Kate threw herself back into her work. On Monday morning, she arrived early and reorganised her entire office. It wasn't that it was in a particular state of disarray, she just wanted to keep busy. The alternative was to sit around moping about the fact that she'd experienced the most amazing kiss from a man who'd rejected her quickly thereafter. If she was honest, she wasn't upset because of the rejection per se, certainly it hurt, but she accepted that not everyone was lucky enough to have their affections returned. What she didn't understand was how Jeremy could have kissed her the way he had, as though there was nothing else on earth he would rather have been doing, and then claimed that it was a mistake.

Perhaps that's the norm for him, she thought ungraciously. Maybe he kissed loads of women with the same level of passion and prowess and then discarded them afterwards like yesterday's trash. A bit dramatic, Shaw? her subconscious protested. Grudgingly, Kate conceded that maybe she was. The puzzling thing was that Jeremy didn't seem like the kind who kissed a bevy of women, leaving a trail of broken hearts in his wake. He seemed more sensitive than that, like he respected and appreciated women as more than mere play things. His relationship with Elena alone attested to that.

If only the kiss had been horrible, then she'd be able to put it from her mind completely.

"Urgh!" She slammed the drawer of her filing cabinet shut, causing the unit to rattle ominously.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Nattie said, glancing at Kate over the rim of her spectacles.

Feeling guilty, Kate flushed. "Sorry."

"Tough morning?"

Kate sighed. "Not really. It's just…" She trailed off.

"Man trouble?" Nattie asked knowingly.

Kate stared at her in surprise. "How did you know?"

Nattie walked in and leaned against one of the visitor's chairs. "I have three grown daughters, Doc Shaw. Believe me, I've seen it all." She regarded Kate speculatively. "Wanna talk about it?"

The offer was tempting, but Kate couldn't. Not without divulging what her weekend had entailed. Sensing her uncertainty, Nattie added, "You don't have to give me names, dear, or even specifics. But I'm happy to listen, without judgement, if you want to talk."

"Thank you, Nattie," she said, stepping forward to embrace the nurse, suddenly feeling emotional. "I appreciate that."

It was days like these that Kate missed Sara the most. She wished she had her best friend close by so she could confide her feelings to someone who would sympathise and offer some much needed advice. Realistically, she knew Sara was just a phone call away, but it didn't feel the same. Maybe when her vacation days kicked in, she'd go back to LA and visit. Or if she was lucky she could persuade Sara to visit her in Bear Valley.

Nattie patted her affectionately on the cheek. "Your nine o'clock is here. Should I give you a minute before sending him through?"

Kate shook her head. "No, I'm fine, thank you. Send him in."

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Kate had a full day of consultations, her last patient leaving only minutes before the practice closed. Smiling at the night security guard, she walked out and hopped into her Mini. Since the time when the wolf had almost attacked her en-route home, she preferred to drive the short distance until she knew for certain that he'd been caught. Because of Jeremy's injury and his insistence that he didn't want to go to a hospital, she hadn't reported seeing the wolf again to the police. Kate could only hope that he'd moved on.

Parking in her driveway, she stepped out and briskly walked up the front steps. The weather had been bleak over the past few days, and it didn't look to be improving. On the other hand, it's matching my mood exactly, she mused as she closed the door behind her.

It took Kate a moment to realise that she wasn't alone. Thinking back, it wasn't that there'd been a particular sound or smell that had alerted to the presence of someone else. It had been the fact that her first aid kit, which she'd packed in one of the kitchen cupboards when she'd moved in, had been lying open on the coffee table. Once that fact had registered, she'd sensed the additional presence instantly.

As she turned back towards the door, a hand clamped over her mouth, an arm curling around her, holding her prisoner. Kate was initially paralysed with fear before instinct kicked in and she started thrashing about, trying to shake off the vice-like grip.

"Now, now," a raspy voice breathed close to her ear. "I'd be quiet if I were you. Especially after all the trouble you've caused me." The arm that was wrapped around her lifted and she felt the tip of something small and cylindrical poke into her back.

Kate immediately stilled, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. He had a gun.

Jerkily, he twisted her around and threw her onto the sofa, her head hitting against the hard armrest. The force with which she landed was so great that the couch pitched backward, hovered, and then fell forward onto its legs. Momentarily disorientated, she lifted a hand to her hairline and felt a warm stickiness coating her fingers. Blood.

"What do you want?" she choked out, glancing at the intruder.

