said, eagerly lifting her to him. He pushed his nose into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent, which calmed his bear down. She was here. She was safe.
“John, I’m—”
Damon cleared his throat. “If you guys don’t mind … maybe we should get out of here? Call for the authorities?”
“Oh my God, I almost forgot!” Dutchy slapped her palm over her forehead. “There was a doe shifter. And the poachers! What if they’ve hurt her? We need—”
“Shh …” Krieger soothed, running a hand down her smooth back. “The poachers won’t hurt her. They won’t hurt anyone anymore.”
“But we should find the doe,” J.D. said.
“I’ll head back to your cabin and call HQ,” Damon said. “You guys find the missing shifter, and maybe see if there are others in here who need help.”
Krieger wanted to be alone with Dutchy, to tell her so many things and kiss her and hold her. However, when his mate turned to him, her blue eyes filled with joy and understanding, he knew what she was trying to say. That there would be time enough for that. Later then, he thought. “All right, Chief,” he said to Damon. “We’ll get right on it.”
The doe shifter was quickly found, deeper inside the abandoned mine in another locked antechamber similar to the one where Dutchy and J.D. had been kept. The young woman, whose name was Hannah, was shaken and dehydrated, but otherwise, she was fine. Apparently, she’d been exploring the woods when the two poachers came upon her and shot her with a tranquilizer.
Backup came not too long after that. Anders and Daniel had both been working the night shift, and so they rushed to Contessa Peak right away. However, they were not the only ones who responded. Jason Lennox arrived with a team of his own from the Shifter Protection Agency—or The Agency—a secret task force that worked to protect their kind where law enforcement and the government fell short.
J.D. and Dutchy relayed to Jason what they had overheard, that the poachers had found the abandoned mine, used it as their base in the mountains so they could hunt down unsuspecting shifters, then sneak them off so they could be sold.
The dragon shifter, of course, was not happy to hear that poachers had been operating right under their noses, here in the most sacred of his family’s territory. “We’ll figure out everyone who’s connected to them, where they are, and take them down,” Jason vowed. “And find those missing shifters they sold.”
The night dragged on as the agents took all their statements, gathered evidence, and catalogued everything. Krieger and Damon also insisted that J.D. and Dutchy be checked out by the medic from the Agency to make sure they were okay. Dutchy had lost her cast when she shifted, but then her arm seemed fine anyway, so they didn’t need to re-cast it.
A couple of hours later, Jason informed them they could leave and promised to get in touch when they found the missing shifters.
“Thanks, Jason,” J.D. said, her voice trembling. “Julius … he was one of my most reliable mechanics. I should have known something was up when he just didn’t show up. I just never thought—”
“You couldn’t have known,” Dutchy said, giving her a side-hug. “No one could. And Bridgette was the same. Aunt Rosie just thought she’d found another job.”
“It’s been a long night,” Damon declared. “I’m gonna get a ride with Daniel back to HQ. How about you, J.D.?”
“Yeah, I’ll come with.” The feline shifter turned to Dutchy. “You riding with us?”
She smiled shyly up at Krieger. “I … I don’t think I’ll need a ride.”
No, she definitely did not. “I’ll take her back,” he said.
They said their goodbyes, then Damon and J.D. got into the transport truck with Daniel and Anders and drove off. Finally, they were alone.
“Let’s take a walk,” Krieger said, offering her his hand.
“Yes,” she replied, taking it. The warmth of her skin sent a tingle up his arm, all the way to his chest.
They walked back to his cabin in silence, and Krieger was glad for the cool autumn air that cleared away the scent of blood and death. Arriving at his cabin, they climbed up the porch, hand in hand, their steps in synch.
A howl came in from the distance, breaking the silence.
“What—”
“Milos,” Krieger explained. “Probably out patrolling.”
Dutchy’s nose twitched. “So, what’s up with him?” she asked. “What’s he doing up here?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied. “But whatever it is … I think he’s working