Cassidy slid into her all black cat suit, the one she'd bought last year for Halloween but had chickened out at the last minute. It fit like a glove and she tied her long raven hair up and pushed it under a black baseball cap. She was ready to go free her mate and all the other poor creatures.
Tristan? Wait for me, I'm coming.
The wolf raised his head and almost grinned..His mate was something else. She was really coming and he knew better than to try to stop her.
Ferguson's here, Doc so be careful...please
Cassidy grinned as her mate growled in her head. He was scared for her and her heart fluttered at the thought. She was always capable Cassidy, the one who took care of everything and everyone would be nice for someone to look out for her for a change, she thought ruefully.
She parked her SUV two blocks away and ran to the facility. She moved like a shadow, careful to avoid the cameras until she was panting outside the door that opened to Corridor 20.
Tristan, tell me when to come in.
The wolf was instantly alert. Ferguson was here but he didn't look too good, he thought wickedly. He had to act now, his mate was outside and she couldn't get hurt. Tristan closed his eyes and unlocked the Alpha gene, a side effect of the Lycan serum.
" My brothers the time of our exodus is here and now. Who will stand with me against these hunters of our kind? Let me hear your voices!"
To Tristan's surprise, lions and tigers and bears were growling as loudly as the wolves. He howled to show them his agreement as Ferguson collapsed and convulsed on the ground. He couldn't believe what was happening to him.
Ferguson groaned as the first of his bones retracted. His was shifting.
" Nooo!"
His personal guard eyed him with something akin to disgust. Jack, Tristan's former friend had his revolver out in a second.
" What are you doing?"
" Look at him! Do you think he would want this?"
Jack's eyes gleamed as he pulled the trigger. They had no time to prepare for the canister of gas Cassidy threw inside the lab. They fell to the floor unconscious, one by one.
They're down, move now baby!
Tristan ordered in her mind. She opened the door and walked inside, heading straight for the consoles. In the next instance, they were all free. She slowly removed the gas mask as she walked to Tristan's cage. She was suddenly nervous, would he like her?
" Why don't you ask him?"
She gaped at the lanky, Adonis with the gravelly voice who had spoken to her, registering his nudity with a blush, looking everywhere but at him.
" Come on, Doc, don't tell me you're shy," he teased grinning as someone threw him a pair of fatigues.
Cassidy scanned the security camera quickly, glad for the distraction. She then erased the footage before turning them off all together.
A tall feline looking heartthrob approached her confidently.
" I don't know who you are, godess, but I will serve you from now on to prove my thanks. "
Tristan growled with barely concealed rage and Cassidy grinned.
" Sorry, I kinda belong to the big bad wolf over there, no thanks necessary. "
Tristan calmed immediately, grinning sheepishly as she eyed him knowingly.
" Smart ass,"he teased.
" Jealous freak," she countered playfully.
He was in her face in a heartbeat, his arms going around her tiny waist as he locked her smell to memory.
" Uh, boss, think maybe we could get outtakes here so that we can stay alive long enough to get lucky," Garrick, a burly chocolate skinned Adonis murmured, ignoring Tristan's growl.
There were ten of them so those who couldn't fit in her SUV borrowed the Colonel's truck. They drove for two hours, Cassidy checking her rearview mirror for signs they were being followed. As the terrain got more woodsy, Tristan touched her arm gently.
" Where are we going, baby?"
She smiled, loving how easily the endearment rolled off his tongue.
" My parents have a hunting cabin in the woods, my mom locked it after he died so it hasn't been used in years and I think we own the land around it so... I was just thinking about getting you guys somewhere safe but you could probably think long term too."
He knew what she was saying and he closed his eyes, wondering if he could handle what they were getting themselves into. She focused once more on the road, allowing him time to think .
He sighed suddenly, opening his mind to her so she could hear what he was saying to his would be pack.
' My brothers, I need you to know that I will not force any of you to do anything against your will. My mate is taking us to her cabin and we will build a pack house there but only if you wish to join this pack.'
He could hear the growls and grunts of assent even as they drove and so could a grinning Cassidy.
' Alpha, Tristan, what about those of us who aren't wolves, are we your pack as well?' Lance, a lion shifter asked uncertainly.
' Lance, you are my pack as much as Garrick is or any of the others. We are brothers, our pack is open to any shifter who needs a pack.'
Ferdinand, the lion shifter who had approached Cassidy spoke up next.
' Thanks for the rescue but I want to start my own pack, no darkies allowed.'
Garrick bristled but said nothing, Cassidy spoke before Tristan could.
' There's a bus stop coming up, I can give you $100 and then you can take your bigotry wherever the hell you wanna go but know this...if I find out that you're using your new ...gift ..to hurt anyone I will track you myself and end you.'
Tristan was grinning like a loon, his mate had some fire and he liked it.