Deni tumbled, howling, and crashed into the wall. Before she could get herself up again, Ellison dove for the phone.

“Ellison.” He heard Maria’s panting relief, and his fears skyrocketed.

“Where are you?” he said, his voice guttural. “What’s wrong?”

“Connor. I couldn’t stop them. I was taking my stupid test. He was waiting in the parking lot for me because I was nervous . . .”

“Wait. Stop. Tell me.”

Maria drew a long breath and told him in simple words what had happened. “I’m at a convenience store at Congress and Ben White. What are we going to do? We have to find him.”

“You stay right where you are. I’m on this. Aw, shit.”

Deni crashed into him, yanking the landline phone out of the wall. The phone went dead, Maria’s voice vanishing.

Deni’s eyes were red, the feral in her taking over. Her Collar shocked more sparks deep into her, but the pain didn’t slow her down.

They fought out of the kitchen and to the living room, Ellison trying desperately to stop her. He’d have to knock her out somehow and get away from her. Connor needed help now.

The back door banged open. Ronan charged in, already throwing off his clothes, and became a giant Kodiak bear before he hit the living room.

Seriously hit it—the doorframe broke and a table full of Deni’s knickknacks went over. Deni rolled away from Ellison and faced this new threat.

Ronan roared, a colossus enraged. Deni laid her ears back and bared her teeth, ready to fight. Her stance told Ellison that she expected her brother to join her in beating back the intruding bear.

Ronan raised a paw to knock her senseless. Ellison jumped at him, instinctively defending his sister, his pack.

Ellison’s leap ended on Ronan’s massive paw. The Kodiak tried to pull his punch, but the blow smacked Ellison head over tail to land him on the couch. The couch broke into a pile of wood and stuffing, Ellison’s wolf buried in the debris.

In that moment, sanity flooded back into Deni’s eyes. She rose and flowed back into human form, her face ashen. “Ellison!”

She rushed to Ellison and put her arms around him, stroking his fur, while Ellison lay stunned, trying to catch his breath. Ronan subsided, watching them both anxiously.

“I did it again, didn’t I?” Deni asked, her voice broken. “Ellison, what are we going to do?”

The question was a serious one. Shifters who went mad, and who were aware of their madness, sometimes took what they thought was the easiest way out for themselves and their families.

Deni’s hopeless look worried Ellison. At the same time . . . Connor.

Ronan shifted back to his human form, a huge, muscle-bound, naked man. “Sorry, Ellison. You OK?”

Ellison climbed out of the ruined couch, shaking foam rubber out of his fur. Deni rose to her feet, finally noticing the overturned table and broken door. Her expression turned to dismay. “Ronan.”

Ronan flushed. “Hey, I said I was sorry. I’ll fix it. I promise. We need Ellison though. Right now.”

“Why?” Deni fell into the nearest chair, folding her arms across her stomach. “What happened?”

Ellison shifted back to human form. “Connor’s been taken,” he said grimly.

Deni leapt to her feet again, her strength returning. “Oh, Goddess. By that Bradley guy?”

“How did you find out?” Ellison asked Ronan. “He contact you?”

“Maria did. She called Sean when your phone went dead. Sean sent me over here to find out what was up with you.”

“Goddess,” Deni said again, stricken. “Go, Ellison. Find him. I’ll be fine.”

“Come with us,” Ronan said to her. “We might need you.”

Deni hesitated, which made Ellison’s heart churn again. A few short months ago, Deni would be the first out the door, ready to fight. It wasn’t like his sister to hold back.

“What if I . . .”

“Go insane on the kidnappers’ heads?” Ellison asked. “I’m not worried about it. Come on, Den. What if they had Jackson or Will?”

Deni’s eyes went flat. “Let them try.”

“Good girl.”

“Hurry,” Ronan said as he grabbed his clothes. “Dylan’s waiting, and Liam. They’re ready for war.”

“Go with them,” Ellison said to Deni. He caught his sister in a rough hug then released her. “I’m not coming. I need to find Maria.”

Ronan looked worried. “Do I have to tell Dylan that?”

“I’ll tell him,” Deni said. “Ellison’s right. Maria will be terrified, and Ellison can’t leave his mate stranded. Dylan will have to suck it up.”

Ronan ushered Deni, who was pulling on her sweats, out the door. “I dare you to say suck it up to Dylan.”

“He understands about mates and cubs. They come first.”

Ellison dressed as quickly as he could then headed for his motorcycle. Deni, back to herself again, herded Ronan across the street, and Ellison’s blood warmed in spite of his worry.

Mates. Deni had recognized the mate bond when she saw it. Ellison knew, that after all this time and so much loneliness, the mate of his heart had found her way to him.

***

Maria’s relief when Ellison dismounted his motorcycle in front of the convenience store made her knees weak. Maria dashed to him, and in an instant, his strong arms were around her, Ellison sweeping her up into his warmth. Maria buried her face in his neck and hung on.