“She’s all right,” Remy called after him. “My brothers wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

Drake didn’t turn around. How could Saria possibly be all right? Her leopard was throwing off enough hormones to call in every male for hundreds of miles. She had to be scared and embarrassed and what the hell had he been doing anyway? Pauline could have handled the mess at the inn without him. He could have waited for a shower and for Pauline to wash his clothes while they made all the necessary calls to the cleaners. Damn. He’d been selfish, thinking of his own comfort, not Saria’s. He knew she was close to the emerging. Hell. They all knew it. His first duty was to Saria. Always. Forever. And he’d let her down.

He burst through the front door, his body so painful and sensitive, he was already tearing at his shirt to get it away from his skin. Saria’s brothers jumped to their feet, all looking in rough shape. They had obviously stretched their control to the limit, their leopards roaring with the demand to protect and keep her safe from any strange males.

“Where is she?”

His leopard raked him, desperate to be released, to fend off all rivals for his lady’s affection. Drake couldn’t help but notice that Joshua and Elijah weren’t in the room. And neither was Saria. His throat thickened, changing his vocal cords so that little would make sense but a growling challenge. Heat was already banding in colors and his skin felt too tight around his shifting bones.

“She’s in the bathroom at the far end of the hall,” Mahieu said.

Drake was already following the scent, aware Remy was right behind him as he leapt the expanse of the hall, landing in a crouch just outside the door. He didn’t knock, but jerked it open. Saria whirled around to face him and Drake suppressed a groan as Saria’s eyes locked with his. Her irises were nearly gone, ringed now with all gold. She looked frightened, twisting the fingers of her hands together until her skin was nearly white.

Drake couldn’t imagine how she felt. Her leopard had to be clawing for supremacy, knowing she was in the vicinity of males. Saria had to fight to keep her body under control when her leopard wanted seduction, plain and simple. Beyond her, out the window, he not only saw, but smelled her two guards. Elijah and Joshua both were sweating, staying as far from Saria as possible. He forced himself to give them a small salute, and nod of thanks, when his leopard raged at their close proximity. His presence allowed the others to get away from her, taking their leopards out of harm’s way.

Remy swore under his breath. “You have to get her out of here before something happens. This is a bad situation.”

Saria couldn’t hae failed to hear her brother. She blinked rapidly, almost as if she might burst into tears. Her eyes were overbright.

Drake held out his hand to her. “No worries, honey, you’ve waited a long time for her.”

“Take him to Tante Marie’s cabin, Saria. She lets us use it when she’s away. It’s empty. Mahieu, grab some clothes from my closet. Lojos, food. Let’s get it done,” Remy instructed.

Saria’s fingers tangled with his. He could feel the fur running beneath her skin, desperate to break free. He closed his hand over hers, pouring strength and confidence into his gaze. He winked at her and saw her take a breath, settle, believing in him. Trusting him. As she’d done from the beginning. Saria had given herself to him and in the moment, he realized the enormity of her commitment to him. Saria didn’t do things by halves.

For one moment, he could only stand there looking at her—loving her—nearly weak with love for her. He had never considered what it would be like to give himself totally to another person—to trust someone that much. She could break his heart—shatter it into a million pieces. Fear slithered through him for just one moment, but he knew she was in it with him for life because that was how Saria operated. He knew his heart was in his eyes for anyone to see, but there was only Saria looking back at him. Her chin went up and she smiled.

Mahieu thrust a pack at him. It was heavy enough to contain weapons. He tossed the pack out the window and indicated Saria precede him. She practically dove through the window with no hesitation whatsoever. She wanted to be away from her brothers. He wanted her away from everyone. He trusted his men to keep their leopards under control, but this lair was fucked up and the males in it had little control over themselves—let alone their leopards.

Saria ran toward the swamp, her leopard lending her speed. Drake slung the pack around his neck and raced after her.

“I have to get the clothes off my body. I can’t stand anything against my skin,” Saria said, desperation in her voice.

“We can undress just ahead. Elijah and Joshua left as soon as they saw me with you. They’ll hang out around your family home just to make certain we’re safe, but we’ll have the swamp between here and wherever you’re taking us,” Drake assured. His voice was gravelly, husky, sawing rather than clear tones.

Saria glanced back at him and hurried into the darkness of the trees. She peeled her shirt from her body in one swift move. He reached for it, folding it carefully and stuffing it in the pack, even as he unlaced his boots.

“Tell me what to do,” Saria said. “Hurry. You have to hurry, Drake.” Her shoes were on the ground and she was pushing her jeans from the curve of her hips.

“She’ll rise, honey, and you have to embrace her. It will be difficult because you’ll feel like she’s swallowing you, but let her come to the surface. Let her have her form. You’ll be there, inside of her, feeling everything she feels.”