoughts and

dreams the way Zane did. “No.”

Before, she’d always managed to walk away, to lose herself in her work. She was discovering

she couldn’t with Zane. But was that due to the overabundance of stress she was under, or could it

possibly be caused by something more?

“I want to tell you to go find Zane. I want to demand you try,” Clara said. “But I can’t. I won’t.

This is a choice only you can make. But please think about it. Think long and hard, but think quickly.

Everyday a little more of the man Zane is gets lost in the animal he’s become. This virus feeds the

beast inside and breaks down the bond formed between the two halves. Soon, only the beast will

remain, and Zane will be lost to us forever. I really pray that doesn’t happen.”

Diane didn’t want it to happen, either. “If I were to go after him, to try and find him, how would

I do that?”

“One of us would have to go with you. It would take a shifter to be able to scent where he is.

We’d be able to get you close enough for him to scent you out,” Clara said. “From that point, you’d be

on your own.”

“To what? Wait and see if he shows up?”

“He’ll show up,” Clara said. “I wouldn’t have approached you if I didn’t believe that.”

Diane heaved a big sigh. “I feel like my life is unraveling.”

“Maybe it’s just beginning,” Clara countered. “There are so many of us who have felt the pain

of losing someone we love. If even a part of you believes you might be Zane’s mate, don’t wait any

longer. Don’t take the chance of losing him.”

“I know you’ve lost so many people. Your mom and dad. Your Uncle Thomas is missing.”

Clara nodded, and Diane felt so much sadness for what the other woman had faced.

“I’m sorry,” she told Clara. “About Lydia,” she clarified. “Nothing we try seems to be

working.”

“I’m planning to go talk to Dillon, myself,” Clara said.

“I thought Logan asked you to stay away?”

“He did, and I have,” Clara stated. “I think that’s going to have to change.”

“I can’t see Logan agreeing to that.”

Clara grinned. “He won’t.”

“And that makes you happy?” Diane asked.

“We’ll argue. He’ll yell. I’ll yell back. He’ll threaten to spank me, and I’ll challenge him to

try.”

“Spank you?” Diane squeaked out.

“Oh, yeah,” Clara breathed. “Then we’ll fuck. Next, we’ll make love. Finally, we’ll talk. He’ll

reluctantly agree to let me talk to Dillon as long as he’s there, and I’ll follow his guidelines to ensure

my safety.”

“He loves you,” Diane said again, this time with a sigh of envy.

“He does,” Clara agreed. “And I’ll agree and follow his wishes because I love him.”

“You’re very lucky,” Diane said.

“I am. You could be just as lucky.”

“I want that. I want a love like the one you and Logan share.”

Clara wrapped her hands around Diane’s and squeezed. “You could have it.”

“Am I interrupting?” Abby called from the hallway outside the lab.

Diane was immediately on her feet. “Not at all. Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

Abby smiled and waddled over to join them. Her stomach was huge, making her look as if she

was nine months along instead of the thirteen weeks she actually was. Lion gestation. That’s what

Abby was experiencing. And if it played out the way Diana thought it would, Abby should be going

into labor within the next week to ten days.

“I’m fine,” Abby assured her and took a seat on the stool Diane had jumped off of. “My little

guy gets more and more active every day. I think he’s excited to join us.”

Abby and Clara shared a look and the next thing Diane knew, Clara was moving.

“I’m going to leave you guys to chat. I’ve got a conversation of my own to have.” Clara

wiggled her eyebrows and grinned.

Diane felt her face flush red. She knew exactly what talk Clara planned to have and the

outcome the other woman anticipated. Damn it! Diane was a little jealous.

“Give Logan my best,” Abby called.

“I will,” Clara said and was gone, her footfalls echoing as she went up the staircase that led

from the lab to the main floor.

“The Professor called me,” Abby said after a brief moment of silence. “He’s worried.”

“He called you? We’re in the same house! And why the hell would he call you? The last thing

you need to do is worry about me. You need to be concentrating on your health and the baby getting

ready to make his appearance in this world.”

Abby smiled. “Trust me. I’m not going to do anything to put my child at risk. That doesn’t mean

I’m not here for my friends. And we are, you know. Friends.”

Diane smiled. “I know.”

“I’ll never forget the moment you came in my bedroom to see Tah. You checked on him and

muttered under your breath before you left.”

“I did? What did I say?” Diane asked.

“You vowed that you’d save him. You made a friend for life in that moment. In me. I heard you,

and I found comfort. I knew you would do everything you could to save him.”

“Reno saved him,” Diane said.

“Yes,” Abby agreed. “But you kept me sane with that vow. I was less afraid because you were

there. You gave me hope at a time when I felt like my whole world was ending. And you’ve continued

to do so. When Tah and Logan were shot, you removed the bullets and saved their lives.”

“Oh, Abby, I’m pretty sure Tah would have survived with or without my help on that one. This

shifter ability to heal is something else. Plus, the Professor was the one overseeing everything during

the surgeries.” Diane said.

“Overseeing isn’t the same, and we both know it. He trusts you implicitly. There is no one else

he even considered when I told him what I’d found.”

“I don’t think I can live up to his expectations of me,” Diane admitted.

“You don’t have to,” Abby countered. “You’re family, Diane. We don’t need you to be perfect.

We just need you. As soon as this little guy makes his appearance, we’ll both be down here more to

help out.”

“Abby, you’ll have a newborn.”

“Yes, and I’ll have a lot of help with him. I’m very lucky. We’ll set up a playpen for him to

sleep in. Between you, me, the Professor and everyone else who wanders through down here, this

little guy will be spoiled rotten. And I’ll get the chance to help more. I’m a hell of a scientist. I know

my way around research. I should be able to step in and at least give you a break on the constant

analyses the Professor has running.”

Diane almost snorted. She wished the Professor good luck in keeping anything from Tah if

Abby was down here helping him with his testing.

“Promise me you’ll think about it?” Abby asked. “Staying here with us. I really don’t want you

to go.”

Diane believed her. She could see it in Abby’s eyes. Diane had never really had many friends.

Most of the people she’d had in her life consisted of colleagues who were as busy as she was. They

might share a drink or dinner, usually as a platform to discuss whatever they were currently working

on. She’d never once thought she was missing out on something until she arrived here. The deep love

Tah, Reno and Logan felt for one another was obvious to everyone. They really were more brothers

than friends, and they swept up everyone there in that sense of family. Then there was Abby. For one

so young, she mothered all of them. Scolding and offering love and wisdom depending on what was

going on. Diane had to admit, she didn’t want to leave. These people were the only family she had.

Before, she would have easily walked away. But now, she knew what family was supposed to mean,

and despite her self-doubt at the moment, there was no going back.

“I’ll think about it,” Diane vowed. She’d be thinking about a lot of things, but mostly about

Zane. If Clara was right, if Diane was his mate, then it was imperative she go after him as soon as

possible. The idea filled her with hope and dread at the same time and set off a litany of what if’s in

her mind. The most pressing one was what if she was Zane’s mate? What if she really was?

The panther rested in the tree. While it slept, the man struggled to hold on. There was

something he needed to do, someone he needed. To protect? To find? To claim? It was all so jumbled

in his head. He was sick. He knew that just as he knew the beast was growing stronger as he grew

weaker. Soon, the connection between them would cease to exist, and the animal would take full

control of the body they shared.

He couldn’t let that happen. It was the one thing he was certain of. He pictured blonde hair and

hazel eyes, and the name Diane floated in and out of his thoughts. Briefly, he swore he felt her touch, a

phantom caress that wasn’t nearly enough.

As the animal continued to rest, the man found strength by repeating three words over and over.

Diane. Mate. Mine.

Chapter Three

Diane barely slept, and when she did, her dreams were filled with Zane. His golden gaze

haunted her, begging her to come find him. In the dreams, he would hold out his hand to her, an

engaging smile on his lips as he bid her to join him. But as she drew closer, fog rose up from the

ground and obscured him from her sight. No matter how fast she ran or how loud she called, she

couldn’t find him.

She finally rose with grim determination. She was going after Zane. Mate or not, she knew she

wanted to help him, to save him from the beast taking over. She knew Tah would question her. He

might even tell her no. The only thing that might persuade him to give her a chance was if she told him

she was Zane’s mate. She still wasn’t sure if she believed it or not. She wanted to. She really wanted

to believe Clara was right. Surely, Clara would back her up and go with her to find Zane.

She headed toward the office as soon as she’d showered and dressed. It was the first time she

hadn’t gone straight to the labs since she’d arrived, and with each step, she grew more certain, more

confident. The door was closed, which meant Tah was there—he only closed it when he was talking

with someone. Part of her wanted to walk away, to not interrupt, but another part urged her it was

now or never. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and waited.

The door opened, and Reno stood there.

“Hey, Diane,” he greeted, opening the door wide and waving her in. “Come on in.”

She faltered when she stepped beyond the door and saw the group in the room. Tah and Abby,

the Professor, Reno, Murphy and Vic. The entire council Tah had put together minus one—Logan. He

was probably on patrol with Clara. Diane remembered the couple usually took the early shift.

“Am I interrupting a meeting?” she asked. “I can come back.”

“No, not at all,” Abby said. “In fact, it’s a good thing you joined us.”

“Oh?” Diane asked, feeling uncertain with everyone’s focus on her.

“The Professor stayed up most of the night searching for people who might be interested in

coming here to help us out, to give you a hand in the labs with testing and medical care. We’ve

managed to narrow it down to four possibilities. We’ll dig a little deeper to see if they’d be able to

handle who and what we are without running for the hills,” Tah said, rising and coming toward her.

His gaze took her in from head to toe, and she realized just how much her outburst the day

before must have worried him.

“We’ve been remiss in getting you more help. I’m sorry about that. We’ll do everything we can

to get it taken care of as soon as possible. We can’t afford to lose you. No one knows us as well as

you. We don’t want you to leave,” he finished, letting her know he knew what she’d told the

Professor.

“I…” She wasn’t comfortable discussing what she had planned in front of everyone. “I

promised Abby I would think about it.”

“And you promised to stay until after the baby was born, regardless,” the Professor reminded

her.

He was angry with her, and she understood why. She’d been his first and only choice. He saw

the possibility of her leaving as a betrayal.

She nodded. “I did.” Of course, if all went well, she’d be leaving for a little bit despite that

promise.

“Best case scenario would be if Clara’s Uncle Thomas appeared,” the Professor grumbled.

“He’s a self-trained physician for shifters. I’m betting he would be a fountain of wisdom for us all.

Even better would be if I could persuade Orsai to stay.”

Tah sighed. “We can’t afford to send anyone off to search for Thomas right now, especially

since we have no definitive direction to search in.”

“Not when we finally have our hands on some money to make upgrades with,” Vic said with

glee in her voice. “Well, once Abby goes to Denver to sign for her portion of the inheritance from

Professor Mueller’s untimely death.”

A rumble of displeasure sounded from Tah’s chest, and Diane knew he wasn’t happy about his

mate going. Abby sighed.

“We’ll wait until after the baby is born,” she said. “That should give you plenty of time to plan

whatever you need to in order to get me safely to Denver and back. We need this money.”

Abby was right. They did, especially since none of them had a source of income right now.

They were dwindling through the money reserves they had put together with cost of living and upkeep

on their vehicles. They needed more than just the money Abby was inheriting from the Professor’s

feigned death—a precaution the Professor’s daughter Jess and her wolf mates had taken when the

man’s life had been placed in jeopardy. They needed a viable business idea to generate some income

for them.

“We’ll get it all figured out,” Reno assured, arms crossed over his chest as if daring anyone to

contradict him.

“That we will,” Murphy agreed, rising and walking over to Diane. “How’s Finn doing this

morning?”

Diane shook her head. “I haven’t seen him. I came straight here to talk to Tah when I woke up.”

“He’s in the lab by himself?” The Professor’s face showed the horror Diane was feeling at the

thought of Finn unsupervised in the labs.

“I’ll head down,” Diane said and began to turn back toward the door.

“No need,” Murphy said, patting her on the shoulder. “I’ll go get him. Make sure he hasn’t

caused any mischief for you. You came to talk to Tah. Besides, I’m pretty sure this meeting is over.

Too much to do around here to be sitting on our asses talking about it all morning.”

Tah rumbled again, and Murphy laughed. It was good to see Murphy so happy. She remembered

the look on his face when he’d brought Finn back so near death. Diane hadn’t believed Finn was

going to make it at the time. But he had, thanks to the Professor and his research. Without it, Diane had

no doubt that Finn would have died. It was one of the reasons Diane found it so easy to keep her lips

sealed for the Professor.

“I’ll head down with you. I want to check on a few things. You can give some more blood

while you’re down there,” the Professor told Murphy.

“You’ll be bleeding me dry at this rate,” Murphy bickered good-naturedly as he headed out the

door.

“We’ll talk later,” the Professor said to Diane as he passed her. Would he be on her side?

Would he back her on her wish to go after Zane? She wasn’t sure.

“That’s my cue, too,” Vic said as she rose to her feet. “I’ve got a wish list to prioritize.”

Reno glanced at Tah. “We’ll talk more later.”

“I don’t want to interrupt,” Diane said. “I can come back another time.”

Reno shook his head. “You came here before you went to the labs. That tells us how important

you feel the need to talk to Tah is.” Reno’s gaze bore into hers, making her feel as if he were seeing

deep inside and uncovering all her secrets. “I remember the day you arrived. The Professor had

talked my ear off about your accomplishments, and I’ll admit, I’d been expecting someone far older. I

watched you like a hawk, just waiting for you to make a mistake.”

“I’m sure I made plenty,” Diane said quietly, lowering her head to glance at her feet.

Reno reached out and tipped her chin up. “I have no idea if you did or not. All I saw was a

woman dead set on saving my best friend. You didn’t shy away from anything. Every challenge

thrown at you, you met head-on. I can’t imagine this place without you. I hope I never have to.” He

leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead before turning and leaving the room, shutting the

door behind him.

Her eyes grew a little damp as she fought to blink back tears. She’d spent a lot of time with

Reno when she’d first arrived. One upon a time, she’d fancied herself falling for him. But that had

never been a possibility. She’d understood that the day Zane had arrived, and she’d felt a zing straight

to her core the first time she’d set eyes on him. Zane—the whole reason she was there now with a

foolish plan.

“What can we do for you, Diane?” Tah asked, breaking into her thoughts.

She turned back to face him and Abby. He stood behind his mate, one hip resting on the back of

the couch she sat on, a hand rubbing over her shoulder. They looked so good together, so perfect and

right. Even now, Abby had the fingers of one hand threaded through Tah’s where it rested on her

shoulder, while the other rubbed circles over her distended belly. They were the embodiment of how

Diane pictured mates. Watching them, she knew they had what she wanted with Zane.

“I want to discuss Zane,” she said. She was really glad Abby was there. It would be easier to

spit it all out with the other woman in the room. Despite Tah’s confidence in Diane, he still

intimidated her at times.

Tah came to his feet immediately. “Have you found something? A way to treat the feral cat

virus?”

She started to nod, then shook her head.

“Well, which is it? Yes or no?” Tah demanded with that growl of his.

Diane knew him well enough not to take it personally. He was worried, concerned and feeling

powerless, something that frustrated him to the point he growled.

“I’d like to talk to you about the possibility of sending someone to find Zane.”

Tah shook his head. “You know we can’t. He’s feral, and from what Clara says, is probably no

longer in control of his animal. Going after him could get one of us killed, or get him killed.”

“That might not be the case,” Diane murmured, beginning to feel all her doubts trying to creep

back in and make her unsure of herself.

“The only one who would be safe is his mate.” Tah reiterated what they all had been assured

of. “So unless you’ve discovered who she is, there’s not much we can do.”

Diane took a deep breath. Now was the time. All she had to do was open her mouth and give

voice to what she was thinking. Three simple words. I’m his mate. But what if she wasn’t? What if it

was all in her head? What if Zane was meant for someone else? And why did just the thought of

another woman in his arms, kissing and loving him, make her heart ache?

“Oh my God!” Abby said, leaning forward. “You’re Zane’s mate.”

“What?” Tah asked, shaking his head. “No way. You’ve been here since he arrived and I’ve

seen nothing to indicate that you’re mates.”

Tah’s words confirmed all the doubts she had herself. This time, though, there was a little

voice in her head that offered a challenge.

“What if he was avoiding me to protect me?” Diane asked.

“Why? And from what? A life you’re already a part of?” Tah challenged, once again repeating

her own doubts. How did he manage to do that?

“Give her a chance, Tah,” Abby admonished. “Why do you think he’d protect you by staying

away? And how? Tah could barely keep his hands off me when his beast awoke.”

Tah was right back beside his mate, touching her other shoulder. The man still couldn’t keep

his hands off Abby.

“Zane was brought into this world knowing who and what he is. I’ve witnessed a bit of the

connection you form when you’re mated. Tah knowing when you were in danger,” she said to Abby.

“Reno knowing when Amia was in my lab and upset about the tracker. And the way Clara and Logan

stood for each other from the moment they first laid eyes on one another.”

“That’s just it,” Tah said softly, and she could tell he was trying not to hurt her feelings. “With

mates, there’s no slow about it. Logan knew as soon as he saw Clara. And she did, too. There was no

keeping them away from each other. Zane doesn’t even come to the house. Hell, he seems to avoid it

unless absolutely necessary. He wouldn’t be able to do that if you were his mate.”

“Why not?” Diane asked. “If anyone has the control, it would be Zane.”

Tah shook his head. “I’m not buying it, Diane. I’m sorry.”

She sighed and turned away, not wanting to face them as she finally confessed her insecurities.

“I was intimidated and a little afraid of him,” she whispered. She’d finally admitted it this morning

and wondered if that was what he’d picked up on.

“Why?” Abby asked. “I understand that he’s a bit scary with his size and brawn. The man’s

even bigger than Tah. But he wouldn’t hurt any of us. I know that.”

“I know that, too. I think it had more to do with the way he looked at me. His gaze made me feel

devoured. I… Men don’t look at me like that. I didn’t know how to deal with it. So I avoided him.”

“And he avoided you,” Abby added.

“Which he wouldn’t have been able to do if you were his mate,” Tah countered. “No matter

what vibe he was picking up from you.”

“Really?” Abby asked, turning to her mate. “I seem to recall you holding back until I said yes.”

Tah’s chest rumbled. “Held back but still couldn’t keep myself from touching you.”

“You were just learning though, just starting to integrate with your animal,” Diane said. “You

wouldn’t have the same control.”

Tah glared at her then blew out a breath and began to nod in agreement. “True but look at

Clara. She couldn’t stay away from Logan.”

“She was locked up as a prisoner with only Logan to see,” Diane said. “I don’t think their

mating is a valid argument.”

Abby laughed. “She’s got you there.”

“So you think Zane would have picked up on your nerves and tried to stay away from you, the

woman who is potentially his mate?” Tah questioned and the doubt was still thick in his voice.

“Orsai told me that a fully trained shifter is taught to protect those around him, especially a

mate. When we were down in the lab and I was removing the tracker from Amia, you all burst in.

Reno shifted into his tiger. You went to your lion. You put yourself between him and Abby.”

“I did, but I also challenged him to try and calm him down,” Tah stated.

“Reno was focused on one thing. Amia, his mate. Clara immediately went to Logan, stepping in

front of him. Then he pushed her behind him. There were others in that room, but you all went to your

mates.”

He nodded, but she could see he was thinking, remembering that time in the lab.

“And Zane stepped in front of you,” Abby said. “I remember him baring his teeth at Reno when

his tiger looked at you. It was when I realized Zane was a shifter, as well.”

“Did anything change after that? Or did he still avoid you?” Tah asked, and Diane knew he still

wasn’t buying that she could be Zane’s mate.

“The night Murphy and Zane brought Finn back,” Abby spoke up again. “While everyone raced

out to see Finn, you went to Zane.”

Diane nodded. “I needed to make sure he was all right.”

“I was slower getting outside than everyone else,” Abby said, pointing to her belly. “I watched

you go to him. I saw the look you two shared. And when I walked in with him, I noticed something. I

don’t think I even realized what it was until just now.”

“What?” Diane asked.

“I think he was purring. Softly, very softly, but I heard it,” Abby said.

Abby’s words hardened Diane’s resolve. She was going after Zane.

“I want to go after him,” she said.

“No,” Tah answered immediately.

“Tah!” Abby admonished while Diane just blinked.

“Unless we know beyond a shadow of a doubt she’s his mate, we can’t risk it,” Tah told his

mate.

“I think that’s my choice,” Diane argued and saw surprise register on Tah’s face. “I want to go

after him.”

“Diane,” Tah said. “I can’t let you do that.”

“Then you’ll have to lock me up and keep me prisoner here,” Diane told him and realized she

meant it. “But consider yourself warned, I’ll try every chance I get to leave.”

Tah looked shocked, then thoughtful. “You feel that strongly about it?”

“I feel that strongly about him,” Diane said. “I feel like I’m losing my mind with worry over

him. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t work.”

“Sounds like a mate to me,” Abby spoke softly.

“Let’s discuss it more after the baby’s born,” Tah said.

“No,” Diane disagreed. “I need to leave now.”

“There’s no way you can leave when Abby is so close to giving birth. We need you here.”

Diane shook her head. “No, you don’t. No offense, Abby, but you have the Professor and Orsai

both here for you.” She turned to Tah. “Zane has no one, and everyday we wait brings us closer to

losing him for good. I may already be too late. Another seven to ten days and he’ll be gone for sure.

Please. Please let me go to him.”

“Diane—” Tah began but Abby cut him off.

“Let her go,” Abby said. “She’s right. I’m in good hands here. Zane needs her, and we need

both of them.”

“And how exactly is that going to work?” Tah asked. “How do you plan to find him?”

“Clara suggested it would take a shifter to find him,” Diane admitted.

“You talked to Clara about this?” Tah lifted an eyebrow at her in question.

“Yes, we talked about it. She’s the one that helped me to open my eyes and realize what I might

be to Zane.”

“Might be.” Tah latched onto her uncertainty. “If you’re not, you could be walking into a death

sentence and taking one of us with you.”

“There might be a way to avoid that,” the Professor spoke as he pushed the door wide and

stepped in.

Diane wondered how long he’d been standing there, eavesdropping.

“I should have known you’d be involved in this,” Tah said with a weary sigh.

“Actually, Diane didn’t confide in me,” the Professor said, and Diane swore he appeared a

little hurt by that. “I was coming up to discuss something else and caught the gist of what you were

discussing. I wondered myself a time or two if Diane and Zane were mates. Orsai and I discussed it.”

“And?” Tah prompted.

“Orsai believes she is. He’s been waiting for Diane to realize it.”

“He spoke to me last night,” Diane admitted when the Professor glanced at her.

“How is it I keep missing this stuff?” Tah asked and Diane knew he was referring to not

realizing what was happening between Logan and Clara at first, either.

“Because you’re focused on me,” Abby said, looking up at her mate.

“I’m always focused on you,” he said, leaning down and kissing her brow.

Diane watched and yearned. She wanted a taste of that type of love for herself, with Zane.

“I need to go after him,” she said again.

This time, Tah didn’t give an immediate no. “I’m not sure how to do that,” he said instead.

“Anyone who goes with you will be putting themselves at risk, as well. And what if you’re all

wrong? What if you aren’t his mate? He could kill you, Diane.”

“He won’t,” she said. Mate or not, there was something between them. She believed without

question Zane wouldn’t hurt her.

“Maybe Zane wouldn’t,” Tah spoke as if reading her mind. “But Zane’s not in charge right

now. You’ll be going to meet a full-grown panther. One that may or may not know you’re his mate.”

“He’ll know his mate no matter what form he’s in,” the Professor stated. “Orsai has assured me

of this. She might be the only chance we have of getting Zane back.”

“Please, Tah,” Diane pleaded. “Let me at least try.”

“And who are you going to ask to go with you? Whose life are you willing to risk as well?”

Tah demanded, making Diane blanch. She didn’t want to risk anyone.

“We think perhaps someone Zane’s panther wouldn’t find threatening would work best,” the

Professor said.

Tah sighed. “And who do you have in mind then? Just spit it out, Professor. It’s obvious you

and Orsai have this all planned out. I should just be grateful you included me before you sent Diane

off on her own.”

The Professor glared. “I wouldn’t do that.”

Tah snorted.

“Maybe Clara could go with me,” Diane suggested.

Tah gave a loud laugh and shook his head. “Logan would kick all our asses for even thinking it.

No way he’d go for her heading out with you to confront a panther with feral cat fever running through

him.”

“Not Clara,” the Professor agreed. “But someone just as non-threatening to him.”

“By non-threatening do you mean female?” Abby asked.

“Yes,” the Professor said. “He would see a male as a potential challenge for his mate. It could

set him off and turn into something we’re hoping to avoid. But if we send the right person. He’ll see

her as a protector, not a threat.”

“She hasn’t come forward, yet,” Tah said, drawing Diane’s eyes to him.

Tah knew. The Professor had sworn Diane to silence when it came to the blood tests. She

wasn’t to share anything with anyone other than the person whose blood she was running. All the

shifters had come forward, except one.

There was a knock at the door. Tah inhaled and sighed, sending a glare toward the Professor.

“Come in,” he called.

The door slid open and Kenzie poked her head around. Her gaze clashed with the Professor’s

and she stepped in, shutting the door behind her.

“I’ll go,” she said without preamble.

“You don’t have to do that,” Tah said softly.

Kenzie smiled shyly. “You’ve let me keep my secret long enough. It’s time I step forward.”

“Does anyone else know?” Abby asked.

“Holt knows. We’ve been friends for a long time. He’s made it his personal mission to watch

over me. I’m pretty sure Murphy sensed it, though he never spoke of it. Zane, as well,” she added

with a shrug. “He always had my back in the dessert. It’s only right I have his, now.”

For some reason, Diane got the impression there was more to Kenzie’s desire to help find Zane

than what had happened in the dessert. There was something in the glance Kenzie shifted toward

Diane when she mentioned Zane.

“He’s primal. He could hurt you. He could kill you,” Tah told Kenzie.

Kenzie shook her head. “No. Not Zane. Not me.”

Diane felt a surge of jealousy. Why was Kenzie so sure she was safe?

Everyone’s gazes turned to Diane.

“Sounds like a mate to me,” Abby offered with a huge grin.

Diane felt her anger grow. Was Abby thinking Kenzie might be Zane’s mate? The thought sent a

surge of anger through Diane.

“What?” she demanded when they all continued to stare at her.

Kenzie’s gaze was guarded. Abby was still smiling and Tah had his brow lifted in question.

The Professor just nodded.

“You growled,” Abby finally explained.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Kenzie said, glancing at Diane. “I just meant, Zane is like a big

brother to me.”

Kenzie was tiny, the smallest among them at five feet two inches. She was definitely not one

who would be seen as a threat. But Diane knew Kenzie was a Marine. She’d fought in the desert with

Tah, Reno, Logan and the rest of them. She also knew the others respected Kenzie. So tiny or not,

Diane felt as if she’d be safe with Kenzie.

“What do you say?” Diane asked, turning to Tah with a pleading gaze. “Will you let me go look

for Zane? Will you let me try to save him?”

“Are you sure?” Tah asked one last time, and his gaze bounced between Diane and Kenzie.

Kenzie spoke first. “Zane would do the same for any one of us. I’ll take his mate to find him.”

“Diane?” Tah prompted.

“I believe I’m his mate,” she said, then shook her head. “I am his mate, and I need to go to him

before I lose him for good.”

“I don’t like this,” Tah admitted. “It doesn’t feel right to send two of you out there alone. Not

when we have no idea what you might find.”

“So we implement daily check-ins like you did when Reno left,” Diane said. “If anything

happens, we’ll have a way of getting in touch with you immediately.”

Tah stood and stated at her for so long that Diane felt like squirming. She bit her bottom lip to

keep from begging more. She didn’t want to defy Tah, but if it came down to it, she knew she would.

“How soon do you want to leave?” Tah finally asked.

Diane smiled and crossed to him, surprising them both when she hugged him tight. “Thank you.

Thank you so much.”

“I’m still not sure this is a good idea,” Tah countered. “I really hope you are his mate, and I

hope you bring him back to us.”

“I am,” Diane said. “I will.”

“I can be ready to go as soon as you want me to,” Kenzie said.

“I’d like to talk to you first, Kenzie,” Tah said. “Go over a few things with you.”

Kenzie nodded.

“I’d like to talk to Diane, as well,” the Professor said. “Follow me to my office,” he told her

and turned and left.

Abby grabbed Diane and hugged her close. “Find your mate and bring him home,” she

whispered.

“I plan to,” Diane whispered back.

Chapter Four

“Damn!” Kenzie grumbled as the Professor slid the needle from her arm. “Hope you’re happy,”

she told Diane with a glare. “I’m heading out of here before he decides you need another shot, and I

end up taking it first.”

The Professor grunted, not meeting anyone’s gaze as he grabbed another needle and put more of

the liquid in it. Diane knew he was angry with her again. Kenzie turned and left the lab, and Diane felt

guilty. Kenzie had come down to ask a quick question and had ended up taking a shot meant for Diane

when she’d blanched at taking it. The Professor hadn’t wanted to give it to Kenzie, but the other

woman had been insistent so Diane would feel better about taking her own shot.

Funny thing was, Diane had given plenty of shots to wounded animals in her time, but every

time she was forced to take one, she turned into a child complete with sulking fits. She didn’t like

needles.

“I still don’t understand why I need a tetanus booster?” Diane grumbled as the Professor

prepped her arm for the shot he was so adamant she needed.

“Better safe than sorry is the phrase I believe most people use,” he said as he slid the needle in.

“You have no idea what might occur once you’re out there. This is just a precaution. Kenzie will be

fine,” he muttered, almost as if talking to himself. Then he glared at Diane again. “Shifters and their

mates have remarkable healing capabilities. We’ve both seen that. You on the other hand are not

mated yet and are still susceptible.”

“I’m sorry,” Diane told him.

He glanced at her as he took care of the used needle. “For wanting to leave me all alone to fend

for myself down here?”

She squirmed and felt her face flush with heat. How did he manage to make her feel like a little

girl being scolded for disappointing her parent?

“I’m hoping once you and Zane are mated all that will cease, and you’ll decide to stay here.”

“If I’m his mate, then yes, I’ll stay wherever he wants,” Diane admitted.

The Professor turned back to her then. “You’re his mate. He won’t be able to keep his hands off

you when you get close to him.”

Diane flushed brighter red. Good grief! She prayed the Professor wasn’t about to give her a sex

talk.

“Remember he’s primal right now. He could be a little…rougher than he intends,” the

Professor told her, clearing his throat in the middle of the sentence and attesting to how uncomfortable

he was, as well.

“Yes, I know,” she muttered, hopping off the stool and standing. “Is that all? I still need to

throw a bag together.”

He nodded then called after her before she stepped into the hall. “Diane.”

She turned back to him. “Yes?”

“I may not always say it, but I think the world of you. You’ve become like another daughter to

me.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Diane said. She often thought of him as a father figure.

“There’s very little I wouldn’t do to help those I love. My methods and means may not always

be easy to accept, but everything I do is geared toward taking care of those who mean the most to me,

family.”

She nodded. “I know that. I won’t share your secrets.” Was he still worried about her venting

session upstairs when she’d almost thrown him under the bus? It had been an empty threat on her part.

She’d never do that to him.

“I know that,” he told her with a nod. “I want you to be happy. I thought from the beginning you

could be happy here if you allowed yourself. I’ve watched you bloom, creating friendships and

becoming a viable force. They look to you. I look to you, and maybe you find that terrifying, but you

shouldn’t. We don’t expect perfection from you the way it’s been demanded of you in the past. We

merely want the reassurance that you are in this with us. Remember that when you’re out there,

attempting to save Zane. He’s not just a man, and you can’t just save the man. There is a darker side to

him, a beast that lives inside and, at the moment, has more control. That beast needs saving, as well.

You need to accept and love them both, to be claimed by them both.”

“I understand that. I promise. I do.”

“Be safe,” he whispered and cleared his throat. “Come to my office when you get back. I’m

sure we’ll have plenty to discuss.”

She nodded and on impulse rushed over to give him a hard hug. “Thank you, for everything.”

He patted her shoulder and sighed before easing back and shaking his head at her. “Go. You’ve

waited long enough as it is.” He glanced at his watch. “How soon do you expect to leave?”

“Tah and Reno want to go over a few things with Kenzie and me,” Diane said. “I’m guessing at

this point it will be early morning before we set out.”

He appeared thoughtful. “Great time to leave. I’ll see you when you return.” With those parting

words, he turned and headed to his office.

Diane left the lab and hurried up the stairs, eager for the day to be over so she could leave.

Now that she’d made up her mind to go after Zane, to believe she was his mate, she wanted to head

out immediately. Maybe Tah would let her and Kenzie leave this afternoon instead. Diane’s heart

raced with anticipation and a touch of fear. She’d be foolish not to be afraid.

