It’s not okay. Nothing about this is fucking okay.
But I nod once, stepping back. “If anything happens to her…”
Kaine gestures to his males. “Secure them.”
Two of the males surround me immediately. One of them is smart enough to bring a chain, wrapping it around my wrists. They’re taking no chances after what they saw me do outside. I wish I had control of my dragon. I would end these pricks here and now.
A third male takes Sally. It’s the same bald bastard from before. He has his knife at her throat again, and he’s grinning at me. Daring me to do something stupid.
My hands clench into fists, the chain biting into my wrists.
Two males, including Kaine, take Wren toward the back of the clinic. Toward the pharmaceutical storage area. She looks over her shoulder at me, her face pale.
“Make sure that no one gets in or out,” Kaine shouts at his remaining three males, who fan out. I doubt that the Draig Security Team will storm the center. It would be too risky. They will first try to talk them down.
I don’t like this. I don’t fucking like this at all.
The males shove Sally and me into a small room off the hallway. It’s used for storing files and documents. There are boxes stacked floor to ceiling in rows. One of the males grabs my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“You try to escape,” Baldy says, “and we’ll hurt your girlfriend. We’ll hurt her real bad and in ways you won’t like. You understand me? We might even make you watch.”
A growl rumbles in my chest, and he laughs.
“Yeah, I thought so.” He releases me with a shove and backs out of the room, closing the door. I hear the click of a lock engaging.
Sally walks into the area and sags against a stack of boxes, her whole body shaking.
“Oh my God,” she whispers. “What the hell is happening? Why are they here? We didn’t do anything wrong. We help people, Grim. They’ve completely lost it.”
“I know. They’re crazy. It isn’t anything we did.”
I lean against the door, pressing my ear to it. I hear muffled voices and footsteps. The helicopter is still hovering overhead.
I walk as far into the room as I can.
“The anti-vaxxers want a platform,” I tell her, keeping my voice low. “They want to spout their conspiracy theories. Get the media involved. Make a big show of it.”
“Why do they want to get to the vaccinations?”
“I’m pretty sure they will want to destroy them. Make a public spectacle with the cameras rolling.”
“That would be terrible,” Sally says, shaking her head. “Shifters need their shots. What is this world coming to?”
It wouldn’t be a bad thing if they destroyed all the vaccinations. There’d be a shortage. The Mainland would scramble to replace the supply. It might buy Drake and the others time. Might even prove to the Draig population what’s really going on. I only wish it weren’t such a bunch of deranged males. They will potentially end up sending the wrong message.
“I still can’t believe you shifted.” Sally looks at me like I just sprouted purple horns.
“I got so incredibly angry. My dragon took over. It was…it was wrong of me and won’t happen again.”
“Good thing you shifted back when you did.” She’s looking at me skeptically.
I nod.
“How did you do it?” Sally asks.
I look at her. “Do what?”
“Shift back.” Her eyes are on me. “I thought dragons only shifted back when their riders told them to. Or when multiple dragons and riders forced them to.” She shakes her head. “They don’t just shift back on their own like that.” She shrugs. “I mean, it’s what I’ve heard. I’ve been on the island for almost five years. I have friends who are shifters.”
