It would be nice if we could have a break from all the crap we've experienced for the past few years. His arms locked around my waist, staring into the nightlife I expect to join one day to experience something normal. I didn't know I would crave the small dating adventures we skipped. What I will give to fight for that life as we contemplate our next move. Now what? Cage got away. Where do we go from here? I opened my mouth to ask how was he doing.

"How are you feeling?" Xannon beats me to the question as he waits for Bora to acknowledge him.

Somehow, that annoyed my man with his two-second phony smile that was swift and aired. "I have been better. It's frustrating I couldn't catch him. Any idea where they are going?"

Carina stepped up, squinting her eyes as though he lost his mind. "What we need to focus on is how those electric bullets knocked you off your ass."

"I might know." Que chimed in.

"Huh?" I faced him, and the confusion released me because I understood where he was getting at. Man, I was trying to ignore it.

"The logo. Did you see it?"

With a deep sigh, I reached for the nearest concrete slab. "Yeah, I saw it." I took a careful seat and locked my fingers, putting them up to my forehead. Please, God, don't let it be him. The guilt I felt when I agreed to allow a procedure that would have cost me my life, perhaps. The thought of it makes me cringe. "Do you think he had something to do with it?"

"Good question, but he's more into capturing them than helping."

"Yeah." I took another deep breath of anxious realization as my stomach tightened.

"Wait. Whoa. Are you talking about FRL, Field Research Laboratory? Do you know the person who operates it?" Wooly glanced in between us as the truth spilled from our eyes. "You do. Don't you? Who?"

Quinn and I read each other, and I pivoted to him. "Our father." The shame developed through like a tsunami wave. "After Meter Lab Incorporated blew up, the chairperson decided not to reopen it. So John, our dad, took matters into his own hands. Someone funded his non-profit organization. To be honest, we don't know who. And no telling what he is cooking up in that hellhole."

A loud, slow clap came from the back. "Oh, isn't that grand?" Miska folded her arms and looked at Bora. "You've fallen in love with a human whose father hates werewolves."

I defended him, but to get my point across. "He doesn't hate you. It's an obsession."

"Same difference, human! He will do anything to us in the name of pedagogy."

"Okay, let's calm down and pull our heads together." Adam took over the conversation with Malinda by his side. "There could be many reasons those men have those weapons. As Quinn said, he would not help our kind."

"Well, we are talking about Cage here. Do you think he's the type to be caught by a scientist? He is quite violent." I included my thoughts, which I accidentally offended Bora, judging by the expression he made. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"Yeah, he would have murdered him. Maybe they cut a deal." Carina left her two scents on the table. "We should consider the possibilities of why they would fund his organization. I mean, bad guys wouldn't pass up an opportunity no matter what the circumstance is. Hell, Marco is an example because he had the Arctic boy killed for his gain."

"Yeah, but." My deep breath flows. "That means he wants something more." Bora burst through my mind like he might be the one they were after, wishing it wasn't him. Will you hurt me twice? Not when I let my guard down.

"Then we go." My mate decided.

"Babe, are you sure?" I caressed his arm, nervous. How would he respond if he found out what I intended to do? Probably call me a lunatic. The embarrassment and unworthiness of his love seep into my soul like a plague.

He rushed to grab my cheeks. "What's wrong?" He gazes into my eyes, searching for the truth that I was scared to mention in front of everyone. "Why do you feel ashamed?" My life is over. He is questioning me. I can't lie, and then our relationship will be based on lies. My chest raised and fell fast with no air entering or leaving my lungs. I wrinkled the jeans under my fingertips into near hysteria. What is happening? "Gemma breathed for me." He released my checks and embraced me into a bear squeeze. "Breathe." He held me a little longer.

My body shifted into peace, steady, and my skin relaxed. "Sorry, I lost myself."

"You were having a panic attack, but we are okay." His hug never fell.

"Oh." I forget he can sense everything I feel. Now I am worse off than before and am questioning why would I decide to proceed with such a decision. I was so desperate at the time and couldn't cope with the loss. My surroundings became clear, and everybody was watching me, concerned. How disturbing. I folded in front of everyone.

"They don't matter." The sweet whisper slipped into my ear. I hear him, but I recognize the disappointment in Wooly and Miska. They probably see me as weak even though he displays his affection.

Showing this type of weakness seems to be frowned upon, but they respect him, which is why I still live. He held my hand. "I have to travel ahead to make sure the roads are intact. Please, keep the both of you safe." He unhanded me. "Let's go visit the doctor." He leaps off the roof. That was different. A gust of wind blew past me, watching the rest follow his lead.

My brother stepped to the cliff, eyeing them. "Doesn't he usually take you with him?"

"Yeah." I stood there stunned.

"Sweet of him."

"Huh?"

"He thinks you can protect me." His big head ass laugh made me want to smack him to next week.

"Did you forget?" I twisted his arm, making him bend. "I am stronger than you now."

"Alright! Dang!" He snatched it from me. We walk to his motorcycle the normal boring way, strolling up to his two wheels. "Anyway, I don't need protection." He smoothly slid on his helmet and flipped the visor. "I got one of these." He swiped the weapon from Cage's men. "We can use it on them."

"Nice. But you aren't even guilty?"

"Nope. We are using it to help them win."

"Good point."

"Some people do bad things for a noble cause." He smacked his molars with a wink, gave me the finger guns and took off on his motorcycle. "I'll be following behind." He kicked up the sweet, earthy, humid air that swept my cheeks. I guess I am riding alone. I curled my lip.

Let's go see our father.