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platform, arm in arm with a strange man, while cousins he barely recognized watched over them with what seemed like fond approval. He was so lost in the icy rage exploding inside that he was in front of them without remembering how he got there. His wolf wanted to shred the man. It took every ounce of his control to keep the wolf back. His mouth formed words, but the struggle with his wolf was so overwhelming he didn’t know what he said. The man—damn the interloping woman stealer—paled, and he immediately let go of Rose’s arm, but he didn’t back away.
    “No!”
    That angry voice was Rose’s. Sky couldn’t keep his wolf from staring at her with raw longing. He only hoped he didn’t look as besotted as his wolf felt. Her sun-bleached blond hair was longer, nearly to her shoulders, and she had shrunk a couple of inches, but that delicious spicy cinnamon scent which was forever enshrined in his memory was the same. He allowed himself to drink in the sight of her. Still slim, her bosom and hips were rounder than he remembered. She hadn’t shrunk, he realized; he had grown.
    “No!” she said again. “You don’t get to come back here and threaten people.”
    “Don’t touch him.” He snarled when she reached as if to take the man’s arm.
    She didn’t finish her reach for the stranger. Instead she whipped her hand around and stabbed her finger into his chest. The touch, brief and angry as it was, made his wolf happy. Stupid animal.
    “Look,” Rose said, pale blue eyes narrowed at him. “Who I touch is none of your business. And—”
    He cut in, driven by his wolf’s pain. “Are you married to him? Have you slept with him?”
    Her cheeks, already pink with wrath, went as bright as strawberries. “No!”
    His chest relaxed, the wolf calmed, and he was able to breathe again. “Then I guess I’ll let him live.”
    “Jerk!” She turned to the man at her side. “I’m so sorry, Jasper. I think you should go.”
    Sky hated the man’s smile.
    “I guess you’re right.” The man she called Jasper nodded at the circle of open-mouthed spectators on the platform. “We’ve put on enough of a show already today. Will you send me a message about Saturday?”
    “Yes.” Rose’s voice was quieter now, sweet. Sky wished she would use that tone with him. “I hope to see you then.”
    With one last smile, the guy turned and walked away. Rose spun back around with a face that was wiped clean of any emotion. “So. You’re back.”
    “Yes, I’m back. What’s all this about Saturday?”
    Her chin went up. “I’m not talking to you here. As Jasper said, we’ve given Kearney enough of a show already. We can talk at the den.”
    She turned deliberately away from him and strode off. Most of his cousins gave him quick grins and caught up with her, falling into a protective formation around her. His wolf yanked at his control, demanding to run after her. Sky made himself stand still, concentrating on his breathing until his wolf retreated to sulk.
    The remaining cousin gave him a faint, twisted grin that faded at once. “Welcome home.”
    Sky examined him. He looked like most of the Clan did when out in the human world: long black hair worn in braids, a plain cotton shirt, worn out jeans, and moccasins. His face was still and stern, cynical for one so young. It was familiar, but he couldn’t place him. He ran through his mental catalogue of cousins of that age. “Jelly?” he ventured.
    “Stone,” the other wolf corrected. “It’s been six years since I was Jelly.”
    “Right. Forgot your new adult name. Sorry.”
    He didn’t look like Jelly. Sky hadn’t seen him since he was a goofy, fourteen-year-old kid who didn’t have a care in the world. Even though Sky was only three years older, he had never been as happy and light-hearted as Jelly. Now his eyes were hard and there was no smile on his cousin’s face.
    “You’ve changed,” Sky murmured.
    Stone flicked a glance up and down Sky’s suit. “So