She might not trust him completely, but she didn't doubt his assessment of the situation. She tried to force her wolf to retreat, but the beast growled and snapped in protest.

She was alpha.

She wouldn't run or hide from rogues.

"Hurry."

Some of his urgency spilled over onto her. Without giving herself a chance to hesitate, she grabbed a string of power and wrapped it around herself.

And groaned when the cords of pure energy tightened like she'd tangled with barbed wire. Metal knots bit into her skin like burs, burrowing deeper with each breath.

She was going to overload.

Power tore beneath her skin. The energy scraped the marrow of her bones clean then replaced it with ground glass, the agony nearly dropping her to her knees.

"Raven! Snap out of it."

A blow struck her across the face. The jolt snapped her out of the sea of pain that had swallowed her. He had gotten what he wanted. Her wolf was gone, taking half her soul with it.

"They're coming."

"Who?" She gritted her teeth to stop shaking.

"Rogues."

"Friends of yours?" Either way he answered, Raven was screwed. She toned down the juice to a breathable level and scanned their surroundings. She sensed them out there, drawing nearer. As long as no one got too close, she should be able to contain everything.

He gave her a look she couldn't decipher. "No."

Then there was no more talking as people poured into the small clearing. And in people, she meant at least a dozen or more men of varying sizes. They were a rangy lot, more than half of them not looking sane enough to be allowed out in public.

Their wildness buffeted her. She would never have been able to control her wolf around so many.

They maintained their distance, but she had a suspicion it was more out of fear of Griffin and the way he stood in front of her than any show of respect. They eyed her, their animal parts to the fore, all but licking their lips to catch her scent.

"What have you brought us? A gift?" A brute of a man swaggered forward, leering at her, his gaze never lifting above her breasts.

Griffin didn't smile, didn't move. "She's off limits."

The man snorted and groped for her. "You can't bring something like her and not expect to share."

Raven listened to Griffin's advice, restraining herself from acting and tearing this man apart. Fetid breath wafted toward her, pudgy little fingers wiggled at her face.

Then Griffin was there. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted. Bone snapped. The man screamed in agony. Griffin spun and knocked the feet out from under the brute, slamming him into the ground with a heavy thump. The scream cut off abruptly, the air knocked clear out of him.

When Griffin straightened there was a crazy light in his eyes that worried her more than the pig rolling around on the ground.

She scanned the crowd, prepared to defend them, but none of the rogues reacted to the violence. In the back of the group, a familiar shape of a man caught her gaze.

The rogue from the club who'd sent her a warning.

She remembered her offer to help him and knew of only one way.

Not wanting anyone to grow suspicious of their connection, she turned and focused on those closest to her. "You are on my property. As long as you don't disturb me or mine, you will be allowed to remain. No attacks. No murders. No crime. Nothing you do will lead back here. Are we understood?"

No one said anything for a moment. A few appeared doubtful, a couple hopeful, but otherwise, they just continued to stare.

A lean man wove his way to the front.

"Do you believe you're doing us a favor?" He wore glasses, standing a few inches taller than herself, the smallest of the pack, but he exuded confidence that belied his size. The others quickly scrambled out of his way, terrified to bring notice to themselves.

One wasn't quick enough and tripped. He turned and slammed his fists into the thigh of the man behind him to draw attention to someone else.

The display made her regret her invitation. They weren't like her men. They weren't like pack. They were vicious as a group of wild dogs with no loyalty. Strength and might were the only thing that kept them in line.

"A favor? No, Professor. But you will be removed from my land, permanently if necessary, if my rules are not followed. And I will find out."

The man smiled as if he liked the moniker, but there was no truce behind his expression.

"Enough." A large man from the back pushed himself forward.

The very same shifter who'd warned her at the club.

He had a mop of wildly curly hair that defied a comb. With his pale complexion, light, almost reddish hair, she half expected an Irish accent.

He had a presence that demanded respect. If she didn't know better, she would say an alpha pretending to be something else.

"What's to stop us from killing you now and taking what we want?" He asked the question, menace in his voice as he prowled toward her. He appeared to be growing larger with each step.

He didn't look happy to see her despite the warning he'd given. When she didn't answer, he closed his eyes as if already regretting what he was going to do.

That's when she realized he was trying to give her an out.

"Have you heard of the infamous hunter employed by the council?" She masked the wince at the thought of Randolph learning about this incident. He would demand a steep price for using his name. "It seems he's fascinated by me. He wouldn't be pleased to find out someone else killed me before he got bored."

Dominic circled around the outskirts, upwind of the pack. Raven gave a small shake of her head to warn him to wait for her signal. Though his lips pulled back in a silent snarl, he obeyed and slinked back into the shadows.

Her vague threat proved effective. Everyone quieted, a few taking a couple of steps back. The leader gave a faint smile his pack couldn't see and bowed his head.

"We accept your proposal." He turned and howled an inhuman sound.

