Falke’s Renegade

“Shifting. My senses are stronger when I am in my cat. If Durchenko returns, and he will, I will be ready.”

“You can’t fight him here.”

“He thinks I am wounded, and your scent will be enough for him to stick around to try to gain the upper hand. Now is my chance.”

“The clinic is too close to town.” Her family could handle themselves, but Heidi had no intention of leaving Javier to fight this battle alone. She had to get him someplace safe, away from the public eye, and preferably away from Durchenko.

“Perhaps.” He shifted quickly. Almost before she could blink, the transition was over. He was so beautiful in his jaguar form.

“Don’t move. I’ll send Mrs. Blake home.”

She stepped out of her office.

Do not set foot outside!

She wouldn’t. She wasn’t stupid. Once she’d sent her receptionist away, promising her a day’s pay if she’d reschedule all the appointments from home, she called Beth and caught her just leaving the office supply store.

“Don’t come to the clinic,” Heidi told her.

“Why not? What’s wrong?”

“I need you to go back to Catamount Outfitters. Tell my brothers to gather there and await my phone call.”

“All right. Heidi, what’s this all about?”

“Please, just do it for me. Go straight there and nowhere else. Okay?”

“Fine, but—”

“Straight there. I promise I’ll explain everything.” She hung up before Beth could argue and watched through the window to make sure Mrs. Blake made it to her car safely.

What took you so long? Javier demanded when she opened the door to her office.

“I didn’t leave the building, so lower your hackles. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to convince my sister-in-law to gather the family without giving a damn good reason?”

Where are they gathering?

“Axel’s store. Catamount Outfitters. It’s in the heart of the tourist district. You coming?” She grabbed her keys, purse and his clothes, stuffing the latter into a bag before heading for the front door.

“Maybe you should limp or something, in case he’s got the place staked out.”

You watch too many television shows. In spite of his sarcasm, Javier became much more attentive to their surroundings and moved cautiously as soon as they walked outside.

With him at her heels, she locked up the clinic and went to open the passenger-side door for him before getting behind the wheel. She slipped the key in the ignition.

You can drop me off at the edge of the river before you go the store.

“I’m not going there. Are you crazy?”

The safest place for you is with your family. Not even Durchenko would dare to attack with the odds stacked against him. He is a killer, but he is also a coward, running instead of facing a fair fight.

“Why the river?”

I know his tactics. I can’t walk through the town like this, but the river offers cover for me to get close enough. I should be able to pick up his scent and track him. I will find him, Heidi, and stop him, but I must know you are protected.

“So you think I should just dump you out alone and lead him to my family?” She shook her head as she checked the mirror to see if anyone followed. “I won’t do that.”

Her passenger growled. Be reasonable.

“I am. I’m getting you the hell out of the populated areas of town, because none of us can afford to have anyone witness a cat fight. This is how I protect my family, our way of life.”

Her cell phone rang, so she flipped it open and steered one handed. “Hello?”

“What’s going on?”

Axel didn’t sound pleased.

Chapter Thirteen

“Don’t make me come after you, Heidi.”

“You know as well as I do, Ax, that I could never make you do anything.”

“Impertinent—”

“Besides, I’m not asking you to go anywhere but to your own home to protect your mate and kids.”

Her brother’s growl was testimony to his agitated state.

You’re putting him in a tight bind, Javier said telepathically from his perch on the passenger seat.

She cast him a glare for having sided against her.

His nature is to protect his mate and children, but as a single younger sibling, you are-“Not his concern...or yours,” she snapped. “I’m a grown woman who can make decisions for myself.

I’m headed home. It’s remote enough that if there is a confrontation between you and Durchenko, the public doesn’t have front row seats. It’s familiar territory for me, which is an advantage. And I’m not endangering anyone else in my family.”

Her dads had happened to be at Axel’s house visiting with the grandbabies when Beth showed up at the Outfitters with Heidi’s enigmatic message, so they weren’t home where they could be caught in the crossfire. As soon as she’d filled him in on the danger, Axel sent Torsten and Sindre to his home to help guard Dakota and the kids until he got there. Beth, Kelan and Reidar had already left for Axel’s to join the others. Only he and Gunnar remained at the store.

Axel wanted them to meet up with him to be safely escorted to his home, so Javier could brief them further