Her eyes widened as they travelled over him. He was filthy; his hair, a light sandy blonde, hung down past his shoulders in a stringy mess. His face was battered and bruised, one eye swollen shut, a large purple welt surrounding the other. Swallowing her horror, her eyes lowered to his chest, covered in a thin black sweater, his blue jeans caked with dirt and blood.

"You're hurt," she said, licking her lips nervously. "I'm a doctor. I can help you."

His grey eyes darkened with anger. "I know all about you. You caused this. If you'd just shut your mouth that first day, none of this would have happened."

Kate stared at him, confused. "I don't understand."

He hobbled forward and for the first time she noticed that his leg was injured. He couldn't seem to place much weight on it. He pointed the gun at her. "You had to get the alpha involved. If you'd just shut up, he'd have been none the wiser. Now they're all looking for me. I know they are. But I'm going to finish what I started with you and then I'm getting out of town. By the time they discover what I've done to you, I'll be so far from here, they won't know where to start looking."

Alpha? Finish what I started? "I don't know what you think I did to you, but if you put the gun down, we can talk about this," she reasoned, her voice shaking.

"Talk?" he spat out. "If it wasn't for your meddling I would have killed him. Do you know what an honour that would have been? How infamous that would have made me?"

Killed who? she wondered frantically, more afraid than she cared to admit, even to herself. He was rambling, raking his hands through his greasy hair, jerking the gun towards her erratically. Kate didn't know what he was talking about, but she knew she had to focus on trying to distract him long enough so that she'd be able to get back outside. Though she didn't know how she was going to manage that with his lanky frame blocking her only exit.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to maintain a semblance of calm, even if she didn't feel it.

"Don't pretend with me!" He shouted suddenly, and she hopped in fright. "I know you're Danvers' woman. You hang out at his place often enough. You have to know."

Jeremy? Kate's heart slammed against her ribs. This man knew Jeremy? "Know what?"

He stared at her for the longest time, his mouth twisting into a slow smile. "Well, I'll be damned. You don't know, do you?" He laughed, a low hissing sound that gave way to a bout of profuse coughing. He doubled over, the arm holding the gun still extended towards her. When he looked at her again, she could see a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He was ill. "Makes sense. Jeremy is known to uphold pack law. If you'd known the truth, he would have killed you himself by now."

Kate's breath left her in a rush, a chill racing down her spine. What was this lunatic talking about?

"Who are you?"

"You can call me Salazar. It doesn't matter if you know my name. You'll be dead soon anyway." He chuckled as though he'd just told the funniest joke.

"You're crazy," Kate whispered, frightened by his words.

"Crazy?" Salazar cried, waving the gun in a wide loop. "If only you knew. You patched Jeremy up didn't you? After I bit him?"

Bit him? Kate frowned. "Jeremy was attacked by a wolf."

Salazar's lips twisted into a sadistic snarl. "Look at me! Do you not see the results of your brick throwing? That's quite an aim you have, by the way. Want to see the effects of your boyfriend's attack?" He lifted his sweater and Kate gasped. His flank was badly bruised; his skin was an awful mix of purple and blue. She was certain that he had multiple rib fractures. What the hell happened to him? He dropped his sweater and his skin disappeared from view. At her horrified look, he sneered. "You've still not made the connection?"

What connection? Was he implying that she and Jeremy had attacked him instead of the wolf?The assertion would have been laughable if the situation hadn't been so serious. He really is crazy, she thought. But how did he know about what had happened in the alley? Had he been there?

"Please," she said softly, "take whatever you want and go. I won't tell anyone you were here."

He laughed, quietly at first, the sound growing louder and more hysterical. "You think I'd let you go after all the trouble you've caused me?" He sobered, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Not a chance."

Her heart in her throat, Kate watched as he turned his head sharply to one side, his eyes closing as he sniffed the air. What the hell? A look of fear passed across his face before he quickly masked it, stepping towards her.

"Turn around and grab the fabric!" he barked, gesturing to some cable ties and a length of cloth lying on the floor. It was the first time she'd noticed it. "Tie it around your neck."

"Please, don't do this," she begged, crawling onto the floor.

"Turn!" he hissed, his eyes filled with impatience as they darted between her and the door.

Her hands shaking, she did as he instructed. When the fabric fell around her neck he lifted it so that it covered her mouth like a gag. The material was thick and smelled like moth balls. Bile rose in her throat but she swallowed, taking deep breaths through her nose. If she barfed, she could possibly choke to death. She needed to remain calm.

