Lawson barged through the front door of PRL and walked straight to the security desk and pulled out his gun, pointing it at the male’s face.

“Get down on the floor, face first, and put your hands behind your head,” he barked.

The security guard eyed him warily but didn’t move. Lawson didn’t recognize the male, but he admitted he had some balls.

“Now!” Lawson shouted then punched the male in the face.

His fist connected and blood spurt from the male’s lip when it split open. The human didn’t waste any time after that. He dropped to his knees and laid down, clasping his hands behind his neck. Lawson grabbed several pieces of rope from his jacket and proceeded to tie the male’s hands and ankles. Stuffing a rag in the male’s mouth, Lawson searched his body until he located the access card he needed for the holding cells. Next, he grabbed the key ring attached to the male’s belt loop then lifted him onto the chair behind the desk and used more rope to secure him.

“Let’s get all the staff members together,” Lawson ordered, and he and Devin rushed to the main hallway.

They checked each lab and Lawson was surprised so many of the rooms were empty. It seemed Primary Research Lab had downsized and he wondered the reason. Was this because Jim was no longer in charge? Had word leaked about what was happening in these facilities and those other scientists, like Liv, left because of what was being done to shifters in this organization?

When they reached the end of the hall, they found three females eating lunch in the break room. Lawson demanded they empty their pockets and confiscated their cell phones before locking them in the storage closet. They cooperated without hassle, so he let them take their food, promising someone would release them soon.

As soon as he felt the building was secure, he led Devin to the holding cells, and the area where he was kept a prisoner for three years. He swiped the access card and the heavy door unlocked. The pungent clinical scent seeped inside his facemask, and Lawson fought the urge to gag. It was a smell that signified torture and abuse and awoke the buried memories deep inside his mind.

The first cell they entered was unoccupied. Lawson scanned the small room. It looked exactly like the shithole where he was held captive. An old, stained mattress was thrown on the floor. It had no sheets, blankets, or pillows. Above the bed, a heavy chain was anchored to the cement wall, and at the end of the chain were two large metal cuffs.

Lawson’s heart galloped in his chest, and sweat beaded his brow. He tugged the mask over his head, trying to catch his breath. He felt like he was going to suffocate if he didn’t get some fresh air. Was this a panic attack? He’d never had one, but his lungs felt like they were depleted of oxygen. His breaths turned to pants, and he felt like he was losing control. A sudden pain erupted in his chest, and he leaned over and grabbed his knees. He needed to get his shit together, or the Ravin inside might take advantage of his weakened state.

“Hey, you alright?” Devin asked, but Lawson couldn’t answer. He waved him off as he tried to slow his breathing.

Lawson remembered reading about panic attacks and the recommended tips. One, look around. Find items you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. It was a way of grounding himself. There weren’t many items to focus on in the empty room, so he looked at Devin and began mentally categorizing everything from his boots all the way to his mask. It seemed to calm his erratic heart, and Lawson found he could concentrate and breathe again.

“I think I’m good. I had no idea seeing one of these rooms would push me over the edge. Guess this place fucked me up worse than I realized,” Lawson admitted as he stood and exited the cell.

They did a quick scan of the remaining rooms. Every cell they checked was empty. Not one single shifter or indication someone was detained in the cells.

“You think we wasted our time?” Devin asked as he turned in circles, looking at the empty room.

“We’re not done yet. There’s one more area to check,” Lawson said and led the way to the very end of the hallway.

Seeing the steel door was another punch to Lawson’s gut. On the other side of the door was where he found his dead father. After his panic attack in the first cell, Lawson didn’t know if he could go through with it. He’d been inside several facilities over the past months, and not once did he freak out, but being in the place that held such dreadful memories was all-consuming. But then he remembered Annette’s pitiful face as she talked about her sons. Not knowing if they were alive or dead. No, he couldn’t leave without checking this last room.

Lawson steeled his nerves then swiped the access card. A buzz was followed by a click, and he pushed the door open and stepped inside the vile laboratory.

The stench of death immediately filled his nostrils. He heard Devin gag several times and Lawson covered his nose with his arm, trying to minimize the scent of decay. At first, he didn’t see anything except medical equipment and empty tables, but then he spotted two figures at the far end of the room.

Lawson rushed down the aisle and turned, then suddenly halted. There, on the floor, was a pile of dead wolves. Shifters.

Bile rose in his throat, and Lawson choked on the nauseating smell as his heart shattered into a million pieces. The humans in charge of this facility didn’t have a single ounce of compassion or care for other living beings.

The sound of gagging intruded, and he turned to see Devin vomit on the floor. The male spent several months imprisoned before Lawson and Ryan rescued him from another lab. The truth was, they were both victims of this abuse, and knew it could easily have been them lying on top of the pile.

Lawson maneuvered around the large heap and hurried to the two tables. As he got closer, he could see it was two males strapped to the tables. They had tubes inserted in their arms, draining blood from their bodies. He prayed it wasn’t too late.

The second he reached the first victim he recognized the male. Blade Packard. He glanced to the second, and his suspicion was confirmed. Slate. They were pale and motionless, and Lawson feared they were dead. He pressed a finger to Blade’s neck, checking for a pulse.

“Is he alive?” Devin muttered.

Lawson sighed his relief when he felt the faint thump. “Yeah, but barely. We need to get them the hell out of here before the guards return. Think you can carry him, and I’ll get Blade?” Lawson asked as he ripped the tube from the male’s arm.

Blood immediately pooled but he didn’t have time to deal with that right now. He had a few supplies in the van that would stop the bleeding.

“Yep. What about the others?” Devin asked as he glanced at the dead wolves.

