Werewolves did not exist. It was as simple as that.

Dr. Anna MacGregor ran faster than she ever had before. She had to escape the nightmare creatures pursuing her through the dense Colorado woods.

Every werewolf had a destined mate somewhere…

Werewolf Jason Taniss knew the rogue wolves wouldn’t stop until they caught the vulnerable human woman. He knew what the wolves would do to her if they got their paws on her, too. As an employee of his family’s corporation, this plain little human female was his responsibility to protect.

Once he caught her scent, Jason understood. There wasn’t anything he would not do to protect the mate destined for him…

The car smelled like woman, but it wasn't his daughter's scent that clung to the upholstery. This woman's scent was much more recent. And one he'd been introduced to just the day before. Jason Taniss held the woman's jacket to his face and inhaled. Lab chemicals and gardenias were dominant; it made sense, the woman worked with his daughter in the lab at Taniss Industries.

He'd met her when he'd toured the new facility being built in Dardanos, CO. Annabelle something-or-other. He tried, but couldn't bring her features to mind. Just long, non-descript brown hair, thick glasses, and a bulky lab coat.

He'd been introduced, she'd blinked up at him, then looked away. She’d dismissed him and he'd dismissed her just as quickly. He'd been there to check on his eldest daughter Josey and the Dardaptoan bloodsucker who claimed to be her mate. The Dardaptoans—inspiration for the vampire legends—owned and ran Dardanos, and since they'd recently converted both his daughters, he'd be overseeing the new Taniss Industries building.

He pulled his cell free and dialed the blood-sucker. It took less than two minutes to have him shifting into wolf form and loping toward the woods after the scientist's scent. He just prayed he'd find her in time.

* * *

Her trail grew stronger half a mile into the dense woods, now joined with the metallic tang of fear and adrenaline. And something else that drew him, but that he couldn't identify. His paws pounded over the rocks and weeds, his muzzle lifted to the wind. She was close—but now there were several other scents on the night air.

His Kind, not hers.

The Dardaptoan bloodsucker had told him of the rogue Lupoiux wolves roaming these woods. They were from the same pack that had attacked his daughter and niece two months ago.

They would not hurt another female on his watch. Especially one that his family was ultimately responsible for in this place.

A short feminine scream echoed through the night. Jason veered left, urgency and rage filling him. They would not touch her. Not while he lived.

* * *

Dr. Annabelle Macgregor ran, faster than she had ever run in her life. Branches tore at the bare skin of her arms, ripped her hair free of the plastic clip that held it.

They were so close she could almost feel their breath on her as she fled them. Whatever they were.

She scrambled over a large log, and then screamed as one of the creatures caught the back of her blouse in its mouth.

She fell to the forest floor. It pinned her down even though she fought. Teeth sank into her upper right arm and clamped down. Tore. Anna screamed once more.

* * *

Jason leapt at the red Lupoiux wolf, knocking the smaller beast away from the woman.

Her scent, stronger now, slammed into him. All at once he understood what had drawn the three rogue males this close to Dardaptoan territory. Understood what had made them chase her like prey.

The little human was in heat. She was their prey and prized, now.

Every instinct Jason possessed went into hyper drive when the first wolf turned on him.

* * *

Anna kept pressure on her bleeding arm as she stared at the beasts. There were four of them. The darker wolf was larger than the other three and stood growling in front of her.

The log behind her and the black wolf in front of her had her trapped. She looked around for something to defend herself with just as one of the smaller animals sprang at the black wolf. She crawled a few yards to the side, but was still trapped.

Her hand landed on a large stick as wide as her wrist just as the dark wolf threw the smaller one into the remaining two. The three smaller wolves slunk off, disappearing into the shadows.

The black wolf turned to her. Anna gripped the stick tighter. If the animal lunged at her, she'd get only one good chance to get away.

He moved closer, then lifted his nose to the air. He stopped, stared at her as intently as she stared at him. And there was no doubt in her mind that this creature was male.

He began to contort, growing taller. Anna raised the stick, holding it in front of her chest, her neck. He came closer. Anna swung the branch as hard as she could.

A human hand grabbed it and yanked it from her grasp. Anna blinked, prepared to scream again. His hand covered her mouth and he pulled her close, cutting off her air as he shushed her. Anna closed her eyes, blocking out the sight of the animal teeth coming at her from a human face.