n braided into numerous tiny little braids. She's nude, but the flat sheet is covering her pelvis. Her left arm is held tight to her body covering her left breast while the hand is curled into a loose fist. The right arm is more relaxed with the right hand laying loosely over the right breast. It should be a beautiful picture of a beautiful woman sleeping peacefully. Except her skin and lips are ashen from blood loss and there's an ugly red hole in her body below her left arm. Richy took the pictures with his phone when he got up in the middle of the night to change her bandage.

Mr. Cho steps forward with tears in his dark eyes, takes the pictures from Richy and says, "I think it was me. I saw tan streaking through the trees off in the distance. I was sure it was a deer and fired. I've never been hunting before. This trip was Grimm's idea to celebrate my recent divorce. I don't even own a gun. The rifle I used belongs to Grimm. He said it would be a good time, said he knew a guy that could get us some wild girls. I don't know what I was thinking. I've been so numb. I didn't know my wife was unhappy.." He looks again at the picture of the woman smiling and ask, "Who is she? Where is she now? Is she going to be okay?"

"Why isn't she at a damn hospital," sneers Grimm angrily because he's sure Cho has just ensured they're all going to prison for a long time.

Roar explains to Grimm, "Talia has a unique body chemistry, unique even for free folk. A hospital would probably do her more harm than good."

"Talia Devonshire, gentlemen," says Richy thinking he doesn't like Grimm. Grimm is a dishonest man. But Cho is just an honest man hanging with a bad man. Richy wants to dislike Cho, but he mostly just feels sorry for the sad confused man. Ross he's still undecided on, but at least Ross hasn't tried to lie to his face, "continues to lay in my bed fighting for her life. Will she be ok? You better pray she'll be ok?"

"Your bed, Sheriff," says Grimm grinning wickedly. "You fucking that pretty little wild thing? Sweet little wild thing like that could make you a whole lot of money. I told my associates there's nothing better than a wild piece of ass. So name your price, Sheriff. Every man has a price. What's your price to make this go away and for you to share a bit of your little wild bitch?"

Both Cho and Ross take a step away from Grimm shaking their heads. Ross tells Grimm, "You are a twisted son of a bitch."

Richy steps over to Margie and whispers in her ear, "Turn off the digital recorders."

Margie complies with a silent nod. Abbot and Al don't know much about Richy's private life, but they know he prides himself on being clean and keeping his home town virtually crime free. And even though they can't smell how pissed off he is like Roar and even Margie, they know he's pissed.

Richy steps back over to Grimm calmly, much too calmly. Then lightening quick he snatches the vile man off his feet and thumps him hard against the back wall. Roar is afraid of what Richy might do. Richy is an inexperienced guardian which can be a very dangerous thing.

Al ask Margie, "Do you think he's gonna kill him?"

Margie answers, "If he does, we help him get rid of the body. You two, Cho and Ross, if he kills that rotten son of bitch, your story is you got separated in the forest and you came here to report him missing."

"But he's on the digital record," states Al.

"I can fix that," states Abbot confidently.

"Mist, he's not worth it," Roar tells Richy afraid he just may kill the vile man.

"What does money mean to wild folks," Richy asks Grimm as he holds him off his feet against the wall.

"Nothing," Grimm answers with a sneer.

"Is he right, Roar," ask Richy.

Roar answers, "That's correct. I don't have any real interest in money. It seems to bring out the worst in many domesticated people."

Richy ask Roar, "Do you have a price? Can you be bought?"

Roar answers, "No, I don't have a price."

Then Richy ask Roar, "What about me? What's my price?"

Roar smiles as he says, "Well, Mr. Grimm knows that money doesn't mean anything to wild people. And being a wild man like myself, you don't have a price. You can't be bought."

"Now that we've established that I can't be bought because as a wild person money is of no real interest to me, what are the odds Mr. Grimm that I would ever, ever share my mate with a man like you? Not that you truly qualify as a real man," says Richy.

Ross plops down hard on a Formica chair and starts to rock back and forth as he says, "His mate. Shit, we're not going to jail. We're all going to die."

Richy orders, "Abbot, Al, get all the firearms from their vehicle," and they don't hesitate.

"You didn't know Norton was out of business," Richy tells Grimm giving him an extra thump against the wall. "Where have you been for the last decade?"

"Go to hell," sneers Grimm.

"New China," answers Cho. "Our company's had him in New China. He just relocated back a couple of months ago."

"Thank you, Mr. Cho," says Richy looking Grimm in his soulless eyes as Abbott and Al return with the firearms.

