“Um…”

“No. It’s okay,” Meg insisted. “Since you don’t shift, you can pull it off. Just dye your hair, tell him those spots down your back are faded tattoos you got while you were drunk as a teen. Contacts can be worn for days at a time. You can take them out while he’s not with you. Does he live near pride lands? Are you close to us because Darbin can order our people to never mention it if they see you. Just be real careful.”

“He’s not human.” Charma hesitated.

“Oh my god. You ran off with a pride male? I don’t remember a Harris as one of Percy’s. Is he one of Darbin’s? I haven’t met the ones who live farther out.” Her voice lowered to a murmur. “Are you in our pride? Shit! It’s okay though. Darbin can order them not to mention you’re here. That will probably work out better.”

“Brand isn’t a pride member,” she admitted. “He’s a werewolf.”

“What?” her sister shouted.

Charma winced. “Calm down.”

Her sister lowered her voice to a whisper. “A werewolf? Is that what you said?”

“Yes. We met at college and lived together.” Total silence. “Are you still there, Meg?”

“I am.” Her sister took a ragged breath. “I’m flabbergasted.”

“I know.”

“He doesn’t try to eat you?”

Charma couldn’t help but laugh. “Every chance he gets but in a good way.”

“Oh!” Meg laughed too. “Got it.” She sobered. “Is he good to you?”

“We love each other and he is amazing. I mated him.”

Her sister gasped.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“You’re already mated.”

“Was. Not anymore, not to Garrett. Brand is my true mate.”

“This is a lot to take in.”

“I know. I don’t want you to worry. You can tell the family I’m safe but nothing else.”

“Mom and Dad would flip if they knew any of this. They’d tell Garrett and Percy. You can’t trust them.”

“I know.”

“I’ll keep your secret. You saved our lives. Cole and I suspected you prevented us from being turned into breeders. That was it, wasn’t it?”

There was no reason to lie. “Yeah. Percy is a real bastard. He threatened to kill our parents, along with Adam, and sell us off to other prides.”

“What a fuckhead,” Meg hissed. “I always hated him. He tried to prevent me from mating Cole. He wanted me to stay in his pride instead.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t give you any warning that I was leaving but I didn’t have time.”

“The important thing is you’re safe and I know that.” Megan paused. “I’m going to memorize this number and then delete it. I’ll buy a disposable phone to call you and give you the new number. I don’t want to risk Garrett hunting for you and trying to get hold of my phone to do it. I don’t want to lose contact with you. Promise me that you’ll stay in touch.”

“I promise.”

“A werewolf.” Her sister chuckled. “You always were one to buck tradition. First it was college and now this.”

“He’s amazing, Megan. I wish you could meet him.”

“I plan to see you. Once Cole gets home from his trip, we’ll figure it out.”

Charma’s breath froze in her lungs. “What trip?”

“The prides called a joining and he’s been sent to help fight our enemy.”

“Oh shit. Can you call him?”

“Yes. He always keeps his cell with him.”

“Tell him and the others of your pride to come home right now. Save his life.”

“Why?” Megan sounded alarmed.

“It’s my pack, Megan. My mate’s anyway. That’s who the council plans to attack. The werewolves aren’t plotting to eradicate our kind. A neighboring pride came into their territory and kidnapped a she-cat mated to a werewolf. They had to kill to get her back.”

“Fuck.” Megan panted.

“Yeah. Call your mate but you can’t tell him I’m here or why he can’t allow your pride to fight with the werewolves. Whoever is with him might overhear the conversation.”

“What a nightmare.”

Charma couldn’t agree more.

“I’ll tell him I smelled werewolf in the woods behind our house. His duty to protect us overrides everything else. It will send them rushing back here.”

“You’d lie for me?”

“In a heartbeat. I’ll tell him the truth once he’s home. He’ll understand. Plus, talk about making bad first impressions upon meeting your family-by-mate. A battleground isn’t ideal and no damn way are we going to allow our mates to kill each other. I love you. I’ll call you in a few days or call me if things go bad there.”

“I love you too. Call your mate now.”

“I’m on it.”

Charma replaced Brand’s cell phone where he’d left it and hugged her chest. She should have thought about the fact that Darbin might be asked to send some of his males to fight, probably his own son, but she hadn’t considered much beyond reaching Brand’s pack to warn them so he’d be safe. She knew Megan would talk Cole into coming home with their males. The werewolves would have fewer pride to fight.

She crawled back across the floor to the window, staying low in case any of the pride males were in the woods and had climbed trees to get a look inside the windows. She peeked outside, searching the night with her enhanced vision. She closed the window to mask her scent. It would be stronger while she was in heat.

* * * * *

Brand kept to the shadows, pressed tightly against the trunk of the tree he’d climbed. The pride wouldn’t expect wolves to attack from above. He glanced across the open area to seek out the other members of his pack, hiding in similar locations surrounding the house. The scent of their enemy hadn’t reached them yet but reports had come in that out-of-town cars had parked along the road leading into the woods.

A slight noise drew his attention. He turned his head and saw a dark figure creep out of the basement door. His hands clenched in anger as he watched Braden dart away. His cousin had been ordered to stay inside but he’d obviously disobeyed Anton. He almost called out, to demand he get his ass back inside but reconsidered, not willing to give away his location in case the pride had approached without detection. It was possible.