“Get that man on a livery,” Hunter ordered, walking away from Seung Kwon. “I want you-Bear and Crow-on their asses. Everybody stays cool while we work on my brother.” He looked at Woods and Fisher, giving them a nod of respect. “Familiars, good job. Back up my men.”

“Roger that,” Woods said, spitting again and walking forward to take a defensive position.

Sasha glimpsed Silver Hawk from the corner of her eye and could see another haphazardly parked jeep through the window. “Woods… tell ’Rissa, Bradley, and Winters to get word to the local Fae-I don’t want them near a flreflght, if one goes down. They need to regroup back at the B &B and stay put-have them focus on research.”

“Yes, sir,” he called back to her with a salute.

But she turned to Hunter, catching his line of vision and holding it. “I think I should do this healing… Silver Hawk may get more intel and clarity behind Shadow lines, you understand?”

“I’m not leaving you here with them,” Hunter said, snarling in the direction of Shogun’s men. “They’re unstable and could rush you.”

“Me and Doc are getting into the ambulance with Shogun… only a medical team.” She held his gaze, pleading with her eyes. Hunter was affected, and yet it was because of that that she needed to allow him to be in his full alpha glory. He had to be able to save face and still seem in control of the group.

“I don’t like it.” Hunter rolled his shoulders.

She went to him and embraced him, taking his mouth. “Safe haven,” she murmured. “Remember?”

He stared at her for a few moments. “Safe haven,” he repeated quietly after a long pause. “But what if he comes out of the transformation in battle mode or something… I don’t want you to be vulnerable.”

“Does he look like a man who can come out of a transformation ready for war, or does he look broken and in need of serious healing?” She kissed Hunter again, this time a slow and tender kiss. “I will be fine; we will be fine. Let me get this man medical attention while you purge your grandfather in the shadow lands… and maybe you can spirit walk as one to gather clues. We have to move-I just fired a shotgun in a commercial district. NOPD will be here soon, which will only complicate things.”

It took a moment but finally Hunter nodded. He glanced around as he released his hold on her and then began barking out commands as his gaze slowly roved from his men to Shogun’s.

“I want these men in your sights at all times. My mate is a practiced healer. She and Dr. Holland have been well versed in restoring botched transformations. They and only they are going to go in the ambulance with Shogun. We will all regroup back at the old Dugan B &B once we have clearance from Sasha to do so.”

Hunter’s gaze locked with Seung Kwon’s in an open challenge that made the lesser-ranked wolf look away. “If anything happens to Sasha or her father, her familiars, or any of her humans while I am in the shadow lands with my grandfather to seek spiritual clues, I will hunt you down and slowly dismember you until even your own mothers won’t recognize your remains.”

“My castle is in shambles! When Sasha brings her clan here, I want everything to be perfect for her! What about my orders do you not understand?” Sir Rodney swept away the long pole strung with freshly hunted quail, sending it crashing to the floor amid his bewildered kitchen staff. “She is a Shadow Wolf! I want the finest cuts of wild game on the hoof-bison, venison, moose, nothing domesticated, nothing poultry, and anything you put before her must be grilled to perfection! All of her meals must be rare, just singed on the outside with the natural juices bursting forth.”

He then turned to the other members of his beleaguered staff. “This castle must be face-lifted so that she only receives the greatest comfort! Goose down and silk should grace her bed; I want Faerie dust covering everything to keep her in a state of constant euphoria! Nothing can be left to chance, and if she goes wanting for anything I will hold you all personally responsible.”

“As you wish, milord,” his patient valet of more than a century announced with a deep bow. “Shall I prepare a comparable suite for her husband… or would you want me to-”

“Her husband! Her husband?” Sir Rodney shouted, making the staff lower their heads in fear. “She is not married! Where did you get a preposterous idea like that, Rupert?”

The valet watched his master begin to pace and he spoke slowly, calmly, and in an extremely patient tone. “Milord… according to Shadow Wolf custom and culture, they mate for life. It is a bond that is unshakable, unless there is a formal hearing and cause for the dissolution of the union. So, please forgive me for using the incorrect terminology when referring to our guests of honor. I should have said life mate, not husband. I shall not make the mistake again.”

“See that you don’t,” Sir Rodney said, hurling a bowl against the open hearth.

Anxious staff members covered their heads as it shattered and then, in a rare display of angry magick, Sir Rodney made the broken pieces turn into small toads to hop away.

Rupert waited a moment, still carefully watching the unusual behavior of his normally even-tempered and benevolent master. Something was definitely wrong. The mere mention of the she-Shadow’s mated status had sent the king of the Seelie Court into a vile explosion.

Small kitchen Pixies still covered their heads, lying prostrate before the king on the stone floor. Why Sir Rodney, who even without his Fae glamour was a dead ringer for the handsome human actor Clive Owen, would have to go to such extremes for any female was beyond his comprehension. From what he gathered at court in the Pixie gossip, Sir Rodney could and had already availed himself of the most attractive Fae and human females… So why was this one she-wolf causing such a stir? There was no plausible explanation. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear his king had been bewitched-but who would be so bold as to commit an act of treason punishable by death or war?

All eyes remained on the king as he flung pots and pans and gave in to a full-blown tantrum. Over fifty Fae staff waited for his next bellowing command with bated breath. Other staff throughout the castle had been scurrying around in a full fright for more than twenty-four hours, attempting to placate their master to no avail.

But Rupert remained steadfast and as still as stone, head lowered but standing upright. Everyone glanced at him, their eyes begging him to say something as Sir Rodney’s most trusted servant. Their terrified gazes sent a unified message; Rupert was the only one in their number who could diplomatically remind their lord what was at stake.

Rupert held back a disgruntled snort. Now was not the time to appear defiant; not when the king was in such a foul temper. One could end up as a gray-haired tortoise, or worse. However, one unequivocal fact remained: egregiously lusting after another man’s wife-especially one who’d befriended you-was just not regal and could start an armed conflict that could last for centuries. It was simply bad form.

Worse, in Rupert’s view, it was beneath the station and honor of his dear friend and master… Lo these many years, it was true that Sir Rodney had quite a reputation amongst the ladies, but a scoundrel he was not! One simply could not make a cuckold of an honest wolf friend by using Fae glamour and still call oneself the Seelie Court king-unheard of! Sir Rodney’s sudden infatuation with the beautiful she-Shadow was simply an unhealthy diversion that had to end.

This truth made Rupert bold; until he got through to his king, he would be relentless, unafraid of the potentially hazardous consequences. Rupert glanced around, taking his cues from the other staff members and from Sir Rodney’s slowly de-escalating tantrum. His winded king was spent; thus only now was it prudent to speak. The closer the time came to the soirée, the worse Sir Rodney’s obsession seemed to become, so he had to act now-three short days before guests were due to arrive-lest his king make a complete fool of himself at the ball.