“You’ll pay for this!” he spat, his voice raw and jagged.
Panicking and with her fingers still tight on the gun, Emily did her best to push him away. But the fierce tug-of-war caused her finger to slip, squeezing the trigger.
A deafening bang cut through the roar of the helicopter blades.
For a brief moment, time froze. The man’s face, mere inches from hers, twisted in shock and pain. Emily’s eyes widened, horrified by the accident and the realization of what she had done.
The boss staggered backward, clutching his shoulder as blood oozed between his fingers. His breathing was labored, and his once defiant stance faltered. But even injured, his gaze held a burning fire of malice and determination.
Carter was the first to break the stunned silence. “Emily, are you okay?” he called, rushing to her side.
Tears welled in her eyes, her hands trembling as she dropped the gun. “I... I didn’t mean to...”
“He’s alive,” Logan grunted, closing on the boss. Alive, but that didn’t change the fact she’d shot him.
Carter pulled her into a protective embrace against him. “It’s okay,” he whispered into her ear, his voice shaky. “You did what you had to do. He gave you no choice.”
But as the helicopter’s blades began to slow, and the dust settled, Emily couldn’t shake the weight of her actions, wondering if things could have been different.
Her heart raced as she took in the scene before her—the boss, injured and struggling to keep himself upright, while Logan swiftly moved to secure him, his experienced hands efficiently tying the man’s wrists together then pressing down on the wound to stop the bleeding. Around them, the rest of the team moved with practiced precision, securing the rooftop and ensuring no further threats were present.
Max lifted a cellphone phone to his ear. “This is Max,” he spoke tersely into the receiver, giving someone on the other end of the call the details of what had happened at the facility. She imagined that he had to be speaking to someone in the CIA.
Emily’s mind was a maelstrom of emotions—guilt, relief, fear. She looked over at Carter, her eyes searching his face, desperately needing his grounding presence.
“Carter,” she began, her voice trembling, “I’m so, so sorry. They saw me steal the keycard. They followed me. I never realized... I walked you and your friends right into their hands. I led you into a trap.”
Carter’s gaze softened, his strong hands cupping her face. “Hey,” he murmured, his voice gentle. “This isn’t on you. We’re a team. We face challenges together.”
“But I led them right to you! I put everyone in danger!” Tears pricked her eyes, guilt eating away at her.
Carter’s thumb brushed away a stray tear. “Look around, Em. We’re all still here, still standing. We rescued the shifters. You played a vital role in that.”
The mention of the imprisoned shifters made Emily’s eyes widen. “Your sister,” she whispered.
“I need to find her,” Carter said, glancing around.
Emily nodded, wiping her tears. “Let’s find her together.”
“Always together,” he whispered, and the two set off, determined to reunite his family.
The stairwell echoed with their hurried footsteps as Emily and Carter descended to the floor below. The hum of activity was louder here, with freed shifters murmuring in gratitude to Carter as he passed by them.
Carter’s sharp eyes darted around the expansive room, and then they landed on a familiar face. His entire demeanor changed. “Megan!” he called out, relief evident in his voice.
A petite woman with similar sharp features as Carter’s turned. Her wide eyes locked with Carter’s and in an instant, they were in each other’s arms.
“Carter,” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Carter held her tightly, his face buried in her hair. “I’ll always come for you,” he whispered. They pulled apart slightly, taking each other in, as if to confirm the reality of their reunion.
Megan’s eyes then landed on Emily. She tilted her head slightly, a hint of confusion mixed with recognition. “You,” shesaid, pointing a finger, “You’re one of the scientists who work here.”
Carter nodded. “Megan, this is Emily. My mate.”
Megan’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Your mate?” She glanced at Emily, her earlier suspicion now replaced with understanding. “So, you weren’t lying. You really were trying to help us.”
Emily swallowed hard, memories of the perilous situations she’d put herself in rushing back. “Yes,” she replied, her voice soft. “But most days, it never felt like enough.”
