“For what?”

“For giving me a chance. It was all worth it. Every single minute. Even this one.”

I couldn’t stop tears then, even when Jace kissed me, for the last time. When he pulled away, he leaned with his forehead against mine. “Damn, this is harder than I thought, and that doesn’t seem possible.”

“I know.” I was shivering, and not from the cold.

He let me go, and I stepped back. “Go on. He’s waited long enough.”

I nodded and made myself turn away from him, my shoulders shaking. I’d only gone a few feet when the back door squealed shut behind me, and Jace was gone.

I took a deep breath and headed toward the tree line.

There were six toms, other than Marc, and two bruins—Elias Keller had brought a friend.

I owed them my life. My Pride. My eternal gratitude. And I had no idea how to say that.

Marc saw me coming and met me halfway. My heart thumped as I watched him walking toward me, wearing nothing but jeans, in spite of the cold. He had a gash in his left arm and blood had soaked through the material over his right calf, but other than that, he looked good. Very, very good.

“Hey,” I said, when he stopped less than a foot in front of me.

“Hey.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and his glittering brown gaze bored into mine.

“Thank you.” I sniffled and blinked away tears, but my eyes just filled again. “If you hadn’t shown up…”

He crossed both arms over his bare chest, half covering the clawmark scars. “I made a promise.”

“How did you know about the orange tape?”

Marc shrugged. “I called the Flight and made them swear not to tell you. My name was on the list of approved phone calls, remember?”

I did remember.

He hesitated, then glanced at the men he’d brought. “You want to talk to them?”

“Please.”

“Come on…” He led me to the others without taking my hand or my arm. Without touching me at all.

“Hey, kitten,” Elias Keller said as soon as I was within hearing range. The trees at his back swayed beneath a frigid breeze, including the one he’d knocked over during his grand entrance.

“Elias…I can’t thank you enough.” I cleared my throat, choking back a sob of gratitude, so I could at least aim for composedly appreciative. “You guys…you’re all amazing. I don’t even have the words…”

“And you don’t need them.” Keller’s massive, warm hand swallowed mine, and he squeezed gently. “Cat or bear—or evidently bird—we fight for what’s right.”

I didn’t think the birds really gave a damn about our ideas of right and wrong, but I wasn’t going to argue. “Who’s this?” I asked, glancing at the other bruin, who was every bit as big as Keller, though not quite so tall.

“This is Evert.” Keller slapped one massive hand on the other bear’s broad shoulder. “I needed a ride, and he said he’d only drive me if he could get in on the action. Worked out well for everyone, don’t you think?”

“Very well.” My smile could not have been wider. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Mr. Evert.”

“Likewise,” the new bruin boomed, pushing long, pale hair from his face. “I haven’t had exercise like that in years, even if it did interrupt my nap.”

I smiled and turned to the only stray I recognized: John Feldman. “Mr. Feldman, I am in your debt. If there’s any way I can return the favor, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I won’t.” His voice was hard, but still as smooth, and dark, and gorgeous, as his skin. “Marc assures us that any Pride run by you will be stray-friendly, and we figured it can’t hurt to establish a good relationship with our neighbors.”

“I completely agree.” And my relief had no limit. I’d been afraid that after what Malone had done to several members of the stray population, they would think the rest of us beyond redemption. “And you’re all welcome here as our guests. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us.”

We chatted for a few more minutes and I invited them all to stay over. Then I said goodbye and Marc followed me across the yard for a little privacy.

“I don’t…I don’t know what to say, Marc.” The guesthouse cast its early-morning shadow over us both, and the winter air was several degrees chillier there than in the sun.

“Yeah, me, neither.” He glanced at the berry-laden holly bushes, then back up at me. “I couldn’t let you down. Couldn’t let the Pride down. But nothing’s changed. You don’t owe me anything. But if you want me…I can’t share you, Faythe. I won’t. It’s all or nothing, for me. You’ve always known that.”

“I know.” The tears wouldn’t stop, and I felt like a fool, because I had nothing to wipe them on. “I want you. I want you so badly I can’t stand it. When you left, it felt like the world got darker. Like I couldn’t truly see anything. Couldn’t feel anything.”

“Faythe…” His frown was dark enough to eclipse the sun, and I realized he’d seen me kiss Jace. “This doesn’t matter, if you still love him. So please stop—”

“I do love Jace,” I said, and Marc’s face crumpled. He started to turn, but I grabbed his arm and wouldn’t let him pull away. “I can’t help that. I love him, but I can live without him. I can’t live without you, Marc. Please don’t ask me to.”