“Nika!” Jaemus easily caught up to her as she bolted toward the sanctuary’s front gates. He was vaguely aware of Reardon and Brandy zooming past him while he grabbed Nika around the waist and lifted her off her feet.

“Let go of me!” She slapped at his forearms. “Jaemus! I need to make sure my post is all right.”

“I will go, sprite.” He squeezed her to his chest to keep her from squirming free. He loved everything about her body wiggling against his, but he feared for her safety too much to enjoy the physical closeness. “Stay here.”

“I’m not staying here, and every minute you hold me is a minute more Maple Ridge could be burning to the ground.” She stilled for a moment and turned her head toward him. “Jaemus, please.”

The despair in her voice cut into him. His grip loosened and she took off, Daisy jetting after her. He broke into a run, catching up to Reardon and Brandy.

When the three of them spilled onto Nika’s property at the same time, angry orange flames licked the darkening night sky. The bleachers were completely engulfed.

“I’ve called 911,” Brandy yelled over the roar of burning wood.

Jaemus heard her, but his gaze was trained on the black smoke billowing out of the trading post itself. He started toward it, but Reardon clamped a big hand on his bicep.

“Let the fire fighters take care of it. They are on their way,” he said.

“But whoever did this might still be in there.” Robert Senclair might still be in there. And right now Jaemus couldn’t think of anything more satisfying than dragging that bastard out of there and beating the shit out of him.

“The police are on the way too, brother.” Reardon’s reasonable and sensible tone of voice did nothing to settle Jaemus. In fact, it wound him up tighter.

“Good. I’ll take great pleasure in delivering the fire starter to them.” Jaemus glanced back to the woods where he could hear Nika running toward them. “Keep her back.”

Reardon hesitated, no doubt wanting to stop him and Nika both. Before his brother could decide to get in his way, Jaemus tore across the gravel parking lot and kicked in the front door of the trading post. Smoke rushed out, temporarily blinding him and stealing his breath.

Shielding his face in the crook of his left arm, he entered the hazy air, finding the epicenter of the blaze in Nika’s office. Flames spread out like tentacles, charring everything in their path. Jaemus spun in a circle, looking for anyone fleeing, but he was the only one crazy enough to be inside the post. He wanted to grab things—save things—for Nika, but where did he begin to choose what would be important to her?

Everything is important to her.

Her father had built this post with his own two hands, had grown it into a profitable business for himself and his daughter, and had left it to Nika as his legacy.

And now it was nearly destroyed.

“Jaemus!” Reardon’s voice barely reached him above the rumble of the inferno. “Come out now!”

He was right. Of course. The culprit had most likely fled the scene once the first spark ignited. Jaemus had to leave and tend to Nika, who would be devastated seeing the post die like this.

Maneuvering through the thick haze filling the interior, Jaemus approached the front doors, but something caught his attention on the floor by the register.

A shoe.

A fancy shoe.

Jaemus headed for it, knowing it could be the proof he needed to nail Robert Senclair for this disaster. As he reached for it, a deafening explosion rocked the floor beneath his feet. He was knocked to the ground, his knees slamming into the hardwood. He caught himself with his right hand, but the force of the impact made his wrist snap.

Something overhead cracked, and as he looked up, he had no time to shield himself from the stout beam hurtling toward him. It hit him like a battering ram to the spine.

Air rushed out of him, and he choked on his attempt to take in another breath. The air around him had grown thick with smoke, charcoal gray curls slithering around him as the heat intensified. He attempted to get to his feet, but that beam had done a number on him. The pain he felt in his back was worse than anything he’d ever felt on the battlefield. His lungs burned as if they were on fire too. His vision grew blurry and he blinked against the haze, but it didn’t help.

Shift, warrior wolf.

Flidae? Here? Now?

Shift and use your wolf strength to get out.

He wasn’t sure he had it in him to shift. The pain had subsided, replaced by a concerning numbness in his limbs.

Try, Jaemus McAlator. Don’t give in.

Right. It wasn’t in his nature to give in. No quitting. Ever.

Focusing everything he had left inside him on picturing his wolf form, Jaemus closed his eyes and let out a shout as his body reformed itself.

Only he didn’t get to finish. Another beam fell and landed on his ankle with a crushing force. He let out a howl, realizing he was in wolfman form, only half of his transformation completed before the new injury. Growling, he envisioned his full wolf, but it was as if his body was stuck, no longer able to get back to human, but not able to go all wolf either.

Now what, Flidae?

He never heard if she replied because his vision went from spotty to black, the acrid scent of charred merchandise and burned dreams stealing his breath and breaking more than his body.

I’m sorry, sprite.

****

“Why did you let him go in there?” Nika beat her fists against Reardon’s chest as the large man held her back from entering the trading post. Why did these McAlator brothers possess such incredible muscles and strength? Damn them.

“I didn’t. Jaemus does what Jaemus wants.” Reardon grunted as she struggled in his hold. “He told me to keep you out. I couldn’t stop him anyway.”

