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Tara watched as everything happened in slow motion. Bruce’s body jerked as the bullet hit him in the head. Grant collapsed, falling away from Bruce.

Why had Mark, Grant’s superior, shot him? Realization gripped her. This man was the mole within Grant’s organization. Then wasn’t he working with Bruce? Confusion and despair squeezed her insides.

Tara screamed and ran forward, ignoring the man’s warnings. If they wanted her liver, they wouldn’t shoot. They wouldn’t kill her. Not yet. Hot tears scorching her cheeks, she dropped to her knees next to Grant. Blood pooled around Bruce’s head. A bullet to his brain. He was obviously dead.

But Grant. Oh Grant…He’d been shot too. She leaned over him, gasping for air, reaching for hope that he still lived.

When Grant’s eyes fluttered open, then shut, she tried to hide her momentary thrill he hadn’t been killed. Then she remembered, he had on a vest. Mark would suspect that of course. His approaching footfalls told her that Mark would be upon her in seconds.

“Get up!” he shouted.

Her back to him, she didn’t move but forced him to tug her up and away from Grant who remained motionless. At the same time, she pulled the weapon from Grant’s fingers and twisted around. Grant sprang to his feet in one smooth movement, slamming his fist against Mark’s forearm and grabbing his weapon. Both Tara and Grant pointed weapons at Mark.

With a half smirk, he chuckled. “Do you think I came alone? You’re not getting out of here alive.”

An explosion resounded outside. Tara ran to the window and shifted the curtains. “Is that your red truck out there? Because it’s blown to smithereens.”

Could it be?

Tara shrank back with another explosive concussion that sent the minivan rolling.

She whirled and caught Grant’s eyes. “Matthew? You brought Matthew into this?”

With a half grin, he shrugged. “Plan B.”

“You have it wrong, Mark. The men closing in are the good guys.”

When Mark’s gaze traveled to the window, the questions flashed in his eyes, along with doubt and fear.

Tara approached, wanting more answers. She poked Mark in the chest. “Why would you betray Grant? Why work with Bruce and then kill him? Are you worried about the world population too, or were you simply working the bioterrorism angle to develop and sell a biological weapon to the highest bidder?”

His face bent into a smirk. “I don’t have to answer you.”

Could Mark have killed Bruce because he had his own plans for the virus that weren’t in line with Mark’s and the bioterrorism organization?

The door burst open. Tara edged closer to Grant. All weapons aimed at Mark. Tara thought Matthew would march in, a mixture of worry and triumph on his face, but instead another man strolled into the now crowded cabin.

“Dale…” Grant’s voice echoed with unease.

The tall, lanky man named Dale gripped Grant’s hand. “Good work, McCall.” The man’s ocean blue gaze turned on Tara. “You must be Dr. Blackburn.”

She nodded, unsure about this new development. Was he a good guy or a bad guy?

He chuckled. “I can see you’re both confused. It’s simple really. It became obvious who had leaked the information that you’d found Dr. Blackburn. Since then, I’ve been monitoring Mark’s every move.” His gaze dropped to the man on the floor. “I’m sorry we didn’t get here soon enough, though.”

“Tara!”

The familiar voice wrapped around her. She spun to see Matthew rushing to her. He hugged her like he was truly her father. Kent approached Grant and Dale.

Grant’s Plan B must have played a key role. She released Matthew. “I can’t thank you enough. You saved our lives.”

Matthew’s wise gaze traveled the room. “I think we were more a distraction from the looks of things. At least until the cavalry arrived.”

“I’ve been worried about you.”

“No need.”

“And the wolves?”

“Never better. You worry too much.” Matthew leaned in closer. “Didn’t I tell you that you could trust him?”

“You did. I guess you’re a better judge of character than I am.”

“Don’t beat yourself up. I’ve had decades of practice.” Matthew stiffened and then crossed his arms as Jason drew closer.

He’d been looking on as though a spectator while she and Grant had battled first Bruce and then Mark. She didn’t blame him for his inaction. He was accustomed to lab work, and never got into the field. At least he’d been outraged on her behalf that Bruce had planned to kill her and extract her liver for the virus.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“No. How can any of us be okay?” He stared at his shaking hands. “I want to confess. I...I lied. I didn’t want them to get the virus. You made it sound vital that no one got it. I still have it back in my lab at the house. I didn’t know they would go this far to get it.”

“It’s okay. They would have killed us all anyway, Jason. I’m the one who is sorry—for dragging you into this.”

Grant and Dale had eased closer, listening to Jason’s confession.