The rest of the day flew by. Tah was still not completely on board with Kenzie and Diane

leaving. He ordered them to see him and Reno again in the morning before they headed out on their

own. Diane spent half the night fretting Tah would change his mind at the last minute and forbid them.

The other half was consumed with worry over Zane, and whether or not she’d taken too long to go

after him. When morning finally arrived, she was anxious to be on her way. Maybe she’d get lucky

and find Zane today.

“Please, God, let Zane be okay. Let me save him, all of him, and bring him home,” she

whispered in the quiet of her room as she tossed clothes haphazardly in the backpack Clara had

loaned her. She made sure to grab the clothes Murphy had left for her to carry for Zane. His boots

were going to take up a huge portion of space in her pack, but she knew he’d need them.

She’d have to hurry to make the mandatory meeting with Tah and Reno. She sent up another

prayer that Tah hadn’t changed his mind overnight. He’d made no pretense about the fact he didn’t

like the idea of sending two females out on their own to hunt for a primal shifter. She didn’t think he

liked sending two females out alone, period, but she wasn’t going to call him on it. She’d learned just

how alpha these male shifters were, and Tah was the alpha of them all.

This was the second day in a row she wasn’t headed straight to the labs. It was strange to her.

The labs were where she felt most at home, even on the mornings she was busy cleaning up after

others who’d used it for personal reasons. So far all three couples currently living at the cabin had

given in to sexual need while in her lab. Her thoughts skittered to Zane. Maybe it would be her turn to

use it when they got back. Her insides clenched at the thought.

There was a sharp knock on the door before it was pushed open. Kenzie poked her head around

and Diane’s reprimand disappeared at the woman’s engaging grin.

“Ready to go?” Kenzie asked.

“Almost,” Diane said. “Should I bring my bag down with me to the office?”

“No office,” Kenzie said. “I already spoke to Tah and Reno. We’re good to go as soon as

you’re ready.”

“Really?” Diane practically squealed with excitement.

Kenzie nodded. “If you hurry, we can miss most of the crowd and get going with minimal fuss.”

Diane cinched and snapped shut the bag and pulled one strap over her shoulder as she turned.

“I’m ready.”

Kenzie shoved the door all the way open, revealing her own backpack. “I’ve got the other

things we’ll need packed on one of the four wheelers. Tents, sleeping bags and food and water. We

can take the ATV to the boundary and leave it there. From that point, we’ll be hiking. Your shoes

good?”

Diane glanced at her very comfortable hiking boots. “Yeah, I’m good.”

She and Kenzie headed down the stairs. They were dressed similarly in jeans, boots and T-

shirts. Kenzie had a flannel thrown over hers while Diane had opted for a light jacket. They stopped

in the kitchen and grabbed several bottles of water. The house was eerily quiet.

“Where is everyone?” Diane wondered.

“Tah went down with Logan and Clara to talk to the shifter, Dillon. Reno and Amia made a

quick trip into town for supplies. Holt’s at the monitors. I think Vic’s on patrol with Finn and Murphy.

There’s been a lot of hikers out and about lately. Tah’s afraid one of them might wander in here by

mistake,” Kenzie said as she rummaged and grabbed several things from the cabinets.

“Should I be grabbing more stuff, as well?” Diane asked. She’d never really gone on a trip like

this and thought Kenzie had already gathered supplies.

“Nah, I’m just being overly cautious,” she replied with that grin of hers. “Let’s go.”

They made quick time, running into no one, which surprised Diane. Tah had been very adamant

that he wanted to talk to her. But Dillon was becoming more and more of an issue with his constant

threats and hatred spewing out. He refused to tell them what he’d given to Lydia and thus bound their

hands in trying to help the woman. To top it off, Dillon was constantly shifting and ramming the door,

trying to get out—unless Murphy was down there. Dillon seemed to be terrified of Murphy, which

made sense if Murphy had really broken his arm. Diane didn’t doubt it at all.

She regretted not getting the chance to say goodbye to Abby. Diane had wanted to check on

Abby one last time before leaving. Orsai and the Professor were there. She knew Abby would be in

good hands if she went into labor before Diane returned. Hell, Abby was probably in better, more

qualified hands with Orsai than she would be with Diane.

The engine cut off and Kenzie hopped off quickly, glancing around. “This is as far as we can

take it. Let’s grab these bags and get going. I want to make as much time as we can before we need to

stop.”

“No scent of him?” Diane asked as she grabbed her share of the bags and slung them over her

arm. Kenzie reached for the rest and immediately set off into the woods at a brisk pace.

“Not yet, but we would have known if he was this close,” Kenzie said.

“If you don’t find his scent tonight, will we camp together?” Diane asked.

Kenzie shrugged. “Have to see. I think the safest thing for you is to be away from me, just in

case Zane picks your scent up and heads toward you. Female or not, he might not like me with you.”

Kenzie inhaled and glanced at Diane. “Especially now.”

Kenzie was keeping them at a quick speed as they moved farther and farther away from the

cabin. Was the other woman in a hurry to get rid of Diane?

“Why especially now? Because he’s primal? I thought you were still supposed to be safe since

you’re female?” Diane didn’t want to put the other woman in danger.

“Normally, yes. But you’re getting ready to come into heat. I can smell the change in your

body.”

Diane shook her head. “No, not for another few weeks, yet. I have longer cycles but they’re

regular.”

Kenzie gave her a funny look then turned her glance back in front of them. “I’m telling you,

you’re getting ready to ovulate. Probably the next couple days. The scent is strong. If Zane is

anywhere near us, he’ll smell you and head straight to us. I hope you’re ready for a wild male.”

“What do you mean?” Diane asked, fear catching in her throat. She couldn’t be ovulating. It

wasn’t time. She recalled exactly what Abby had told her about being with Tah when she was

ovulating. Diane swallowed and fisted her shaking hands at her sides.

Kenzie looked apologetic. “Zane is completely dominated by animal instincts at the moment,

which means he might be a little…forceful when he takes his mate.” She looked embarrassed to speak

so bluntly with Diane. “Add to that the fact you’re coming into heat…” She shrugged again. “Any

control Zane might have been able to maintain could disappear completely. He’ll have one thought in

mind and only one.”

“Me?” Diane asked with a voice suddenly weak.

“Claiming you,” Kenzie said. “In any and every way he can.”

“Oh, God,” Diane panted, stopping and leaning against a tree as she tried to catch her breath.

“I didn’t smell it on you until we were already out here, or I would have warned you,” Kenzie

said, coming up beside her. “It’s good in a way.”

Diane choked on a laugh. “How is this good? What if he’s so far gone that I can’t reach him?

Will he still take me? Mount me and coerce me whether I want it or not?”

“Diane, he won’t rape you. Mates don’t do that,” Kenzie assured her.

“Are you sure about that? Have you ever known of another mated couple in this exact position?

One ovulating while the other’s under the influence of the feral cat fever virus?”

Kenzie shook her head.

“Then we have no idea what I’m walking into.” Diane groaned as she pushed away and began

walking again. Her mind was filled with everything Abby had shared with her about mating with Tah

while in heat. Diane knew cats. She understood how the barbs worked on the male feline’s penis. She

also remembered the look on Abby’s face and how the other woman had assured Diane the sex had

been pleasurable. Unfortunately, hearing wasn’t the same as knowing, and her already strained nerves

only frayed more with the uncertainty.

Kenzie resumed a quick pace, and Diane kept up as her mind spun with possibilities. She had

no idea how far they’d walked, her thoughts and the occasional conversations with Kenzie managing

to keep Diane distracted. Thankfully, it seemed as if Kenzie knew exactly which direction they

needed to head in, or she was just making a good guess.

“If you’re cycles are normal, then why are you getting ready to ovulate?” Kenzie asked when

they stopped briefly for a drink of water. “Maybe it’s your body’s way of making sure your mate can

find you,” she offered.

Oh, no! No! That son of a bitch! “Or maybe it’s one mad scientist’s way of making sure Zane

finds me,” Diane stated angrily.

“The Professor?” Kenzie asked.

“He said he was giving me a tetanus booster, and I didn’t even really question him. I’m such a

fucking idiot. I should’ve known better than to trust that sneaky bastard.”

“I’m sure he only meant to help you,” Kenzie offered, almost mirroring the Professor’s earlier

words.

“He’s gone too far this time. He’s not only risked my life but yours, as well. And when we get

back, I’m going to knock some sense into him. It would serve him right if I left despite his little plan.”

“You’re planning to leave? With Zane?” Kenzie didn’t sound happy.

“I would never tell Zane what to do,” she promised.

“If you leave, he’ll go with you, whether he wants to or not. Mates come first. If for one minute

he thinks you’re unhappy and wish to leave us, he won’t hesitate,” Kenzie informed her.

“I won’t do that to him,” Diane swore.

“Then be careful of your emotions. They become his, as well. You’ll be unable to hide anything

from him.”

“Shit! What about you?” Diane asked.

“What about me?” Kenzie replied.

“He gave you a shot, too.”

“I’ll be fine. My body might not even react to it.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “It

hasn’t, yet. You’re the one we should be concerned about. You going into heat could make the animal

in Zane even more predatory and unwilling to relinquish control.”

Not to mention the changes to his physiology that Diane wasn’t going to share. Besides, Kenzie

was a shifter. She might already know and just not want to scare Diane. Either way, Diane wasn’t

bringing it up.

“Maybe the Professor should have thought of that before he gave me something to force my

body to ovulate,” Diane gritted out between clenched teeth. They were going uphill, and she was

panting a bit.

“He definitely should have,” Kenzie agreed. “Mates can be very protective. Your anger

becomes theirs. The bond mates share… It’s a love like no other.”

Diane glanced at Kenzie. “Is Holt your mate?”

Kenzie laughed. “No. I think Holt hoped for us to be mates, but we weren’t meant to be. He’s

not mine.”

“Have you…?” Diane cleared her throat, uncertain of finishing the question.

“Had sex?” Kenzie offered then smiled. “Holt’s an amazing lover, but that was a long time ago.

We’re just friends, now. He’s my best friend.”

“So from lovers to friends?” Diane asked.

“More like from friends to friends with benefits to best friends,” Kenzie said, sharing her

infectious grin again.

“I’ve never had a lover,” Diane admitted out of the blue. “Unless toys count, in which case I’ve

had several, and they’ve all been perfect.”

Kenzie stopped and turned with an incredulous expression. “Holy fuck! You’ve never been

with a man and you’re planning on taking a primal shifter on as your first? Jesus!”

Diane swallowed, nervous tension spreading from her stomach outward at the look on Kenzie’s

face. If Kenzie was that worried, Diane had a feeling she should be terrified.

“Yes,” she managed to squeak out.

Diane’s phone began buzzing in her pocket, jolting both of them.

“I wouldn’t answer that just yet,” Kenzie said anxiously and headed them farther through a

thicker copse of trees.

“Why not?” Diane asked, giving Kenzie a piercing glance the other woman did her best to

avoid. Kenzie was hiding something.

“Well…” Kenzie started to answer then sighed. “God, what a mess this is turning into.”

“Why shouldn’t I answer my phone?” Diane demanded just as it ceased buzzing and Kenzie’s

began.

“Because we didn’t exactly have Tah’s permission to leave when we did this morning,” Kenzie

admitted quietly and walked a bit faster as if that would keep Diane quiet.

“What?” Diane couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Kenzie sighed. “I owe Zane, and I wasn’t going to take the chance of Tah changing his mind and

not letting us go. He gave his approval once. That’s all we needed.”

Diane didn’t know which of them Kenzie was trying to convince with that logic. Either way,

she was sure Kenzie knew she was wrong. Chances were very good they were both in very serious

shit with Tah, now. But Diane focused on something else Kenzie had said.

“How do you owe Zane?” Diane asked.

“He saved my life,” Kenzie admitted. “It was after we were all back state side. Holt went

home for a bit to check on his parents and younger brother. I found myself in a bad situation, one of

those caught in the wrong time and place sort of circumstances.”

“How wrong?” Diane asked.

“I was out numbered and unsure of how the hell to get out of the situation without getting myself

hurt or without hurting someone seriously. Then Zane walked through the door.” Kenzie grinned

again. “He has a commanding presence. He called my name and held his hand out to me. The look on

his face. It was as if he were defying anyone to stop him. He was dominant and forceful.” Kenzie

laughed. “Oh, God, you should have seen him. Picture this. I’m in a dark bar. There are six guys in

there with me. I was drinking way more than I should have and not paying attention. I should have

cared that I was the only woman in there and maybe got a clue there might be a reason for it.”

“Why were you drinking?” Diane interrupted to ask.

“I’d just decided to end things with Holt. I was afraid of hurting him, losing his friendship,” she

admitted.

“Obviously, you didn’t.”

“No,” Kenzie said with a shake of her head. “He understood and agreed. We’ve been best

friends since.”

“So what happened with Zane?”

“I was surrounded when he walked in. One of the guys had a hard grip on my arm. I was a little

roughed up. I’d uttered the word no, and they didn’t take it very well.”

Diane looked at Kenzie’s tiny build. She was not just short but carried a smaller frame, as

well. Her long brown hair was usually pulled back in a braid down her back, making her huge brown

eyes the focus when you looked at her. She was beautiful, especially when she smiled, which was

most of the time. But she was also quiet—almost to the point you didn’t realize she was there, until

she wanted you to. Diane had noticed all the guys in their group had a tendency to be a little over-

protective of Kenzie.

“I tugged my arm and tried to walk over to Zane, but the guy didn’t want to let me go. He asked

Zane who the fuck he was. Zane said he was the one who was going to kill anyone who’d touched me.

He looked pointedly at the guy’s hand still on my arm and just lifted his brow. God, his eyes! He let

just enough of the animal loose so that they really glowed. It was scary as fuck. I thought a few of

them were going to piss their pants. Here I am surrounded by a bunch of dickheads who think they’re

really bad boys, and in walks six and half feet of pissed off muscle. Ebony skin that only seems to

make his eyes look all the lighter, you know?”

Diane nodded. Yeah, Zane was gorgeous.

“The one who had a grip on me dropped my arm and practically shoved me toward Zane. He’s

all, ‘we don’t want any trouble’.” Kenzie mimicked. “Zane swept the room with all of them before

we left. My God, I knew he was lethal, but his control. When he was done, none of them were

moving.”

“Did he kill them?” Diane asked with wide eyes.

“No,” Kenzie answered with another shake of her head. “He just taught them a lesson. The main

guy kept saying no and begging Zane to stop hitting him. Zane would just hit him again and ask how

many times the guy had ignored others saying the same things. When he thought the guy had enough, he

took my hand and pulled me out of there.”

“What happened then?” Diane wanted to know. Good grief, she couldn’t control the fact she

was feeling a bit jealous. Had Zane comforted Kenzie? Kissed her? Jesus! Had Kenzie been fuck

buddies with Zane, as well?

“He chewed my ass out when I woke up,” Kenzie admitted with a shudder. “Lord, I’ve never

seen him so mad. He was absolutely livid with me. Told me he didn’t care what I was dealing with,

there was no excuse for stupid.”

“Oh, my,” Diane breathed out. Would he be mad at her for this plan to save him? “Sounds like

he helped you out of tight spot. Wait a minute, what do you mean when you woke up?”

What had happened between Kenzie and Zane that had exhausted the woman? Kenzie gave a

snort of laughter.

“What?” Diane demanded and even she could hear the growl in her voice. Good grief. She

wasn’t even a shifter.

“Not what you think,” Kenzie stated. “I’ve never been anything more than friends with Zane.

Never. To be honest, he scares me a little. He’s all intensity and control and intimidation without

even saying a word.”

Diane knew what she meant, but where it scared Kenzie, it just turned Diane on. She wanted

Zane like she’d never wanted another man. Truthfully, there was a part of her who relished the

thought he would be her first lover, and if they were mates like she suspected, her only lover.

“So what happened after?” Diane asked again. “You said he didn’t say anything until you woke

up.”

“My drink was drugged. Apparently, the bar was a known place where women have a tendency

to disappear. Zane was checking into it, and there I was. It might have taken me a little longer to lose

consciousness under the drug they were lacing my drinks with, but I would have been as much at their

mercy as a human woman when I did.”

“But you’re a shifter,” Diane argued.

Kenzie stopped and shifted from foot to foot. She skimmed her gaze around them, but Diane

sensed a nervous tension in the other woman. “That doesn’t make me invincible, Diane. I can still be

drugged, killed.”

“But couldn’t you have shifted? Saved yourself?” Diane asked.

“No,” Kenzie admitted.

“Too dangerous to shift?”

Kenzie blew out a breath, and the look in her eyes when she finally met Diane’s gaze sent a

shiver of foreboding through Diane.

“I can’t shift,” Kenzie confessed. “That’s why the Professor came to me and asked for my

help.”

“No,” Diane countered, shaking her head. “That’s not possible. You have the same coding as

the others. Your blood work shows a strong shifter hormone in your blood, similar to Clara’s.

There’s nothing to make us think your animal’s recessive like Finn’s.”

“It’s another anomaly. Didn’t you ever notice my canines?” Kenzie opened her lips wide again,

and Diane stared at the shorter canines more similar to hers than Clara’s. How had she not paid

attention to that before?

“How did the Professor know?” Diane demanded, and why hadn’t he told Diane?

“He approached me after he ran the first blood test. I told him I wasn’t ready to come forward,

yet. He was okay with it, but wanted to ask me some questions,” Kenzie explained. “I couldn’t

answer them all. I admitted to him that I couldn’t shift, that I never had. Have to admit, I’m surprised

he didn’t tell you.”

“I’m not,” Diane grunted. Oh, she’d have plenty to say to the Professor when she got back. Then

another thought occurred to her.

“Can you even smell Zane?” she demanded.

“Yes. I have all the enhanced senses of a shifter. I can even manage claws when I need them.

But I’ve never been able to pull off a full shift. I often wonder if my birth parents knew I was

defective and that’s why they gave me up for adoption. They thought I was normal and wanted me to

have a normal life.”

Kenzie’s face took on a sad expression.

“But you didn’t?” Diane prompted.

“No, I didn’t. I told you I have shifter senses. Sometimes my ability to smell or see something I

shouldn’t have been able to freaked people out. My adoptive family couldn’t wait to be rid of me. My

bags were packed as soon as I hit eighteen. I stuck around until I graduated then took off and joined

the Marines.”

“Oh, Kenzie, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s worked out for the best,” Kenzie said, but Diane didn’t think so. How would it feel to

think you didn’t belong in either world?

“So how are you going to be able to protect me out here?” Diane asked, changing the subject

and hoping to spark something other than sadness in Kenzie.

“I might not be a fully merged shifter, but I am a Marine. Trust me. I can kick ass with the best

of them,” Kenzie assured her with a hard look.

Diane continued, wanting to banish any remaining crumbs of sadness that might remain. “Well,

your story of Zane coming to the rescue hasn’t exactly invoked a confident feeling.”

“I was drugged.” Kenzie grunted, and Diane did her best to hide a smile. This was much better.

Diane’s phone started vibrating in her pocket again.

“I should probably answer, or we’re going to have a whole posse on our tails,” Diane said,

pulling free her phone and answering. She hit the button to place the call on speaker.

“Hello.”

“What the fuck part of see me before you leave this house did you two not understand?” Tah’s

voice was hard and lethal, and Diane was very happy she wasn’t there to see his face.

“Uhmm. What?” Diane mumbled.

“Put Kenzie on the phone, now,” Tah commanded furiously.

Kenzie sighed as Diane looked at her. “I’m here.”

“You’re most definitely not here or you’d feel the full brunt of my anger,” Tah seethed. “Do you

have any clue what you’re walking into? What you’re taking Diane into?”

“I’m not a child, and you’re not my parent, Tah,” Kenzie fumed. “And yes, we’re both aware of

what we’re doing and why.”

“Does Diane know you can’t shift?” Tah asked softly and the menace in his voice was so much

scarier for the quietness of his tone.

“Yes,” Kenzie answered in surprise, her gaze clashing with Diane’s. “You’re on speaker. We

can both hear you.”

“Did you think Holt wouldn’t tell us when he found out what you’d agreed to?” Tah demanded.

“Fuck,” Kenzie seethed.

“How far away are you? Holt and Murphy will come get you,” Tah stated.

“No,” Kenzie said quietly.

“Excuse me?” Tah asked, his voice rigid with disbelief.

“I said no,” Kenzie repeated, her gaze bouncing around them as she inhaled. “It’s too late,

anyway,” she admitted and Diane felt a chill run up her spine. “We’re close. I’ve picked up his scent,

which means he’s already caught Diane’s at this point. It won’t be safe for anyone else to be around.”

“Fuck!” Tah shouted the expletive and Diane heard a loud cracking sound and wondered if Tah

had just punched something. “I want you back here as soon as possible, and we will have a long talk,

Kenzie. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir,” Kenzie muttered.

“Diane.” He said her name softly.

“Yes?”

“Be careful. I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you,” he told her.

“I’ll be fine,” Diane said, not sure if she was assuring him or reassuring herself. “I’m his mate.

Zane won’t hurt me.”

“I pray you’re right,” Tah grunted. “You two have tied my hands, now. All I can do is wait to

hear from you or risk the possibility of getting people killed by sending others after you. This is a hell

of a fucked up mess.”

A loud hiss rocked the woods followed by a growl that sent more shivers coursing through

Diane. Holy fuck!

“It’s too late, Tah,” Kenzie reiterated, wide eyes meeting Diane’s. “He’s closer than I thought. I

need to find a place for Diane to camp so I can keep an eye on them. We’ll talk to you when we get a

chance.”

Kenzie hit the end call button on Diane’s phone and shoved it at her. “Hurry up. We’re out of

time. Hope you know how to pitch your own tent.”

The predatory call of Zane’s animal filled the air again, making Diane feel stalked. Time was

up. Soon, she’d know for sure if Zane was her mate or not. She took a deep breath and followed

Kenzie at a jog.

Chapter Five

Fuck! That was the mantra going through Diane’s head. As soon as they’d hit the small

clearing, Kenzie had done a dump and run, leaving Diane on her own. She’d known she’d be alone at

some point, had even anticipated it, but the reality was far more frightening than she’d imagined.

It had been almost an hour since had Kenzie left and there was still no Zane. Diane wasn’t sure

what that meant. Had she been completely wrong about being Zane’s mate? Maybe he’d just been nice

to her? Maybe she was the only one who felt heat between them?

She kicked at the ground and glared at the tent. If she was wrong, then it would offer no

protection against an enraged, primal panther. Tying one of the front flaps back, she tossed her

backpack and the extra food bag inside, out of the way. She knew she was supposed to tie the food up

or something, but she wasn’t a camper, damn it! And Zane should already be here to protect her!

She glanced around and had not a clue what to do. Kenzie had been so certain Zane was coming

for her. Another thought skated through her mind. What if it wasn’t Diane he was after? What if he’d

gone after Kenzie? What if they’d all been wrong, and he saw her as a threat?

“Kenzie!” she yelled as loudly as she dared. “Kenzie, are you out there?”

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, scaring the shit out of her and making her jump with a squeal

of terror. Good grief, she was freaking herself out.

“Hello?” she answered.

“I’m here.” Kenzie’s voice came through the line. “I moved up higher, trying to get upwind of

you. Be careful. Your voice carries really well here.”

“Maybe to someone with enhanced senses,” Diane hissed. She could barely hear herself over

the staccato beat of her heart. “How far away are you?”

“Far enough that hopefully Zane won’t feel threatened anymore by my presence so near his

unclaimed mate,” Kenzie uttered. “But close enough to get to you quickly if needed.”

“He’s not here,” Diane muttered. “Are you sure that was him we heard?”

“It was him all right,” Kenzie confirmed. “And he’s there. Trust me.”

“Then what is he doing because I’m in this clearing alone wondering if I’m going to be panther

food.”

Kenzie snickered. “If he eats you, I’m sure you’ll enjoy every flick of his tongue.”

Diane groaned as that thought filled her head. The image of his dark head nestled between her

thighs licking and sucking on her pussy almost had her orgasming on the spot. She knew she had it bad

when just the thought of him had her so close.

“Kenzie, I’m serious,” Diane hissed again. “He’s not here, and I’m starting to freak out.”

“He followed me for a bit,” Kenzie said.

“Why? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. More than likely, he was making sure I wasn’t a threat to you. I kept moving higher

away from you until he seemed satisfied and turned back,” Kenzie said. “Everything will be fine.”

Diane snorted. “Are you sure about that?”

“It’s too late for second thoughts,” Kenzie warned her. “You said you were his mate, so prove

it.”

“How the hell do I do that?” Diane demanded.

“Talk to him. Let him know you’re there for him. If Zane is still exerting some control over the

animal, and he obviously is, then he’s probably using everything to hold the beast in rein, trying to

protect you from a mating. You need to let him know you want to be his mate. Your fear might incite

the beast, but it will make the man fight all the harder to protect you.”

“What if—”

“Enough,” Kenzie said, cutting her off. “You’re either his mate or you’re not. You either want

to save him or you don’t. Say the word and I’ll force him back to me.”

“You’re not his mate,” Diane gritted out.

“No, but I’d sacrifice myself to save him,” Kenzie replied.

“No. He’s mine,” Diane growled and hung up, tossing the phone into the tent behind her.

She paced around the clearing, muttering under her breath. Fear was gone, overshadowed by

anger at the thought of Kenzie trying to get Zane to claim her, instead. Over her dead fucking body!

“Zane,” she called. “I know you’re out there. It’s Diane.” Shit! He probably already knew that.

“I came here to find you. I…I’ve been worried about you. I want to help if you’ll let me.”

God! This was getting her nowhere. What did you say to the man who filled your dreams? What

would it take to get him to release whatever hold he had over his beast and come to her?

“I’ve been thinking of you,” she said as she continued walking in circles around the outside of

her tent. “No, that’s not exactly right. I’ve been consumed with thoughts of you. I can’t work. I can’t

sleep. I can’t eat. I keep seeing your beautiful eyes, the way one corner of your mouth lifts when you

smile. I keep picturing the night you returned with Finn. Things changed that night, when I went to you

and touched you.” She sighed and stopped, lifting her face to the sky and closing her eyes. “I know

you felt it, too. I know it wasn’t just me. More than a spark, so much more. It was like a bolt of

lightning lancing from you to me. I saw the look in your eyes. It took all I had to pull away and go

check on Finn. I wanted you then, and it’s only grown like a physical ache I can’t appease. I touch

myself and dream it’s you. I think I know what’s happening between us. I think I’m your mate, and

yes, it scares me. But not nearly as much as the thought of losing you when I don’t even have

memories to sustain me. Only dreams. I have plenty of those. Dreams where you touch me, kiss me,

make love to me. I want more than the dreams. I want you, anyway I can have you.”

She heard a deep purr and jolted, taking a step back and snapping her head down, eyes flaring

wide. A huge black panther sat at the edge of the clearing, watching her.

“Zane?” She croaked the question out. It had to be him. Right? There wouldn’t be another

panther out here. If by some strange circumstance there was another panther shifter in the area, Kenzie

would have sensed it and warned her.

The panther tilted its head and the golden eyes looked so familiar, so comforting.

“I’m here, Zane,” she whispered. “I want to help you, to save you if I can.”

The panther was up off its haunches and prowling closer. He was circling her, and she turned

with him, feeling her breath catch as each loop veered him closer to her.

“Zane, you’re making me nervous,” she ventured to say, and the panther stopped in its tracks,

blinking its eyes at her.

“Zane,” she whispered with awe. “It’s really you, isn’t it? You’re so beautiful. I knew you

would be. I mean, you take my breath away. Why would your beast be any different?”

The head cocked and a rumble sounded in its chest. She swore she saw the panther’s chest

expand as he inhaled deeply. Those big eyes seemed to glow brighter, and it was back on its feet. No

more circling. It was heading right toward her.

“Oh, God,” she moaned and braced herself. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut tight, but fear

kept them locked wide open, watching as the panther stalked closer.

His head was even with her belly, and this close, she had no trouble visualizing just how lethal

he could be if needed. He inhaled again, hissed and buried his nose in her crotch.

“Shit!” she exclaimed and jerked back.

He followed and buried his nose again.

“Stop that!” she scolded.

She reached down to push away his nose and got her first glimpse of sharp teeth when he

peeled his lips back and growled at her. She dropped her hands to her side and clenched them into

fists.

The nose pressed against the crotch of her jeans again and rubbed over it. She held still. The

man she could deal with. At least she hoped. But the panther. She had no idea what to do. She gasped

as a long pink tongue flicked out and licked over the seam of her pants.

“Zane!” she cried out and moved back with the panther stalking her. The tongue flicked out

again, licking over her the ridge of denim hiding her zipper. “Stop that!” she scolded.

The panther rumbled again and flashed its teeth.

“That’s not going to work this time. I don’t care if you’re a panther or not. You can’t just go

around licking people’s crotches. It’s not right.”

The panther pushed her with his nose, and she flailed before falling back to land in the opening

of the tent on her ass.

“Damn it, Zane!” she yelled. “That wasn’t nice!”

The panther loomed over her, and she squealed as his big head dipped toward her. She fell

back flat on her back and did squeeze shut her eyes this time. The nose brushed between her thighs

again then moved up along her belly to her chest. His tongue ran over both breasts and she gasped,

holding still. Then she felt the rough texture against the bare skin of her neck, just below her ear.

“Zane, please,” she begged. “I need you.”

The panther rumbled and shook its head as if trying to tell her something. She’d never felt so

unsure around cats. Hell, this was her life. Working with large cats was what she’d trained so hard

for. This was where she was confident, where she allowed no room for doubt. So why was this any

different? Because this was Zane, and wisdom flew out the window when he was near, leaving her

lost in a sea of sensations she’d never experienced before. What was he waiting for?

The tongue flicked out again, and she flinched and shook with a stab of fear as she felt the

scrape of his teeth. One wrong move and he could kill her. The nose nudged her again, and she

blinked open her eyes to glance up at him.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “I need you, Zane. The real you. I can’t understand you

like this.”

The panther hissed again and let out a growl that echoed around them. Fuck! Had she pissed off

the beast? What was it waiting for? Was Zane already lost to her? Had she waited too long?

The panther dipped its big head and nudged her once more, burying his nose in her neck this

time and nuzzling her there. A thought suddenly occurred to her. What if the panther was demanding

she accept him before he’d release control to his human counterpart?

Tentatively, she reached up and rubbed her hand over the fur of his cheek. She slid her fingers

along his fur, following his neck to his shoulder and down his front leg. He sat on his haunches and

purred his approval. Slowly, she eased up to sit before him. When he didn’t nudge her down with his

nose, she cautiously reached out with both hands and stroked over his fur again and again.

“I know you and Zane are a package. I can’t have him without accepting you.”

The panther mewled and tilted his head at her.

“I’ve dreamed of meeting a big guy like you. So inquisitive. So intelligent. So lethal,” she

added when he rumbled and stretched up his head, revealing his sharp teeth. “But I don’t need to be

afraid of you, do I? Is that what you’re trying to get me to see? That you’re just as much mine as he is?

That I’m as safe with you as I am with him?”

A hum throbbed through his chest, vibrating against her fingers where they stroked over him.

He nuzzled her face again, and this time she giggled as his big pink tongue came out and swiped over

her cheek. Soon, she was fully reclined with the panther licking her face while she laughed and turned

it from side-to-side. All fear was forgotten as she reveled in the playful side of her mate’s beast.

Zane felt the moment his panther acknowledged Diane as their mate. The more afraid she’d

become, the harder the beast had fought against the bond, and Zane had understood. To be his mate

meant accepting all of him, and the beast was very much a part of him. Diane seemed to have figured

that out. Now, he was awash with the sound of her giggles. He’d let the beast play just a bit longer,

just enough to content him, before he pressed to take over and have what they both desired—their

mate naked beneath them.

The smell of her ripe pussy filled his nostrils. She was in heat, so wet and ready for him, it

would take every ounce of control he had not to rip off her clothes and fuck her until he was all that

filled her—mind, body and soul. Zane wasn’t deluding himself that it would be easy. He could feel

the fever virus raging inside him. It would be difficult enough to shift back from beast to man. Even

then, the beast would be strong inside him, demanding a primal claiming he prayed Diane was ready

for.

He’d wanted to woo her, to slowly gain her trust with soft kisses and gentle touches. He’d

failed. There would be nothing soft or gentle, only a demand for complete submission. He knew

without a doubt he was going to fuck her hard and deep, imprinting her with his scent and filling her

with his cum over and over again. It would take hours, maybe even days before his animal was sated

and he hopefully began building up the antibodies needed to fight the fever.

He’d heard of the fever from his uncle. He still didn’t understand all of it, but he did know the

only shifters who recovered were those with mates. There was something released into the blood

when shifters mated that combated the virus. That same hormone was what shifters shared with their

mates through their saliva that allowed their mates to develop enhanced senses and the ability to heal

faster.

