by Anna Edwards
“She’s brave though. Braver than most.”
Brayden nodded. “She is. I’ll give her that. You’re going to have to teach Isobel a few tricks to look after herself. Maybe get her a weapon. If Nuka finds out about her, he’ll use whatever he can to get at one of the pack.”
“Already on it. Jessica’s working on a spell that will allow her to talk to me when I’m shifted. The gun part I don’t need to worry about. She’s been able to handle one of those since she was young. Her father has always wanted her to be able to protect herself. There was a time she could kick my ass in a fight.”
Brayden let out a loud laugh. Selene looked at him confused.
“Zain’s just telling me he’s a wimp,” Brayden called out. A few people in the shop turned to look at them—two tough, muscular men—he with his tattoos and Brayden with his menacing brow. Yeah, nobody was going to believe him a wimp. They both looked at the ones who were staring at them and winked.
“Sorry,” Brayden apologized.
From the corner of the shop where Selene was last standing, a commotion arose.
“I saw it,” someone shouted. “She’s one of them. I saw fur.”
Fuck!
He and Brayden were bypassing the people in an instant and heading for Selene.
“Go away,” Selene’s voice ordered. “You’re insane.”
“My god, she carries one of them in her stomach, more of them. We’re doomed.”
A small girl was standing in front of Selene and Jessica. She couldn’t have been older than eighteen. He smelt the bear on her instantly. What the fuck was she doing?
“Help! She’ll eat me,” the girl screamed.
Brayden jumped in front of Selene just as the girl went to push her.
“Back away, crazy woman.” The snow leopard snarled, and Zain fell into place beside him.
“Are you the same?” the girl asked. She was a damn good actress. As well as bear, Zain could smell Nuka on her, in her, the girl had been recently fucked by the evil polar bear.
“Go away,” he growled. “You’re harassing a pregnant woman. If you don’t leave, we’ll call the police. They can deal with you.”
“I know what I saw,” she snarled back.
“You saw nothing!” Brayden retorted.
The girl stepped up to him and tried to push past to get at Selene. A large crowd was assembling. A couple of people had pulled out their phones and were filming the confrontation. He looked at Jessica, and she flicked her hand to try and create some static interference to disrupt the recording. He hoped it worked because, suddenly, one of the women in the crowd screamed.
“She was right.”
“What?” another asked.
“Look at the woman,” the first stated. Zain turned his head and looked at Selene. Her left arm was changing.
“No. No,” she whimpered in a panicked state. “Bad baby. Bad, bad baby. Mummy’s ok. Don’t do this.”
“Shit.” Brayden grabbed Selene and pulled her toward the emergency exit.
“Get them!” one of the crowd shouted.
Jessica followed.
Zain turned to the girl who’d created the commotion just as the crowd closed in on them.
“You’ll regret this.”
“As long as no more pets are kept, it was all worth it.”
Zain grabbed her by the neck and dragged her after him before she realized what was happening. He caught up with the others in a few steps. They pushed open the emergency doors and entered an empty corridor. Jessica grabbed his hand and, in an instant, they de-materialized and re-appeared back at the Glacial Blood mansion. Selene was sobbing hysterically.
“They saw me. They saw me changing,” she screamed.
Zain still had the girl tightly held.
“Kas,” Brayden called and then went back to concentrating on calming Selene. “It’s ok. We can deal with it. Say it was a glove or one of the outfits you were holding. It’ll be ok. You need to calm down. It’s not good for the baby. Please.”
Jessica’s eyes turned black as night. The girl in Zain’s arms was pulled away and into the air where the witch turned her upside down and suspended her there. The witch brought her left hand back, and an energy ball appeared.
“No,” Kas’ voice boomed out. “Put her in the dungeon.”
Jessica let the energy ball dissipate into thin air. The girl disappeared along with Jessica.
“What happened? Why is Lily here?” Kas asked.
“You know her?” Zain queried.
“She’s a maid of my brother’s. Harmless and used purely to cater to his needs.”
“Well, it seems that the current need was to expose Selene’s abilities to the public,” Brayden snapped as Selene collapsed to the floor in her mate’s arms, weeping.
“What?” Kas replied.
“Lily was calling Selene a shifter. She was abusing her verbally. The baby thought it was under attack and started to change Selene to protect her and itself.” Zain stepped back to allow Brayden to explain everything.
“Shit. Did anyone see?”
“A few people. It was just her arm. We can try and explain it away.” Brayden cradled Selene and stroked her hair as she cried.
“Thank god. My brother has gone too far, this time. Attacking us directly in public and using those who don’t know any better.” Kas was furious. “Jessica,” he called. “Make sure she’s locked up; I want you to take me to Nuka. If he wants his little toy back, then I want some reassurances.”
Zain’s phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a call from Isobel. He hung up on her. This was more important for the moment. Almost instantly a text message came through.
I need to speak to you ASAP. It’s urgent.
He dialed her back.
“I can’t talk at the moment. Something bad has happened.”
“I know,” she replied. “I’m at the rally with my father. You need to turn your TV onto any news channel.”