"Mr. Grimm," Richy continuing to hold him off his feet, "we're keeping all your firearms. And the only reason I'm not locking you up and throwing away the key is I don't have time for the data work. I need to get back to my mate. So just remember this, Mr. Grimm, there's no fun to be had here anymore. You or any associates of yours are not welcome round here." He drops Grimm, "Now get out of my territory. I don't ever want to smell the stench of you ever again."

Grimm dust himself off and heads for the doors. He grabs the handle and tells Richy, "I'm an executive for Drumpt Enterprises, Sheriff. We're a big account for Devonshire World Law. Yes, I recognized her name. But even Devonshire isn't foolish enough to risk that for a wild niece. I'm going to ground you to dust, Sheriff," and he slams the door behind himself.

Ross and Cho don't head straight for the door. Ross says in disbelief, "I can't believe you're letting us go."

Richy shares, "She's not doing well today and I need to get back to her. Arresting y'all would have me stuck here for the rest of the day, and most of the next week"

"You really pissed Grimm off," says Ross as he glances out the window and is surprised Grimm hasn't pulled off without him and Cho. "I hope you have friends in high places. He may be able to make good on his threat."

Richy shrugs it off, "I'll worry about him later if I have to."

Cho steps up to Richy and Roar and as he blinks, a tear escapes one of his dark eyes. "I am truly sorry. And I sincerely hope she makes a complete and speedy recovery." He hands Richy back the two pictures.

"Mr. Cho," Richy getting the man's attention before he steps outside, "I happen to know Devonshire World Law is always looking for honest hard working people."

"Thank you, sir," responds Cho. Then he steps out as Ross holds the door for him. He pauses to give Richy and Roar a solemn nod then steps out behind Cho.

"Margie, I want a copy of Mr. Grimm's attempted bribe," request Richy. "I think Uncle Bob will find it quite interesting."

Margie nods, "I'll bring it out to you myself later." She and Bob are supposed to have dinner later. But if Talia's not doing well enough that Richy just let them go so he can get back to her, she's not expecting Bob to still want to go out.

"Are you alright," Roar asks Richy concerned.

Richy shakes his head no. "I never wanted to kill a man before in my life." Richy begins to vibrate with the unused tension and energy of his pent up urges, mostly his fear of losing Talia before he's really has a chance to build a life with her, "But I wanted to rip that man to pieces with my bare hands."

Roar hugs Richy, "It's ok my brother. You showed great restraint and great inner strength. Men like Mr. Grimm always get what's coming to them eventually, one way or another."

Margie combs Richy's hair away from his face as he clings to Roar. He usually has it in a ponytail for work. "Richy, you are a better human being than most. I would have killed him. Hell, Abbott and I were both ready to hide his body."

"Me too," adds Roar.

"We got things covered here, Richy," Al assures him. "Go on home and look after Miss Talia."

Richy nods his agreement and Roar leads him to the doors. Roar glances back, "We'll see ya later, Margie. Thank you, gentlemen. It was good to meet you both."

As Al watches Richy and Roar climb into Richy's sheriff's vehicle he says, "That Roar sure is a big man. The biggest I've ever seen. I hope he never gets made at me."

"Then you better hope he never finds out you took a shot at his baby sister," replies Margie.

Abbot just shakes his head because he can't believe Al took a shot at Talia himself.

"It was an accident," insist Al whinily. "She was a bear."

"With clothes on," reminds Margie. "How many real bears do you think are running around out there wearing people clothes."

When Rich slides behind the steering wheel, he's basically himself again. The ride home is quiet, and when they get there, the children are having a nap on a blanket in the shade, all lumped together like puppies except for Shell. She's curled up by herself on one corner of the blanket. Wildcat, Cougar, Bass and Amazonia finished putting together the children's picnic table, stained it sunshine yellow and sealed it. The water resistant sealant isn't quiet dry yet. Things are just very quiet.

Richy's aunt, Seal, is sitting in the chair outside Richy's bedroom door giving Angel a break. Inside Richy's bedroom, Zenith is sleeping on her right side with Talia at her back. Talia has rolled onto her good side and is sleeping pressed to Zenith's back with her left hand resting on Zenith's swollen womb. Uncle Bob is sitting at Talia's back against the wall. He's dozed off with his chin resting on his chest and his hand on Talia's head. The sight of them all sleeping peacefully allows Richy and Roar to relax.

As Richy strips out of his uniform down to his boxer-brief, Roar wakes Zenith and asks in a whisper, "I take it things have been quiet while we were gone?"

Zenith slides carefully away from Talia to the edge of the bed and confirms, "Yes. She's been sleeping this whole time. Cougar took up the mattresses from the floor. The children are disappointed they won't be allowed up here for a while."

Zenith steps around the bed and pats Uncle Bob's knee, "Roar and Mist are back."