Diane giggled again, and Zane felt a hot surge of lust. Did she have any idea what she was

inviting? Not that she had any chance of denying him, now. How had she figured out she was his

mate? He’d thought he’d hid it from her, but here she was, declaring herself to be exactly what she

was. His. And her acceptance would enable him to fight what raged inside him. Only through her

would he once more become fully integrated with is beast. No more fighting for dominance or

control. He would be at peace again. Beast and man united as one.

He knew Kenzie was the one who’d brought Diane to him. He’d smelled her when he’d caught

the ripe scent of his mate. The animal had chosen to follow Kenzie, to ensure she meant no harm to

their mate. Only when the beast was satisfied had they turned back to find Diane. He could still detect

Kenzie on the gear that surrounded them. He wanted to punish her for the danger she’d placed his

mate in just as much as he wanted to thank her for bringing the one he needed to him. He also knew

Kenzie would stay where she’d moved, watching and ensuring Zane and his mate were safe.

He would owe her for this. He couldn’t imagine Tah had been okay with the two of them

heading out and searching for him alone, and he wasn’t picking up on any of the others close by. What

had Kenzie done to get Diane here? How was he going to fix it if she’d defied a direct order from

Tah?

Diane’s laughter drew his attention back to her. Her long blonde hair was coming free from her

braid. He wanted it long and loose around her shoulders. He wanted to run his fingers through it,

inhale the sweet smell that was uniquely Diane. He wanted to feel it draped over his chest and

tickling his thighs while he buried his cock in her throat. He growled and it rumbled up out of the

mouth of the beast.

He felt the shift of the beast’s attention from their mate to the thoughts Zane sought to share. No

more fighting. Their minds merged, each focused on one thing. Claiming Diane. Zane let his

imagination run wild, envisioning Diane naked beneath him, his cock buried deep in the wet grip of

her pussy. He wanted to taste her skin, to sink so deep beneath it that she became a part of him, joined

permanently with him and the beast. He wanted to see his bite mar the perfection of her neck—a

primal claiming that defied anyone to ever touch the woman who belonged to him and only him.

The beast lifted his head and gave a hiss and growl, calling his intentions out in warning to any

animal that dared enter his space. He did it again, this time letting the man know he was on board

with the claiming of their mate.

“Shhh,” Diane crooned, running her hands over the panther with no fear. His mate had found

her courage, and it made his chest swell with pride. “I’m right here, Zane,” she whispered, nuzzling

her nose into the beast’s fur. “I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere without you.”

He felt it the moment his beast found peace and stilled inside him. It was as if a switch flipped

and all that had been holding Zane trapped within was gone. The fire in his blood still raged, but the

animal was no longer fighting. The growl of the cat was replaced with the groan of the man as Zane

shifted into his human skin for the first time since being hit with a needle in the basement storage

room by Dillon, the young shifter who’d come with Lydia Blane. The man would pay for what he’d

stolen from Zane and Diane—time for gentleness and seduction.

“Diane,” he grunted. He shuffled as much as his control would allow him. He was sprawled

naked across her, his weight pinning her to the ground beneath him.

She moved, her hands frantically touching him. His face, his shoulders, his chest and down his

sides. Soft fingers stroking fire across his skin and igniting lust already at explosive levels. It took

every ounce of will he held to keep his hands planted beside her, holding his body mere inches from

hers.

“You’re here,” she sobbed. “I was so worried about you. I thought you were gone. I thought I’d

lost you before I even had you.”

He shoved up, pushing himself farther away from her. He was panting with the effort required.

Then she grabbed him, capturing his shoulders and pulling him back down to her.

“Don’t go,” she begged softly, and her voice was ripe with fear. “Don’t leave me. I want to be

your mate. I want everything. I want it all with you.”

Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? He was trying to give himself time to temper

the beast. He wasn’t walking away. He couldn’t. Not with the sweet smell of her need filling his

senses. He’d been searching for a gentleness that eluded him.

“Zane,” she pleaded and lifted up into him.

He felt the soft stroke of her tongue over his neck and any control he’d deluded himself into

believing he might possess disappeared. She moaned against his skin and undulated beneath him. He

felt the tight points of her nipples, felt the heat of her sex against his thigh and was lost. Need tore

through him. He heard her gasp as their gazes finally collided and held and knew his eyes were

glowing with the primal ferocity that roared in his body.

“Mine,” he growled, lowering his head and skimming his elongated canines over the soft skin

of her throat.

She whimpered, but it wasn’t fear he smelled rolling off her. It was lust and need.

“Mine,” he told her again.

“Yes,” she groaned in agreement. “Yours. All yours.”

And she sealed her fate.

“I’m going to claim you, Diane. I’m going to strip you naked, spread your legs and fuck you

until neither of us can move. I’m going to take you hard and fast. I’m going to take you slow and easy.

I’m going to fuck you, make love to you then fuck you again. My cock will feel the slick walls of your

pussy and the velvet smoothness of your lips. I’ll mark you in every way I can. God help us if this

isn’t what you wanted because I can’t stop. The need for you sets my blood on fire even more than the

fever does.”

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I want all of you, any way I can have you.”

“From this moment on, you belong to me and only me. No other man will ever touch you or I

will tear him apart with my bare hands. Your joy will become my joy just as your pain will be my

pain. Do you understand this?”

Diane nodded, but he sensed something, an uncertainty.

“What is it?” he demanded.

“I’m to be yours. What about you? Will you be mine?”

He smiled, letting her see the full brunt of what he felt on his face. “My dear, sweet mate, I’ve

been yours since the moment I first laid eyes on you. I knew the first time I saw you that you were my

mate. No other woman will ever hold me as you do.”

“Oh, Zane,” she sighed and gave a sniffle.

It hurt him that he couldn’t be gentle, but there was no help for it. Between the feral fever and

the delicious scent of heat her body gave off, there was no hope of reining himself in.

“I want you naked, as quickly as you can strip. Do you understand me?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“But first,” he murmured and ran his finger across her neck to her chin, exposing the spot he

wanted. “You are mine,” he proclaimed and lowered his head, biting deep and mixing his salvia with

her blood.

Diane cried out, passion filling her voice as she crested into orgasm beneath him. He’d heard

the bite of a mate could do that.

When the fever eased, the mixture of his saliva in her blood would bring about other changes

for them. They’d be linked, sharing emotions with one another, connecting in a way only true mates

could. Diane moaned as she trembled from the pleasure she’d found with his marking of her. He

released her and inhaled deeply, brushing his nose against her skin. His mate was ready.

“Naked,” he commanded as he reluctantly lifted his head. “Now.”

Chapter Six

Diane could only stare up at Zane, lost once more in his glowing yellow eyes. She’d felt him

penetrate her skin with his teeth and should have cried out in pain. Instead, she’d found herself

gasping with fierce longing as she’d exploded in an orgasm that hadn’t brought relief. She wanted

him, and his bite only made the need stronger. She was hot and wet with it, her nipples aching for his

touch.

“Now!” Zane ordered again but there was no way she could comply.

Her fingers refused to move from his skin, even to undress herself.

He pierced her with the intensity of his gaze. One long finger skimmed down her cheek, and she

shuddered as desire rippled through her womb. He went back on his knees and pulled her up with

him. He pushed at her jacket, shoving it down her arms then off. His breath panted between his lips,

which were curled back from his teeth.

He ripped her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. Then his hands were on her flesh,

smoothing over her shoulders before sliding lower to caress the bare skin of her stomach. Her breath

caught and her breasts swelled, pushing against the lace cups of her bra.

“Clothes.” He grunted the word out. “Did you bring more for yourself?”

She nodded. “Yes, for both of us.”

“Good,” he said. He held out one finger, the tip bearing the lethal claw of his panther. He

sliced through the front material of her bra, splitting the cups apart. Using both hands, he shoved the

fabric aside to expose her pale flesh to his gaze.

His sharp intake of breath had her glancing down, trying to see herself as he did. Full breasts

crowned with dark-pink nipples that strained toward him in tight points. She wanted to feel his mouth

there, to have him suck and nip them.

“Zane!” She cried his name as he held himself still above her, just staring at her naked breasts.

His gaze held such conflict when he met hers. “I’m going to take you, Diane. Tell me you want

me. Tell me you want this.”

She’d wanted romance—muted lights, silk sheets and whispered words of love. Instead, she

was going to get hard, hot need in a tent in the middle of the woods.

“I want this,” she answered, and she wasn’t lying. Soft words weren’t required after all. Not

now. Now was the time for a claiming that would assure her Zane was hers.

Finally, she could move. She dropped her hands to the button and zipper on her jeans and

unfastened them, forcing the material wide. She lifted her hips and shimmied them and her panties

over her hips to her thighs. Zane gave her a shove backwards and took over. He jerked her clothes the

rest of the way until they caught on her boots.

“I don’t have spare boots,” she blurted, afraid he might use his claws to shred them instead of

taking them off.

With a growl, he untied them and pulled them from her feet along with her socks. Then he

tugged her jeans and panties down her legs and off. He inhaled deeply and a soft rumble began in his

chest. He licked his lips as he stared at her.

“I’m going to taste you,” he vowed and shifted until his broad shoulders rested between her

sprawled thighs. One hand landed across her stomach, pinning her in place. She felt the other slide

through her wet folds and rim her opening.

“Ahhh!” she cried out as he thrust his finger deep, penetrating her and making her need burn

higher.

“So wet,” he crooned. “So hot. You’ll burn me alive.”

He dropped his head and trailed his tongue along the same path his fingers had taken. He

flicked his tongue in and out of her folds, meshing with his finger where it fucked her then skirting

back up and over her swollen clitoris.

“Mhmm,” he groaned and that was all the warning she got before he wrapped his lips around

the bundle of nerves and sucked greedily at it.

“Oh, God!” she panted, reaching down to fist her hands in his hair. She pulled up her knees,

widening her thighs and pressing her pussy closer to his mouth. Never had anything felt like this.

“Zane!”

“I’m going to make you come on my fingers and suck every drop of it up,” he promised, lifting

his head and licking his lips. Then he bent down and set about doing just that.

Diane was swept up in Zane’s touch. His tongue and fingers worked her lust into a fiery inferno

that had her feeling as if she was going to implode with the force tightening her womb. She tried to

hold back, but he gave her no quarter. His worked his tongue over her clit, tapping it then sucking it

then rubbing it again. One finger became two, and he crooked them inside so they rubbed her walls

and hit a spot deep inside her that had her clenching her teeth and thrashing her head.

Her belly was in knots. She couldn’t take any more.

“Stop,” she begged. “Zane. I can’t.”

She met his gaze over the length of her body and shivered at the carnality on his face.

“Stop holding it in,” he ordered. “Let go and let me taste you. Now!”

He flattened his tongue against her clitoris and increased the thrusting of his fingers.

“Zane!” His name was a wail as the knot ripped free in a flash of fire, spilling heat from her

center out to all her limbs. She felt as if she’d been thrown into the sky, as if she were soaring

somewhere high above where her body remained. Shivers coursed through her when she finally came

back down. She felt the soft flick of Zane’s tongue between her thighs, licking her release from her

skin. In between, he planted kisses against her.

“I can’t hold back much longer,” he said in a voice hardened by the control he seemed to be

exerting. “I need to fuck you.”

She took a breath and knew she would never be able to deny him anything.

“Take me,” she implored. “Fuck me.”

He rose from between her thighs, lifting one of her legs with him. His gaze met hers and his

nostrils flared as he seemed to fight to gain control.

“You’re in heat. My cock may seem different. I don’t want you to be afraid.”

She could see the battle between need and concern reflected in his gaze.

“I know,” she assured him. “Abby told me what happened with Tah when she was in heat. I’m

not afraid.”

He nodded and relief seemed to fill him before the burn of unsated lust intensified and

consumed him. His cockhead brushed along her sex, rubbing against the wet seam and bumping her

clit.

“Say it again,” he commanded.

She knew just what he wanted to hear. “Fuck me.”

He growled, the sexy rumble sending a fresh coat of desire through her channel just before he

entered and claimed her fully.

“Diane,” he groaned and began a punishing rhythm.

Each thrust was hard and deep, penetrating and stretching her to accommodate his girth. It

should have been uncomfortable. Hell, it should have hurt. He was so much more than any toy she’d

used. But it wasn’t. It was perfect. He was perfect, and her body took him as if they’d been designed

for one another.

He used one hand to hold himself above her so her nipples rubbed against the sparse black hair

that covered his chest. His other hand gripped her thigh, urging her leg up along his side as he fucked

her mercilessly. She clutched his biceps, digging her fingers in and clenching on tightly.

“Mine,” he grunted, his gorgeous golden gaze clashing with hers. “You are mine.” He arched

his neck and growled, his canines flashing white against his ebony skin.

She felt an answering call deep within herself and refused to hold it back. She used her grasp

on his arms to lift her mouth to his skin. She sank her teeth into the hard muscle on his chest and bit

down, not breaking skin but leaving her mark none-the-less.

“Mine,” she said when he glanced at her. “You are mine, Zane, and I will kill any woman who

tries to say otherwise.”

“No one but you,” he swore and bent to claim her lips as he claimed her sex.

His tongue fucked in and out of her mouth just as his cock took her pussy. She felt the wildness

in him and answered it with her own. She met him on every level. Taking as he took, giving as he

gave, fucking as he fucked.

Her hips met his thrust for thrust. Her tongue countered his every forage and retreat. Sweat

coated them both from the frantic pace he set, and she kept time with it. He broke the kiss and

dropped his lips to the spot where he’d bitten her, licking over the wound. Each pass of his tongue

seemed to send a surge of fire into her, edging the flames of desire higher and higher instead of sating

them.

“I want to feel you come around my dick,” he told her. “Want to feel you milking every drop of

seed from me.”

“Ahhh,” she cried as he fucked her even faster, pounding into her and drawing cries of pleasure

from her lips. “Yes! Yes! Oh, God, yes!” She moaned as she came again, her pussy rippling and

pulsing around his thrusting cock.

He threw his head back, slammed deep into her and growled her name as she felt the first pulse

of cum leave his cock. He eased back and plunged deep again, letting another jet of semen fill her.

Then again and again until they were both finally sated and spent. He collapsed beside her, pulling

her against his chest as he did, wrapping her in his arms and warmth.

She was content to be held by him, especially when so recently she’d been afraid she’d never

see him again.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

Overwhelmed by all the emotions and sensations he’d brought to life within her, she couldn’t

answer him immediately.

“Diane.” He turned toward her, shifting them until she lay flat again and he rose over her. “I

hurt you!” he exclaimed, wiping a thumb across her cheek and coming away with moisture.

Tears. She hadn’t even realized she was shedding them.

“I’m fine,” she said, rubbing trembling fingers over her face. “I’ve never felt anything like that

before.”

“You’re not the type of woman men fuck.”

“Why the hell not?” she demanded, getting angry. “What’s wrong with me?”

He chuckled. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way.” He ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek.

“You’re the type of woman a man makes love to.”

She shook her head. “Only you.”

He smiled then her words seemed to sink in. “I wasn’t… You weren’t…” He swallowed,

seemingly unable to finish either question.

She nodded her head. “You’re the only man I’ve ever been with, Zane.”

“Jesus! And I took you like the animal I am. I should have made love to you,” he whispered

with remorse.

“You did,” she replied. “With your mouth,” she added.

He shook his head.

“Then you fucked me,” she said. “And I enjoyed every moment of it. I like the animal you are. I

like it very much. So much so that I’m anticipating you doing it again.”

“I think I can manage that,” he vowed, rolling them until she was beneath him again. “After.”

“After what?”

“We make love,” he answered. “I think the beast is sated enough I can manage to hold myself in

check.”

“What if I don’t want you to?” Diane asked.

“I want to,” he said softly. He reached down between them, bringing his cock once more to her

opening. This time he entered slow and easy, gliding into her sheath and stilling when he was deep

within her. “I wanted to seduce you. To take my time and win you over.”

“You did.” She sighed as he pulled back again until just the crown remained inside. “I’m

seduced. I’m won over.”

“How did you know?” he asked.

“That I was your mate?”

He nodded.

“I didn’t.”

“What?” He stilled inside her again. “Why would you come after me if you weren’t sure? My

beast is primal. He, no we, could kill anyone who isn’t our mate right now. Why would you chance

that? Don’t you know what it would do to me if I hurt you?”

“Because I’d rather cease to exist than to keep living in a world where I can’t see you,” she

whispered. “I didn’t realize how much you did mean to me until you were no longer there.”

“I tried to protect you.”

“By staying away from me? Why?”

“My life isn’t an easy one.”

“I’m already so immersed in your world that I fail to see the significance of trying to protect

me,” Diane told him.

“You weren’t mated before. Everything will change, now. Even now a link is growing between

us, one that will allow us to know where the other is, to know how the other is feeling.”

“I want that. Why would you try to keep me from that?”

“Because if anything happens to me, you’ll be left alone. Mates only love once in their lifetime.

Once we bond, there will never be another for either of us, even if death separates us. But that

wouldn’t occur if I could keep from mating you. If I kept myself away from you then you could love

many times.”

“Wrong,” she countered. “I could have had sex maybe, but I’d never know what it was like to

be with a man like you.”

He growled at her words and thrust harder into her, making them both moan.

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m here, and we’re mated. There’s no going back,” Diane whispered.

“There’s no going back ever,” he agreed and bent to her mouth.

His kiss was gentle, offering instead of taking. A soft caress of lips followed by teasing flicks

of his tongue against hers. Their hands met, fingers lacing and landing beside her head. He broke the

kiss and traced her face with soft butterfly caresses. He made love to her as if she were the only

woman in the world, as if she were his whole world. It brought fresh tears to her eyes as she realized

again that she’d almost lost him.

“What’s this?” Zane asked, tasting her tears with his lips.

“I almost lost you,” she said.

“Diane.” He sighed and brushed her lips with his. “Do you know how hard it was to stay away

from you?”

“Didn’t look hard at all to me.”

“It was. Hell, I didn’t even have to see you. All it took was a whiff of your scent and I wanted

to find you and take you, claim you as mine and only mine.” He bared his teeth and that sexy rumble

came out again. “Do you know the amount of effort it took when one of the others walked out with

your scent all over them? I wanted to tear them apart limb by limb.”

“That’s not going to change when we go back,” she warned then moaned as he did something

with his hips that had his cock hitting her sweet spot.

“Yes, it will,” he informed her.

“I can’t walk away from them.” Saying it out loud made her realize just how true the words had

been all along. She couldn’t walk away. Her disquiet had little to do with not feeling adequately

trained for the job she was doing and everything to do with Zane not being there.

“No, you won’t. But now that I’ve claimed you, my scent will mark you.”

“What does that mean? I’ll smell like you?”

He nodded. “More importantly, so will anyone you come in contact with, which means they all

get to live.”

She giggled and loved the look he gave her at her girlish sound. “I don’t remember any of the

others saying that.”

“Believe me, they felt it.” His gaze became more heated, more intense. He reached up and

gripped her braid, pulling the band out of her hair and tossing it aside. He braced his weight on his

elbows and used both hands to free her hair until it fanned out around her. “You are mine now, and

everyone will know it.”

“I like the sound of that,” she murmured and leaned up to nip his jaw with her teeth.

“I wanted to make love to you.”

“You have. You are,” she assured him.

He flashed another heated look at her, and she saw the dark flush under his skin, saw the darker

glow of his eyes. Was it the fever pushing the animal closer to the surface?

“I need you,” he gritted out between teeth clenched tight.

“Take me,” she offered. “Any way you need to.”

He glared down at her for a moment then jerked back. Before she could voice her displeasure

at the loss of him buried inside her, he had her rolled over onto her stomach.

“Hands and knees,” he commanded. “Don’t make me wait.”

She rose as quickly as her shaking limbs allowed. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her

against him. She waited for his hard thrust, but he surprised her with the caress of his fingers over her

ass cheeks. He squeezed and fondled the globes then parted them. She glanced back over her shoulder

at him and caught the direction of his gaze, looking at her in a way no other person ever had.

“Eventually, I’m going to want to take you here,” he grunted, the tip of his finger tapping against

her anus. “I’ll make sure you’re completely lubed and stretched, so ready for me you’ll be begging for

it. You’ll feel a little burn as I stretch your sweet ass to fit my cock. All those nerves that have never

known what it feels like to be fucked will come alive with a scream. There’ll be pain, just a touch.”

He came over her, cocooning her with his body, his chest covering her back. One hand gripped his

dick and ran it through the folds of her sex, which dripped from the promise of his words. The other

hand braced on the tent floor beside hers. He nuzzled her hair aside and skimmed his lips over the

mark he’d left at the base of her neck. “But if I do it right, if I make you hot enough, wet enough, flame

the edges of your desire high enough…” His tongue traced the mark then trailed up her neck to her

earlobe where he caught and tugged it with his teeth. “Then the pleasure will be like nothing you’ve

ever felt before. And I will,” he whispered. “I’ll do it so right, you’ll be begging me to fuck your

sweet ass every day.”

She whimpered, her craving so heightened she felt as if she might come just from his words

alone.

“But I won’t, Diane. I’ll make you wait. I’ll make you beg. I’ll make you weak with the need.”

His teeth scraped a path back down her neck. His cock lodged at her opening and pressed just deep

enough to have her stretching around him. “Then I’ll fuck you until you scream my name as if I’m the

god you worship.”

He plunged into her, spearing her on his shaft and making her cry out as she clenched around

him and came.

His chest rumbled with that sexy growl of his, and he fucked her hard and fast, claiming her

orgasm and forcing her to ride it higher and higher until she saw starbursts at the edges of her vision.

She dropped her head to the floor between her hands and moaned as he kept fucking.

“Mine,” he growled at her again as if he couldn’t hold back the word. Was it the fever bringing

the animal to the surface again or would it always be like this with him? Would he always take her in

a way that was sure to brand her body as his and only his? God, she hoped so. She’d gladly worship

him in bed, as long as he understood the playing field leveled when they were out of it, sort of,

anyway.

“Mine,” he grunted the claim this time and the sound of slapping flesh filled her ears as he

pounded his cock in and out of her. “Say it!” he demanded.

She was lost in the sensations, trying to keep from passing out from the pleasure tearing through

her. She heard his words but was too busy sucking in air to comply immediately. She felt the crack of

his palm against her ass and cried out.

“Say it!” he commanded and smacked her other cheek.

Oh, God! Her pleasure shouldn’t be able to go any higher. He smacked her again, lower, and

the burn sank beneath the skin and flamed to life in her clitoris. How was that even possible?

“Say it!”

“Yours!” she screamed as she came, the stars becoming black dots. “Yours! Always yours!

Always!”

“Mine,” he rumbled. His teeth scraped over her mark, and he struck deep, biting into her flesh

as the first heated splash of his cum filled her channel.

She went impossibly higher and felt the dark edges closing in around her. She was going to

pass out, from pleasure.

The last thing she heard was his contented growl as he licked over the bite mark at the base of

her neck and the softly whispered word that was becoming both a claim and an endearment.

“Mine.”

Chapter Seven

Zane softly shook awake his mate, covering her mouth to keep the sleepy grumble as silent as

he could. He prayed he hadn’t worn her out too badly over the course of the night. She was in full heat

now, and it was all he could do to keep his hands off her or his dick out of her. When the fever had

quickened in his blood, he’d reached for her, taking her a half a dozen times at least. He’d stopped

counting. Each instant he’d turned to her, she’d been wet and ready for him. He knew that’s how it

was with mates but appreciated it from a different level with what they were dealing with now.

Hell, all he wanted to do at the moment was roll her over and thrust into her silky pussy again

while she was still sleep rumpled with her hair a disarray of soft waves around her. He wanted to ply

her nipples with his tongue and teeth and suck the sweet juices from her cunt as she used her hands to

hold his face to her. But he couldn’t. Not yet.

Thankfully, the feral cat fever didn’t just enhance his sex drive. It kicked up his protective

instincts, as well. And that was what had him urging her to wake up, now. The need to make sure his

mate was safe. Someone was here. Someone who shouldn’t be.

“Again?” she mumbled but he saw the smile that touched her lips as she rolled onto her back.

His heart swelled with love for this woman. Was it too early to tell her what she really meant

to him? She opened her legs and lifted her hand to brush her fingers down his cheek, rough with

stubble.

“I’m ready,” she whispered, and he heard the note of awe in her voice. “I’m always ready for

you.”

“Soon,” he whispered back. “But we need to go, now.”

“Go?” She blinked open her eyes, and he could see her mind engaging as she shook the sleep

away. “What’s wrong?”

“Shhh,” he urged her, placing his finger against her lips. “We’re not alone, any more.”

“Kenzie?” she questioned, but he shook his head.

“I’m not sure who it is, but it’s not Kenzie. We need to get out of here. We’re in a clearing,

easy to find for anyone who’s looking. I should have thought of that earlier and moved you then.”

“We were focused on other things,” she murmured and the heat of her gaze set his blood on fire.

“I took my clothes from your bag. Thank you for thinking of it,” he said and slid the clothes he’d

found for her into her hands.

She sat up quickly and all traces of sleep were finally gone. “How serious is this? Could it be

someone from the cabin? Tah mentioned sending Murphy and Holt after us.”

Zane shook his head. “I don’t recognize the scents. It’s not anyone we know.”

“Are they shifter or human?”

“Human,” he answered and urged her with his hands to dress faster.

He turned to gather her things, shoving yesterday’s clothes into her bag. He’d already been

outside the tent and had left it unzipped, so it was easy to duck back out and take another glance

around them.

“It could just be hikers. Kenzie said there have been a lot of them around lately,” Diane said

softly, sitting in the opening and hurriedly putting on her boots.

“Doesn’t matter,” Zane grunted. “I’m on the edge here. If one of them looked at you the wrong

way or God forbid tried to touch you, I’d rip them apart.”

“I’m yours, Zane. Only yours,” she assured him.

“I know that, but the beast is riding me hard. I might not be able to fight the instincts of my

animal right now.”

Diane nodded and ducked out of the tent opening as she stood. She reached behind her, and he

noticed she’d rolled up the sleeping bag and had it ready to go. Together, they made quick work of the

tent. He used his boot to scuff over the marks the stakes had made. If anyone came across this spot,

they would know someone had been here, but there was nothing else Zane could do about that.

“Are we going to Kenzie?” Diane whispered.

Zane shook his head. “No. Her scent isn’t strong, which means she’s moved farther away.”

“She wouldn’t have left us,” Diane said with a shake of her head.

“She would have expected me to pick up on the fact someone else was here,” Zane countered.

“And she would have put distance between herself and whoever is out here. She’s probably hidden

somewhere, waiting to get a visual on them.”

“We can’t just leave her out there on her own.”

“My first priority is to get you somewhere safe. Then I’ll go help Kenzie if I can,” Zane

informed her. He knew it would all depend on how intense the fever was. There was too much tearing

through him right now, demanding he stay with Diane.

“But—” Diane began, but Zane cut her off.

“The more time you argue, the more you tempt the beast to bend you over and fuck you into

submission. Whoever is out there could show up while I’m taking you. Do you want to watch me kill

them? Because I will. The moment their eyes land on you with lust, I’ll snap their necks.” His voice

was hard and commanding, but she had to learn now that he expected her to obey. He would never tell

her to do anything she was dead set against, unless it was dealing with her safety. On that he would

not be ignored. She was too important.

Diane glared at him then shook her head again and reached for her backpack. He grabbed it

first and slung it over his shoulder. She stood for another moment then blew out a breath of air.

“Are we heading back?”

“No. I don’t want to take the chance of leading someone to Tah and the others. Plus, there’s too

much distance to cross. I don’t want to be caught in the open with you when I don’t know for sure

who’s out there. I know of a cabin not far from here. I found it when I was prowling the area. It hasn’t

been used in a while. I slept there the first few nights I was here. It’s a little dirty but habitable.”

She nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Diane…”

She smiled softly. “I understand,” she promised. “You lead the way. I’ll follow as quietly as I

can.”

“My senses aren’t what they should be right now,” he warned her. “My focus isn’t, either. It’s

all wrapped up in you. The fever, your heat and now the possibility of danger… It only sharpens my

concentration toward you.”

“And I’m putting us both in danger,” Diane said, lifting one hand to touch his chest. “I’m sorry.

I didn’t realize. Thank you for explaining it to me.” She slipped her hand down to give his a squeeze.

“I’m ready when you are. No more questions.”

His heart swelled with pride for this woman, his mate. They made quick time through the thick

trees toward the cabin Zane had in mind. If he’d been thinking with anything other than his dick

yesterday, he would have already taken her there. He stopped every few minutes to sniff the air and

make sure the strange scents weren’t getting closer to them. He didn’t want to admit it to Diane, but he

was worried about Kenzie. Diane was right. Kenzie wouldn’t have left them. She would have come

barreling into the clearing they’d been in and told them to get the hell out of Dodge. But he’d kept that

to himself. It would only upset his mate more.

“It’s just ahead,” he told Diane, pointing to a break in the trees.

She nodded, pressing close against his back where he’d stopped. Her scent wrapped around

him, filling his head and igniting his blood. She was ripe and ready, her body begging for his seed.

The heat. God, why did she have to be in heat? It would make it next to impossible for him to leave

her. There would be no way he even could until he’d tasted her sweet flesh one more time and

marked her with his seed.

“Follow me,” he growled. The rumble was back in his chest, giving testament to the animal

inside that rode so close to the surface. How long would the fever stay in his system now that he had

his mate with him?

He took her hand, keeping her close to his side as they covered the open ground between the

thick woods and the small clearing in front of the cabin. He inhaled and took comfort in the old smells

that filled his nostrils. There was no one here and hadn’t been for some time. He tugged her into the

cabin and took the interior in with a quick skim of his gaze.

“It’s filthy,” Diane grumbled as he shut the door and heaved a sigh of relief at the still

functional locks along the door.

He twisted the one on the knob and slid both bolts home before turning back to her.

He knew his eyes were glowing and understood how intimidating most people found his gaze.

But his mate looked back at him with no fear.

“Again?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” was the only word he could get out from between his clenched teeth. He was fighting

hard to hold himself back from just taking Diane as the beast demanded.

She glanced around the room as if searching for a spot he could take her, but there wasn’t time

for that. His blood was at full boil and only she could soothe it.

“I don’t know where—” she started to say, but his control was ebbing fast.

“Now,” he grunted and pushed her against the door.

They dropped the gear to the floor, and he shoved it aside with a swipe of his boot. He reached

for her jeans and unfastened them. She helped him shimmy them over her ass and was ready to shove

them all the way down when he turned her around to face the door and moved in behind her. He used

one hand to test her readiness and groaned at how slick and wet she was. His other hand made quick

work of his pants, shoving them down just enough to release his engorged cock.

“Widen your stance,” he ordered, and when she struggled, he helped by pushing her clothing

beneath her knees.

“Zane.” She moaned his name as he pressed his cockhead against her and began working his

length inside.

“Shhh, baby,” he whispered into her ear. “Let me have you.”

“Mhmm,” she sighed as he seated his dick completely inside her, his balls tapping against her

flesh. God, he loved her ass.

He used one hand to hold her hip and placed the other beside her head on the door. Then he

rode her hard and fast, pumping his hips and fucking her as his body needed. She dropped one hand

down to his thigh, and he felt the bite of her nails through the denim. She took her other hand and

moved it over his on the door, lacing her fingers through his. She struggled to spread her legs wider

and thrust her hips back into him, meeting his every drive.

He moved his hands and ripped the flannel shirt she wore apart, sending buttons flying

everywhere. He jerked the shirt down her limbs, capturing both arms and trapping them by her sides.

She retaliated by sinking her nails into her thighs again. He found the hem of her camisole and yanked

it up to expose her lush breasts to his fingers. He’d failed to give her a bra this morning, and she

hadn’t said a word.

He took the pebbled points of her nipples between his thumbs and fingers and pinched and

tugged on them.

“Ahhh,” she cried out sharply.

He needed. He wanted. With their height difference he was afraid of inadvertently lifting her

feet off the ground and impaling her on his shaft. That would be fine, but not in this position. He

pulled free and turned her back around, going to his knees in front of her and sucking her pussy while

he worked one boot off and took her pants and panties off that leg. He gave her clit a nip with is teeth,

laved it with his tongue and stood once more.

“Hold on,” was all the warning he gave her before he cradled her ass in his palms and lifted.

She came down on his cock, and they both groaned.

Her hands clutched his shoulders as her feet crossed at the small of his back. He powered in

and out of her slick walls, loving the way her pussy gripped his dick. This was Heaven. Nothing

compared to the feeling of being inside his woman.

Her hands slid to his chest, and before he realized her intent, she’d ripped his own flannel wide

open, adding to the buttons already on the floor. Her nails scratched over his chest, finding and

tapping against both his nipples. Her gaze met his then she pinched his nipples making him growl.

