“I see,” he sighed, shaking his head.
“I will continue to work,” she said, kissing the side of his cheek. “We can talk later about maybe taking some time off together.”
“Okay,” he conceded.
Mary Grace wrapped her hand around the handle of the door, pulling it wide. Savage walked out behind her with a scowl on his face. He’d given in, but he wasn’t happy about it.
Talon stared across his desk at the sheriff who’d just shown up at his home. The pride was on edge having the human law on their doorstep and Talon could feel it in his bones. He sent out a calming presence in hopes that it would ease his pride, but the worry was still there.
“What can I do for you, Sheriff?” Talon asked.
“There are rumors that a medical company is moving into a warehouse on the north side of town,” Sheriff Lynch explained, rubbing a hand down his face. “I pulled the business permits from the county.”
“Who is it?” Talon asked, but he already knew.
“Rycon Industries. They’ve purchased a new warehouse space northeast of town,” the sheriff cursed. “I don’t like this, Talon.”
“I don’t either.” He frowned, tapping a pen on the desk that his father had used when he was alpha. He remembered a time when his father had warned of the problems that could arise if the humans knew about their kind. Being researched like rats was at the top of his list.
“We will be safe,” Talon promised aloud.
“My worry is for Liberty,” the sheriff stated, causing Talon’s panther to push forward. His eyes turned amber and his nostrils flared.
“You do not worry about my mate,” Talon ordered, standing up from his seat. His hands hit the top of the desk and he leaned forward, flashing lethal canines. “She is mine!”
“Well, she may be yours,” the sheriff replied, his hand resting very close to his gun. “She’s still my friend, and I worry about her. She’s been through a lot in her life, Talon.”
“I know this and she has a family now,” he said. “We take care of our own.”
“That’s what worries me,” Sheriff Lynch replied. “I don’t want to hear rumors of dead bodies showing up.”
“Why are you so worried that we will kill humans?” Talon asked, raising a questioning brow.
“You are part animal,” he replied, his eyes locked on Talon as he remained in his position, leaning over the desk. “I’m not an idiot, Talon.”
“You sure act like you know a lot about us,” the alpha pressed. Something wasn’t quite right with the sheriff, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was that made his panther prowl.
“I’ve been around for the past six months,” Sheriff Lynch shrugged. “I pay attention.”
“Sure,” Talon nodded, backing down from the human. It wouldn’t be the best idea to unleash his anger on the sheriff. “If we have any problems, I will have one of my Guardians contact you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my mate.”
“Good night, Talon,” he said, turning for the door.
Talon waited until his enhanced hearing picked up the front door closing and less than a minute later, the sheriff backing out of his spot by the door. He sat heavily in his chair and leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling. His hand slipped into his pocket and he pressed the button to call his second in command.
“Winter…” Talon paused, trying to keep his panther under control. “I need all of my Guardians who are not patrolling the gate or fence in my office…now.”
“Will do, boss,” Winter replied.
The line went dead and Talon moved from his seat. A floor to ceiling window sat behind the desk, a cream colored, gauzy fabric covered the glass. He pushed the curtain aside and stared out onto his property. From where he stood, he could see the entire front yard of his home and the winding gravel road that led to the street.
This was his land and the shifters who resided on it were his to protect. Protect from any harm that may come to their doorstep. The mates were the panthers’ downfall, because they were so highly cherished. The new medical lab moving into the area was suspicious, to say the least.
Within fifteen minutes, his door opened and Winter filed in with Savage and Ranger behind him. Noah and Booth entered only seconds after that. Each Guardian stood before him, their hands clasped at their backs.
“The sheriff was just here,” Talon began. “Rycon Industries is a medical research facility and they’ve acquired the business license they need to set up shop up in the area. Looks like they will be using a warehouse on the north side of town.”
Several curses lit up the air. Each Guardian bristled with the information. Talon searched the faces of his men. When his gaze landed on Winter and Savage, he knew that look all too well. They were thinking of their mates and the safety of their pride.
“Our mates will be safe,” Talon promised. “Our pride will be safe.”
“No doubt about that,” Ranger said, standing to his full height. All of the Guardians’ eyes had either sparked amber or had turned completely over to their beasts once Talon had made the announcement. “What do you need us to do?”
“I want someone on the mates…all the mates,” he ordered. “Do not keep this from them. If there is anything that I’ve learned since finding my Liberty, it’s not to hide things from them. We are in danger and they need to be on alert. Then, I want you to find out everything you can about Rycon and why the hell they just showed up in our town.”
“What else?” Winter asked.
“Watch that sheriff,” Talon cursed. “He knows too much about us.”
“Will do,” Savage smirked, accepting his alpha’s order without question. “I don’t like that son of a bitch.”
