“Your body wasn’t meant to shift. I imagine it hurts a great deal.” Kyro stood from his chair. “I’ll get something a little stronger than a soda.”
“I would love a drink, but I don’t want to be impaired.” She knew she needed to be levelheaded if she was going to help the shifters still in the cages. The fear of what the doctor would do once he realized she was gone drove her to stay awake and focused.
“Don’t worry, with your new DNA, a drink won’t affect like it did when you were just human,” Xeon explained while Kyro poured her a small glass of whiskey. “It will just take a little of the edge off and help you relax.”
“Here you go.” Kyro held out the glass for Mara.
“Thanks.” She took a large gulp of the whiskey then coughed. “You have to save them.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “They don’t belong there. God only knows what Dr. Phenix is doing to the others. He’s not stopping at just one change. He added shifter and vampire to me. There’s no telling what else he did.”
“I don’t plan on leaving my sister or any of the others there. If you would like, you can sleep in my bed tonight. Feel free to use the shower, make yourself at home. We’re going to get them out,” Xeon said.
“The keys might help.” She leaned forward, grabbed some magazines off the coffee table, and rearranged them on the tabletop. “Okay, here’s the hospital. This is the front. This is the parking garage.” She pointed to the different magazines. “There are columns down this side of the parking garage. I was about here when I shifted. I’m guessing they’ll still be in that area. There’s no sidewalk there, so I imagine they’ll still be harder to find. Hopefully, you get there before sunup.”
“We’ll stop by and check it out. You’re welcome to anything in the house. Just stay inside until we come back. My pack doesn’t know you’re here.” Xeon stood up and put his hand on her shoulder. He sensed the energy pass between them.
“I’m not planning on going anywhere. The only place I can go is home, and Dr. Phenix has my address.”
“Then tomorrow we’ll take you by there to get what you need. You can stay here for a bit.” Xeon offered her.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden?” She’d always been an independent person who didn’t rely on anyone. She didn’t plan to start now.
“You can stay at my place if you prefer.” Kyro smiled.
Xeon’s wolf growled and he turned to give Kyro a glare, but he stayed calm. There was no way he wanted her to sleep anywhere except in his bed. In his arms. In his vision, but that had to wait. Now he had to rescue his pack and take care of Dr. Evil himself.
“There’s enough of me to go around.” Mara blurted out, then laughed. “I don’t think I should have any more liquor.”
“I’m going to lock the door behind us. You’ll be safe here,” Xeon said heading to the kitchen.
“Thanks for everything. Letting a complete stranger into your house and all.” She grabbed her cup off the table and followed him into the kitchen.
“It’s my pleasure.” At least, he hoped it would be later on. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will, thanks.” Placing her hand on his forearm.
Once they were outside, he punched Kyro in the arm.
“What’s that for?” Kyro cried as he rubbed his arm.
“She can stay at your place?” He arched his brow, a low growl coming from his wolf.
“What? A woman needs options.” Kyro shrugged, getting into the passenger seat of the SUV.
Xeon knew it would be a losing battle. Kyro wanted her as much as he did, and their wolves weren’t going to take no for an answer. It was up to Mara who she wanted, but eventually, they would have her.
Chapter Six
Xeon didn’t want to leave Mara alone. She’d been through so much already. Being born a shifter, he couldn’t imagine being human then suddenly shifting. Dr. Phenix would pay for what he’d done to her and the others.
Kyro had called Sheriff Langley to have him meet them at the station. Since there were humans involved, they were obligated to inform the proper authorities. The Sheriff arrived nearly fifteen minutes after them. He pulled in beside them and opened his door.
“This better be good, Pearce,” Sheriff Langley said, climbing out of his car. His gray hair in a shabby mess. It looked like he rolled out of bed and just put his clothes on, then walked out the door.
“I found out what’s happening to the missing people.” Xeon walked over to the Sheriff.
“How do you know?” Sheriff Langley asked, adjusting his pants.
“One of the victims came to me with the information. So, I figured I would relay it to you before I go and get my people.”
“Now, hold on. There are channels we have to go through.” He slammed his car door and motioned for them to follow him. “Tell me what you know. Who is the victim? Is it your sister?”
“No, she’s still missing. Dr. Mara Maxwell was captured Thursday morning. She managed to escape just hours ago.”
“Then where is she?” Sheriff Langley looked behind Xeon but only saw Kyro in tow.
“She’s safe. I’m her advocate,” Xeon told him.
“What makes you her advocate? You’re not related.” He opened the door to the station and ushered them in.
“She’s now a part of my pack. She will stay where she’s safe, and you can deal with me like you’ve been doing.” Xeon eyed the Sheriff, daring him to challenge it.
“Fine,” he said after a moment of hesitation. “Where are the missing people?”
“At Garnett Medical Center, locked in cages on basement level two.” He’d expected the Sheriff to run out the door with him to go rescue everyone.
“Does she know what’s happening to the victims?” He opened the door to a meeting room and held the door for them to enter.
“Dr. Phenix is doing experiments on them. We need to get them… now!” Xeon pounded the desk, his voice echoed loudly around the room.
“Is she positive Dr. Phenix is involved? You can’t just go around accusing a man like that. Especially not of such things as experimenting on patients. Even an accusation would mean his career and reputation.” The sheriff’s smugness at this declaration sent anger flowing through Xeon’s veins.
“I don’t give a fuck about his reputation,” Xeon bellowed. “I care about the missing people. He’s doing things to them they didn’t sign up for.” He watched the sheriff write something down on a sheet of paper.
“I have to get a search warrant for the hospital. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.” Sheriff Langley walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
“I think he’s full of shit.” Kyro leaned against the table.
“Yeah. I noticed. He’s being really weird.” Xeon crossed his arms and watched through the windows of the meeting room. “We’re going to that hospital with or without a warrant.”
They had a straight view of Sheriff Langley sitting behind his desk with the phone against his shoulder, and his fingers typing away on his keyboard. Xeon didn’t have much confidence in the Sheriff. He wasn’t moving fast enough. Then again, he didn’t have a missing sister either. The Sheriff glanced up at Xeon and made another phone call.