He took her mouth like a savage and thank God, she met him with the same dark need. It was a

meshing of lips, tapping of teeth that nipped and scraped as tongues battled and rubbed. They broke

apart, sucking air and she shifted her lips to his jaw, nipping along it then running her tongue out to

soothe.

He was pounding into her so hard, he was afraid they might break the damn door down. The

primal reaction he had to her made him believe anything was possible.

“Zane!” She cried his name and he felt the flutter of her impending orgasm around his pistoning

cock.

She surprised him by jerking her hair to the side and exposing the mark he’d given her that

would permanently mar the peaches and cream perfection of her skin.

“Do it,” she ordered him. “I need it.”

With a growl, he struck, teeth sinking into her while his tongued flicked out to lick over the spot

he’d bitten. She convulsed around him, her cunt tightening like a vise over his dick and milking his

release from him. The bite of her nails on his chest. The tight clench of her sex. The erotic look of

carnality that shone in her eyes and on her face. Still, none of it compared to her words.

“Mine,” she rasped in sultry voice ripe with lust.

“Yours,” he agreed with a rumble of pleasure and groaned as he filled her once more with his

cum.

He leaned heavily against the door, pinning her in place as they both gasped for air. Her hands

continued to stroke over his skin as if she couldn’t stop herself from touching him, and it had his chest

vibrating with a low hum.

“You okay?” he asked her softly.

“I’m glorious,” she answered and did a pretty good job of purring. It made him grin.

“Hold onto me,” he urged and pulled out his spent cock.

She was shaky on her feet and gripped him tight as he lowered her until her toes hit the floor.

He held her against him, wanting to soak her into his skin before reality intervened. He scooped her

up in his arms and carried her over to the kitchen area where there was a water pump.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” he said and set her on her feet. He opened a few drawers and got

lucky on the second one where there was a stack of rags. He pumped the water, wet the cloth and

turned back to her.

“I can do it,” she protested as he squatted in front of her.

“Let me, please,” he said and waited for her nod before taking care of her.

He wet another cloth and cleaned himself while she adjusted her clothes. She looked satisfied,

and he wanted nothing more than to stay with her and cuddle close. He wanted to hold her, but he

couldn’t, not with Kenzie still out there. It was best he go now, while her scent was still heavy on him

and the beast was satisfied. He knew it and still fought the need to stay.

“You’ll be safe here,” he promised them both.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not long. I can’t…” He debated what to say and finally settled on the truth. She deserved

nothing less. He glanced down and met her eyes. “I can’t be away from you for long right now. I need

you beyond obsession. You’re the cure to this fever raging in my veins. And your heat.” He inhaled

deeply, letting his eyelids drift shut briefly. “God, I don’t want to leave you.”

She kissed him softly on his chest. “But you have to find Kenzie. You’d never forgive yourself

if something happened to her while we were here. I’d never forgive myself, either. Besides, the

sooner you find her and figure out who’s out there, the sooner we can get back. Then I can have my

wicked way with you over and over again without worry.”

He groaned and dropped his head, meeting her mouth again with his and taking them both deep

with a kiss. She was the one who stopped him, pushing against his chest and inching away.

“I didn’t think to bring you more than one shirt,” she whispered, running her hands over his

chest.

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her. “I need you to lock the door when I leave. That means both

bolts.”

She nodded. “I will.”

“Don’t open the door for anyone but me.”

“What if Kenzie shows up?” Diane asked.

He shook his head. “Send her to find me. I mean it. Do not open the damn door.”

“I got it,” she muttered.

“Hey,” he said, pulling her into his arms again. Christ, he couldn’t keep his hands off her for

five minutes. What made him think he could possibly leave her? “I just want to know you’ll be safe

while I’m gone.”

“I know,” she replied. She tugged his head back down to her and their mouths met and meshed

again. She was as insatiable as he was.

“I don’t want you to leave me again,” she moaned, clinging to him.

“Diane.” He groaned her name.

“I know,” she said again. “I understand, but that doesn’t mean I like it.” She blinked up at him.

“Will it always be like this between us? This intense need.”

He nodded. “It might not be as constant as it is right now. Between my fever and your body

going into heat, the urge to mate is controlling us. It won’t always be like that. The need will remain

but it will be more tempered, easier for us to control instead of it controlling us.”

“I’m not sure I want to control this,” she murmured with a smile.

“I need to go,” he said after a moment. “The sooner I leave, the quicker I can get back here to

you.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“As long as I know you’re safe, I’ll be okay,” he promised.

“I’ll be here waiting,” she said.

There was so much more they had to talk about, things he longed to know about her. Did she

have family out there somewhere? Where had she grown up? What did she love to do when she had

free time? What was her favorite food? Color? Flower? Did she want a big family? Did she want

children at all? Of course that could be a moot point by the time her body left its fertile period behind.

She could become pregnant. Part of him longed to see her belly swollen with his child, but a bigger

part of him was selfish enough to want to keep her to himself for a while longer.

He headed back toward the front door and picked up the packs, walking over and dropping

them in the corner. He patted the bed and watched dust fly up in the air.

“It’s dusty but still seems in pretty good shape.” He lifted it up, checking the underside.

“Doesn’t look like anything’s been in here nesting. That’s good. You could put the sleeping bag over

it and get a little more rest while I’m gone,” he offered.

“I might do that,” she agreed with a smile.

“I haven’t been too rough on you, have I?” he asked softly.

“No,” she answered. “Not even close.”

“Good,” he said and found his feet tracing a path over to her again. Fuck! He tried to think of

Kenzie in an attempt to keep his hands from reaching for Diane again. It didn’t work.

He pulled her against his chest and trailed kisses over her face. She lifted into him, gripping his

shoulders and rising onto her tiptoes to meet his lips with hers. Once again, he had her pinned against

the door with his hands all over her. He trailed his lips down her neck, tugged her shirt up again and

found a tight pink bud with his lips. He sucked greedily on her nipple and heard her moan as she

threaded her fingers through his hair.

“Kenzie,” she said and he knew she was doing as he had, trying to remind them both why he

needed to go.

He moved his mouth over to the other hard point and offered it similar tribute before

straightening again to his feet.

“Get some rest,” he ordered her. “I have plans to keep you busy for hours when I get back.”

She gasped and caught her bottom lip with her teeth. Her gaze was dark with need. He would

think of her waiting for him like this. Shirt lifted over her full breasts, both nipples swollen, red and

wet from his mouth. His dick jerked behind his zipper, and he wanted nothing more than to release it

and take her again. But one more time would never be enough. He would only want her again and

again.

He took a deep breath, fighting for control. He stepped away from her and fisted his hands at

his sides.

“Lock the door then rest,” he commanded her again, as she slowly pulled down her shirt and

eased away from the door. “When I get back, I’m going to fuck you again.”

“Yes,” she squeaked out, making him grin.

“And, Diane,” he said after he stepped on the porch. “We won’t leave that bed for days.”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed as desire seemed to ride her hard. He forced himself

to turn and leave, trusting her to follow his instructions on locking herself in. He was already counting

the minutes until he came back to her.

Chapter Eight

Diane paced the cabin after Zane left. He’d told her to go to sleep, but her body was strung too

tightly right now to allow for that. She ached between her thighs, but it wasn’t because of all the sex

they’d had. It was with the need to feel Zane there again. God, it made no sense. He’d turned her into

a sex addict in less than twenty-four hours.

Now, he was gone again, and though it wasn’t the same as when he’d left before, she couldn’t

ease her worry. How long would it take for the fever to rise to the point where his animal fought to

seize control again? How long would it take for the fever to leave Zane now that he had his mate? Or

would it? Why hadn’t she thought to ask Orsai or Clara these questions before she’d set off after

Zane?

She took another glance around the cabin. Maybe she should try to clean it up a bit. There was

a water pump over the sink, and she’d seen a broom and dustpan in the corner. He’d said they

wouldn’t leave the bed for days. She eyed the mattress warily. His advice was to throw the sleeping

bag over it, but she preferred to at least try to get the dust out of it. She gripped the edge and tried to

lift. Shit! Zane had made it look as light as a feather the way he’d raised it and glanced underneath. It

was heavy—maybe too heavy for her to prop against the wall.

She struggled but finally got the mattress off the frame and flipped on its side against the wall.

Grabbing the broom from the corner, she crossed over and hit the mattress with all her might. Dust

filled the air, choking her and making her cough and wheeze. Maybe Zane had had the right idea after

all. Still, the mattress was already up at this point. She beat the hell out of it with the broom, venting

her sexual frustration.

Where was Zane at now? Was he okay? Had he shifted back into his panther? Would he? What

if something happened to him? She’d thought she was losing it before when he’d been gone, but that

would be like a picnic compared to how she’d feel now that she’d tasted him, mated with him. She

dropped the broom and heaved the mattress until it fell back on the bed. With a bit of tugging she had

the mattress in place again. It wasn’t clean by any means, but it was definitely better than it had been.

Now she could see following Zane’s order to rest.

She walked across to where he’d put the gear and took the sleeping bag, releasing it and laying

it out on top of the bed. She curled up inside and let her eyes droop closed. She was sure she

wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, but her body had other ideas. Within moments, her racing thoughts

settled, and she drifted off with visions of Zane pleasuring her again filling her mind.

She wasn’t sure what woke her, but she bolted awake with her heart in her throat. She sat eerily

still, waiting, listening for something she wasn’t sure she’d recognize even if she did hear it. Maybe it

was the fact she was straining so hard to listen, or maybe it wouldn’t have mattered, but when the

hard knock came at the door, she screamed with real fear.

“Whoa, whoa,” a deep male voice called from the other side of it. “Didn’t mean to scare you.

You okay in there?”

The doorknob rattled as he obviously tried it, and Diane bit her nip nervously. What was she

supposed to do now? Zane had been adamant that she keep the door locked. He’d known there was

someone else out there, and that definitely wasn’t his voice. Who was it? And why the hell had she

given herself away with a damn scream?

The wood shook with his next knock. “Are you okay in there?” he demanded again.

Fuck! He knew she was there. What did she do?

“Yes,” she finally managed, easing off the bed and back onto her feet. She looked around for

something to use as a weapon just in case he managed to get inside. The cabin was one room, no

windows. Surely she would be okay.

“Good. Good,” the man said, and she could almost picture him leaning against the door while

he talked to her. “I’m Gabriel, but most people call me Angel.”

She snorted a laugh at that. Who was this guy?

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Really funny,” he grunted. “What’s your name?”

She didn’t answer. She had the broom in her hands again. Not much of a weapon, but the only

one she could find. She had no idea where the phone was that she’d brought with her. Hell, she hadn’t

even thought of it while she was with Zane. She wondered if Kenzie had called Tah. She prayed so as

she didn’t relish the idea of him coming after them or sending someone. She didn’t want anyone’s

blood on her hands.

“I’m not a bad guy,” the voice spoke again. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just saw the cabin and

thought I heard someone inside.”

Had she been talking in her sleep? Moaning? Good grief with the dreams she’d been having of

Zane, anything was possible.

“I get it. You’re not going to open the door for me. Smart. I would have told you the same thing.

But I need you to listen to me, Diane, because I don’t have a lot of time here. Shit’s about to get real

fucking serious, and I need you with me when it does. No, scratch that. Your mate’s going to need

you. I’ll just be the guy keeping you safe until we get to him.”

He knew her name. Shit! Who was this guy? Gabriel? Angel? She didn’t know him, didn’t

recognize the name or the voice. How the hell did he know her name?

“Who are you?” she asked, coming over to stand by the door.

“I’m usually referred to as Angel. Sometimes they put a ‘the’ in front of it.” He sighed, and she

could hear a bit of frustration in the sound. “I’m not going to hurt you, Diane. I swear. Zane’s walking

into some really serious shit—a group of hunters out this way doing some recon. He’s not going to be

completely focused, and that could cost him. We need to get to him.”

Zane was confronting hunters? She had to help. Zane had already informed her his focus was

centered on her, which would be great if he were still with her. Shit! What should she do?

“You’re in heat,” Angel stated matter-of-factly. “I can smell it. Any shifter could. That would

be bad enough. But I caught his scent. I know he has feral cat fever. That will fuck any shifter up. No

matter how strong and sane he seems to you, I promise you he is extremely vulnerable right now. For

a seasoned hunter? He’s easy prey.”

Oh, God! What did she do? She had to think logically. “How do you know any of this?”

“I’m ‘the Angel’,” he replied. “It’s my job to know everything.” He paused for a moment. “You

can trust me, Diane. Tah would want you to.”

Tah? He knew Tah? Why hadn’t he said so from the start? She jerked back the bolts and opened

the door. The guy on the porch was huge. Not just in height or build, but his very presence. His hair

was a shade of blond that made her think of burnished gold at first, until the sun caught it. Then she

could see the streaks of reddish orange and a pale shade that almost looked white. It hung to his

shoulders in soft waves. A lion’s mane. That’s what it made her think of. Yet, it was more than that.

He pushed open the door and shut it behind him, shaking his head at her. “That was very

foolish. All I had to do to get you to open the door was tell you Tah wanted you to?”

She backed away from him. His eyes glowed a deep shade of aqua as if they couldn’t decide if

they were blue or green. It made her think of Caribbean waters.

“You said—”

“A seasoned hunter would say anything to get to you,” he scolded. He reached out and jerked

the broom from her nerveless fingers as if it were nothing. “Do you have any idea how important you

are? You could have just placed yourself in a situation sure to get not only yourself killed, but

everyone in that pride you belong to killed, as well. I expected better from you. I expected logic.”

She flicked her glance nervously around, searching for something else, anything else she might

be able to use to protect herself.

“You should never go anywhere without a gun,” he said and reached behind him. He pulled out

a deadly looking black handgun. “This is Beretta nine-millimeter. Great handgun. Each magazine

holds fifteen rounds.” He met her gaze. “You should learn to protect yourself. Not only do you live

with the pride, you’re their doctor and now the full mate of one of their shifters.”

“What do you plan to do?” Diane asked, lifting her chin and feigning bravado she didn’t have.

“Exactly what I said. We’re going to head to your mate. It may not seem like it right now, but I

am one of the good guys.” He tucked away his gun. “I’ve been tracking this group of hunters since they

left Montana. Your mate’s walking into a full party. I know of your man. Normally, I wouldn’t worry.

But right now, he’s off his game.”

“He went looking for someone else,” Diane said.

“There’s someone else out there?” Angel demanded, then inhaled deeply again. “I’m not

picking up a fresh scent here other than yours and Zane’s.”

“She didn’t come here with us.”

“She? Fuck! Shifter or human?” he asked gruffly.

“Shifter.” Sort of, but Diane wasn’t going into details on Kenzie with him. “Zane thought she

must have smelled the scents he did and took off.”

Angel gave her a shrewd look. “I’m guessing she was your escort to find your mate.”

“What makes you think I came to find my mate?”

He grinned. “Feral cat fever sends shifters into a primal state. Your man wouldn’t have been

able to leave your side if you’d already been mated. You’d still be holed up in a bedroom, fucking

like animals.” He took great amusement in that comment, but Diane said nothing.

“I’m guessing you weren’t mated. He left to protect you from what the fever was doing to him.

You came after him. Good for you, by the way. He’s lucky to have a mate like you. Some women

would be terrified to go after their mate knowing he was locked inside the beast.”

“I’m not afraid of him. He’s mine,” she said simply.

“He is,” Angel agreed. “Smart choice on Tah’s part to send a female shifter in. Males aren’t as

aggressive toward them. Most are inclined to feel protective. As your escort, she wouldn’t have

bailed on you. So I’m guessing she stayed separate, giving you space to bring your mate to you. Did

she warn you about the hunting party?”

Diane shook her head.

“She would have. She would have taken the time to get to you and warn you, especially with

the condition you’re both in right now. He’s right to go after her. He probably told you otherwise so

you wouldn’t worry. Is she a friend?”

Diane’s eyes widened as she nodded. Oh, God! She prayed Kenzie was okay.

“We need to go. If she didn’t warn you, chances are she couldn’t. I don’t have time to read you

the riot act like I should. If your mate’s any kind of man, he’ll turn you over his knee and paddle your

ass for opening that door to me.”

Diane gasped, stepping back again and glaring at Angel. Zane? Spanking her?

“Oh, yeah. And you deserve it. That was stupid, very stupid. I’m betting you were told

implicitly to not open the door for anyone but him.”

She flushed, and he nodded.

“He’s going to be very angry with you.”

“You’re a very frustrating man, Angel. I don’t think I like you very much.”

He grinned then, and it was devastating. If she weren’t already mated, that look would make her

knees weak.

“Nah, I’m a teddy bear. You’re going to love me before this day’s over. Might even make that

man of yours jealous.” He winked at her, grinning like a kid full of mischief, and she felt her lips

twitching to join him.

“How do you know what you know?” she asked.

“About your pride? Tah?” He shrugged. “News travels fast among shifters.”

“We’ve heard nothing,” she said.

“That’s because you’re the news,” he offered. “I plan to meet your Tah before I leave again.

They’ve waited a long time for him to show up.”

“They?”

He shrugged again. It was becoming annoying. “I’m a loner. I wait for no one.” He glanced

around, his gaze settling on her gear in the corner. “Gather what you need. You won’t be heading back

here.”

“Why not?”

“He’ll take you back to the pride, now. Not only are there hunters, but you’re still in heat, he’s

still got fever, and you, my dear girl, failed to follow orders.” He grinned again. “Oh, yeah. We’re

going to find one pissed off panther.”

She hurried over and grabbed her pack. She was trying to decide if she should take the tent and

sleeping bag when Angel interrupted her.

“Leave the rest. You don’t need it.”

But that was just it. They probably couldn’t afford to lose any gear right now. Money was tight

and would remain so until Abby went to sign those papers in Denver.

“Trust me,” Angel said and there was something in his gaze that made her want to. “You don’t

need it. Not anymore.”

She slowly nodded and walked toward him. What was it about him that made her feel safe yet

unsure at the same time? She wasn’t afraid he would hurt her, which was strange enough. She felt safe

but leery. Did that even make sense?

“Who are you, Angel?” she asked again.

“Whoever I need to be,” he said softly, and she swore she saw just a bit of sadness in his eyes

before he blinked and it was gone.

“Now listen up, and I mean listen because you’ve already shown how well you follow orders.

When we leave here, we might be heading right into a battle you’re ill-prepared for. I blame your

mate and your leader. Tah’s failed in this, and I’ll let him know it. I need you to follow my

instructions to the letter. No room for interpretation. To the letter, Diane. Do you understand me?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Good. Now, you’re to stay right behind me. I want no more than a foot between us at all times.

No matter what you hear, what you see. If I move, you’re right on me. Got it?”

She nodded.

“If I tell you to walk away from me for some reason, you do it immediately. If I tell you to stay

some place, there will be no questions. Only obedience. Are we clear?”

She glared but nodded again.

“This is a full party of hunters. I counted thirteen men, all armed for war. I don’t know what

you’ve seen, but I guarantee you it wasn’t a party like this. These are lethal men, killers who will see

you and use you as a means to an end.”

“Can I have your gun?”

“Do you know how to shoot?”

She chewed her bottom lip nervously, before shaking her head.

“Then no,” he answered matter-of-factly. “Are you ready?”

Her mind raced. Was this the right course of action? Should she go with him or wait until he

stepped out the door and try to shut and lock it behind him? Why the hell didn’t she leave the door

shut to begin with?

“I would have broken it down,” Angel said as if he could read her mind. “If you’d given me no

other choice, I would have. You’re not safe here on your own. If Zane weren’t feeling so

overwhelmed by you and out of control, he’d have known that. Remember as long as that fever runs

through his veins, he’s not thinking as clearly as he should. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression

thinking with the wrong head?”

Diane flushed. “If that were true, he wouldn’t have left me.”

“It would seem that way, but actually, he would have. The sooner he deals with this, the sooner

he can get back to you for uninterrupted time. The problem is while that seemed logical here, the

longer he’s away from you, the more scattered his thoughts will become. His animal is riding him

hard, anyway. With feral fever, they’re no longer in sync unless they’re with you. Before you arrived,

the animal was in control. Zane was more than likely still in there, but his panther was the one in

charge. Now Zane’s back, but the fever keeps his animal on the surface, close enough to take over if

needed. He’s feral, and at the moment like a loaded gun in a novice’s hand.”

“What does that mean?” Diane asked, almost afraid to know.

“That he’s just as likely to get himself killed as he is to take out anyone else.”

“I can’t lose him,” Diane whimpered, shaking her head frantically.

“I’ll do my best not to let that happen. I just need you to trust me,” Angel said. “Will you do

that?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

For Zane, she’d do anything she needed to. Hadn’t she already proven that by coming out here

to search for him to begin with? She glanced at the huge man next to her on the porch. At least, she

had Angel this time. Nothing against Kenzie, but Angel made her feel a hell of a lot safer than the

five-foot-two brunette.

Zane crouched in the tree line, taking it all in and trying to think. They had Kenzie. That was the

one thing he was certain of. He wasn’t sure how many of them were gathered, his senses were a little

fucked up for some reason. He was hot, burning hot and had a feeling the fever was coming on with a

vengeance, and it was so much worse now that he’d tasted the remedy. His mate. He needed her,

wanted her so desperately. It fucked with his head, pulling him in differing directions when he needed

to focus on where he was and who he needed to help. Kenzie.

They had her. Her scent was strong, as was the stench of blood and sweat. His body shook with

the need to burst in and get to her. The panther in him wanted to shed blood, to conquer and kill so

they could get back to their mate. They both wanted to leave, go to their mate and ensure she was safe

and protected. It was taking all Zane had not to shift and just let the animal have his head. He should

have known better than to leave Diane. But would they have been any safer? Or would the hunters kill

Kenzie then go after them? What was to say they still wouldn’t?

He had to think, to be smart and find the solution that would save them all. Kenzie. He had to

focus on her first as she was the one in the most danger. Unless… There were more hunters circling

behind him, searching for Diane. He shook his head. They wouldn’t know he and Diane were there.

Chances where, they’d caught Kenzie’s scent and taken her, and she wouldn’t have given him or

Diane up no matter what they did to her.

For the hundredth time, he wished he had a way of contacting Tah or Reno. He shook his head.

No, he wouldn’t put either of them in danger if he could help it. He’d call Murphy, though. That son of

a bitch would have his back in a heartbeat. Finn, too, if he was still okay. Zane should have asked

Diane about what was going on, how everyone was. He didn’t even know if Abby and the baby were

okay.

He rose and moved stealthily around the cabin the hunters were using. It looked similar to the

one he’d taken Diane to, and made Zane wonder how many of them were hidden out here. Perhaps

housing people that posed a threat to Tah and the pride. It was definitely something they should all be

aware of. Maybe they’d made their perimeter too small?

Four men out front, three more in the back and at least two inside. It was a full-blown hunter

party and sure as shit they were here looking for shifters. They might know about Tah. Hell, chances

were higher they were here looking for Amia and Reno, especially if they were Blane hunters. They’d

understood the risk when Reno had mated with Amia Blane. But Blane was simply Amia’s last name,

it wasn’t who she was. She was one of them, now, more so than she’d ever been a member of the

Blane clan.

Zane circled around farther. There were two men on the other side, bringing the count up to

eleven. More than likely there were at least an even dozen of them, which meant there might be a few

unaccounted for. He couldn’t know for sure exactly how many were inside with Kenzie. The sweat

and stench of multiple bodies bled together. Kenzie’s scent was the only one he could sift through to

with any certainty and even it had been altered. His senses were everywhere, though, and he couldn’t

figure out what was off about it.

Would he have time to get back to Diane, get her to safety, and come back with help for

Kenzie? Not likely. He continued until he was in front again, pausing for a brief minute before starting

his circuit again. The numbers didn’t change and the stench of blood only grew stronger. His lips

peeled back, flashing his canines, and he felt the burning in his joints that preceded a shift. He was

edgy and twitchy as fuck. His mind was chaotic. The only thought he could focus on with any clarity

was his mate. He was tearing apart, and the only one who could prevent it wasn’t with him.

The animal had changed tactics. It wanted to run, to get to Diane as quickly as possible. It was

his only thought. The man worried he might be missing something and leading hunters right to her. He

couldn’t risk it, risk her. So he fought to hold on, fought to think, fought against the fever burning in his

veins and the animal that sought control, once more.

Until something tickled his nose. A scent that shouldn’t be there. A scent that should be locked

up safely in a cabin several miles away from here. He inhaled deeply and moved back as the rumble

in his chest threatened to leave in a hiss and growl that would expose him to the hunters he was

watching.

His mate was close. And she wasn’t alone.

Chapter Nine

Angel moved quickly but managed to make sure Diane was able to stay right behind him every

step of the way. She was grateful for that. He seemed to have picked up a scent that upset him as they

moved, and now he stalked forward with a stealth she found frightening. His chest vibrated with low

growls he didn’t seem aware he was making. He glanced back at her again, and she swore his eyes

glowed brighter. His cheeks were dark with color, and he looked as if he was beyond angry. He

appeared ready to kill.

They moved farther, and he stopped, pointing to the tree at his back. She slipped behind it,

pressing herself tightly against the bark while he did that inhale thing again. If possible, he looked

even more upset when he titled his head and glanced over his shoulder toward her again. Diane

trembled, praying Zane was okay. Don’t let them be too late to help Zane and Kenzie.

Angel’s chest rumbled with displeasure again, prompting Diane to speak up.

“Are you okay?” she asked as quietly as possible.

He turned on her with eyes that glowed neon. “I didn’t expect this,” he grunted, his canines

flashing like sharp daggers at the sides of his mouth. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Despite the anger emanating from him, she sensed a bit of wonder in his voice. What had him

so off balance?

He shook himself. “It doesn’t matter. It can’t matter,” he muttered. “Good news is we’re almost

there. Bad news is it seems panther boy has caught our scent, and he’s not happy with either of us.

And there’s a good chance he’s leading them right to us.”

“Oh, God,” Diane said, her voice shaky.

Angel sighed. “I didn’t plan to do this, but I have no choice, now.”

“Do what?” she managed to ask before he grabbed her and jerked her to him.

She wasn’t prepared. He hadn’t touched her once since she’d opened the door for him. It had

made her lax, made her feel a false sense of safety it seemed. Her breasts collided with his chest, and

he gritted his teeth as if he were the one in pain. He dipped his head toward her, and she strangled on

her own breath as panic set in. He was going to kiss her. God, no!

She tugged against his hold, clawing at him as she struggled to break free. She wanted to

scream but bit her lip to hold it in. The last thing they needed was to have every hunter nearby heading

straight toward them. And Zane? What would he do if he heard her scream? She could get her mate

killed.

Angel’s head dropped past her lips, though, and he rubbed his cheek and hair over her neck and

throat then along her shoulder. He reached out and pulled her shirt aside and rubbed the spot where

Zane had marked her. She shuddered and felt a wave of nausea hit her that almost knocked her to her

knees. She gagged and fought against his hold.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, and he looked it. His too bright eyes were tinged with sadness.

But any sympathy she might have felt was cast aside when he tossed her over his shoulder and

began moving faster through the trees.

“I know you’re pissed, but I need you to be quiet. If you want your mate to stay alive, then

muzzle yourself, Diane,” he grunted.

Diane slammed shut her lips, trapping the scream she’d been about to let loose inside. How had

he known she was going to scream? There was more to Angel than he was giving away. What was it

about him?

“Stay here and stay quiet,” he ordered as he dropped her softly onto the ground behind a tree.

“Your mate’s not far behind us. I had to circle and sprint to get ahead of him. Sorry if I jarred you.”

“Is he okay?” she whispered back. Her eyes widened as he dropped his gear and began

stripping his jacket and shirt off over his head.

“He will be if you keep him distracted. When he gets here, do whatever it takes to keep him

with you. If he comes in after me, he might die. Best case scenario, he just gets injured.” He inhaled

deeply again and his eyes narrowed. “I can’t make promises, now. I’m not sure how much control I’m

going to have when I get in there. I’m sure you’d like to avoid either of those possibilities, though.”

His long fingers reached for his jeans and began unfastening them.

Diane turned away, embarrassed he was stripping beside her.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered quietly, drawing her gaze back to him as he stripped out of his

jeans. “No matter what I seem, I would never hurt you.”

A hiss rocked the woods followed by a growl that had her searching frantically around them for

her mate.

“Stay here. Don’t go to him. Let him come to you,” Angel ordered. “I’ll take as many of them as

I can, but he’s already alerted them he’s here.”

A scream pierced the air, cutting off anything else Angel might have said to her. The look on his

face was terrifying in that moment and a roar that almost rivaled Tah’s rocked the air. One moment

Angel was there, and the next, a huge beast was rushing away from her. Holy shit! She’d never

anticipated seeing one of them in the shifters she’d met. The tawny mane of a lion flowed around the

golden striped flesh of the beast. Angel was a liger.

The scream sounded again and Diane recognized it this time. Kenzie. What were they doing to

her? She prayed it wasn’t anything like the hell she knew both Amia and Clara had been subjected to.

Chained to the wall, beaten and cut, unable to defend themselves.

She heard a rustling in the trees and pressed her back firmer against the bark. It wasn’t Zane.

She didn’t know how she knew it, but she did. Then he was there, all six and half feet of pissed off

mate. Not a panther. Still a man. He spared her a brief, angry glance before darting around her. She

heard a grunt as flesh hit flesh, and she dared a peek around the tree. Zane had a man in his hands and,

with an ease that shocked her to her toes, her mate bared his teeth, reached out and snapped the other

man’s neck as if it were merely kindling.

Another roar rocked the air, and masculine screams sounded from the direction Angel had

gone. Zane turned toward them, and she remembered Angel’s words. She had to keep her mate safe.

“Zane!” she cried out and stood up, moving around the tree.

He turned to her immediately. His nostrils flared, and he growled again as he stalked toward

her.

“I’ll kill whoever it is,” he vowed then grabbed her and tugged her against him.

He took her mouth first, forcing his tongue deep and ravaging every nook and crevice. She

gasped for air when he finally pulled free. He ran his lips and tongue over her neck and throat,

following the path Angel had traced with is cheek and hair. Angel! He’d done this intentionally.

“Did he fuck you?” Zane demanded as he yanked her shirt to the side, the material ripping

beneath his grip.

“No,” she answered, shaking her head frantically.

Zane growled again, lowering his head to the mark he’d revealed and licking over and over it.

“You are mine,” he grunted to her and his bright golden gaze met hers.

“Yes,” she agreed quickly. “I’m yours, all yours.”

He growled again, teeth flashing briefly before he bit her again. He slid one leg between hers

and pressed her back against the tree as he bit and sucked at her flesh. Diane rubbed wantonly against

the hard muscle of his thigh and came with a low moan.

Zane released her and licked over her skin again and again. “Did he touch you anywhere else?”

he asked softly.

“No,” she said, doing her best to reassure him.

“Who do you belong to?” he demanded.

“You, only you.”

He pulled back from her, letting her feet touch the ground again.

“On your knees,” he commanded and reached for the button on his jeans.

Diane licked her lips and dropped, more than eager for what it appeared he wanted. Angel had

told her to do whatever it took to keep Zane with her. She intended to. She just prayed he was keeping

anyone who might be a threat occupied, as well. She watched Zane, knowing there’d be no stopping

him, now. He made quick work of the zipper, jerking the material wide and shoving it down until his

thick, black cock surged free, reaching toward his strong, taut belly. He gripped the hard stalk of flesh

with one fist and pointed his cock toward her mouth.

“Lick it,” he ordered.

With a low moan, she complied, leaning in with her hands resting on his thighs. She flicked her

tongue out and slowly rubbed it over him, claiming the small pearl of liquid that graced the head.

“Mhmm,” she moaned, pressing her tongue against the roof of her mouth and savoring that small

taste of her man. She licked her lips and moved in for more.

“Suck it.” He fisted his other hand in her hair.

She felt the sharp bite of pain against her scalp where he tugged her hair and whimpered as lust

filled her. She opened wide, sucking as he pressed his cock between her lips and began a shallow

fucking of her mouth. So good. No, more than good. So much more than good.

“You are my woman,” he told her, his voice hard and deep. “You disobeyed me.”

Oh, shit. He was mad just like Angel had warned her.

“You put yourself in danger. You put yourself in a position where someone else could put his

hands on you, his scent on you.” Zane’s lips pulled back, his teeth locked together, the cords on his

neck standing out.

He slid his fingers to cup the back of her head and pressed deeper, hitting the top of her throat

and gagging her for a moment. She swallowed around him and fought to breathe through her nose. He

groaned with pleasure as he eased out then thrust deep again.

“You will never do that again,” he warned. “Do you understand me?”

