“Nope,” Mary Grace said, her denial making a popping sound with her lips. She really was curious about what the house looked like, but she wouldn’t ruin it for Savage or herself. He seemed to take pride in doing all of the planning.
“You are too good for that man,” Nova teased. “There is no way I could go without sneaking over there for a tiny look.”
“That’s because you are the most impatient person in the world, Nova,” Liberty chastised as she walked into the office, dropping an order form on her desk. Her hand rested on top of the little bump on her belly. She rubbed absently at the unborn child. “Leave Mary Grace alone. She’ll see it soon enough. It’s almost done.”
“It is?” Mary Grace gasped, then quickly frowned, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t want to know!”
The two other women laughed as she tossed her hands in the air, leaving the office. It was late and Ranger was at the bar to take them home once they were done. Cole and Luke had already clocked out and left for the night. Moe followed behind them not long afterward.
As she rounded the corner into the main area of the bar, she froze and a small squeak fell from her mouth when Ranger was walking her way, his eyes glowing bright amber. “Go back to the office.”
“What’s going on?” she asked, taking a step back.
Headlights swung across the front windows of the bar, the beams trailing across the back wall. When the vehicle made its round, Mary Grace saw that it was a boxed van like the one Savage had seen at the bar the night the four men had entered the bar.
Her panther vibrated under her skin. She felt the animal’s agitation. There was a sense of the need to hide somewhere dark until the threat had passed.
“Move,” Ranger ordered. “Don’t make me touch you.”
He was serious. He was so serious that if he was threatening to touch her and face the wrath of her mate, the Guardian was feeling the same sense of danger. His was probably a million times worse than hers.
Mary Grace pivoted on her heel and rushed back to the office, Ranger right behind her. As soon as she stepped into the office, the Guardian pushed the door closed, locking the deadbolt Talon had installed on the room.
“What’s wrong?” Liberty snapped, her eyes sparking amber.
“Get down on the floor,” Ranger ordered, turning out the lights. Everyone dropped to their knees, keeping their heads lower than the two windows that looked out the back of the building.
It wasn’t more than a few seconds before the van came around to the rear of the bar, making another circle to light up the back windows. Mary Grace shifted her eyes so she could see everyone clearly. Ranger was looking at them with his finger over his lips, indicating that they needed to be as quiet as possible.
Liberty’s eyes began to brighten with her shift. Mary Grace reached out to stop her, but Ranger shook his head, telling her to let the alpha’s mate make the partial shift. Liberty snarled low in her throat and closed her eyes. She seemed to be in a trance for a few seconds before she shivered and blinked rapidly. The amber in her eyes dimmed slightly as she looked around the room.
“Talon is coming,” she whispered, releasing a deep sigh of relief.
Mary Grace scooted close to Liberty when her boss wrapped both of her arms protectively around her unborn child. Nova found her other side, and the three women held onto each other tightly.
“What did you do?” Mary Grace whispered.
“You can call for Talon in times of distress,” Liberty whispered, her voice shaking with fear. “As the alpha, he can communicate with you, but you have to at least let your beast be in control, allowing a full or partial shift. I don’t know how or why it happens, but it works.”
“That’s good to know,” Mary Grace replied. This wasn’t something she had been told. Maybe it was because the Guardians had taken on the role of protector so fiercely that Savage hadn’t told her? If they got out of this mess, she was going to have a talk with him about the things she still didn’t know about this new life.
The van circled once more before the crunch of tires sounded. The sound changed to a squeal once they hit the road out in front of The Deuce. Mary Grace released a curse as she fell back onto her ass, covering her face with her hands.
“Jesus,” Mary Grace panted. Her beast was prowling under her skin. She could feel her panther close to the edge. In fact, she stared at her forearm as the skin seemed to flutter and move with agitation. Black hairs thickened on her arms, but she pushed at the animal, demanding it recess back where it belonged. Right now, she didn’t need to get all hairy.
Right now, she just wanted to go home.
“Talon’s here,” Liberty said, standing up on shaky legs, but Ranger held out his hand, indicating that the women needed to stay in place.
“I’m locking you in here until I am sure it is safe,” Ranger ordered. “Don’t leave this office until one of us comes for you.”
“Okay,” Liberty whispered, moving to the couch. Nova and Mary Grace followed, still holding on to each other in one way or another.
“That was scary.” Nova cursed, “Damn it.”
A key sliding into the lock on the door was the only sound in the room for a heartbeat as they waited for Talon to appear. All three women released a breath when the door opened and all of their mates were standing there looking pissed off and extremely worried.
“I’ve got you,” Savage said, pulling Mary Grace into his arms. His panther purred as he buried his face in her neck, his lips pressing to the mating mark on her neck. “I’ve got you.”
The alpha and Winter Blue were doing their own check of their wives as Ranger filled them in on what had happened. Savage pushed Mary Grace back slightly and his eyes roamed her body, looking for any damage. “I’m fine, Savage. Just a little freaked out.”