Uncle Bob acknowledges with a nod as he slides the fingers of his hand through his hair. He comes around and sits on the edge of the bed Talia's facing. He picks up one of Talia's hands and asks Roar in a whisper, "Have you seen this?" He presses the pad of one of her fingers and a razor sharp claw pops out like magic. Uncle Bob says delighted, "Retractable, isn't that something?"

Roar nods his agreement, "Impressive." Then he touches Talia's tail and admits with a sigh, "I always wanted a tail, and she was worried about being scary."

Richy steps over by Uncle Bob, who gets up out of the way, and looks down at Talia as she's sleeping on what used to be his side of the bed. "She's beautiful. But I don't know if I like her being as tall as me."

Zenith reminds Richy, "It's not permanent. And she's small for a guardian. If you were your inner guardian right now, the normal height difference between you would be present."

Richy sits on the edge of the bed and Talia's left arm snakes out lightening quick and pulls him to her with a strength Richy hadn't expected, putting an astonished look on his face.

Uncle Bob notes, "She didn't even open her eyes."

Roar explains, "She didn't need to. She heard him, smelled him and felt his weight shift the bed."

Richy shares, "Well now I have an idea of how she felt when I did that to her the first time. It's a little disorienting."

Zenith smiles as she leans into Roar, "Dominate male behavior."

Roar shrugs as he admits unashamed, "Guilty." Then he tells Richy, "Talia hasn't told us yet how you met."

Richy looks down at his sleeping mate and runs a finger gently over her cattish ear which twitches slightly in response. "A couple called in their lost kid. Al and I were looking for the little girl. I had her scent, but it was dissipating. I pushed through some bushes the little girl had pushed through and startled a beautiful woman and a buck she was racing. Startled her so bad, she turned into a bear.. The deer ran in one direction and the beautiful woman in another. I considered it a bonus that the woman's scent stayed close to the little girl's scent. Then she appeared with the little girl. Talia walked her back to her parents with us. Then the mother insulted her.. I had her hand and I was apologizing for the mother's ungrateful behavior and thanking her for her help and I didn't want to let go of her. I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and take her home with me that night. And after I finished with the Spencers, I was tempted to go after her. But she had agreed to come into town to give me a statement for my report.. I must have described her to Margie a dozen times while I waited for her. Around eleven a.m. I decided if she didn't show, I was going back out to where I'd seen her last and find her. I needed to smell her again, needed to touch her and if I didn't see her again soon, I was gonna go crazy. I was pacing in my office and I was gonna go out and describe her to Margie again. I opened my office door, and there she was ready to knock on the door.. I just grabbed her and pulled her against me, inhaled her sweet scent and I don't know how I kept from kissing her right there. I just kept thinking 'Be cool Richy. You're making her nervous.' I'd never been anxious about a woman before in my life. I could smell her attraction for me, but she wasn't throwing herself at me like they usually do and I knew she was smelling my attraction to her.. Then I had to think of how to keep her near me once the statement stuff was finished. So I asked her to join me for lunch. She was worried about being barefooted. But I took her over to Mama's Café and found myself guarding her from every male in the place. It was the best meal, the best conversation, I had ever had with a woman. But before the meal was even over, that thought was back: 'how do I keep her with me?' ..I went to the restroom and when I came out, she was talking to some harmless old men, Old Bill and his buddies. She was just being nice and sociable, but it burned through me. I pulled her against me again and this time I scent marked her. I didn't even know I could actually scent mark a female before that. And I wanted to bend her over the table and mount her right there. But she was scared after I scent marked her. So I walked her straight to my vehicle and drove her straight here."

"You hijacked my sister," states Roar amused.

Richy pulls his fingers through the multitude of tiny braids in Talia's hair as he somewhat admits, "Kind of, I guess. But things didn't just fall into place when we got here. She stepped out of the car and made a run for it before I could show her around the property or the house. She climbed into the tree house and turned into a mountain lion before I could catch her."

"What would you have done if you had caught her," asks Uncle Bob concerned.

Richy's uncomfortable with his honest answer. He could get a lie past Uncle Bob, but Roar and Zenith would smell the lie, "Thrown her to the ground and mounted her."

Uncle Bob's shock is loud and clear even though he's speechless.

"It's okay, Uncle Bob," assures Roar, "I know what it sounds like, but it wouldn't have been ****. That's impossible between true-mates. A mating this intense is rare, but the sooner they establish themselves as mates in this situation, the better. Because until they do, they're both very dangerous. They can't help it. Their instincts are on too high, like Talia right now.. Richy brought Talia out here on instinct, but it was the right thing to do. Their instincts wouldn't allow them to date like domestic people do. They needed the isolation so they didn't accidentally kill anyone."

