The school bell rang.

Catherine Phillips stood at the parking lot exit, waving through the juniors and seniors as they left for the day. Most of them waved back, happy and cheerful, the cars piled full of passengers. It was Friday, two weeks before graduation, and though finals were rapidly approaching, the kids had plenty to be excited about. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and Catherine grinned back at them.

“We still on for tonight?” Meredith Page sauntered up with her hands in her pockets and her sequined backpack glittering in the June sun. She was a senior at the only school in town, where Catherine had worked as a substitute teacher for the last three years.

“Absolutely. I just need to see everyone off the lot, then walk the campus.” Catherine squinted, her protégé’s backpack blinding. “I expected you to get rid of that thing years ago.”

“Why? It’s completely fabulous.” Meredith spun with a saucy grin, her mahogany hair flaring. “Plus, my favorite big sister gave it to me. Why would I get rid of it?”

“Favorite, huh?” Catherine waved a faded blue Chevy through the gate. “I thought I was your only big sister?”

“You are. That doesn’t mean you’re not my favorite.” Meredith hooked her thumbs through the straps that skimmed her sides. “So, you’ll pick me up?”

“You got it. See you at seven.” Their standing Friday night dinner date had been a thing since Meredith was six years old and new to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Catherine kept expecting Meredith to cancel, or arrange a different time. How many teenagers wanted to hang out with a boring adult on a Friday night? But the girl was insistent, and so every Friday saw them dining together. Sometimes it was at Meredith’s house, sometimes at Catherine’s, and every few months they ate out. Meredith’s grandparents even joined them once in a while.

A few minutes later, the lot was clear. Catherine strolled the school grounds, looking for anything amiss—graffiti, broken lockers, loiterers. All was well, so she was on her way back to the office to gather her things when a strange scent caught her attention.

She forced herself to keep walking, though her heart kicked wildly against her ribs. There were two shifters in Windham, and this scent belonged to neither. It had a familiar tang, though…something masculine, like a version of…

Eyes widening, she swallowed, wondering if her hunch could be anywhere close to correct.

The scent kept pace with her. She couldn’t see him, not yet. But he was out there, watching.

Catherine blew out a long breath. Should she call someone? Who? And say what? Help, there’s a weird smell at the school? They’d just tell her to investigate and let them know what was going on as soon as possible.

It took only a moment to snag her purse from the employee lounge, and then she was on her way to her car. With luck, the shifter would follow her off school grounds.

With such glorious weather, she had every reason to roll down her window as she slowly left the lot.

The scent followed.

“That’s right,” she murmured, her fingers gripping the wheel tightly. “Come and get me.”

It wasn’t a wolf—she’d immediately ruled that one out. This scent wasn’t canine…it was wilder. Rangier. Touched with the forests outside of Windham. Catherine’s inner lioness stretched and took in the odor. Male, without a doubt. Something about the scent made her itch. Drew her in. And…damn it, turned her on. There was no reason for it, and yet, she found herself wanting to face him for reasons other than sheer curiosity.

She already had a sneaking suspicion about who it was, one that totally blew her mind. But she wouldn’t know for sure until saw him with her own eyes. Could it be possible? She’d thought him dead. He’d been gone for nearly eighteen years. Why come back now?

Leading him to her home wouldn’t be smart. Instead, she turned down a little tree-lined lane, a good mile from where she lived. Windham was a small town, but bordering seven-hundred-thousand acres of national forest. There were plenty of places to get lost.

A small trail led off the end of the path and disappeared into the woods. Catherine stopped her car and opened the moonroof, then reached beneath her seat, pulled the lever, and slid all the way back. Undressing was easier when she had room.

A few minutes later she’d disrobed entirely. She reached her arms through the roof as she began the shift.

* * *

Daniel lurked in the trees on the side of the road, his gaze fixed on the car. He’d spotted the woman as he approached the school…the woman in Meredith’s picture.

A teacher, though apparently important enough in Meredith’s life that she’d merited space in one of her photos. He found himself wondering what subject she taught, and why she was important to his daughter.

It had been a compulsion to follow her. Maybe he’d learn something new. Maybe he’d catch a glimpse of Meredith. Only to verify that she’s okay, he told himself.

He’d approached the school without a plan. Somehow, he had to check on Meredith and ensure she was safe without alerting her, and without upsetting his parents. His mother knew he was alive, but she didn’t know why he stayed away. As far as his parents knew, he was a deadbeat dad. His relationship with his parents had fizzled as the years passed, and now he doubted they’d even talk to him. The only reason his mother sent him pictures was because he sent them money.

So far, this woman was his only outside lead on his daughter.

