Tamsin stood on the stairs to the backyard, beckoning her sister with a crook of her finger. “You coming or are you going to wimp out like you always do?” Okay, not the most mature smack talk, but her sister’s actions weren’t on the grown-up level either.

“At least I can follow through when it counts.” Everly trudged out the back door.

“Like when?” challenged Tamsin. Full of hot rage, she no longer cared that everybody watched the show that she and her sister provided. Her life couldn't get any worse anyway. Rock bottom had always threatened to catch up with her. And she was pretty sure she'd just hit it.

Everly took slow steps down the stairs to the backyard. “Like when it comes to the boys in your life. You couldn’t handle them in high school any better than now.”

From their shared history, Tamsin knew all too well that Everly had no problems hooking up with anyone Tamsin showed any interest in. She’d lost track of how many dates and potential boyfriends had been ruined because they ultimately picked her little sister over her.

By her senior year, Tamsin had given up on dating because she couldn't take one more betrayal. She couldn’t leave Shay Island fast enough to get to college where her younger sister wouldn't be.

She’d kept her college boyfriend Tate a secret from the entire family until she thought he was bonded with her. Bringing him home during the winter break had been out of necessity so that he’d have a chance to ask her father for her hand in marriage. Even then, Everly had gone out of her way to hang on his every word, flattering him and playing to his enormous ego. Maybe something had happened then? Tamsin wouldn't have put it past her sister. Only Everly knew right where to stick the knife every single time.

Of course, her now ex-husband wielded the handle of the same weapon of betrayal with just as much expertise. Tamsin could never prove it, but her instincts had told her that if her ex was willing to screw her only friend Misty in the town where they’d lived, then he was willing to mess around with her own sister.

“This is stupid. I’m not answering anything else until you apologize,” demanded Everly.

“For what? For existing? Because you've acted like you’ve hated me all my life. Not once have you been the kind of sister that I always wanted. Not once.” Tamsin’s voice cracked with her crushing emotions.

Everly thrust her nose in the air with haughty contempt. “I don't know what you're talking about, but nothing justifies you ruining my clothes.”

“Seriously, Everly? Your clothes? All you care about is your clothes?” Tamsin grabbed her sister by the wrist and dragged her to the center of the backyard.

Friends and family from inside filed out into the night air and onto the porch to watch the spectacle. Everly turned her head to assess the crowd, and her body shuddered, close to shifting and no doubt losing control like a cornered animal.

Her sister's avoidance confirmed enough for Tamsin. Even though her instincts had tried time and again to prepare her, nothing could stop the pain from ripping her heart to shreds.

Her animal clawed at her insides, demanding to be released. To exact revenge. Because of Everly, she and her animal had to return to Shay Island in defeat, both of them broken. Her sister needed to pay the cost of her actions once and for all. Maybe for the first time in her entire spoiled life.

But before she would give in to her bear, Tamsin wanted the words. She needed Everly to finally own up to her actions.

Rylan stepped to the front of those watching the spectacle. “For fuck’s sake, Evy. Give her what she wants. She deserves that.”

“Stay out of this, Ry,” Everly called out to her brother. “I don't have to say anything.” Despite her determined expression, her voice wavered.

“For once, be straight with me. Please,” pleaded Tamsin. She agreed with her brother. She deserved the truth, but she needed it more. “Did you do anything with Tate?” The question cut open the recent scars, almost breaking her all over again.

Everly checked the crowd again, knowing that all eyes were on her, and did her best to shrug off the pressure with a nonchalant air. “I’m not the one who can't keep her mate happy. Like under the mistletoe, you had a chance, but you blew it. And I picked up your slack.”

Tamsin searched for the other offender and found Sarge staring down at her. The rational part of her knew that he probably hadn’t been a willing participant in that kiss based on the look of abject disgust on his face and her sister’s manipulative personality. Perhaps he’d been the newest dagger Everly chose to hurt her. Still, the image of his lips touching her sister’s wiped out any possible good will Tamsin could extend to him.