"Hands behind your back," he ordered and roughly shoved her onto her stomach. Her voice muffled by the gag, Kate cried out as her face hit the floor, her spectacles jamming painfully up against the bridge of her nose. He straddled her back and twisted her arms behind her, tying her wrists with the cable ties. That done, he tied her ankles too.

"Now lay still and shut up," he warned threateningly as he moved towards the front door, unlocking it. "We've got a visitor."

Seconds later, her stomach in terrified knots, Kate watched as the doorknob turned.

Jeremy drove into town, glancing at the brown package on the seat beside him. In all the excitement of the past few days, Kate had left Stonehaven without retrieving the parcel she'd collected from the Post Office. After finding it in the car, he'd battled over what to do with it. The easiest solution would have been to give it to Elena or Nick and ask them to drop it off on their next trip into town, but Jeremy knew that would have been the cowardly thing to do. He was aware that he could be accused of many defects, but cowardice was not one of them.

Also, Nick's words continued to haunt him, playing over and over in his head in a never-ending loop. Love? No, surely not. It couldn't be. I hardly know her, he reasoned with himself. Although, it felt like he did. There was something about her, something he'd sensed the very first time he'd seen her, that had touched a place buried deep inside and had subsequently stayed with him. She affected him like no other woman he'd ever known. He felt an irrational desire to be near her, to shelter her and protect her from harm. It was an illogical need, considering who she was and the impossibility of any kind of relationship between them ever working out.

Nick and Elena seemed to think differently though. They believed that he should open himself up more, take a few chances. Jeremy wished, just this once, that he could give in to the overwhelming urge to do just that, to throw caution to the wind, consequences be damned. But he knew he couldn't. He had too many enemies and if they knew he coveted Kate's affections, they would seek to strike at his core by going through her. He would never allow any harm to come to her as a result of him. Which ultimately left him right back where he started. Kate was better off without him. He needed to accept that.

So why are you pulling up outside her house? his subconscious questioned.

Cutting the engine, Jeremy reached for the package.

Just this one more time, he promised himself, then I'll let her go.

He opened the car door and halted. Salazar. He could smell his scent; fresh, close by. His heart plunged to the ground as he looked at the white façade of Kate's home. Dear God, Salazar was inside and by now he'd know that Jeremy was there too.

Throwing the parcel back into the car, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled Clay's number, trying to keep his rising panic in check. Kate had to be alright.

Clay answered on the second ring. "Jeremy?"

"I'm at Kate's. Salazar is here. I don't know what he's got planned, but I'm going in."

"Elena and I can be there in half an hour," Clay said. "Jeremy, maybe you should wait-"

"That is not an option," he said, cutting Clay off. There was no way he'd sit around waiting for Clay and Elena when Kate was inside with that maniac. "Be as quick as you can."

Jeremy disconnected and threw the phone into the car before quietly closing the door. The street was empty, save for an old couple walking arm in arm some distance down the road. Striding up to the front door, Jeremy tested the doorknob, not at all surprised when the door gave way. He knew Salazar was waiting for him, but since he didn't know in what condition Kate was, he wasn't about to leave her there while he devised a strategy. Stepping inside, he felt the tip of cool metal press against his temple.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the North American alpha himself. Coming to save your girlfriend, are you?" Salazar taunted as he shooed Jeremy into the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

Jeremy's eyes searched and found Kate on the floor. She was bound and gagged, a smear of blood congealing on her forehead. Fury rose up within him. She was staring at him in shock, as though he was the last person on earth she expected to see walking through her door. When their eyes met, hers welled with tears and Jeremy steeled himself against reacting to her emotion. If he didn't stay focused, one or both of them could die.

"What do you want?" Jeremy asked, his voice brimming with barely contained rage. Salazar looked a mess from their last encounter and he took some satisfaction in knowing that he'd been the one to inflict the damage.

Salazar waved him over towards Kate. "You know exactly what I want. She was mine and then you went and interfered."

Jeremy's mind worked a mile a minute. He didn't know how much Salazar had already revealed to Kate, but regardless, he needed to contain the situation. Crouching down beside her, he gently pushed her hair out of her face. Her cheeks were wet, her eyes red-rimmed.

Anger lanced through him, sharp and piercing. He hated seeing her so vulnerable, so afraid. He glanced at Salazar. "No one needs to get hurt. If you put the gun down and leave, we will both forget this ever happened. If you don't, I promise that you'll regret it."