“I want to know who the fuck was in that van,” Talon roared, his hand cupping Liberty’s rounded belly. “And I want someone inside that goddamn lab.”
Talon’s anger rolled throughout the room, sending everyone’s beast cowering. Mary Grace felt her panther shake with the feeling of her alpha’s distress. Liberty whimpered slightly, her knee buckling, but Talon was there to scoop her up into his arms. The moment the alpha realized that his emotions were taking a toll on his mate, the tension in the air washed out within a matter of a few seconds.
“I’m taking you home,” Talon growled, tucking his mate’s face into his neck as he marched out of the office. He stopped at the threshold and turned to look back at the remaining Guardians. “Take your mates home for the night. I want you in my office first thing in the morning.”
On everyone’s nod, Talon left the bar, marching out into the night, holding the alpha’s mate in a protective hold that told the world he’d walk through a hail of bullets to keep her safe and unharmed.
“We need to lock up,” Nova said, clearing her throat. Winter was still holding her close to his chest, just as Savage was doing to Mary Grace.
“Let me grab my bag,” Mary Grace said, stepping away from Savage. His nostrils flared and his hand clamped down on her wrist. “Stay here. I’ll get it.”
Her mate gave his fellow Guardian a hard glare and left the office. Ranger followed him out as he went to the breakroom. Nova gathered her things from behind the desk and by the time Savage returned, everyone was ready to go.
Nova set the alarm and they all rushed out into the night, piling in vehicles as quickly as possible before rushing away from the bar that used to be a place of peace and happiness for Mary Grace.
Now, she wasn’t sure where she felt safe anymore.
“Everyone is on lockdown until this lab is investigated,” Kye announced as soon as he walked into Evie’s home. Her parents instantly stood and walked toward her boyfriend and the alpha’s brother.
“What happened?” her father asked.
“The bar was cased last night after closing,” Kye explained. “The same style van that is being used by the lab was driving around The Deuce, shining their lights into the
bar as if they were looking for someone.”
Evie felt her panther shiver, but she tightened her muscles to keep the tremors at bay. What he was saying set her anxiety on edge, but since she had been working with Ranger, she was learning to control her reactions better.
“What does the alpha want to do?” Marie, Evie’s mother, asked.
“We are meeting at the circle tonight for a pride meeting,” Kye announced. “Everyone is expected to be there.”
“We will get with the mates and make sure there is enough food for everyone,” Marie said, wringing her hands. Evie didn’t miss how her mother’s eyes flickered toward her. They were gauging her sanity again…and she hated it.
“What can I do?” Evie asked, using her strongest voice. She didn’t want to look weak.
“You need to stay with someone,” Kye ordered. “I have to help my brothers.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” she barked. “I can help with food.”
“Evie!” her mother scolded.
Evie clenched her fists at her sides and turned around to head to her room. She really needed to calm down, but with the news of a threat, her mind wanted to shut down. How the hell was she supposed to get better when there was a threat around every corner? Was her attempt at making herself better actually hurting things?
“Go away, Kye,” she mumbled as she fell face first into her bed. She knew he followed her just by his scent. The scent he carried was getting stronger as he got older. It was his mating scent and it was the only comforting thing in her life at times.
“Evie,” he sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“I understand,” she said, rolling over onto her back. Kye took a seat on the edge of her bed and used his finger to push a stray hair behind her ear.
“No one is going to hurt you,” he promised. “My brother is making sure of it.”
“I…” she began, but paused before she almost slipped and told him that she was learning to fight and would be able to help protect the pride.
“What?” He frowned. “Tell me.”
“Just be careful,” she replied, changing the subject. He looked into her eyes for a moment like he was looking for the truth, but she schooled her features and smiled. “I’ll meet you at the circle later.”
“Okay,” he said, leaning over to place a sweet kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
He stood up and walked toward the door, closing it softly as he left the room. Evie touched the spot on her lips where his had been and inhaled deep, absorbing that scent and holding onto it until she saw him later in the day.
Chapter Twelve
The sun had just fully set when the pride started gathering at the same circle they used for each Equinox and Solstice. It felt odd being there for something other than a celebration. Savage held tightly onto Mary Grace’s hand as they exited the alpha’s home.
Nova and Winter were sitting on one of the several picnic tables that dotted the yard behind the home. Liberty and Talon were still inside and would come out once everyone had gathered. Savage knew the alpha was trying to stay calm, but his agitation and worry was a thick presence in the air. The pride families were gathered around each other, holding on to their children. The males were wrapped around their mates protectively.
Evie and her mother were inside, setting out food for the pride to eat after Talon’s meeting. The combined effort of the females to feed and nourish the pride was something that they’d done for generations. That was the way they’d always helped.
Family was the bond given through the alpha’s blood. Everyone within the pride worked toward the common goal of protecting and extended the lines of the pride. As a supernatural element, and before their discovery, the shifters lived within a group not seen by humans. It was forbidden to let their secret be known.