She picked up a pine cone and threw it at Everly with enough force to scratch her pretty little face. “Don't avoid me. For once in your life, stop playing games. What you said up there about foundations and decorations. I want to know. Did you do something with my husband?”

“Your ex-husband,” corrected Everly.

A growl ripped out of Tamsin, her bear demanding to be loosed.

Everly crossed her arms, rubbing the icing on her blouse. “Take from it what you want. I don't have to answer for shit.” She shot a middle finger at her sister.

“Why are you such a bitch?” Tamsin roared, her bear too close to the surface. She rushed at her sister and grabbed Everly by the collar. Her nails elongated into claws and ripped through the expensive fabric.

Through gritted teeth, she repeated herself one last time. “Did. You. Sleep. With. Tate?”

Everly whimpered in Tamsin’s grip. Her lower lip trembled, and she squeaked out a weak response.“Yes.”

Tamsin’s hand reared back, and she slapped her sister across the face, her claws marking a bloody path. She pushed the betrayer away and gave in to the change. Energy in the air shimmered around her, and with a mighty grunt and bone-crunching pain, she shifted into her bear. Shaking out her fur and pawing the ground, she circled her sister. Waiting. Daring.

All eyes rested on Everly, who looked between the crowd and the bear. Tamsin’s little sister had never liked shifting. She did it only to keep her animal in check, so they had never fought as their bears growing up, unlike the Berenger brothers. But this time, Tamsin wanted to fight on common ground. Animal against animal.

Everly held up her hands in surrender. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something. Tamsin watched through her bear’s eyes, studying her sister’s expression. Maybe a hint of regret lay behind her sister’s façade of bravado.

A rogue tear ran down Everly’s cheek. With a catch in her throat, she shook her head. Turning in the opposite direction, she ran away.

Tamsin’s bear thundered in outrage. She didn’t care about regret and late apologies. She wanted violent consequences. An unwelcome movement to her left caught her attention, and she bellowed a challenge to whoever approached.

Sarge walked into the middle of the backyard, bold and unafraid. Without a word, he stripped off his sweater and shucked off his shoes.

“What are you doing?” Griff yelled down at him.

“Fixing things,” Sarge replied, never once taking his eyes off of Tamsin.

Tamsin and her bear needed to fight, and he'd make an excellent target for the rage boiling inside her. No doubt he could take the blows based on his size.

Once completely undressed, Sarge gave into his own animal with a groan and crunch of bone. A gigantic brown grizzly bear roared back at Tamsin, its enormous size towering over her. She no longer maintained the upper hand. Power and strength radiated off of Sarge, and she did her best not to cower in front of him in submission.

The anger fueling her rage turned into despair. If she gave into her bear and attacked Sarge, she’d lose. If she changed back, the sadness that festered inside might eat her alive. Either choice might kill her. But maybe that would be the better outcome?

She froze in place, unable to choose. Sarge’s bear approached her with slow deliberation. He circled her, establishing his position of Alpha. Her golden eyes tracked his movements, anticipating the worst from such a dominant animal. He raised his paw in the air, and she prepared to bleed.

Her bear chuffed in surprise when he swatted her on her rump. She jumped back in an instinctual attempt to gain space to defend herself. Moving fast, Sarge’s bear circled back around and swatted her again.

Before her animal could decide what to do, Sarge charged past her, brushing against her fur, and headed toward the edge of the woods. He stopped and glanced back at her, daring her to follow.

Tamsin’s bear craned its neck to see if anyone judged her from above. Only Maya Berenger remained on the porch, watching. The matriarch nodded at her in encouragement.

Enough curiosity filled Tamsin that she erected a temporary dam around the despair in her heart, and ran off in Sarge’s direction. She slowed as she approached him, testing to see what he would do. When he didn’t roar in contest but grunted at her with interest, she raised her paw and whacked him on his ass.

Using her smaller stature to her advantage, she maneuvered away from any possible retaliation and darted deeper into the woods.