A were-cheetah with a troubled past and a human with a troubled present are the only hope for a child's survival. Selfless pilot Sinclair Duval gave up two promotions, a beautiful condo, and a lover to protect her three-year-old niece from the lifestyle that destroyed the child's scheming mother, Sinclair's sister. Blaming himself for the loss of his fiancA(c) in the last were-cheetah skirmish, brooding healer Rio Velasquez wants nothing to do with the upcoming battle, but struggles with turning his back on another innocent victim. When an act of sabotage nearly causes the toddler's death, Rio delivers a bite that saves her life - and changes her into a shape-shifter. A deadly clan war, an overzealous social service worker, an out-of-control shifting child, and falling in love add up to an "Unstable Environment.