That’s why Toni loved Madra. Expensive it might be, but when she had to make sure the entire Jean-Louis Parker clan could get from one place to another in a timely manner and without embarrassment-inducing risks, she spent the extra cash to book them on Madra Airlines.

“Antonella?”

Toni spun around and immediately grinned. “Scotty!” She charged into the open arms of her fellow jackal. “I was so hoping you were working today.”

“Is it Kyle?” he asked with a smile when Toni stepped back.

“For once . . . no. I do need your help, though.” She took his hand and dragged him to the front doors of the airport and out to the limo.

“Holy shit.” The jackal laughed when he saw the bear.

“He’s afraid of flying,” Toni told him. “Can you help?”

“With bears? You bet. Just tell me what needs to happen.”

Ricky waited until the jackal had gone back inside the airport before he asked, “So who’s that?”

“That’s Scotty.”

“Just telling me the man’s name doesn’t really help me understand.”

“He runs the airport.”

“Thought wild dogs run this place.”

“Wild dogs own this company. But they hire other canines. They’re a really great company if you’re looking for work.”

“I’m not. Do you think I am?”

“I have no idea, with you free to follow me around all day.” She suddenly frowned. “You’re not a criminal, are you?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Well . . . you are in the Smith Pack.”

“And?”

That’s when the mountain lion started to laugh. “Oh, come on! Are you really going to be insulted that she asked you that?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Everybody knows that the Smith Pack is either criminals or assholes. Usually both at the same time.”

Annoyed and always protective of his Pack, Ricky Lee stepped closer to the cat. Instantly, the cat stood straight, fangs easing out of his gums.

“Gentlemen,” Toni sighed. “Do we really have time for this?”

Ricky would make time.

“What are you gonna do, Snoopy? Without your Pack? It’s just you and me.”

Toni leaned in between the snarling pair. “Not really,” she said, motioning toward the front doors. Ricky and the cat looked over and saw about ten males in their wolf forms standing a few feet away. Ricky didn’t know any of them, but he knew wolves would always back stranger wolves against cats, because cats just really irritated them all.

That Scotty guy—was he the ex-boyfriend?—came out of the airport. He pointed at the limo. “He’s in there,Craig.”

The wolves trotted over to the limo.

“What are they doing to my car?”

“Tearing it apart?”

“Stop instigating,” Toni told Ricky.

The wolves stood outside the limo for several seconds. Then, suddenly, one of them jumped forward, barked, and nipped at Bert’s legs.

“Hey!” Bert yelled. “Cut it out!”

Another wolf jumped forward, barked, nipped.

Then they all did it, surrounding the limo and attacking Bert from both ends.

“Get off me!” he yelled from inside. “I’m not kidding! Cut it out!”

“Good Lord,” Ricky muttered, his annoyance at the cat forgotten as the two stood there with Toni between them and watched. “They’re baitin’ that damn bear.”

“That is so wrong,” the cat said.

Wrong it might be, but effective. Bert suddenly exploded out of that limo, roaring, claws slashing at the wolves. He hit a few, sending them flying several feet.

“Hey, bear,” Scotty said. And when Bert turned, ready to attack yet another canine, Scotty pulled the trigger on the tranquilizer gun he held. The dart slammed into Bert’s neck. The black bear roared and tried to run off, but the wolves kept charging him, pushing him back, blocking him off, until he began to stumble forward . . . back . . . and then down he went like a diseased oak.

Scotty handed off the rifle to some fox standing with him and motioned to the wolves. “All right, gentlemen. Let’s get the bear up and on the plane.”

The wolves shifted back to human and lifted poor Bert up and carried him into the airport. One of them grabbed Bert’s baggage out of the trunk and followed after them.

Scotty stood in front of Toni, his smile wide. “Told you. Easy-peasy.”

“Scotty, you’re the best.”

“I know.” He took Toni’s hand and rested it on his forearm.

“The best part . . . for a little extra, we’ll make sure he gets back the same way. He’ll wake up in New York and not even remember checking out of his hotel.”

“Excellent.”

“Now let’s get this paperwork out of the way.” He led her inside. “Would you like some champagne while we do this? You look like you need it.”

The cat looked at Ricky. “He is so gonna nail her.”

Ricky Lee took off his hat, scratched his head. “You know, cat, you are partly right.”

“About what?”

Ricky rammed his head forward into the cat’s, knocking the feline out completely.

Staring down at him, he said, “The Smith Pack can be a bunch of assholes.”

Ricky put his hat back on and went into the airport in search of Toni.