“Don’t you think I’m smart enough to know the difference?”

“I’m the one who has to be sure of your motivation.”

Because he still didn’t trust her. The sad thing was, she couldn’t blame him. “Very well then. How do we end this?”

“I think I have an idea.”

Angelia sat downstairs with Fang sniffing at her hand.

“No wonder he was acting so weird. The bastard’s mated.”

“Fang!” Bride snapped at him. “Leave the poor woman alone, or at least congratulate her.”

“On what? Being mated to Fury seems like a nightmare to me.”

There was a time Angelia would have agreed. Strange how she no longer did. “Your brother is a wonderful wolf.”

Bride smiled approvingly.

“So where is lover-wolf, anyway?”

“He said he was going to see a friend about getting the lions off my trail.”

Fang’s face blanched.

“What?” Angelia asked, immediately scared by his reaction.

“Fury doesn’t have any friends.”

Why would he have lied to her? Dear gods, what was he doing? “Then where is he?”

The question had barely left her lips before Vane appeared. He glared at her before he turned to Fang. “I need you at the Omegrion. Now.”

Fang frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Fury has turned himself in as the one who maimed the lion.”

Angelia shot to her feet. “What?!”

“You heard me! Stupid idiot. I’ve been summoned by Savitar who asked me to bring any witnesses who can testify to his innocence.”

Fang cursed. “Where was he when it happened?”

“I don’t know.”

Fang shot to his feet. “I’m going.”

They started to leave.

“Don’t forget me.” Angelia moved to stand in front of Vane.

Vane hesitated.

Fang gave him a stern look. “She’s his mate, V. Let her come.”

Nodding, he took her with them to Savitar’s island and into the chamber room where the Omegrion met and decided the laws that governed all shapeshifters. Her entire life, Angelia had heard stories about this place. Never had she thought to see it.

Here the Regis, one representative for each branch of the Katagaria and Arcadians, met. It was amazing to her that they didn’t fight. But then that was why Savitar was here.

More like a referee, Savitar held the final fate of all of them in his hands. The only problem was no one really knew what Savitar was. Or even where he came from.

“Where’s Fury?” she asked Vane.

“I don’t know.”

“Are all the members here?”

He scanned the group. “All but Fury.”

Before she could ask another question, she felt a ripple of power behind her. Turning, she found an unbelievably gorgeous man there. At least six-feet-eight, he had long dark hair and a goatee. Dressed in surf clothes, he eyed her suspiciously.

“You have your witnesses, Wolf?” he asked Vane.

“I do.”

“Then let’s proceed.” He walked past the round table where the Omegrion members sat and took a seat on a throne that was set apart.

“Savitar?” she asked Vane.

He nodded.

Damn. He was scary.

Savitar let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “I know everyone here wants to be somewhere else. Trust me. So do I. But for those who haven’t heard and you’d have to live under a rock…” He looked over to the Arcadian Hawk Regis and hesitated. “Okay, so some of you do, which is why I have to explain this. It appears some of our good Arcadians have created and now used a weapon that can take away your preternatural abilities and lock you into your base form.”

Several members sucked their breaths in sharply.

Savitar nodded. “Yeah, it sucks. Two days ago, a couple of bastards decided to go hunting. I have the head of two of the four people responsible.” He indicated the lions to his left. “The family of the victim wants the other two. Dead. But tortured first. I can respect that.”

“Do we hunt?” Nicolette Peltier asked.

“No. It seems one of those responsible has come forward to turn himself in. He claims he killed the fourth member and doesn’t want to run.”

“Where is he?” Paris’s brother demanded.

“Wait your turn, Lion, or I’ll be wearing your eyeballs as jewelry.”

The lion backed down immediately.

Savitar snapped his fingers, and Fury appeared before his throne in chains.

Angelia started for him, only to have Vane stop her.

Fury did a doubletake as he saw her. “Dammit, Vane, I told you not to – ” A muzzle appeared on his face.

Savitar glared at him. “Next person or animal who interrupts me is going to get gutted.”

Fury’s gaze was locked on hers. Don’t speak, he projected to her. It’s better this way. Trust me. You can go home and have your life back.

