“How is she?” a new voice asked from a few feet away. Marilee drew back to assess this new threat.

  King stood and smiled. “She seems all right.” He reached out to offer the other man his hand for a shake. “Thank you for the assist. I’m truly sorry to have brought this trouble into your territory.”

  The two men shook hands like equals as Marilee watched. There was mutual respect there and some kind of recognition, if she wasn’t mistaken.

  “Trouble always has a way of finding us,” the man said, shrugging philosophically. “I’m glad we were here to help. I’ve never seen anything like you, ma’am, if you’ll pardon my saying so,” the new man said, addressing her. She couldn’t answer back in wolf form, and she wasn’t comfortable in her skin like most shifters, so she just shrugged her furry shoulders and stuck close to King’s side.

  “I didn’t know she could do that, either,” King replied, keeping the conversation going, even as he bent to rifle through the pockets of the mage he had ended. He looked at the dead man’s wallet then threw it upward to the other man. “Leif Stalwert,” King repeated what must have been the mage’s name. “Can’t say that rings any bells.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s a name I know. He owns a store in town. We’ve been watching him from afar after he said some questionable things to a few of our young. Didn’t expect to see him lobbing mage bolts, though. I’d pegged him for a low-level informant for the Altor Custodis, or something equivalent. After what I just witnessed, I’d say we had that all wrong.” The man ran one hand through his hair in a clear sign of frustration. “That makes me wonder what else we got wrong.”

  “A reexamination of your watch list might be in order,” King said, standing. “I think the Lords may want to examine him for Venifucus tattoos.” The other man’s expression grew even darker, if that was possible. “Can your Clan handle this or should I request assistance for you? I’m not without connections, and after what you just did for us, I’d be very happy to repay the kindness in any way I can.”

  “The offer is much appreciated,” the man replied, “but we’re not without our own resources. I have a contact that works closely with the Lords. We can get this body to them, and, although it’s been a few years since any of us were active, we still remember a thing or two about interrogations. I’ll be very happy to personally question the goons that accompanied this guy onto our lands.”

  King was silent a moment, then nodded. He shot the other man a sideways look. “Did you work with Major Moore?”

  The other man grinned. “Call me Clive. I’m the wing leader here. We all worked as independent contractors under Moore at one time or another. Some of us still like to get out into the real world and mix it up on foreign shores from time to time. The pay is good, too. Are you one of those guys Big John has posing as artists, or some such, on the Washington coast?”

  King shook his head. “We’re on our way there, but my brothers and I always stuck together when we were in the service. We worked as a trio.”

  “No shit,” Clive whistled between his teeth. “I’ve heard of you, I think. The three little bears, they used to call you.”

  “Not to our faces,” King growled, but grinned.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “One of my guys worked with you. Name Benson ring any bells? He was part of a sniper-spotter team.”

  “Benson Hodge. I remember him. Great guy. Sharp eyes. Always put a ton of cinnamon on everything.”

  “That’d be him,” Clive agreed as they started walking back toward where they’d left the SUV.

  “My name is King. I’m the middle brother,” King said, introducing himself. “This is Marilee.” He gestured toward her as she padded along by his side. “She’s a bit shy,” he added in an undertone.

  The men nodded at each other, some kind of understanding passing between them, and she noticed that Clive backed off about a foot and a half from King’s other side. He was giving her more space, which she appreciated. These ex-military shifters were amazingly thoughtful.

  “We can offer you safe haven for the night,” Clive said quietly. “Our Clan is interested in building a better relationship with John Marshall and the bears under him.”

  “I can let him know that, if you like, when I get there. Thing is, I’m not sure how the enemy found us. I thought I’d eliminated any tracking devices, but I must’ve missed one. Electronics are more my brother’s thing. Do you have anybody with the expertise that could go over the trailer attached to our vehicle?” Ace asked.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s already being done,” Clive replied. “We don’t like incursions into our territory. Your arrival was authorized, but those others came right for you, like homing pigeons. There has to be a reason.”