The other man hobbled backward, his eyes widening at the fury evident in Jeremy's gaze. He was also pleased to note that Salazar didn't seem to miss his veiled threat either, judging by his sudden ashen complexion.

Then the mutt seemed to remember his gun and the leverage that afforded him. Grasping it more securely, he pointed it towards them. "You and I both know that's not how this goes down. If I leave you here alive, you'll have that attack dog of yours come after me. We all know Clay's reputation. I'll be dead before I reach the next town. But if I kill you, that throws your entire pack into disarray. They'll all be too busy trying to appease the alpha council and naming your successor than to come looking for me. And by the time they get round to it, I'll be long gone."

Jeremy watched him closely. The injury to his leg was extensive judging by the blood on his jeans. At the rate at which he was sweating, he'd probably contracted an infection too. If left untreated, he was likely to die. Salazar's arm was shaking as he held the gun, his grip easing. It was clear that it was taking all of his strength to remain standing. If Jeremy could keep him talking long enough, he'd wear him down sufficiently to attempt a counter-attack. The worst he could do at present was incapacitate Salazar. Before he could properly deal with him, he needed to get Kate to safety. He couldn't risk either one of them changing in her presence. The repercussions of that was not something he wanted to consider.

He looked down at Kate, his eyes trying to convey what he couldn't put into words. I won't let anything happen to you. She blinked up at him, her lashes impossibly long, her vulnerability hitting him squarely in the chest. He cared about this woman and try as he might, he couldn't seem to stop.

Turning back to Salazar, he stood. The mutt backed away, cocking the gun.

"You won't get away with this," Jeremy warned.

"I already have," the other man said, his hand starting to tremble so much that he was forced to raise his other to support it. "I see you've recovered from my bite. No thanks to her," Salazar spat, glaring at Kate.

Jeremy knew he needed to act quickly. Every minute Salazar kept talking, the worse having to explain his ramblings would become.

Deciding to take a gamble, Jeremy cocked his head to the side, listening. "Someone's coming."

Panic flashed across Salazar's face, his attention diverting momentarily as he, too, listened. It was then that Jeremy seized his moment. With his concentration focused on what he thought was happening outside, Salazar loosened his hold on the gun. Jeremy moved quickly, charging towards the weapon, just as the mutt became aware of his intentions. Jeremy slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground as the gun discharged, firing into the kitchen. Grabbing hold of Salazar's hand, Jeremy knocked it repeatedly against the ground until he dropped the weapon, grunting in pain. The mutt's uninjured leg bent upward to kick Jeremy in the groin, but he rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding the blow. Hopping to his feet, Jeremy smashed the heel of his boot down onto Salazar's injured leg, listening with immense satisfaction as he howled in pain.

Knowing he'd gained the upper hand, Jeremy grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and punched him in the face once, twice. His head jerked backward at the contact, his body falling back to the floor. All the fear he'd felt for Kate's safety rushed to the surface, rolling off him in waves as he punched Salazar again and again. It was only Kate's whimper in the corner that drew him back to the present.

Glancing at her, he saw her shaking her head at him, her eyes wide with distress. Jeremy stepped away from the mutt, grabbed the gun and moved to Kate's side, sinking to his knees beside her. Quickly, he removed the gag and reached behind her to pull the cable ties from her wrists. He repeated the action at her ankles.

"Jeremy!" She turned towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He could feel her body trembling against him. He held her tightly, running a soothing hand over her hair.

"Are you okay?" She pulled back, her hands touching his face, his neck, his shoulders. "Your stitches…" she said, her hands reaching for his side.

He shook his head at her. "I'm fine. I should be the one asking you that."

Kate's hands stilled. "I'm okay, really."

Jeremy pushed her hair off her forehead, cradling her cheeks in his hands. His eyes ran across her face, taking in every inch of it. Removing her spectacles, he saw the cuts on the bridge of her nose. "He hurt you," he whispered fiercely.

"No. Not really," Kate assured him, her hands reaching up to circle his wrists. "He just scared me, that's all." Her gaze searched his. "What are you doing here?"

Her green eyes were pools of emotion, and he felt himself being drawn in deeper, drowning in them. Drowning in her.

"You forgot the package from your friend in my car. I was dropping it off when I realised that something was amiss."

