Shifters.
These guys are shifters.
Which doesn't necessarily mean they are friendly. But their scents are familiar. These are the wolves from Sunny's place.
"Shift, wolf," he repeats.
I shift, calmer, now. A little more able to think. Still, I angle my body in front of Sunny's to shield her from them.
"What are you doing here?" the alpha demands.
I narrow my eyes, not sure how much to say.
Sunny steps out from behind me, hands on her hips. "We know what you're up to!" she asserts. "We know, and we're not the only ones. Experimenting on shifters. Kidnapping them. Tracking down their children. We're not going to let you get away with it."
The alpha raises an eyebrow.
"Sunny," I say in a low voice. "These guys are the wolves we saw outside your place last night."
"Oh." Her eyes widen and she steps back to my side. I drop an arm around her shoulders and pull her against me. "Well, what are they doing here, then?"
The alpha's lips twitch. He has black hair and the smooth dark skin of a Native American. One of the other men looks similar, like they're related. He's young for an alpha-early thirties, tops. "I asked you first."
"Point those weapons away from my female," I demand, even though I'm out-numbered and out-gunned. They're wolves. They should know a mated wolf will stop at nothing to protect his female and my mating mark scent is all over Sunny. Even if it means taking on three much younger and well-armed wolves.
The alpha gives a tiny nod and the guns drop. "Talk."
"I was sent to find intel on this lab. Our pack had word there was still an operational lab in New Mexico. Apparently, it's already been shut down."
"Your pack sent an old wolf and a human female to take down a lab?" One of the guys asks derisively.
I lift my lip and growl in his direction.
"What do you know about labs like these?" the alpha asks.
I study the wolves a little more and grow uneasy. They may be shifters, but they hold themselves like military. Like Nash, the shifter from the lab outside San Diego. They have the stance of soldiers-shoulders back, chest up. Huge muscles bulging through their black t-shirts. The guns they're carrying don't look like civilian weapons, not that I really know much about guns. And they definitely know how to handle them. Not like thugs who bought themselves big guns on the black market. But like professionals who handle guns with respect and care.
Could these men be working for the government? Could they actually be part of this program? Maybe a result of it?
I narrow my eyes. "What do you know?" I counter.
He looks at me for a long time. "I know who dismantled this lab." His gaze meets mine squarely.
I relax. "You did?"
He gives a single nod.
"I know who took down labs just like it in California and Utah," I tell him.
Again, the quiet nod. "Your pack?"
"Extended pack, yes."
"So you know what they did here? This Data-X corporation?" He lifts his chin in the direction of the building.
"Unfortunately, yes. Were there… survivors?"
He considers me another long moment, as if still weighing whether he can trust me. "Yes. And they require placement. We can't keep them here safely long term. Taos is way too small."
I scrub a hand over my beard. "I will talk to my alpha, but I'm sure they can be accommodated in Arizona-either Tucson or Phoenix or both. There's plenty of room and employment if they're seeking asylum."
The alpha steps forward and extends his hand. "Rafe Lightfoot."
"Titus Brown. This is Sunny Hines. Her daughter's father was killed in one of the labs."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Rafe offers as he shakes her hand. To me, he says, "Check with your alpha. I'm not going to expose these shifters to anyone new unless I have assurances they will be given full assistance."
I nod my agreement and pull out my phone.
The shifter who mocked me earlier snorts and I quickly realize why. There's no cell phone coverage out here. Zero bars.
"Give me your phone number," I say to Rafe.
He doesn't move. His ability to remain perfectly still is unnerving. The one who I'm pretty sure must be his brother has the same mastery. "We'll rendezvous. Ramirez Bar at sixteen hundred hours."
If I had any doubt of their military background, it's gone. "Who are you guys?" I demand.
"We're nobody," he answers. "And I'll ask you to forget you ever met us when this is over."
I shrug. I can live with that. If they're some kind of secret-ops organization that takes down government-funded atrocities, I'm not going to protest. "Sixteen hundred hours. Ramirez Bar."
"That's right. We can give you a lift back to your bike, seeing as how your female had some difficulty scaling the rocks."
He says it mildly, so I don't take offense, but then the shifter who's been an ass from the beginning says, "You might need to get your nose checked. You do know you marked a human, right?"
I don't think. I just growl and launch myself at him, but the two others catch me and pull me back. They're strong enough to hold me, but I struggle until Sunny slips around the front of me and puts her palm on my chest. My wolf instantly calms.
"Don't mind Deke," Rafe murmurs. "He's always spoiling for a fight."
Deke's laugh is slightly maniacal. Okay, the guy's got a screw or two loose. Not my problem.
I ease up and they release me.
"Mention my female again and you're dead," I warn him.
He grins from ear to ear and fucking winks.
Crazy bastard.
Sunny's still got her hand on my chest, pushing me back, so I shift my focus to her. Where I want it to be, anyway.
The other man holds out his hand. "Lance, I'm Rafe's brother." Another shifter of few words.
I shake it and nod. Sunny offers hers with that wide smile. Neither of us offer a handshake to Deke.