Chase chuckled to himself on the way out of the house. He felt sure he was going to enjoy the rest of his life with his mate. After watching River turn to goo when around Julia, he worried he would look weak with his mate.

But he felt just the opposite. He could take on the world with her beside him. Damn he fell hard and fast. Almost a disgrace if they weren’t shifters and that being the norm.

As he traveled the paved road away from the pack community, a queasy feeling took over his stomach. He was being paranoid again. Had to be.

Sophia would be fine. The hyenas were gone, the mastermind behind Tryx’s kidnapping and the break-ins had been taken care of (even if her body was currently missing), and a coworker was keeping the DNA samples safe for Sophia.

What else was there?

Turning onto the main road leading in, a vibration from his truck snapped him from his thoughts. On the far side town, above the buildings and shop roofs, a fireball of flames and smoke lifted into the air, followed by another smaller explosion.

If he didn’t know better, he’d think the car plant had blown up. That was where he was headed to meet the sheriff. Where hyenas had been spotted.

Chase floored the accelerator and zipped through the downtown streets, running a yellow stoplight, and coming to a stop outside the burning plant’s fence line.

He had to sit a second to take in what his eyes were seeing. Thick black ash floated over the upper portions of the plant, resembling a thundercloud filled with black ink. More smoke continued to pour from broken office windows.

Doors on the first floor were open, people exiting on feet, knees, or over someone’s shoulder—any way they could. Many were covered in ash, keeping their identities hidden.

Chase punched the truck’s engine, ramming through the guard shack’s single arm barrier, flying toward the main production line building where most of the smoke hovered.

He was out of his vehicle and inside the door before his brain caught up with his actions. His instincts were to save and protect. Half his pack worked in the plant. It was the main moneymaker in the small town.

People flowed past him in a heavy stream. It was too dark, smoke too thick to see much of anything. Someone yelled to him, “Alpha, second floor. Help.”

That was all he needed. When he was younger, he spent several years working in the plant side by side with members of his pack. Here, he’d gained the trust and respect of many of his fellow wolves with his strict work ethic and willingness to go out of the way for others.

Taking the stairs three at a time, he was on the second floor swiftly. His lungs were already overcome with the toxic air. Even though wearing his favorite pair of jeans, he shifted, tearing all material on his body to shreds, which he quickly shed.

In his wolf, he moved much faster, closer to the ground where the air was better.

The upper floor consisted mainly of admin offices and conference rooms. Along the back wall of the building, a section in the middle from ground floor to second-level ceiling was blown inward like a missile had been shot from a fighter jet.

A long pile of shattered wood and debris stretched from one side to the other. Chase’s heart squeezed. How could anyone have survived this?

Yet through the chaos and uproar, his senses picked up heartbeats and groans. He shifted to human form and starting chucking pieces of furniture, file cabinets, and drywall every direction to get to those alive.

He dug his way through to an unconscious female, one of his pack. She was bleeding profusely from deep gashes. Summoning his alpha voice, which he didn’t often have to use, he ordered the unconscious woman to shift.

Her inner wolf had no choice but to obey, transforming and mostly healing her fragile flesh. He lifted the animal and carried it to the stair landing, the safest place on the burning level.

The next he smelled was a human male, but there was no heartbeat from him. His wolf cried out inside for the loss of life while he continued through the smoldering fragments.

Others on the floor had found their way from under the wreckage, most confused and in shock. Chase let out a shrieking whistle, drawing their attention. In various zombie-like stages, they made their way toward him. The more coherent helping those worse off.

Behind him, first responders rushed forward, finally reaching the upper floor. He saw Seff and Riel making their way along a different path through the debris. Of course, they had their clothes on, still. Wussies.

A smaller explosion rocked the structure, sending portions crashing to the bottom level. A woman’s scream turned his head.

A female dangled, holding on to exposed wires over the hole that had opened from the blast. Burning remnants were below and above her. The only way to reach her was from a snapped two-by-four sticking out over the gaping maw.

With no thought of his safety, Chase launched himself through flames to the board. He discovered that piece of wood was about two feet long. Not enough space for both of them if he pulled her up with him. There was only one way to do this.

After quickly explaining the plan to the woman, he stretched out and grabbed her wrist. On the count of three, Chase yanked the woman up to the board he lay on, giving her his position of safety. As he fell into the fire below, he prayed one day Sophia would forgive him for abandoning her and the children.