At seven p.m., Cad pulled up in front of Phair’s place on Manley street and sent a text to the Béorn shifter:

He’d borrowed the car from another Pack member two days ago. A black Peugeot that looked posh enough to belong to someone with money to burn, but not ridiculous enough to look like it belonged to someone who was trying to look like he had a huge dick.

He scanned the area, noting that Phair’s flat wasn’t exactly in the sort of neighbourhood where one would expect to pick up a man in a tuxedo. He couldn’t help but let out a snort when the big man jogged out of the less than elegant front door towards the car.

“I know I saw you in your fancy suit last night, but I’d almost forgotten what a tosser you are in it,” he said as Phair thrust his massive frame into the passenger’s seat with some difficulty.

“So are you,” Phair grunted. “But then, it doesn’t take an overpriced bit of polyester to make you look like a right twat.”

“Incorrect. You look like a demented penguin with no neck, and I look like a sophisticated gentleman.”

Phair made a low, growling noise. “My lack of a neck means that I’ll have an easier time throwing you into a brick wall later tonight.”

“Promises, promises. You’re such a sweet talker.”

“And you’re such a pillock.”

Cad chuckled as he pulled the car away from the curb and hit the gas. “What’s our tactic for tonight?” he asked. “Since you’ve demanded that I go hands-free on our lovely Miranda, I’m assuming that you have a plan that doesn’t involve the fine art of seduction.”

“She won’t want to talk,” Phair grunted. “At least not about Barton. He’s got her mouth clamped shut, though I have no idea how or why. So to be honest, I’m not sure what we should do.”

“Maybe we should ask for another…companion for the evening,” Cad said. The words were a test, really. He already knew that he wanted more time with Mir. To see her again, to take in her scent. Truth be told, he wanted to touch her again, too.

The question was, what did Phair want?

“No, not another companion. It needs to be her,” Phair replied abruptly. His voice sounded as tense as a length of wire stretched to its limit. Apparently he didn’t like the idea of seeing anyone but the beautiful Miranda, either, though he seemed to feel a need to conceal the extent of his desire. “I mean, we already know her a little, so it makes sense.”

Something told Cad that the big guy was trying a little too hard to justify another evening spent with Mir. It was clear that he wanted her badly—but for some reason, he wasn’t willing to admit it.

“Uh-huh,” Cad said.

“We need to speak to her again,” Phair continued, “and this time we need to walk away with something—anything. If we don’t, we really can’t justify spending any more time by her side.”

“We’ll do what we can,” Cad said. “Perhaps if we’re crafty about it, we can find ways to get her to talk.”

Phair shot him a look of reproach. “You mean like fingers up her dress?”

“Come on, you know perfectly well that she’s as attracted to us as we are to her. I know you didn’t like what I did last night, but if you’d had your fingers where I had mine, you’d at least be able to admit that she was enjoying herself.”

“You’re saying she was aroused.”

“Yes, she was aroused. I know that giant furry monster inside you is fully aware of it, too.” Cad’s mind went back to the feeling of her hips bucking under his touch, her soft moans, the parting of her luscious lips. Fuck, he knew it was the right thing to do, but it was going to be hard to hold himself back from touching her again tonight.

“Of course my déor knew it, and so did I,” Phair said. “I could feel it on the air. I could smell it.”

“So we should use her attraction. Get her to want us, to open up, to trust us. If she thinks we’re serious about helping her…”

“We are serious,” Phair growled.

“I mean serious about her, too. Seriously drawn to her. We want to protect her not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because she’s meant to be…” He turned to watch Phair’s face for a reaction. “…our mate.”

“You’re joking,” Phair said, but something in his voice had lost its aggressive edge. Cad knew now that he’d at least considered the possibility.

“No, I’m not. Look, I know neither of us wants to say it out loud, but we both know what’s happening here. I know you’ve thought about it. I know you feel the same about her, regardless of how you might feel about me.”

Phair ground his jaw, fisting his massive hands. The man was an intimidating presence, even to a Dire Wolf shifter. He looked like he might ram a giant paw through the windscreen if Cad made one single misstep.

“I know you don’t like me,” Cad added. “It doesn’t take a sodding brain surgeon to figure that out. The good—and bad—news is, we don’t have to like each other to both feel drawn to the same woman.”