Brandy ran from behind the building to join them at the front. “All the exits are blocked, and I didn’t see Jaemus.” Her concerned glance to Reardon made Nika’s stomach roll.

“Let me find him.” She used all the strength she had, but Reardon was too strong for her to break free.

Sirens grew louder, and while Nika knew that meant help, her heart broke over needing such help.

Tato’s post was on fire.

That was bad enough, but the thought that Jaemus was still inside while those furious flames consumed the place made her a little crazy. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. He meant too much to her.

He meant everything.

“Take her.” Reardon pushed Nika toward Brandy who clamped her arms around Nika’s waist with surprising power. Brandy wasn’t much bigger than Nika, but she held her as firmly as Reardon had. “I have to go in. Sometimes, a situation like this could… change things.” He angled his head toward the direction of the sirens.

Brandy’s eyes widened as if Reardon had sent her some hidden message. “Go.”

Reardon raced into the blaze as fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars screamed into the parking lot.

“What did he mean?” Nika stopped trying to get free from Brandy’s grasp and the other woman released her. “What did Reardon mean about this situation changing things?”

Brandy met Nika’s gaze for a moment then focused on something over Nika’s shoulder. When Nika turned, Sheriff Olsen was walking toward them.

“Anyone inside?” he asked.

Brandy gripped Nika’s hand and squeezed. “No. It’s clear.”

Nika whipped her head toward Brandy, but the pressure on her hand increased, a pleading look in Brandy’s blue eyes. Everything inside Nika wanted to yell for all the firefighters to rush in and save Jaemus, but if Brandy didn’t want the same for Reardon, something was going on that she didn’t quite understand. She knew how Brandy felt about Reardon. She’d seen them together. She’d heard the soul mate speech. More than once. There was no way Brandy would let Reardon die in a fire.

So what isn’t she telling me?

Sheriff Olsen turned toward the fire chief. “All clear.”

Those two words cut Nika’s heart into tiny slivers. She glared at Brandy, but her friend shook her head, the movement so subtle that it barely registered in Nika’s brain.

“We’ll make a sweep inside as we get water on it.” The fire chief signaled to his men.

As the firefighters unwound hoses and unleashed water on the inferno, Daisy barked like a feral animal. Spittle flew from the dog’s jowls and she darted to and from the burning trading post.

“Daisy! Come!” Nika clapped her hands, trying in vain to rein in the pooch, but the Lab wouldn’t relent. Her barking intensified then Nika’s focus shifted from the post to something moving behind it.

Reardon. Carrying something. Something big.

Daisy took off and Nika did the same, but Brandy caught up to her and yanked on her arm with painful strength.

“Hold up, Nika.”

Nika whirled around. “What is up with you, Brandy? Our men were in there, but you did nothing to save them. Why did you say the post was empty? What’s going on?” She looked over her shoulder to see Reardon disappearing into the woods. “Where is he going? I see him. I know you see him, too.”

Again, Brandy looked as if she wanted to say something, but… couldn’t.

“If you won’t say something, at least let me go find out for myself.” Nika tugged on the arm Brandy still had a death grip on.

Little by little, her friend loosened her hold and Nika didn’t hang around. She took off, still able to see Daisy, knowing the dog would lead her to Reardon.

Please have Jaemus.

If she found Reardon and no Jaemus, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. Die as well, perhaps.

Diving into the dark woods, Nika used her sense of hearing more than anything else to guide her. Daisy made a ton of noise trampling through the brush in the general direction that appeared to be heading back to the sanctuary.

She didn’t stop running. Not when her lungs burned. Not when her heart threatened to burst right through her ribs. Not when she tripped on roots and gouged her palms on rocks. Not when she thought about her trading post being completely destroyed. Not when hot tears streamed from her eyes.

She spilled onto the dirt driveway of Silver Moon Wolf Sanctuary to find Daisy sniffing at a print on the ground illuminated by a spotlight outside the entrance gates. Nika crouched beside the dog, expecting a simple footprint considering all the people that had visited the sanctuary for the picnic.

But this wasn’t just any print.

Twice the size of her own foot, she ran her fingers over it. The heel had hit the ground hard, as if at a run. And the toes? They were so long and ended in sharp points, deep gouges in the ground as if dug by…

Claws.

Nika blinked hard and shook her head. Her vision was off. Had she inhaled too much smoke? No. She hadn’t been close enough. Reardon and Brandy hadn’t allowed her to get close enough.

What the hell is going on?

She stood and followed the strange prints past the open gates and toward the building next to Brandy’s cabin. Having been in that building before, Nika knew it to house a clinic for Brandy’s wolves. She’d seen both Brandy and Parker tend to some of the wolves there.

Daisy let out little whines as the clinic door swung open. Light spilled over a large form, and in a few more steps, that form disappeared inside. The door slammed shut, sealing what had to be Reardon carrying Jaemus inside the clinic.

The crinkle of leaves behind her told her Brandy had arrived at the sanctuary as well. Nika pointed to one of the prints in the soft dirt.

“What is this?”

When Brandy didn’t answer her, she ran for the clinic and put her hand on the doorknob.

