But her emotions were in an uproar. That caused her to think too much about her last relationship, such as it had been, in which her lover had told his son that shapeshifters weren’t real and the whole idea was stupid.
Owen knew they were real, and he needed to use shifters in his position with the RCMP. But what did he actually think of them, deep inside?
Especially now.
Not that they actually had a relationship. Not now and not ever.
Only sex...of the mind-blowing kind.
“Have any of you ever conducted this kind of operation before?” Owen was asking. “I mean, shifting first and then going to surveil an area?”
“I think we all have,” Patrick said. “Sometimes we do that as an exercise, essentially spying on humans we don’t want to notice us. Sometimes it’s special-ops troops who are advised there’s a covert military exercise going on near them to see if they can spot anything out of the ordinary and report it to their commanders. Sometimes it’s in a regular civilian situation like an office building or a shopping center. But our kind of recon only works well if there are nearby wilderness areas or urban parklands known for containing wildlife.”
Owen nodded. “I really want to start talking now about the information I’ll need once my CAs start our mission.”
“Fine. Let’s go over it.”
For the next hour or so, as the group finished breakfast, mostly Patrick and Owen talked, with the rest of the group chiming in as they had thoughts or suggestions.
That included Selena. Even though she was the least experienced Alpha Force member, she utilized both her educational and shifting backgrounds to try to anticipate the needs of the CAs.
“When I grew up in a remote location in Wisconsin,” she said as they planned how CAs who had already shifted would do recon at the highly suspected area, “some friends and family members who were shifters did something similar, long before I engaged in Alpha Force tasks after joining about six months ago. We had access to a forerunner of the current elixir, thanks to Major Drew Connell and his family also coming from the same area.”
Trying not to be distracted by Owen’s intense scrutiny of her as she spoke, she described how, for fun and not for security or rescue of anyone, they had tested their skills.
“We would start as far from the target of our exercise as possible while still being able to use our senses that were enhanced by our shifts. In other words, we stayed camouflaged in the woodlands or mountains while listening and using our olfactory senses to smell people or places or other animals.”
She paused to take a sip of coffee, then continued, “We learned all we could before moving in to check things out further, assuming that was the goal of what we were doing. If any of us thought the situation too dangerous after that, or potentially so, had it been real, we all backed off—but usually only for a while, until the situation seemed to improve. Plus, we mostly spread out, avoiding each other’s company in the interest of safety. Of course, what we were doing was just a game, so safety wasn’t a real issue, but we had fun pretending.”
“That’s essentially how we do it now in Alpha Force maneuvers, too,” Patrick agreed, “but safety is a genuine and vital concern. For your mission, just make sure that Andrea, while shifted to a falcon, is primed to circle somewhat low, or perched in trees to keep an eye on each of your wolf shifters. If a problem arises with one, she can use some prearranged signal to let the others know about it.”
“And if a problem happens with all of them?” Owen asked.
“She should have another prearranged signal—as well as a way via the camera and other electronic equipment she’ll be wearing to inform you and the other nonshifters on your team.”
“The same should be arranged with the other shifters in the event Andrea’s in trouble,” Selena added.
“Absolutely,” agreed Patrick.
Selena stood and got herself more coffee from the pot that remained on the kitchen counter.
Despite how little sleep she had gotten last night, she was certain that the adrenaline in her system from what she had done, and what this combined group was about to do, would keep her awake.
While she stood there, she listened to the conversation. She had no input into this part anyway. It was mostly about logistics—how and when the CA members could best be transported to the area and the best time for them to shift. They didn’t yet have any aides to help in their shifting using the elixir, but that was under discussion. For now, Rainey and Jonas volunteered to help out since the timing here was so critical.
The Alpha Force members also stressed the idea of getting cover animals as apparent pets to the CAs in the future—ones who looked like them while shifted. The idea had been mentioned before, but Patrick clearly wanted to impress Owen with how useful cover animals could be. “That helps keep your unit’s real purpose covert,” he said. “Anyone who’s met your team members and their apparent pets will most likely assume they’re seeing those pets should they run into one of those members while shifted.”
When that part of the discussion ended, Owen asked, “Okay, once we’ve got our CAs in and they’ve checked out the critical area and reported, via their cameras, how do we get them out? I assume we won’t want to wait until they shift back. In case they’re seen, it’s better for them to remain in animal form, right?”
“Absolutely,” Patrick said. “Especially since there are believed to be wolves and falcons in the area in question, it’ll be a perfect cover for them. Once again, it’s imperative that planning be spot-on. Make sure there’s a meeting point fairly distant from your target area. Wolves can run fast to return there, and it should be second nature for a falcon to zoom in on the destination.”
“Great,” Owen said.
Selena was about to return to her seat at the table as he stood and walked toward her. Their eyes met, and he gave a small but impersonal smile. “Is there any more coffee?” he asked.
Wordlessly, she reached out for the pot and filled his cup, and they walked together back to the table. Selena hated keeping things so distant, so she said, “I’m sure I’m speaking for everyone here in Alpha Force when I say we’re all cheering for you and your CAs and wish you success.”
