Eric could see that the mating need was getting to Iona as they ate some dinner. The kitchen smelled good, Diego cooking again. He made a mess of burgers slathered in salsa, and Xavier went behind him and fried up a batch of sopapillas dripping with cinnamon and honey.

Iona sat down and ate every morsel, then followed Xavier back to the kitchen to see if she could find more.

Cassidy had been like this when she’d first hit her mating years, Eric recalled, watching Iona and Xavier banter in the kitchen. Cassidy had eaten everything in sight and had been crabby when she couldn’t find anything else.

Cassidy’s mating need had been high. She’d been on the prowl to get it out of her system, though she hadn’t found a mate of her heart until she’d met a Shifter called Donovan, who’d passed the year before she’d met Diego.

Xavier finally went home—actually to his mother’s house to help her with something or other. Cassidy offered to lend Iona some clothes, and the two women shut themselves in Cassidy’s bedroom so Iona could change. Apparently, this involved a lot of giggling.

Eric looked back from gazing longingly at Cass’s bedroom door to find Diego planted on a living room chair next to him. Eric had lounged back on the couch as usual, beer bottle balanced on his stomach, practicing his ability to look completely casual, almost half-asleep, while at the same time being more alert than anyone on the street. But Diego had known Eric long enough not to be fooled.

“She came with you willingly?” Diego asked him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Eric’s human brother-in-law was smart, practical, and not easily intimidated, damn him. “She didn’t want to, but Iona understands the danger,” Eric answered.

“You had to bring her here? Couldn’t you protect her in her own house?”

“The thing is big and has too many entrances, too many windows. No place to hide.” Eric took a sip of beer. “I’m surprised you humans have survived this long.”

“Humans have alarm systems, big dogs, and hired security to protect them.”

“All useless against someone like McNeil.” Eric opened his eyes all the way to give Diego a stern look. “Understand something, Diego. McNeil is dangerous. He’s exactly like me, except I can be calm because I’m secure in my place as leader. He’s not anymore, so he’s looking for any way to push me out so he can rule. That means that no one connected with me is safe—not you, not Cass and your unborn cub, not Jace, and now, not Iona. I can protect you best if you’re all in one place. If I’m forced to divide my attention all over town, McNeil will slip in somewhere and gouge me, using one of you to do it. You’re all fair game to him.”

“So you decided to meet him at a fight club?” Diego asked, eyes showing his anger. “What happens if you lose?”

“I won’t lose.” Eric stopped. “But in case I do, make sure Iona rejects his claim loud and clear, in front of witnesses. Then bring her back here, under Cassidy’s and Jace’s protection. If I’m badly hurt or killed, Cassidy will become leader, which means McNeil will go after her. You and Jace will have to protect Cass too, with everything you’ve got. Get Shane and Brody and Nell with you—Nell’s pretty much fourth in dominance, or maybe even above Jace, I don’t know. But between all of you, you can keep Iona and Cassidy safe.”

Eric slumped back into the sofa, the speech tiring him. But he had to say it, and say it quickly, cutting through whatever protests Diego was about to voice.

“All right,” Diego said after a time. “Cass and I will look out for Iona if something happens to you. There must be something you can do about Graham, though. You’re Shiftertown leader. Arrest him or something.”

“It’s a tricky situation. It’s not Graham’s choice to be here, and if I grab him and confine him to a hole—or get the humans to arrest him—his Lupines will never forgive me. There would be retaliation battles for years to come. I need to win in a fair fight against Graham. Leaders don’t resort to tricks.”

“Sure, Eric,” Diego said. “What if he touched Iona?”

“Then I’d kill him.”

Diego nodded, knowing Eric wasn’t joking. “All right, then. You need a second at this fight? Can a human be second?”

“Yeah, thanks. You and Shane can back me up. I don’t want Jace there, in case Graham tries something underhanded. I don’t trust him to fight fair.”

“Done.”

Eric had never liked humans before he’d met Diego, but his brother-in-law was proving that humans could be as strong, loyal, and protective as Shifters.

Iona came out of Cassidy’s bedroom, and Eric’s thoughts about the upcoming fight dissolved. Cassidy had given Iona a cropped top and skirt, Cassidy being too tall to lend Iona any jeans. The skirt bared Iona’s athletic legs, and the top showed a slice of slim belly that Eric wanted to lick.

He was up off the couch and at Iona’s side before Iona could leave the hall. Cassidy squeezed around them, amused, and headed for Diego, but Eric leaned Iona back against the wall.

“My home is the best place for you,” Eric said, liking how she fit inside the curve of him. “Under my protection.”

“We’ll talk about it,” Iona said.

Eric breathed in her scent, something tight inside him loosening. “I’ll tell Jace to stop on his way home and buy us some chocolates.”