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I sighed, “If she’s not out in five minutes… I’m calling Micah and we are going in. I won’t let anything happen to Cassie or let her be ambushed alone. CRAP! She’s probably not alone. Someone else is here.” Cayden wouldn’t send her alone…nor would her family…King Bjourn definitely had back up here.

Valentina nervously said, “We should go then.” I shook my head, “No, I won’t leave Xander’s sister here alone. Cassie is also important to….” I trailed off. Sierra’s eyes softened, “Jason.” I nodded. They weren’t mates, but Jason cared about Cassie.

I knew they were still friends. He would be devastated if something happened to her. Not to mention my Xander. Everyone knew the Conners boys doted on their sisters. If something happened to her, Xander would be greatly affected.

Especially since he was more attuned to his siblings' pain. Particularly Cassie and EJ because they were triplets. I would never let her get hurt. She was meant to be my sister in law. I couldn’t leave without knowing she was safe.

Sierra announced, “See, potential Cassie is out of the room. Everyone is all smiles.” I argued, “That guy keeps checking his phone. I don’t like it.

” Valentina agreed, “His whole demeanor just changed.” I cringed, “I’m going around the side to scale the building.

You guys cover the front. Call out if you need help. ”

Valentina grabbed my arm offering, “I’ll shimmer you to the top of the warehouse. You might want to get ready to shoot.” I nodded and was watching. This wasn’t good. I needed time to think. I watched Cassie and it hit me that I actually missed someone I didn’t know.

Now, I was seriously considering just going to Black Mountain to see if I could spot Xander. I wasn't going to go to him… I just wanted to see him. Not just on a computer screen as he talked through fighting moves. Actually see him, in person.

I just didn’t know how far away to be so his wolf wouldn’t sense me. If he could. I could spray myself and I didn’t have a wolf for him to sense... I shook myself. I needed to focus on what happening in front of me. I needed to make sure Cassie was safe.

Sierra called over our coms, “You’re right. Something is off.” I knew that. Then watched the guy with Cassie pull a knife. Cassie had it handled, but the guy hit a panic button. She took off. I began shooting to cover her. Sierra and Valentina stepped out.

I yelled over the coms, “What are you doing? I’ve got this!” Valentina whispered, “The Hackura women spotted us. We had to move.” I could not get a break. Return fire engaged, but they weren’t aiming at us. I shot as many as I could.

Sierra yelled, “Bravo One, I’m pinned down! I’m pinned down!” Fury filled my core because these people thinking they could get one of mine. I scaled down the building quickly and dropped the remaining several feet.

I pulled the gun I’d been working on, that would shoot gel packs of Laxenread to give a Fairy their powers back, out of my watch.

Now was as good a time as ever to test if it worked.

An idea clicked. I could leave it for her.

The Hackura would search the area. I’d worked really hard on it… it was for them.

I’d wanted to give it Xander… with a note, but Cassie needed her powers back. Someone came around the corner. He snorted, “That Fairy charmed chick will go down. We hit her with our paralytic.” She wouldn’t because they didn’t have it tailored to hybrids.

No one paid attention to the papers King Aiden Holloran put out either, except me, because it would’ve told them that. I shook myself and killed him quickly.

I grabbed the kerosene kit we all carried for emergencies. Most people probably didn’t prepare to blow up drug labs but… most people weren’t us. I hopped on the bike and revved it letting Sierra know I was coming.

Valentina’s voice came over coms, “Cassie’s been hit.

Not bad but the bullet grazed her.” I knew that because the dead guy told me.

This was good. The allies would discover the bullets were laced with other things.

I grumbled, “People should really read King Aiden’s papers and books.

” He had literally written an entire book about hybrids.

I’d managed to get myself a copy. Through bartering… and blackmail.

The same reason the coating on the bullets would not affect Cassie didn’t concern me played into part of my fear…

. Some days… I thought that maybe I really wasn’t Drake McAlister’s biological daughter.

Drugs didn’t affect me right either. I was a possible Hunter hybrid though. I shook myself chiding, “FOCUS!”

I drove quickly towards the window of the building, waving what was basically a lit up stick of dynamite. They began to focus on me. Good. They started chasing me on foot. Seriously? Who ran these things? Because it was not these people. They were so dumb.

Who thought they were going to outrun someone on a motorcycle on foot? Maybe the Werecheetah’s I’d met in the Safari realm… but these guys had no cheetah blood. Honestly, it was basic math and common sense.

