That damn woman was nuts if she thought he’d let her traipse through Grayslake tagging his family. When the headquarters said they were sending someone down for a few weeks to track migration, Finn didn’t think they meant someone with a sniper’s site. Of course she wasn’t going to terminate anyone herself, but to declare an open season because of excess population would be a disaster for his clan. To top off the problem, she was a shifter herself. He could smell her, and he’d be damned if that scent hadn’t weaved its way through him like a virus.

He rode around town for fifteen minutes before he headed out to his leaders house. The clan was in danger and it was Finn’s job to warn his Itan.

When he pulled in front of the clan den, he sat in his truck for a few minutes and stared at the palatial white house. The front door opened and his Itan, Ty Abrams walked outside. Finn took a deep breath. He didn’t like coming to the Itan with bad news and this was worse than bad because in the time it took to get here, he realized that Ranger Mackenzie Smith was more than a small problem. If his senses were correct, she might be the mate he’d been searching for, but that was information he’d keep to himself.

“What brings you here, Finn?” The Itan walked down the steps and stood in front of him. He was the alpha and his very presence made Finn’s chest fill with pride to be represented by such a strong and admirable bear. His Itan was fair in all things, but he was extremely protective of his clan and his family.

“We’ve got a small problem.”

Ty raised his eyes. “What kind of problem? Don’t tell me those damn hyenas are back.” It was funny to hear him talk of the group he made vacate the area years ago when his sister-in-law Trista was half hyena herself.

“Nope, it’s worse.”

Ty scrubbed his hair with his hands. “Worse than hyenas?”

Finn was an asset to the clan as he and his brother Brix were both Rangers and manned the station outside the Grayslake area. That meant they had an ear to the ground on anything wildlife-related.

“The Forest Service sent a ranger out on temporary assignment to track the wildlife.”

“So, that happens from time to time. Remember that one guy that got lost on clan lands and Van chased him back to the edge of the forest?”

Finn tried to suppress the smile, but he was standing there when the guy ran in front of him. The poor bastard had pissed his pants and was crying when he raced into the station. Van had shifted and stood on his hind legs and growled loud enough for the world to hear.

“That was quite a day. I think that man left the service and is now an accountant in the city.”

“Just keep him off our lands.”

Keeping her off the lands would be easy, but keeping the clan on the land was another story. They wandered the outlying forest like nomads. “He is a she, and she’s been sent here to tag the bears for study and termination.”

There was nothing more frightening than to see an Itan lose his temper. Ty was an imposing man on his own, but he seemed to grow a foot when his hackles rose. “There is no damn way my clan is being targeted or tagged. You make sure she stays away.”

“I will.” Finn had no idea how he would keep her occupied. A couple of inappropriate thoughts came to mind, but with the way he left things at the diner, he couldn’t possibly consider foreplay. “There’s one more thing.”

Ty’s growl brought his wife rushing out of the house. “What’s going on out here?”

Ty took a deep breath and let his frame relax. “Nothing, I’ll be right in.”

“Don’t you lie to me, Ty Abrams. I know a serious growl when I hear one.”

Finn leaned in and whispered. “Damn, she even has your growls catalogued.”

Ty held out his hand and Finn groaned. “Wait for it.”

“Finn Marks, you owe the swear jar.” She turned around and walked back into the house.

He pulled his wallet from his pocket and shoved a five-dollar bill into Ty’s palm. “I swear your kids are going to be able to go to any college they choose.”

“We got our kids covered from the last picnic. Now we’re setting up a fund for the rest of the clan.” Ty shoved the bill into his front pocket. “What’s the other thing I need to know?”

“She’s a shifter.” He held his breath and waited for wind from the next growl to move his hair but it didn’t come.

“Then she has twelve hours to register with me.”

“Here’s the thing. I can’t know for certain, but I don’t think she knows. I got pretty aggressive with her, and she didn’t spring one hair or pop one claw, but I can smell it on her.”

Ty’s eyes widened. “You smelled her?”

“It’s not like I stuck my snout to her bottom and took a whiff, I merely inhaled deeply as I passed, and she’s definitely bear. Not full-bred. She’s a mix. Not from here. Maybe up north.”

“Find out.” Ty turned to walk away.

“I need more than twelve hours.” Finn called after him.

Ty stopped and looked over his shoulder. “You’ve got forty-eight, and if she tags one of my clan and in particular one of my kids, I’ll kill her.”

Something inside him reared up and itched to claw its way out. He suppressed the growl of rage at the Itan’s declaration. There was no way he would allow him to kill her. Mackenzie Smith was his to deal with, and he had forty-eight hours to prove he could.