“Even if, by some miracle, this all worked out, even if Mir ended up being our ally, our lover, this animosity between you and me would complicate things,” said Phair. “You have to admit that, at least. It would make our lives more than a little difficult. You and I would be tied together, potentially forever. You don’t see a problem with that?”

Cad frowned. “I see the problem,” he said, “more clearly than you know.” All of a sudden he signalled right and pulled the car into a shallow driveway.

“What are you doing?” Phair asked.

Cad shut the engine down and turned towards his companion. “Getting to know you,” he said.

“Pissing me off isn’t a great way to do it.”

“No. You seem to have an aversion to being pissed off, in fact. Why is that again?” Cad narrowed his eyes at the Béorn shifter and took in a deep breath through his nose. He could smell Phair’s déor on the air now. The mighty beast inside him—the one that no one ever saw in the flesh—was close at hand. “Tell me something, why are you so afraid of getting overly pissed off?”

“I’m not afraid of anything.” Phair turned away and stared out the window. Cad could see the veins throbbing in his neck. There was a pretty good chance that he’d shift, which would also mean Brigg’s Peugeot getting torn to pieces. But he was willing to risk it.

“You’ll laugh at me,” Phair said quietly.

“I promise I won’t. If I do, may you sit on me and squeeze all the life out of me.”

“Fuck it, that’s it. I’m not talking to you,” Phair growled.

“Oh, for crap’s sake, man. I’m just taking the piss,” laughed Cad. He raised a hand slowly and put it on Phair’s shoulder. “Look, mate, we’re on the same side. You can talk to me.”

Phair moved his head just enough so that he stared straight ahead. His veins still pulsed hard under layers of hot flesh. “When I get angry, something happens to me. Before the shift, I mean.”

“Tell me.” Cad’s voice was dead serious now.

“The first time it happened, after the procedure, I was in a grocery store. The man in line in front of me was talking to the cashier as though she was an idiot. Abusing her verbally. I felt the rage well up inside me…” He turned to look at Cad. “And I sort of…I got…bigger.”

“You mean you shifted?”

Phair shook his head. “No. I just…I got bigger. Like…”

“Oh, crikey. Like the Incredible Fucking Hulk,” Cad replied, digging his fingers into his palms to try to keep himself from letting out a guffaw.

“Yep. My clothes got tighter. I even managed to rip my shirt a little.”

Phair turned to stare into Cad’s eyes, ostensibly to see if he was judging him or laughing at him.

“I’m…wow, I’m sorry, mate,” Cad said. Don’t laugh. Do not laugh, whatever you do. He’ll kill you.

“It’s fine. It’s my lot in life. The good news, I suppose, is that when it happens I get stronger, too. Like, ridiculously strong.” Phair sighed. “Still, I hate it. I feel so out of control sometimes, like it’s my déor who controls me and not the other way around.”

“Well,” Cad replied, barely managing to keep a straight face, “if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”

“Thanks,” grunted the Béorn shifter.

“Also, I know a great place to buy stretchy Hulk pants.” With that, unable to control himself anymore, he burst into gales of laughter.

Phair would probably kill him right here and now, but it was worth it.

A low, menacing growl rose up from Phair’s throat and he lifted his fist, drawing it back. Cad braced for the blow that he was sure would come, the blow that would no doubt end his life.

But it never came.

Instead, a miracle happened.

A low, thundering chuckle began to resonate through Phair’s chest. Then another, and another, until the big man started laughing hysterically.

Which made Cad laugh all the harder.

Soon, both men were doubled over, the car shaking so hard that it seemed like it might fall apart around them. After a few minutes, both of them were wiping tears away from their eyes.

“Do you turn green?” Cad asked, letting out another chuckle.

“Fuck, no. But you should see my bear. He’s an ugly bastard,” Phair giggled. “Not exactly Paddington.”

Cad erupted in another set of choking guffaws before leaning back and wiping his cheeks.

“In all seriousness, mate, I’m here for you.” He swung his head to the left to fix Phair with an earnest look. “Listen, I don’t know what’s going to happen with Mir. We both want her. But we’re not allowed to have her. It’s a classic Romeo and Juliet—and Romeo—scenario. All I can tell you is that I’m on your side.”

“I know,” Phair said. “I know.”