When the movie they were watching that night was over, Sever began to feign a headache as an excuse to go to bed early.

He didn’t want Lori to know what he was doing, because she would probably try to stop him, and he had to get more information on what was going on.

As he stood, stretching, and said he should probably go to bed, he saw her look up with something like disappointment. Why?

She bit her lip, making his cock stir, and he told himself to calm down, that he had other things to do tonight.

He would have his mate for the rest of his life once he claimed her. Right now, he had to make sure she was safe.

There was a gleam in her soft hazel eyes, but she nodded. “Is there anything I can help you with? Medicine?”

He shook his head. Even if he had a real headache, he doubted human medicine could help him. It wasn’t a total lie, though. He did have a headache, whenever he thought about the men who were daring to threaten Lori.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, eager to go upstairs and get started. Lori and Taylor would start getting ready for bed, and hopefully no one would notice he was gone. He would make sure the front and back doors were locked before he headed out, just in case.

He ignored the quiet behind him as he jogged up the stairs to his room. He rustled around, pretending to get things ready, even though he’d already taken what he needed from the tool drawer before.

Flashlight, wrench, and hammer in case he needed to hit something.

He dug in his suitcase and pulled out heavy boots, tying them on. He pulled on a black hoodie and zipped it up over his tee shirt, ensuring he would mostly blend into the dark.

He wished he had access to his dragon form because then he would be able to cloak.

But he could still sneak around this way and hopefully find out more about why these fools wanted to mess with his mate and how to make them go away and stop doing it.

There had to be a way to make peace.

He was looking forward to being able to focus on just winning her, rather than fighting off losers and nearly blowing his cover.

He walked around the room, shutting off lights, and sat on top of his bed with the window open, enjoying the cool breeze and listening to the sounds in the house.

When he heard Lori’s door click shut and saw the last lights in the house go off, he sat up.

He looked around him. If he walked out his door, she would hear him. He looked out the open window and slowly lowered himself over the edge, his tools in a small messenger bag he’d slung over one shoulder.

He dropped to the ground and looked around him, letting out a small sigh of relief when he saw no one.

He walked to the front door to check it was locked and then around back to check the same.

He hated leaving them alone, but since he was going to track the people that had tried to hurt them, he figured they should be safe.

After all, if John and ‘Dud’ tried to come here, they would have to pass by Sever first.

As long as she didn’t knock on his bedroom door, things would probably be fine.

If she did, he’d just have to come up with an explanation.

He crept out quickly along the drive and stopped in front of his car, looking at it thoughtfully.

If he started it, the sound and the lights were likely to wake up Lori, so he decided to go on foot instead. By his senses, he guessed his targets were only a few miles up the road, and he could jog quickly once out of sight of the house.

Dragons had nearly unlimited stamina.

He picked up his pace as he ran along the side of the road, using his long legs to go as quickly as he could into the dark night, under the scarce cover of trees.

As long stretches of dirt and old abandoned houses passed by, he kept focused on his goal. He would figure out how to make his mate safe, and he would figure it out tonight.

* * *

Lori paced in her room in the darkness, wondering why Sever had gone straight to sleep.

At first, when he’d feigned a headache, she’d been thinking it was an excuse to head up to bed so he could meet her after Taylor was in his room.

But then, after she’d turned her light off and the house had gone silent, she’d heard nothing coming down the hall.

She’d been waiting ten minutes now and still nothing.

She sat on the edge of the bed, toes tingling, body tense in anticipation.

Had she been the only one thinking all day about what had happened between them and how it could happen again? Had she been the only one looking forward to his touch?

Had it not been as good for him as she thought? Maybe he didn’t want her to get ideas. Maybe…

She put her head in her hands and sighed, willing herself to slow her train of thought. She needed to trust people more, but her track record with men staying around was terrible.

Taylor’s father hadn’t stayed around when dating her. He’d made a much better friend than a boyfriend, and he’d been just as flaky to Taylor once he was born.

And then there was Lori’s dad, who’d left when she was too little to remember.

In her life, men just didn’t stay. So deep down, she didn’t expect Sever to. But she’d been hoping… She’d been hoping she could still get to know him while he was here.

He’d seemed interested in her at least. He’d kissed her, and kept kissing her, and he had to know he’d made her knees weak.

After last night, after how breathless they’d both been, how passionate, why wouldn’t he want to do that again tonight, unless he was worried about her getting some kind of idea about it?

She walked to her bedroom door and put one hand on the handle, wondering if she should go check on him in his room. She shook her head and walked back to sit on her bed in a slump.

She didn’t want to look desperate.

But maybe he was trying to be a gentleman. Maybe he didn’t want her to think he assumed she always wanted that. Maybe he thought she’d be offended.

Maybe he was waiting for her to make a move this time. After all, he’d initiated all the kisses, all the teasing. She’d been so turned on by him this afternoon, it was scary how quick she could fall for him.

Yet she felt she could trust him, no matter how fast this was happening.

Yes, she would at least go check on him, make sure he was okay. If he was interested in coming back to her room, all the better. If it seemed he wanted time to himself, she could just say she was worried about his headache.

Her heart tap-danced awkwardly as she thought about it. Yes, it would work. She wasn’t desperate, and there was nothing wrong with a woman making a move.

She got up, opened the door as quietly as she could, and then crept out into the hall. The floor creaked slightly, and she cursed, looking around to see if it had woken Taylor. But after waiting a while, she heard nothing, so she continued on her way down the hall toward Sever’s room.

