“Their males are defeated, and I’m a clan leader,” Eric said. “As leader and alpha, I can claim as many mates as I want. Don’t worry-it’s just a technicality to take them back safely to our Shiftertown. They’re now off-limits to other males, and once I get them back home and put Collars on them, I’ll release my claim. I promised them I wouldn’t kill their cubs, so they’re fine with me so far.”
He’d promised not to kill their cubs.
“How do you plan to explain to the humans in Las Vegas that five new women and all those kids are suddenly living in your Shiftertown?” Diego asked.
Eric smiled, but there was no humor in it. “You let me worry about that.”
“That lead feral, Miguel,” Diego said. “He said he mate-claimed Cassidy.”
Both Eric and Dylan turned intense gazes to Diego. “Did he?” Eric switched his stare to Cassidy. “Did Miguel survive? We haven’t looked at the casualties yet.”
“Diego Challenged him,” Cassidy said.
Again, both Eric and Dylan looked at Diego.
Cassidy laid her hand on Diego’s shoulder. “In front of witnesses, including Xavier. And I’d say he defeated Miguel, whether Miguel survived or not.”
Eric wasn’t smiling anymore. Dylan watched with keen interest.
“Anyone want to tell me exactly what you’re talking about?” Diego asked.
Eric shrugged. “It’s a little unorthodox. But Shifter law is Shifter law. Miguel made the mate-claim. You Challenged, you won. That means the mate-claim for Cassidy transfers from Miguel to you. Cassidy is yours to take as mate, if you still want her.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Diego didn’t understand, Cassidy saw as they flew back north. She was exhausted, sick from the pain of her Collar, and worried about the females and cubs.
Five of the seven females had been Shifter, the other two, human women from the village. The cantina owner’s daughter she’d seen welcomed with open arms back to her father, but the other woman had been shunned by her family. They claimed she’d been defiled by Miguel, and they didn’t want her back. Cassidy saw the heartbreak in the poor woman’s eyes, and she burned with anger for her.
Dylan, however, said the woman could go back to his Shiftertown-his son’s mate was human, and that son was Shiftertown leader. The woman would be protected. Cassidy saw that the young woman was miserable, but she accepted the offer. She didn’t have much choice. Diego asked the question about papers for her, and Dylan quietly said he’d take care of it. Cassidy believed him. Dylan was a take-care of it kind of male.
Eric would help the Shifter females, but Cassidy felt responsibility for them too. Her fighting and defeating their alpha meant something, even though Cassidy had done it to expedite the situation. She’d have to help Eric find them places to live and make sure they didn’t have too much trouble adapting to Collars and to Shiftertown-and Shiftertown adapting to them.
For now, Cassidy let out her breath and snuggled a little closer to Diego. She so needed a nap…
Diego closed his arms around her. She turned sleepily to him, rewarded with his warm mouth on hers.
He stroked her hair-which had to be filthy-and kissed her lips again. “I almost lost you,” he whispered. “I almost lost you, Cass. And Xavier, and it would have been my fault.”
Cassidy sat up, his hurt winding around her. “It’s not your fault the feral asshole Miguel decided to take over a human town. You didn’t know he was down here.”
“Enrique must have set me up-I’m betting he knew those Shifters were there.”
“Possibly. But look at it this way. You saved the town.” Cassidy batted her eyelashes at him and put on a sugary voice. “My hero.”
Diego didn’t smile. “You let your vengeance go when you had the chance to kill Reid. I hung on to mine, and you nearly died for it.”
Cassidy snuggled into his shoulder again. “I let it go because Reid was so pitiable. In your case, the guys who shot your partner terrorized a town, and then were terrorized by the Shifters, who were even worse. You solved both problems, and it’s finished.”
“I know.”
Diego didn’t sound elated, but Cassidy understood. He’d held on to wanting to bring Jobe’s killers to justice for a long time; he’d let it drive his life. The obsession of it kept him from seeing anything else. Now Diego’s tunnel vision was gone, and he didn’t know where to look.
Cassidy knew how he felt. The hunters who’d actually shot Donovan were still out there, but they were pathetic excuses who had been coerced by Reid, who himself had been driven by desperation. Life was more complicated than simply a kill for a kill.
Diego didn’t speak much the rest of the trip, and he and Cassidy were both too busy to talk during the unloading. Cassidy had to help look after the females and their cubs-the cubs were both excited and terrified.
Diego left them at the airstrip to take Xavier to the hospital and the drug runners he’d arrested to jail, while Cassidy and Eric faced the task of getting the women and cubs back to Shiftertown undetected. Marlo helped with that too. The man had amazing resources.
Nell came out to meet them when they reached Shiftertown. She didn’t even wait for Eric’s explanation but waded in to the women and cubs with her no-nonsense attitude. The women had been so beaten down by Miguel that they were pitifully grateful for someone to tell them what to do.
It was late-actually early in the morning-by the time Diego arrived in Shiftertown. Cassidy had been able to grab a shower, but she ached all over, the aftereffects of her Collar making themselves felt.
“You should sleep,” Diego said, after kissing her.
“There’s still a lot to do.”
Diego caught Cassidy as she sagged. “Cass. Bed. Now.”
She stopped protesting when he lifted her and carried her into the bedroom. Relaxing in Diego’s arms wasn’t a bad thing.
Diego set her on her feet in her bedroom and started stripping her clothes from her. She’d already given the flowered dress to Nell, who’d admired it, and now Cassidy wriggled out of jeans and a sleeveless shirt.
Diego caught her in a long kiss. He’d showered too, sometime in the chaos, and smelled like soap and aftershave.
Why did remembering Diego walking away from that factory while it blew behind him, his face streaked with sweat and soot, excite her even more? The Shifter in her liked it. Battle was an aphrodisiac, Diego a warrior.
Cassidy tugged at his T-shirt until it came off, then she skimmed fingers over his hot skin. She was still sick and dizzy from her Collar, but touching Diego made her feel better. Cassidy leaned into him and rubbed her cheek on his chest. She heard his heartbeat beneath her ear, the even thrum that meant he was alive and hers.
She liked the wiry, dark hair on his chest. She rubbed her fingers through it, watching the curls wind around her fingertips. Her questing fingers found his flat, male nipple; she smiled to see it draw to a tight point under her touch.
Cassidy licked the hollow of his throat. Diego gripped her elbows with his warm hands, and his openmouthed kisses landed on her cheek, her neck, her breasts.
Outside her window, Cassidy could hear Nell explaining to some of the cubs that, yes, they were allowed to play outside now.
“That’s why you went down to Mexico,” Cassidy whispered to Diego. “So these cubs can now be kids without fear.”
“They’re out playing at four in the morning?” Diego asked. “Mamita would have my guts on a plate if she caught me out at four in the morning.”
Cassidy chuckled. “They’ll adjust.” Her Collar hangover was starting to fade. She tugged the waistband of Diego’s jeans. “Take these off.”
