on Michael before Peigi grabbed him by the scruff.
A lion’s mane was meant to protect him from another male lion trying to break his neck. But it couldn’t protect him from an enraged bear compassionate enough to save a total asshole from too-great odds.
The lion roared and tried to fight, but Peigi shook him savagely, then let go, the momentum sending him tumbling across the forest floor. The lion hit a tree—hard—and collapsed.
Michael struggled to his feet, his dark eyes meeting Peigi’s with a gleam of triumph. Peigi humphed her disdain and turned to lope after Stuart.
No. Michael growled behind her. Leave the Fae. He’s abandoned us. You and me, Peigi. Like always.
Fuck that, Peigi answered loud and clear in bear, and continued on her way.
Stuart hadn’t abandoned them at all, she knew. As she ran after him, a dozen tiny balls of steel whooshed past her the other way, heading for the remaining hunters.
She looked back to see the balls reach the Fae and dive at them. The hunters yelled, swatting and flailing as though at stinging bees. Then they quit the fight, and fled.
The tiny balls rose and flew past Peigi again, returning obediently to Stuart ahead of her. She put on a burst of speed and caught up to him where he stood silhouetted against the fog.
Stuart lifted his hand. The balls melted into each other and became one hunk of metal, which dropped neatly into his palm.
Peigi rose into her bear-human beast, trying to catch her breath. “Where’s the Fae?”
Stuart gestured off into the trees. “Gone. Maybe he’ll catch up to his horse before it reaches home.” He shrugged, giving her a half smile. “Or maybe not.”
Peigi shifted all the way to her human form, the cold touching her. “What if he brings back reinforcements?”
He rubbed his shoulder, loosening it. “I’m willing to bet he’s even now bragging that he single-handedly fought off two Shifters and a dokk alfar and lived to tell the tale. Even if he does decide to come after his Shifter, we won’t be around for him to find.”
“How do you figure that? You know a way back home?”
Stuart released his shoulder, shaking out his throwing arm. “I have an idea.”
He kept his eyes on her face, politely averted from her naked body. Like most Shifters, when Peigi first shifted from animal to human, she paid no attention to her nudity. But Stuart standing so close made her aware, especially when his eyes softened.
“You are truly beautiful, you know,” he said.
Peigi’s breath, which she’d just regained, deserted her again. “I’ve been in a fight. I must look like hell.”
“You’re strong and have more courage than anyone I know.”
New heat flashed through her, making air further elude her. She coughed. “Maybe we should see if the Feline has recovered enough to attack Michael again.”
Stuart put a hand on her shoulder, fingers warm. “You don’t owe Michael anything. He once put out a hit on Shane, remember?”
“He did a lot of things just as bad, and even worse.” Peigi met Stuart’s eyes, loving how dark they were. Darkness could be comforting after painful brightness. “I’m more worried about saving the Feline. He might know the way out.”
Stuart’s smile always made everything better. “Let’s go make sure he stays alive then.”
Peigi shifted to bear, and they walked together to Michael and the Feline, Stuart with his hand on Peigi’s back.
When the Feline saw them coming, he struggled up, snarling and ready to attack again. Peigi and Michael started for him, but Stuart got quickly around them both. The steel he held formed itself into a sharp blade that he pressed to the Feline’s throat.
“Stop.”
Stuart spoke in English, and the Feline, with one last snarl, went still.
The scent he gave off was one of surrender—pissed-off surrender, but Peigi didn’t believe he’d fight again. Michael, whether he sensed this or not, raised one large paw to finish him off.
Peigi caught his paw with her own. No. We need him.
Let go of me. Obey me! The unspoken command came through Shifter body language, and Peigi felt the old pull, the fear, and the anger of her younger self.
Peigi had soon figured out that Michael was a bully who used others and reigned by coercion and terror, but she’d struggled with the equal fear that without him, she wouldn’t survive. Peigi’s choice was staying with Michael, no matter how much he used and belittled her, or taking her chances on her own.
Being alone meant fighting for survival or getting