Karano' phone alarm woke her up at 6am the following morning, and after using her paw to turn it off, she stretched, then shifted back into her human form. "Let's go find our mate," she whispered to Eowyn.

"Yes! I need to know she is safe," Eowyn replied softly. "And hurry, tonight she shifts."

Once she was dressed, she slipped out the back door, sniffing the entire time. The scents of her home island were different from those of the Everglades, and she enjoyed the new changes. This early, there was nothing but the sound of the occasional birds, but even they could sense a predator, and were quickly silent. There were ruts in the backyard where a truck had driven, probably Angel's since he'd always loved them, and she followed the ruts to the street, where the dirt on the tires showed her which way they'd gone.

Karano broke into a jog, staying on the road as long as there were no intersections. Several miles down the road, she stopped in shock. She could smell her wife! Wait. Her face broke out in a grin as she realized that she had the smartest wife ever. It wasn't much, but she could sense the little droplets on the road that her wife had left her like breadcrumbs to come find her. With a growl, she set off again, pausing every time she came to a fork in the road so she could sense the direction they'd gone.

Puerto Rico was a big island, and she was on foot, so she knew this could take a long time, but she was going to do everything she could to find her lovely mate. It was almost noon when she realized where they were going. Angel had a fishing boat, it was how he made his living, and they were no doubt headed for it. But at the rate that she was travelling, it would take at least another hour to get there, and she'd be exhausted and hungry. She wished that she could shift, but that would be hard in the daylight with potential witnesses. Wolves aren't something that anyone would normally see on the island.

Her stomach started to growl as a new scent invaded her nostrils, and she followed the smell to a little food truck located in a nearby corner strip mall parking lot, and quickly got in line. Honestly, her stomach was growling so much, she was shocked that she didn't scare people away, though she did get a few grins from people that didn't understand just how hungry and desperate she was.

"Two of the pork mofongo, por favor," she told the older woman who took the order. She nodded happily, and then sent the ticket over to a pair of men that were cooking while Karano paid, getting a bottle of water as well. At this point she was ready to eat the whole truck. She stood near the truck window, trying to silently will the workers to cook faster, though she knew from the smell that this mofongo would be delicious, and time was being taken to ensure it was done right.

Finally, the woman called her over, and handed her two containers, which she quickly took over to a nearby bench. There was no pretense at good manners, she just inhaled the first container in seconds, belatedly realizing that it truly was scrumptious, and then took a little more time on the second. Karano had been expending a lot of calories running over the island, and she knew she'd be expending even more over the coming afternoon. But she was feeling better, knowing where she was headed. She just needed to get there, and then find that damn boat, which was a little bit of a worry.

But she had little doubt that she would find her mate. Their connection was still strong, and nothing would keep her from being able to sense her if she got a little closer. In the meantime, she couldn't help but groan in appreciation of the salt cured port and cracklings with the fried plantains. It was the kind of comfort food that always made her feel good. A taste of home for sure.

Several of the other customers were watching her curiously, though none seemed frightened. That was good, as they were safe from her impending wrath. With the food gone, she drank down the water, and set off back down the road, loping easily along with the food giving her newfound energy to power through until Hazel was back in her arms.

The overpowering stench of fish and motor oil evidently weren't enough, now they'd added the incense. Hazel was still nauseous but had been able to hold down some water thankfully. The only good thing about the situation was that she could feel Lunaera getting stronger, and could almost imagine her pacing back and forth in her mind. It was mere hours until the moon was up, and then nothing would matter anymore. She would be free, and the boat would be coated in blood.

"Mi amor?" Hazel heard as Karano whispered into her mind, and she let out an involuntary gasp.

"It must be working!" Nazarena cried out in excitement as she continued the useless spell to make her José's mate. She'd obviously misinterpreted Hazel's gasp of surprise as something positive about the spell. Of course, José's eyes gleamed and he looked over at her while licking his lips.

"Mi diosa! Where are you, bebé?"