The car slowed, then stopped. Daniel slowed as well, puzzled. Instead of leading him to a residential area, she’d stopped at a deserted trailhead. He watched as she began to undress.

Shit. Daniel turned his head, at a complete loss. He was in tiger form. Was it pervy to watch her take off her clothes? Probably. He was still partly human, after all. Unsettled, he kept his attention focused anywhere else, studying the leaves above his head, the few clouds in the sky...

The lioness coming up out of the car’s roof.

What?! She was a shifter? Shocked, he stared at the graceful creature before him. With fluid grace, she hopped up onto the roof, her movements easy and relaxed. Daniel stood mesmerized, temporarily forgetting he existed in the physical world as he watched her turn in his direction, leap down from the car, and start walking toward him.

Shit shit shit shit shit!

Daniel scrambled back into the bushes, then turned and ran. A part of him wanted to stand his ground, but the more rational half knew he needed to retreat and reassess. This wasn’t his turf, and until he learned the lay of the land, being overly brazen might only get him killed. How many lions were around? Had she led him into a trap? She didn’t look that large, but if she wasn’t alone, it would be a different story.

Unfortunately, the sound of footsteps behind him told him running was futile—she’d given chase.

Banking left, Daniel zipped off deeper into the woods, taking advantage of a rocky escarpment. He half ran, half slid, making his way to the bottom of the small canyon. The trees were thinner here, and running was easier.

Of course, that made it easier for her, as well. He didn’t dare try and look back, but by the sounds of things, she was gaining on him.

The woman was a shifter? A lioness? What were the odds that his daughter would meet another who suffered from the same affliction as himself, and in his hometown? The implication of that thought came clear, and he stumbled and lost his footing. If Meredith had met a shifter, it could only mean that she was a shifter.

His daughter was cursed, just like him.

A wild yowl lifted behind him, and then came the collision. Like a Mack Truck, she slammed into him, the brunt of her body sending them rolling across the ground.

Meredith was a shifter. She had to be. Why else would this woman have taken an interest in her?

So distracted by this revelation, Daniel allowed himself to be pinned. He lay still, his mind racing.

The lioness nipped his neck, her scent and the heat of her closeness bringing him back to awareness. Suddenly, he was utterly aware of her presence. She turned his mind animalistic, changed his thoughts to something far lustier than their game of cat and mouse. The musky scent of her arousal proved he wasn’t the only one thinking such thoughts. With a quiet growl, she backed off, her eyes bright.

Heart pounding, Daniel watched as her body shuddered, her fur sloughing away and her form reshaping. Within seconds, the auburn beauty he’d seen in the school parking lot had resurfaced. “Shift,” she ordered in a breathless voice. “Now.”

Daniel growled his objection, but saw the sense in it. They needed to talk, and as much as he wanted her here and now, without the lioness present his feline urges were dampened just enough to clear his thoughts. He set his jaw and initiated the change, shedding his tiger skin and standing up as a man.

Her eyes gave him a once-over, then she folded her arms over her breasts and met his gaze. Daniel found his cheeks burning at her dismissive look. She’d been interested enough when they were cats. To look at her now, one would think he had a third eye. But before he could say anything, or even think of what to say, she beat him to it.

“You’re Daniel Page.”

He blinked. “Uh—”

“And you’ve got a hell of a nerve coming back here now,” she continued. “You’ve been gone since Meredith was a baby, and now you think you just can waltz in, two weeks before graduation, and charm your way back into her life?”

“Uh—”

“She thinks you’re dead,” she shot out. “What kind of a father does that to his own child? Do you know what a piece of shit you are? And now you just show up?”

“I—”

“She doesn’t need you, buddy,” the redhead went on, barreling ahead without stopping to let him edge out more than a single word. “She’s doing fine, and all you’re going to do is screw her life up. So, change back, and get out of here.”

“Excuse me,” Daniel said, his brain catching up at last. “She doesn’t need me? I’m her father!”

“And you left. So that makes you nobody.”

Ouch. He glared at the woman who apparently knew everything. “I left to protect her.”

“Oh, okay. Sure. Protect her? From what?”

“From me.” He stepped forward, his voice rising as he closed the distance between them. “And I’m not happy about your association with her. You’re a lioness. It’s not safe for you to be around her.”

“Oh, you’re not happy? Like you have a say in the matter.” She sneered. “You left. You don’t get to choose. Not safe? We’re shifters, not animals. Jesus! You really don’t know how this works, do you?”

“I know I killed her mother, and I know I didn’t want to kill Meredith.” The words slipped out before Daniel could stop them. His carefully kept secret, hidden away for so long, now laid bare before a complete stranger. Daniel closed his eyes, the shame of it overwhelming. Maybe she was right. Maybe he should just leave.