  A slight growl issued from King’s chest. “Roger that,” was his only comment.

  They broke out of the trees to find Marilee’s SUV being examined by a guy with something on a long stick that he was running under the edge of the vehicle. When he saw them, he waved and made some sort of hand signal before completing his task. He was done by the time they walked up to him.

  Marilee noticed her clothing had been moved a few feet from where she’d left it. A growl escaped her throat before she realized it and Clive looked at her sharply.

  “Apologies, ma’am. Jim here didn’t paw your stuff. He just moved it out of the way so he could work. Isn’t that right, Jim?” Clive looked to the man with the stick.

  “Yes, sir. Ma’am,” he addressed her directly, “all I did was run the detector over the pile. Just to be sure there was nothing emitting any sort of signals.”

  She cocked her head, hearing truth in his tone. She was still a little annoyed but let it pass. The fact that she could express her displeasure without being reprimanded was something new, and it made her feel more in control, somehow. She decided, then and there, that not all shifters were like Tobias and his people. As Sabrina had always told her, some people were actually nice and accepting of her differences.

  She looked around for a place to shift and get dressed where every guy in the area wouldn’t see her. King must have sensed what she needed, because without a word, he picked up the little pile of her clothing and moved to the passenger side door, opening it.

  “I’ll stand right here,” he told her in a quiet voice, positioning himself in the little V created by the open door and the SUV, facing outward. “We may not understand it, but we’ll respect your need for privacy. Won’t we?” The last two words were said in a slightly louder tone, and the two hawk men nodded in reply and moved away.

  Feeling more sheepish than wolf at the moment, Marilee nevertheless took King up on his offer. She moved into the small space he’d created for her and shifted quickly. Her clothing was as she’d left it—in the right order and oriented so she could slip it on fast and easy. Within a minute, she was covered enough to turn around. She found only King left nearby, facing away from her, respectfully keeping his word not to peek. The others had walked some distance away and were conferring with more of their friends, well out of earshot—even for shifters.

  “King?” Suddenly, Marilee felt shaky. She’d handled herself really well to this point, but it was as if, now they were relatively safe, she felt the need to fall apart. Dammit.

  King turned around and looked at her. He must have realized how shaky she was feeling. He simply opened his arms and gathered her close.

  She went into his embrace, comforted by the tall, warm feel of him. His strength was tempered as he held her. He treated her as if she was made of spun glass. Delicate. Feminine. She liked the way his arms felt around her.

  “Sorry,” she whispered. “Not sure why I’m reacting like this. I felt okay, ‘til now.”

  “It’s just a reaction from the adrenaline rush. You’re out of danger now, so your body is responding. Simple physical reaction. Nothing to be ashamed of,” he told her. His words made her feel better.

  Always before, she’d felt like a weakling among stronger wolves. Here she was with a truly apex predator—a full-grown male grizzly bear—and he made her feel unashamed of her supposed weakness.

  “Thanks,” she told him, snuggling closer and inhaling his delicious scent. “Thank you for taking out that mage.”

  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he told her, drawing back so she could see the pained look on his face. “I’ve learned the hard way with mages that you have to act quick and decisively. If you show mercy, you can live to regret it—or not live, as the case may be. I lost a good friend that way once, and I don’t ever want that to happen, again.”

  “You did what you had to do,” she told him, feeling his pain for a brief moment. She wanted him to know she was thankful for what he had done to protect her. “I’ve seen death before, and that man—that mage—held my death in his eyes. If you hadn’t acted, he would’ve kept trying.”

  King let out a single chuckle. “He wasn’t very good at it. I mean, I know just about how much magic he was throwing at you, but I believe it would take a mage of a whole other caliber to take you out, white wolf. You’re something else.”

  She warmed under his praise. “I didn’t do anything special.” She wanted to make that clear.