Kas and Brayden looked at him. He picked up the TV remote and pressed the buttons for Sky News. He dropped the remote to the floor when he saw the headlines.
“Zain,” Isobel spoke into his ear.
He didn’t reply, though, as everyone in the room turned to listen to Isobel’s father speaking.
“I told you I’d find the proof, and I have. Shifters are real.” Senator Ross told the reporter. He then pressed a button, and a screen next to him started to play the video of Selene in the shop. It was taken from a security camera and very clearly showed the fur spreading up her arm. “Shifters are real. This woman was changing into a wild animal before she ran away. We need to find her. We need to find her and her accomplices.” The camera zoomed out to show Brayden, Jessica, and himself as they protected Selene.
“Zain,” Isobel spoke into his ear. “Zain please talk to me. ZAIN!” She shouted. He pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it before ending the call.
“Goodbye, my love.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Isobel looked down at the phone in her hands. Zain had hung up on her. His friend had been exposed, and he’d been shown on camera with her. She needed to get to him. Damn it, why did she have to rely on a driver to take her everywhere? She should’ve learned to drive years ago. She brought up Kingsley’s number and dialed. It rang several times before he answered, loud music blared out in the background. He must be in the shop.
“Yo, sis. What’s up?”
“Are you really busy? I need a lift. It’s urgent.”
Kingsley mumbled something to the person next to him, and she heard a door open and close. The music quietened.
“What’s wrong?” her brother asked.
“I have to go and see Zain. I can’t tell Dad.”
“Why? You’re not pregnant are you?”
“No!”
“Have you seen the news?”
“What’s Dad done now?”
“Something has happened with one of Zain’s friends. He’ll need me. I can’t lose
him again.”
Kingsley went quiet.
“Kingsley?”
“Fuck.” She heard. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?”
“At home. Dad’s downstairs with the reporter. I’m going to have to sneak out.”
“It’ll be alright, Izzy. Zain’s lived with this threat over his head for a long time. He’ll know what he has to do. The whole pack will be prepared.”
“What?” Kingsley’s words made no sense. He’d obviously looked up the news when he went quiet, but it mentioned nothing of the pack or Zain having abilities. It only showed Selene. The weight of his words hit her. No. It couldn’t be. “You knew?”
“Izzy. Shit.”
“You knew and didn’t tell me. How long?” she shouted into the phone.
“You need to calm down.” Kingsley tried to placate her.
“Calm down. My own brother lied to me. How long?”
“This isn’t the time. I need to leave to come and get you.”
“No. It was when we broke up, wasn’t it? Have you seen Zain all this time?”
“Isobel, please. You have to understand.”
She let out a gasping scream. No, he’d lied to her. Her beloved brother.
“Don’t bother coming to get me. I’ll find my own way.”
She hung up and put the phone back in her pocket. She couldn’t think about her brother’s lies right now or the fact Zain was complicit in them. She had to get to Zain to sort out the mess with Selene’s exposure, first. Tears fell from her eyes, and she wiped them away. Her own brother, damn did it hurt.
The doorbell ringing brought her out of her misery.
“Isobel, will you get that please?” her father called out. She wiped any remnants of the tears away and headed for the front door. Looking through the spy hole, she saw Kas standing the other side. What was he doing here? This was the last place he should be. She opened the door.
“Are you crazy?” she whispered.
“Pardon?” Kas responded.
“Coming here. My dad’s got a reporter in the other room. They’ll expose you and the others. Where’s Zain? Is he with you?” she asked and looked behind him to see another gentleman she didn’t recognize.
Kas looked down at her with a face full of confusion.
“Ciaran, what’s she talking about?” Kas asked the man with him.
The other man laughed.
“You’re the one with the superior sense of smell. I’m surprised you haven’t smelt him on her.”
Kas wiggled his nose.
“Another relationship, I see. Zain’s a lucky man.”
“Have you gone insane?” Isobel shook her head. “You need to leave.”
She went to shut the door, but Kas put his foot in it and shoved it back.
“I see you’ve already been introduced to the pack and heard all their stories of woe, I should imagine. Well, I’m here to make them even worse.” Isobel was beginning to wonder if something had happened to Kas. Ok, he’d been short with her the other day, but he hadn’t been as bad as this. This version seemed to have a split personality and was currently being the not very nice one. “Word of advice, little girl.” The man pushed past her. “Know your brothers, especially when they’re twins. I’m Nuka Lincoln, not Kas.”
What? She tried to catch up to the man to stop him, but he pushed her aside and strutted into the room that her father was in with the reporter. The other man walked past her, with a sarcastic smile, to join his friend. She pulled her phone out and dialed Zain. He didn’t answer. Damn it. She tried again but nothing. She was sweating and breathing rapidly, now. A shifter was in the room with her father. She texted Zain.
Nuka Lincoln is here.
Then went into the room where all hell was probably about to be let loose.
“Mr. Ross.” Nuka held his hand out to her father. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Who are you?” Her father looked up from where he was in conversation with the reporter. He looked at Nuka and then down at his hand. “Isobel, who is this?”