“Hear, hear!” Patrick said, and the other Alpha Force members added their good wishes as well.
The timing couldn’t have been better, since there was a noise at the front entry and the rest of the CAs came in.
“Good morning, everyone,” said Andrea, the first to enter.
“Is there any breakfast left?” asked Tim.
“Plenty,” Rainey said. She rose and led the arriving CAs into the kitchen.
“So what are the plans for this afternoon?” Selena asked Owen. “What time will you have them shift on their own?”
“Probably three or four o’clock. In between, I want to meet with them here by myself, get the latest from my commander and pass it along, as well as discuss more RCMP protocol.”
“That’ll be fine,” Patrick said. “In the meantime, we Alpha Force members will head back to the residence house and do some catch-up of our own.”
* * *
After the CAs had joined him, Owen again emphasized how important their mission was. “If you’re successful, I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic career within the RCMP despite the secret nature of your unusual skills.”
And if they weren’t successful? He wasn’t about to discuss that with them. There was no choice. They had to do their jobs, and do them well enough to capture the kidnappers and end their vicious operation forever, as well as to free the current victim unharmed—or as unharmed as possible.
They had to achieve the necessary result, but the world could never know exactly how they’d accomplished it. Secrecy was key. And if it took acquiring cover animals for each of the shifters, so be it.
Since he was in law enforcement, keeping things covert was simply part of his job.
“This is all so cool,” Sal said as they discussed
the logistics of how everything would be handled. Maybe being a shifter enhanced this young guy’s appetite, since he had been nibbling on toast since the omelets had been finished.
Chunky Tim had not stopped eating, either. “You said that the two Alpha Force aides would continue working with us for now. I thought that once we learned everything about shifting with their elixir, we’d buy a good supply of it from Alpha Force, and the RCMP would be on its own. We’d get our own aides to help in our shifts.” He paused. “Maybe even you could do it for now.”
Owen had considered it. Maybe, in the future, if he remained the officer in charge of the CAs, he would learn all he needed to and act in the capacity of an aide—or at least be prepared to do so in an emergency. But there wasn’t time for him to learn everything right now.
Although Selena was one good teacher. She wasn’t an aide, but she would certainly know what the aides did.
He wouldn’t mind having her as his tutor in that or in anything else.
But he pushed that thought from his mind. Even if it was appropriate to consider, the circumstances and urgency did not make it feasible for now—if ever.
Craig spoke up. “Are there people in the RCMP, besides you and Deputy Commissioner Creay, who even believe in shifters and would be willing to step in and help that way?”
“We’ll work that out in the future,” Owen said, sidestepping the question. He wasn’t yet certain how every detail would be handled, only that they would be—and it would be considered a lot more important if the CAs were successful on this mission.
They simply had to be.
Perhaps, for now, he should attempt to get at least one more person to act as an aide to help in the CAs shift.
Maybe not. Maybe he was just using the idea as an excuse to keep Selena nearby as this mission was carried out.
As if he had called her, Selena suddenly appeared in the kitchen doorway. She looked amazingly sexy even in her plain T-shirt and jeans—but maybe that was because his mind removed them as she stood there.
She glanced toward him. Did her complexion redden a little as if she read his thoughts, or was that just wishful thinking on his part?
What she said didn’t reveal her thoughts to him, either. “I know it’s a little early,” she said, “but Patrick sent me. He suggested that you shifters get started now so you have more time to get used to not only your physical change, but your mental one, before it’s time to go outside and work on your preparations there.”
“Are all of you ready?” Owen asked.
“Definitely,” said Andrea, and she was the first to rise.
* * *
Once again, Andrea went into the meeting house’s study to shift, and the male CAs headed for the basement.
This time, though, only the two aides went with them.
So, once more, Selena was in the dining room, this time with Patrick, Marshall and Owen, along with Lupe.
“I guess this is something pretty different for all of you,” Owen said. He sat with a bottle of water in front of him on the table, as they all did.
“How so?” Marshall asked. He looked tall even sitting down, and his thick brown hair appeared a little unkempt, possibly belying his composed attitude.
“If shifts are going on near you, I assume you’re involved most of the time, either changing or helping, right?”
“You could say that,” Patrick agreed. “But I think we’re all okay with doing what’s appropriate for any situation. Right, guys?”
“Right,” Selena agreed, as did the others. She aimed a glance that was slightly challenging toward Owen. “And you? How do you feel knowing there’s a shift going on with your subordinates and you’re not even invited to watch?”
“Surprisingly left out. But I look forward to seeing them all later. You, too?”
“Me, too,” Selena concurred.
The conversation in the dining room was friendly after that, but no topic was found that engaged everyone.
That was fine with Selena. She didn’t really want to talk. Instead she barely listened as the men around her talked sports—primarily football.
About half an hour later, she heard some activity in the hallway outside and saw a flash of dark feathers in the air.
Andrea’s shift was complete.
The men near her rose.