She mumbled around his shaft. Luckily, it seemed to satisfy him. She couldn’t shake her head

with the grip he had, much less speak with a mouthful of cock. Hell, it was taking all she had to work

through her instinct to gag every time he entered her throat. Thankfully, he interspersed the deeper

strokes with more shallow ones.

“I’m going to come down your throat,” he grunted. “Then you’re going to drop to your hands

and knees, and I’m going to fuck you until I can’t smell him on you anymore. Do you understand?”

She tried to answer with her eyes, show him how much she loved him. And she did. She might

not have said it, yet, but she knew she did. It explained why her whole world had been torn apart

when he’d left. It explained why she felt happier in danger with him than she did in the safety of their

group without him. It wasn’t just a need for a mate. It was a love like none she’d ever dreamed of.

Now, now she understood what Abby had, what Amia and Clara shared with their mates. It was a

bond with no human equivalent.

He grunted and fucked her mouth, his dick sliding between her lips and gliding back into her

throat or stopping just short of it. She sucked, swirled her tongue around and tried her best to keep her

teeth sheathed behind her lips. He tasted so good, delicious, a carnal treat she hoped to indulge in

more often.

“Diane.” He moaned her name, and her gaze flicked up his perfect body to lock with his. “I’m

going to come, now. Swallow me, baby. Drink me dry.”

She mumbled her acquiesce around his shaft and felt her pussy dripping with need. Once she

swallowed his tasty cum, he was going to fuck her. God, yes. She needed it, needed to feel him

pounding hard into her pussy, filling her with all his long, thick inches.

“Ahhh,” he groaned as she felt the first hot spray of seed coat her tongue and splash against the

top of her throat. “Yes, baby. Just like that. Just like that.”

He growled as she sucked and swallowed, wrapping her tongue up, over and around the crown

to make sure she didn’t miss any of what he gave her.

He closed his eyes and let her keep sucking for a moment even after she’d swallowed every

drop, then he tapped her check.

“Open,” he ordered and slid free when she complied. “Turn around. Hands and knees. Get your

jeans down or I’m going to rip them off you.”

His words had her pussy getting impossibly wetter as she hurried to comply. Everything else

was forgotten as she got lost in the dark promise of his voice. She was undoing her jeans and

shimmying them down as she turned on her knees. The ground was rough against her palms, but Zane

commanded her full attention when he pressed against her. He plunged into her, sheathing his cock

fully inside her sex. She dropped her head to her hands and used one hand to bite on, muffling her

cries of pleasure as best she could when he began a rough fucking that had her flying toward release.

“Mhmm,” she moaned, enjoying the dominant way he claimed her.

“Mine,” he grunted. “You are mine. I won’t tolerate another man’s scent on you. Ever.”

“Yesss,” she agreed with a hiss as her belly tightened.

He bent over her and bit her shoulder where her ripped shirt exposed it. That touch was all she

needed to free-fall into an orgasm so intense she almost felt torn apart. She was flying, spinning out of

control and the only thing keeping her tethered was Zane—her lover and mate. He released her from

the grip of his teeth and slammed deep as he joined her in orgasm. Each heated splash of his cum sent

her spiraling again and again until she collapsed beneath him, too weak from the pleasure to remain

on all fours.

Slowly, the sounds around them trickled back to her and reality intruded. What had she been

thinking to let him take her like this in the open when there were hunters around them and Angel was

there? Shit! She’d forgotten all about Angel and Kenzie, as well.

“Zane.” She moaned his name softly and wiggled her hips, catching her breath as his cock

tugged free from her well-fucked channel.

He grunted and moved from behind her. The next thing she knew, he was lifting her to her feet

and dropping to his knees. He placed a chaste kiss on the apex of her thighs just above her trimmed

pubic hair and pulled her clothes up and fastened her jeans. He leaned his head against her belly and

just held her as if he were afraid to let her go.

“I shouldn’t have left you,” he finally whispered. “I could have gotten us both killed.”

“Shhh,” she crooned. “We’re okay.” At least she hoped they were. No Angel. No hunters. In

fact, it was eerily quiet.

“We need to go,” Zane said as if reading her thoughts. “I need to find the one who brought you

here. Jesus!” He shook his head in disgust. “I can’t believe I took you on the fucking ground while

there are hunters around us! I just hope the asshole who put his scent on you is okay… so I can kill

him.” He sounded reserved and there was still a touch of anger in his voice.

“Angel didn’t hurt me,” she promised. “He said you would need me and brought me here. He

was already tracking the hunters when he came across me.”

Zane slowly stood and his eyes shone a deep, dark neon gold. “We’ll discuss just how he found

you later. I’m still on edge and neither of us needs another round of fucking at the moment. Not here.

Not now.” He shook his head then focused on her again. “Are you okay? I’d never forgive myself if I

hurt you.”

“I’m fine,” she tried to assure him. “Are you okay?”

“The fever is still burning in me. Now that I’ve tasted you, I should have known I wouldn’t be

able to leave you. Not with the heat on you. Even after just having you, my dick is hard and aching

behind my zipper.”

She dropped her gaze and gasped at the blatant display of his aroused cock.

“Again?”

One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Always when you’re in heat. I’d stay inside you if I

could. I owe this guy a thank you, and instead, I’m going to struggle not to rip his fucking head off his

shoulders.”

A battle between Angel and Zane was not something she wanted to witness.

“Why are you angry with him?”

Zane glared down at her. “Because his scent was all fucking over you. What did he do? Rub his

hair and face against you?”

At her nod, his chest rumbled and his canines flashed.

“You can’t kill him,” Diane said quickly.

“If you defend him to me, he’s a dead man,” Zane warned.

“He knew you would need me. He said you would be distracted because of the feral cat fever

and that you would need me to help hold yourself together.”

Zane nodded but said nothing.

“I think he rubbed his head against me to make sure you stayed here with me, out of danger. He

warned me to keep you with me no matter what it took.”

“Kenzie,” Zane grunted. “Stay…” His words trickled off at the glare she gave him and with a

shake of his head, he held out his hand to her. “Stay on my ass and obey my every command.”

“What is it with you guys and obedience? And staying on your asses?”

“What?” He turned angry eyes on her again, and she gulped. Shit. He probably didn’t need to

know about her trip here with Angel.

“Kenzie,” she said instead and nudged his shoulder to get him going.

He glared for a moment then thankfully turned and began walking. She looked away as they

walked past the man Zane had killed. She felt no guilt over what her mate had done, but she didn’t

want to view it close up. The smell of blood grew stronger in her nostrils the closer they got.

“Holy shit!” she exclaimed as they approached a cabin.

There were bodies lying everywhere. Zane had snapped the neck of the guy who came after

him. Angel had shredded the men he’d fought. She gagged as she took it all in. Two of them had been

disemboweled. She began to glance around, seeing if there was anyone still alive who might need her

help. One guy moaned and she started to head toward him.

“Leave him.” Angel’s hard voice carried to her from the doorway where he stood cradling a

naked Kenzie against his bare chest.

Zane’s chest rumbled as he moved toward her. It would probably be a good idea not to let her

mate know she’d watched Angel shift. She waved Zane off as she moved toward Angel and Kenzie.

“Is she hurt?” she asked.

Zane was right on her ass now, and the loud growls made her very aware he wasn’t happy that

Angel was naked in front of her.

“Stop growling and go get his clothes if you’re that upset.” She turned to Zane. “He left them

back by where we were. And don’t start,” she interrupted when he opened his mouth. “I’m drenched

in your…” She flushed and cut herself off when the word cum wanted to slip out of her mouth.

“Scent,” she finished.

Zane dropped a kiss to her lips, spared a glare for Angel that softened into a look of concern

when he took in Kenzie. He inhaled, threw a startled look at Angel and his mouth literally dropped

open.

“Yeah,” Angel said as if Zane had asked him a question. “It’s a real clusterfuck. I’d appreciate

the clothes or your mate’s going to see a side of me she shouldn’t. I’m on the edge here.”

“Fuck,” Zane almost roared and sprinted back the way they’d come.

“Put her down,” Diane said. “So I can check on her. How long’s she been out?”

“Not long,” Angel mumbled and sat down on the porch step with Kenzie still wrapped in his

arms. “They beat her, but it looks like we made it before they got the knives out.”

Kenzie’s face was battered. They’d beat the hell out of her. There was bruising on her breasts,

thighs and abdomen, and that was just from the quick scan Diane gave her.

“Are you growling?” Diane asked Angel.

“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.

Before she could ask anything else, Zane was back with Angel’s clothes and gear. He tossed

them down next to Angel and grabbed Diane’s shoulders, turning her away. She heaved a sigh of

frustration but complied without complaint. It wasn’t as if she wanted to see any man naked, other

than her mate. But now that her mind was a little less focused on lust and sex, she was worried about

Kenzie. She glanced beside her and noticed Zane facing Angel, arms crossed over his broad chest,

mouth thinned into a hard line.

“You better not be looking at Kenzie,” Diane warned him, her temper rising at the thought.

Zane turned to her with surprise on his face and his mouth quirked up in a smile. “You’re

jealous,” he said and she glared. “There’s no need to be. I want you and only you. That will never

change.”

“Still doesn’t mean I want you looking at other women naked,” Diane muttered.

Zane smiled wide, the white of his teeth vividly displayed.

He dropped a kiss on her lips, and Diane turned around. Angel had pulled on pants but that was

all, and once again, he held Kenzie against his chest.

“It’d be easier for me to check over her if you put her down,” Diane said.

“Not yet,” Angel said softly, and his voice sounded strained. “The bruises you see will heal.”

The way he said it made her think there was a bruise she couldn’t see that maybe wouldn’t. A

horrible thought occurred to Diane, and her gaze skirted down Kenzie’s form.

“They didn’t—”

“No,” Angel almost roared, cutting off her question before it could be answered.

“Does she know?” Zane asked.

Angel nodded.

“Did you?” Zane demanded.

“I couldn’t stop myself,” Angel answered softly.

“Then you’re staying?” Zane demanded again.

Angel shook his head and though his eyes never left Kenzie, the sadness he felt was easy to see.

“I can’t.”

“Fuck!” Zane exploded. “This is a fine fucking mess.”

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Angel stated angrily.

“I’m betting Kenzie wasn’t, either,” Zane reprimanded. “If you weren’t going to stay, you

should have left her alone.”

Angel looked up then, his lips curled back and a growl rumbling from his chest. “Mine!” he

snarled.

Oh, God! Angel was Kenzie’s mate? Holy shit! And he wasn’t staying? How the hell would

that even be possible?

“You’re going to destroy her,” Zane said softly.

Angel nodded and his eyes dipped closed. “I wasn’t supposed to have a mate. That’s not my

life. I hunt. I kill. I save and I avenge. I don’t mate.”

“You just did,” Zane said in a hard voice.

Angel stood, cradling Kenzie high against his chest, and walked back into the cabin with Zane

on his heels and Diane trailing behind. She had no idea what to say. She was only newly mated

herself. But from everything she’d seen, all that she’d felt so far, she didn’t understand how Angel

would be able to walk away and leave Kenzie.

He put Kenzie on a cot in the corner and covered her with a blanket. “She’ll need to rest before

you head back.”

He brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek and sighed with what Diane interpreted as

regret. He bent down and kissed Kenzie softly on the lips.

“Watch over her for me.” he ordered Zane, and her mate gave a terse nod.

“You’ve cursed her to spend her life alone,” Zane warned, and Diane gasped.

“No!” she cried before she could stop herself. “Kenzie wants a mate of her own. She wants a

family.”

Devastation filled Angel’s eyes before he blinked and the emotion was gone. His shoulders

straightened, and he stood tall and emotionless.

“I’ll take care of the bodies then go have a meeting with your alpha. There are things he needs

to be aware of.”

“Will you tell him about this?” Zane asked, nodding toward Kenzie.

Angel dropped his glance to Kenzie again. “He should know.” He turned his back on the cot

and faced Zane. “I’ll be in touch when I can.” He looked at Diane then back to Zane. “Take care of

your mate. She should be taught to defend herself. She’s only as strong as you allow her to be,” he

warned.

Diane decided to bite the bullet when Angel didn’t continue. “I opened the door for him.”

A loud growl left Zane’s mouth as he turned to glare at her.

“He made it seem like he knew Tah.” Diane tried to defend herself.

“You should make sure your mate has the ability and the equipment to take care of herself, even

when she makes questionable decisions,” Angel told Zane then slipped around them and out the door.

“I’m going to spank your ass, mate,” Zane uttered from between clenched teeth.

Fuck! was all Diane could think, but her sex clenched at the threat.. She was in big trouble, and

it excited the hell out of her, which was probably not the response her mate wanted from her.

Chapter Ten

“Tell me what happened,” Zane said, and his voice was low and quiet, sending a shiver up her

spine.

“He would have broken it down if I hadn’t.”

“Then let him break the fucking thing down,” Zane snarled. “Don’t open it for him.”

“Shhh,” Diane admonished, pointing toward where Kenzie lay.

Zane lifted his eyebrow, took her arm and pulled her over by the door. “I believe I told you

before I left you to keep the door locked and not open it for anyone but me. Did I not?”

She nodded her head. “But—”

“No buts,” he interrupted her. “Except for your lovely one that I’m about to take the palm of my

hand to.”

She pressed her backside against the wall as if that would save her. Zane looked really angry.

“Angel knew who we were. All of us. He called me by name.”

“And you think a hunter wouldn’t have that information if he needed it? You think he wouldn’t

ooze charm and say whatever he needed to get you to open that door?”

She bit her lip and looked up at him, slowly nodding.

“And do you have any idea what they’d do to you?”

She glanced over toward Kenzie. “I have an idea.”

“You have no fucking clue,” he rumbled at her. “Kenzie is a shifter, a dirty, filthy animal.

You’re human. One who’s lain with an animal by choice.”

“You’re not an animal,” she scolded.

“Baby, I assure you I’m feeling pretty fucking animalistic where you’re concerned. And never,

ever, forget there’s a beast in here with me.”

“How could I?” she whispered and leaned into him. “I love that side of you. I love you. All of

you.”

He stilled, cupped her chin and lifted her face to look up at his. “Say it again,” he demanded.

“I love you,” she vowed. “I didn’t realize it until I almost lost you. Not once but twice. I don’t

ever want to feel that way again.”

“God, Diane,” he groaned, leaning in and pinning her to the door. “I love you so much, baby. I

tried so hard to protect you from me, from what it means to be the mate of a shifter. But the harder I

tried to stay away, the more I wanted you until I ached with it.”

“I don’t expect you to have to save me,” she told him. “I just want you with me.”

He dropped his head and kissed her softly. Lips brushed and eased apart for tongues to forage

and caress as breathes mingled. For the first time since she’d found him, the lust was tempered and

not as overwhelming. She wanted him, but then she suspected she always would.

“Angel’s right about one thing,” Zane admitted.

“What’s that?”

“I need to teach you to defend yourself. I should have done that when I first arrived,” he said.

“Would have been hard to avoid me if you had,” she told him with a smile. “I doubt even then

you would have been able to let someone else teach me.”

That sexy growl rumbled in his chest again, and he shook his head.

“I promise I’ll be smarter,” she offered with a sigh of regret. “I’ll listen when you’re telling me

things to keep me safe. And I’ll follow your orders. I’m sorry I opened the door, and I’m very grateful

it turned out the way it did. I don’t ever want to put myself in the position where I can be used to hurt

you.”

“I would kill to save you,” he vowed.

She didn’t point out he already had. She took a deep breath and nodded. “I just don’t want you

to die to save me.”

The look in his eyes told her he would, without reservation. She vowed to never place herself

in a situation where that might occur.

“Why don’t you go help Angel while I check over Kenzie and keep an eye on her?” Diane

suggested. She had a feeling Zane wanted to talk to the other man alone, anyway. “Grab my gear

please. I don’t see Kenzie’s, and she’ll need something to wear when we leave.”

Zane nodded. “Lock this door behind me and so help me, you better not open it unless you hear

my voice.”

“Promise,” she swore the bit her lip. “What if it’s Angel?”

He lifted a brow and glanced back at Kenzie before sighing. “I don’t think he’ll be back, but

yeah, you can open it for him.”

She nodded and leaned up to kiss him on the jaw. He bent down and met her lips with his,

taking her under with another kiss that scattered her thoughts.

“I’ll be close by,” he promised.

“I’ll be here.”

“Lock it,” he reminded her, making her grin.

“Go.” She shooed him out and laughed when he turned and faced her with his arms over his

chest, one foot tapping. “I’m locking it.”

She shut the door and slid home the bolt. This door only had one. She heard his footsteps

walking away and rested heavily against the thick wood. Zane was back, and though she had no idea

how long it would take the fever to leave him, she didn’t doubt they’d handle it. Together. She was

his mate, and that knowledge made her happier than she’d ever been in her life. She glanced at Kenzie

and felt a tug at her heart.

She walked over and gently touched the bruises on Kenzie’s face, checking for any fractured

bones that might need to be set before they healed. She moved carefully over Kenzie’s torso, checking

her ribs then down to her legs before moving back to her arms and wrists. Nothing broken as far as

she could see. She thought she saw some bruising by Kenzie’s neck and gently pushed aside her hair,

gasping at what she uncovered.

Is this what Zane had meant when he asked Angel if he had? Diane knew exactly what the fresh

mark on Kenzie was. Angel had bitten her at the base of her neck on the left side. And he was going to

leave Kenzie? Mating was for life, as in there would never be another man for Kenzie. So why would

he do that to her and leave? The more she sat and thought about it, the angrier she got. She took

Kenzie’s hand in hers and squeezed the other woman’s fingers.

She felt as if she and Kenzie had started a friendship on this journey. Kenzie had done what

she’d needed to make sure Diane made it to Zane. The other woman had even defied Tah in case he’d

decided against them going. No matter what, Diane vowed she’d be there for Kenzie in the future.

Zane would understand and support her. She didn’t doubt that for a moment. She would be Kenzie’s

friend and defender whether the other woman wanted her to or not. She really hoped Kenzie would

want to be her friend, as well.

Zane found a couple of shovels at the back of the cabin and went in search of Angel. He found

the man dragging the last body deeper into the woods where he’d obviously decided to bury them.

Without speaking, Angel took a shovel from Zane and they began digging. Zane could scent the

sadness surrounding the guy, and he felt sorry for the other man.

“Tell me about her,” Angel said.

“I met her in the Marines. She was this little bit of nothing with a heart fiercer than any I’ve

ever known. She was quick and quiet, deadly when needed, and they never saw her coming most of

the time. She pushed herself harder than any of us, as if she felt she had something to prove because of

her size.”

“She’s so tiny,” Angel agreed and Zane had to agree. Compared to the two of them, she was.

“Don’t let her size fool you. She’s strong. I’ve seen her take men our size down before they

knew her intentions.”

Angel nodded and leaned on his shovel, raising his head to the sky and taking a deep breath.

“She was tied down when I walked in.”

“Already unconscious?” Zane asked.

Angel shook his head. “No. She was awake and mad as hell. I smelled her long before I

reached her, but it wasn’t until she screamed that I realized exactly what she meant to me.”

“You should have left then,” Zane said.

“And what? Left only a fucked up shifter fighting fever and his mate who’s in heat to deal with

a trained hunter team? Left my woman to whatever they had planned before they killed her?” He

shook his head. “Never crossed my mind.”

“What you said… Your name… Are you who I think you are?” Zane finally asked.

Angel smiled sadly and nodded. “I am.”

“That explains your words, and why you won’t stay.”

“I can’t. As much as it will kill a piece of me to leave her behind. I can’t stay with her. I can’t,”

Angel stated and Zane sensed both sorrow and anger in Angel’s voice.

“She won’t understand,” Zane warned.

“I know,” Angel agreed.

“You bit her anyway?” Zane finally asked. “Why would you do that knowing you couldn’t

stay?”

Angel wouldn’t meet his eyes. “She didn’t give me a choice.”

“She’s going to hate you,” Zane warned.

“I hope so,” Angel said. “Better to hate me than to sit and wait for something that can never

be.”

“It’s deep enough,” Zane said after they dug a few more minutes in silence. “You’ll go talk to

Tah?”

“I was planning to when I headed this way,” Angel said. “It’s time for your pride to move on.

They know where you are. Colorado is no longer safe for you.”

“Fuck,” Zane muttered. “Tah’s mate, Abby, is pregnant. Due any day. We won’t be able to

travel until after the baby is born.”

“You’ve got some time,” Angel assured him. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I

know a place you can head to. You’ll all be safe there. I’ll give Tah the information.”

“Will you be okay?” Zane asked him.

The emotions rolling off Angel were polluting the air around them. Sorrow, pain, anger

bordering on rage, regret tinged with shame and something deeper that Zane felt intrusive for even

sensing. But Angel wore his resolve around him like a cloak. His decision was made, and there was

nothing Zane could say to change his mind.

“My life is not my own,” Angel stated softly. “I am the hand of justice. The executioner.”

“I’ll take care of her,” Zane promised. “As if she were my own mate. Diane and I, we won’t let

anything happen to Kenzie. She’ll be loved and protected as fiercely as we can.”

He didn’t mention that it wouldn’t be the same as having her mate with her. Zane didn’t doubt

Angel was well aware of that. It was hurting the other man enough. There was no need to voice the

obvious.

Angel nodded, saying nothing as they got to work burying the dead. Not because the hunters

deserved it, but because they had a better chance of being discovered if they were left out for the

carrion to feed on as they deserved, as they would have done to a shifter.

“I put Diane and Kenzie’s gear on the side of the cabin. Came across them as I was searching

around, making sure we didn’t miss anything or anyone.”

“I’ll get it,” Zane told him.

Angel’s glance fell toward the cabin again. “I need to go,” he said but his feet appeared rooted

to the ground.

Zane knew how hard it was to walk away from a mate. He’d tried it for months and had already

been ready to give in before he’d been hit with the needle of virus. And he hadn’t bitten Diane then.

Now, with his mark on her and the link starting between them? There was no way he could walk

away without ripping his soul to shreds. He didn’t envy Angel his role in their world.

Angel dug in his pocket and pulled a scrap of paper out, handing it to Zane. “Here. If she ever

needs me, you can leave a message for me there. He’ll know how to get in touch with me.”

Zane nodded and bleak eyes met his gaze before Angel once again straightened his shoulders.

He scooped up the gear he’d propped against a tree and opened it.

“Here, take this,” he offered and held a T-shirt out to Zane. “Thank you. Keep her safe for me.”

“I will,” Zane vowed.

“I’ll let Tah know you’ll be heading back. I noticed Kenzie’s phone was smashed. Didn’t know

if Diane had one or not.”

“Thanks,” Zane said.

“I’ll be long gone when you get there. You have a hell of a woman for a mate. She’s bright, but

thinks with her heart.”

Zane nodded in agreement. “I’ll take care of her.”

“I know you will. I owe you for what you’re doing for me. If there ever comes a time when you

need me, don’t hesitate to call. I’ll come.”

“I will,” Zane told him and they gripped forearms before Angel turned and walked away into

the trees.

Zane stood there until the other man had disappeared from sight. What a mess. He wondered if

Kenzie would believe him when he told her how much pain her mate had been in when he’d left?

Would she care or take comfort in knowing he was hurting, too? Somehow, he didn’t think she would.

If anything, knowing Angel was in pain would only hurt her worse.

He headed back toward the cabin and walked around the outside, looking for the gear Angel

had placed there. He lifted it all easily and made his way to the porch. One sniff and his mate’s scent

filled his nostrils. His cock flexed against his zipper and Zane felt another surge of need for Diane. It

wasn’t as strong as it had been. Did that mean the fever was quieting? God, he hoped so.

He stopped at the door and waited, easing the gear out of his hands and listening for movement.

He knew Diane had heard him on the porch, but she remained silent. Maybe his mate had learned her

lesson. He grinned and lifted one hand to knock softly on the door.

Nothing. No sound or movement from the other side. Good girl.

He knocked again and this time let her know it was him. “Diane.”

The door flew open and his mate was there, barreling against his chest and holding him tight.

“Whoa,” he grunted, gaze searching the inside. “What’s wrong?”

“He bit her and left her. I saw the bite. How could he do that, Zane? And you were gone? I was

worried that…”

She cut herself off as her big hazel eyes met his. There were tears there, gathering at the corners

and wetting her lashes with each blink she gave.

“You were afraid I was leaving you?”

She nodded, and he wrapped her tighter against his chest.

“Never, baby. I’ll never leave you again. I promise.”

“I couldn’t handle it if you did. God, I blew up at everyone when you were gone. I yelled at the

Professor, at Tah and all of them. I fell apart when you weren’t there.”

“Then I’ll be there, so much that you’ll beg me to get out from under your feet.”

“Not likely,” she said, and he felt the wet of her tears on his chest.

“Let’s get in,” he said and eased her away so he could gather the gear he’d dropped and carry it

inside.

She shut and locked the door behind him. He glanced over at the bed on the other side of the

cabin to check on Kenzie.

“Has she awoken yet?” Zane asked.

Diane shook her head. “Did Angel say what happened?”

“Not really.”

“I liked him. But I can’t like him for leaving her.”

“He asked if we’d watch over her and, for what it’s worth, I saw how much it tore him apart to

leave her,” Zane offered softly.

“Good,” Diane said and more tears spilled over. “He doesn’t deserve for anyone to feel sorry

for him. Damn him.”

“I told him we’d take care of Kenzie,” Zane said.

“Damn right we will,” Diane agreed. “She came out here for us, to help me find you and bring

you back to us. I owe her everything for that.”

“We do,” Zane reminded her.

“I don’t understand,” Diane muttered. “How can he leave? Why would he need to?”

“When he introduced himself, what did he say?”

“He said his name was Gabriel but most people called him Angel or referred to him as ‘the

Angel’. And he said he’d been tracking the hunters here.”

“Most people think of him as a legend, someone created to give shifters hope of justice being

served.”

“He’s a liger,” Diane whispered, and her eyes were huge.

“You saw him shift?” Zane demanded and growled at her nod. “I’m starting to feel a little

primal again.”

“I may not be an M.D., Zane, but I am the doctor here. I see people in all states of undress.

You’re going to have to get used to that.”

He growled again, and she reached out to smooth her hands over his chest.

“I’ll never look at any of them as I do you,” she promised. “They’re friends, patients. You’re

my mate, my lover, my heart and soul.”

“I might need you to remind me of that every now and then,” he told her.

“Anytime. Now, tell me more about Angel.”

“He’s a liger shifter, the only one of his kind, and his is a lone road. He is the hand of justice,

lethal beyond imagination. You saw the way he took on the men here, twelve of them against him.”

“He decimated them,” Diane agreed.

“He is the hand of retribution. Justice for those killed by hunter hands. He is judge and jury, and

if found guilty, he is the executioner who will deal out swift punishment.”

“He said this wasn’t meant to happen,” she said, pointing toward Kenzie.

“He’s a lone beast. Solitary and always on the road. It’s no life for a mate.”

“Shouldn’t that be her choice?” Diane asked softly.

“I don’t know,” Zane finally said. “The places he goes. The enemies he has. She would never

be safe with him. If anyone finds out about her, that she’s his mate, she won’t be safe anywhere.”

“Are you saying no one can know?”

“Tah will have to know. We can’t keep this from him. I’m not sure who among our group he’ll

tell, Reno and Logan for sure. Everyone will need to know how important it is to keep her safe. And

yet, the less people who know, the safer she’ll be.”

“Why would he bite her if he knew he couldn’t stay with her?” Diane asked softly.

Zane sighed. “I think that’s something you’ll have to ask Kenzie. There are a lot of factors that

work against a shifter and his or her ability to think clearly around their mate. Whatever happened

between them…” He shrugged. “It’s between them. We might never know.”

“I’m worried for her,” Diane admitted.

“Me, too,” he said.

Diane cuddled against him, and he held her tightly. He wanted her, needed her. He glanced at

Kenzie again on the bed. She was still out. He moved his gaze around the cabin, searching for a spot

that might give them some privacy. Shit, he’d taken his mate on the ground too many times, then

against the door. As soon as they got back home, he was taking her to bed—a nice, soft bed where he

could make love to her again and again.

“What is it?” she asked.

He made eye contact and knew from her sharp inhale his eyes were glowing again. “I need

you.”

She glanced at his zipper, and his cock pulsed at the heated gaze. He watched her looking

around, as well, and knew she was seeing what he was—a big open square with no place to give

privacy. Still, he swore he wasn’t going to take her on the ground again.

“Grab the tent with Kenzie’s gear,” she said and began clearing a spot in the corner. “Hurry,”

she ordered when he stood there.

He grinned as he followed her instructions. Soon, they had the tent popped up, and he was glad

the tents they had just sprung up into place. He watched her ass as she spread the sleeping bag that

had been with it inside. She turned and sat down in the opening, kicking off her shoes and peeling

down her socks. She smiled at him, and his breath caught in his lungs at just how beautiful she was.

And his. She was all his. His chest vibrated with that knowledge.

She pulled her shirt over her head, and her lush breasts with their tight pink nipples had his

mouth watering to taste her again. She leaned back and reached to undo her pants. Glancing up, she

lifted one delicate brow at him.

“What are you waiting for? I thought you needed me,” she said.

He toed off his boots and threw another quick glance at Kenzie before stripping to his skin and

crawling in to join her. She was on her back, legs spread wide while she rolled her nipples between

her fingers. He could see the slick moisture coating the lips of her sex. She needed him, as well. He

went to her, sliding into placed between her thighs and taking her mouth before surging into her slick

sheath.

They both moaned quietly as he began rocking into her. Her arms and legs wrapped around

him. He bent low over her so her nipples rubbed against his chest, sending his pleasure higher. He

loved the feel of her against him, skin on skin. He’d keep her this way always if he could. But he

would have to share his mate with the rest of his pride. She was right. She was their doctor, and they

were lucky to have her.

“I love you,” she moaned as she came, her sex tightening around his cock and milking it. “Love

you.”

“I love you,” he purred against the mate mark on her skin. “You’re my always and forever,” he

swore and bit into her again as he came, taking her with him.

He held her long after the sweat had cooled on their skin. Tomorrow, they’d head back and if

what Angel had said was true, their world would change again. He glanced down at the sleeping

woman beside him. At least this time he wouldn’t be alone. Who knew? Maybe they’d run across his

Uncle Orsai and Zane would be able to introduce his mate to his uncle. He didn’t doubt for a moment

Orsai would love Diane. What was there not to love?

Chapter Eleven

Diane was worried about Kenzie. The other woman hadn’t said a word since she’d woken this

morning, but her eyes spoke volumes. Diane had been sitting with Zane at the table when Kenzie had

finally moaned and sat up, thankfully pulling the cover with her. She’d glanced around the cabin,

looking past Zane and Diane as if she were searching for someone else. Her hand had crept up to

touch the mark Angel had left on her. Then she’d slowly lain back down.

Diane had gone over to see if Kenzie needed anything but the only reply she’d gotten was a nod

or shake of Kenzie’s head. She’d refused food or water. She’d refused to let Diane look at her.

Diane’s heart was breaking for the other woman, and Zane was no help the way he sat and brooded at

the table.

“I need to get dressed so we can leave.” Kenzie’s quiet voice interrupted Diane’s thoughts.

“I’ll be outside waiting,” Zane said and, after dropping a swift kiss on Diane’s lips, made his

exit.

“Zane brought your bag in,” Diane said, grabbing it and carrying it over to the bed. “I…I don’t

know what happened to the clothes you were wearing when they caught you.”

Kenzie shrugged, sitting up and letting the covers fall this time as she reached for the backpack

Diane held.

“How did they find you?” Diane asked.

Kenzie’s hands stilled for a moment then began pulling fresh clothing out. “I wasn’t paying

attention like I should have. They got me with a dart, knocked me out almost instantly. I woke up

here.” Kenzie glanced over at the wall then shook her head as if dislodging something from her

memory.

“Are you okay?” Diane asked softly, sitting on the bed beside her.

Kenzie reached up and placed her hand over the mark on her skin. “Was he really here?”

“Yes,” Diane nodded.

“And he left,” Kenzie stated.

All Diane could do was nod, biting her lips to keep herself from crying for Kenzie. Diane sat

quietly while Kenzie stood up to dress then sat back down to pull on socks and shoes. When she

spoke again, there was a world of hurt in her voice.

“He’s not coming back for me.” Kenzie’s voice was so soft Diane almost didn’t hear it.

The look of devastation and longing on the other woman’s face had Diane reaching out and

hugging Kenzie to her. Kenzie shuddered, and it was as if a dam broke free inside her at Diane’s

touch. Tears spilled out and the other woman fisted a hand at Diane’s shoulder to hold in the sobs.

Diane held her, shedding tears with her as they both clung to one another. It was a long moment before

Kenzie sat up, wiping her cheeks with her fingers and brushing them on her jeans.

“Thank you for being here for me,” Kenzie said.

“You’re my friend,” Diane told her. “I’m here anytime you need me.”

Kenzie nodded. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about this.”