Talon dismissed the Guardians to get word throughout the pride and to step up security along the new fence and gate he’d had installed. After he wiped his hand over his face in frustration, he left his office to find his mate.
Savage entered the bedroom he and Mary Grace had been using as their own at the alpha’s home. She was laying on her side, reading one of those damn books that Nova loved so much. When she looked up, she blushed and closed it after sliding a bookmark between the pages. Any other time, he’d want to know what she’d just read, but he had more important things he needed to discuss.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, approaching the bed. Mary Grace frowned when he sat at her feet. He clasped his hands together and looked up into his mate’s eyes, feeling a moment of panic with the thought that someone could take her from him.
“About what?” she asked cautiously.
“Talon has received word that a medical research lab has set up shop in town,” he snarled. “We’ve always lived in fear that if the humans found out about us, they’d want to know how we came to be and study us like rats.”
“But what if it’s just an honest research facility?” she asked, leaning forward to take his hand.
“It could very well be, but Talon wants the pride on alert,” he replied, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. Their panthers purred in the same rhythm, making both of them smile. “I will be spending more time with you over the next few weeks until we get more information on this company.”
“Okay.” She shivered. “I’m not going to argue about the safety measures.”
“You’re not?” he asked, a little surprised. If it’d been Liberty or Nova, they’d have raised hell about being babysat.
“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I don’t know much about my new life, but I do understand the fear of being taken as a science experiment, Savage. I’ll be safer with a Guardian close by while I’m working.”
“One of us will always be close,” he promised, touching the side of her face.
“Good,” she smiled. “That’s good.”
“Are you ready for bed?” he asked, seeing as she’d already showered while he was with the alpha.
“Yes,” she yawned and stretched, laying back against her pi
llows. “I’m actually tired.”
“You’ve been doing too much,” Savage growled low in his throat. “It’s catching up with you.”
Mary Grace didn’t reply because her eyes had fluttered closed and her breathing had evened out, signaling she’d fallen asleep. He walked around the side of the bed and turned off the lamp. Once he pulled the covers over her shoulders, Savage leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.
“No one will harm you,” he whispered, slipping out the door to get his computer from the Guardian’s dorm. He had some research to conduct on Rycon.
Chapter Seven
The air was chilly as Mary Grace walked through the woods surrounding the pride. She was quiet as she followed the worn path. The moon was full overhead and shed enough light that she didn’t need to use her new panther eyes to see where she was going.
It didn’t matter anyway, because Savage was following her in his panther form. He took a protective gait behind her, his head swinging from side to side to look for any threats. She wanted to tell him to relax, but she knew he wouldn’t listen to her anyway. If there was one thing she’d learned about Savage Corvera, it was that he was always on guard.
She didn’t want to shift tonight. Her human mind was in charge and her panther just wasn’t active. Things were moving too fast. Her life had been turned upside down since Frank had broken into her home, saying he wanted to sell her. Now, the news of scientists and a medical research lab moving into the area put everyone on edge. Savage had done as much research as he could on the internet the night before as she slept, but he’d found nothing but a generic website with even more useless information.
A sleek, black panther darted through the woods to her left. Savage snarled a warning but it was ignored. He brushed his head against her right hand and whined.
“I’m okay,” she assured him. “You can go run with the others. I think I’m going to head back to my room.” She didn’t say anything about how she didn’t want to be a burden to Liberty and her mate by living in their home, but moving back to her old place wasn’t an option.
There was obviously something going on with this scientist who’d been seen in the area. Even Mary Grace would admit that she was worried about being left alone and away from the Guardians. The pride was probably the safest place for her right now. No one had seen Frank since he’d showed up at her house, trying to kidnap her so he could sell her to someone.
“Frank was working with them,” she breathed as realization settled in.
“Sweetheart,” Savage said as he stepped up behind her. She hadn’t even realized that she’d stopped walking or that he had shifted while her mind was a million miles away. “What’s wrong?”
“Frank.” She swallowed, her eyes wide as the thoughts kept churning in her head. “He wanted to sell me, Savage. Think about that.”
“That motherfucker is as good as dead,” Savage vowed, his chest doubling in size. “I won’t let him touch you.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt trying to protect me,” she frowned. “I know it’s your job, but still…”
“No one will hurt me,” he stated, reaching for her.
“If this scientist is snooping around for the reasons Talon is worried about, someone could be killed, Savage.” Mary Grace ignored his nudity and walked into his open arms, resting her ear right over his heart. Her panther purred in response.
“There is only one true way to kill a panther,” Savage whispered, touching the side of her face. “To have our heart…our mate taken from our arms.”
“I’m serious,” she sniffled.
“Because of that,” he continued after placing a kiss to her forehead, “we will fight to the death to make sure that she is safe.”
“I’m tired, Savage,” she sighed. She truly was tired. Even though she’d gone back to work after her change, she still felt the exhaustion in her body.
