Gareth’s down.
“We’ll free our team, then go searching for your grandsons and any other hostages,” Brandi said. She glanced down at Reed’s hands. “Those look lethal.”
Reed held them up. “I think Ariel’s nanos gave these to me.”
“Can you do the full out devil wolf thing now?” Brandi asked.
Reed stepped away from her and smoothly changed into the warrior form of his inner beast. “Not too bad the second time I could do,” he said through a mouthful of fangs.”
Brandi laughed. “Because of seeing Heidi in her form, I’m not afraid of yours. You look like a complete badass. I love it. Now go rescue Katarina.”
18
The entire pack village looked like someone had poured fake snowflakes everywhere. Many pack members had gotten a glimpse of the plane dropping the white substance. Some speculated that a local crop dusting pilot had likely been paid to drop the chemicals.
Several wolves in their human forms littered the streets as the powder sent them under. Which on the surface looked like a bad idea, but in reality it was all part of the plan.
An unmarked transport helicopter carrying their attackers touched down silently in same place they’d probably landed last time. No one heard them land, but Stewart had followed his gut, which had brought him to this field.
This time Stewart was watching their every move, and his siblings were keeping him company.
Not bothering with their assigned lodge accommodations, the three of them had stayed in the healing center with Terra. Yana had stayed there too, monitoring everything, but mostly the bear healer.
They’d left Terra in Yana’s care, donned medical grade face masks, and layered on all the clothes they could find that fit them.
The attackers unloaded from a side ramp. There had to be at least thirty of them. Many of them were wearing face masks, which likely was the sole distinguishing characteristic of shifters in the group.
Stewart quietly pulled his phone and sent a text to Ariel who always kept her phone close. He passed along the attacker's head count, explaining in detail everything
When each attacker was satisfied with his weapon and ammo check, they started toward the village as a group.
“Time to go,” Stewart whispered through his mask. Kent and Aggie nodded as they took a shorter route to get back to the village.
While the attackers were collecting all the white-covered wolves, wolves and bears with gas masks descended on them. The fight was bloody and gory. There was nothing much left of the attackers when they were done.
The bears trotted off with body parts dangling from their mouths. The wolves appeared with shop vacuums and soon the streets were free of white. The next rain would wash the remaining white off the houses and buildings.
Kent went to talk to Ariel and Jon.
Stewart tore a leafy limb from a nearby tree and used it to dust off a bench. He and Aggie sad down on it to wait for Kent.
“I want to become a healer. Do you think Aunt Heidi would teach me?”
“I’m sure she would. You’d be a great healer, Aggie.
They were silent for a few moments. Then Aggie laughed. She turned to her brother. “What do you think Kent will be when he grows up?”
“More dangerous?” Stewart offered with a chuckle. The cell phone in his pocket buzzed. He pulled it out and read the message on the screen. “Yana and Terra need help. Tell Kent where I went when he’s done.”
Aggie nodded and bit her lip. “Be careful, Stewart.”
He was running so fast that she doubted he even heard her.
Two attackers with weapons were standing guard outside the Healing Center. He had to get inside—had to. Bile rose in his throat. His face felt hot. Glancing down, he saw his hand had changed. Other body parts were changing too.
Stewart stood up and looked at the guards. He wasn’t good at weapons. He knew some carried silver bullets and some shot tranquilizer darts.
Whatever they had, he would still have to confront them to get inside. Taking a deep breath, he started forward. Two wolf cubs ran by him as fast as they could. Great. Now he had wolf cubs to worry about.
Stewart chose one guard to fight first. He ran quickly and was on the guy before he had time to react. He grabbed the male by the throat and slammed him into the building. He let go when the guy’s body hit the ground.
Then he turned on the second. The wolf cubs were dancing around the guy’s feet and