Word had spread of their kind throughout the world, and there had been fear, but Talon’s press conferences had eased the human’s fears of them taking over the world. No, the humans had actually backed off. It was their natural enemies who took revenge for the announcement. Now, they were possibly being hunted by humans to be used as guinea pigs in studies.
“What is going to happen tonight?” Mary Grace asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Savage could feel her worry and he wanted to wipe that from her mind, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t even tell her that everything would be okay because even he didn’t know what the future held.
“Talon will inform the pride of everything that he knows,” Savage said, pulling Mary Grace to his chest. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her mating mark. “We won’t be left in the dark. He will tell the pride of his plan for security and then appoint some of the males to patrol the land to help the Guardians.”
“What about the bar?” she asked.
“Someone will always be there,” he said. “I’m going to talk to Cole and Luke about security as well.”
“They’ve always been pretty proactive when it comes to us being safe,” she said, then smiled.
“Then there is the sheriff,” Savage growled.
“You don’t trust him?”
“I don’t have a good feeling about him,” Savage said. “He’s human and he knows too much.”
They quieted as Talon and Liberty exited the house. The alpha and his mate walked across the yard and stepped up on the platform. The pride gathered closely, the Guardians forming a circle on the outside for protection. The rest of the pride huddled in close to hear what their leader had to say. Savage positioned his mate in front of him so he had a direct line to her if something went wrong.
“Our lives are at risk,” Talon started, holding up his hand when the pride began to grumble in agitation. Several members tucked themselves close to their families. “There has been some activity that concerns us, our lives may be at risk. A medical research lab has moved into the area, and ever since they showed up in town, there has been some suspicious activity that concerns me. The sheriff has promised that he is gathering information on Rycon Industries. As you have all been notified, security has been tightened.” The pride shifted nervously and a united snarl echoed into the night. Talon looked out on his pride and his eyes glowed amber.
“From this moment on, no one is to be alone in town or on our land,” he continued. “If you must go into town, a Guardian will be appointed to escort you. All Guardians are being pulled from the security and construction companies. Our human employees will take over in the meantime.”
Liberty cleared her throat as she moved in front of her mate. “To my pride sisters…I will be here until this is resolved. My sole responsibility is to you, and I ask that we all gather at the main house during the day instead of being alone. Safety in numbers is better than being unaccounted for during this time.”
“All males will need to meet me here at first light tomorrow,” Talon announced, wrapping an arm around his mate. “You will all be tasked with a part-time security detail so you can be with your families when you are not needed.”
The pride rumbled their agreement. Savage watched them as they searched the faces of their pride family. Everyone was on edge, but as soon as Talon finished his speech, his head rolled back on his shoulders and the alpha closed his eyes.
“Be calm, my pride,” Talon ordered.
A sense of calm washed over the pride like an invisible blanket. The affect was almost immediate. Savage watched as each and every member of the pride relaxed, their shoulders dropping in relief. The magic Talon had could calm a crowd or send them into a feral frenzy, demanding death and destruction.
Not counting the Guardians, there were thirty-five members of the pride. Each one of them worked for Talon in some way. Most of the men worked for the construction company, while only a handful helped out at Shaw Security Specialists. Several females worked from their home, running the business side of Talon’s companies by doing payroll or ordering materials from the comfort of their home computer. The rest were in charge of taking care of the pride’s land and children. It was a grou
p effort to run their community and it was one that worked.
Talon dismissed the pride, suggesting everyone gather inside to eat the food that had been prepared for them. Savage pulled Mary Grace along beside him as he entered the house. She’d been quiet through the entire meeting, and he was sure she had questions, but he needed to feed her. After that, he was going to take her to their shared room.
“Grab some food and meet me out back,” Savage suggested.
“Are you not hungry?” she worried.
“Females eat first.” He winked at her. “I won’t be far.”
She nodded and followed Liberty and Nova to the large dining room table to fill their plates. Winter and Ranger moved to his side but didn’t speak for a moment. Winter watched Nova until she left the room.
“Talon has a schedule worked out for the males to take rotations around the land,” he sighed. “He left our schedules open because he knows we will be the ones to watch over the bar.”
“I’m needed here at the gate,” Ranger said, wiping a hand over his face. “But I can be available to help you both at The Deuce if you need me.”
“Thank you for protecting my mate,” Winter said, holding out his hand to his fellow Guardian.
“Same from me,” Savage growled, taking Ranger’s hand. The male had singlehandedly stepped up and kept the women safe. He was a good male even with his gimp leg. Savage never worried that the damaged Guardian would fail anyone in the pride.
“I would do it a hundred times over,” he said proudly and nodded.
Eventually, Savage was able to make a plate and meet Mary Grace outside. She was sitting with Nova and her plate was clean. Sliding into the seat, he dug into his food, watching his mate from the corner of his eye. The nervous twitch to her hand was the only indication she was scared. Even his panther wasn’t scenting fear from his mate, but the bond between them told him that her mind was churning over every little detail of what had happened at the circle.
“Are you ready to go upstairs?” he asked, stacking his plate on top of hers.
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