Lucas pulled Lila inside and growled. His arms were free, Riley was on the sofa. He was bristling with violence, and Lila went still. Harriet returned from putting Meg in bed and stepped between the two of them, speaking in a low voice to Lila.

  “Lucas is a father Wolf who feels threatened right now, Lila. We need to walk very softly right now. You are carrying a weapon in my house. Do you understand me? Nod if you do.”

  Lila nodded, her eyes wide.

  Harriet moved closer, speaking over her shoulder. “Lucas, I am taking the weapon and putting it down on the floor, okay? Lila is fine, she is no threat to us or to your children.” Harriet took the crossbow and put it on the floor behind her. She turned and looked at Lucas, almost crouching.

  Lucas shook his head, shaking off the Wolf inside. He saw Harriet in a crouch before him and shuddered.

  “Oh my god, Harriet, Lila, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how close my Wolf was to the surface. I really didn’t. Harriet, if you want to call Bill, okay, but don’t have them come here. I don’t know if anyone followed us or is watching us, and I don’t want any confusions or confrontations here with the kids.”

  Lucas noticed a large shadow move by Harriet’s kitchen window and shifted, growling. He blew past Harriet and Lila just as a large sandy brown Bear broke down the front door of Harriet’s house.

  Lila screamed “Kurt, no!” at the same time as Harriet screamed for Lucas.

  Chapter 21

  The Bear and Wolf crashed into each other. They were snarling and biting, their teeth were fully engaged in the ruff of the neck.

  Harriet and Lila whispered together and stood straight, holding hands, with opposite hands out straight toward the snarling animals and said, “Stop” in unison, clearly and very loudly.

  The two animals froze. They fell apart out of the wrestling mass and looked up at their women. Blood dripped from the nose of the Wolf and the hind leg of the Bear had a large gash.

  The two women continued looking on silently, and slowly, the animals shifted back to their human forms. They were both breathing heavily and glared at each other warily.

  “Lucas Sargent. Calm yourself. This is Lila’s mate. Kurt, Lucas is not a threat to Lila. There was a mistake made, as Lucas has his children here now, and felt threatened. Lucas is not a threat. Kurt is not a threat. Do the two of you understand me?”

  Harriet was using her most officious voice and demeanor. She hoped to hell it was going to work on both shifters at the same time. The fact that the two women had been able to get them to stop destroying her house and each other had been a bit of a miracle, and she was trying to go for another one. At the very least, maybe she could get them out of her house so she would still have a bed to sleep in tonight.

  “If you understand me, just nod. Then I want Kurt and Lila out on the front porch. Check her out to be sure she’s safe, Kurt. Lila, explain about the backseat of the car, okay? Lucas? Just stay there, the kids are blessedly still both asleep. Just wait, I’ll get you some pants.”

  Lucas hung his head dejectedly while Harriet rummaged in her closet for the biggest thing she could find. She came back with sweatpants covered in pink camo. She held them in front of Lucas’ grimace, saying, “Beggars can’t be choosers, baby.”

  Lucas pulled on her pants, tight as they were, and sat at the table in the kitchen. Harriet figured it was as good a time as any to brew some coffee. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had really good brew. She made a double pot, knowing Lila and Lucas would be needing some once they sorted out their feelings.

  She knew some mates could sense each other’s danger, so once she got over the shock of seeing her door broken down, she understood. Kurt had known Lila was in danger, shifted and ran, that’s all there was to it. They were all lucky no one had been killed. As she slid a mug in front of Lucas, she knew he knew that too.

  “I’m always saying I’m sorry, Harriet. But I am. I’m new to the whole father Wolf idea, I’m new to the idea of a healthy pack, and I’m new to the idea of trying to protect a woman. I just am messing everything up right now, I am the sorriest excuse for a shifter that ever was.”

  “What do you know of your own family, Lucas? What kind of dad did you have?” Harriet leaned over her cup of coffee, letting the steam rise to her nose. She felt that she was missing some key information about Lucas, as much as she adored him and loved him, she still didn’t know him. And she didn’t even know if he loved her, truth be told.

