Izek’s eyes flew open. The house was either too quiet, or the fact that he was not in his own bed woke him up. Stacia lay snug in his arms after spending hours completing their mating bond. His bear was completely satisfied, and was oddly quiet. Izek had become accustomed to his bear making demands constantly, but now that he was officially mated to Stacia, his bear was content. His bear felt whole.

He gathered Stacia closer to him and placed a kiss to her forehead. He loved the smell of her fresh from their shower they had taken when he brought them back to the master bedroom. Little did Stacia know, this guest home was actually the tribe’s honeymoon home. When young couples were first married, they were sent here to consummate their marriage and get to know each other better if their union was arranged.

The chief was aware that Izek had planned to claim Stacia. He understood the way of the shifters, and offered the home to them as a gift.

Izek slowly shifted from underneath Stacia, amidst her sleep-induced protest, and walked naked over to the window to look out into the night. It was the wee hours of the morning, and the sun would be rising soon. Nothing in particular caught his attention, but he could not shake the feeling they were being watched. He wanted to go outside and walk around, but his bear didn’t want to leave Stacia alone, unprotected.

His bear was in his protective mode right now, and demanded that Izek check out the entire house. He nodded to himself, knowing that his bear would not rest until Izek ensured that Stacia was safe. He grabbed his weapon, a Sig Sauer off the nightstand, which fit quite comfortably in his hand. Flipping off the safety, he left the room and silently made his way through the house.

Even with his size and bulk, he could move soundlessly to sneak up on the enemy. The house was quiet, but something was causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. A slight clicking noise drew his attention to the front door.

Someone was picking the fucking lock.

His bear paced inside of him, wanting to break free. He was a newly mated bear and would go to extreme measures to ensure that their mate remained safe. It was ready to tear whoever it was limb from limb.

Click.

They would not enter this home where his mate lay sleeping and safe. Izek strode over to the door and swung it open with a force that knocked the human onto the porch.

“That’s him!” A familiar voice shouted. It was one of the men from the cabin. Only this time, he had more men with him. He had brought a small army. “Kill him. We’ll get the girl.”

A haze overcame Izek at the thought of them taking Stacia from him. His bear slammed into his chest wall, demanding to be set free. He grabbed the human that was on the floor trying to scramble away from him by the neck, and threw him off the small porch.

He aimed his Sig at the men and pulled the trigger. The men scrambled, trying to take cover behind their vehicles, and returned fire in his direction. He hit a few of the men directly in their chests, but his bear wasn’t satisfied. The house was meant for couples to have privacy, so there weren’t any neighbors. It was built off-road, in a secluded area with the woods providing that much needed privacy, but now it was about to become a war zone.

His bear was enraged.

He wanted blood.

He let loose a roar and ran down the stairs, giving into his bear. It burst forth to the sounds of shouting and screams filling the air as more figures descended on the front yard of the cabin.

The Blackfeet warriors had arrived.

Chief Wapti’s men engaged into the small battle, fighting the goons that dared try to come take Stacia from him. His bear went on attack, slashing men with his thick claws.

“Izek, behind you!” Stacia’s scream caused him to turn and catch a man in midair with a large dagger in his hand. They tumbled to the ground with Izek landing on top. Izek sunk his fangs into the man’s shoulder with a deep growl. Blood filled his mouth as he latched on, shredding the goon’s shoulder. The man’s tortured screams filled the air as he tried to get a way. Izek released him from his fangs and dragged the man back as he tried to crawl away.

Kill him. The words echoed in Izek’s mind, which increased the rage of his bear as he pounded on the man with his massive paws. A single shot rang out, capturing Izek’s attention. He glanced up and immediately forgot the dying man beneath him.

Stacia stood on the porch, covered in a white robe, but that wasn’t what grabbed his attention. A dark area on the robe appeared and was spreading fast. She stumbled, trying to right herself before she fell down the stairs, headfirst.

He roared and took off towards the house in a dead panic as he watched her tumble. She didn’t move as she lay at the base of the stairs. He didn’t care about the fight going on as he made it to her side. He instantly pulled back on his bear, needing the human side of him to be present. His bear gave in immediately, allowing the change. They needed to see to their mate.