How could she resist that watery plea? She couldn’t. Sighing, Roni nodded and secured the door. “Call Taryn again. Warn her that jackals are inside the lodge.”

While Shaya quickly updated her friend on what was happening, Kathy spoke to Roni. “Even a safety door won’t stand up to shifter strength.”

“No, but it will hold them back for a while and give the Phoenix wolves time to get here.”

“Well, that’s good, because the only things we can barricade the door with are those sun loungers.”

“Moving things around will do nothing other than make enough noise to give away our location.”

“Taryn says they’re almost here,” said Shaya, tucking the phone in her jeans’ pocket. “A few of them plan to search the lodge while the others join the fight. We just have to hang on.” She ran her hands through her hair. “Nick’s in so much pain. He’s tiring, but he won’t take any energy from me through our bond.”

Mates were able to boost each other’s strength using their mating link, but only if it was fully developed. Since Roni and Marcus’s bond hadn’t yet fully formed, she didn’t have the ability to add her strength to his—and it was pissing her off, because he was tiring too. “How do you complete a mating bond?”

Shaya blinked. “Mates have to be one hundred percent open to each other. You have to face whatever holds you back from him.”

“Nothing holds me back.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes.” She’d admitted she loved Marcus, both to him and to herself. She’d confided in him, had come to trust him, and even to lean on him in some ways. She had accepted that it didn’t undermine her level of independence or strength to do so. Had realized that it was possible to be too self-reliant. In fact, it could even be viewed as selfish, because it was a form of rejection. Helping others could make a person feel good, and this “give and take” could help toward developing their connection. To deprive Marcus of that, to deprive their mating of that, wasn’t fair.

“Maybe the problem’s him, not me.” Marcus had held back from people his entire life. It wouldn’t be easy to snap out of something like that, no matter how much a person wanted to. It was possible that he didn’t even realize he was still doing it.

Shaya shrugged helplessly. “If that’s the case, this is out of your hands. He needs to come to that realization on his own.” Her eyes shot to the door, wide and wary, as an animalistic yap sounded in the near distance. Another yap, this one closer. “They’re coming.”

Moments later, paws padded along the hallway toward the basement and then down the steps. There was sniffing and panting at the door, and then claws were raking the floor as if trying to dig a hole. Shit. A loud and urgent yelp split the air, and it earned several yelps of response as what sounded like a small stampede headed toward them.

“They’ve found us,” whispered Kathy.

As if to confirm that, something charged at the steel door. Then there was yelping and barking as the animals repeatedly slammed their bodies against it, leaving dents and impressions. It instantly became clear that the door wouldn’t hold for long.

“We need to use the emergency exit.” They sprinted for the door. Roni pulled up the blackout blind and jumped back in surprise at the male standing just outside the glass. Realizing it was Stone, she sagged in relief and unlocked the door.

He pushed his way inside, Glock in hand. “Goddamn hyenas are patrolling the area.” Noticing that the steel door was being attacked, he cursed.

“Hyenas?” Kathy shuddered.

“I managed to take out a few of them, but when I realized the jackals had broken into the lodge, I came to get you out. We’ve got a better chance of protecting Shaya as a team.”

In agreement, Roni nodded. Conscious that the door would cave in any second now, she placed a hand on Shaya’s back and urged her forward. “Let’s get to one of the SUVs and drive Shaya out of here.”

Eyes on the steel door, Stone took Shaya’s hand and led her outside. Kathy quickly followed. That was when Roni slammed the door closed and locked herself inside the basement.

“Roni, what are you doing?” Kathy demanded—the words were barely audible through the glass.

“Protect Shaya. Get her away from here.” Roni pulled down the blackout blind, shutting out a grim-faced Stone and two very outraged females. Then she turned, claws out, and took up position in the center of the room just as the door gave way, leaving her no time to shift. She’d expected to find herself instantly swarmed by jackals. Instead, several of them slowly slinked into the room—their eyes fixed on her and glinting with malicious intent.

Her pulse quickened, her heart raced, and her muscles tightened as they circled her, trapping her, and making her wolf fight to surface. But Roni couldn’t take a moment to shift, couldn’t leave herself vulnerable for even a second.

Two more jackals entered then, both in human form. One was Lyle Browne. And the other . . . she had no idea who he was, but the object in his hand made her blood boil and her wolf snap her teeth.

“Meet Dave, my cameraman.” Lyle smirked. “I bet this must bring back some memories for you.”

It did. And with those flashbacks came feelings of helplessness, terror, humiliation, and pain. “You won’t get to her.”

“You thought it was the Alpha female I was after, didn’t you?” Laughing quietly, Lyle shook his head. “I knew you’d protect her like the good enforcer that you are. I knew you’d hold us back while she had the chance to slip away. And now here you are . . . alone. Mine.” Smiling, he cocked his head. “Scared? I do hope so. Working out someone’s worst fear and then subjecting them to it . . . now that’s power. That’s real entertainment.”

His pack, all now back in their human form, chuckled—including the three female jackals who had tried to kidnap her.

“You cost me the Phoenix rug rat. You cost me one of my pack members and had a lot of fun with her before you killed her. Now it’s time for me to have some fun with you. And from what I’ve heard, you’ll be quite entertaining. It’s time for you to face your worst fear.”

As three jackals took a single step toward her, Roni instantly understood. Lyle intended to make her relive what had happened twelve years ago. His pack members intended to hold her down while he raped her—maybe they would even take turns. Her stomach rolled and her heart slammed inside her chest. Not again. Not. Fucking. Again.