Evangeline hadn’t thought it was possible to force her brain to work when blood thundered in her ears, roared through her veins and chaos reigned in her mind, but the moment she realized her leopard was afraid and in the same kind of agony she was, she began to breathe through the brutal hunger.

“I’m with you,” she whispered softly. “We’re doin’ this together. If Saria can go through it, we can. We’re strong.”

At first her leopard didn’t respond, the heat pouring through her, forcing her body to writhe and burn for her mate. Evangeline put her head down and breathed. “If you need to come out, Bebe, do it. I’ve waited for you. I want you to run free. To have your mate. You deserve that.”

Her voice barely worked. She sounded husky, so sensual she barely recognized herself. The invitation was answered by another wave of itching skin. Something rose beneath the surface so that she could see it moving on her arms and legs, something alive and desperate to come out.

“That’s right, Bebe, let’s do this. We don’ need anyone else to get us through this. We’ve always done things ourselves. We’re good.” They weren’t. They weren’t good at all. They both needed their men. Their mates.

Even as she breathed deep and tried to reassure her leopard, she felt the burn ease. Her cat subsided just enough that both could get a handle on the vicious hunger raging through their bodies. Her bones ached and her skin was still on fire, but she could think better.

“That’s it. We’re fine. We’re fine,” she chanted. Sweat dripped from her body. She really needed that bath now. Whatever the men were up to, she didn’t care. She had to think about this. “Can you imagine what would happen if I was at the bakery and this came over us?” She tried for humor. “I’d rip all my clothes off and become an instant porn star. Of course business might really pick up fast.” It hurt to even smile. Her jaw ached beyond belief.

She took another deep breath and managed to sit back on her heels. “Bebe, I need to know you’re all right. Talk to me.”

I hurt you.

“No, you didn’t,” Evangeline hastily assured her. “This is just what happens to shifters. To both of us. Luckily we’ve got Fyodor and your mate. They’ll help get us through. In the meantime, I’m goin’ to jump in the bath, rinse off fast and then we can go for a walk around the grounds. The more we explore and know the property, the better we’ll be able to handle this.”