Lexi swept her hair behind her shoulders and then clasped her hands together. “We saw your panther.”

My blood chilled.

She shook her head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Wheeler called ahead to tell us he was bringing home a live panther and to move everyone upstairs until he secured the heat house. Austin had a fit. He went out to meet him by the road and they got into a fight.” Lexi shook her head and briefly looked up at the ceiling. “This isn’t good. I don’t know what Wheeler’s standing is with the pack anymore—not after this. When I found out it was you, I begged Austin to let you stay for the night. You were still in the back of Wheeler’s Camaro, and Austin yelled at me to get in the house. He’s never done that before, but I could see the fear in his eyes. I’ve heard a few stories about Shifter history, but I guess I never knew how deep-seated the fear of panthers was. Not until I saw that look.”

“Was I awake in the car?”

She chuckled in disbelief. “We could hear your cat growling all the way inside. Wheeler didn’t have the same look of fear in his eyes that Austin did. I had a good view from the upstairs window. He had a chain looped around your neck and walked you up to the porch as if you were his pet or something.”

My jaw dropped. “He what?”

Impossible! Was this a joke? Lexi must have been nipping at the wine. There was absolutely no way my panther would have been submissive to anyone, let alone a wolf. I couldn’t even consider it.

She pulled her foot up and poked at it, looking for the sliver of wood in her heel. “Well, you’ve been the talk of the house since your arrival. I’m glad you shifted back, because Austin hasn’t been able to stop pacing. A hall connects this room to the main house, but he intentionally built it without windows to make sure anyone using it was safe from outsiders getting in. He put a lock on both sides, but he’s never used the outside lock until tonight.”

“Why would he lock the door from the outside to begin with?”

“I suppose he was afraid one of us girls might get really horny, break down the door, and mount one of them,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “The worst part about it was that the heat house was my idea. I was joking at the time, but Austin never forgets anything I say.”

I placed my hand over my chest, fighting the urge to have a complete meltdown. I didn’t like being weak in front of anyone; that’s not the kind of woman I was. I’d always been strong—a fighter—but now it seemed like I was fighting shadows.

“Naya?” Lexi asked in a soft voice, brushing a swath of hair away from my face. “Hey, it’s me. I don’t care if you’re a panther or a skunk; I love you regardless. You hear me? Maybe I’m a little terrified of your animal, and I don’t expect we’ll be best buddies, but that’s fine.”