  “My father was a shifter. He was gone from my life by the time I was ten or so. I’m not sure what the truth is of why he left, but he was just gone. My mother and grandmother raised me. They were not shifters, they were something they called Fae, but I don’t know much of anything about their skills, as they always insisted it was for women only. The little magic I have comes from them, clearly, but they refused to share the wisdom with me. They seemed to think it was some sort of fluke that I was touched by it. Everything I know about shifting comes from the pack my dad had been in, that Max was in, that that cretin Jock was in. I don’t know how to do this, Harriet. I can’t.”

  Harriet looked down at her own mug. It was awfully disheartening to hear Lucas so down on himself. But she knew, firsthand, what it was like to be in the dark about your own history, your own parents, and why they made the choices they did. It seemed to be a strong pattern in shifter communities, these men with too much wildness to stay and be the fathers they needed to be.

  She heard Kurt and Lila making their way back into the house, stepping over the pieces of the broken-down door.

  “I’ll fix that for you, Harriet, I swear. I already called Bill. He’s bringing the brothers.” He held up his hands. “Only to fix the door and get the Wolves out of here, I swear. I didn’t mention any children,” he said, looking directly at Lucas. “I didn’t mention children or magic or any damn thing. That, you two will have to tell him at some point, okay?”

  Kurt sat down heavily at the table. “Do I smell coffee, Harriet? Because I really need a hot cup right now. Lila had pants in her truck, but I was a bit chilly out there. Lucas, I am sorry, man. I’d been talking to Jack, an old friend, this morning, and he used to be in your pack, and he had some misgivings about you, but he couldn’t really access them because of the spell Carissa had on him. That, mixed with knowing that Lila was worried about Harriet, and Max told me he could smell you all over her, just, the whole thing flipped me right over when I knew Lila was scared. I could feel her fear across town, man. I am not sure I could’ve stopped myself from shifting if I had tried. I was halfway here in 30 seconds.”

  Harriet watched as Lucas looked over at Kurt. “I’m sorry too, Kurt. She had a crossbow, and I mean, rationally, I’m sure she wasn’t going to shoot the kids, yes. But my Wolf was in charge for a bit there, and I growled at her. That’s all. I think it just spooked her so much because I’m not a Bear. I mean, I am terrifying, but I did not intend to eat her at any point.” He smiled wanly at his own attempt at humor.

  Harriet heard a commotion in the yard of the Lawson type and smiled. She got up from the table and walked past the sofa where Lila had curled up to sleep with Riley. She stepped over the debris in the doorway and walked down the steps to find Bill and Mike transferring the sleepy-looking Wolves to a work van.

  “I’m going to take them to the Council building to be with the others,” Bill told her over his shoulder as they worked. “There’s nothing else to be done, so far. Max’s been filling us in on some of the experimentation that might be going on up there, so between you and Bella, we might be able to figure out some way to heal them, hopefully. It’s a real shame to see good shifters go down this way.”

  “Bella? Really? She’s come out of her shell?” Harriet asked. Bella had been notorious, for years, for not getting involved in anything, at all. She barely left her shop.

  “Yeah,” Mike said, “she says there is weird magic around lately, and she wants to get her finger on it, so she doesn’t get surprised by it. I didn’t even know she could leave her shop. I thought she was a figment of the imagination, really.”

  Bill and Mike packed up the Wolves, and Tim spent the time measuring the door frame and carting out the debris, with Kurt’s help. The Lawson’s development company, Ursa Development, would handle the repairs over the course of the afternoon, easily. The brothers enjoyed working together, for the most part, and Harriet enjoyed working with them.

  It was also very handy to have handymen in the family. She smiled to herself. Although, honestly, they did much of the damage they had to repair, so it pretty much worked out even.

  Harriet turned and walked back into the house, wondering if she had food that kids would eat.

