They didn’t see the wolves at all the next day, although Cooper kept searching the horizon and everything behind them. Jada couldn’t relax with his watchfulness, but Francine didn’t have any such problem. She napped or bounced on the seat, talking a mile a minute every second she wasn’t asleep or eating. Which explained why Cooper stopped every couple of hours to purchase more food to toss in the backseat.

He didn’t say anything else about his brother, or whatever he dreamt that made him growl and toss about. She debated waking him when he first started grumbling, but Jada wasn’t quite that brave yet. She tried making leopard noises to settle him down, since it always settled the kits down when the leopards chuffed and huffed to reassure them. Cooper still muttered in his sleep but the degree of panic she sensed in the first few minutes faded away. Between his restlessness and Francine’s preternatural ability to kick Jada in the shins no matter which way she turned, Jada didn’t get much sleep.

The next night wasn’t much better. And it gave Jada plenty of time to think about why her parents hadn’t called to make sure she was okay, or that Cooper hadn’t murdered and eaten her. She didn’t want to be disappointed that none of her family cared what happened to her, but there was that small piece of her that still desperately sought their approval. Some hint of kindness and love, even the smallest shred. Yet there was none.

She didn’t want it to make her sad, but she didn’t feel like talking at breakfast the next morning and used her “Not now, Cooper” line once more. She wondered if it would just be a long, quiet drive back to Oregon—and then a long, quiet life there—if she couldn’t find a way to talk to him. It had only been three days that they knew each other and had been married, but after the promise of their first night together, she’d almost expected everything to snap perfectly into place.

By midafternoon, Jada thought she’d lose her mind if she had to sit still another second. They were somewhere in the Dakotas, or maybe Nebraska, and a late snow covered the ground in every direction. Francine leaned forward on the seat and sighed. “Can we stop for a run? I haven’t played in snow in ages.”

Cooper frowned, scanning the horizon. “Well...”

Francine rested her chin on his shoulder, patting his arm. “Pleeeeeeease, Cooper?”

As they’d all learned in the last three days, he was a sucker for anything Francine wanted. He just couldn’t say no to her face, which Franny found hilarious, since she’d never been spoiled a day in her life and probably heard “no” more than any other word in the dictionary. Jada covered her mouth so neither of them would see her smile, particularly as Cooper made a lot of grumbly bear noises but still pulled off onto a flat stretch next to the road.

Before they could launch out of the truck, Cooper put on his serious face. “I’m still not convinced we’re totally alone out here. So you guys can play in leopard form, and I’ll stay here to man the shotgun. Any hint of trouble—a whiff of wolf—and you get back to the truck lickety-split. Okay?”

Francine nodded and bounced, fingers drumming wildly against his shoulders, and Cooper grumbled as he kicked his door open to let her out. Jada slid out of the truck and used it as cover so she could strip out of her clothes. They hadn’t seen any other cars all day, so it wasn’t like humans would seem them shifting and freak out. Franny giggled in excitement as she flung her borrowed clothes into the truck and dropped into her leopard form before she bounded out into the snow.

Jada tugged off one of her shoes and shouted, “Franny, stay close!” as she hopped and nearly fell bare-ass into the snow. She growled and finally threw the shoe into the car, and felt the bright lightning pain of a shift roll through her.

It had been forever since she’d been allowed to change form, and her paws didn’t quite cooperate as she leapt after Francine. Her legs sorted themselves out by the time she caught up to the younger cat, and rolled her into a drift with a yowl. Franny popped up and shook the snow off her whiskers, teeth flashing, and hurled herself back at Jada.

They growled and play-fought through the snow, slipping and sliding. Jada felt free for the first time in years, and dodged and leapt as high as she could. If only there were a few snowy trees, then she could find a branch to ambush Francine or... Cooper.

Cooper.

She growled happily as she set her sights on the man where he leaned against the truck, the shotgun inside on the seat. A hint of a smile played across his face as he watched them play, but he looked a little too cocky. Jada crouched low and slunk through the snow toward him, and Cooper straightened, the smile transforming into a grin. The leopard wanted to smash that smile right into the snow, and she growled more in anticipation.

Francine flew through the snow behind her and play-charged Cooper, drawing him out and away from the truck. He waded into the snow to catch her tail, and as she rolled and attacked his shins, Jada took the opportunity to charge him for real. Cooper looked up just in time for shock to make his expression comical, then Jada’s paws hit his chest and sent them both tumbling into the snow. He spluttered and laughed, trying to throw them off, but Francine hopped on his chest and licked his whole face.

Jada darted away to run more, thrilling in the feel of the wind in her face and the cold snow under her paws, and bounded into a snow drift just in time to slam into a wolf.

A wolf.

She yowled in surprise and lashed out, racing back to the truck as it snapped at her heels. Jada kicked back and ran faster as she saw more wolves closing in on Cooper and Francine. Cooper slid as he tried to reach the truck, but a wolf sank its teeth into his shin and dragged him back. Francine made frightened leopard kit noises and Jada’s heart broke.

She flew into the mass of wolves, not caring if they managed to nip at her and even drew blood in a few places. Jada fought one off Francine and shoved her toward the truck, then collided with another brute who went for Cooper’s throat. She was done with being afraid. She wouldn’t let the wolves hurt Cooper or Francine, and she sure as hell wouldn’t let them drag her away into a cage again.

She growled and crouched low between Cooper and the wolves, guarding him. She could hold them off, but not forever. Jada hoped he shifted soon, because the bear would be far more effective at keeping the pack away from Francine. Neither one of them would end up in a cage. Jada would never let that happen again, and she’d die to make sure it didn’t.