Xav queried other Shifters as they went about Ben and the cubs—Lindsay said she’d seen a weird guy with both cubs headed for Graham’s. She’d wanted to follow and make sure all was well, but the soldiers had pulled her aside to speak to her. Lindsay looked worried, not her usual laughing self. She put her hand on Xav’s arm as she answered, and what was in her eyes told Misty that maybe she’d reconsidered pushing Xav away.

Misty thanked her and hurried away, pretending not to notice Xav lingering to stay with Lindsay.

As she approached Graham’s house, Misty heard yelling. A woman on Graham’s front walk was loudly telling three soldiers what they could do with themselves as they surrounded her and tried to cuff her.

Misty recognized Jan, the Lupine woman who’d attacked Misty after she’d spent the night with Graham. Jan’s blustering was to cover her fear, Misty realized. Misty remembered that Jan’s Collar hadn’t gone off when she’d gone for Misty—perhaps she was one of the Shifters whose Collars didn’t work right. If the humans discovered Jan wore a Collar that didn’t stop her from violence, what would they do? Fit her with a new one? Cage her? Or worse?

Misty sped her steps to take her into the path of the soldiers and Jan. Jan saw Misty, and fury entered her eyes along with the fear.

“Come to gloat?” Jan demanded.

“Where are you taking her?” Misty asked the soldiers, ignoring Jan.

“To have her Collar tested,” he said. “All Shifters are. Orders.”

“Huh.” Misty put her hands on her hips and gave Jan a disgusted look. “You don’t have to test that one. It’s real, all right.”

“Why do you say that, ma’am?” the soldier asked, trying not to look irritated.

“Because I got into a fight with her the other day,” Misty said. “She’s jealous as hell. Her Collar started crackling before she even got in a punch at me. I smacked her a good one, and she ran off. Believe me, the Collar worked. The sparks got me—they stung.”

Jan kept struggling. “Bitch,” she yelled at Misty.

“See?” Misty said, wrinkling her nose. “She doesn’t like me much. Thinks I stole her Shifter.”

The soldier looked Misty up and down, his gaze lingering on the skin bared by her sleeveless top and shorts. “Why would you go out with one of them?” he asked. “Ma’am.”

“For the sex.” Misty smiled at him. “Try it sometime.”

One of the other soldiers laughed. “She’s not wrong.”

The soldier holding Jan released her and stepped back. “How about we go after some of the more docile ones?” he asked his colleagues. “This is going to take forever as it is.”

As soon as Jan found herself free, she took off, running in her long-legged stride. The first man gave Misty another once-over. “You get tired of Shifters, come and find me. I’m at the Shifter Bureau attached to the air base.”

Misty only smiled at him and walked away. She heard the other soldiers’ voices as they tramped on. “You don’t have a shot with her,” one said, laughing, “especially once she’s been with a Shifter. Tell you what, I’ll take you to this bar called Coolers. There are some hot Shifter women there.”

Misty drew a ragged breath, feeling sick to her stomach, then hurried out of the heat up to the cool shade of Graham’s front porch.

Jan stepped out of the shadows of the porch’s corner. “Why did you do that?”

Misty stifled a shriek and pressed her hand to her chest. “Crap, don’t do that. How’d you get here before I did?”

“I’m Shifter. I ran. Now, why did you help me?”

“So they wouldn’t test your Collar.” Misty leaned to her and lowered her voice. “It doesn’t work right, does it?”

Jan’s nostrils flared. “I’d think you’d want me to be caught. To be locked up, or executed.”

“Why would I? I didn’t like you wanting to beat me up, but sheesh. Killing you? That’s just wrong.”

Jan stared at Misty a moment longer then she inhaled. She let the breath out and looked thoughtful. “You aren’t lying.”

“No. I’m not.” Misty chewed on her lower lip. “Are there other Shifters whose Collars don’t work?”

Jan nodded. “Some. Eric has them safe. I waited too long to go to ground, and they caught me.” She paused, her gray eyes moving as emotions went through her. “Thank you.”

Misty gave her a nod. “You’re welcome.”

Jan dropped her gaze. “Yeah, well. I better go.”

“Yeah, you’d better. Stay safe.”

Jan glanced around at the empty street then drew a breath. “The blessing of the Goddess go with you.” She said it quickly, in one go, then she turned, jumped from the porch, and loped away.

“Wow,” Misty said softly. “That was . . . Hmm.” She pushed open the door and entered Graham’s house.

She paused inside the front door, an ache in her heart. The house felt so empty without Graham in it. He filled every space of it—the house knew Graham’s laughter, his bellowing voice, his swearing, the way he thundered up and down the stairs and banged around in the kitchen. In that kitchen, he’d made love to Misty, rendering her complete for the first time in her life.

Misty walked into the kitchen and stopped. Ben sat at the kitchen table, a bottle of beer in front of him, Kyle and Matt sitting on either side. Both cubs were in human form, dressed in sweats and T-shirts, and shoveling down ice cream. They were even using spoons.

Ben looked up at her and grinned. Kyle said, with his mouth full, “Hi, Aunt Misty.” Matt continued to eat, as though he’d never get enough.

“What . . . ?” Misty came into the room, moving faster with every step until she leaned down and buried the startled Matt in a big hug. “You’re all right.” Tears wet her cheeks.

“He was knocked around and bruised up,” Ben said. “No permanent damage. I took them to Andrea. She did her mojo.”

Misty released Matt, who grinned at her, and collapsed onto an empty kitchen chair. “Andrea’s still here?”

“Her, Sean, and their cub. But safely hidden away. Andrea was glad to help heal the cubs, though she said Matt wasn’t too badly hurt.”