“How are you?” Sissy asked, finally pulling back.

“Doing good.” The wolf actually whistled. A wolf whistle? “And look at you. You are looking mighty fine.”

“Thank you.”

He rested against the door frame, staring down at Sissy. “So…uh…got plans tonight?”

Sissy looked unusually befuddled. “Um…”

“Thought maybe we could catch a movie, get some dinner.”

That was rude. He was sitting right here, and that dog was acting like Mitch was invisible.

“That’s real sweet, darlin’. But I’ve got a guest, and we already have plans.”

“Who?”

Sissy pointed at Mitch, although they all knew the bastard had seen him.

“You’re gonna stay home for…him?” He snorted, clearly feeling pretty cocky since he probably knew Mitch was still too weak to put up much of a fight. Too bad for him that lions had very long memories. “Hasn’t he healed up yet?”

“He’s doing much better—and you can tell Travis that.”

The wolf frowned. “What does your brother have to do with this? I came here to see you. I didn’t know you’d be all wrapped up with him.”

“That’s real sweet to hear, but I am all wrapped up with him so—”

“I knew Ronnie swung that way, Sissy, but you too?”

Sissy raised her hands and dropped them in a helpless gesture. “What can I say, Frankie?” She placed her hand on the wolf’s chest and gently pushed him back so he no longer blocked the door. “But what’s a girl without her pussy?”

And if it wouldn’t have hurt beyond anything, Mitch would have rolled right off the couch he was laughing so hard.

“Sissy.”

He’d murmured that against her ear, his hand rubbing up and down her spine.

“Sissy. Wake up.”

She did somehow. Not even sure when she’d fallen asleep. Or how long she’d been draped over Mitch Shaw while she slept.

Her cheek rested against his chest, and she could feel his heartbeat. Her hands rested against his shoulders, and she’d splayed the rest of her body between his thighs.

When she realized, she jerked in surprise, but his arms wrapped around her, holding her close. “It’s okay. It’s me.” He kept his voice low, almost a whisper. And she knew it was him. That was the problem.

“What…what time is it?”

“Late.” He held her tighter, and she realized all the lights were out and it was pitch black outside. Lord, how long had she been asleep? “Do you hear it?”

“Hear what?”

But she did hear it now. Sissy heard that persistent, demanding howl through the darkness.

“Sissy…”

“It’s okay,Mitch.”

Resting her hands against his chest, she pushed until she sat up. The central air conditioning had kicked on, and the loss of Mitch’s body heat made her feel like she was freezing.

“What is it?”

“Family stuff.”

“Your brothers?”

She wished. They were easy. Easy and stupid and she had no problem handling them, even when they made her angry.

“No. Not my brothers. I’ve gotta go.” She stood, but Mitch grabbed her hand. “I can go with you.”

How could she not have realized it before? He was so sweet. Really. Just…sweet. She’d never known anyone sweet before. Although in her family, sweet translated to wuss.

“I’ll be fine.” And if he came along, he wouldn’t be. There were some parts of this town that cats could never go to. Not if they liked breathing.

“I won’t be long.”

“Okay.” He smiled. “I’ll be here when you get back…hungry.”

Her arms dropped. “Again?” She’d fed him earlier…food that should have lasted days was quickly disappearing in a night.

“Yes. Again. So don’t be long, okay?”

The concern he showed made her feel kind of warm inside—or she was getting a rash. She got those when she came home to visit.

“Okay. I’ll even try and bring home something bloody.” She handed him the .45 she’d taken from him earlier.

“If it’s still moving and bloody, that would be great.”

Sissy left the house and headed into the woods surrounding her parents’ territory. She shifted as she walked, shaking off her clothes before breaking into a run.

She never thought she’d think this, but she missed her parents. She didn’t realize how much family crap they protected her from merely by their presence.

Sissy ran on. She felt safe in her parents’ territory, even though if she went too far west, she’d cross from Smithtown into Barronville. Cat territory run by the vicious backwoods Barron Pride that even Sissy avoided unless she had her She-wolves with her. If she went too far south, she’d cross into bear territory. They were much more welcoming than the cats, but Sissy had a reputation there that didn’t exactly make her a welcome canine in their town.

But go too far north, and she crossed into territory that few ever ventured into. Not the Pride, not the bears, not the wolves. And a good deal of the Smiths didn’t go there either. No one. And with very good reason.

Sissy knew the moment she crossed into that territory, too. She felt it in her bones. In her soul. The power of it infused the ground beneath her feet. A place of power. A power that was neither good nor evil. Instead, it was how that power was wielded that was the problem.