“The crying or everything?” Diane asked.

“I’d say everything,” Kenzie said. “But I know that’s not likely.”

Diane shook her head. There was no way they could keep the fact Kenzie was mated secret

from everyone.

Kenzie smiled sadly. “I’m not expecting anyone not to talk about the man they call Angel. They

need to know he was here and that he took the hunters out. Word will travel, and his legend will grow

bigger. Shifters need that, and hunters need to fear that. But I wish no one would know that for a very

brief moment, I had a mate named Gabriel. And he left me.”

“Kenzie…” Diane began but stopped when Kenzie turned to her with deep-brown pools,

imploring her.

Kenzie looked at her with pain reflected in her gaze. “I don’t want anyone to know he rejected

me.”

“He didn’t reject you,” Diane said. “Don’t think that. From what Zane said, it took all Angel

had to walk away. He was hurting, too.”

If anything that made Kenzie look sadder.

“He was heading to talk to Tah when he left yesterday. I’m… He probably let Tah know,”

Diane said.

Kenzie just nodded again and looked away. After a moment, she stood up and began gathering

her gear. “I’d like to leave. Too many memories here.”

“Okay,” Diane said and went to the door to call for Zane.

He was there immediately. He searched Diane’s face before glancing toward Kenzie.

“Everything okay?” he asked them.

“We’re ready to leave,” Diane said when Kenzie remained silent.

He nodded, giving Diane’s shoulder a squeeze before walking over to Kenzie. He bent low and

whispered something to her. Diane saw her blink more tears back before giving Zane a watery smile

and hugging him.

“Ready?” he asked when he walked back to Diane.

She smiled at him and, bracing one hand on his chest, leaned up. He met her halfway,

welcoming her kiss.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered back and pulled her closer for a more thorough kiss.

When they came up for air, she looked around with embarrassment for Kenzie. The last thing

the other woman needed was to see Diane so happy with her mate. But Kenzie wasn’t there.

“Did she go outside?” Diane asked.

“She went ahead,” Zane said.

“What? Is that safe?” Diane demanded.

“She’ll be fine on the way back,” Zane said. “Angel was certain there were no other hunting

parties around. I trust him. And Kenzie needs some time alone to come to grips with everything that

happened here.”

Diane looked at him and knew from his expression he saw the concern in her eyes.

“She’ll be okay,” Zane said. “We’ll make sure of that. Right now, she needs time.”

“I hope so,” Diane said. “She didn’t grin once,” she stated quietly.

Kenzie grinned a lot. She had a way of smiling and making you smile, too. Diane hoped that

didn’t change.

“Hard to smile when you’re heart’s breaking,” Zane said.

“Tah’s going to be angry with her,” Diane told him.

Zane shook his head. “No. One look at her face, and his heart will break for her. When he finds

out what happened here, he’ll smother her with love and affection like the kid sister he sees her as.

Abby will do the same. Hell, everyone will rally around her, whether they know what happened or

not. Her pain will become theirs.”

“She has a bigger family than she ever imagined,” Diane said. She just hoped the other woman

realized it.

“We all do, and it will only keep growing. Ready?” Zane asked and held out his hand to her.

“Yes,” Diane said. “God, I can’t wait to get back and have a hot shower and food. Mhmm,” she

moaned just thinking about it. “Something hot to eat. And a bed.” Her gaze flew to Zane’s, and her

heart rate kicked up at the seductive look on his face.

“I’m anticipating a bed myself,” he purred at her. “Let’s go.”

She took his hand and headed out the door more than ready to be home.

“If I’m lucky, maybe Abby hasn’t had the baby, yet.”

“Probably best if you’re there instead of the Professor and Tah trying to deliver,” Zane said.

“Oh, she has Orsai.” Her eyes widened. “Oh, my God! I’m so sorry, Zane. I didn’t think.”

“My uncle’s there?”

She nodded. “He arrived right after you took off. He’s been staying, said he was going to be

there when the baby was born because Abby would need him.”

Zane smiled. “It’ll be good to see him. So tell me, what do you think of him?”

“I like him,” Diane said. “He’s a fountain of wisdom. He and the Professor have become as

thick as thieves.”

“Whoa,” Zane said. “Why the surge of anger there?”

“I just remembered how angry I am with the Professor,” Diane admitted.

“What did he do?” Zane asked, and he sounded angry.

“He’s the one who gave me a shot before I left,” she told him. “Only, instead of the tetanus

booster he said he was giving me, it was a drug guaranteed to make you find me,” she said.

“He forced ovulation?” Zane asked with a growl. “Knowing I was already primal?”

Diane nodded.

“I’ll rip him apart for doing that to you,” Zane assured her.

But Diane was remembering the Professor telling her he was only doing what he thought was

best. He might make crappy decisions sometimes, but they were made with love. And it had worked.

Zane had found her, and she was happy—incredibly happy.

“He meant well,” she said out loud.

“Meant well, my ass,” Zane muttered, then stopped. “Fuck! Thick as thieves with my uncle!

This might not have been the Professor’s idea, or at least not only his idea.”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that,” Diane admitted. “But either way, it worked out okay.”

“But it might not have.” Zane grunted as they started walking again.

She stopped him this time. “I can’t stay mad at them for helping me find you, or helping you to

find me. For helping us find each other.”

“What if you’re pregnant?” Zane questioned, and Diane took a step back, dropping her hands to

her belly. “Yeah, you didn’t think about that, did you?”

“No, I didn’t,” Diane admitted. “Would you be that upset?”

“God, no.” Zane cradled her face with his hands. “The thought of you round with my child does

things to me. Here.” He touched his chest just over his heart.

Diane smiled. “I think I like the idea of having your baby.”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

“Well, if we didn’t this time, I’m all for trying until we do,” he whispered huskily.

“Mhmm,” she moaned as he ran his lips and teeth along her jaw up toward her ear. “I like the

sound of that, too.”

He swatted her sharply on the ass, making her jump.

“Good, then let’s get going so we can find that bed,” he told her.

“Oh, yeah,” she agreed, and they set off again.

They hadn’t gone far when Zane stopped, cocked his head and reached over to push her behind

him. She pressed her lips tight in a bid to remain as silent as possible and huddled behind the safety

of his back. Shit! Were there more hunters in the area after all? Double shit! Was Kenzie okay? Diane

prayed nothing else would happen to the other woman. Kenzie had been through enough in the last

twenty-four hours. Diane suspected even more had happened than what Kenzie had stated.

“I want you to stay low,” Zane murmured so softly she had to strain to hear him. “Don’t leave

my side.”

“Hunters?” she asked, wishing Angel had stuck around and traveled with them instead.

Zane shook his head and gave her a perplexed look. “Shifters, but not any of our group. And I

smell blood.”

So not Kenzie. Diane felt a rush of relief course through her then felt guilty for it. Blood could

mean one of the shifters Zane was scenting was hurt. Maybe more? How many shifters did he scent?

“That’s close enough,” Zane said, startling Diane out of her thoughts. “Who are you? And what

are you doing?”

Diane glanced around Zane and took in the small group that stood a short distance away, two

men and a woman. As she watched, the biggest of the three stepped forward, as if he’d protect the

others if needed. He held up one arm to warn the two with him to stay back. The other hung loosely at

his side.

“You must be Orsai’s nephew,” he said to Zane. The man appeared to be a couple of inches

shorter than Zane but just as muscular. His hair was long, falling in thick black waves just past his

shoulders, and he had piercing green eyes.

She’d only managed a brief look at the other two before they were placed firmly at the guy’s

back. The girl looked petite. Diane thought she appeared closer to Abby and Clara’s five foot five

height with a short shock of blonde hair. The other man didn’t seem as if he was much over six foot,

maybe six one, but that was just judging him against her six foot six mate. Guy number two had short

brown hair.

Zane didn’t reply to the other man, just widened his stance in front of her and watched.

The man sighed, and he sounded weary. “We’re here searching for a lioness named Clara.”

Again, Zane said nothing. Diane had no idea how he managed it as she was bursting with

questions but did her best to keep her lips firmly shut. Was this Clara’s Uncle Thomas she’d been

wanting? Diane glanced around Zane again. The man didn’t look much like Clara at all, which could

mean nothing.

“I know Clara’s here,” the man said again. “And we’re not leaving without seeing her. So make

sure she knows that.”

“Who are you?” Diane asked when Zane still remained silent.

Her mate glanced down at her where she’d inched her way out beside him and glared. His eyes

were neon. Was his fever back? She moved closer to his side and tucked herself into him, which

seemed to appease him a little. A rumbled of displeasure left his chest as he pulled her even closer.

She automatically reached out to touch his chest with her palm, attempting to soothe him.

“We’re not going to touch your mate,” the other guy assured them and inhaled. His gaze

sharpened, and he nodded slowly.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” Zane grunted but didn’t elucidate on what the congratulations was for. Could the

other shifters smell she and Zane were newly mated? Good grief!

“You’ve been hit with fever,” the man said. “I can smell it on you.” He glanced back at the

other two for a long moment in some type of silent exchange before giving another sigh and facing

Zane again. “I’m going to guess you were paid a visit by a human woman and her shifter sidekick,” he

mused. “How much were you hit with?”

Diane spoke up again. “We don’t know. Whatever—”

“Enough,” Zane interrupted her. “Who are you?”

The guy blinked. “I’m Gideon, a friend of Clara’s.”

“Gideon,” Diane said and glanced at him again, remembering what Clara had shared about him.

A loner, who was fierce in his need to protect. And Clara thought he might be able to help them with

information.

“What do you know about the fever?” Diane demanded.

“Enough,” Gideon replied, throwing Zane’s word right back at him. “Clara?”

“Where’s Thomas?” Zane asked.

Gideon shook his head. “I don’t know. I was hunting for him when I got word about Clara being

here. I take it she doesn’t know where he is, either?”

“Who’s hurt?” Zane asked, ignoring Gideon’s question. Why was he so reluctant to speak with

them? Did he sense something he wasn’t sharing?

“It’s just a flesh wound,” Gideon said.

“No,” the woman said, stepping forward. “Gideon took two arrows to the torso a couple days

ago. His arm’s injured.”

“Arrows!” Diane exclaimed and went to move closer. She was betting the hurt arm was the one

hanging at his side. He was wounded and had still had placed himself in front of the other two. She’d

barely taken a step before Zane stopped her with a grip on her upper arm and hauled her back to him.

“Hunters,” Gideon said in explanation. “I’ll heal.”

The girl glared at him. “Normally, yes. But they seem to have been laced with something, some

type of poison maybe,” she said with a shrug. “He’s not healing like he should, and he’s—”

“Fine,” Gideon almost roared, cutting the girl off. “I’ll be fine.”

“Zane,” Diane whispered, looking up at him. “He’s hurt. You know Clara’s been waiting for

him.”

But Zane shook his head and held her at his side. He glanced back at the trio of shifters. “Wait

here. If I catch your scent behind me, I will consider it a threat to my mate and you won’t like how I

deal with her being threatened. Stay here, and we’ll send someone back for you.”

Gideon nodded, but the girl put her hands on her hips.

“Just take him with you then,” she demanded. “He needs medical care. Surely, you have

someone who can take a look at him.”

Diane smartly kept her mouth shut this time.

“I don’t smell any poison,” Zane stated.

“Odorless,” the girl countered.

“We’ll wait,” Gideon said. “I caught the scent of hunters.”

“Dead,” Zane said.

The girl wasn’t done. “If anything happens to Gideon because you took your sweet fucking time

getting someone back here, I’ll make sure you pay.” Her hard gaze skimmed over to Diane.

Two roars rocked the woods simultaneously—Zane’s and Gideon’s—and they sounded eerily

alike. Zane took a huge step forward.

“Are you threatening my mate?” he snarled.

“Back off,” Gideon growled back, stepping closer to Zane. “Ariel, shut the hell up and stand

down!”

Ariel glared at both of them, sent another heated glance toward Diane, then edged back when

Zane let loose a long hiss. Her mate was pissed. Diane took a step forward but stopped when that

rumble of displeasure was turned on her.

“I just want to take a look,” she said. “That’s all.”

Zane glanced back at Gideon. “Lift your shirt,” he ordered.

“I’m fine,” Gideon said again. “It will wait.”

Diane let her glance skate back to Ariel and the girl mouthed one word at her. Hurry.

“Let’s go, Zane,” she urged, and he backed toward her.

“Wait here,” he said again, and Gideon nodded.

Diane held her tongue until they were a distance away. Zane was moving fast and startled her

when he suddenly stopped and pressed her against a tree.

“Don’t ever make the mistake of disobeying me when I tell you to stay somewhere,” he gritted

out. “I don’t care who we meet, shifter or human. Until I am certain you are in no danger, you will

stay where you are told.”

“Technically, you told me to stay at your side,” Diane reminded him and was rewarded with a

deep growl of displeasure. “Clara mentioned Gideon, Zane. And he’s hurt. I just wanted to see if

there was anything I could do to offer immediate aid to him.”

“He’s a shifter. His body will fight to heal him until he dies. Trust me, if the hunters have taught

us anything, it’s just how long and painful it can be for a shifter to die from wounds. Gideon, if that is

who he is, will survive until someone comes for them.”

“Despite your assurance, I would have preferred to see for myself what his wounds look like,”

she informed him. “If you don’t think it’s safe, then you say that. I’m giving you some slack here

because of the virus but don’t make the mistake of ordering me around all the time. I’m your mate,

your partner, and I expect to be treated as such.”

“I’m sorry,” Zane said. “Sometimes the need to keep you safe overwhelms every other thought

and makes me into a controlling asshole. I promise I’ll work on it. I just know that I need you to listen

to me and try to understand every command I make is to ensure your safety—our safety.”

She met his gaze and finally it hit her. “You don’t think he’s Gideon?”

“I don’t know. I know he’s a shifter who asked after Clara but offered no real information other

than he hasn’t seen Thomas. General information anyone could have. I understand what Angel meant

when he described how easy it was to get you to open the door. You can’t be that trusting. It could get

both of us killed,” he warned her.

“I’m sorry,” she finally whispered and leaned into him, cuddling against his chest. “I didn’t

think about that. I just assumed shifters were friends.”

“Dillon is a shifter and look what he did,” Zane reminded her.

“You’re right,” she agreed. “I won’t forget again.”

He stared down at her for a long moment before lowering his head and taking her under with

the ferocity of his kiss. He rocked her to her toes, zinging every part of her along the way. When he

pulled away, she was clinging to him, afraid her trembling legs might give out beneath her.

“If anything happened to you,” he said and shook his head, a look of intense pain flashing

through his eyes. “It would kill me,” he whispered.

“I understand,” she told him. “I feel the same.”

He eased away from her and took her hand again. “Let’s go,” he said. “We’ll talk more about

this later.” He sent her a heated gaze. “In the privacy of our bedroom.”

Diane grinned at his words, and Zane lifted an eyebrow at her. She could hear the unspoken

what? in his gaze.

“Our bedroom,” she said. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me, too,” he agreed, placing another kiss on her lips. “Me, too.”

Chapter Twelve

Diane and Zane were greeted by Murphy as soon as they arrived.

“Perfect timing,” he said, looking anxious.

“What is it?” Diane asked, skirting around Zane and moving toward Murphy. “Is someone

hurt?”

He shook his head. “Abby’s in labor. Started early this morning, but the baby doesn’t seem to

be in any hurry to arrive.”

Diane felt a jolt of excitement even as she worried. The baby was coming early. And she was

here to help the little one greet the world.

“Where are they?” Diane asked.

“Abby’s bedroom,” Murphy said. “She refused to leave it.”

Diane turned to Zane, and he nodded before she said anything.

“Go,” he said. “I’ll see you after.”

She launched herself at him, loving the way his arms automatically opened to catch her, the way

he lifted her against him and bent his mouth to hers. Hers. Zane was hers. She turned as soon as her

feet hit the ground, forgetting about Gideon and the other two. Zane would take care of that. She

glanced back once more as she hit the porch and saw Murphy hugging Zane close and slapping him on

the back.

She opened the door and ran into Logan and Clara.

“Thank, God!” Clara said. “Abby’s in labor, and I think she’s waiting for you.”

Diane laughed. “Abby can’t control her labor, but I’m excited I’m here in time.”

“Did you find him?” Logan asked.

“Yes,” Diane said with a nod and a grin split her lips. “He’s outside with Murphy, and I’m

betting he’ll want to see the two of you as soon as possible.”

“What’s up?” Logan asked, going on full alert.

“We met some company on the way back,” Diane said.

“Who?” Clara was the one who demanded.

“Talk to Zane,” Diane said, already heading toward Abby and Tah’s bedroom. “He’ll explain

everything.”

Clara caught her hand briefly and gave it a squeeze. “I’m glad you’re back, and that Zane’s with

you.”

Clara grinned and Diane didn’t have to say they were mates. She was certain Clara could smell

that for herself. Clara looked as if she wanted to say something else, but she didn’t.

“I’m happy to be back,” Diane admitted, realizing just how much she’d missed everyone. How

had she ever thought leaving here, leaving them would be a good idea?

“Diane!” Tah’s bellow carried down the hall and had her hurrying faster toward the bedroom.

Orsai opened the door for her and smiled down at her. Before she could move past him, he had

her wrapped in a hug. “Welcome to the family, little niece,” he said. He glanced past her. “Where is

my nephew?”

“Outside,” she said.

He kissed her softly on the cheek. “Thank you. You are a blessing. Not just to my nephew, but

to all of us.” He nodded toward the bed behind him. “I believe the child waits for the comfort of the

one whose voice is known.”

“What?” she asked, making him laugh softly.

“You, Diane. I believe the child has decided none but you will help bring him into this world.”

He nodded. “It is as it should be.”

“Diane!” Abby yelled and began moaning.

Diane moved quickly and headed to the bed. Tah sat beside his wife and mate, holding her

hand. His eyes were wide, fingers shaking, as he inhaled and exhaled rapidly. It took her a moment to

realize what it was. Fear. Tah was terrified. The Professor sat on the other side, looking anxious, as

well. No one else was in the room.

“Diane,” Abby moaned again, panting.

“I’m here,” Diane said, walking toward them. “I’m right here.”

“Zane?” Abby asked between pants.

Diane smiled. “Fine. Outside right now.”

“Thank God,” Tah groaned. “And thank God, you’re back.”

“Go,” Abby said to her mate, but Tah shook his head.

“I’m not leaving you. Everything else can wait,” he informed his mate.

“How long?” Diane asked.

“Hours,” Tah answered. “She’s getting exhausted.”

“First babies can be stubborn,” the Professor said, and Diane got the feeling it wasn’t the first

time he’d said that.

She glanced around. It looked as if they’d brought up all the equipment they might need from the

labs to the bedroom. Abby going into labor had once scared Diane, but now she felt calm and in

control. It was apparent to her just how much Zane being gone had affected her.

“Dilated?” she asked.

“She was at seven when I checked ten minutes ago,” the Professor said.

“Has your water broken yet?” she asked.

Abby nodded. “Mucus plug is gone, too.”

“Well, then,” Diane said and turned toward the bathroom. “Let me wash my hands and grab a

set of gloves, and we’ll see if you’ve dilated more.”

“Fuck!”

Diane heard Tah exclaim as she shut off the water and hurried back into the room.

“I’d say that’s a hell of a contraction,” the Professor said. He grabbed a towel and handed it to

Diane to dry her hands before holding up a glove for her to stick in her hand.

“Grab me some fresh bedding,” she said. “Towels, too. As many as you can find.”

The Professor moved, but Tah stayed at Abby’s side. Their gazes were locked on one another.

Diane knelt at the bottom of the bed and lifted the sheet up to check on Abby. She had her knees bent

already with her legs open.

“You’re fully dilated,” Diane said, moving fast. “And I see a head of hair. You’re baby’s

almost here.”

She glanced up at Abby.

“I think we were both waiting for you,” Abby grunted. “We’re ready, now.” She moaned and

bit down on her bottom lip.

“Professor!” Diane yelled. “I need those towels!”

“I’m here,” the Professor said, handing her several thick towels before heading toward the

equipment.

She didn’t have to ask to know he was getting everything she’d need to suction and cut and

clamp the cord. She shoved one towel under Abby, then placed another one on top to catch the baby.

“Next contraction I want you to push,” she told Abby. She’d witnessed so many births, but all

of them were cats. This wasn’t the same. But now, in the moment, Diane felt confident in her ability to

bring this child into the world.

Abby cried out, and Diane watched the baby’s head crown. As the head cleared, Diane began

suctioning the mouth. Thankfully, there was no cord around the neck. She cleared the nose as Abby

gave one final push. She tapped the sole of the baby’s foot, and a loud wail filled the air. The

Professor stepped in to help, clamping the cord off in two places while Diane took in the flailing fists

and red face.

“Tah,” she said, glancing up. “Would you like to cut the cord?”

Tah looked shaken as he took the surgical scissors the Professor held out and with the older

man’s guidance, cut the cord between the clamps, separating mom and baby. Diane took over from

there, wrapping one of the towels around the baby. There would be plenty of time to clean up later.

Now it was time for this perfect little baby to meet mom and dad. She held the squalling bundle out to

Tah.

“Meet your daughter,” she whispered.

“A girl,” he whispered, taking her and looking as if he might pass out.

“A girl,” Abby said with awe and held her arms out for the baby.

“You said it was a boy,” Tah grunted at his wife.

Abby shrugged, her eyes glued to her daughter, but she winked at Diane when their gazes met.

Had Abby known all along?

“We have a daughter,” Tah said to his mate, and Diane witnessed something she’d never

expected to see.

After handing his daughter to his mate, the big man went to his knees beside the bed and

lowered his head to the mattress with tears coursing down his cheeks while Abby threaded one hand

through his hair. He took it and kissed her fingers before Abby brought it back to the bundle in her

arms. It was such a private moment for Diane to observe. Her eyes watered, as well, and she quickly

turned her attention to seeing to the afterbirth and taking care of Abby.

“Ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes,” Abby cooed. “Aren’t you just a perfect little angel?

You’re going to have glossy brown hair and big brown eyes just like your daddy. And what a grip you

have. Strong like your daddy, too. She’s perfect, Tah.”

His head lifted and there was so much emotion on his face, Diane felt intrusive again.

“She’s perfect like her mother,” he whispered.

Working together with the Professor, they had Abby sutured and cleaned up, resting

comfortably on clean sheets.

“I’ll leave you guys alone for a bit,” Diane said. “I’ll be back in a bit to clean your little girl up

for you. It’ll take your milk a little bit to come in all the way, but you should let her suckle. There’s

colostrum, which is rich in antibodies and very good for her right now.”

The Professor kissed Abby’s brow and glanced down at the little girl in her arms. “She’s

beautiful,” he said. “Tah’s right, just like her mother.”

Abby squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Professor.”

He headed toward the door, taking the bagged afterbirth and cord with him.

“Thank you,” Tah said and surprised Diane by grabbing her and hugging her close. “You’ve

given me the world.”

She hugged him back hard. When he released her, Abby held out her hand and Diane sat beside

her for a minute, taking in the blinking eyes of the baby girl, now quiet in her mother’s arms and

appearing far too attentive for a newborn.

“She’s beautiful,” Diane whispered.

“I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to bring her into this world,” Abby said.

“I’m glad,” Diane admitted. “I’m so thankful I was here to experience this with you. Now, I’m

going to clean this mess up and get what we need to give your little girl her first bath.” Diane began

gathering stuff. “Do you want me to tell them?”

“Tah will,” Abby answered. “They’ll have heard the baby and be waiting.”

Tah bent and kissed his mate sweetly on the lips. Diane knew how that felt now, the kiss of a

mate. Then he bent and placed an even softer kiss on the baby. He reluctantly left his wife, stopping

only to startle Diane once again with a kiss on top of her head. Then he walked across the room,

growing more confident with each step. He threw open the door and stood there, filling the entrance.

“Well?”

Diane heard Reno demand from the hallway.

“We have a perfect baby,” Tah thundered.

“And?” Amia’s voice prompted.

“A daughter,” Tah said, and his voice was still filled with wonder. “I have a daughter.”

* * * *

Zane had his eyes on his mate’s fine looking ass and wasn’t prepared when Murphy hugged him

and slapped him on the back.

“You scared the shit out of me,” Murphy admonished. “I was afraid we’d lost you for good.”

Zane hugged him back. “How’s Finn?” he asked.

“As annoying as ever,” Murphy said. “No claws yet, but his senses are on par with mine.

We’ve been testing them.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Zane said with a chuckle. “Logan?” he asked.

One of the last things he’d heard before he’d been hit with the virus was that Logan had been

infected, as well.

“Good,” Logan said as he and Clara came bounding down the porch stairs toward them.

Clara hugged him first, then Logan.

“So good to have you back,” Logan said. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better,” Zane told them with a smile.

“Fever?” Logan asked.

“Not gone,” Zane admitted, feeling the truth in his veins. “But sated at the moment. I was going

to search for you two.”

“Diane said as much when we saw her,” Clara said.

“Zane.”

The quietly spoken voice of his Uncle Orsai had Zane glancing over and walking toward the

porch. Orsai met him at the bottom and they wrapped their arms around one another and held tightly.

“I was waiting for you,” Orsai said.

“I’m so glad to see you,” Zane told his uncle. “It’s been too long.”

Orsai held him another long moment before stepping back. “Now, tell us what news you bring.”

Zane didn’t ask if Diane had said something to Orsai, as well. She wouldn’t have had to. It

wasn’t a big surprise to Zane that his uncle already sensed there was something in the air. Orsai had

been doing that Zane’s entire life. It was as if his uncle had a sixth sense about things.

“Diane and I met with some others in the woods on the way here.” His glance went to Clara.

“My uncle?” she demanded, stepping forward.

Zane shook his head and hated the disappointment he saw in her eyes. “Three shifters. One

injured. Two men. One woman. The leader said his name was Gideon.”

“Long, wavy black hair and blue eyes?” Clara asked.

“A few inches shorter than me,” Zane said with a nod.

“That’s Gideon. He’d have Ariel and Griffin with him,” she said. “He’s here? They’re here?”

“I’ll take you to them. I had to be sure before I brought them here,” Zane said.

Clara nodded and practically bounced on her feet.

“Smart call,” Logan said. “How far are they?”

“Not far,” Zane said. “We’ll make quicker time if we take the ATV’s.”

“Who’s hurt?” Clara asked.

“Gideon,” Zane told her.

“How badly?” she asked.

“He was shot with arrows.” His glance went to his uncle. “They think they were poisoned with

something, but there’s no scent of it. He’s not healing all the way.”

“Shit!” Clara cried and turned to her mate. “We have to go to them.”

“We will,” Logan assured her, turning to Murphy. “Pull either Vic or Holt, whoever you see

first and have them go with us. You, Clara and I will head out, as well.”

“I’ll take you to them,” Zane offered, but Logan shook his head.

“You should head in to the Professor for a full work up. You said yourself the fever isn’t gone,

yet. Tell me where you left them. We’ll find them,” Logan said.

“I’ll go with them,” Orsai said. “Take a look at Gideon and see if I know what was on those

arrows. Did he have one of them with him?”

Zane shrugged. “I didn’t ask. I was more concerned with getting my mate safely home.”

“We’ve got it from here,” Logan said. “Let Reno know where we went and why. We’ll be back

as soon as we can.”

Zane nodded and stood watching as they walked away. Murphy came back with a grumbling

Vic beside him.

“Great,” she muttered. “More of you grouchy bastards to add to the mix. Maybe we could find a

few more humans. I’m starting to feel outnumbered here.”

Zane grinned. Man, he’d missed them, all of them. No matter what lay ahead, this group was his

family, and he planned to stay with them, him and his mate. He knew without asking that Diane felt the

same way. He’d seen it on her face when they’d arrived and she’d gone to check on Abby. They

belonged here.

He went up the steps and opened the door just as a baby’s wail filled the house. The baby was

here. He hurried down the hall, seeing Reno pacing outside Tah’s bedroom door while Amia leaned

against the wall, one foot tapping on the floor.

“Zane,” she said as she peeked up and saw him. She pushed off the wall and met him,

embracing him. “It’s so good to see you.”

Reno was next in line, wrapping Zane in a hard hug. “I’m glad you’re back,” he said.

“Glad to be back,” Zane said.

They all turned toward the door as it opened and the Professor stepped out. He wiped his eyes

and cleared his throat.

“Everything okay?” Reno asked, and Zane felt as tense as his friend seemed at the thought

something might have gone wrong. Tah would go ballistic, and Diane would never forgive herself.

“We have a healthy baby,” the Professor said then glanced at Zane. “As soon as you get a

chance, I’ll expect you downstairs. Full work up.” He turned to head toward the staircase leading to

the lab but turned again. “I’m glad to see you. We would have lost Diane without you.” With those

cryptic words, he turned and left.

“Lost her?” Zane asked as he, Reno and Amia took up the waiting vigil again.

“She might have fallen apart a bit without you around,” Reno said with a smile.

Zane would have to talk to his mate a bit more about exactly what had happened once he’d left.

He remembered her saying she’d yelled at the Professor and Tah. Finn and Holt came down the hall

then and more hugs were given just before the door opened and Tah filled it.

“Well?” Reno demand.

“We have a perfect baby,” Tah thundered. He looked shell-shocked but happiness radiated off

him in huge waves, encompassing them all.

“And?” Amia’s voice prompted.

“A daughter,” Tah said, and his voice was filled with awe. “I have a daughter.”

“A daughter,” Reno said and grinned.

Zane watched as the two friends embraced and wasn’t surprised when Reno wiped tears from

his eyes.

“When can we see her?” Finn asked.

“Let’s give them some time alone,” Diane said as she stepped out of the bedroom with her

hands full of laundry. “I still need to wash our newest member up.” Her gaze skimmed over everyone

else and found Zane. He liked the way her breathing picked up and her cheeks went a light shade of

pink. He didn’t know for certain what she was thinking, but he guessed it was pretty close to his

thoughts.

“I’ll help you with those,” he said, moving forward with eyes only for his mate.

“Zane,” Tah said and stopped him to give him a hard hug.

Zane didn’t remember this gruff group of Marines being so touchy-feely before. He blamed

Abby for this influence, and he thanked her for it, too. He figured the other mates had a lot to do with

it, as well. It seemed natural to give a hug now instead of a mere pat on the back or squeeze on the

shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Tah asked.

Zane nodded, and his gaze skimmed to his mate again. “I am, now.”

“We’ll talk soon,” Tah said. “Join me when Diane comes in to wash the baby. I want to hear

everything.”

Zane nodded and turned back to Reno.

“Logan and Clara took Murphy, Vic and my uncle to pick up some visitors Diane and I ran into

on the way back,” he said.

“Who?” Tah demanded and his voice vibrated with a growl.

“Gideon,” Zane answered. “Clara described him perfectly. He has two other shifters with him.

Clara said they were Ariel and Griffin. Gideon was shot by hunters.”

“Will he make it?” Tah asked.

“Depends,” Zane said. “He thinks the arrows they hit him with were laced with some type of

poison. He doesn’t seem to be healing like he should.”

“Reno,” Tah said.

“I’ve got it,” Reno assured him. “Take care of your mate and baby girl.”

Tah nodded, and Zane turned once more to join his mate. Together, they moved away, heading

toward the stairs and down to the labs. He was watching the sway of her lush ass before him as she

walked when she stopped and turned to him. His cock was hard and aching with the need to fill her

again. She stole his air when she leaned into him and whispered the exact words that hovered on his

tongue.

“I need you.”

Chapter Thirteen

Diane was ready to toss the dirty laundry on the floor and take Zane right there. She saw the

same intense desire reflected in his eyes. Dropping her glance, she took in the blatant bulge of his

arousal cupped by the faded denim. He was more than ready for her.

“I’ll take those.”

The Professor’s voice interrupted, making Diane jump.

“Easy,” Zane said and placed his hand at the small of her back.

“We need to have a talk,” she told the Professor.

He smiled sadly and nodded. “Later. Right now I’ll go see to Abby and the baby while you and

Zane clean up. I’m sure you’d both appreciate a shower. I’ll see to it no one disturbs you down here.”

“I thought you wanted samples?” Zane questioned.

The Professor’s gaze stayed on Diane’s. “I think we’ll let that pass for now.”

She tried to hold on to her anger with him, but in light of all that had happened, it was hard. She

and Zane were together, mated. Glancing toward her mate, she felt her heart swell and knew she’d

never been happier. The Professor’s methods were mad, but this time, the right result had occurred.

“You can’t play with people like this, Professor,” she said. “No matter your desire to help.

Sometimes, you need to sit back and let nature take care of itself.”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t take the chance.”

“It’s not your decision,” she countered. “Don’t you get that? It’s not always up to you. You

can’t manipulate people to get the results you want.”

“There’s no excuse for what you did to Diane.” Zane grunted with a throttled growl rumbling

from his chest.

