Chapter 13

Picking up the radio, she checked the volume. It was turned up. Of course, she knew this, they’d been on it a few minutes earlier, but her nerves made her look to confirm that. Checking the clock, she turned in her seat and got up. Pulling the med kit out, she set it behind the seat, then looked around. What else? Grabbing two blankets, she set them with the med kit.

When Rayne had told them that the people may not be in the best of conditions, there had been an eerie silence. Opening the cooler, she looked to see it was full of drinks. She knew that also because she’d filled it before they left.

Inhaling, she went and sat back in the driver’s seat. She needed to be ready when they got the call. Looking at the vehicles spread out down the block, yep, they were all there still. Tonight, they had five vans and a larger truck. Deacon had told her the truck was the clean-up, crew. She didn’t really know what that was, but last night a body had been part of the deal. One of the vans was going to be for those helping Tomas, but according to Jesse as they chatted on the drive here, Noah had been one of those and now he was helping free others. So how did they know if they were good or bad people?

She was tired but completely wired at the same time. Her mind wouldn’t stop—at all. The last two days had been so out of her comfort zone, yet she wouldn’t change them if she could. She’d been involved in stopping a group that had been helping the Tomas family for twenty years. Twenty years. That was insane. She would have been four when they’d started. How many lives had they ruined in that time? She didn’t even want to guess an answer. She had been involved in stopping them, that’s what mattered. For the first time in her life, she felt like she had a purpose.

Then there was Deacon, he was a hard one to figure out. He was quiet most of the time but had no problem conversing when the mood struck him. The way he’d stood up for her when Nox had started made her think he was just another male that liked to give orders, but that wasn’t the case. He hadn’t yet told her to do something, not really. I’ll drive, turn here or there, didn’t really count. She thought of last night on the drive, he may be the only male she’d ever met that didn’t jump at the chance to shift and go for a quick run. She frowned and looked out the window, although he’d wanted to stand watch while she did, so maybe his job came before other things.

“Back rooms are clear.” York’s voice announced.

Snapping her head around, she looked at the radio, waiting. It had felt like an eternity since they’d gone in.

“Two for you, Nox—so far.” Calum’s tone was as it always was, quiet, calm.

Two? They had two ‘prisoners’ for Bear and Nox to transport.

“One woman and a boy, cleared,” Blair reported. “Completely mobile.”

Completely mobile? Their health must be good, or at least injury-free. That was good.

“Transporters, I need names once they reach your vehicles,” Devin told them from back at the safe house.

Gia nodded to no one. She looked in the mirror again and didn’t care what the others were doing, she was starting the van.

“I have three unconscious that will need a handout, Nox.” Deacon’s voice broke off her internal chatter.

“Copy.” Nox’s cold tone made her roll her eyes. Was a response really required to that?

“Two women, two more boys,” Jesse announced to them. “Completely mobile.”

“Perimeter secured, bring up the vans.” She was pretty sure that was Noah, but honestly hadn’t heard him say more than ten words in the days they’d all been working together.

She pulled the van out onto the street and drove quickly to the corner, checking, she saw the others right behind her, all except the big truck. She spotted Noah on the sidewalk looking around him, he motioned for her to pull right into the drive, so she did. Turning it off, she shifted around in her seat and went back and opened the side door.

“Have a blanket ready, Giana.”

At Deacon’s tone, she grabbed the blanket and jumped out of the van. She anxiously watched the door for him. Blair came out the door first, a small boy and woman with him.

Kobie went running by her, “Alena.” When she reached them, the woman almost threw herself in Kobie’s arms and hugged her. Kobie released her and bent down to pick up the boy. She said something to Blair. He nodded and turned back toward the house.

“Alena Burch and her nephew Indy, from Kobie’s clan,” Blair said in a somber tone.

She turned and looked at Creed, then to the radio clipped to his waist. She couldn’t help the rush that went through her to know they’d found people lost to Kobie.

Deacon came out the door next, he was carrying a woman. Gia rushed forward, trying to see if she was injured. She looked like she was half unconscious. Her black hair was wet and matted to her face. She was so frail her cheekbones were visible. She reached and put the blanket over her. Her clothes were soaked.

“She was in the tub, fully clothed.” He said in a hushed tone.

Gia went ahead of him and had the second blanket in her hand by the time he reached the van. He ducked down and went right in the van with her, setting her carefully into one of the seats. He stayed there, his hands out like he was afraid she was going to fall over.

Climbing in behind him, Gia squeezed by him and tucked the second blanket around her. “You’re safe now.” She said, unable to hide the emotion in her voice. The woman opened her eyes, then licked her lips like she wanted to speak, but didn’t say anything, just closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Gia looked up at Deacon, to find his eyes on her and not the rescued woman. She sucked in a breath to ask if they should call Shaelan here and froze. His scent filled her system, her fox was right there now. Oh no. Dropping her chin, she looked back at the woman. She needed to focus right now and do her job. “What’s your name?”

“Terah.” Her voice was so weak, Gia barely heard her, “my mother called me Terah Matthews.” She licked her lips, “I need to be with water.”

Gia moved back and was going to reach for a bottle of water when the woman’s words registered in her head. “We’ll get you to water.” She touched her shoulder, hoping to convey some comfort. “What’s your clan?”

She opened her eyes a sliver and looked at her. “I don’t know.”

