After MacRyrie came Van Holtz and Blayne’s father. The older wolf carried a mechanic’s tool bag in one hand and a .380 in the other.

Wanting to make sure Blayne’s father remained safe, Bo headed toward the males but he saw the full-humans running out of the corner of his eye. He turned, lowering his head and ready to charge them. But Blayne came tearing out of the open barn, running right toward a nearby tree that stood tall and ancient in front of the men. When she was inches from it, she sprang up, one foot hitting the tree, and catapulting her into the center of the small group of full-human males. Once there, Blayne went to work, using blades to slice and dice every man there before they could get a shot off.

Bo glanced over at MacRyrie and Van Holtz. Their mouths open, they watched Blayne while Blayne’s father wandered off.

Bo followed after him, figuring he could use some protection. By the time he tracked the wolf down, he found him crouched by a small well. As Bo eased up behind him, Mr. Thorpe glanced at him over his shoulder. He snorted, shook his head. “I bet she loves those fangs. Trust me, at some point, if she hasn’t already, she’s gonna ask to hang from them.”

Blayne could hang from any part of Bo that she wanted to. He didn’t care.

“Although I’m guessing you won’t care, right?” The wolf stood, picked up his tool bag and had his gun tucked into the back of his jeans.

“Come on,” he said, walking off. “Couple more spots.”

With a shrug, Bo followed after the wolf, batting or ripping apart any full-humans who came near them.

It was a nice bonding moment between him and his future father-in-law.

Blayne cleaned blood off the blades before tucking them into the tops of her boots. By the time she stood, she had Lock and Ric standing in front of her . . . gaping.

“What?”

Ric pointed at the full-humans at her feet. “You . . . you killed them all.”

“I had to.”

“But you did it with some . . . uh . . . skill.”

“Uh-huh.”

Ric looked like he wanted to say more, but she saw her father waving at her. “We better move out. Daddy’s going to blow the place.”

“Wait . . . what?” Lock snapped out of his gawking. “He can’t blow Ursus County.”

She laughed. “Don’t be silly.” Blayne brought her fingers to her mouth and whistled, all the bears still entertaining themselves with the full-human remains focusing on her. “Get everyone out, Grigori!”

The polar nodded and went up on his hind legs, roaring a signal that had the bears scattering off the property. Blayne ran toward the chopper. Dee-Ann and the rest of her team, plus the hybrid sow long gone. She reached the chopper and a big hand reached out for her. She grabbed it and Bo pulled herinside. Ric and Lock came in after and her father signaled to the pilot to go.

The chopper lifted off, and Blayne leaned over Ric to see. Once they were clear, she saw a very small explosion, sand from the beach bursting up in a small ball. Then the ground shook and everything in that quarter-mile radius jerked hard once and crumbled in on itself, disappearing into the ocean.

She grinned at her father. “You still got it, Daddy.”

He shrugged. “Some skills you don’t lose.”

Blayne sat back and let out a breath.

“What a day, huh?” she said to them all, and Bo laughed.

CHAPTER 29

Gwen paced impatiently in front of the check-in desk at the private airport. The She-leopard watched her close until Gwen finally said, “Keep staring at me, I’ll tear your eyes out.”

The females hissed at each other until Gwen heard the doors leading to the tarmac open. She charged over, trying to see through the large males blocking her view.

“Blayne!”

The two females ran at each other, bodies colliding, arms wrapping around each other as they squealed and hugged.

Seeing Blayne, knowing she was safe, meant more to Gwen than anything else. It was hard in this vicious, cruel world to find someone you not only could trust as you could your own blood but who you actually liked to be around—unlike your own blood.

“Are you okay?” Gwen asked, pulling back so she could see Blayne’s face. She wiped Blayne’s tears with her thumbs.

“I’m fine. I’m great!”

Of course she was. She was Blayne.

“Don’t cry, Gwenie.” She didn’t realize she had been. “I’m really okay.”

“You better be. Or I’m going to hurt people.”

Blayne threw her arm over Gwen’s shoulder. “It won’t be necessary. Everything is okay.”

“If you say so. I’m just glad you’re . . . you’re . . .” Gwen studied her friend for a moment.

“What?”

Instead of answering, Gwen buried her nose against Blayne’s neck and sniffed. The scent of bear and cat hit strong and her back snapped straight, her gaze on a suddenly silent wolfdog.

Gwen looked over at the three males standing behind them. Lock looked resigned, Ric concerned, and Novikov amused.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked her friend.

“Not really.”

“Blayne.”

Both women jumped, her father’s booming military voice always managing to make them feel guilty when they had no reason to feel guilty. Usually.

“I’m heading home,” he said, marching around them. “I’ll expect you on Sunday. As planned.”