“I know you wanted to increase my odds of finding Zane, of the two of us mating,” Diane said.

“But to inject me with a shot that forced my body into ovulation?”

“Why the fuck would you do that to her?” Zane demanded and his body vibrated with anger.

Diane stepped between them, putting her back against Zane’s chest. His hands dropped to her

hips and held her snug before him.

“She was going to leave without you here. She needed you but didn’t yet recognize it. I just

tipped the odds in her favor, in both your favors,” the Professor said with no trace of remorse.

“Did you know I was a virgin?” Diane asked softly, and the Professor’s eyes widened in shock.

She nodded. “I was.”

“You sent her to me knowing I was primal. I could have hurt her.” Zane grunted, his voice hard

and cold.

But the Professor still supported his actions. “You’re mates. You would never have hurt her, no

matter the circumstances. All I did was cut down on the time it took you to find one another. Abby

was getting ready to deliver the first baby to this pride. We didn’t have time. We needed Diane back

here, and we needed her mate with her. This pride needs you, both of you, and you’re damn right I’d

do anything within my power to give this pride what it needs.”

“And did you have any help in deciding to give her that shot?” Zane asked.

Diane sighed at Zane’s question, hoping the answer wouldn’t set her mate at odds with is uncle,

but the Professor laughed.

“If you think Orsai would condone me doing that, you’re wrong. Your Uncle told me to leave

well enough alone and have faith in the two of you.”

“Why didn’t you listen then?” Diane demanded.

He sighed. “Time is not endless. We run out of it far too quickly sometimes.” He looked sad for

a moment before shaking it off and smiling at them. “Hate me if you want, but I’d do it all over again.”

“Professor…” Diane broke off, unable to say anything else. What was going on with him? Had

she been so wrapped up in her own emotions she’d failed to notice something was different about

him?

“I’m needed upstairs, Diane, by another little girl destined to steal my heart, and I’m looking

forward to that.” He gave them both a small smile and turned, heading toward the other end of the lab.

“What’s going on with him?” Zane asked, echoing her own question.

Diane shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Zane turned her, and she curled into his chest, wrapping her arms around to hold his back. She

nuzzled into his chest, taking comfort in the smell of him, the feel of him, the heat of him.

“How did I ever manage to stay away from you?” Zane mumbled.

“How indeed,” Diane agreed and nipped him with her teeth.

Zane growled, but it was the sexy one that let her know how much he wanted her.

“I believe there was mention of a shower,” he prompted.

“I have a bedroom down here,” she said. “The Professor has rooms at one end of the corridor

and mine are at the other. Come with me.” She moved back, sliding her hand down to link with his

and leading him to her room.

They both paused on the threshold, eyeing the large bed that dominated the room. Diane had

always felt lost in it, but she had a better appreciation of how roomy it was now.

“Shower first,” Zane murmured in her ear, his breath tickling her flesh and sending shivers

down her spine. “Then we’ll christen the bed.”

“I like the sound of that.” She moaned as he rocked his hips into her ass, letting her feel the

thick length of his arousal.

“I hope you’re planning to christen the shower, too.” She eyed him over her shoulder as she

walked farther into the room. She began stripping as she went, stopping and bending to unlace her

boots and take them off. She made sure he not only had a view of her denim-covered ass, but the sway

of her naked breasts as she leaned over.

“We might be christening the floor,” Zane groaned, reaching out to run his hand over her ass

and give it a pat.

She stood and began undoing her jeans. She took a step away and shoved them and her panties

down her legs where she kicked them away. She glanced over her shoulder at him.

“I believe you’re overdressed, mate,” she offered coquettishly. “I’ll get the water started.”

That sexy growl of his sounded behind her, making her grin and put a little hop in her step as

she entered the bathroom and opened the glass door to do as she’d said. She listened for a moment to

the sounds of him stripping, and when she heard his footsteps again, she moved under the cascade of

hot water.

“Ahhh,” she moaned, enjoying the feel of it over her skin. She turned and leaned her head back,

wetting her hair and moaning again at how good it felt.

“Should I be jealous of the water?” he asked.

Diane giggled, but the sound died in her throat when she opened her eyes and took in the heated

gaze on her mate’s face. It made the water seem chilly in comparison.

“Grab the sponge you have hanging there and put your body wash on it for me,” he commanded.

She did as he said, turning and grabbing it, going through the motions by rote as he moved in

closer behind her. She felt the brush of his cock against her back and wanted nothing more than to

bend forward and beg him to take her.

“No,” he whispered, reaching over her shoulder and taking the soapy sponge from her hand.

“Stay standing. Just like this.”

Her breath caught in her throat as he went to his knees behind her. She moaned over and over

again as he went about washing her from the bottom of her feet, which he had her lift one by one, all

the way to the tops of her shoulders. He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head before leaning down

to whisper in her ear.

“Turn around,” he crooned and his firm hands gripped her waist to help her. His gaze skimmed

over her front before meeting hers. There was a smile on his lips that was reflected in his eyes. He

lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers. “Let’s finish getting you clean.”

His hands were magic as he took his time rubbing the sponge over her skin, following each

glide with the brush of his knuckles. He paid close attention to her breasts and nipples, washing until

they stood out in hard, swollen points just begging for more. He dropped to his knees again before

washing her stomach, down over her thighs and lower to her feet. He lifted each foot, placing it on his

thigh as he took extra care with her toes.

“I want to taste every inch of you,” he said, working his hands back up the inside of her thighs,

leaving a soapy trail. “I want to start at your toes and suck each of them into my mouth. Then I want to

lick and suck my way up both your legs until I reach this.” His hands stopped at the inside of her

thighs, fingers on her legs, knuckles brushing the plumped lips of her sex. “I want to lick here, taste

this part of you thoroughly.” His fingers traced over and over in the crease where her thighs met her

pelvis. “Until you’re so hot and wet you’re begging me to thrust my tongue inside you.”

“Yes,” she pleaded, wanting that now.

He slipped the sponge over her instead, and she’d never been so close to orgasm when using it

before.

“Zane,” she whispered. “Please.”

“Shhh,” he crooned and dropped a chaste kiss at the apex of her thighs, too far above where she

wanted to feel his mouth. “Clean first. Then we’ll get dirty.”

She cried out as his finger grazed her clitoris, sending shocks of pleasure racing through her.

He rose to his feet, eyes hot and filled with carnal promise. He maneuvered her so the water could

rinse her front. Reaching over her again, he took the shampoo.

“Let me wash your hair.”

His fingers felt so good against her skull, massaging and making her groan with pleasure. He

shifted her again, standing so close her breasts brushed his chest and his cock pulsed against her

stomach while he rinsed her.

“Conditioner,” he said, turning her once more.

He was going to kill her. She would expire in a pool of sexual desire and flow down the drain

like the soapy water. His control was so much greater than hers. She wanted him, now, this moment,

and she didn’t care how clean they were.

“There.” His lips brushed her temple after he rinsed out the conditioner. “All clean.” His hands

cradled her hips, and he switched them until he was under the water. “Step out and dry off.”

She blinked her eyes wide. “What?”

She wanted to wash him.

“I’m going to wash up and join you in just a moment.”

“But—”

“I’m hanging on by a thread here, Diane. I want you, and I’m damn close to slamming you

against this wall and taking.”

“Okay,” she whispered in agreement, and his lips quirked up in a smile.

“No, not okay. You’re my mate.” His fingers caressed her cheek. “I want to make love to you,

over and over again. I want to take you on the bed out there. I want to love you like your first time

should have been.”

“Zane,” she whispered, emotion chocking her and halting her voice.

“Shhh,” he said again. “Let me love you.”

She nodded and slowly moved away, sliding open the glass and stepping out. She could hear

him washing up in the shower as she grabbed towels then went about drying her skin and hair as best

she could. She heard the water shut off as she stepped out of the bathroom. She went straight to the

bed and pulled down the covers. Then she stood there, glancing around as she tried to decide what to

do. Should she search for something sexy to put on? Light a candle? Get on the bed and wait for him?

The thought of sprawling naked on the mattress as she waited brought a smile to her lips.

“Now that’s a beautiful sight,” Zane said, and she glanced over to see him lounging against the

doorframe of the bathroom. He wore only a towel wrapped at his waist. Still, it did nothing to hide

the arousal he had for her.

“What is?”

“You, standing by the bed waiting for me with nothing on but a smile.” He crossed toward her,

stopping and cupping her chin with his hand. “A man would do anything to end every day like this.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said. She gasped as he moved quickly, sweeping her up in his arms

before crawling onto the bed and lying her down.

“Keep this in mind,” he said and took her mouth with his.

How was it possible for a man to bring a woman so close to orgasm with just his kiss? She

wasn’t sure, but Zane did it. His tongue swept hers, leading it back into his mouth where he sucked

greedily, making her nipples ache and her sex clench with need. She panted when he pulled back from

her.

“Now then,” he said. “I believe I was going to start at your toes.”

She reached for him, wrapping her hands around his shaft and gliding her fingers down over the

head. He tensed and gave a groan between clenched teeth.

“I’d rather start with this,” she told him and ran her hand along his length, brushing his taut

balls before heading back to the crown.

“Diane.”

There was a wealth of need in the way he said her name, and a measure of warning in the tone

of his voice.

“Now,” she demanded. “I need you inside me, now.”

His gaze met hers, and this time she felt as if his eyes glowed for her and only her. Man and

beast, both hers and both wanting her as much as she wanted them. He slid between her thighs and let

her guide him to the wet heat of her pussy. Then with their gazes locked, he slowly entered her. She

moaned, lifting arms and legs to cradle him to her.

“You’re skin is so soft, so beautiful,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers. “I feel as if I’ve

lived a million lives waiting for you.”

“I’m here, now, and I’m not going anywhere,” she promised him. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he said and began moving, surging deep with every press of his hips.

“Yes,” she cried, clinging to him, rocking her hips up to meet his every thrust.

Orgasm ripped through her, and still he surged within her, urging her ever higher, taking her to

heights she’d never imagined possible. She crested again and again until she lost count of the number

of orgasms he’d brought her to. He finally gave a harsh cry and sunk his teeth into her, and she felt the

heated splash of his seed filling her. When he finally relaxed, she was a boneless mass of flesh

beneath him.

He collapsed to the bed beside her, rolling her into his arms and cuddling her against his chest.

It was exactly where she wanted to be, where she never wanted to leave.

“Are you okay?” he asked after a moment.

“I’m… I don’t think a word exists to explain how good I feel.”

“Is that so?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Mhmm,” she agreed. “I feel like I could sleep for days.”

“Go to sleep then,” he urged.

“We should probably go upstairs. I need to check on Abby and her baby girl. You should

probably talk to Tah and Reno, see if Logan has returned.” She stopped, giving a loud yawn.

“It can wait until tomorrow,” he said. “Logan and Reno will take care of Gideon and his two.

Tah, I’m sure, wants to be with his mate and child. And I want to be with mine.”

“We need to check on Kenzie, too,” Diane said around another yawn. Her eyes were drifting

shut, and it was getting harder to force them back open.

“Shhh,” Zane told her. “Sleep.”

“You won’t leave me?” she asked.

“I’ll be beside you for the rest of our lives,” he promised, and she felt the brush of his lips over

her temple.

She cuddled closer, resting her head on his shoulder, one leg thrown over his and an arm

across his flat belly. When she was comfortably wrapped around him, she gave in to the need for

sleep.

Chapter Fourteen

Diane couldn’t wipe the smile from her face as she and Zane made their way upstairs the next

morning. She’d been a good girl and taken blood samples from both herself and Zane, leaving them on

the Professor’s desk. Regardless of his methods, he did have good intentions. She’d decided to try

and support him, at least that way she might stay aware of what he planned and be in a place to

intervene if needed. It was the best she could do.

She’d thoroughly enjoyed sleeping with Zane. They’d made love on and off all night.

Sometimes, he’d woken her with soft caresses, and sometimes she’d brought him awake with gentle

touches. Either way, it had ended the same—the two of them wrapped together finding pleasure again

and again.

“Keep looking like that and I’ll take you right back downstairs. We won’t leave that bed for a

week,” Zane warned.

Diane giggled again. Lord, she didn’t remember ever really giggling. “Don’t tempt me. I need

to check on Abby and the baby and you need to talk to Tah.”

“Then stop tempting me with that lush ass of yours,” he said and swatted her sharply on it.

She was still laughing when they entered the hallway. The first person they ran into was Orsai.

“I was just coming to look for you,” he told Diane.

“What’s wrong?” Her laughter died immediately. “Is it Abby? The baby?”

He shook his head quickly, and she felt relief course through her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’d like you to take a look at Gideon with me. I’ve treated the wounds. The poison used is

interesting, though.”

“What’s going on with it?”

“I need another set of eyes, and David has been busy since the baby was born. He’s overjoyed

and acting as a grandfather. I hate to disturb him. He works too hard, carries too many burdens,”

Orsai said.

“David?” Zane said.

“The Professor,” Diane clarified. No one called the Professor by his first name, and for the

first time, Diane wondered why.

“He keeps too many secrets,” Diane murmured softly so her words wouldn’t carry past their

small group.

Orsai’s eyes reflected a deep sadness as he nodded in agreement.

“He cares for everyone but himself. It will catch up to him one day,” Orsai warned.

With those cryptic words, he glanced back to Zane, and a bright smile bloomed across his face.

“It warms my heart to see you so happy, and congratulations are in order. I feared this day

would never come.”

Diane turned in time to see Zane shaking his head at his uncle, and Orsai ceased talking.

“What?” she demanded. “What is it I don’t know?” She turned to Orsai. “Because I’m betting

you’re not just referring to him being mated.”

Her mind spun, filtering through everything that had happened over the last few days. As

realization dawned, she dropped her hands to her belly, and she lifted wide eyes to Zane.

“I’m pregnant?” she said and his gaze answered her before the nod ever came.

“You are,” Zane agreed. “I was waiting for the perfect time to tell you.”

“And you thought you’d have time with a house full of shifters who would be able to smell the

change in me?” she demanded and laughed at the sheepish glance he gave her.

“I don’t seem to think at all around you,” Zane admitted, tugging her into his arms. “Unless it’s

about how to make you scream with pleasure again and again.”

“Hush,” she said, placing her palm over his mouth. “You should have told me as soon as you

suspected.”

His tongue traced her palm, making her gasp as heat shot a straight path down between her

thighs, forcing her to clench them together. His teeth nipped her then he placed a kiss before moving

her hand from his mouth.

“I should have. I’m sorry,” Zane offered. “Are you angry?”

“A little,” she said then smacked him hard on the chest at the devastated look in his eyes.

“Over you not telling me immediately,” she stated. “Not the baby. Never a baby.” A smile

played at the edges of her lips before she finally gave in to it again. “We’re having a baby,” she said,

and Zane nodded.

“Are you angry?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not only have I been blessed with the perfect mate, but the gods have

blessed our union with a child. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Diane whispered and stretched up to meet him, their lips brushing and

clinging in a kiss of joy.

When their mouths parted, Orsai stepped forward and hugged them both. “You have a strong

woman for a mate,” he told Zane. “You will make strong children.”

“Thank you,” Diane said and kissed Orsai on the cheek before he stepped back once again.

“Gideon is in the storage basement,” Orsai informed them. “I’d be pleased if you’d meet me

there as soon as you can,” he told Diane.

“They’re prisoners here?” Zane asked while Diane’s eyes widened. Clara must be beside

herself.

Orsai shook his head. “He is there by his choice. I’ll let Tah explain everything to you. Abby is

in her room resting. Amia is with her. Everyone else is in the front room except for us, David, Vic,

Holt and Kenzie. I believe they’ve been waiting for you.”

“And I’m losing patience,” Tah called with a rumble.

Diane shook her head. Even private conversations weren’t always private, not around here.

“On our way,” Zane called.

“Check on Abby after,” Tah said, walking down the hall toward them. “She’s resting and so is

our daughter.”

Happiness radiated off him. He was the most relaxed Diane had ever seen him. She’d known

Abby’s pregnancy was taking a toll on him, too—with the stress and worry over Abby’s safety and

the newness of dealing with a shifter pregnancy. Still, she hadn’t realized how much, until now. It was

good to see him looking so…at ease.

“Congratulations,” he told Diane and Zane. “At least we know how to ensure your health during

pregnancy, now. You shouldn’t suffer with the discomfort and extreme fatigue my Abby did. You’ll

be well taken care of.”

“I know I will,” Diane agreed, glancing at Zane again. How did she get to be so lucky? The

amazing man beside her and now they were having a baby.

“Come.” He waved them to go ahead of him. “We have a lot to discuss and many decisions to

make.”

Diane took in the room when they entered. Finn and Murphy were over by the window engaged

in a conversation that seemed as if it could lead to an argument. Reno and Logan stood off to one side,

heads bent in conversation, as well. Clara sat on one of the sofas with Ariel and Griffin—the two

shifters who had been travelling with Gideon. Orsai didn’t follow them in and Diane figured he was

heading back to the storage area where they used two of the rooms for makeshift cells. One held

Lydia, the other held Dillon.

Finn looked up as they entered the room and crossed to them. He took Zane in a hard hug.

“Thank you for what you did for me. Not just for coming after me with Murphy, but for keeping

him levelheaded and out of trouble along the way. I owe you,” Finn stated.

“You owe me nothing,” Zane countered. “I know you both would have done the same for me.”

He glanced at Diane. “You did when you let my mate come looking for me.”

He glanced around the room, pulling Diane close to his side. She cuddled into him, loving that

she could.

“All of you. You all could have stepped in and forced Diane to stay.”

“They would have had to lock me up,” Diane muttered and felt the reassuring squeeze of his

fingers where he held her.

“So thank you all for caring enough to let her go.” He turned back to Tah. “Thank you. I’d like

to make a request, too.”

“What is it?” Tah asked.

“That you go easy on Kenzie,” Zane said.

Diane watched Tah and saw the flash of pain in his eyes. He knew. Angel must have been there.

But did Angel tell him everything?

“We’ll discuss Kenzie later,” Tah said. “I will say this here and now in front of all of you.

There will be no secrets. We are family. We are only as strong as we allow ourselves to be. Secrets

build walls of isolation. No one here is alone.” He nodded to Diane and Zane. “Go ahead and take a

seat. Abby, the Professor and I spent a lot of time last night discussing everything I’m going to bring

up. So when I speak to you, I speak on behalf of the three of us.”

Diane followed Zane across to one of the empty chairs. He dropped in it and tugged her into his

lap, wrapping his arms around her so that she was snug against his chest. Clara stood and walked

over to Logan. He immediately turned to her and pulled her back against his front. Diane shared a

look with Clara and smiled when the other woman winked at her. It was nice to be one of the mated

couples there. She wiggled on Zane’s lap and felt his cock twitch under her. There were definitely

amazing perks to it.

“First off, I want you all to welcome Ariel and Griffin. They traveled here with another shifter

searching for Clara. They have both requested permission to stay and join our pride. After speaking

with them, Clara, the Professor and Abby, I see no reason why they shouldn’t. Is there anyone here

who feels differently?”

No one said anything, and Tah nodded.

“Then it’s settled. Welcome to the pride.”

Ariel and Griffin both seemed to relax then smiled.

“What about Gideon?” Diane asked and Ariel’s gaze met hers.

Diane had no problem seeing that the other woman was still upset that Zane had refused to

bring Gideon back with them or to let Diane look at him.

“Gideon isn’t much of a joiner,” Ariel said, and Clara snorted a laugh.

“Gideon walks the fringes. He doesn’t like large groups and has a tendency to leave when the

mood strikes him,” Clara said. “He’s here for now, but I don’t expect him to stay.”

“Orsai and the Professor would like your input on the poison he was hit with,” Tah told Diane.

“The Professor said there was something familiar about it, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He

thought you might be able to.”

“I can head down now,” she offered, but he shook his head.

“Stay,” he ordered. “Gideon demanded he be placed down with Lydia and Dillon. We wanted

to put him in the labs, but he was adamant, and I refused to have him pushed. I think he’s apprehensive

there might have been more than poison in him.”

“Like what?” Zane asked.

“The something familiar, but not quite?” Diane asked and her mind worried over the

possibilities. Was it another form of feral cat fever? The ramifications of that in the hands of a hunter

were mind-boggling! Then she shook her head. Hadn’t Clara said her uncle had stolen the virus

Dillon had managed to get his hands on from a group of hunters who’d captured Thomas and pumped

it into him? Diane was pretty sure her memory was accurate. What if the hunters were still working

on it?

“Diane.” Tah called her name, jarring her from the roller coaster of her thoughts.

“Yes?” she asked.

“I can see your mind spinning. What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Maybe nothing,” she warned.

“The light in your eyes says otherwise,” Reno stated.

“I was thinking if the Professor thought it was familiar… Well, I thought about what we’ve

been dealing with—”

“Feral cat fever,” Clara said, and Diane saw Logan’s arms tighten around his mate.

Diane nodded. “Didn’t you say your Uncle Thomas brought it back when a group of hunters

tried to use it on him?”

Clara nodded.

“Jesus,” Tah grunted. “This is all we need.”

“Clara’s aunt was still alive then,” Diane reminded everyone. “Imagine the amount of time

they’ve had to research and work on ways to mutate it, ways to hide it within something else.”

“Like poison,” Reno stated.

“This will rip Gideon apart,” Ariel said and started to rise from the couch. “He doesn’t have a

mate.”

“Sit down,” Tah said.

“I need to go to him, tell him what you guys are thinking,” Ariel argued.

“Sit down!” Tah roared, and Ariel’s ass hit the couch again, her mouth dropping open.

“If you want to be a part of this pride, you will learn to listen and obey when I give an order. I

will discuss things with the council. I will consult with everyone when it is needed. But I will not be

disobeyed when I give a direct order. Is that clear?”

Ariel nodded, as did Griffin when Tah turned his gaze on the other man.

“I’m betting Gideon has already guessed as much and that’s why he requested to be put where

he is. He’s a smart man, one I would prefer to have at my side. We will do everything we can to help

him,” Tah stated. “Have faith in Diane and the Professor just as we do.”

Ariel’s gaze locked with Diane’s again, and she could see the uncertainty in the other woman’s

eyes.

“I know you’re still angry I didn’t look at him when you asked me to, but I believe part of you

understands. This is a dangerous world. As a shifter, you know that even better than I do. I’m just

learning, just beginning to belong. I’ve done nothing to earn your trust, yet, but I promise you, I will

do everything I can to help Gideon,” Diane vowed.

“Diane has the trust of this entire pride,” Zane said in a tone that dared any to argue.

“Diane is family,” Tah said.

Diane blinked rapidly to hold back tears. She’d always wanted a big family. Now she had one,

and she’d be damned if she’d lose one member while she was the one taking care of them. She felt

renewed purpose surge through her.

Maybe it was Tah’s statement or maybe Ariel just saw some of the conviction on Diane’s face,

but the other woman finally nodded.

“Dillion might know more about all this. I say we use whatever means necessary to get answers

from him,” Murphy said.

“Agreed,” Tah said, surprising most of them.

Logan and Reno just nodded as if they’d already known what Tah would say.

“This is war. We didn’t declare it, but we are fighting it.”

“And we’ll win the fucker,” Murphy grunted.

“Yes, we will,” Tah agreed. “Dillon came here with the intention to hurt us. We’ll hurt him

back to get the answers we need. Not because of what we fear might happen as we did in the past.”

His gaze skated to Reno in apology. “But in direct retaliation for what Dillon has already done,

attacking two of our numbers and injecting them with a virus. I’m putting you in charge of

interrogation, Murphy.”

“It will be my pleasure,” Murphy assured, and the light in his eyes sent a chill through Diane

that had Zane tightening his arms around her.

“Gideon will be a fountain of wisdom when it comes to Dillon,” Griffin offered. “He never

trusted Dillon. Lydia, either.”

“She’s another story. Her cells continue to break down no matter what measures are taken. If

something isn’t discovered soon, she’s going to die.”

Clara turned and buried her head into Logan’s chest at Tah’s words. Diane’s heart ached for

her friend. Clara had been through so much, lost so much, and here she was dealing with it again.

“I’ll keep searching,” Diane promised.

Clara nodded but didn’t turn from the comfort of her mate’s arms.

“Zane, I’d like you to fill us in on your take of the hunting party you ran into and the man who

stopped by to see me,” Tah said.

“There’s a hunting party?” Murphy asked, tensing up.

“They’re dead,” Tah answered and crossed his arms waiting for Zane to speak.

Diane felt Zane tense under her and knew he was struggling with the desire to protect Kenzie

and the responsibility to tell Tah everything. She rubbed her palm over his chest, trying to offer him

both comfort and support. He eased back again and began to talk.

“I smelled them while Diane and I were alone. I managed to get Diane to safety and made the

choice to go look for Kenzie, to make sure she was okay. It didn’t turn out to be so bright an idea,

though.”

“He was still being ravaged by the fever,” Diane interjected. “He was okay as long as we were

together, but the farther away he went and the longer time passed, the fever spiked.”

“I would have been too far gone to save myself much less Kenzie if help hadn’t arrived,” Zane

added. “I knew they had Kenzie and was trying to figure out how to help her. My beast was fighting

me, and it was hard to think of anything but getting back to Diane.”

Diane almost moaned at the heated look he sent her. As it was, she did her best to sit still and

not twitch her ass against the growing erection under her.

“Angel found me and brought me to Zane,” Diane said.

“Wait,” Clara said, turning around. “Angel?”

“He said he’s sometimes referred to as ‘the Angel’,” Diane offered.

“No fucking way,” Griffin muttered.

“You saw him?” Ariel asked.

Diane nodded.

“He brought Diane to me then went in and saved Kenzie,” Zane finished with a shrug.

“How many hunters were there?” Reno asked.

“Thirteen,” Zane said. “I killed one of them when he came after Diane.”

“Are you telling me this Angel took out twelve hunters by himself?” Logan demanded.

“He did,” Zane agreed.

“He’s a liger,” Diane added and felt all eyes turn to her. “I saw him shift.”

Zane rumbled behind her at the reminder.

She patted him. “He’s huge.”

Tah nodded. “From what I’ve gathered, he’s some type of avenging angel for our kind.”

“He’s more than that,” Ariel said. “He’s a legend, a hero, a soothing balm to a broken spirit.

For some, he’s all that keeps them going.”

“And some legends are important,” Tah agreed. “He takes his role very seriously. He stopped

to see me and left a warning. The hunting group was part of the Blanes. They’re looking for us in this

area. For every one we kill, they will send more. Colorado is no longer safe for us.”

“What are you saying? We need to leave?” Finn asked.

Tah nodded. “Angel had an idea of where we might go and a name of someone who will help

us.”

“Where?” Diane asked.

“West,” Tah said. “A ranching community on the border of Oklahoma and Texas. No woods for

enemies to hide in. Just wide open spaces where the dust gives you away miles before you arrive.

Abby and I would like to at least check it out. I need my mate and child safe. It’s our hope that as a

pride, all of you will want to come, as well.”

“When do we leave?” Murphy asked.

“How soon?” Diane added. “We’ve got tests running and files, not to mention live samples

we’ll need to see about relocating.”

“I’d say within the month,” Tah told them. “If anyone doesn’t want to go, please take the time to

come to me. I don’t want to lose anyone. You’re all family.”

He looked around the room and met all their eyes. Diane had no doubt that she and her mate

would be traveling west. She hoped everyone else would, as well. The thought of anyone of the

people she’d grown to know and love leaving made her sad. The irony of that wasn’t lost on her.

She’d been ready to leave just a few short days ago. But that was when Zane was gone. Now, with

him there and mated to her, she didn’t even consider leaving.

“We’re in,” Murphy said, and Finn nodded in agreement.

“We’ll go with you, as well,” Griffin answered for him and Ariel.

“Diane?” Zane asked.

“Of course, we’re going,” she said.

“I’m glad to hear it. That just leaves Vic, Holt and Kenzie,” Tah said. “I’ll talk to them today.

In the meantime, we all have jobs to do. Security will be increased for the next four weeks that we’re

here. I want no chances of hunters getting in here. Logan has a schedule of the new rotation we want

set up. Any indications of a breach, call immediately. Hell, I want you to report if you have a bad

feeling about something. Understood?”

Everyone nodded.

“Ariel, Griffin, see Logan to be added to the schedule. He’ll fill you in on everything you need

to know.”

Everyone began heading out of the room, Ariel and Griffin following Logan and Clara. Reno

was with Murphy and Finn. Diane eased up from Zane’s lap to go check on Abby before heading

down to consult with the Professor and Orsai on Gideon.

“Zane, I’d like you to stay,” Tah said.

Zane shared a look with Diane, and she knew the same thing was going through both their

minds. Tah was going to talk about Kenzie. Diane needed to make a point of hunting for her friend and

making sure she was okay.

“I’m going to check on Abby then head to the storage area to see your Uncle and the Professor,”

Diane told her mate.

“I’m here if you need me,” Zane whispered in her ear as he bent to her.

“I always need you,” she whispered back and loved the way his lips quirked up in a smile.

“Same here, baby,” he told her then dropped a chaste kiss on her lips.

“We’ll go in the office,” Tah said and Zane nodded.

Diane hurried down the hall toward Tah and Abby’s bedroom. One quick peek and she needed

to get to the basement storage rooms. There was a lot to do before they left Colorado behind.

Chapter Fifteen

Zane followed Tah to his office, walking through the door and heading toward the comfortable

seating area. If Tah planned to delve into what Zane expected then he planned to be comfortable. On

one level, Kenzie would be upset about them discussing her without her there. Zane knew her well

enough to know she expected it, though. She also knew they cared for her and would only talk about

her in order to help protect her and keep her safe. He’d made a promise to her mate, and he intended

to keep it.

He heard the door click shut behind him and Tah joined him, dropping into one of the chairs

beside Zane.

“What happened with Kenzie?” Tah asked.

“Have you spoken with her?” Zane questioned.

Tah shook his head. “Reno said she looked haunted when she got back last night. She

apologized and went to her room. I don’t think she’s been out since. Reno said there was something

off about her.”

“Last night?” Zane asked.

Tah lifted a brow. “She didn’t get here until after my daughter was born and you and Diane

were downstairs for the night.”

Zane felt like cursing. Where had she been the whole time? God, he hated feeling useless when

it came to comforting her. “Did Angel mention anything about her to you?”

Tah sat forward then. “He asked if she was important to me. I told him she was family. He

seemed satisfied with that, told me he’d given you a number if anyone ever needed to get in touch

with him. What the hell’s going on, Zane?”

Damn it! It wasn’t his place to divulge what had happened. Angel should have been the one to

let Tah know what was going on. Barring that, it should be Kenzie. Of course, Zane had seen for

himself how devastated Kenzie was that Angel had mated her and left. Fuck!

“You’re making me uneasy,” Tah warned.

“I don’t know what happened when Angel went in after Kenzie. I was with Diane. I know

neither of them came out the same.” Zane blew out his breath and met Tah’s gaze. “I also know

Kenzie came out with a bite mark on her neck she didn’t have before.”

“What?” Tah almost roared. “He mated her?”

“It appears so,” Zane said.

“And left? He walked away and left her?”

Zane nodded.

“That fucking bastard! How the fuck does that happen? Why?” Tah demanded, exploding from

his chair and pacing around the room.

“It wasn’t easy for him,” Zane said. “I was there. I saw the look on his face when he forced

himself to leave.”

“Then why leave?”

“To protect her. You heard who he is, an avenging angel. You think hunters haven’t heard of

him? Aren’t searching for him? They’d hit pay dirt if they discovered he had a mate and took her

instead.”

“And protecting her means staying away from her,” Tah said and groaned, one hand coming up

to rub the back of his neck.

“Kenzie was devastated when she woke up and he was gone,” Zane said.

“Woke up?”

“She had passed out by the time Diane and I got to them. Diane sat with her while I helped

Angel deal with the carnage. When Kenzie awoke…” Zane shook his head. “I’ve never seen her so

broken. It scares me. It pissed Diane off. She was ready to go after him.”

“I agree with her,” Tah said. “If I’d known when he was here… I’m trying to understand his

reasoning. But he’s not protecting her. He’s just as likely to get her hunted and killed by leaving her

as he is to take her with him. She’s smart. Hell, she’s a fucking Marine!”

“He thinks he’s doing what’s best for her,” Zane stated.

“What a fucking mess,” Tah grumbled.

“Maybe I should have let Diane kick his ass,” Zane said.

Tah gave a brief smile. “Diane is loyal and tough. You have a great mate in her.”

Zane nodded in agreement. “I’m a little nervous about the pregnancy and becoming a father.”

Tah really grinned then, and his smile filled the whole room. “Thankfully, we learned a lot with

Abby’s pregnancy. Diane will require regular infusions of your blood to help keep her body stable

during the pregnancy. She’s strong and healthy. And being a father… I can’t express the joy I get

looking into my daughter’s big brown eyes, or holding her in my arms with her mother snuggled up

beside us. I never knew it was possible to feel like this.”

