The rest of the Direkind might have a different attitude, but they also wouldn't involve themselves in Chosen business. The Direkind's aristocracy kept to themselves and policed themselves, and those of the lower classes kept their muzzles out of it.

Hopefully, Candice was right and Lucas would feel differently.

Elena drummed her fingers restlessly on the wheel. What if Lucas turned out to be too much a concerned Alpha? What if he refused to accept the role she had in mind for him and sought to dominate her as Stephen had? The last thing she needed was another male trying to force his will down her throat.

One problem at a time, Elena. If Lucas tried to give her a hard time, she'd find a way to deal with him, too. She was through being a victim.

A flash of movement in her rearview mirror. Elena shot it a look and breathed a curse. Something big and black, coming up fast from behind.

Stephen's Hummer.

"Dammit," she swore, and stomped on the gas. "Dammit, dammit, dammit."

Elena swerved around an aged blue Geo Prism barely doing the speed limit, then flashed past an eighteen-wheeler. The Hummer shot after her with a sinister roar.

Bloody hell, she'd hoped to have time to approach Lucas before Stephen caught up to her, but it looked as if that wasn't going to happen.

Her only chance now was to head for the Harrisville Police Department and pray the presence of all those humans would give Stephen pause. It was strictly forbidden to use Direkind powers around humans. Disobeying that taboo was grounds for execution.