"Tell us what happened next, Mist," request Zenith enjoying his sharing of how he met Talia.

Richy shares, "Talia spent the night in the tree house. I got called into work early the next day when I had planned to take it off to spend with Talia, try to coax her out of the tree. Spoke to her briefly before I left, made sure she knew she was welcome in the house. I had to bring Cougar home with me from work. And I was worried because she was still sitting in the tree house as if she hadn't left it all day. But she had. I could smell her throughout the house. She'd gotten a shower, washed her clothes and napped in my bed. She even noticed that I had left for work without eating breakfast. She came in real early the next morning and made breakfast. I was gonna see if I could get her to come in and eat with me, but I had Cougar wandering around naked with a hangover.. I went out to find her after I ate. She was sitting in the tire swing. She nearly fell getting out of it when she saw me coming.. You should have seen her straighten her shoulders as she held that tire between us. I half expected her to say, 'I meant to do that.' I thanked her for making breakfast and she shrugged it off as 'the most important meal of the day,' like she hadn't done anything special. It made me smile and she let her guard down.. I pushed that swing out of the way and grabbed her before the thought even fully formed in my head. When I inhaled her scent, I licked her neck and kissed her jaw. Her breath hitched for a moment, but she returned the greeting and added a sexy little nip. I don't know how I made myself go to work. I told her I was gonna have her and she said she wasn't going anywhere. Then I warned her to stay away from Cougar. He'd mentioned they'd had a little history the night before. Cougar's my best friend, but I knew I'ld hurt him if he tried anything with her."

"A little history," questions Uncle Bob curious.

Roar shares, "Cougar nearly took Talia's virginity, and would have if our father hadn't checked on her. She and Cougar were very close for many years."

Richy continues, "Cougar's wife came out here unannounced while I was at work. Cougar said Talia just appeared behind Sheila, grabbed her by the hair and checked her for my scent. Scared Sheila real good and pissed her off real bad. She's not the kind of person to let things go.. My family arrived later before I got home. And when I got back from work, Talia was back in the tree house and the kids were with her. She hadn't come down to meet anyone. But being with the children had relaxed her and I took advantage and stole a kiss. I wanted her to come down so I could introduce her, but they weren't finished with their story. She let me have the next kiss.. I checked in with Cougar, checked his scent of course. He told me about Sheila dropping by, and then I went in and changed out my uniform. Came back out, greeted my Aunt Seal, greeted my cousin Bass and I was preparing to greet my cousin Otter, but Cougar realized something was wrong before I did. Contrary to popular belief, the man's not stupid. He just likes people to think that.. He grabbed Otter and I grabbed Talia before she could manage to rip Otter's face off."

"But Talia's always been so gentle and kind," interrupts Uncle Bob. "She wouldn't hurt anybody."

Richy shrugs, "She still is.. but I wasn't thrown off by her behavior in any way. I set her in the house. She flipped the dining table. I excused myself from my family and came in after her. I stepped into the kitchen, she threw a glass at me, I caught it, but it was still ruined. So I threw it away."

"My Talia did that," interrupts Uncle Bob in disbelief.

"Instincts, Uncle Bob," reminds Roar. "They're very powerful. She wasn't fully herself. Go on, Richy."

Richy nods. "She kept the kitchen table between us while she asked me some questions about Otter and other women. But when I asked her why she was still here, why she hadn't left even though she'd had plenty of opportunity, she got confused and frustrated, and she forgot to keep that table between us.. She didn't try to fight me or resist me anymore, but her body language was confused, like she wasn't sure what to do, which turns out she didn't know exactly what to do. I figured that out shortly after I bent her over the table. (Richy's eyes tear up) She was still a virgin and I bent her over my kitchen table."

Uncle Bob is surprised and says, "But she dated Lance for years. Are you saying the lying little cheat was nailing everybody but her?"

"I don't know if he's really nailing anybody," answers Richy. "Tali said he's got a premature ejaculation problem."

Roar laughs, "That's fate at work for you if you ask me. But even I was surprised to learn she'd managed to stay a virgin this long. I didn't see her for months when she was away studying at New Harvard. I thought she had just never thought to tell me about any of her boyfriends until she accused me of expecting her to stay a virgin forever. Her life has been more lonely and isolated than I am capable of imagining. I'm very glad you found each other."

"Ditto," Uncle Bob agrees with a firm nod.

They stand and head for the door to leave Talia and Richy alone for the night. Zenith pauses and looks back at Richy, "You may think the way you took her virginity isn't romantic. But the way you feel about it, the way you wish it was different because of the way you feel about her, the love in your eyes when you look at her, makes it romantic."