Gia had heard there were shifters born in the captivity of the Tomas organization, ones that had never known their own world, but until now she had thought it was an exaggeration. “Don’t worry about it, we’ll take care of everything.”

Deacon moved out of the van and stood beside it. He touched his ear. “Shaelan, we need you up here.” He was looking toward the back van.

Gia got out of the van and leaned close to him, she didn’t want to talk about the woman right in front of her, but also to check what she thought her brain had smelled a minute ago. “Are there water clans?”

Deacon looked down at her, the hard look in his eyes softened, “yeah. I don’t know the first thing about them though.”

Gia nodded her head slowly, then turned and opened the passenger door, and grabbed the radio. “Terah Matthews. No clan—, she looked at Deacon as she spoke, “that she’s aware of.” She cleared the lump out of her throat, “she needs to be near water.”

“We’ll take her to the campground.” That was Rayne’s voice on the other end.

“Kynlee Molina and her son, Ari, Lane Cohen, and her son Ronan, all from Kobie’s clan.” Blair’s solemn voice came over the radio.

Deacon turned and jogged to Shaelan, probably telling her that she needed water.

“Is she hydrated?” Shaelan came running over and climbed into the van. “Hi, I’m a healer and going to help you be more comfortable for the trip out of here.”

“Am I really free?” Terah asked in a hoarse voice.

“Yes. Yes, you are.” Shaelan answered as she opened the bag. “I want to start an IV and get you hydrated. it will help you a great deal until we can get you to water.”

The woman nodded and leaned over in the seat, so she was propped in the corner.

Shaelan glanced out at Deacon, “tell Cal, we’re riding with you.”

Deacon nodded and turned to watch others coming out. “Cal, Shaelan needs to ride with Giana and me.”

Calum came out the door, a gun pulled as he escorted two men down the walk. He nodded at Deacon, telling him he heard.

Seeing the gun, Deacon pulled his as well and stood there, blocking the open door of the van and Gia from seeing those they were taking to the van Nox was in.

“Averie Little from Kobie’s clan,” Noah said over the radio.

Shaelan paused and looked at Gia, her eyes glistened with tears.

Just seeing that made Gia turn away and look at the house as the others came out. Eight. They’d freed eight of their kind from this horrible life. Deacon jerked his head around and looked at her, she didn’t need words to know he was wondering if she was okay. She swatted at the tear on her eyelash and nodded her head. She looked over to see Blair and Noah carrying out a man.

“These two are covered in so many scars, it’s terrifying.” Bear’s voice broke through her thoughts as the radio in her hand spoke.

“They all still have to go to the refuge until we know if they can be trusted.” Devin’s voice came over the radio. “They’ll get full medical assessments and anything they need.”

She looked over at Deacon.

“They’ll be interviewed,” he gave her a soft look, “some have been in servitude so long they can’t deal with life on the outside.”

“I didn’t know.”

Deacon took a step toward her, then stopped and backed up again. “Noah was one of them, it took him months to be able to function again.”

She turned to see Noah carrying another unconscious man, by himself down the drive, the pained look on his face said it all. He was reliving what he’d gone through. Jesse was practically running alongside him. He put his hand on his arm to slow him as they got closer to the van.

“Shaelan is there something in the kit we can put on their necks?” Jesse motioned to the man in Noah’s arms. “We can’t take the collars off until we are not in a moving vehicle and their necks are raw.”

Shaelan put the medical tape on Terah’s IV and then turned to look at him. “The ointment won’t do much until they’re off. Give them all a shot and keep them comfortable until they reach the facility.”

Jesse nodded and then turned to run after Noah’s long strides.

Gia put her hand over her mouth, not wanting to cry like her heart was telling her she should be.

“Last one coming out,” Calum announced.

Gia turned back to look at the house to see Nox and York carrying a large man out. Calum was right behind them.

“Send the clean-up in. There’s a lot of paperwork in the one room, save it all.” Calum growled.

“I’ll relay the message. Everyone, get moving. This took too long.” Devin’s voice was clipped.

“Dev, there’s one for the campground, she needs the lake,” Calum said in a hushed tone.

“Get her to the chopper.” That was the reply.

Gia jumped and went around to the driver’s side. She opened it and got in. By the time she had the van started, Calum and Deacon were in with doors closed.

“I know the route for the chopper to the campground,” Calum said quietly.

Gia waited for Asher to move his van and then backed out. “Just give me enough warning to turn.” She glanced in the mirror to see Terah’s eyes were open. Even in the low light of night, she could see they were such a true-blue color that they were almost glowing in the night.

“I want you to try to eat this and then get some rest,” Shaelan said quietly. “It’s going to be quite a long trip.”

Gia kept her eyes on the road. Her heart was racing inside her over what had just happened, but more than that, her animal was now quiet and contemplative. Their mate was sitting beside them. Their mate. Could the timing be any worse? She didn’t think so. Her animal better behave, she didn’t need to be distracted while she was driving. She had to get that poor woman behind her to safety.

Deacon looked over and caught her glancing at him. He took off his hat brushed his hair back and then put it back on the right way. The expression on his face told her so many things. He was happy with how things had gone down and there was pride, and she could only think it was for her somehow. Did he know? Had he figured it out just a few minutes ago when they’d been so close too? Terah said something to Shaelan, and it snapped her attention back to the road. Worst timing ever.