Shifting from foot to foot, Camellia Clarkson tried to ease the tension that settled into her shoulders. There was a scent in the air, unlike anything she smelled before. Honeyed and woodsy, mixing together to create an undeniable smell. She wanted to find it. Unable to place its source, the unease increased as the aroma heated her blood and set her lioness on edge. She was supposed to be there as a teacher, giving the daily lesson to the Deputy’s ward, Zoe, and she couldn’t keep her mind from wondering away from the task at hand.

“I’ve finished.” Zoe dropped her pen and slid the paper across the kitchen table.

“Very well.” She slid the paper inside her folder and pulled out the worksheets she had stapled together earlier. “I’ll look it over tonight. In the meantime, I want you to complete these worksheets and have them ready to turn in tomorrow when I arrive.” She pushed back from the table and rose, grabbing her sweater from the back of the chair as she did.

Zoe scrunched her nose in disgust. “This stuff is too easy.”

“The package you just finished will allow me to see where you stand on all your subjects. Once I know what concepts you already know, we can go from there. From what I can see so far, you are beyond what the ninth graders are doing now. I just need to know how far beyond you are. Everyone has subjects they are better at, I expect you are more advanced in some than others. Once I’ve gone over the worksheets, I’ll have a better understanding and will bring you your schoolbooks.” The front door opened, but from where she was standing she couldn’t see whether it was Sin returning or someone else. “In the meantime do those new sheets. The further you get in the package, the more advanced they are. Look through and skip over what’s too easy. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself.”

“Yes, Miss Camellia.”

Two men strolled into the kitchen, stealing her attention. Their tight shirts contoured to their toned stomachs, while faded jeans and work boots completed the picture. Her gaze traveled over each of them, and her breath caught. Just standing a few feet away they made her legs weak. Both were roughly the same height and build, and for a moment, she thought they might be brothers. But when she looked up at their faces that idea was blown out of the water. They looked nothing alike. Where one had his hair cut short, almost military-style, the other’s was long and shaggy, coming to just below his ear. The one with the longer hair had more pronounced cheekbones, his brown gaze seemed to devour her. Her gaze left him and traveled over to the one with shorter hair. His eyes where harder, his body a little wider and more muscular, overall he appeared the more dangerous of the two.

He smiled at her, and there was a twinkle in his eyes. “We didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It’s okay Kaden,” Zoe said. “This is my teacher, Miss Camellia Clarkson.”

Kaden. Her lioness purred at the way his name rolled off her tongue. With the hopes of pushing her lioness aside, she took a deep breath, but that only brought her animal closer to the surface, growling as it leapt forward. Oh shit!

She grabbed her bag from the chair, scooping up her folder as she did so. “I’ve got to go. Do your work, Zoe. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Needing to get away, she practically ran from the kitchen, slipping past the two men and out the door before anyone could stop her.

Outside, she jogged toward her house, ignoring the comments from those who were out in the common area. Bears…new bears. Fear sped her heartbeat until she thought it would beat right out of her chest. This can’t be happening.

Inside, she slammed the door and quickly clicked the lock home. It was rare for anyone in Crimson Hollow to lock their doors, but she couldn’t help it. She needed the idea of a barricade between her and the unknown bears. What were they doing here? Were they here for her? From the look in their eyes, they didn’t seem to recognize her. Their look reflected desire, not hatred.

Maybe they desired to bathe in her blood. Turning, she let her stuff fall to the ground and let her body slide down the wall. “Damn it, Camellia. You need to get hold of yourself.”

Her living room faded from view, and she was back in Boston. The stench of the alley filled her nostrils and her lioness trotted forward, warning her something was wrong. She scanned the alley, looking for whatever had her beast on edge. Not seeing anything, she forced herself to take a deep breath and smell beyond the rotting food in the trash and the piss from the homeless who used this alley as a bathroom. She had almost convinced herself she was overreacting when the scent hit her full force. A bear shifter on the other side of the…

He peaked around the boxes, his gaze landing directly on her, and blood oozed from between his lips as he chewed whatever he had in his mouth. Fuck! She backed away slowly, her heels clicking on the cement, but it was too late. He’d already seen her. With the heels and the slick cement from the earlier rainfall she’d never reach the door or the street before he was on top of her. She’d have to make a stand and hope to scare him off.

Scurrying backwards, she reached into her purse, trying to feel for the hidden compartment for her gun. A shifter with a gun—that was irony. Her lioness was deadlier, but the risk of exposure was too great this close to work, and if her boss found out, she’d be out of a job. If only she had gone out the front door of her office building instead of using the back staircase. She had wanted to get home quicker and this cut five minutes off her walk to her apartment, but the cost might have been her death.

“Come here, bitch.” He had shifted back to human form while she was searching for her gun. He glided toward her like he had something on his mind besides murder, not the least bit concerned that he was naked.

Her fingers wrapped around the gun, and she tugged it out of the pocket, ready to shoot. “I’m armed. Stay away!”

“Stupid bitch, your bullets won’t hurt me.” He pounced on her, pushing her to the ground, with him landing on top of her.

She pulled the trigger…

A fist pounded against her door, and the memory faded like the end of a movie, leaving her raw. She wiped a hand down her pants and forced herself off the floor. She debated pretending that she wasn’t home. Maybe they’d go away.

It was the bears, she could smell them. The sweet honey and woodsy scents that she’d smelled earlier teased in the air—both tempting and terrifying.

“We know you’re there.” A deep voice called from the other side of the door. Kaden. “Just open up.”

“I’m busy.” She couldn’t breathe. Her heart pounded against her chest until it ached.

“We’re staying here until you open this door,” a second voice called. It had to be the other big bear.

“What the hell is going on?” Jase’s voice came from outside, mixed with the bears.

“Stay out of this,” one of them growled.

“You’re a guest here,” Jase said, his voice deepening in warning. “This is my tribe and my business.”

Shit. She tugged open the door to find Jase and the two bears faced off. “It’s…” She took a deep breath and forced the words out. “It’s fine, Jase.”

“What the hell are they doing pounding on your door?” he asked without looking away from the other two men.

“Jase—” Her words were cut off as the bear whose name she didn’t know advanced on Jase and growled.

“She’s our mate.”

Oh, hell, no! Darkness closed in around her, and she felt herself falling with no way to stop herself.