“I’ll take you home.” He smiled, leaning in to place a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t worry about anything.”
They walked hand in hand back to the alpha’s house. Savage refused to shift for the walk back and Mary Grace blushed when she caught sight of his naked body out of the corner of her eye.
“I want to build a home on the pride’s land,” he announced as they entered the bedroom where she’d been staying. “I want you to help me design it.”
“Really?” she asked, still unsure about this whole mating thing. Yes, she had feelings for Savage, and this new life inside her demanded that he was hers, but her human side was still unsettled over everything that had happened.
“Yes,” he said, reaching for her shirt. She allowed him to pull it over her head and he kissed the mating mark on her neck. A soft purr rumbled out of her and she leaned into his chest. His warmth was settling and she pressed her lips to his mark, causing him to shiver in response.
“I don’t really care, Savage,” she said as she smiled against his skin. “Surprise me.”
“You are very trusting,” he replied.
“With you, I am,” she answered honestly.
The cage rattled with the shifter’s anger, his constant roars sounded so often that the idea crossed the scientist’s mind to just kill him and put him out of his misery. The lab needed him though, and they’d tried to get a human female to experiment on, but that stupid redneck couldn’t even get them one to use. Now that he was disposed of, they had their own team of men looking for just the right female to use in their tests.
A nice little nest egg landed in the company’s pocket, but the one stipulation was to study the shifters, and do so in secrecy. The lab was for genetic testing on rats, but in the basement, locked away from the business above, they were collecting panthers and humans in an attempt to study them.
Panic and chaos had been minimal due to the televised meetings with the press regarding the men who shifted into animals, but there was an uncertainty as to how these creatures would reproduce. Would they end up having a similar outcome to the stray animal population and overpopulate the world? How often did they breed and how long did it take for their babies to be born? There were so many questions to answer.
Rumor had it that two local women, who were also sisters, were now married to two of the panthers. One of those being the man who claimed to be the pride’s alpha. They were highly guarded and basically no use to the scientists, because getting to them would be almost impossible.
They wanted a human to see if they could breed outside of their race. The only way to test that was in a lab setting. The unknown donor had sent a male subject to take the role of the shifter. He was a mean son of a bitch, too. He shifted from one form to another when his anger would get the better of him. He growled at everyone, and he’d gone so crazy that he’d killed one of the employees who’d taken the shifter some food one evening. The bastard was vicious in his kill, and they’d found that he liked to gut them, playing with the human as he died a slow, painful death.
It’d only been a week and a half, and the subject was already starting to show weakness. He was still a dangerous predator, but he seemed to be sleeping more than usual. That didn’t mean they could just walk into his cage freely. No, the man would shift into his panther form and attack at any given moment. They were half animals and that alone drove the scientist into researching what else they could do. Now, they just needed a female to see how they bred.
Chapter Eight
Mary Grace dropped her dirty apron into the bin in the breakroom. She raised her arms over her head and stretched from side to side. She may be a shifter now, and have more strength, but working four days in a row on one’s feet would wear anyone out, no matter what they were.
“You ready to go?” Savage asked from the door. Mary Grace turned around and just watched him for a moment. The man…the beast was standing in the doorway, one shoulder propped on the frame. One booted foot was crossed over the other, his arms hung loosely at his sides. He was gorgeous in that dangerous sort of way that all of the good girls u
sed to fall for in the old movies.
“Is there any way we could run by my place? I need a few things,” she asked.
“Sure,” he nodded. “What do you need?”
“Clothes,” she shrugged, “Maybe some of my other personal things.”
“What do you want to do with the place?” he asked, pushing off of his perch at the door. His boots clomped loudly on the wooden floor as he approached her, his eyes locked on her lips.
“I probably need to sell it since I’ll be staying at the pride,” she frowned. “I’ve lived there for a long time.”
“It’s not a safe place to live.” He added, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Did you not have anyone to take care of it for you?”
“No,” she shook her head sadly. “My grandparents raised me and they passed away six years ago when I was nineteen. I had my grandpa’s friend come help me with little things around the place, but he just doesn’t get around like he used to.”
“Where are your folks?” Savage frowned. “I never asked you about your family.”
“Don’t know.” She bristled. “Don’t really care. They took off not long after I was born and no one has heard from them.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, leaning in to place a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. The touch sent a jolt of power through her. Every single time Savage touched her, she felt it to her core and she was sure she’d never tire of his touch…ever.
“What about your parents?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. When his hair fell over his eyes, she reached up and pushed it away.
“They live at the pride with my little sister,” he said. “I should’ve taken you to their house to meet them, but I’ve been selfish and wanted you to myself for a while. Maybe after we finish up at your place, we can stop by?”
“I’d love to meet your family, Savage.”
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