Zach glared. “Your werewolf will scare the crap out of my animals.”
Kade shrugged. “They’ll live.”
Zach transferred his glare to Cara. “Isn’t Willow enough?”
“She couldn’t deter them from leaving the car,” Cara pointed out. “Although she did send me the images. Just not in enough time to do anything about it.”
Jessie swallowed. “Zach, it only makes sense. One more thing, and they might have a case against you.”
The look he shot her was part desperation, and part rage. But his mouth straightened, and he nodded, once.
She couldn’t blame him. Her life had been totally thrown up in the air. And it looked as though his was heading that way too.
16
Sitting in what looked like a basement converted to a library, Zach rubbed his temple hard enough to make the skin burn beneath his fingertips. Werewolves at his farm. Just bloody great. This kept getting better and better.
His main concern was for Jessie. She was in serious trouble. Zach’s gaze narrowed as it returned to Kade. “Apparently, some humans die trying to transform into wolf?”
“Were,” Kade corrected. “And yes. The risk of death is high.”
Cara attempted to clarify. “Some panic and lose their way. Can’t go forward, can’t go back.”
“How do I stop that from happening?” Jessie asked.
The older woman folded her hands. “Preparation is key. We’ll have you watch a Were shift back and forth. Familiarity will help when it happens to you.”
Watching some monster shift form was the best they could do? Zach fumed.
Jessie’s focus wasn’t on that. “What about Laura? Is she coming here?”
Cara shook her head. “My protections can hide Jessie from Braden. But bringing in another that he’s bitten—especially a human, with their disruptive life energy—may shatter them.”
Kade nodded. “I will have to make other arrangements for Laura.”
“What about taking her to Kitani’s?” Cara suggested.
Kade’s lips pulled back from his teeth. “She’s close to term. Ryan and Cody won’t allow it.”
Cara considered. “They can stay with her. Braden would be crazy to come after the human there. Cody would rip him to shreds.”
“I’m not risking Kitani. Who knows how many Dires Braden has,” Kade noted. “And Laura might try to go to him.”
“Why would she do that?” Jessie asked. “Oh. You mean, the attraction thing.”
When Kade nodded, Zach pounced. “What attraction thing?”
Cara stroked her temples with her fingers. The lines around her mouth had deepened. How much energy did it take to heal someone? But she answered Zach. “The person bitten is attracted to whoever bites her. It helps cement the mating bond. So Laura will find herself drawn to Braden, and the closer she gets to the change, the stronger it will be.”
“Laura? You mean Jessie, too?” Zach’s voice climbed an octave.
“Yes,” Cara admitted.
Zach’s gut twisted. So even if Jessie avoided the creep, she’d want to be with him? This was seriously screwed up. His long fingers drummed hard on the table. “How do we stop that?”
“Only way to break the attraction is to kill the Were that bit her,” Kade said. “Which I fully intend to do.”
“You just pointed out there might be a fair number of these guys, and that they are organized.” Zach stopped tapping. “Are there any other ways?”
