“You couldn’t do it the first time, Guardian.” Lachlan moved his gaze to Kendrick’s left shoulder. “Where’s your sword? Don’t tell me you left home without it.”

“A friend is holding it for me,” Kendrick said. He’d passed it to Zander on the way in. “He knows where to find me.”

Lachlan grinned, his face pulling. “Rules of the fight club say no deaths.”

“We’re not at the fight club,” Kendrick pointed out. “We’re in a field outside it.”

“True. So, what, you’re going to kill an unarmed, injured man?”

“Yes,” Kendrick said, and struck.

His pummeling fists found purchase in Lachlan’s face and chest, but Lachlan brought his hands around to chop into Kendrick’s middle, the man as strong as ever.

Kendrick punched him again, feeling his body start to shift before he told it to, his clothes stretching, tearing. He’d tossed Lachlan off the leadership throne for a reason, and there was nothing to say twenty years had changed the man.

Kendrick heard a rustling in the brush and grasses, and suddenly the field held twenty more Shifters, rising from the shadows.

They were Kendrick’s Shifters—at least, they had been. Now they regarded Kendrick with anger in their eyes, their stances shouting that Lachlan had their loyalty now.

Kendrick noted the Feline, moving closest to Lachlan, who must be the Shifter Ben had overheard making plans in the bar. Figured. The Feline had been one of Lachlan’s favorites.

They were all against Kendrick at this moment, ready to kill him.

Kendrick suppressed his shift, rose to his full height, and swept his gaze over the Shifters. A few wouldn’t meet his eyes. Others did. They’d be the ones he’d have to take down first.

“You won’t settle this one-on-one?” Kendrick asked Lachlan, disgust filling his voice. “Oh, yeah, the last time we did that, I kicked your ass.”

“This time, you’ll just be dead,” Lachlan said. “Take him.”

The Shifters surged forward, but none of them, Kendrick saw, wanted to risk being first to encounter him. In a few seconds, though, the group would decide to jump him at once, and that would be the end of him.

Kendrick didn’t like the hollow feeling in his stomach this betrayal gave him. At the same time, strength ran through his limbs, fury begetting energy. He snarled.

His snarl was echoed by another throaty tiger snarl that came from behind Kendrick. Kendrick held his ground, and the line of Shifters edged back, the scent of sudden fear clogging the air.

Tiger, in his tiger form, stalked forward and halted next to Kendrick. His body was stiff, still, his golden eyes on Lachlan.

Behind him came an enormous black-maned lion, whose eyes were just as golden and just as hard. The Shifters edged back again, except Lachlan, who only looked on in contempt.

Kendrick knew Dimitri was behind him as well, though he didn’t turn his head to look. And Seamus. No Jaycee, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t circling around to try to attack the Shifters from behind.

“So, the party’s out here now?” Zander’s voice rang across the field as he strode toward them. He flung off his duster and drew the Sword of the Guardian, the blade flashing. Starlight rushed up and down the runes on the silver. “Hey Kendrick, does this thing work? I mean for making Shifters bleed? I know—let’s find out.”

Zander swung the sword at a Lupine. The Lupine jumped out of the way. “Fucking crazy bear.”

“That’s right, dog breath,” Zander said. “I’m completely off my nut. You can never be sure what I’ll do.”