The doctor looked exhausted, which wasn’t surprising since he’d been pushing himself nonstop since yesterday morning. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of taking a break because Zane’s survival rested squarely on his shoulders.
Trey didn’t look as physically tired as the doctor, even if he hadn’t rested any more than the other man. He’d stood outside the OR, gazing at Zane through the small square window in one of the swinging doors as if he could will his pack mate to wake up. Even though Dr. Saunders had told him multiple times that cutting the muscle out of Zane’s arm had undoubtedly saved the werewolf’s life, it was obvious Trey blamed himself for doing it.
Dr. Saunders was updating Gage on Zane’s condition as she and Max walked up, and the man wasn’t pulling any punches as he laid out how horrible the poison they were dealing with truly was.
“Even if we’re able to come up with an antidote, and that’s no given, it may not be in time,” the doctor said. “If a miracle does occur, and he lives, there’s no telling if his arm will ever be functional again.”
Gage’s tightly controlled emotions slipped a little, sorrow crossing his face. But he quickly recovered, nodding at the man. “Do what you can. That’s all I ask.”
Dr. Saunders reached out to give Gage’s shoulder a comforting squeeze, then turned and headed back to the lab.
“Any word on the hunters?” Max asked.
Gage shook his head. “The DPD was able to get video stills of the big guy Lana told us about—Boyd—and the other man who was with him at the mall. Their faces are pasted all over the internet and the news. We haven’t identified either of them yet, but it’s only a matter of time. There’s no way in hell these men don’t have police records. This kind of evil doesn’t just show up out of the blue.”
Max cursed. “Isn’t there something else we can be doing to find these assholes?”
“We are,” Gage said. “Becker is hacking into every video feed in the Dallas metro region, using a bootleg copy of the Department of Homeland Security’s facial recognition software to screen through thousands of hours of footage, but it’s going to take a while.”
Trey took his eyes off Zane long enough to glance at his commander. “What about Max and me? Can we do anything?”
“As a matter of fact, that’s one of the reasons I came over here.” Gage looked from Trey to Max. “I need you two back at the compound.”
Max frowned. “Sarge, I can’t leave Lana here on her own. She’s their target.”
“I know,” Gage said. “I wouldn’t ask you to leave her side if I had any other choice, but I need you. With Zane out of the lineup, and everything else going on, we’re spread too thin to have you two on the bench.”
It was Trey’s turn to frown. “What else is going on?”
“Becker and Connor are digging through video feeds, looking for the hunters. Xander has Hale, Cooper, and Alex out covering every anonymous tip coming in from people claiming they’ve seen the hunters. And Brooks and Carter are rounding up all the werewolves in the area living on their own or in small groups. I want them staying at the compound until this is over.”
Lana hadn’t yet met the majority of the Pack that Gage had mentioned, but she found herself worrying for their safety anyway.
“What about Trevor and Khaki?” Trey asked.
“They’re still at the hospital guarding Mason and his wife,” Gage said. “Chief Curtis figured out Zane was injured yesterday and lost his mind. The only reason he doesn’t have a dozen cops outside this place right now is because I convinced him Zane would be safer if we didn’t draw any attention to this clinic.”
Max exchanged looks with Trey. “Then who’s on standby for regular calls?” he asked Gage.
“Mike, Diego, Remy, and me,” Gage said. “If we get a major incident, we’re not going to be able to cover it and protect the compound, too. That’s why I need the two of you back at the shop. I need you to do your jobs, even if it’s the last thing you want to do right now.”
Max glanced at Lana, clearly torn. “We can’t leave this place unguarded, Sarge. If the hunters come here…”
Gage’s mouth edged up. “I’d never think of leaving this place unguarded. You should know me better than that. But simply because a place needs to be protected doesn’t mean it has to be by you or one of your teammates. The Pack has grown enough to give me some other options.”
Max and Trey were still looking at their boss in confusion when Lana heard a door open at the end of the hallway. A moment later, she picked up scents she was coming to associate with werewolves. Two women and four men walked over to them, including Chris, the guy Brandy had met at the cookout. She was still focusing on the fact that her friend was crushing on a werewolf when Gage started making introductions.
“Lana, this is Jayna,” he said, gesturing to a tall, slender woman with long, honey-blond hair. “And her pack—Megan, Chris, Moe, and Joseph.” Then he jerked his head at a fourth man. The guy was lean with close-cropped hair and tattoos along his arms and across the top of each finger. “And this is Allen.”
She offered her hand, shaking each of theirs in turn.
“I know you don’t know any of them yet, but I promise they’ll do whatever is necessary to protect you and everyone else in this clinic,” Gage told her, then gave Max a pointed look. “We’ll wait for you outside.”
Catching Trey’s eye, the SWAT commander jerked his head toward the exit. A moment later, the two men disappeared, leaving her and Max alone with the other werewolves.
Max lingered, clearly not thrilled with the idea of leaving her. Lana didn’t like it any better than he did, but she’d be safe here. She was more worried about him out there, where the hunters could get to him, than she was about herself.
She took both his hands in hers and gave them a squeeze. “Max, I’ll be fine. The hunters don’t have a clue I’m here and there’s no way they’re going to stumble across me. Go and take care of the other werewolves at the compound. I’ll be safe here.”
