"These troops are mobilizing." Jackson's voice rang out across the lab. Herbert cringed.
The Colonel sneered. "Your career is over, Captain. Over. You have no idea what you are messing with here."
Jackson took another step toward the Colonel. His gaze fell on Chloe tending to her brother. Her hair was mussed in its ponytail, but she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Now that she was in his life, his military career didn't seem important any more.
"I was looking for something more civilian anyway," Jackson replied, shrugging. "You should just leave now, Colonel."
"If anyone is leaving, it's you." The Colonel cocked his gun. "Dr. Hulsey, hook them back up."
"No one is putting my brother back in there," Chloe said, rising to her feet. Colonel Bronn's face twisted with anger and he swung the gun to point directly at her head.
Jackson's blood went cold. There was no way he would ever reach her in time if Bronn fired. Chloe stood defiant as Bronn's finger trembled on the trigger. Jackson started to move, smelling the gun powder as he heard the bullet release from the chamber, barreling straight for Chloe's head.
Chapter 25
"No one is putting my brother back in there," Chloe stated, rising to her feet. She had just spent the last six months of her life searching for her brother, and now, after finding him hooked up like a lab rat in a tank, there was no way she was going to let him go.
The gun swiveled in slow motion to point directly at her. She squared her shoulders and raised her jaw. She looked Colonel Bronn right in the eye and saw only a lust for power. She wished she could have had more time with Jackson. A muscle in the Colonel's cheek twitched as he pulled the trigger. Chloe closed her eyes.
A heartbeat later, she was still standing. She almost didn't dare to open her eyes, afraid that the bullet would just be closer, but she did.
Standing in front of her, snarling, was Blake. His brown hair grew longer by the second and fur erupted along the edge of his shoulders, poking out from the now ripped seams of his jacket. She could see the fear in Colonel Bronn's eyes as a beast of his own creation stared him down. He held a bloodied hand to his chest, the red streaks leaking onto his uniform. Her brother had swiped the gun out of his hand and it had skittered across the floor and under one of the tanks. Blake made a horrible howling noise, something trapped between human and wolf, and lunged for the Colonel.
The Colonel dodged the wolf-man with more dexterity than Chloe would have given him credit for, but with one smooth motion of his clawed hand, Blake sent the Colonel flying across the lab. Bronn landed with a heavy thud against the wall, sliding down like he was made of spaghetti and landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. Blake took a step toward the wall, ready to finish off his sister's attacker, but his body wasn't strong enough. He stumbled to the floor, his claws clattering on the white cement.
Chloe knelt by her brother, her heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through her system like a drug. She had stared down death in the eye and lived. She smoothed the tousled hair on her brother's forehead and felt Jackson touch her shoulder. She looked up at him. His eyes were golden and full of concern. He touched her shoulder and she could feel the relief at her safety flood through her. She gave him a soft smile and the lines around his eyes relaxed.
Quent had his hands full on the other side of the tank keeping the other two soldiers under control. Even in their just wakened state, they wanted to go to Blake's side. The smell of blood, fear, and urgency was riling them up. They whined as their eyes went golden, trying to get past Quent and Herbert to help their fallen comrade.
"I've got him," Chloe told Jackson with a nod. He straightened to his full height and went to check on the Colonel, walking slowly across the room.
Blake struggled against the floor, trapped between man and beast. His eyes were amber and his teeth pointed from his mouth like oversized Halloween vampire fangs. With every second he seemed to lose more of himself, but yet wasn't finding his way to the wolf. It terrified Chloe to see him like this and she wasn't sure what she needed to do.
"He doesn't know how to control the change," Quent yelled at her, trying to keep control of the other two soldiers. "You have to get him to calm down!"
Chloe frowned and bit her lip; concern and fear rolled in her stomach and she closed her eyes to try and control her emotions. Determination finally found her and she opened her eyes and grabbed her brother's shoulders. Just because he was somethi
ng new didn't mean he wasn't going to listen to her. She had always been his guardian and voice of reason; she still could be.
"Blake, look at me." She put her hand under his elongating chin, the fur spreading across his skin prickly and soft at the same time, forcing his golden eyes to look up at her. "Look at me. I need you to breathe."
Blake whined quietly, but kept his eyes glued to hers. She smiled encouragingly. "Come back to me, Blake. Let the wolf go for now."
Blake took a deep breath and green replaced the gold in his eyes. His shoulders relaxed and the fur receded back into his skin; his teeth disappeared back into his mouth and he resumed his human appearance.
With Blake calm, his fellow soldiers relaxed. Quent grinned at her and Herbert leaned against one of the tanks in relief.
"You've got skill, Chloe. Good job."
Jackson returned from looking at the Colonel, kneeling down beside Chloe and putting his hand on her back. His warmth made her feel stronger.
"The Colonel's out cold. We need to get out of here before any guards come." Jackson moved to help Chloe lift her brother to his feet. It was only a matter of time before someone came looking to hear why a gunshot had gone off.
Quent helped the other two soldiers to their feet, the two of them leaning against one another like sapling trees. Since they hadn't changed as much as Blake had, they had more energy, but were still weak as kittens.
"You are coming with us. You have to face the council," Quent informed Herbert. Herbert paled and shook his head. Fear blossomed in his face.
"No!" he screamed, running past Quent and toward Chloe. Quent snarled, spinning to catch him.