She risked her life to save a human child. Pain was her reward. All her life, Emma longed for someone to love. Instead, disaster sees the brand-new bard banished from her people for long lonely years. Injured saving a child, the werebear has to steal food from humans, breaking shifter Law. The territory's Cosantir and his lethal grizzly warrior catch her in the act. To her surprise, she's healed and welcomed. Obviously, they don't know her past. But oh, she can't resist being around other shifters--especially the captivatingly powerful warrior. Maybe she can stay...just a little while.As a grizzly warrior, Ben is ordered to house the pretty werebear until she heals. His littermate abandoned him, his home is empty, and he's been alone for a long time. Intelligent and sweet and lushly curved, Emma is a delight...even if she is oddly reticent about her past. Although having sworn off females, he's sorely tempted by this one. Damned if he doesn't want to keep her, secrets or not. Females were trouble. Years past, one split Ryder from his littermate. Now the panther shifter is returning to Ben, bringing his cub with him, a four-year-old he stole from the abusive female. To Ryder's annoyance, his brother is sheltering a wounded bear. A female. Even worse, she's beautiful and gentle and loving--damned if he's going to fall for that act again. But when the dark of the moon arrives and death reigns supreme, he'll discover that not all females are alike. In a world filled with hellhounds and pixies, can three lonely shifters and one silent cub create a new family together?