Was he out of his mind?

That thought died as she saw Dare appear next to Fury.

Savitar eyed Dare with contempt. “We have a witness who swears he saw Fury in the act. Since that corroborates what Fury has said, I suppose your vote on his fate will be an easy one. Unless someone in the room has something more to add.”

Sasha stepped forward. “Fury didn’t do it. He’s protecting someone. I know him. I might not like his ass, but I know he’s innocent. I was there at Sanctuary when he saw the lion and he knew nothing about it.”

“It’s true,” Nicolette Peltier said. “I, too, saw him. He told me he would find the one responsible and make them pay.”

Savitar stroked his chin. “Interesting, isn’t it? What do you have to say about that, Fury?”

The muzzle vanished. “They’re on crack.”

Savitar shook his head. “Anyone else on crack?”

Tears stung Angelia’s eyes at the sacrifice Fury was willing to make. But she couldn’t let him do this. Looking down, she traced his symbol on her palm.

It would have been her greatest honor to be his mate and have his children.

If only it could have been.

“Fury’s innocent,” she said, stepping forward. “He confessed to save – ”

“Me.”

Angelia froze in shock as Dare cleared his throat.

“What was that?” Savitar asked.

Dare glanced to her, then looked at Fury. “I’m the one who fired the shot that maimed the lion. The one who killed the other is already dead.”

“And the others?”

“Also dead.”

Fury shook his head at Dare. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because it was my wrongdoing, and I refuse to have an animal show me up by being noble. Fuck you.”

“We had a bargain,” Fury said under his breath.

“I’m altering it.” Dare looked back at Angelia. “It’s time for once that I did the right thing for the right reasons.”

Savitar folded his arms over his chest. “We have another confession from Dare Kattalakis. Going once, going twice… are there any more confessions in the room? Anyone else want to admit to shooting a lion?” He paused. “Didn’t think so.”

The lions moved forward. “Then he’s ours.”

Savitar shook his head. “Actually, he’s mine. Sorry. You’ve already taken the heads of two Arcadians. Be glad I don’t demand justice for their families. We’re going to assume they were guilty, but without a trial…”

The lions looked less than pleased, but no one dared to question him.

“As for this little toy they used, don’t worry. I’ve already made sure the inventor doesn’t invent anything else. I have my people tracking down the handful he sold and we should have them destroyed soon. In the meantime…”

Dare vanished, and Fury’s shackles melted.

“Omegrion is adjourned.”

The council members flashed out.

Except for the wolves and Nicolette. Fury walked over to where they were standing. He held his hand out to Sasha. “Thanks.”

“No problem. And we’re still not friendly.”

Fury’s eyes danced with humor. “Yeah, you prick, I hate your guts.” He looked at Nicolette. “It was decent of you, too, to speak up.”

“You are still banned from my house… unless you’re wounded.” She teleported out.

Fury shook his head, then looked at Lia. All humor died. “You were going to turn yourself in to save me.”

“I told you, Fury. I will always stand at your back.”

He took her hands into his and then kissed each one in turn. “My back isn’t where I want you.”

She arched a brow. “No? Where would you prefer me, then?” She expected him to say under him – it was what an Arcadian male would say.

But he didn’t.

“I want you at my side. Always.”

“Ugh,” Fang groused. “Wolves, get a room.”

Angelia smiled. “Sounds like a great idea.”

The next thing she knew, they were home.

Savitar didn’t move as he watched the last of the wolves clear the room. The moment it was empty, he felt a power surge next to him.

It was Zarek.

“Sasha went home, Z.”

“Yeah, I know. I was checking with you about our earlier discussion.”

“My demons got most of the weapons.”

“But…”

“There are still a few out there.”

Zarek cursed. “If Sasha gets nailed with one, Astrid will lose her mind.”

“Believe me, Z, I know.” Savitar looked out toward the clear horizon, but inside, he knew the same thing that Zarek did. There was a storm brewing. Fierce and violent.

They’d stopped this minor bout. But it was nothing compared to the one that was coming.

Fury lay in bed, naked, with Angelia on top of him. Their palms were still pressed together from their mating ritual.