But there was still John Dearborn. Meredith had to know, had to be shielded from him. Fuck, this woman needed to know, too. She was at just as much risk. His boss didn’t know she existed, but he’d find out eventually.

“Listen,” he said. “I did what I thought was best. I left Meredith with my parents because I didn’t trust myself with her. I was new, I barely even understood what I was. Jessica was dead. It was best if Meredith believed I was dead, too.”

The woman had turned to stone, her flint-like eyes locked on him, but some of the judgement had bled away.

“I don’t need to see her,” he continued with a heavy voice. How he wanted to, though. “I know it would just fuck things up. But there’s a situation, and she has to be protected.”

“What situation?”

As quickly as he could, Daniel outlined what had happened to him, starting with his occupation and ending with his escape from the warehouse. The woman’s eyes widened as he spoke, but she stayed calm, absorbing the information seemingly without difficulty.

“And you weren’t followed?” she asked.

He shook his head. “As best as I could tell, I wasn’t. Angela let me out three days ago; I’d have spotted someone in that time.”

She gave a slow nod, then scrubbed her hands over her face. “This is heavy,” she said after a moment.

“Weight has nothing to do with it,” he quipped, feeling the need to bring a little levity to the situation. He doubted she’d get the reference, but…

“Okay, Doc Brown,” she said, then shook her head as the corners of her mouth rose. “Back to the Future.”

He chuckled. “Best trilogy ever.”

“Meredith prefers The Hunger Games.”

He nodded, a lump in his throat. “How is she?”

“She’s good. She’s excited for college. She got accepted into UCLA, and she’s looking forward to what she calls ‘beach weather.’” The woman smiled, her whole face brightening. Daniel couldn't help noticing her eyes—green as sea foam. Not as deep or lustrous as emeralds, but lighter, more carefree, crinkling at the corners.

“I’m glad,” he offered. “Her college tuition should be covered. I’ve been putting money away for years.”

She gave him a curious look. “Really?”

He nodded. “I have a few accounts for her. One for college. One for when she’s twenty-five. One for retirement. She’s more financially set than I am.”

“That’s generous of you.”

He shrugged. “I wanted to take care of her. She’s my daughter.”

She cast her eyes downward, a flash of shame darkening her face.

“Is she a tiger?” The dreaded question. But he had to know.

The woman gave him a wry look. “Are you really that thick?”

“Hey, I don’t know how these things work. I don’t know if we…breed, or whatever, or if we just change each other. I’ve never heard of were-tigers.”

“She’s a shifter,” the woman said, sounding irritated. “The genes are pretty dominant. Human-were pairings aren’t common, but they usually result in shifter offspring. Most of the members of my pride are genetic. I was born a lion. In fact, I think there’s only one mate who asked to be turned.”

“You have a pride?” His interest notched upward. “So there are more lions here in Windham?”

“No, just me. We’re a bit scattered, but we come together when necessary.”

He nodded. Wow. Not only were there other shifters, but there were apparently a lot of them. “So, I don’t know what would be best,” he went on. “You said there’s two more weeks til graduation? You and Meredith are obviously close—”

“I’m her ‘big sister,’” she said. “We hooked up through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program when Meredith was six.”

“I’m sorry, what’s your name?” They’d been talking all this time, naked, no less, and Daniel still didn’t have this vital piece of info.

“Oh, it’s Catherine. Sorry. We sort of got caught up in it and…” she trailed off, then held out her hand. “Catherine Phillips.”

“Daniel Page.” He took her hand and gave it a shake. Her fingers were firm, her grip professional. Nothing limpid about this one. He was beginning to think this woman was a blessing he couldn’t have asked for. “So, maybe a summer in Europe? I can fund the trip, you can take her—my parents could go as well, if they want to—and when you get back, hopefully I’ll have the whole thing straightened out.”

Catherine’s brows knitted. “You’d just send us all to Europe? For the summer? Do you know how expensive something like that is?”

“I’m a hired killer,” he said tonelessly. “Murder doesn’t come cheap.”

She pursed her lips. “I have to get back. I’m meeting Meredith for dinner.”

“You are? Where?” The words were out before he could bite them back. “I mean…”

She paused. “I don’t really—”

“No, of course. I’m sorry. So, you’ll be in touch?”

“Do you have a phone number where I can reach you?”

Sighing, he shook his head.

She gave a soft chuckle. “Okay, then meet me here around midnight?”

“I’ll be here.”

She nodded, then shifted, the lioness reappearing. Eyes gleaming, she padded off in the direction they’d come.