“That can’t happen again,” Rae said softly.

“We won’t let it,” Zander assured her. He turned back to the feral. “Tell your Fae masters they can kiss our asses.”

The feral stared at him in worry and then for one brief moment, sanity flared in his eyes. The guy was a Lupine, probably had a mate and cubs, a clan, a pack. He’d gotten pulled into all this by sadistic Fae bastards.

“Kill me,” the feral begged. “Please.”

Rae took a step forward. “We’ll help you,” she said. “We can get you free. My dad and Zander will . . .”

“No,” the man almost sobbed. “Kill me. It will come back. I can never be—”

Rae had taken another step toward him. The feral snarled, insanity taking him over again. He shifted to his half beast, and with a sudden burst of strength, broke through the chains. The chains flew apart, making the Shifters dance back, and the feral went for Rae.

Zander was in front of Rae in a heartbeat. Before he could leap forward and wrestle the feral down, Tiger stepped behind the Lupine, grabbed the back of his neck, and broke it.

The feral went limp, life instantly fading from his eyes. Tiger lowered him gently to the ground.

For a moment the Shifters in the clearing gazed down at the dead feral, the Lupine’s face relaxing in sudden peace. Whatever spell had gripped him had gone.

But they couldn’t leave him there for long. If the Fae had enslaved his body, they’d certainly rush to take his soul.

The other Shifters realized this too. “Sean,” one of the clan leaders said. “Your sword. Quickly.”

“No,” Zander said. “Rae.”

The Shifter, a Feline, glared at Zander. He was one of the clan leaders who didn’t believe Rae was truly Guardian.

Tiger gave the man his hard-eyed stare and the clan leader closed his mouth over whatever argument he’d been about to launch. “It should be Rae,” Tiger said, his voice calm but edged.

Sean nodded, making no move to unsheathe his sword. “It’s Rae’s Shiftertown. She’s Guardian here.”

Eoin stepped next to Rae, as though ready to defend her if any other Shifters tried to stop her.

The clan leader looked at all those arrayed against him, sighed, and lifted his hands. “Very well. But hurry. If she can even do it.”

A nervous swallow moved down Rae’s throat, but she drew her sword. The Sword of the Guardian rang, glistening in the sunlight, the runes seeming to move.

Rae glanced at Zander but he took a step back. He couldn’t touch the sword or be seen helping Rae in any way, in case the others tried to claim it was Zander’s magic that made the sword work, not hers. This was Rae’s task, no one else’s.

Tiger had arranged the dead Lupine full length on the ground, his arms at his sides. He’d done it gently, respectfully.

Rae approached, the sword held in one shaking hand. She firmed her grip on the hilt then reached down with the other hand and touched the feral’s forehead.

“The blessings of the Goddess be upon you,” Rae said in her musical, soothing voice, then she straightened up.

Rae put both hands on the sword’s hilt, positioned the point over the man’s heart, hesitated, then moved it the slightest bit over. She didn’t look to Zander for reassurance or guidance. She didn’t need to anymore.

Rae drew a sharp breath, wrapped both hands more securely around the sword, and drove the blade straight into the feral’s heart.

Zander felt a tingling warmth, heard a whisper of thanks, and then the feral dissolved to dust. Rae bowed her head, the point of the sword resting on the earth.

After a moment, she raised her head and let out a Lupine howl, a sound joined by Sean and Eoin and Rae’s brothers and others in the clearing—Shifters mourning the dead. Zander’s bear growled as well. Only Tiger remained silent, his golden eyes still.

Once everything quieted, Zander saw that the clan leaders were staring at Rae, shock in their eyes. They truly believed her Choosing had been a mistake, or a trick. They’d expected her to fail, for Sean to have to come behind her and finish the job.

Well, there could be no doubt now, Zander thought in both sorrow and satisfaction.

Rae Lyall was the true Guardian of the Montana Shiftertown. Zander loved her, and the next ceremony in this Shiftertown would be a happy one.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The boat rocked under a moon that was two days past the full. Zander greeted it as he stepped out on the deck of his fishing boat, which floated in dark water south of the Alaskan coast. It was good to be back.

Rae emerged behind him, her hair in a sloppy braid, her face flushed from lovemaking. She’d pulled on a tank top and sweatpants, the top hugging the swell of her breasts.

She spread her hands on the rail, looked up at the moon and the stars, and sighed in happiness. “It’s beautiful here.”

Even more so with Rae by his side. They’d come to the boat after the sun and moon ceremonies were done in Rae’s Shiftertown, Eoin giving them the final blessing under the light of the full moon. The man’s eyes had been wet but his voice strong as he declared them mated.

Carson and Vivian had come to the full-moon mating, along with many of the Austin Shifters and all the Shifters in Rae’s town—they accepted her as Guardian now. Shifters in other towns might be slower to believe, but at least those in Rae’s Shiftertown now supported her.

Carson and Viv had missed the ceremony under the sun, but Vivian had been resting and recovering, and apparently grilling Carson about everything that had happened since she’d been hurt.

Vivian was full of fire, giving Carson shit every minute she could, even as she held on to him, obvious love in her gaze. Carson looked as though he’d been smacked between the eyes, but the despair had gone from him, his black anger eased. Carson had joined in the discussions before the ceremony about the feral Shifters and the feral Lupine’s revelation about the Fae, Carson ready to help kick some ass. Vivian was well, but Carson still itched to make the ferals who’d hurt her pay. Vivian was less adamant, but she understood that Carson needed to vent. They seemed to be good partners for each other.

Zander looked at Rae’s moonlit face and knew he’d found as good a partner in her. He was also glad he’d insisted on this honeymoon trip. If he was going to give up his peripatetic life and settle down in a Shiftertown with its new Guardian, he reserved the right to escape with her sometimes. He’d bring her out to his boat or explore the wilds of the world with her, whenever they needed time alone. Rae seconded his request—the Shifters had given Daragh his space, and she could have hers.