“It’s good to see you so happy,” Zane said.

“It’s funny how one thing can ease the burden on your shoulders. When Abby was sick and we

didn’t know what was going to happen, when I feared I’d lose her, everything stressed me out. Now,

knowing I have her at my side, I feel capable of handling anything.”

“I’m glad,” Zane admitted.

“You’ll make a great father,” Tah told him. “And our children will be close in age. Should I

wish a daughter on you, so mine will have a best friend?”

Zane laughed. “As long as mother and baby are healthy, boy or girl doesn’t matter to me.”

Tah smiled, paced away and turned back with a serious look on his face. “What are we going

to do about Kenzie?”

“Watch her. Protect her. Love her,” Zane answered. “All the things we’ve always done.”

“Do you think her mate’s bite might change things for her?”

Zane sat up straight as he thought about it. “I’d have to talk to Diane, but anything’s possible.

Angel’s bite could definitely bring on her beast. I’ll speak to my mate about it. I know she’ll want to

keep a close eye on Kenzie, anyway.”

Tah nodded. “We’ll have to tell everybody. Kenzie has to be protected. Abby will be mad as

hell when I tell her.”

“I almost said no when she told me she wanted to go ahead alone, that she needed some time

alone. So much sorrow was in her eyes, so much pain,” Zane said.

“We’ll stand beside her. Be there, anything she needs,” Tah swore.

Zane agreed. “I promised Angel I’d watch after her. She’s the reason he gave us a place to go.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Tah agreed. “It would be easy to hate him for this,” Tah admitted. “But

I feel sorry for him. He’s lost more than he realizes by leaving Kenzie. She deserves better than a

mate who claims her then leaves her. I’m not sure I could give Abby up. I don’t think I’ll ever have

that strength. Hell, she is my strength.”

“I understand,” Zane agreed. “I tried to stay away from Diane. It almost cost me the woman

meant for me and only me.”

“I’m glad she found you,” Tah said.

“About that,” Zane said and frowned. “Did you know the Professor gave her a shot before she

left?”

“A tetanus booster,” Tah said, but Zane shook his head.

“Nope. He gave her something to force ovulation, thinking it would bring us together quicker.”

“What?” Tah roared again.

“He sent her out there like a lamb to slaughter, knowing I was primal and making the situation

even worse by forcing her into heat.”

“That conniving bastard,” Tah muttered, hands fisting at his sides. “When will he learn to stop

meddling in everything?”

“She was a virgin,” Zane added softly.

Tah’s gaze flew to his and locked on. “You didn’t hurt her, did you?”

Zane shook his head. “But no matter what the Professor says, he couldn’t have known for sure

that I wouldn’t.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” Tah said. “I know it would have destroyed you if you had.”

Zane nodded. It would have. Hurting Diane would kill him.

“Seems like the Professor and I need to have another talk now that I’m not so easily distracted

by my concern for Abby.”

“I know I don’t have the right, but I’d like to ask you a favor,” Zane said.

Tah shook his head. “You can ask me a favor anytime. If I can, I’ll do it for you.”

“Will you talk to Kenzie before you tell everyone?”

“Of course, I will,” Tah stated. “You didn’t even need to ask.”

“One more thing,” Zane said. “Something Angel made a point of making me aware of.”

“Making sure all of us can defend ourselves,” Tah grunted. “Yeah, he told me.” The look on

Tah’s face made Zane think it hadn’t been a pleasant conversation. “I was remiss in that. We’ll take

care of it.”

Zane nodded and stood. “I’ll go check in with Logan then see where you have me in the

rotation.”

“We didn’t put you in, yet,” Tah said. “How do you feel? How’s the fever?”

“Still there,” Zane admitted. “But eased. I’m back at peace within myself for now.”

“As long as you’re with your mate?” Tah asked and Zane nodded again. “I think it might be

better for now if you stay close to the house. We’ll take it day by day and see how you feel as more

time passes.”

Zane hated the idea of not pulling his weight. “As long as there’s something I can do around

here to help out.”

“We’ll be packing most of the house over the next few weeks,” Tah said. “Not to mention with

hunters getting that close to us, I want tighter security inside the house. No one gets in. No one.”

“I’d be happy to keep an eye on the house,” Zane said.

Tah nodded. “Plus Abby will have to go to Denver before we leave to take care of the

paperwork involved with inheriting the money from the Professor’s estate. I’d like for you to go with

us.”

“I’d be honored,” Zane said.

“I’d like you and Logan with me, along with Clara, and I’m guessing Diane,” Tah said, and

Zane agreed.

He wouldn’t be comfortable leaving Diane behind.

“I’ll leave Reno in charge here with everyone else. Once everything is signed and taken care

of, we’ll leave.”

“Are you okay with leaving here?” Zane asked.

Tah shrugged. “We don’t have a choice. I think we all knew it was only a matter of time before

the hunters discovered where we are. We’ve been lucky they didn’t come sooner. I just hope they

continue to flounder until we’re able to leave.”

“Me, too,” Zane agreed. One thing was certain, he’d do anything required to protect his mate.

Anything.

Diane knocked softly and stuck her head around the door to peek in. Abby and Amia sat on the

bed while Abby held the baby to her breast.

“Diane, come in,” Abby said. “Join us.”

Diane crossed to the bed and took in the rosy color on Abby’s cheeks before glancing down at

the baby.

“You both look good,” she said. “Healthy. How are you feeling?”

“Fantastic,” Abby said with an engaging grin.

“I’d like to take a few minutes and check on you, if you don’t mind. Just to be sure everything is

healing as it should,” Diane said.

“Can you wait until I’m done feeding Regan?”

“Regan? What a beautiful name,” Diane said.

“Regan Marie,” Abby said. “Regan is for Reno and Logan, and Marie for the Professor.”

“Marie?” Diane asked, not understanding how that name related to Professor Mueller.

“It was his wife’s name. I wasn’t going to use it in case Jess wanted to, but his whole face lit

up when I mentioned it. So Regan Marie it is,” Abby stated.

“That’s lovely,” Diane answered.

“So how’s mated life?” Amia asked.

Diane grinned then. “Fantastic,” she said, borrowing the same word Abby had used earlier.

“And…I’m pregnant.”

Abby and Amia both squealed with happiness.

“Wait,” Abby said. “You’re happy about this, right?”

Diane nodded. “I’ve never been so happy. First Zane, now this.” She placed her hand over her

belly. “I’m scared. I’d be a fool not to be. But I want this baby.”

“Our kids will be close together,” Abby said. “Zane’s a panther. So it should be a similar

gestational period, right?”

“Yes,” Diane agreed. “I should have a baby in about three and half to four months.”

“You’ve gone pale on us,” Amia said as Diane closed her eyes.

“Oh, God,” Diane said. “That’s soon, very soon. We’re here another month, which means I’ll

be in my second trimester when we travel.” She laughed. “Second trimester at one month along. God,

this is all so crazy.”

“It is,” Abby agreed. “But worth it.”

“I might need you to remind me of that a few hundred times over the next few months,” Diane

said.

Amia laughed.

“I will,” Abby promised.

They all paused when Tah’s roar sounded through the house.

“I wonder what that’s all about,” Abby mused and Diane sighed. “You know, don’t you? What

is it?”

“Kenzie,” Diane said.

Tah was going to tell everyone and Kenzie was going to need more than just Diane at her side.

If anyone would know what to say or do to help Kenzie, Diane figured it would be Abby.

“What’s going on with Kenzie?” Amia asked. “Is she okay? Reno said she looked sad when she

arrived last night. But she asked to be left alone, so we’ve all made a point to follow her wishes.”

“Last night?” Diane said. “She should have arrived before Zane and I did.”

Abby shook her head.

“She didn’t get here until late. Reno was surprised. We just assumed she arrived with you and

Zane,” Amia said.

“She needed some time alone,” Diane said.

“Why?” Abby asked. “What happened?”

“Did Tah tell you about the hunters we encountered?” Diane asked.

“He told me there was a party of hunters. This shifter stopped through and spoke with Tah. He

said the hunters had been taken care of. He also told Tah we were no longer safe and needed to move

on, quickly. Tah seemed to trust him.”

“I know the shifter. His name is Gabriel, but most shifters refer to him as the Angel,” Diane

said. “He’s like an angel of vengeance. I watched him shift, and I saw what was left of the twelve

hunters in the party he took on.”

“He took on twelve hunters?” Amia asked. “Holy shit!”

“What is he?” Abby asked. “Lion? Tiger? Panther?”

Diane shook her head. “He’s a liger. Absolutely huge in animal form. Majestic looking.”

“A liger,” Abby said. “I didn’t know those existed.”

“They’re still rare. The ones I’ve come across were bred in captivity,” Diane said.

“So what does this liger have to do with Kenzie?” Abby asked. “And what about it has my mate

upset to the point he’s roaring the house down?”

“Kenzie’s the liger’s mate,” Diane said.

“He’s here then?” Abby asked.

“No,” Diane said with a shake of her head.

Amia sat up straight. “Then how do we know he’s Kenzie’s mate for sure?”

“He bit her and gave her his mark before he left. He said he couldn’t stop himself, that he

wasn’t prepared to face her,” Diane muttered.

“He mated her and left her?” Abby gritted out between her teeth.

“That bastard,” Amia said. “Reno said there was something off about her scent, but he didn’t

know for sure what it was.”

“Kenzie was devastated,” Diane admitted. “You know how she’s always smiling, quiet but

happy. She looked broken when she woke up and found him gone, like all that happiness had been

sucked out of her.”

“He left without saying goodbye,” Amia said. She lifted her hands and placed both of them

over her heart. “It would rip me apart if Reno left me. I can’t even bear the thought.”

“I know,” Diane agreed.

Abby nodded. “We’ll need to be there for her. Make sure she’s all right. Has anyone been up to

check on her?”

“I’m planning to go up after I check in with the Professor and Orsai about Gideon,” Diana said.

“I heard about that,” Abby said. “Amia and I were talking. The Professor said the anomaly

looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it. What if the poison contained a different strain of the

feral fever virus?”

“I had the same thought,” Diane said. “Clara said her Uncle Thomas brought the virus back

when a group of hunters captured him and tried to use it on him. That’s the version Dillon hit Zane

and Logan with. But the hunters would have had it all this time. Who says they don’t have people like

the Professor to work on mutating the virus and hiding it within other things?”

“Exactly,” Amia agreed. “The hunters get together every few months for a summit of sorts

where they exchange information. At least, they did back when I was there. I looked forward to those

times as Marcus and the others would leave.”

“There’s no telling what they might have turned the virus into,” Abby said.

“Or how it might affect a shifter,” Diane added.

“I’ll start researching and working on it as soon as I can,” Abby said. “Regan sleeps a lot.

There’s no reason I can’t have a laptop in here to work on while I rest and recuperate. I’m past ready

to jump back into things, and quite frankly, you and the Professor need the help.”

“We do,” Diane agreed.

“She’s asleep again,” Abby said, gazing down on Regan. “Amia, can you take her so Diane can

give me a checkup?”

“Oh, if I have to,” Amia said with a huge smile on her face as she held out her arms. “She’s so

perfect, so beautiful.”

“She is,” Abby agreed.

Diane smiled in agreement. She set about checking Abby, but her mind was on other things.

Mostly, it was on the fact she was going to be a mother soon, as well. She was still coming to terms

with it. In a normal world, she would have taken the time to make sure everything was good with her

pregnancy before sharing the news with anyone other than her husband. As the mate of a shifter,

surrounded by other shifters, that wasn’t possible. Diane said goodbye when she was satisfied Abby

was on the mend and headed out, shutting the bedroom door behind her. She paused as she started to

pass the staircase leading up to the second and third floors where most of them had rooms. Kenzie’s

was on the third floor. Making a sudden decision, Diane went up to check on Kenzie before going

down to meet with the Professor, Orsai and Gideon. They could wait. Kenzie shouldn’t. Besides,

Diane was afraid she’d get wrapped up in what was going on with Gideon and not get a chance to

check on Kenzie.

She stopped outside the other woman’s door and knocked softly. “Kenzie,” she called. “It’s

Diane.”

She heard slow footsteps then the door opened. “I see you and Zane made it back.”

Diane gasped and pushed her way in, grasping Kenzie’s face and taking in her appearance. Her

eyes were swollen and red, most likely from the tears that were still falling. Kenzie had a haunted

look in her eyes—a devastation that made Diane’s heart ache for the other woman.

“Oh, Kenzie,” Diane said and hugged her close.

Kenzie clung to her for a long moment.

“I don’t know what to do,” Kenzie said. “I hurt. Here.” She touched her heart. “And here.” She

dropped her hand down toward her belly, but Diane understood what she meant.

“I’m sorry, Kenzie,” Diane said in an attempt to soothe her.

“Did Zane talk to Tah?” Kenzie asked.

Diane nodded.

“So they know. They know my mate didn’t want me.”

“That’s not true” Diane argued.

“It’s the truth,” Kenzie said sadly.

“He left to protect you,” Diane countered. “Zane said it nearly tore Angel apart to leave you.”

“Gabriel,” Kenzie said. “His name is Gabriel.”

Diane nodded. “Gabriel then. Zane said he saw how hard it was for Gabriel to leave you. But

think of the danger he’s in. We’re in danger, and I’ve never killed anyone in my life. Gabriel is the

Angel. He attacks. He took out twelve men to get to you. I’m sure his enemies are vast and many. Of

course, he’d want to protect you from that.”

Kenzie perked up. “You think that’s what he’s doing?”

Diane nodded. “Yes, I do.”

“God, it hurts. If he couldn’t stay, he should have never touched me. Then I wouldn’t be in this

mess.”

“We’re all here for you,” Diane assured Kenzie. “And hopefully, you’ll be too busy over the

next month to dwell on it.”

Kenzie raised wide eyes to Diane. “What do you mean?”

“That hunting party came too close to finding us. If Angel…if Gabriel hadn’t been here, we

could be in a world of trouble right now. God, if those hunters had attacked while Abby was in

labor.”

“Abby went into labor?” Kenzie asked.

“Yes, before you got here apparently. I delivered the baby,” Diane said and Kenzie flushed.

“They have a baby girl. Regan Marie. She’s absolutely adorable. Abby would love for you to go see

them.”

“Does Abby know about me?” Kenzie asked.

Diane nodded. “I told both her and Amia when I went to check on Abby and Regan. You need

your friends right now, Kenzie, and we’re all here for you.”

Kenzie walked over, picked up a tissue and blew her nose. “God, I hate crying. It distorts my

sense of smell.”

Diane dropped her hand to her belly, cradling the life already forming inside her. Kenzie

wouldn’t be able to pick up on the change in Diane through scent. But was now the right time to share

the news? Diane wasn’t certain, and the last thing she wanted to do was make her friend sadder.

Kenzie glanced at her, taking her in from head to toe before her gaze settled on Diane’s

stomach. “You’re pregnant?”

Diane nodded, feeling guilty to have such joy filling her when her friend was obviously in pain.

“Zane told me earlier. Hard to keep these things a secret in a house like this.”

Kenzie laughed. “Unless you were to hide yourself in your room and not see anyone.”

“I can’t do that,” Diane said then felt her eyes widen as her gaze swept Kenzie. “Wait. Are you

saying what I think you are?”

“Gabriel mated me,” Kenzie said softly. “In every sense of the word. When I woke up, I felt the

heat on me. The Professor gave me the shot first, remember? I thought it was funny, me getting a

tetanus shot.”

“It worked on you, too.” Diane moaned, guilt eating at her now. “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.

This is my fault.”

“Stop, neither one of us knew what he was really giving us. Hell, I’m sure this wasn’t even on

the Professor’s radar as a possibility. Besides, I don’t know for sure, yet. But it’s likely I may be

pregnant with Gabriel’s child.”

“He didn’t…” Diane broke off as Kenzie glared at her.

“Mates don’t rape. You know that.” Kenzie shook her head. “I’m the one that forced this. I

pushed until his control broke, and he took me. And I’m not sorry.” She sighed. “Even had I known he

would leave me, I still would have pushed. And I feel guilty, but I really hope there is a baby in here,

so at least I’ll have that much of him with me.”

“Oh, Kenzie,” Diane said.

“Yeah,” Kenzie said. “That’s exactly how I feel.”

Chapter Sixteen

Diane leaned over the monitor, rubbing her eyes as she looked again at the computer data on the

strain of virus in Zane’s blood sample then flipped to what was in Gideon’s. It was similar enough to

make her confident that Gideon had some version of the feral fever virus. But there was something

different about what was in Gideon’s blood. It was that difference that scared Diane. Once again, they

had no idea what they were dealing with.

“Hey.” Zane’s voice called to her as he entered the lab and headed toward her. “You ready to

call it a night?”

She nodded. “It looks like Gideon has a variant of the fever, as well,” she told Zane. “I have no

idea how he’s going to react.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Zane vowed as he rubbed her shoulders. “Right now, I want my mate to

come to bed with me.”

“Mhmm,” she said and rolled her neck on her shoulders. “That feels good.”

“Just think of where I could get to if we were in bed,” he murmured. “Naked.”

She laughed. “Give me a second to wrap this up?”

“Of course,” Zane assured her.

She took a few more minutes to look at the similarities again then shook her head over the

differences. She hadn’t bothered pulling Logan’s up as he was human and both Zane and Gideon were

shifters. The anomalies in Logan’s blood were even more unique. She would give almost anything to

get her hands on some hunter files showing exactly what they were dealing with. It would save a lot

of time and countless headaches.

“Diane,” Zane said.

“Just one more sec,” she said, not taking her eyes off the computer as she went about closing

her files and shutting everything down. “Almost…there. Done.”

She turned and caught her breath at the sight before her. Zane must have decided the bedroom

was optional. He’d stripped out of his clothes and stood there stroking the long, thick length of his

cock.

“Strip for me,” he ordered. “Nice and slow.”

She smiled and reached for the hem of her shirt, easing it up her torso before finally tugging it

over her head and tossing it aside. She ran her hands down over her chest, taking the time to lift and

caress her breasts through the bra she wore and even rubbing across her already hardened nipples.

She skimmed her fingers over her belly and reached for the button on her jeans then pulled down the

zipper. She spread the material wide, revealing her matching panties and teased him by running a

finger along the top lacy band.

“Take them off,” he commanded. His eyes were golden fire.

She shimmied, and the material slid free to land like cuffs around her ankles where her shoes

prevented her from stepping out. She started to bend to remove the shoes, but Zane was there first.

“Let me,” he crooned, lifting one foot to his thigh, untying her shoe and sliding her foot free of

both it and her sock. He removed her jeans and lifted her freed leg to his mouth, placing a kiss on the

sole of her foot before lowering it and reaching for the other.

He glanced up at her as he dragged the jeans off her other foot.

“Did you forget these?”

His fingers traced the edges of her panties.

“I left them for you,” she said.

“Did you?” he asked with a heated smile. He reached up and grabbed both sides of her panties,

ripping them so they fell from her hips to land on the floor.

“Zane, I liked those,” she tried to scold, but it came out as more of a moan when he stroked a

finger along the wet seam of her sex.

“We’ll get you more,” he promised and leaned forward, pressing kisses along the path his

finger had just taken. He groaned against her and the sound vibrated, sending waves of pleasure

through her.

“Zane,” she moaned again, reaching down with one hand to grip his hair and hold him there.

His warm breath fanned her swollen clit seconds before she felt the hard brush of his tongue.

Up, over and around he went, again and again, and her thighs trembled from the exertion required to

stay upright.

“Zane, I’m going to fall,” she whispered.

He stood quickly, sweeping her high against his chest. He didn’t turn to head down the corridor

to the bedroom. Instead, he placed her on the exam table, urging her to lie back before pulling her

bottom to the end. He spread her thighs wide and his head lowered once again, his tongue licking a

fiery path from clit to opening.

“Ahhh,” she cried out as he thrust a finger deep inside her and began pumping it in and out. His

lips wrapped around her clit, sucking gently on the bud. She pressed the heels of both hands beside

her hips and rocked her hips up into his finger and mouth. She was close, so close to flying.

“Come for me,” he whispered against her sex then turned and scraped his canines against the

inside of her thigh.

“Oh, God!” she cried out as her body shook with release.

He removed his finger and replaced it with his mouth, using his tongue to lap up the juices

spilling from her.

“Mhmm,” he groaned, detonating another orgasm off inside her. Still, he kept licking and

sucking, keeping her in the moment without allowing her to come down. When he finally eased up, she

was boneless.

“I like seeing you this way,” Zane said as he stood, his hips spreading her dangling legs wider.

“All wet and ready for anything. Can you take more, baby?”

She dipped her chin and licked her lips as her gaze landed on his bobbing erection.

“Are you sure?” he asked, running it along her folds.

She nodded eagerly.

“Tell me,” he ordered.

“Yes,” she answered.

“You want my cock, baby?”

“God, yes,” she moaned.”

He grinned down at her and gripped her thighs, putting his hands on the table and maneuvering

her legs until her knees hung over his elbows. He leaned in close again, and his cockhead lodged at

her pussy.

“Slow and easy,” he promised. “Until you beg me to take you hard, to take you fast.”

“Hard and fast,” she said, and he laughed.

“Not yet, baby. I want to savor you.”

He did exactly as he said, his cock easing in and out of her slowly. She tried to tighten around

him in a bid to make him as crazy as he was making her, but he just smiled at her and kept the same

pace.

“Feel me, baby. Feel how good we are together. We were made for each other,” he purred.

“I’m glad it was you,” she panted. “Glad I waited even before I knew I was waiting for you.”

“Me, too,” he swore. “I’ll be the only man who will ever know you like this. You’re mine.

Mine,” he rumbled.

“Yours,” she agreed. “Give it to me harder, Zane. Faster. Deeper. Please.”

The purr rumbled from his chest again as he gave in, his hips pumping faster as he slammed in

and out of her. It was exactly what she wanted. Her ass rocked against the vinyl as he picked up

speed. She reached down, clenching her fingers over where his gripped the table and arched her

breasts high, head dropping between her shoulders as she came around his pistoning cock.

“Fuck, yes,” Zane groaned. “Milk my cock. That’s it, baby. Ahhh!”

He thrust deep and held himself buried inside her as his cock jerked and filled her with warm

splashes of seed. They stayed locked there for a long moment before he gently moved his hands,

turning them in to cup the backs of her thighs and slide her legs down off his arms. He reached for her

face and brushed a strand of hair away.

“I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

“Not possible,” she swore, wiggling her hips and loving the tug as his cock moved inside her.

He leaned over her, pinning her chest to the table with his. “I love you, Diane Renway. When

we get the chance, I’d like to share the claiming ceremony with you. And if you’d like, we could be

married.”

A smile split her face as she began to nod. “Yes. To both or either or whichever we can

arrange. I love you, Zane Ephraim, and with or without a ceremony, I plan to spend the rest of my life

showing you how much.”

“I know there’s a lot going on,” he said. “Three of us showing differing signs of feral fever.

Lydia. Dillon. Moving west. Abby and the new baby. Kenzie. I want you to know that I will be here

for you, in any and every way you need.” He glanced down when she tensed. “What?”

She wasn’t sure what to say, but she knew she couldn’t keep secrets from her mate. “The shot

the Professor gave me.”

Zane nodded.

“He gave it to Kenzie, too.”

“I smelled she was close to heat,” Zane admitted. “When I walked into the cabin, and the scent

of sex was thick.”

“You didn’t say anything,” she accused.

He sighed. “I’m sorry. I should have.”

“What’s she going to do if she’s pregnant?”

“I have a number to call. I won’t hesitate to use it if she’s pregnant. Did she tell you she was?”

Diane shook her head. “It’s too early. She’s just beginning to ovulate. I’m not sure how long

shifter sperm will survive inside her. All we can do right now is wait and see what happens. And be

there for her.”

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” Zane promised.

“She won’t want him to know,” Diane said sadly. “He left her. He made his choice, and it

wasn’t his mate.”

“I know,” Zane agreed. “But I smelled the change beginning in her when I arrived. I wasn’t

completely sure because my senses were wrapped up in you and your body’s needs. But I sensed

something. As her mate, he would have felt it, and knowing all of this, I’m betting it played a hand in

his inability to leave her untouched. He knows the possibility exists she could conceive. He’s not just

trying to protect his mate. He’s trying to protect the unborn child she may end up carrying. God! Tah’s

right. This is a fucking mess.”

“I’m so glad I have you,” Diane whispered.

“I’ll always be here for you,” Zane vowed.

“I’ll be here for you, as well,” Diane stated. “This is just the beginning for us.”

“Here’s to new beginnings,” Zane agreed and planted a heated kiss on her lips. “Now let’s go

to bed,” he purred.

Diane giggled as he stepped back, his spent cock slipping completely free, before he lifted her

into his arms. Whoever made it to the labs first tomorrow would find a pile of discarded clothes on

the floor, and this time, they belonged to her and her mate. If she’d wanted to do one more thing

before they left Colorado and this house behind, making love in the labs would have been at the top of

her list. Finally, it was her turn for love.

About the Author

Lacey Thorn spends her days in small town Indiana, the proud mother of three. When she is not busy
with one of them, she can be found typing away on her computer keyboard or burying her nose in a
good book. Like every woman, she knows just how chaotic life can be and how appealing that great
escape can look.

So, toss aside the stress and tension of the never-ending to-do list. For now sit back, relax, and enjoy
the ride with Lacey. It’s your world…unlaced.

Lacey loves to talk to her readers and can be found at www.lacythorn.com. Join Lacey on
Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/authorlaceythorn Or on Twitter at
@laceythorn1And feel free to email the author at

lcy_thrn1@yahoo.com

Dear Readers,

Thank you for your purchase of Saving the Beast by Lacey Thorn. We
hope you enjoyed the story, and will consider leaving a review at the
eBook retailer website where you made your purchase.

Resplendence Publishing is proud to bring you high-quality romance
and erotic romance titles each week. Please visit
www.ResplendencePublishing.com every Wednesday for the latest
from your favorite authors. Don’t forget to “like” our Resplendence
Publishing, LLC page on Facebook to keep up with new releases,
author news, special discount codes and sale announcements.

Happy reading!

Also Available from

Resplendence Publishing

Waking the Beast by Lacey Thorn

Awakening Pride Series, Book One

The legend of the Paka Watu...

Ever since she was a young girl, Abby Lane can’t resist the allure of a catshifter tribe forced to
repress their beasts. On a trip to Africa, she discovers a coveted piece of information—the name the
pride leader assumed when he left his home—and she traces his lineage to his descendent.

The sleeping lion...

Utah Pearce can’t keep his gaze off the woman who slips into the bar every night. Though not his
usual type, she brings out the possessive instinct in him, making him battle with himself as he tries to
stay away.

Mine...

Abby’s research never prepared her for the reality in front of her. The beast is waking, and Utah is
changing in ways both exciting and terrifying. He is possessive and dominant, and when he finally
claims her, neither of them will ever be the same.

Marshal Law by Kris Norris

Tombstone Series, Book One

A town with a notorious reputation…

Tombstone, Arizona, has seen its share of gunfights. And if McKenna Buchanan has her way, she’ll
stop at nothing to add a few more to the ranks. She’s out to right a wrong and won’t stop until she’s
challenged every last member of the Wilson gang to a duel.

A secret buried deep…

Wolf shifters Ethan McClaren and Jude Davenport’s lives are complicated, but their job is simple.
As federal Marshals, they’re determined to find the vigilante gunning down outlaws across the wilds
of the western states so justice can be served. The last thing they expected was a woman with more
honor than most men—who willingly risks her life to save theirs.

A claim that can’t be denied…

Falling in love with two lawmen never crossed McKenna’s mind—not with her name topping the
most wanted list. She’s simply doing what’s right—preventing more bloodshed when she’s already
seen a lifetime’s worth. The fact she’s drawn to Ethan and Jude as much as they seem to be to her is
purely circumstantial. But she’s not the only one harboring secrets and when the truth finally emerges,
it’s going to take more than marshal law to settle the dust.

Swallowing His Pride by Serena Pettus

Southern Pride Series, Book One

Welcome to Pride, Texas, the home of cowboys, roughnecks, southern charm…and shifters. Lion
shifters to be exact.

When a trip to Las Vegas has Dylan coming face to face with a woman who calls to every part of him
—especially his inner lion—he's not sure what to do. Yearning to spend as much time with her as
possible, Dylan courts her until one night of passion takes things further than even he was prepared to
go. She's now his mate.

The impromptu vacation Samantha took with her best friend took a turn for the better when a hunky
guy with a charming southern accent takes a liking to her. Unable to deny the intense chemistry
between them, she tosses her inhibitions to the wind and indulges in a night of carnal bliss…only to
wake up alone.

Hurt and confused, she heads home, only to discover that not everything that happens in Vegas stays
there. Now he's back, and she must decide what to do once he confesses a secret that turns her reality
on its head. But now there's a danger lurking in the shadows as well. A threat that is determined to
keep humans out of the shifter society…by any means necessary.

Dragon’s Blood by Brynn Paulin

Cruentus Dragons Series, Book One

For centuries, there have been legends of Vampires—the fault of one careless dragon. But humans
only know part of the story. Walking amongst us are Dragons—Shape-shifters who feed on blood.

Reluctant Dragon Elder Janos Aventech’s vacation in New York is about to come to an abrupt end.
Riding on the subway, he stumbles across a Dragon mate—one of the few human women with whom
his people can unite and be truly happy. And his people’s enemies are out to get her. As his attraction
to this woman grows, he knows he must find her mate and see her safely into that man’s arms. It’s
destined. But as every minute passes in her company, Janos begins to see he’ll never willingly let her
go, mate or not.

If only she were his mate…

On the subway, Scarlett couldn’t stop staring at him—then he turned crazy. When he essentially
kidnaps her off the train, she knows she should be irate and terrified. Instead, she finds her initial
attraction growing. But what’s all this stuff he’s spouting about mates and enemies? She only wants to
return to her life, not get caught in the middle of a war. But it’s too late for that. She’s destined for a
Dragon’s bed, and in Janos’ arms, she can only hope it’s his.

Eternal Flame by Valerie Twombly

Guardians Series, Book One

A woman he cannot have, a man who is only a dream...

When guardian Marcus Dagotto, discovers the gods have gifted him with a mate, he is pissed. He has
no room for love and even less for a human who has no idea he exists.

Cassandra Jensen, has a shattered heart and has given up on men. Only one man can set her body on
fire, but he is a fantasy that haunts her sleep.

Two worlds, one desire. When the two collide, fate will rip them apart and test their resolve. Will
darkness and evil prevail? Or, will love conquer all?

Rules of Darkness

by Tia Fanning

One special gift...Twelve rules to follow...There are some rules that should never be broken.

They tell me that I am special, that my ability to heal is a “gift” that should be treasured and
appreciated. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not gifted…I’m cursed. Nothing in this life is free, not even
gifts. There is always a price to be paid somewhere, somehow.

My healing gift came with twelve Rules of Darkness, rules that I must follow at all times, until the day
I die. The rules are ingrained in who I am. They dictate how I live my life when I am awake, and they
haunt me when I’m asleep. Don’t look into a graveyard, Katia. Don’t touch the dead, Katia. Never
seek out the lost, Katia…It’s enough to drive a person mad.

And perhaps that’s where I find myself now. A victim of a disease I can cure in others, but not in
myself. It’s madness to break the rules, and yet, I don’t care anymore. I’m tired of living my life this
way. I’m tired of the rules. I won’t do it anymore, and if that means I suffer the consequences, then so
be it.

www.resplendencepublishing.com

Document Outline

Table of Contents
Saving the Beast
Book Description
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
About the Author
Dear Readers,
Also Available from Resplendence Publishing
www.resplendencepublishing.com

Wyszukiwarka

Podobne podstrony:
Awakening Pride 7 Unleashing the Beast Lacey Thorn
Awakening Pride 1 Waking the Beast Lacey Thorn
Awakening Pride 2 Tempting the Tiger Lacey Thorn
Awakening Pride 3 Freeing the Feline Lacey Thorn
Awakening Pride 5 A Jaguar s Touch Lacey Thorn
Iron Maiden The Number Of The Beast
Dummy for saving the STEP form
Beauty and the Beast
Pride and Prejudice The Theme of Pride in the Novel
Fritz Leiber The Number of the Beast
1002 Beauty and the Beast (v2)
David Icke The New Mark Of The Beast Part 5
The Number of the Beast Fritz Leiber
David Icke The New Mark Of The Beast Part 3
H P Lovecraft The Beast In The Cave
Robert A Heinlein The Number of the Beast
Jax Garren TotU 1 How Beauty Met the Beast
Zane Grey The Day Of The Beast
Philip Jose Farmer The Image Of The Beast

więcej podobnych podstron

Awakening Pride 4 Saving the Beast Lacey Thorn

Document Outline