“I’m not sniffing at your door, sweetheart. I’m smelling the goodness of you.”

Iona made herself turn and walk away from him. She flipped on the kitchen light because her wildcat wanted too much to melt to him in the darkness.

“I should call the police,” she said. “Shifters aren’t supposed to harass humans.”

Eric looked pointedly at the phone on the wall, all the way across the room. “Why haven’t you, then?”

Because the human police would overreact, lock up Eric, maybe go after his family, and who knew what else. Eric didn’t scare her… exactly. He was a threat, yes—to her secrets and to her sanity.

But…

But what? Hell, she was confused every time she got around the man.

“I’m hoping you’ll leave me alone without me having to report you,” Iona said.

“You won’t report me.”

“What are you doing, trying to plant suggestions in my head? Not working, sorry.”

Eric laughed, a low-throated laugh. He braced himself on the counter.

“You have a sassy mouth,” he said. “It tastes even better with chocolate.”

Iona’s breath caught as she remembered the sensation of his dark kisses, Eric’s body caging her against the wall, the strength of his mouth, the fire of his tongue.

“You need to go,” she said. Before I drag you against that counter and start kissing you again.

“No, I don’t.” Eric straightened up and put his back to the counter exactly as Iona had been picturing. “I didn’t come here to tease you, though that’s always fun. I came because I need your help.”

“My help? With what?” The alpha Shiftertown leader, I’m such a badass I can keep anyone in line, was asking for help?

“Long story, but you have to promise me this goes no further than us.” Eric’s smile was gone, and he looked grim. “I have children to protect. Understand?”

“No, I don’t understand, but if you think I’ll harm children, you read me wrong.”

“I know you won’t harm cubs, Iona. That’s why I came here.”

Iona made a noise of exasperation. “Eric, you do know that you could drive someone insane, don’t you?”

“My sister says that. A lot. Come to think of it, my mate always did too.”

His mate. Iona had learned when she’d looked up background on Eric Warden that he’d been mated to a woman named Kirsten, who had died a long time ago.

“Your wife,” she said.

“No wives for Shifters, love. Only mates. Wife is a human term. Mate is so much more.”

Why did he look at her so intently when he said that? “I’m sorry,” Iona said. “About Kirsten.”

Eric gave her a slow nod, as though he took her words to heart. “She was a good person.” Another nod, compartmentalizing the pain and moving back to the question at hand.

“Five un-Collared Shifter females have come to Shiftertown,” he said. “I mate-claimed all of them, and unfortunately, I have to get Collars on them. They’re terrified, and I’m doing this under the radar. I’ll get them as many painkillers as I can, but…”

“And you want me to what? Get pain medications for you?”

“No.” Eric fixed her with his alpha Shifter stare. “I want you to let me bring you in. To lead the way, to show them that it’s all right. Become their alpha, and let me put a Collar on you first.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Iona stared at him, her blue eyes huge. “You want me to what?”

Eric knew that this would be easier if Iona weren’t so sexy. He watched her confusion and outrage and at the same time couldn’t keep himself from studying her body. A tight business skirt hugged her legs, and her blouse was open just enough show a hint of cle**age. Thick black hair framed her face, wisps of it not staying put.

I want you to come home with me, be my mate in all ways. The thoughts wouldn’t leave Eric alone.

“They need reassurance,” he said. “These females have been living in captivity, held by a feral Ursine, in pretty horrible conditions, Cassidy told me. I’m trying to bring them out of it, and I need to reassure them, especially about the cubs.”

“You’re going to put Collars on kids too?”

The horror in her eyes made Eric feel so damn guilty. “Cubs don’t get Collars until they’re seven, and I’ll lie like hell and say they’re all under seven if anyone asks. They’ve been underfed, so they look young anyway.”

Iona waved her hands in front of her face, which moved her br**sts in an enticing way. Were they fettered under that shirt? Or tucked into a lacy bra that his hands would enjoy opening?

“What did you mean, you need me to become their alpha?”

“Top female of my pride. Humans, in some of their cultures, call it head wife or first wife, but as I told you, mates aren’t quite the same as wives.”

“Wait, wait. Are you saying that these five women are your mates?”

Iona’s dismay had him talking fast. “No, I’m saying I mate-claimed them. That means that no other Shifter males can claim them without going through me. I don’t want the females worrying about fending off mate-claims on top of everything else they’ve gone through, until they’ve found a place in Shiftertown and are ready to live their own lives. It also means that I take responsibility for their cubs, so they’re not hurt or taken away from their mothers.”