She was shoved inside a closet and the door closed, leaving her in darkness. The phone in her hand rang and she startled then frantically accepted the call, hoping it was Bree.

“Hello?”

“I’m sorry,” a female crooned. “I must have called the wrong number. I was trying to reach my ex-boyfriend.”

“It’s a new number I just got. Whoever you’re trying to reach obviously changed theirs. Sorry,” Charma whispered, hanging up. She didn’t have time to deal with another Peggy situation.

She heard snarls and a battle taking place on the other side of the door. She leaned against the thick wood, hoping the two brothers were as fierce as they appeared. The prides seemed focused on attacking the alpha house. She closed her eyes and prayed Brand would be safe.

Brand rushed outside and headed in the opposite direction that Braden had gone, feeling a little guilt about lying to his mate. She’d worry less if she thought he had backup. He was torn between staying to protect Charma and going after her sister. The pride male could have lied in an attempt to get her to leave with him but he had to be certain.

He caught a leopard attempting to sneak up on the house and attacked. He wasn’t in the mood to dally so he shifted fast and just tore into the male. He quickly left him dead on the lawn and sprinted in the direction the group of pride had come from. He had a good idea where they’d entered the woods. A lone stretch of road near the old graveyard would have allowed them the closest access to the alpha house.

His paws dug into the ground as he rushed forward, on alert for the enemy. He passed a few groups of wolves and four of them followed him, perhaps hoping he was on the scent of a new target. He ignored the males, ones he didn’t know. They were probably visitors for mating heat and had ignored orders to leave. He picked up a scent a few miles away and changed direction. Fresh blood from a kill alarmed him and he hoped it wasn’t a female she-cat he’d find.

When he located the fallen body it was a male who was in skin but stank of pride. A wolf had ripped open his chest. He leaned in, pressing his nose close. Another scent came through and he growled. Braden had taken out the male.

It became clear that Braden might have headed away from the fighting but he’d doubled back. Another snarl drew his attention and he turned his head, watching one of the strangers sniff the nearby grass. He stepped over the body and shoved the male aside, sniffing at the spot. Female she-cat was distinctive. The males let out a howl of intent to track her but he barreled into the one who seemed to be in charge, taking him to the ground. His teeth locked around the male’s throat in warning.

NO! His wolf sent that signal out loud and clear. He released the male and threw his head in the direction of the alpha house. Go! His wolf snarled to emphasize the order.

The males whined in protest but obeyed. They turned tail and rushed in the opposite direction, leaving him at the scene alone. He waited, lowered his nose and investigated the faint scent of the she-cat. Braden’s scent was there too.

Part of him was relived. Braden had found her and he didn’t find any traces of her blood. He discovered where her scent ended and studied the tracks. A pair of bare footprints a few feet away told him, from their deep imprint, that his cousin must have carried Charma’s sister. He’d left in skin, as a man.

Braden had killed the male and taken the she-cat. It had to be Charma’s sister, even though her scent didn’t remind him of his mate’s. His gaze landed on the torn-apart male lying in the woods. Braden could be immature at times but he wasn’t one to lose his temper without cause. His cousin wouldn’t harm a she-cat, especially one he’d killed for. Braden had killed the male while protecting her. The single set of footprints leading away indicated his cousin was taking her to town, away from the fighting.

Brand made a decision. He turned away from the tracks and plowed through the woods, back toward the alpha house. Charma was his priority. Howls ahead spurred him to run faster, wondering what they meant. He came across the she-cat’s scent on his way to the house and paused, his jaw closed over her discarded jacket and he took it with him.

He rushed into the front yard of the alpha house and saw a lot of the enforcers celebrating. The fight was over. Dead bodies littered the ground but most of them were pride. He spotted a familiar wolf, down and motionless. Grief rose for a brief second when he realized one of their enforcers had been lost. He shifted to skin, dropped the she-cat’s coat on the ground and walked inside the house.

Kane and Klax grinned at him. Blood coated their bodies but they had kept their clothes on, not fully shifting into wolves. Charma wasn’t with them and he was instantly concerned.

“Where’s my mate?”

Klax winked. “In the closet, safe as can be.” He pointed.

Brand yanked open the door and Charma nearly fell into his arms. She turned, staring up at him with wide eyes. He hugged her hard, hating the smell of fear rolling off her. Then another, scarier scent hit.

“I smell blood.” He jerked away, staring at her waist.

“It’s not mine.”

His relief was instant. “Your sister is safe. At least the female she-cat is.”

She clung to him. “Where is she?”

“Braden has her.”

She wiggled in his arms, trying to look around him. “Where is Bree?”

“Braden took her to town, away from the fighting.”

“Did she say her name was Bree? She’s got long dark hair and big green eyes. We kind of look alike too.”

“I never saw her.”

“What do you mean?” Her voice grew panicked. “You were with him and you said he has her.”

“Calm down,” he urged. “Braden found her first and he killed the male who was with her.”

She gasped.

“He wouldn’t hurt her.”

“How can you be sure?”

“She’s a pussy.” Klax snorted. “Killing is the last thing that pup would do to her.”

“What does that mean?” Charma glared at the enforcer.

Brand instructed Kane to retrieve the jacket he’d left in the yard.

Kane went outside and brought the jacket, sniffing it. “She-cat. Does this smell like your sister?”

Charma wiggled out of his arms and lunged, snatching the jacket out of the enforcer’s hand. She sniffed it and turned back to Brand. Tears filled her eyes as she clutched it against her chest. “I bought this for Breeanna.” She reached inside one of the pockets and withdrew a cell phone. She showed it to him. “This is hers.”