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knew what he had to do. Forcing himself slowly to his feet, he decided to first bathe because he couldn’t go to Madison smelling like this, and then he’d tell her his plans.
    But his plans were shot to hell not even a second later. The air suddenly seemed to quiver and smelled of ozone, and he knew she was there.
    His heart, mind, body, and soul screamed at him to turn and take her. But he was weak, tired, and on the verge of collapse. Turning slowly, all he could do was suck in his breath at the sight of her.
    Dressed in the robes of her people, Madison held her chin high. Golden eyes flashed back at him with fire and steel. It was like being punched in the gut. His entire body trembled.
    Her nostrils flared. Scenting him. She had to know. She had to sense the madness raging in him now.
    Her irises narrowed to reptilian oblongs and he frowned at her stillness.
    She shook her head. “You didn’t come to me. So I know it’s not me. But I won’t let them hurt you, Phoenix. No matter what.”
    Confused by those words, he shook his head, ready to tell her the truth. To finally lay it all out there and confess his sins to her, to ask her forgiveness.
    But then she stepped into him and slammed a rock against his chest.
    At first he didn’t understand what she was doing, until the rock began to throb and pulse with deep, intense heat.
    Roaring, he huddled tight into himself, reflexively trying to protect himself. What was she doing?
    Soon he had his answers.
    Whatever rock that’d been, there was something profoundly powerful within it. Dark magick that called to the animal in him. He shifted without consent, becoming the grizzly.
    Then she had her fingers in his scruff and she was pulling him toward the door. And though he was powerfully built, even in human form she out muscled him. He roared at her, trying to get her to understand that they needed to talk, that he had the answer now. That he could fix all of this.
    But his words were lost in the snarls of a bear.
    And then she shifted, showing him her Breed form for the first time ever. And gods she was glorious. Sleek and sparking with bolts of lightning, her scales gleamed like poured metal and then she powered through the wall, blasting it apart. 
    Phoenix just barely caught a glimpse of Chance and his woman standing on the other side of the wall. Chance wrapped himself tight around her as the wooden sliver projectiles erupted in every direction.
    Realizing that Madison meant to take him high into the air, he roared, batting at her legs to try and get her to release him. But her grip was absolute. And in two mighty flaps they were airborne and sailing through the clouds.
    Dizzied by the rapid ascent, Phoenix knew he was about to pass out as his head rang and his vision swam in and out of focus. Days without food, and now this...he couldn’t fight the fatigue anymore.
    Wherever she was going, wherever she was taking him, he just hoped she didn’t let go. And then the darkness crowded out every rational thought and just like that, he passed out.
    ~*~
    Madison
    D ays she’d waited, praying to the gods and hoping against hope that she’d been his mate. That the bloody, stupid ritual had finally revealed the truth to him. A truth she’d known the moment she’d locked eyes with the asshole, he was hers and she was his. Period.
    But with a sob ripped from her heart this morning the truth had settled hard and ugly within her chest. Instinct was too powerful to contain or control for this many days on end. She’d been slave to her need for him from the moment she’d latched gazes. He would be too.
    He’d be sexing up whoever he’d been shown, teasing her, loving her...the image of that unnamed woman had been too much for Madison to bear. Knowing that Phoenix could no more help his need for her as Madison felt for him, she knew that unless she found him and took him far away her parents would very soon come to the same conclusion.
    Urich had been in a rage for the