To make up for not saving Daragh? Zander wondered. Or had she simply been reacting to the fight?

Rae had smacked the shotgun in the man’s hands and broken the sword doing it. Zander remembered the clanking sound that had vibrated through his body, though he’d been too busy to pay attention to it at the time.

She’d broken the sword trying to save him.

“Little Wolf.” Zander gathered her close, his hand coming up under her loose braid. Her hair was warm, nice to caress.

Rae lifted her head, and Zander gazed down into eyes like smoke. She rose to him at the same time he leaned down to her, and their mouths met in a soft kiss.

Her lips were a place of warmth and incredible tenderness. Neither of them moved, their mouths fused in a silent stillness, their bodies flowing together as though they’d been waiting all their lives for this.

Zander’s hand tightened on Rae’s neck, fingers splaying against her hair. The beads on one of his braids brushed his hand, a cool contrast to the heat of her.

Rae’s fist balled on his chest, but not to push him away. She sought strength, comfort.

Her lips at last responded to his, returning pressure. The kiss parted Rae’s lips and Zander tasted her heat.

The brush of it ignited him. Mating frenzy stirred deep in his blood, wanting him to run his other hand down to her backside, to lift her against him, turn with her and pull her to the bed. Or to the floor, if they couldn’t make it to the bed in time. They would tear at each other’s clothes, insane with need, not content until they’d taken each other in a wild storm.

Female Shifters had just as much frenzy as males. The Goddess made them to mate, to keep at it until cubs came.

Who are we to thwart the will of the Goddess?

Rae scooped herself against him, deepening the kiss. He tasted her sadness, her need, and also the bite of Goddess magic that had changed her life.

Every curve of her pressed to every plane of him. Zander learned her with his hands, mouth seeking more.

Rae unclenched her fist, sliding her fingers to his shoulder then his neck, caressing skin unblemished by a Collar. Zander wanted Rae’s off her. He’d take her to Dylan Morrissey and stand on that Feline until he got Rae free of her Collar. The chain on Rae’s throat, warm from her skin, caught on Zander’s fingers.

Her mouth held spice, strength, and Zander wanted her. They’d been thrown together, confined, made to put up with each other, then had drawn together to ease Ezra’s father to the Summerland. After that Rae had steadied Zander while he’d gone through his healing hangover, then they’d fought a common enemy. Rae had jumped to Zander’s defense, probably saving his life. If that wasn’t cause for some mating frenzy, Zander didn’t know what was.

Zander lifted Rae from her feet. She more or less climbed him, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs around his hips. Zander supported her with his hands on her warm, firm ass.

Rae sank fingers into his shoulders as she held on to him, her mouth working under his. Zander felt her tongue sweep in, tasting him, exploring, Rae unafraid of him.

Her breasts were soft against his chest, the points of her nipples hard through his T-shirt. She was feeling the frenzy, which excited the hell out of Zander.

Want you, Little Wolf. Hard and fast, damn who hears us.

Zander slid one hand under the waistband of her jeans, working down behind her underwear to cup her soft backside. Rae drew back. Her eyes held heat and her lips were parted, moisture reddening them.

Fire lurked inside her and Zander wanted to reach in and pull it out. So what if it burned him? Life was meant to be grabbed with both hands and lived. He’d never know if he and Rae had anything together if he didn’t try.

He pulled her firmly against him, the skin of her sweet ass warm and smooth. Their mouths met again, this kiss deeper and hotter.

The cabin door opened, letting in a draft of cold, dark air, then closed just as swiftly.

Rae jumped, her eyes widening. “Who was that?”

“Well,” Zander said. He didn’t let go, liking her nestled in his arms. “There are really only two possibilities.”

* * *

Rae struggled out of his arms, hot with embarrassment. Her body was hot for other reasons—no denying it. Zander kissed like fire and his hands brought forth every need Rae had ever had.

Female in a frenzy, he must be thinking. Females after their Transition were notorious for going out mate hunting. Her close proximity to Zander must have triggered it.

If that’s the case, a voice of cool logic inside her whispered, why don’t you want to go after Ezra or Piotr?

Ezra’s grieving and Piotr’s already mated. There, that should settle the voices down.

But Rae knew mating frenzy wasn’t the entire story. Zander looked at her with dark eyes that held so much, his hands warm as he steadied her.

He wasn’t pushing her away, wasn’t condemning. Zander caressed her cheek, as though their heated kiss had been natural, something he considered continuing later. She could still feel the imprint of his mouth on hers, his hands on her backside.

“We’d better go see what they want,” Rae said, her lips stiff.

“Yeah, probably a good idea.” Zander drew a long breath, the beads in his braids winking in the dim light. “I bet it was Piotr who looked in. Ezra would have just stood there until we finished.”

Rae hadn’t known either man for long but she agreed with Zander’s assessment. Shifters weren’t embarrassed by mating frenzy—at least, not other people’s frenzy. Amused by it, yes; embarrassed, no.

Zander moved around Rae in the small space by resting his hands on her shoulders and turning in a circle with her. He caressed her throat beneath her Collar with his thumbs before he finally lifted away and turned for the door.

Rae’s gaze went to his back under the tight T-shirt and the ass his thin sweatpants clung to. Zander the crazy healer kept his body in good shape.

Zander swarmed up the ladder and onto the deck. Rae quickly went to the sword, slid the pieces into the sheath, then hurried out after Zander.

It was indeed Piotr who waited on the deck right outside the cabin door. “So sorry to disturb, my friends,” he said, no amusement in his voice. “But we have a situation.”

The situation, Rae saw as she climbed out, took the form of boats, lights blazing through the near-darkness, coming right at them.

Her breath caught. So many. Almost all of them sported flashing lights and all had searchlights. The clear, peaceful night let them come fast.