I ran outside just in time to see Max stalking towards the house in human form with a predatory look on his face. Good. He was in human form. Plan A. Before he could open his mouth I ran towards him and extended my right leg high in the air. Spinning, I delivered a perfect roundhouse kick to his jaw and he was out cold. Maybe I should have mentioned that I ran women’s defense classes on the weekends and I was a black belt in karate.

Emma shifted into human form behind me. She was stark naked.

“You can touch it? Without pain or gloves?” she said shocked, looking down at my hands holding the silver chains. I didn’t have time to process that. I grabbed the chain and began tying Max by the wrists and ankles. Then I ripped the pillow to shreds and stuffed huge gobs of fluff into his mouth. I wound a strip of cloth around his mouth holding the stuffing in. I could smell burning flesh and could see red blisters pop up where the silver touched. He was still unconscious. I sat back panting in relief. If it killed him, then so be it. But I didn’t want to kill him if I didn’t have to. Devon shifted as well. Apparently, modesty was lost in the pack. He stood naked and gestured towards the house. “Let’s get him in a cage,” he told Emma. Max began waking as they hoisted him up. “Rahheng Raahenge,” Max roared, his eyes shown yellow the cotton in his mouth made it hard to understand him. It sounded an awful lot like challenge but I ignored it. He could have been saying revenge. I sat in the front yard for the next three hours while Emma staked out the back and Devon roamed the perimeter. Either Jake was waiting until we weakened or he had thought better of challenging. My eye lids began drooping and before I could stop it, I fell asleep.

I awoke to the sound of footsteps. I bolted upright, tense.

Sadie walked over to me. “He’s asking for you. It was touch and go throughout the night but he’s healing fine now,” she told me.

I didn’t know what to say.

“Go, I’ll take watch,” she said with bitterness in her voice.

I nodded and looked down at myself. I was covered in dirt and Kai’s blood. I had sleep in my eyes and my back was killing me. As I entered the bedroom I could see that Kai was in human form; he lay in his bed wearing sweatpants and a tight t-shirt. The thought of him shifting in front of Sadie made my inner wolf seethe in jealousy. I quickly tamped it down so he wouldn’t pick up on it. He gestured for me to sit near him.

“You did well. It’s an honor to call you my second,” he told me with a sandpaper voice. I could see his bite marks were oozing pink fluid but they were healing.

“I did the best I could. Max is bound by silver chains and gagged in a cage in your basement,” I told him.

Kai looked sad for a moment. “Max as a human, as a friend, would never challenge me, would never want me dead. Max as a wolf, well, it’s a part of this life.”

He tried to sit up and groaned. I stopped him.

“You’re not moving until you’re fully healed,” I told him. “That’s an order,” I added playfully.

He smiled, flashing his bright white teeth. They were in stark contrast to his olive skin, his canines were pronounced. “Yes, Ma’am. Well, if you won’t let me get up, then I’m going to have to ask my vegetarian second to fix me three rare steaks. I will heal faster with meat in my system.”

I gulped. “Coming right up.” I faked enthusiasm.

After gagging my way through the kitchen getting a meal ready for Kai and silently apologizing to the cute cows that had given their lives for his breakfast, I went to the guest bathroom and showered.

I came out in my towel and made it back to the bedroom I was staying in. I found a stack of clothes on the bed. Emma. I smiled. She was quickly growing on me, a thoughtful and kind friend. After changing into the skinny jeans, teal cotton V-neck, and black ballet flats, I quickly dried my long blonde hair and went to Kai’s room.  I stood outside the door, unsure of whether or not to go in. We still had so much to go over. It was Sunday. I had a job, an important job waiting for me on Monday. My roommate and mother must be beside themselves with worry. Kai and I had something growing between us, more than that kiss. I was confused. He had something with Sadie from the past. Maybe this new werewolf side of me was messing with my hormones. Then a horrifying thought struck me. What if my human side fell in love with him but my wolf was mated to someone else?

The door creaked open and Kai peeked his head out. I blushed. Crap! This stupid bond!

“Want to talk?” He asked graciously not bringing any of my thoughts up.

I nodded and noticed he looked my body up and down before letting me in the room. I looked around and scolded myself for picking his bedroom of all places to have a chat. I sat on the edge of the bed which had been stripped clean and was dressed with new sheets. I straightened my back trying to look strong.

“I own an organization called Safe Haven. It’s a domestic violence shelter and women’s defense class studio. It’s a non-profit, so I don’t exactly have the money to hire a lot of people to take over my job. I can’t leave. I won’t leave. We run on volunteers only and a lot of families depend on Safe Haven for support, for survival.” I couldn’t look him in the eye. I knew he was thinking about the thoughts he had picked up from me earlier, from my own domestic violence situation as a child.

He moved to sit next to me and placed a hand on my leg. It was possessive and gentle at the same time. “Is this Safe Haven located in Portland?”

I nodded and he sighed. “We can’t go to Portland without the Portland Pack’s permission. After last night, I highly doubt that is going to happen anytime soon. I own the territory from east of the 205 near Gresham and all of Mount Hood to the 97. Portland Pack owns west of the 205 all the way until the ocean and down to Corvallis. We can open a second location in Gresham and I can get the pack to volunteer there. We can pay some humans to head up the Portland location and stay in contact with them through video phone. I will fund the entire venture. That’s the best I can do.”