"Thank God," she whispered, burrowing into his neck as Jeremy pulled her closer, holding her protectively against his heart. If anything had happened to her… He closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to consider that possibility.

Jeremy heard the door scrape open and turned to see Salazar fling himself outside. He stood, lifting Kate upright at the same time. She swayed, so he carefully hauled her into his arms, carrying her to the couch and depositing her gently onto it.

Outside, he heard the squeal of tyres.

"Stay here," he cautioned, running a finger down her cheek. Waiting for her nod of assent, he ran out the door in time to see Salazar throw an old man out of the driver's seat of his pickup, before hopping inside. Jumping down the porch, Jeremy sprinted across the grass. By the time he reached the tar, the vehicle was already speeding down the road.

"Dammit!" he cried in frustration. His preoccupation with Kate's condition had made him careless. He should have ensured that Salazar was properly restrained instead of leaving him lying on the floor unattended. Turning back, he checked on the owner of the car. "Sir, are you alright?"

The man nodded, getting to his feet. He looked shaken up, but otherwise okay. Jeremy could hear sirens heading in their direction. Someone had obviously reported the gunshot.

Glancing up, he saw Kate stepping onto the porch. Sure that the gentleman was steady on his feet, he jogged over to her.

"I asked you to stay inside," he chided, gently.

She'd put her spectacles back on. "I heard the commotion and I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt." She touched his arm.

Their eyes met and held and Jeremy felt the familiar pull of attractive weaving its spell around them. What was it about this woman that made him want to forget who he was and all the reasons they couldn't be together?

With heat rising up the sides of her neck, she dropped her hand self-consciously and Jeremy glanced away, clearing his throat.

"He, uh, got away," he confessed, ignoring the impulse to pull her back into the safety of his embrace.

Kate wrapped her arms around her midriff. Her voice shook slightly when she spoke. "He said he was going to kill me, Jeremy… That I was the one that got away. He also knew about what happened in the alley on Friday night. He knew you by name." Her gaze was open and questioning and his gut clenched. "How?"

"I don't know," he lied, hating himself.

"He said some strange things about you, about Clay…" Her voice trailed off just as Sheriff Morgan came up behind them. For once Jeremy was relieved to see the policewoman.

She extended a hand to each of them in greeting. "Dr Shaw. Mr Danvers. We meet again."

"I'm always hoping that it would be under more pleasant circumstances," Jeremy replied congenially.

She smiled. "You and I both." She glanced at Kate. "Can you tell me what happened here?"

Kate methodically told the sheriff what had happened right up to the point where Jeremy raced out of the house. Thankfully, she didn't mention anything about what Salazar had said about the night in the alley. When it was his turn, he stuck to the facts as closely as he could, concluding with the part where he saw Salazar driving off in the hijacked car.

"Did he tell you anything? Give you any clue as to why he's targeting you?" the sheriff asked.

Kate shook her head. "None. He just rambled inanely. He doesn't seem stable."

Sheriff Morgan nodded. "We know what vehicle he took and now we have a last name, so we'll try and track him down before he gets too far." She reached over and placed a comforting hand on Kate's. "We'll catch him. In the meantime, is there someplace you can stay?"

Kate frowned at her. "No. Besides, I don't want to leave my home."

"I think all things considered, it might be the safest course of action," Sheriff Morgan advised. "He knows where you stay. That leaves you vulnerable should he decide to come back."

The thought of Kate in perpetual danger made Jeremy pipe up impulsively, "She can stay at Stonehaven." Once the words were out, he balked, unsure of how he'd make such a situation work.

However, the identical expressions of shock on Kate and Sheriff Morgan's faces made him all the more determined to try.

Kate stared at him, aghast. "No."

"Why not?" Jeremy demanded, feeling affronted by her outright refusal.

"I-I don't want to inconvenience you-"she began.

"I would not have offered if I thought you would be," he countered smoothly, meaning every word.

She shook her head. "There's also my work. I can't move out of town."

"Kate-"

"No," she said firmly. "That is not an option."

Jeremy glared at her and she lifted her chin defiantly, glaring right back. Why was she being so stubborn? Sheriff Morgan was glancing curiously from one to the other, clearly intrigued by their dynamic.

Jeremy exhaled loudly. If she refused to go to Stonehaven with him then that left only one alternative. Turning to the sheriff, he said, "There's another solution."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what's that, Mr Danvers?"

Jeremy looked at Kate. "I'll move in here."