They both scented lavender and leopard at the exact same moment. Remy was already gliding toward the door, more leopard than man in that moment. His leopard went wild—crazy. Snarling and raking, desperate to emerge. He couldn’t imagine what Saria’s cat was like, scenting a female close to her time.

“I’ll go.” He managed to bite out the two words. “You get out of here. Go to my house in the bayou.”

Saria was definitely struggling to control her female. “She heard me, Remy.” Her voice had gone husky, gravelly, fur running under her skin as her leopard fought for supremacy.

His breath hissed out of his lungs. There was no more doubt, Bijou was definitely leopard and she was close to the emerging. Every single male in the lair would be driven insane, and Drake, the only voice of reason, was gone. Remy cursed as he padded down the hall on silent feet. Bijou had heard every word Saria had said and she would believe it was true. It smacked of being true. There was no doubt he was a man who might do that very thing to bring a dangerous adversary into the light. There was every reason for Bijou to believe what Saria said. Hell. Saria believed it and she was his sister.

He moved swiftly through the halls, following the scent of the elusive female leopard. Bijou would have no idea why her emotions were all over the place. She had no idea what was happening to her—or what could happen. His lair was fucked up. There was no other word for it. They’d been isolated for so long and had no idea of the way leopard society worked—until Drake had shown up.

Some had intermarried and produced—monsters. Others had married outside of the leopard society and weakened the lair as generations failed to produce offspring. It was a complicated situation even as Drake tried to provide guidance for them. He sent the younger men to the rain forests in the hopes of finding mates, and that was difficult. Once any of the males got a whiff of a female coming into the Han Von Dan they would be all over her.

Remy’s lips drew back in a snarl. No one would be safe. Bijou had to be claimed immediately and thoroughly so there was no doubt she was taken. Without that, chaos would reign and the males could easily turn on one another. Drake was working magic on the lair, but it was difficult to overcome generations of problems.