“Shouldn’t we wait for the wolf shifters?” Owen asked, although he stood, too.
“They should be here shortly,” Patrick said. “Surprisingly, most shifts, no matter the species, tend to take around the same amount of time.”
They stayed in the dining room, waiting. Within five minutes Selena heard the sound of muffled paw falls from the stairway to the basement.
There was another noise, too. The sound of gagging or retching. Human gagging or retching.
What was going on?
Two wolf-dogs entered the dining room and stood there, panting. They somehow looked confused.
Rainey and Jonas came into the room then, too, but they weren’t alone. Sal was with them, unshifted. He retched again, although nothing came out.
Rainey’s eyes were filled with tears. “Something’s wrong with Sal.”
Chapter 15
Owen paced the study at the back of the meeting house, telling himself that Alpha Force was experienced and knew what they should do for Sal.
But he couldn’t stop worrying. His youngest recruit now lay on the pull-out sofa in that compact room moaning and sometimes gagging. Even though that house hadn’t been designated as sleeping quarters, Owen had ensured that the rooms were furnished. This room contained a desk and, fortunately, a sofa that converted into a bed. The surface was covered with a sheet that Rainey had quickly retrieved from the other house. A wastebasket lined with a plastic bag sat on the floor nearby. Fortunately, though, Sal must have gotten everything inside him out already since he was no longer vomiting. But the youngster clearly felt lousy.
It didn’t hurt that Patrick Worley happened to be a medical doctor. For humans, yes, but since he was a shifter, too, he had to know about how to cure others like him who were ill.
Owen had assisted in getting Sal to the room, where Patrick had conducted an initial exam on him. “Pulse rate high but probably okay,” Patrick had said. “I need to get my bag out of my car to conduct a more thorough exam, although I wish we had some better facilities for this. Will you stay here with him for now?”
Owen had agreed and he was now waiting for Patrick’s return. He knew Patrick had arrived here with some large crates in the back of his rented SUV—and that they contained a large supply of the Alpha Force shifting elixir. That had been part of the agreement between the US military and the RCMP—provision of an ample initial supply of that special, secret elixir. Considering that Patrick was a physician, it didn’t surprise Owen that he had also brought a medical bag.
“How is he?” Selena’s voice startled Owen, whose attention had remained primarily on the ill shifter on the bed. He looked up and saw her in the doorway, the expression on her lovely face as grim as he felt, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Not good. Or at least I don’t think so, although Patrick’s initial check didn’t seem to indicate his life was in danger.” That was what Owen hoped, at least, and he wasn’t about to say otherwise anyway in front of the clearly ill young man. “Do you know what might have happened to him? Have you seen any other shapeshifters react this way after an attempt to change?”
By using that elixir was what Owen meant, but chose not to say. Then again, it wasn’t as if Sal hadn’t tried it before.
But from what Owen had understood, the dosage yesterday, meant for only an hour-long shift, had been fairly small. Today’s dosage had been more significant since the group had intended to prowl the compound and the surrounding hills, getting used to their ability to achieve cognition while in animal form. This time they were supposed to stay shifted for several hours.
Had that damned elixir, in this higher amount, harmed Sal?
Without knowing for certain, did Owen, as a responsible officer in charge, dare to allow this operation to continue? As far as he knew, the other three CAs had shifted and were out prowling and flying and doing what this exercise was supposed to accomplish.
But were they all okay?
Maybe he should take advantage of Selena’s being here now to find out. “Could you stay here with Sal until Patrick returns?” he asked, walking toward where she stood at the door. “I want to go outside and check up on the other CAs.”
“I’ve done that already,” Selena said, her expression wry. “I assume you’re wondering if the elixir harmed Sal. So do I, and just in case the others were at risk, I went outside with them for a few minutes just to observe. I don’t know of any differences, genetic or otherwise, between US and Canadian shifters, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any that might mean differences in reaction to the elixir. From what I saw, Tim and Craig were doing just fine as wolves prowling the hills, and the falcon who’s Andrea was soaring overhead looking pretty pleased with herself.”
“Does that mean only Sal’s somehow at risk?”
“I don’t know what it means, although I have my suspicions.” Selena appeared grim as she looked down and shook her head, her light brown hair gleaming a bit in the artificial light overhead.
“So do I.” Patrick’s voice sounded from behind her. He entered the room, a large medical case in his hand. “I did a quick online check of our records about your CAs. Are you aware that Tim Franzer comes from a town here in British Columbia? It’s Roadwich, and it’s only about thirty miles from here. I’ll check Sal over a bit more thoroughly now, and if he’s okay to travel, I’ll take him there. I did some further research on my smartphone and made a couple of calls to some very special sources. An urgent-care clinic in the area isn’t only for regular humans. It’s for local shifters, too.”
“Are there many shifters who live in the area?” Selena asked.
“That’s what I gather, and the medical team at that urgent-care clinic also includes shifters.” Patrick maneuvered past both Selena and Owen, over to his patient.
Canadian Wolf (Paranormal Nocturne Romance) Page 13
