The hunter cursed and fumbled for his radio.Before he could make the call, Jago darted forward and bit his leg while Sienna and Liam pounced.The hunter’s strangled cry barely carried beyond the trees, and Sienna didn’t think anyone heard before they gagged, blindfolded, and restrained him.
One down.
Her father and one of Sophie’s uncles slinked deeper into the rental grounds.They disappeared into the wisps of fog and the growing gloom of the late afternoon.
She, Liam, and Jago took out the next guard using the same plan.Two more team members slipped inside to help in case there were unseen hunters.They now had their best people inside, equipped with tools to cut through padlocks and steel bolts.
Creeping around the house toward their next target, Sienna and the others approached the trickiest part of the plan—the section facing the road.Several homes lined the street, and none of the residents knew shifters existed.
Even as Sienna considered this, a car crawled along the road, its headlights attempting to spear the mist.Sienna thought the vehicle would continue past, but at the last moment, it swung into the driveway.
“The boss man has arrived early,” Liam said as they studied the flashy limousine.
“They need more time to free Sophie,” Sienna said.“We should give him something to see.Offer a distraction.”
“I’ll do it.”Calan was already tearing off his clothes.A moment later, he shifted.
“Wait,” Liam said.“This man is wealthy.He’ll have security with him.I bet they’re armed.”
“That’s not legal in the UK,” Sienna said.“If this man’s team carries weapons, it will be unlawful.”
“Try telling him that when they’re shooting at you,” Liam fired back.
“He’s right,” Hedrek said, “but I don’t see we have another option.How about this?Sienna, you help with Sophie.She’ll do better with a woman present.The rest of us will shift and distract the big man.”
Sienna slipped inside the house, and she found Sophie’s father working on the locked door on the second floor.
“Sophie, are you there?It’s Papa.”
A weak mewling came from the other side—not the strong feline growl Sienna had expected.
“Something’s wrong,” she whispered, her stomach plunging.
When they forced the door open, Sophie lay curled in the corner in her leopard form.Her movements were sluggish and uncoordinated.Her ears flattened at the sight of them—even her father.
“They’ve drugged her,” Sophie’s father said, anguish cracking his voice.“Sophie, kitten, it’s Papa.You’re safe now.”
Sienna kneeled beside the girl, her mind racing.The same sick feeling she’d had watching Liam’s confusion filled her chest.“We can’t carry her out like this.If the sedative is wrong for shifters, we might make the situation worse.”
“Delta-2, status report.”The radio crackle from downstairs made everyone freeze.
“Delta-3, acknowledged.Checking perimeter now,” came another voice.
Jago appeared in the doorway.“First guard we took out missed his check-in.Backup’s probably already en route.”
“She needs to shift back,” Sienna said.“But someone has to stay with her—watch her breathing, make sure the drugs and the shift don’t send her into shock.”
“Shift, kitten,” Sophie’s father whispered.
Gunshots cracked from outside—too many, too close together.A chill rippled down Sienna’s spine, her hands trembling as adrenaline surged through her.
She bit her lip hard as Sophie shifted from leopard to human.The change dragged, as if her body resisted every step of the transformation.Copper filled Sienna’s mouth before Sophie was fully herself again.
“Can you walk?”Sienna slid an arm under Sophie’s to brace her.
Sophie nodded groggily but stumbled when she tried to take a few steps.
More shots rang out, followed by a man’s shout of pain—terrifyingly familiar.Sienna’s instincts screamed at her to run outside, to help, to find Liam.Her chest tightened, breath shallow, as she gripped Sophie’s arm with shaking hands.But Sophie wouldn’t make it without support, and with her experience handling Liam’s drugged confusion, Sienna was the logical choice to stay.
