His inner mountain lion is eager to protect his mate—but first, he has to earn her trust. Kate Ahrens has a problem—she keeps imagining creepy men following her while she walks to and from her college campus. It’s the result of too much time spent developing games, and not enough time talking to actual people. But when she meets the hot librarian with amazing eyes, she starts to think maybe she just hadn’t found the right person to talk to. As the fourth brother in the shapeshifting Sierra Pride, Maverick Fournier isn’t intimidated by much. Kate, though, with her hot pink hair and sexy piercings, makes him completely lose his cool. He wants to protect her, smell her, and mate her—maybe not in that order. Unfortunately, there are some other men interested in Kate, and their interest isn’t at all romantic. Even though protecting her means revealing his animal side, Maverick is determined to keep her safe and win her love. Content warning: This sexy shapeshifter novelette includes a happily-ever-after as well as explicit love scenes and naughty language. It is intended for adults.