Chapter 2

He waits until

he hears her skitter off in the right direction. Then he bolts down

Ellwood, making as much noise as he can, crashing through manicured

lawns, leaping overgrown bushes, and bounding off trees lining the

street. Praying the carnivores follow him instead of her.

* * * *

The Hunt is

on.

Fucking

dogs,Tau Jensen thinks as the buck takes flight. Leave it to

the canidae to startle their prey early and spook them into

running. Cats are silent predators—he was almost right up on the

two deer-folk, this close…when midnight struck, he could’ve

gone in for the kill. But no. A chorus of howls and they’re

off.

Tau lets out a

fierce leonine roar that crackles into the night like lightning and

gives chase. He ignores the female—she means nothing to him, her

thin perfume an annoyance drifting away on the wind as she hurries

away. He leaves her for Leanna. The buck is his.

But he barely

crosses Ellwood before the long, sleek shadow of a lioness brushes