At the cue, the men scattered in the woods. Professor cast her a curious look, not in the least bit alarmed at her threat. He then walked into the darkness and disappeared from one step to the next.

Griffin stalked back toward the house, not saying a word. Raven would not be put off. She refused to allow him back into her home without knowing what the hell he was up to. She would not have her people in danger. "Would you care to explain what the hell is going on?"

He whirled on her, not stopping until he was in her face. "What do you think would've happened had they caught you alone?"

His beast rose as if the thought of her harmed disturbed him. A snarl twisted his face, and a startling revelation came to her. "This is why you came to me for help instead of running after you were freed from your prison, isn't it? You didn't need my help. You needed access to my property."

"They're rogues. They're banding together, which makes them even more dangerous. Alone, they are vicious. Together, they are a brutal lot, a danger for any unmated female. To a rogue, a female is precious. That doesn't mean they would treasure her. There would be no mating. Each man would take their turn on her unless one was strong enough the keep her safe from the others."

Raven shook her head. "Not all rogues."

Griffin snorted, jerking away from her. "Yes. All rogues. A female grounds a male, keeps them from going feral, keeps their wolf and human sides sane." He paced away from her and studied the darkness. "It's worse for alphas. Wolves are pack creatures. If a rogue alpha had a chance to claim a female wolf, let alone a new and very vulnerable alpha female, he would leap at the chance."

"You included?"

When he didn't say anything for a long while, the hairs on the back of her neck rose. There was only one reason why a male alpha wouldn't react to a female near the full moon, the reason he has such control over his beast.

"Unless you're already mated." Something about his silence, the tense set of his shoulders, felt like mourning. "Who was she?"

After another lengthy pause, things fell into place. "She's the reason you went rogue." Then she swallowed hard as bile rose in her throat. "Your brother..."

"Sometimes, you just need to leave things alone." Griffin turned and strode away.

"You said he died."

His hands fisted, and he walked faster.

"Oh, Griffin."

"Just leave it alone."

"He killed your mate. He deserved whatever you did to him."

He whirled on her, the stark angles of his face red with rage. "He killed my woman. It was my right to demand justice, and I took it. I tore him apart with my bare hands." He lifted those hands between them as if they still carried blood. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Raven's heart ached at the pain radiating from him. "He deserved that and so much more."

Griffin didn't move, just stared at her. "Promise me that you will not travel alone anymore. You placed a target on yourself tonight. You are too important to risk yourself so needlessly."

"Too important how?"

He tugged a lank of her hair like a big brother. "You're smart. You figure it out."

She slowly trailed behind him back toward the house, his stiff posture telling her she wouldn't get anything more out of him tonight.

She just hoped she figured it out in time.

Chapter Fifteen.

THREE DAYS UNTIL THE FULL MOON: DURANT'S DAY Dominic loped at Raven's side as they followed some distance behind Griffin. Though silent, she felt the sting of Dominic's reprimand all the same.

"I didn't have a choice. I needed to know the danger."

The little yip he let out made her groan. "I know enough. I trust that Griffin wouldn't willingly risk our lives if there were any other way."

Dominic's tongue lolled out, shooting a look at her that said he didn't believe that for a second.

"Did you know that he had worked with Scotts? His father asked about him as well. I'm starting to suspect that though his rogue status is legitimate, he is using it to work undercover."

She didn't know it was possible to do in animal form, but Dominic snorted. Thankfully, the house came into view, keeping her from dwelling on the new mess she'd practically landed in face first. As they reached the house, Dominic promptly sat.

When she opened the door, he wined and glanced back toward the woods. "If you're going to follow them, please be careful. Don't get caught. They're the type that will rip you apart if they get a chance."

With one last yip, Dominic took off like a streak.

Raven entered her silent room, already missing Dominic despite his animal form, or maybe because of it. In a week's time, her life had completely reversed. She wasn't sure it was a good thing.

How was it possible to become attached to more than one man in such a short time? Now that she ordered them out of her room, her contrary self just missed having them around.

Missed their scents.

Their voices.

Their heat.

Morning would arrive all too soon, and nervousness at going out with Durant sent her stomach fluttering.

Her first date.

She'd always thought it silly when girls mooned over a man like a lovesick fool, but now found herself in their very shoes. Rolling her eyes at her own folly, she quickly changed and crawled into bed.

Raven felt like her head barely hit the pillow when a sound startled her awake.

The construction workers.

Night had passed all too quick. Sunlight splashed across her face, and she groaned, curling away from the beams to get a few more hours of rest.

Until she remembered she had to go to the police station and speak with the shifter that had tried to kill her.

Then her eyes snapped open.

Durant.

Their date.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and she rolled out of the bed, unable to contain the thrill of excitement that shot through her.

She landed on her feet just in time to miss being squashed by the man who'd launched himself at the bed. Raven stumbled backward, slammed into the wall, and tripped over Jackson's couch as she scrambled to get out of the way.