Maria’s eyes widened into a glare. “Are we going or not?”

“Yep.” Ellison gripped her shoulder again. “I’m taking you, because I know that if I don’t, you’ll follow me, and I can’t be worried about where you are. So you’ll stay with me, and when I tell you to keep out of sight, you do it, all right?”

“Of course I will. I don’t have teeth and claws, or a handy weapon, so what could I do?” She looked up at him in all innocence.

Ellison gave her another suspicious look, but he nodded, as though he accepted her words. “Fine. Let’s go get backup.”

***

Backup meant, first, Ronan, who didn’t want to come. “Ellison,” Ronan said, standing in his front door and filling the entire doorframe. “What if they’re waiting for us to empty Shiftertown? Then they come in for the rest of our cubs?”

Olaf peeked out from behind Ronan, and Ellison was aware of Scott and Rebecca in the background. Ellison seethed with impatience.

“An attack on Shiftertown is a different thing from their snatch-and-grab modus,” he said. “Rebecca won’t let anything happen to the cubs—you know that.”

“You got that right,” Rebecca said. She was tall, like most Shifter women, but when she shifted to her Kodiak bear, in all of Shiftertown, only Ronan was bigger.

“And I’m not chopped liver,” Scott said. “Anyone comes for Cherie and Olaf, and I’ll let my craziness come out.”

“We need you Ronan,” Ellison said.

“And if he’s too much of a wuss to go,” a voice said behind Ellison. “I’m game.”

Broderick. The wolf Shifter stood on the walk between Ronan’s house and converted garage, arms folded. “I know you think I’m an ass**le,” Broderick said before Ellison could speak. “But I have nephews and younger brothers. We cut this off at the source, Ronan.”

Ronan stroked Olaf’s hair, pushed the lad gently behind him, and closed the door. “Fine. I’m coming.” He glared at Broderick. “But I’m going at you at the next fight club. For calling me a wuss.”

Broderick looked pained—no one won fights against Ronan, except maybe Dylan. But at least Ronan was coming.

“Can we hurry?” Maria asked, as impatient as Ellison.

“One more,” Ellison said.

He’d saved the best for last. He knew that once Tiger joined them, the man wouldn’t want to slow down to let Ellison pick up anyone else.

When Andrea unlocked the door for them to Liam and Kim’s house, Tiger was nowhere in sight. Ellison scented him, though, and the Tiger-man was not happy.

“He’s downstairs,” Andrea said. “Comfortable with TV and lots of snacks. Liam didn’t want him following.”

Ellison faltered a step. “You mean Liam locked him in there?”

“Yes. The basement door’s reinforced steel. The only thing that would hold him.” Andrea smiled her half-Fae, half-wolf smile and dangled a key from its ring. “Here you go. I’ll be at home.”

She got herself out of there with amazing swiftness, the back door slamming. Ellison heard her run back to her own house, the cries of Katriona and Kenny welcoming her.

Ellison grasped the key and drew a breath. “Everyone needs to clear a space. Maybe you should all leave the house.”

“Nope,” Ronan said. “If he attacks, you need us to help pull him off you.”

Maria, at least, had the sense to leave the kitchen. She ducked out of the big room to the living room beyond. “Good luck,” she said.

Gee, thanks. Ellison approached the door to the basement, tucked near a broom closet in the back of the kitchen, squared his shoulders, and put the key into the lock.

As soon as the key turned, Tiger slammed into the door from the other side, nearly tearing it from its hinges. Ellison had danced aside, knowing what was coming. The door, made to withstand Shifter strength and police battering rams, remained whole, but only just.

Tiger roared and leapt at the first Shifter he saw—Broderick.

“Shit!” Broderick yelled, his feet coming off the floor as Tiger’s entire body hit him.

“Tiger!”

The cry came not from Ronan but Maria. Tiger paid no attention. He slammed Broderick into the wall, shoving him halfway to the ceiling.

Ronan and Ellison gripped Tiger on either side and tried to haul him back. Broderick screamed and fought, his half beast emerging in defense.

Maria put herself where she could look into Tiger’s crazed face. “Tiger!” she shouted again. “We need you. And Broderick. Do you want the man who captured Connor?”

Tiger halted. He swiveled his yellow gaze to Maria, fixing on her. He stared at her for a few more heartbeats, then he dropped Broderick to the floor and stepped over his prostrate form.

“We get him.”

Maria patted Tiger on the arm. Instead of jerking away, Tiger accepted the caress, and then carefully sniffed in her direction. “Mate-claimed,” he said, and looked at Ellison.

Broderick climbed from the kitchen floor, accepting Ronan’s hand up. “What? Oh, you bastard.”

“Challenge me,” Ellison said. “Please. I’m going to need to work off some steam.”

“Later,” Ronan growled. “We need to go.”

“Yeah, I Challenge,” Broderick said. He had his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “In front of witnesses. Eat it, Ellison.”