  “From what I saw, you didn’t have to do anything. It’s what you are, Marilee. You are special.” His head dipped lower, and then, his lips touched hers.

  The earth stopped rotating. The sun pulsed with joy. And all was finally right with her world.

  She was totally unprepared for King’s kiss. It was like nothing she ever could have expected. It was joy and peace, warmth and comfort. It was passion and playfulness. Daring and desire.

  And then, it was over. She heard a noise and realized the hawk shifters had returned.

  Caught in the act, she knew her cheeks were flushed with heat, but she brazened it out and stepped away from King. She ducked under his arm and faced Clive and Jim.

  “Thanks, guys,” she said, while King closed the door of the SUV. She felt a bit awkward, but the men seemed to take it in their strides and just went on with their discussion.

  “Jim found three conventional trackers, very well hidden, on the trailer.” Clive held out his hand to show them some dark plastic objects in his palm. They didn’t look like much of anything to Marilee, but King growled low in his throat. “We can lay a false trail with these. Buy you some time.”

  King had to clear his throat before he replied. “We’d be much obliged for the assistance.”

  “Jim couldn’t rule out some sort of magical tracking, as well, but you’d probably be more sensitive to that sort of thing than we would,” Clive told King. “Can you tell me what’s in the box on the trailer?”

  King shook his head slowly. “That’s still sort of a mystery,” he admitted. “I liberated the trailer during our initial run-in with these guys. It reeks of magic, but it’s something I’ve never encountered before. I thought it was worth bringing to the experts.”

  “Other bears?” Clive was clearly fishing for information, but King just smiled. The secrets of Grizzly Cove weren’t his to tell.

  “Marilee, sweetheart, how are you feeling?” King said, instead, turning to her. “No ill effects from the magic attack?”

  She shook her head. “No. It didn’t hurt. It just felt…icky. Made me sneeze the first time. But, the second time, I held my breath.”

  Clive burst out laughing. A quick, short bark of laughter as his bright blue eyes danced with wonder.

  “Sorry, ma’am. It’s just…” He looked at King, as if for help.

  “I think what Clive means to say is that you took fire from a reasonably powerful mage at close range. That’s not something even I would enjoy doing, and as a bear, I’m more impervious to magic than other shifters.” King looked really impressed.

  Marilee shrugged. “I’ve never seen anything like that before,” she told them honestly. “It was more annoying than anything.”

  Clive shook his head again. “You must be something special, ma’am. I’ve been in magic battles before, and I can honestly say, I’ve never seen anything like what you did before.”

  “I didn’t really do anything. I just stood there,” she replied, feeling a little foolish among these highly trained and seasoned veterans, for not knowing what to do or how to evade the mage’s attack.

  She hadn’t even tried to hide behind a tree, or something. She’d just stood there, out in the open, a big white target. She felt kind of stupid about how she reacted—or, rather, failed to react at all.

  “Maybe there’s something special about your white fur. Are you an Arctic wolf?” Clive asked, seeming very interested.

  Marilee nodded. “I suppose I must be, though I really don’t know much about my heritage,” she said. “I grew up in Canada, among a Pack of timber wolves. I was the only white wolf in the Pack.”

  Clive seemed to understand the story of her background was a sad one, and he didn’t probe further. Instead, he looked around at the darkening forest.

  “I can have one of my men take the trackers farther along your route and then do an unexpected turn. Maybe drop them in a lake or something,” Clive offered. “You could stay in the guest cabin tonight and be on your way in the morning. Or, were you planning on driving through the night?”

  “Well, that was the plan,” King admitted, scratching his chin as he seemed to consider the invitation. “But there is some merit in the idea of a bit of relatively safe shut-eye before we tackle the rest of our journey.”

  “We run patrols all the time, anyway, but we’ll be extra vigilant while you’re here.

  “Aerial reconnaissance?” King asked.