"I'm rowing around in the harbor looking for that damned boat of Angel's! Do you know where you are?" Karano asked.

Hazel closed her eyes and leaned back against the bars of the cage. She tried to concentrate on the scents beyond those on the boat, but just couldn't. The boat just stunk to the heavens and that was all she could discern. Oh! But that was perfect! "I can't tell, the boat smells too bad. All I can smell is fish, oil, and some strange incense. Try to find the smelliest boat around!"

There was silence for a bit before Karano was back. "I might have it. The stench of incense is in the breeze. Hang on just a bit longer, bebita, and I'll be there."

"And then we'll be bathing in the blood of these fools!" Hazel happily replied.

"You know, the last time we were covered in blood, it got pretty hot. Will we have time for that tonight?"

"Papi, I peed my pants to give you a trail, I need a shower this time!" Hazel said with a mental chuckle.

"Ahh, good point. But that worked, it let me find you, so it wasn't in vain!" She could hear the effort in Karano's mind as she kept paddling and knew that she would be moving quickly. But maybe a little encouragement could help!

"Hopefully it never comes to that again. I could go a lifetime without having to be so desperate. Oh, and just so you know, the witch they hired is trying to cast a spell to make me José's mate. So, you might want to hurry. Get your beautiful self here, papi!"

"They're what?" Hazel could hear a growl in her mind from either Hazel or Eowyn, and knew she'd be moving even faster thanks to the anger coursing through her veins.

"Oh, and you can meet my wolf, Lunaera soon too!"

"That will be very soon indeed, as the moon is starting to rise right now. I see the boat, I'll be swimming the rest of the way, so feel free to make a distraction until I get there!"

Hazel looked over at José who was looking at her eagerly. "Have you decided how you'll take me first, José? Will it be here on the boat? Can I shower first? Or do you like me covered in the grime?"

José licked his lips as his canines extended. "I'll take you right there while that necklace keeps you weak, and then again and again after a shower. I'll show your body no mercy!" He reached behind him, pulling out a dingy Santa hat. "I even brought my hat, to make it just like the night we first met!" He sat the grimy thing on his head and smirked at her while she just rolled her eyes. He'd been dressed as a department store Santa that night, the perfect costume for a predator to gauge the people passing by, and she'd been the unlucky one he'd grabbed and turned. Christmas had been ruined for her after that.

"And what do you get out of this?" she asked Nazarena, who was quietly chanting. She hadn't expected an answer and wasn't shocked when none came from her. She must think that the spell still had a chance.

"She got money," José answered for the witch. "And if this works quickly and effectively, I know some others that would love to replace existing mates with themselves so she can make even more of it."

"I'm here, mami," Karano announced in her mind. "I love you!"

"I don't think I've ever asked you, José, but how old are you?" Hazel wondered. "I love you too papi!"

"I'm 328 years old. So, you can call me, papi," he said with a self-satisfied smirk just as the entire boat lurched as though it had hit something. Or, perhaps, if something very large had just hoisted itself onto the main deck. Say, something like an enraged hybrid.

"I only call one person papi, and they just arrived." Hazel said as she turned control over to Lunaera, who ripped the necklace off while starting to shift. Her body painfully transformed as the true form of a hybrid came to life in the tiny cage that was ill equipped to contain it.

José let out a high pitched scream as the iron rebar bent like it was made from cardboard tubes under Lunaera's fury. His screaming only grew louder when Angel's head bounced down the steps from the upper deck, followed by his body, which tumbled into Nazarena, thereby interrupting her chanting while covering her in spurting blood.

She looked at Hazel in horror, as she towered over the pair, standing at least eight feet tall and covered in charcoal grey fur. That was perfect, as she matched the immense figure which crashed onto the deck astride Angel's body. Karano had grown too and was overjoyed to see her mate.

"Ahh, mami," Karano growled. "Shall we feast?"

"Yes, papi!" Hazel replied in a thunderous roar. "I'm famished!"