“We don’t have time. We’ll have to leave them. Get a head count, and we’ll pay tribute to their lives,” Lawson replied and swallowed the emotion clogging his throat.

He wished he knew the names so he could contact families. He hated leaving them but there were too many, and he and Devin were on borrowed time. Without another word, Devin walked over to Slate and yanked the hose from the male’s arm then lifted Slate off the table, throwing him over his shoulder.

Lawson was impressed. Devin wasn’t a big male, but that didn’t diminish his strength. Lawson pulled his mask over his head then lifted Blade, balancing him over his shoulder. He grabbed his gun off the table, and the two rushed from the room.

Lawson and Devin were slowed by their heavy burdens but managed to get to the main hall of the building with no interference. Hope surged when the exit came into view, and Lawson picked up his pace.

Suddenly, the door swung wide, and two females walked through the door. They were wearing lab coats, so he presumed they were staff. When one of the females spotted the security guard, she screamed.

Lawson raised his gun to toward the ceiling and fired two shots, grabbing the females’ attention. “Get on the ground now,” he ordered, and the two immediately dropped to the floor.

Lawson rushed toward them, gun pointed at their heads. He didn’t want to shoot, but he refused to let two humans stop them from leaving. He contemplated tieing them up but decided that would waste too much time. By the time they called the police, he and Devin would be long gone. He doubted the authorities would be involved because they would have to explain the pile of dead wolves on the premises.

He and Devin barreled out the front door and dashed across the lot to the van and Jeep. Lawson scanned the parking area but didn’t see anyone. They opened the side door and carefully laid Blade and Slate in the van. Lawson grabbed his duffel bag and retrieved gauze and medical tape. He folded the fabric and placed it over the holes in their arms then wrapped medical tape to hold the bandage in place and add needed pressure. That would at least stop the bleeding.

“Are we taking them to Safe Haven?” Devin asked as he made his way to the driver door.

“No. Follow me,” Lawson replied as he slammed the van door shut.

He was taking the males home.

Liv turned down the dirt road, praying this was the right one. She had already taken two wrong turns, and gotten lost, trying to find her way back to the Packard’s cabin. Their location was so remote, even GPS didn’t acknowledge it.

She exhaled when the small cabin came into view. Her Jeep was parked beside a van she recognized, and there was another truck beside the van. She parked her mom’s car and got out then trekked to the cabin.

She knocked, but no one answered. She turned the handle and slowly opened the front door then stuck her head inside. “Hello,” she called out.

“Back here, Liv,” she heard Lawson reply.

She closed the door and made her way down the hallway where the bedrooms were located. When she reached the first room, she spotted Lawson leaning against the wall. He looked up and met her gaze. “Hey, babe,” he said and reached for her hand.

Liv hurried to his side and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. “Hi. How are you?”

He squeezed her so tight the air rushed from her lungs. “Better now that you’re here,” he whispered in her ear then kissed her cheek.

Liv glanced around the room. Devin was leaning against the opposite wall, his eyes fixed on the bed. Annette was sitting on the mattress, holding the hand of one of her sons and Henry was standing beside her, rubbing her shoulders.

Their other son was lying beside his brother on the bed. They weren’t awake, but Liv could see their chests rising with each breath, so she knew they were alive.

“Shouldn’t they be taken to a hospital?” she muttered, and Lawson took her hand.

“Let’s talk outside,” he suggested before he turned and left the room.

Once outside, he tugged her to his chest then leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. “Thank you for coming. Where’s Cassie?”

“I took her home earlier. She said she needed to get some work done. Personally, I think she needed to be alone for a while. This whole thing with Ryan has her all messed up,” Liv explained as she caressed his cheek. “Lawson, those men need medical attention.”

“Probably, but shifters don’t trust human hospitals. We take care of our own. If we can get them to wake up and shift, they’ll be fine,” Lawson replied as he rubbed circles on her back.

Liv recalled after Lawson was shot. He stayed in wolf form until his body healed. The speed at which his body recovered was miraculous. She’d never seen anything like it.

“So what happened at PRL?” she asked even though she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer. Lawson and Devin appeared unscathed, but that didn’t mean there weren’t casualties.

His jaw clenched, and he swallowed thickly. “I failed them, Liv,” he gritted out.

“Who? Blade and Slate? No, you saved them,” she reminded him and turned his face with her palm, forcing him to meet her gaze. “You didn’t fail them.”

“No, not them. The others. They were already dead when we arrived. Liv, there was ten wolves piled in a heap on the floor. Like they were garbage,” he spat.

Liv sucked in a breath. She couldn’t imagine treating people in such a way. It was appalling to think she once worked for that company.

“I’m so sorry. I thought for sure once Jim was out of the picture, the heinous treatment would end. Apparently, I was wrong,” she admitted.

“Liv, I’m done playing nice. This has to stop today,” Lawson announced and reached into his front pocket. He pulled out his cell phone and pressed the screen then placed the phone to his ear.

“Who are you calling?” she whispered.

“Bart, this is Lawson. You need to know what just went down,” he barked into the speaker.

Liv listened as he relayed what happened at PRL. He mentioned the man and woman, saying that it was Jim Jensen’s wife. When he was finished talking, Liv could hear Bart talking on the other end.

And then Lawson’s face turned red, and he blurted, “I’m telling you this because I’m through with humans treating my kind like animals. You’re the fucking governor, and you better do something about this. Otherwise, I’m taking matters into my own hands. I promise you don’t want bloodshed on your watch. Do your fucking job,” he spat then hung up.

Liv’s eyes bulged. She was at a loss for words. She didn’t expect him to call Bart and certainly didn’t think he would threaten him. Her stomach turned, and her mouth went dry. Was Lawson declaring war against humans?

If so, where did that leave them?