  Chapter 22

  Lucas watched Harriet walk back in with a half-smile on her face. She was so damn beautiful. Her curves were freaking unstoppable, but it was her eyes that always caught him, and the way that she carried herself. She was so damn confident and capable. He needed to tell her how much he loved her, how impressive she was to him, how proud he was of her all the time. But how could he do that when he knew he’d have to leave? He had no idea if the pack were on to him, but the Wolves in charge of moving the kids were not feeble, and they would notice the kids being gone, and suspect Lucas immediately.

  Would they track him down to Mossy Ridge? Could he really bring pack retribution into Harriet’s home? He shook his head as he sipped the coffee. It just wasn’t to be. He was going to have to leave. He got up from the table as Harriet came into the kitchen and went to look in on the still sleeping kids.

  He found Kurt lifting Lila gently off the sofa. He smiled at Lucas as he placed her gently over his shoulder. Riley was still fast asleep. Lucas felt a twinge of jealousy at being able to sleep through all the commotion that had happened here this morning and smiled at his ten-year-old boy. He was still incredulous that they were here, that the hunt was finally over. He walked into Harriet’s bedroom to find Meg curled up in the center of the bed. Harriet had tucked pillows all around her to make sure she didn’t fall off the bed like a newborn. Lucas smiled to himself. Meg looked like a baby bird in a nest. She was sucking her thumb. He’d forgotten she did that. He shook his head in amazement.

  It was such a shame they were going to have to leave. He couldn’t keep them in Mossy Ridge. It was too obvious if anyone was searching for him. This pack wasn’t his, and he wasn’t going to put them out any more than he already had. It was his trouble to take care of… or avoid at least.

  Lucas tried avoiding Harriet as much as he could, which was really hard as his kids were at her house. He took a long, hot shower, and hit the road for a run in the woods. There was nothing wrong with Harriet, everything was right, and since he was going to leave her, he’d rather she be disgusted with him than hurt any more.

  He went over to Max’s and watched him playing with his kids in his backyard. It was dreamy, and Lucas saw the contentment settled on Max’s physique like it was a warm coat in winter. When Max turned to look, Lucas slunk away. He knew he might never have that level of contentment. He and the kids might just have to keep moving.

  Lucas went back to the house and started gathering the few things he had. Those pink camos were not coming with him. He had borrowed from one of the stashes in the woods that the Lawson’s used after their shifter patrols. He turned to find Harriet standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame.

  “Where are you going, Lucas?” she asked in a small voice.

  He hated hearing Harriet use a small voice. It didn’t suit her at all. She was strong and certain, in most things. He hung his head.

  “I have to take them out of here, Harry. This will be one of the first places they look because they know I was searching for Max’s kids. If they track me? That much simpler. I’ve got to get me and the kids to a safe house, at least for a spell. If they track me here, they’ll be overwhelmed with all the shifter spells. They’ll completely lose us. I have to go, Harriet.”

  Harriet walked over to him, putting her hand on his arm. “I know that you think the only answer is to run, Lucas. I know that. But what we have here, I mean, with the Lawson pack, is something really solid. I wish you would consider talking to them, letting them help. They are all searching for ways to repay you for what you did for Max, they actually want a way to help you. And me, I mean, there’s me too, Lucas. Right?” her voice cracked. She dropped her hand as he took his time trying to calm himself.

  As he turned to answer her, she was backing up to the doorway, her hand over her mouth. “Oh God, Lucas, I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized how wrong I was. I made it all up, didn’t I?”

  Lucas dropped his head. This was way worse, and easier, all at once. Let her think it was her fault. He was an asshole, and he knew it, from head to toe. He just didn’t see any other way. He let her go.

  He walked slowly into the other room and called the kids to him, explaining that they had to go.

  Meg cried.

  Riley was quiet. He put his head on his dad’s arm and said, “Dad, we’re just so tired of moving. Can we just stay someplace next time? Just stay?”

  Lucas felt his heart break.