I looked over my shoulder noting Valentina used the distraction to shimmer Sierra out. I sighed in relief. Valentina had to stay out of the path of those bullets. It affected her more harshly than anyone we’d come across.

I began to shoot to try and cover Cassie’s escape. She wasn’t moving though. She was standing her ground. Dang it. I should’ve anticipated that. A Demon started to fight her. I winced when I saw he had hurt her. I quickly shot him in the head… which was fair… since he was a jerk.

Cassie turned to watch me. I quickly switched guns and shot at her arm. The gel pack exploded and was absorbed into her skin. I smiled knowing she’d have her powers back soon. I gunned it to the lake knowing we were running out of time.

I tossed the gun down when Cassie was looking and pointed back to the building, so she’d remember to run.

It was going to blow. It was moderately impressive it hadn’t.

She popped away. In midair, I put my feet on the seat and jumped for the opposite side of the pond.

I felt the explosion reverberate around me in the water.

When I surfaced, I closed my eyes and swam to the edge to get out. Once on my feet I ran as fast I could to where the other Hackura women were. I was stunned realizing who they were. Two of them were Xander’s aunts. I quickly checked them over and scanned them with ILYX.

ILYX announced, “Xander’s relatives are fine, just unconscious.

The other woman has a few puncture injuries from shrapnel to the leg, but she is no danger of dying.

” I ordered, “Give me gauze.” It appeared and I quickly dressed her wound and put gauze over it.

It helped assure me that she would be fine.

I ran back to Cassie. I demanded, “ILYX, scan her.” If Cassie was even vaguely conscious this would be a problem since I’d used Xander’s voice for ILYX.

ILYX declared, “Alpha Duchess Cassie shows Laxenread recently entered her system. She is unconscious but there is no damage to her head.” I whispered, “Thank you, ILYX.” He replied, “You are welcome, Melanie Jane.”

I needed to go, but I couldn’t leave them here like this. I quickly found her phone and turned it on. I looked at the contacts on speed dial. I spotted Cayden's number. I was surprised it wasn’t first. Honestly, if I hadn’t found her phone, I’d have had ILYX call Xander.

I shook myself and hit Cayden’s number. I placed the phone on Cassie’s chest. I froze when my head began to pound. I clutched my own head groaning, “Not now.” I could not get caught here. What was wrong with me?

I heard a Female voice weakly urging me, “Stay.” I looked around asking, “Huh?” No one were here with me that was conscious. It was dead silent. Perfect. I was officially going crazy. Maybe from the fact a man who hated me was trying to gaslight me into believe I was his.

I ran for the holoport hoping I made it.

If Cassie regained consciousness, I might not have a choice on leaving.

If she wanted to talk to me, she could get that done many ways.

She could call the wind or shoot me with her sunlight without the intent to do more than stall me.

She wouldn’t want to hurt me, but she and her mate wanted to talk to me.

I turned back to see Cassie waking up as I made it. She spotted me, but she couldn't get through the holoport even if she followed. Paige was too good for that. I paused on the other side, catching my breath and wondering when my head would stop hurting.

Sierra sighed in relief, “You took your sweet time.” I snorted, “Oh ya know… I had to make sure the Queen, Princess, Duchess and other Hackura women were all ok. All in a day’s work.” Valentina laughed, “Oh was that all? Saving Queen Astrid and company? Jeez, ya slacker.”

I snorted and punched her arm, “I also had to get Cassie her powers back… but hey, who’s keeping track of all the things I did?

” Sierra laughed, “I’d imagine potentially Cassie did.

” I rolled my eyes, “It was Cassie you weirdos. She’s not a Beta blood though…

so it could be her aunt instead of her… she does lean Hackura.

I’ll just have to monitor that… situation. ”

Sierra and Valentina shot each other glances like they thought I was on overload and seeing things. Whatever. I knew that was Cassie. I knew it was, and I’d had her back. Just like I’m meant to as her brother’s mate.

I couldn’t help but smile. I loved doing little things like this for Xander. I sighed dreamily thinking about him. Maybe I could just get a glimpse of him… somehow. I’d figure it out one day. I definitely wanted to watch one of his videos he posted again today.

We went back to my secondary place. We were there when alarms went off. I checked them and everything inside me stopped. The targets named stole the breath from my body as pain rocked me. I whispered, “No.”