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she leave.
    He’d been confident that he could protect her. That nothing could get past him to hurt her.
    Now he realized that his arrogance had very nearly gotten both of them killed.
    Shit. If something happened to this female he would never forgive himself.
    Not only was she vital to the future of his people, but his cat was insisting that she belonged with him.
    There was nothing more important in the world than keeping her safe.
    Halting in front of a chain link fence that blocked the path, he reached beneath the seat to retrieve his gun. Then, rolling down the window, he used his acute sense of smell to ensure there was no one lurking in the shadows.
    Once confident they were alone, he swiftly left the car to press his hand to the sensor hidden in a box on the brick wall that lined the alley.
    Instantly the gate slid open.
    The locks were rigged to sense the touch of a Pantera, which meant as soon as the gate closed behind them, nothing but another Pantera could open it again.
    Returning to the car, he drove past the fence and through a garage door that lifted as they approached.
    As the door slid down behind them, the lights flickered on to reveal a large, surprisingly well-maintained space that was attached to the two-story Colonial-style home next door.
    Climbing out of the car, Sage glanced toward the steel storage cabinets that held the expected tools and auto parts expected in a garage, as well as several emergency firearms and ammo.
    “What is this place?” she asked.
    Joining her, Lian placed a hand on Sage’s lower back and urged her toward the door connecting the garage to the main house.
    “A safe house.”
    They walked down a short hall, then together they stepped into a large, airy kitchen that had been recently remodeled to include white cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a white and black tiled floor.
    Sage blinked, seemingly astonished to discover the inside didn’t match the dilapidated outside, but her attention was clearly more focused on what might be hidden just around the corner.
    “Are we alone?”
    “Yes.” He pulled his cellphone from his pocket, needing to pass along word of their attack, as well as getting help as quickly as possible. “Raphael has called most of the Pantera back to the Wildlands.”
    She nodded, wrapping her arms around her waist as she glanced toward the windows.
    “What if they find us?”
    He moved forward, brushing the back of his fingers down her cheek. “They can’t get through the locks.”
    “How do you know?”
    His heart twisted. Man. He hated the fear that edged her voice.
    And the knowledge that he was entirely responsible.
    “They’re specifically designed to react only to a Pantera’s touch. There’s no way in hell any human could get past them,” he said, not bothering to share the fact that there were traitors among the Pantera. She was freaked out enough. “Besides, I made sure we weren’t followed.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips over her forehead. “If you need the bathroom there’s one just through the dining room, next to the office.”
    She gave a jerky nod, wiping her hands on her sweatshirt before she forced herself to head out of the kitchen.
    Lian resisted the urge to yank her in his arms and offer her comfort.
    She was still trembling from their nerve-shredding trip to the safe house. She needed time to gather her composure before she would be ready to accept anything from the male she no doubt held to blame for her current situation.
    Completing his phone call to Raphael, he searched through the kitchen for something to make for lunch.
    It would be a few hours before the nearest completely trustworthy Pantera could reach them. Until then, he intended to do his best to prove to his companion that he wasn’t going to let her down again.
    He’d demanded her trust.
    It was time he earned it.
    Opening a can of soup, he poured it into a pan and set it on the stove, then he pulled out a loaf of bread