  Clive nodded. “It’s our preferred method. I could put some boots on the ground, as well. A couple of Moore’s guys are visiting friends in the area. A sniper/spotter team, as it happens. Two cougars who became friendly with some of our guys while they were serving. I’m sure they’d be up for a prowl around the woods, if I asked.”

  “Cats and birds? I thought you two were natural enemies,” King mused.

  Clive shrugged. “It’s not a natural fit, I grant you, but we’re pretty tolerant of most of the ground-based shifter species. And, of course, you know the bonds forged by serving together.”

  King nodded sagely. “Well, if they’re willing, I’d be much obliged. If we stay, I’ll also be running my own perimeters from time to time. I hope your tolerance extends to grizzlies,” he added with a slight grin.

  “Bears are always welcome—to have my back in a fight or just sharing brews at a party,” Clive answered with an easy grin. “The cabin is yours if you want it. I know you wanted to press on and reach the cove ASAP, but it might be worthwhile to regroup and wait for the intel on what happens with my Clan mate who took those trackers on a wild hawk chase.”

  King seemed to think about it, for a minute, then looked at Marilee. “What do you think?”

  That he’d asked her opinion impressed her greatly. The new, more independent girl inside her was busting out, taking a stand, and this man—this very special bear of a man—was helping her do it. She had an emotional moment, but she suppressed it. It wouldn’t look very badass of her if she burst into tears because somebody finally asked her opinion about what she wanted to do with her own life.

  Marilee tried, instead, to play it cool. “A rest sounds good,” she managed, doing her best to sound nonchalant. “I’ve never done this much continuous driving in my life. It’s a little harder than I thought.”

  “All right, then,” King said, clapping his hands once and rubbing his palms together. He turned back to Clive. “We thank you for your hospitality and your assistance here today.”

  And, that’s how, about an hour later, Marilee found herself luxuriating in a bathtub full of bubbles. Definitely not something she’d expected to be doing that night, but very welcome. The guest cabin wasn’t too far from where they’d had their little show-down. They’d been able to leave the SUV and trailer a short distance away, and King had met the two cougar shifters who would be prowling on the ground, as well as a few more of the hawk shifters who had the high ground, as he called it.

  He’d checked the perimeter—he’d actually used those words—and then told her he’d stand guard while she cleaned up. He’d told her to take her time and relax while they could. All was secure for the moment.

  She’d taken him at his word and put the bubble bath she’d found on a shelf to good use. She could hear him moving around in the main room of the cabin and the rumble of his voice, on occasion. She couldn’t make out his conversation, but it was one-sided, so he was probably on the telephone. Checking in with his brother in Grizzly Cove, no doubt. Or maybe, the hawk that had taken off with the tracking devices. Or Clive. Clive was probably acting as go-between with the other members of his Clan. Yeah, that made more sense to her as she rested her head back against the high rim of the tub and just let herself drift for a moment.

  She heard some noise in the main room and grew concerned until the scent of seasoned steak reached her nose. It sounded like somebody had brought them dinner, and King was rearranging things to set it up. That was probably her cue to get out of the bathtub and get dressed.

  Reluctant to leave her bubbles behind, she stood up from the cooling water and rinsed off quickly using the handheld showerhead. The water sluiced over her skin, and the delicate scent of the bath soap filled the room. It was a shifter scent—not too harsh on the nose, but still appealing in a subtle way. She liked it. Seldom had she been able to indulge in such luxuries. Getting anything like this up in the remote town in the Canadian Rockies where she had always lived until now, was difficult. Luxuries were usually too expensive for her. She had to support herself, and it wasn’t easy being the runt of the Pack.

  Thankfully, she had remembered to bring her overnight bag into the bathroom with her, so she was able to change into fresh clothing. Getting clean and putting on fresh clothes went a long way toward improving her mood. She felt mellow and almost content when she emerged from the bathroom to find the small dining room table in the main part of the cabin set for two.