“Never to be found?” asked Emma. Jesper sighed. “The claw marks and DNA will alert everyone to our existence. He’ll be just another person missing in the wilderness.”
Emma turned to Nexus. “We need to grab every computer and whatever else we can find concerning the drugs. In exchange for allowing her to hunt and murder me, Saskia was going to give Bolton the cure.”
Nexus nodded. “No problem. Although, knowing Saskia, she probably destroyed the formula.”
Nik scoffed. “Bolton wouldn’t reveal Emma’s location before securing the formula.”
Jesper opened the door. “If it’s here, we’ll find it.”
“Good. Let’s get started.”
After they left, Emma felt her shoulders for wings, but found nothing amiss. “I hope they find answers to my peregrine shift.”
“Don’t worry. The lycan lab will determine what to do next.” He lied. The lycan research facility revolved around lycan science, not chimera conditions. Would they even allow a bird shifter in their pack?
Emma shook her head. “Not too worried. I should have been scared shitless to fly so high and so fast, but once in raptor form, all fear left me. It felt so natural.” She sighed. “But to be honest, I don’t want to shift into a falcon ever again.”
“If it’s like our shift, you need to will yourself into the shift. There must have been a trigger.”
“The fall off a cliff had to be it.”
His phone buzzed. “Rylee.”
“Put it on speaker,” said Emma.
Nik nodded. “Hey, ma’am, how goes the mission?”
Rylee skipped the formalities. “How is Emma?”
“Good and—”
Emma blurted. “Alive and ticking, ma’am.”
“Good. Our mission here is complete. A full clean-up crew is on the way. Jesper will stay to ensure we get all their files. I’m sending a helicopter to pick you up in twenty minutes.”
“And the island?” Nik asked.
“Lev, Slade and Cricket are on their way with their clean-up crew and decontamination team.”
“And where are you, ma’am?” Emma asked.
“I’m waiting for you at headquarters. Meet me tomorrow at nine a.m. Bring your new asset Nexus.”
Nik frowned, hoping nothing would change. Emma had asked Jesper to inform Rylee about Nexus and Emma’s bird shifting ability.
“Yes, ma’am.” Emma bit her lower lip. “I guess we’ll talk about my unique shifting talent then.”
“Just rest,” said Rylee in a softer tone. “Over and out.”
Nik put the cell phone away. “Nexus won’t be the only surprise.” Besides Emma shifting into a raptor, it was time he told Rylee about his nightmarish shift after a few drinks. He didn’t expect Emma to keep his secret.
“No kidding. Will Rylee accept a member of a flock rather than a pack?”
Nik smiled. “You have my vote.” Unable to resist, he drew her in and kissed her. He forgot the last few weeks of their dangerous mission. All that mattered was they worked together. If Emma agreed, he would declare their bond.
A helicopter approached. So much for privacy.
Emma smiled as Nexus opened the door and let her into her guest room. “How did you sleep?”