“Someone who is just leaving,” she snarled.
“Such rudeness to a guest who can bring you evidence of the existence of more than just the one shifter,” Nuke responded.
Isobel’s world fell apart. Zain had told her that Kas was a bit sensitive about intruders into their world because of the fight that the pack was involved in with Nuka. Why had she answered the door? She should’ve just run to the Glacial Park. Driving couldn’t be that hard. She could have taken her dad’s keys and tried. This was an emergency. People would understand.
“I’m sorry.” Her father stood and shook Nuka’s hand. “I apologize for my welcome. As you can see, things have gone a little crazy in the last few hours. How can I help you Mr...?”
“Lincoln. Nuka Lincoln, and this is my lawyer, Ciaran Dunaid.”
Ciaran stepped forward and shook her father’s hand.
“I have some pictures I want to show you.” Nuka pulled an envelope out of his pocket.
“Pictures?”
“Yes.” He handed her father the envelope. “I should’ve brought them before, but I must admit I was scared of the consequences. After watching the news in the last few hours, I don’t think it’ll be a problem anymore.”
Her father opened the envelope and gasped.
“Are they real?” he asked. She stepped closer to them to get a better look at the pictures. The first appeared to be of Emma, nothing wrong with that. However, as her father flicked through them, it clearly showed her changing into a lion. The pictures were taken at the front of the Glacial Blood mansion. She could clearly see the porch where, only the other day, she had fretted about meeting everyone. This could not be happening. The man next to her was a shifter, and he was outing his fellow animals.
“They’re probably fake,” she interrupted. “Photoshopped.”
“I’m sure you have people who can examine them and prove their authenticity.”
Her father nodded.
“What do you want in exchange for them?”
“Nothing.” Nuka stepped back from her father, and Isobel wanted nothing better than to smack the intruder in the face.
“Nothing?” her father asked suspiciously
“I’ve been hiding this secret for a long time now. They’re dangerous and need to be dealt with.”
“They don’t look dangerous to me,” she snapped at him
“Isobel. Stay out of this,” her father admonished her.
“No.” She stood up to him, and his eyes widened in astonishment. “How do we know he’s not making all this up to make you look like a fool? For all we know, he could be one of them.” She glared at Kas’ brother.
Her father handed the pictures to the reporter. She was desperate to see if there was one of Zain in there, but she couldn’t snatch them.
“We don’t, Isobel. We have to trust this gentleman is doing his bit to help the public.”
Nuka bowed his head and reached into his pocket again. He pulled out what looked like another photo.
“All of those pictures are taken at Glacial National Park, including this one. I hadn’t wanted to show you it for I felt it was a step too far, but I fear for your daughter.” He turned it over. There in the photo was Kingsley outside of the Glacial Blood mansion. She gasped.
“My son.” Her father snatched the picture. “What are you saying? He’s one of them? They’ve turned him.”
Her father may not have heard it, but she certainly did. The snort of annoyance coming from Nuka at her father’s stupid reasoning. Even she knew that this was ignorance of the unknown, on her father’s part.
“I don’t know what they do, but your son visits with them.” Nuka glanced at her. “I only hope your daughter hasn’t been led down the same path.”
Her father looked at her.
“Isobel?”
“No,” she exclaimed with disgust.
Her father pulled out a phone from his pocket and dialed
.
“Hello, it’s Senator Ross. Yes. Eight, Nine, Alpha, Gamma, Three, Seven, Delta, Tango.” Isobel knew the number was his authorization code to speak to higher authorities in the country. Her father pulled the phone down from his ear. He swiped to an app, tapped his finger on it, and then put the phone back to his ear.
“Hello, Sir, yes, I’ve got further proof. I want to implement Project Transposition at once. I think the epidemic may be worse than first thought and infecting humans.” Her father bristled. “Yes, Sir. At once. Thank you.”
Her father ended the call and put the phone down on the table in front of him. He held his hands out to the reporter, requesting him to return the pictures. The tension in the room was palpable.
“Thank you,” her father said to the reporter. “You may leave us. I’ll be in touch.” The reporter didn’t argue and left the room. Something was wrong: a reporter on the verge of a big story who didn’t put up an argument at being told to go.
Her father turned to Nuka.
“Mr. Lincoln. Thank you for all of this. I’ll put your information to good use. I’d like to talk to you further on the matter. Are you able to leave me contact details?”
Her father was scaring her now. He was like a different man. He’d lost the causal air, which he usually displayed, and this business-like manner was freaking her out. She backed away.
“Isobel. Sit down.” She froze and did as she was told. Her body obeying even when her brain was telling her to run.
Nuka sniffed the air.
“Ciaran.” His voice sent a shiver through her. “Time to go.”
The next thing she knew, they disappeared into thin air just before men with guns came flooding into the room. She rubbed her eyes. What the hell was going on?
“Damn it,” her father yelled and slammed his fist into the table. “We were close to having a sample.”
“What?” She stood up.
“Nothing for you to worry about, my little dove. Why don’t you go to your room and read for a bit?”