“Don’t go in there!” Brandy got between Nika and the door, while Daisy got to her hind legs and looked in the closest window. The dog let a round of barking loose, some rather vicious growls mixing in.

Growls? For as long as Nika had owned Daisy, the friendly Labrador had never, ever growled like this. Little grumbles here and there—especially when Robert was around—but rarely serious growls.

Then she realized it wasn’t Daisy growling. The growls are coming from inside.

Was one of Brandy’s wolves in the clinic? Had Reardon disturbed a recovering wolf? Had he angered it? Was it about to attack? What if Jaemus was in there, too? Were the men in danger?

“Get out of my way, Brandy.”

With astonishing force, Nika shoved Brandy aside and ripped open the clinic door. The bright lighting was in stark contrast to the dark outdoors and it took a minute for her eyes to adjust.

When they did, she couldn’t believe what she saw.

Jaemus’s body, in wolfman costume, was sprawled out on the large metal exam table in the middle of the room.

When had he changed into his costume? And why would he? How had he had any time to? She’d seen him run into the burning trading post. His costume was not in the post and it didn’t make any sense to put it on while a fire raged.

She approached the exam table, vaguely aware that Brandy had followed her in with Daisy. The dog raced to the table, her tail wagging excitedly as if she expected Jaemus to pop off the table and jump right into his Wolfman Show role.

From the looks of things, however, Jaemus wouldn’t be popping off anything.

The closer Nika got, the more damage she saw. Blood matted the fur of Jaemus’s costume. His right wrist was bent at an odd angle, and his sides heaved in and out as if he couldn’t take in air.

“Oh my God…” She immediately put her hands on his long whiskered muzzle. “Brandy, help me get this costume off him. You have to examine him. We have to call an ambulance.”

She searched the base of Jaemus’s neck, looking for a seam so she could remove his mask. While he struggled to breathe on the table, she ran her fingers along his back. They came away bloody, but she didn’t find any zippers or snaps. Nothing that would allow her to get him out of that wolfman suit.

Again, she turned to Brandy. “Help me!”

Slowly, Brandy shook her head. “Why don’t you come stand over here with me?”

“What? He needs us!”

“No.” Reardon came out from the small bathroom at the far end of the clinic, his shirt was missing and he only wore simple cotton shorts. Where had the denim shorts and sanctuary T-shirt he’d worn at the picnic gone? Where were his shoes? “What he needs is for you to go, Nika.”

Nika looked between Brandy and Reardon, not believing her friends—Jaemus’s own brother—wouldn’t help save him.

“I’m not leaving. Jaemus is seriously hurt and he’s stuck in this costume. I don’t know why he’s wearing it, but we have to get it off, see how bad his injuries are, call a goddamn ambulance!” Her voice was up in the screechy, hysterical range, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was Jaemus.

She went back to searching for a way to remove the Wolfman costume, but Reardon’s large hands closed over hers.

“Nika, look at me.” His voice was unnaturally calm considering the status of his brother right now.

She met his gaze and stumbled back when his green-gold eyes glowed back at her.

“Jaemus and I aren’t like you, Nika,” he said gently.

“I’m not either,” Brandy added as she came to stand on the other side of Nika. Her blue eyes shined like Reardon’s.

“I-I don’t understand,” Nika stammered, her legs suddenly feeling like overcooked spaghetti.

“This Wolfman costume,” Reardon began, “isn’t a costume.”

“Isn’t a costume?” Nika felt like the dumbest person on the planet. Everything Reardon said was beyond her comprehension. Nothing made sense.

Not a costume. What did that mean?

Reardon shook his head, his eyes still glowing a bright green. He lifted his left hand, and Nika clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle the scream when long claws extended from his fingertips.

Claws like the ones now at the tips of Jaemus’s fingers.

“Don’t be scared,” Brandy said, touching her shoulder.

Nika jumped back and squeezed her eyes shut. This is a dream. I’m going to wake up and there will have been no fire. She cracked one eye open and let out a strained, panicked cry when she saw Jaemus’s wolfman body still struggling on the table, things snapping under his skin.

Under his silver fur? The room swirled around Nika and she clamped her hands on the edge of the exam table for support.

“His body is healing itself,” Reardon said, shaking his hand while the claws retracted. “He will be okay. Just broken bones. Those heal quickly. He’s stuck in half man, half wolf form for the moment.”

The words came out matter-of-factly, as if Reardon had given her the most reasonable explanation in the world. Only he hadn’t. Holy shit, he hadn’t.

“All this time I’ve been…”

“Making love to a fucking animal.” Jaemus’s large wolfman head turned toward her. His voice was gravelly, his words garbled a bit as he spoke around the massive teeth in his mouth. Teeth that weren’t an amazing prop used by a brilliant actor.

Teeth that were really Jaemus McAlator’s. Wolfman teeth.

With a grunt, he leaped off the table and ran awkwardly past Nika, Reardon, and Brandy. He slammed into the clinic door, opening it and disappearing into the darkness beyond.