Joanne took a deep breath. “Because you took my sister,” she said.

Liam blinked in surprise, and so did most of the Shifters present. “Your sister?”

“My sister, Nancy,” Joanne said. “She’s the true Shifter groupie. Loves to chase Shifters. She was here, in Shiftertown. Then she disappeared. What did you do with her?”

Liam gave her a blank look. “We didn’t do anything with her, lass. Where was she last? With what Shifter?”

“I don’t know.” Joanne’s eyes flashed anger. “Does it matter what Shifter? She was at your bar, then she went to your fight club. That was a few weeks ago. She hasn’t come home since.”

“And the human police agree with you that a Shifter must have taken her?” Deni couldn’t help asking.

Joanne looked even angrier. “They say they have no evidence of harm. They think she ran off on her own.”

Dylan didn’t move any closer to Joanne, but his look of menace was hard. “And so you stir up trouble for all Shifters, endangering us, our mates, our cubs, without coming to us and asking about her first?”

Joanne stepped back in fear, bumping into Broderick, but she spoke in a clear voice. “Come to you? Why should I come to you?”

Dylan started to answer, but Broderick took a step sideways, putting himself in a position where he could defend Joanne against the others if need be. “Go easy on her,” he said to Dylan. “She’s afraid for her sister. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing if you lost track of someone you loved inside another Shiftertown.”

Dylan’s expression hardened. “No, what I would do is find the right culprit and shake him until he coughed up what he knew. And then decide whether to let him live.”

“She’s been telling me about it,” Broderick said, as Joanne gazed at Dylan in fear. “I don’t think a Shifter took her sister, but it looks like something happened around a Shifter event. You and Liam have all kinds of resources. Help her.”

Liam gave Broderick a thoughtful look. “Maybe we will. Dad.”

Dylan looked over Broderick and Joanne, then he turned away. Without a word, he walked out of the living room and then out the front door with an even stride. The bang of the door in his wake was loud, and for a moment, no one said anything. Dylan often did such things—keeping his own council and walking away to solve problems on his own. He was older than most Shifters in Shiftertown, and had experience and wisdom no one else had. The Shifters had learned to tolerate his abruptness.

Liam cleared his throat. “Since you like her so much, Broderick, you’re in charge of her,” he said. “I don’t want her talking to the police, or going anywhere or doing anything without me knowing. Got it?”

“Sure,” Broderick said. “Lighten up, Liam.”

Liam blinked again. Deni saw Liam deliberately let Broderick’s admonition go before he gave Joanne a slow nod. “We’re going to help you find out what happened to your sister. But you behave—understand?”

Joanne was bewildered—she must have thought the Shifters would kill her, or at least imprison her and do terrible things to her—but she nodded. Broderick stayed protectively in front of her, and Liam ended the meeting.

“I think he’s smitten,” Deni said to Jace as they walked back to her house across the street. “Broderick, I mean.”

They mounted the porch steps of Deni’s house, and Jace pushed Deni against a porch post. “So am I. Smitten is a good word for it.”

His kiss stirred fires that hadn’t gone out. Deni wound her arms around his neck and enjoyed him for a moment.

“I meant what I said,” she murmured as their mouths drew apart. “About the Collar. I’ll let Sean do what he needs to. I want it off.”

“I do too.” Jace touched the chain on her neck. “I’ll be with you, Den. And when you’re free, we’ll do some celebrating.”

“Why wait?” Deni smiled into his face, and Jace’s serious look dissolved into a wicked grin.

“Wild woman,” Jace said.

“Always.”

Jace led her into the empty house and to the basement, the two of them laughing as they stumbled down the stairs. Jace kicked the door closed at the bottom as he kissed her again. They waltzed their way into the bedroom they’d been using, hands stripping off each other’s clothes while their mouths locked into long, hot kisses.

“I love you, Jace Warden,” Deni said as they went down onto the bed.

“I love you too, Deni Rowe. So much.” Jace drew her up to him, stoking the fires inside her. “Thank you for finding me.”

“You found me,” Deni said. “Healed me too.”

“Mmm.” Jace closed his eyes as he slid inside her. His voice went low. “You healed me. We healed each other.” He put his hand on hers, the streak where the bracelet had burned him already closed to a red scar. Their fingers touched, spread. “You and me. One.”

Jace laced his fingers through hers, and Deni closed their hands together. “One,” she said, then she let out a cry as Jace thrust into her with a firmer stroke. “Always.”

“Always,” Jace said, and then there was nothing but the sounds of lovemaking, and happiness.

Sorrow fled, and Deni proved to herself what a beautiful thing it was losing control in the arms of the Shifter she loved.

Epilogue