Seven Days by Shari Richardson Page A

don’t have any choice.” Xavier’s voice rang with the timbre of the leader of the pride and goose bumps rose on my arms.
    “Christian, did you get a good look at him?” Xavier asked.
    “Not really,” Christian said. “I was across the parking lot when I saw the guy pulling on Kerry’s arm and Mathias trying to stop him.”
    “Kerry,” Xavier said, turning to look at me. “Why did you go with this guy in the first place?”
    I took a deep breath. The last thing I wanted to do was bring any more pain to Xavier and the pride after what had happened over the past few weeks, but I knew keeping Lane's identity to myself might mean more girls would die. Lane had already proven himself to be a killer. I had to believe that no matter how much it would hurt Xavier, knowing who the killer was would mean the end of the parade of death and destruction Lane had brought to East Hampton and Highland Home.
    “I knew him, Xavier,” I said softly.
    “What?”
    “It was...” I sighed. There was no gentle way to say the next three words. Delay wouldn't help. Only the truth would mean an end to the attacks. “It was Lane.”
    “Who is Lane?” Mathias asked. I glanced away from Xavier's face long enough to see Mathias and Alfred standing together just inside the door from the porch. “I did not recognize the man who attacked Kerry as someone from either Highland Home or East Hampton.”
    My gaze returned to Xavier. His throat worked as though he were attempting to swallow over a boulder caught in his throat. His heart thundered against my body where we touched. Energy vibrated off his skin like an electrical current. I didn't have to be able to see his eyes to know they would be dark with his panther. Whether he was angry or hurting didn't matter. Xavier was on the verge of exploding and I had to calm him before he did something he might later regret.
    “Xavier?” I said softly, reaching for his face, pulling it toward me so I could see his eyes.
    “Lane,” he whispered. I nodded. “And you didn’t tell me before now because...”
    “Because I wanted you to be among family and away from strangers in case you lost your temper,” I said.
    He nodded and carefully moved me so he could stand up and pace the length of the living room. He kept whispering, “Lane,” as he walked. Anger and pain pulsed in waves off his body. I could almost see a shimmer of his panther over the form of his body as he walked and I knew that no matter what he was feeling now, waiting to tell him about Lane until he was with the pride and away from strangers had been the right decision.
    “Xavier, do you want to transform in the middle of your grandmother’s living room?” Mairin asked.
    “What?” Xavier stopped pacing and turned on my sister. Xavier vibrated with his anger, but Mairin didn’t flinch.
    “I asked if you really wanted to shred up your grandmother’s living room by transforming in here with the rest of the boys so close by.”
    Xavier growled deep and low, a warning sound that brought with it the threat of attack. Mathias was between Xavier and Mairin so quickly I hadn't seen him move.
    “How do you know?” Xavier demanded, trying to get by Mathias. Xavier's lips pulled back in a feral snarl and the growl that slipped from his throat sent tremors down my spine. Xavier had to calm down. A fight between him and Mathias was not going to stop Lane from attacking other girls or anyone else, but it would put every member of the pride, Elise, Mairin and me in danger.
    “She can see your cat, Xavier," Mathias said, holding out a hand to try to keep Xavier focused on him and not Mairin. "She is only trying to help you calm yourself.”
    Xavier blinked slowly and his body relaxed. The energy I'd felt pulsing against my skin eased back to the normal warmth I could feel from Xavier, though this warmth covered a wider area. He took a few deep breaths and stepped back from Mathias. “Sorry, Maire,” he said. "I...you know I wouldn't