  “I don’t know, Riley. I just have to find us a safe place, okay?” He threw the bag over his shoulder and grabbed a kid hand on each side. They made their way through the open doorway out to his car. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Harriet framed in the doorway behind them. The light was shining on her from above, framing her beautifully in the door. He thought he’d never see another woman as beautiful as Harriet, ever. He gave her a shy wave and packed the kids in the car.

  She stood there while they were getting comfortable and waved as he pulled out of the driveway and drove away.

  Lucas watched her in his rearview mirror for a long time. She stayed there and watched them go.

  Chapter 23

  Harriet was pissed. Today was the day to head over to her bed and breakfast in the next county south and she was not in the mood. The door had been fixed and she walked over just to slam it again. Mike Lawson was packing up his supplies in his truck and gave her a raised eyebrow.

  “It’s nothing, Mike. Just checking it slams good,” said Harriet.

  She was throwing stuff in a bag, candy, pajamas, books. She just needed to get out of town. Lila had called earlier to tell her she’d made her a tea to take with her, to help her sleep, which would come in handy, so she had to stop by Bella’s Farm on the way out.

  The herb shop always smelled so beautifully, it was relaxing just to open the door, most of the time. If you weren’t carrying a charmed poppet, that is.

  She heard the bell jangle overhead as she walked in. Her car was packed and ready to go, and here she was, ready to be a single girl on the lam for a couple nights.

  Lila and Bella both came out from the back room with smiles on. Their smiles made Harriet feel happy. It was going to be all right. Having Lucas leave so suddenly was almost a blessing. There was literally nothing left to hold onto, nothing at all.

  Bella came over to give her a hug. “My goodness, Harriet, you’ve had a busy couple of days. Saving children, calming Wolves, finding Wolves, losing Wolves. It’s been a heavy-on-the-howl few days for you.” Bella looked at her closely. “It is a blessing, Harriet. That boy has some work to do still. Let him go do it.” She turned back to the countertop, all business.

  “Now. Tell me what you remember about the old woman who took care of you. Do you have that poppet on you? I can only smell it a little bit. You, Lila?”

  Lila put down the bag of tea she’d been holding onto and concentrated. “No, just the suggestion of it, no strength.”

  Harriet nodded. “I’ve got it in the car, in case I need it to find my damn phone. Sounds ridiculous, but a thing like that is actually really damn useful. So, Bella,” she turned to face her, “what I remember of her was her softness, she was a big white woman with a big swirl of white hair, lots of necklaces, bracelets and rings. She clattered when she walked, she was so heavy with them. I don’t remember exactly what she looked like anymore, but I have this vague idea that her eyes were different colors, like one was green and the other blue or something like that, but it’s vague. I’m not really certain.

  “She used to sing to me, and rock me on her chest. I am pretty sure I played with her necklaces. She smelled, to me, the same as that poppet. I think it’s why it was so familiar to me, and why I immediately connected it to her.”

  “Hmm, I see,” said Bella. “And what was it you said her name was?”

  “Nanny, or Nan,” said Harriet. “I’m not totally sure if she was a nanny, or someone’s grandmother, or everyone’s grandmother. She could have even been a Nancy, I don’t know. I didn’t really get to hear all about it from Lucas, but I don’t think she was actually related to me. I think she just took care of us for a while. I don’t even remember where I went after that, it becomes something of a blur until I was about seven or eight, when I ended up at the family that could handle both Max and me. They were hippies and were intentionally gathering all sorts of shifters and magic kids to have us all be one big happy family. You know, like the birds and the beasts, living together in harmony.” Harriet smiled. “It wasn’t a bad plan, actually, but I can’t imagine many shifter clans liked it. There was some rumor that it was a shifter clan that did them in, in the end, because their plan was too forgiving, too accepting of intermingling amongst the clans.”

  Harriet shrugged. “That help you any, Bella? Max might be able to give you more info on the Nan, but he was pretty wild as a kid, already running off all the time. It’s why I got the poppet in the first place, evidently, to help us find him.”