She took a deep breath and put her hand on the handle. If she knocked, she would wake up Taylor, so she would just have to open the door and ask forgiveness later.

She tried to turn it, but it was locked. She turned it a little harder and then leaned in with her mouth toward the door. “Sever?”

No answer.

“Are you in there?”

Of course he was in there.

“Sever, I don’t know if your headache is okay, but if it is, I… um… You could come see me,” she whispered. She listened for a moment to make sure Taylor was still snoring.

When she heard nothing, she wondered if Sever truly was asleep. Maybe his head was hurting, but it had seemed like such an obvious lie.

She put a hand on the door, feeling a sense of longing deep inside her and a hurt that he had just been able to go to bed so easily. That he hadn’t wanted her back.

She knew the headache was an excuse for something. Now she knew it was just a way to get to his room and lock the door so he could have some peace and quiet. Not deal with any awkward questions.

She frowned as she dropped her hand away from the door.

“Sever,” she said quietly. “If you’re in there, will you come see me? We don’t have to do anything, but… I’d like to talk.”

Nothing.

Perhaps he wanted to wait until she left so he could follow her back to her room alone and quietly.

But as she turned and padded down the hall to her room and let herself in, she was starting to feel more and more stupid.

Clearly, he didn’t want to see her. As she tucked herself in, pulled the covers up, and stared at the door, she was more and more certain he wasn’t coming.

Her body felt achy and disappointed. Her heart was flopping like a fish caught on a riverbank.

Rejection like this stung when it was wholly unexpected. And worse, what was she going to say in the morning when she saw him? If he had heard her weird begging, then he would just be embarrassed for her. If he hadn’t, that meant he had just slept like a baby and the whole thing was not a big deal for him, as it had been for her.

She ran a hand through her hair and fought back tears as she watched the ceiling and the reflections of moonlight from the window. It was just one night. He hadn’t made promises. She’d just been through a lot and was putting way too much on him.

She told herself to be patient and turned over to fall asleep.

She was sure she would feel better in the morning.

* * *

Sever crept behind a particularly large pine tree as a small group of houses, or cabins, came into view.

They were arranged in a sort of circle and looked much older than the house Lori lived in. There were lights on out in front, in the middle of the circle, and Sever knew the scent stopped here.

This was where John and Jud lived. He was sure of it. He heard the slamming of a screen door and looked at the tree above him for a second before quickly climbing up into it. He extended his dragon claws minutely to help him climb and went as high as his weight would support him.

With any luck, no one would think to even look up here. He peeked through a gap in the branches and watched as John strode out into the clearing, followed by Jud.

They were arguing about something under their breath when a door to another cabin opened and another man came out, this one older. He walked up to John and planted a finger in his chest, saying something to him, and John shoved him back.

Jud got in between them, and the older man shook his head and walked out toward the road, gesturing for John and Jud to follow him.

When they were a little way from the houses, where Sever supposed other families lived, the older man folded his arms and scowled at John and Jud.

“You still haven’t gotten rid of the bitch yet.”

Sever wanted to drop out of the tree on the bastard’s head, but knew he couldn’t. Something was going on here, and he was getting luckier than he’d anticipated getting to hear about it this soon.

He’d wondered if he would have to sneak out here another night or two to eavesdrop before he got any valuable information.

“We’re trying,” John said. “She won’t leave.”

“This is all Angus’s fault,” the older man said. “Betting his homestead in some sort of gamble.”

“Angus always was a weird one,” Jud said, scratching his head.

“Get them gone,” the older man said. “The clan is getting antsy.”

“There’s nothing we can do,” John said. “The woman owns the land.”

“Then take her,” the older man snapped, grabbing John by the lapel. “Be an alpha for once in your pathetic life.”

John jerked himself back. “Be careful, old man. You aren’t the leader anymore.”

“Someone has to be. You get that bitch and her trash off our turf, or I’ll choose someone who can.”

“I’m your son,” John said.

“Then protect our clan,” the older man hissed. “Do what is necessary. Keep harassing. Claim the woman. Do whatever you have to. Solve. The. Problem.”

Sever narrowed his eyes as he glared at the men standing below him. What was the problem? He wasn’t anywhere closer to knowing, despite hearing them talk about it right in front of him.

Who were these people and why were they so threatened by a small woman and a kid?

The older man stalked off, and John looked over at Jud.

“Whatchu wanna do?” Jud asked. “We still going hunting?”

John rolled up his sleeves. “Yes, we’re still going hunting. As for the woman, Dad will just have to be patient. We’ll figure things out. We just have to wait for the right opportunity. As long as they’re living in Cate’s Creek, we have all the time in the world.”

“But the crew is getting antsy,” Jud said.

“I know,” John replied. “But they’ll just have to trust me that soon, everything will be as it has been in Cate’s Creek. Just a little longer.”

Jud nodded.

“Now let’s hunt,” John said. And then, as Sever watched with dawning horror, he saw the man lean back in the moonlight, fur fly, and something tear from his body.

Then an oddly shaped, giant cat leapt forward, with odd ears that had tufts of fur on the edges that gleamed in the light.

Jud transformed right after him, and the two darted into the forest, and suddenly this whole little settlement outside of town made sense.

John and his family were shifters.

Fucking shifters, and they were focused on hurting or taking his mate.

Shit, shit, shit.

In the morning, he needed to call Dante.