“And we’ll relieve you of that, Dr. Steller,” Dale said. “We’ll need to study the virus, work on creating a vaccine in case what you have isn’t the last of it.”

Tara stood back and watched Grant interact with his peers. His expression somber, he handed a cuffed Mark Summers off to officials. Then passed the weapons he’d retrieved from both Mark and Bruce over to Dale. Though she assumed he was as relieved their ordeal was over as she was, his demeanor appeared defeated nonetheless. Betrayal could do that to a person. She felt the bite of Bruce’s betrayal to her core.

Once Mark was out of the cabin, Grant drew Tara in closer then directed his words at Dale. “What’s going on? How could he betray his country? How could he kill Bruce who worked with the same organization?”

Dale’s features turned pensive before he answered, then, “Mark Summers is the head of the bioterrorism organization we know as SCAR. We have the money trail to prove it. He killed Bruce because he had different plans for the virus. His reason for sending you to the razed village was for the sole purpose of confirming all were dead. That no one survived who carried the virus. And if someone had survived, he needed to bring them in. With his facilities destroyed, he’d become desperate to recover what had taken time and money to develop.”

Grant hung his head. “And I led him right to her.”

“You did what you had to do. You protected Dr. Blackburn, and in the end we have the virus now, it’s under control and the head of the organization who also served as a well-placed spy in an organization meant to prevent bioterrorism has been captured. I’d call this a win.”

Dale excused himself to speak to one of the officials transporting Mark.

Tara felt it the minute Grant had turned his gaze on her, and she lifted her eyes to meet his. He took her hand, then led her out of the cabin. Matthew and Kent stood in a circle speaking with other men in tactical gear. Matthew was definitely in his element, and she’d let him enjoy it. She was so grateful for her father’s friend. Grant was probably equally as grateful to have a brother like Kent that he could count on to watch his back.

Grant led her into the nearby woods where he cornered her again. Only this time against a tree trunk instead of a kitchen counter.

“So now what?” she asked. “We go our separate ways, I suppose.”

“Yes. I have a job to finish up.” The intensity of his gaze deepened.

“Then why are we here? What are we doing?”

“This.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her. Thoroughly. Her heart rate jumped. She wanted more with this man but it was impossible.

She ended the kiss. “I can’t do this.”

“What? Say goodbye?” He asked.

“This is goodbye.” She tried to slip completely away from him.

“Tara, wait.” He gripped her wrist and held tight. “I wanted to see how you felt about me.”

“Then why not ask me?”

“Okay then.” He scraped a hand down his face. “What do you feel about me? Someone you’ve known a very short time.”

Could she really tell him everything? “I’m not sure it matters what I think or how I feel. We live different lives.”

“So you have thought about a life with me.” A half grin hitched up his cheek.

“Maybe. It was a fleeting thought. But…what do you think about me?” Oh, why had she asked? She stared at her feet, tucked inside his wider stance. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure I really want to know.”

“Here’s what I think. I haven’t met anyone that affected me like you have in much too long. I tried to ignore that, but when I saw him holding a gun to your head…”

“You’ve got my attention. Go on.”

“I knew if we survived this, that I couldn’t let it end. I don’t want it to be over between us. I want the chance to explore what we could have together.”

“I’d like that too,” she whispered.

He hesitated, as though measuring his next words. “What will you do next?”

His question made it sound like they couldn’t make things work, after all. Shrugging, she shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ll contact the WHO. They’ll want to know what happened, of course, but first, I’m going back to the wolf sanctuary to help Matthew. I’m sure he’ll need help cleaning up after his explosions. I’ll probably stay there a few days if he’ll have me. I need time to get over this before I return to work.”

“Good. I have unfinished business I have to get back to.” He kissed her again. Hard and fast. “Wait for me at the wolf sanctuary.”

---

Tara hung out with Shane in the isolated habitat. She’d been back at Arctic Wolves for almost a month already. She wished she could stay here and work with Matthew, but he couldn’t afford her. He could barely afford the wolves.

She’d contacted her superior at WHO and they’d given her two months off for a medical leave of absence if she wanted it. Longer too, if she needed it. A part of her itched to get back to work and throw her head into some complicated viral puzzle. To get back to Africa to assist where needed or head to Indonesia with the team she would have gone with had none of this happened. They were already working in Indonesia without her. She could join them.

But she couldn’t get the images of the burning village, the screams out of her head. Bruce shooting Jamila and Mercy played over and over in her mind. Maybe she was broken and would never recover.

And there was the matter of Grant’s last words to her.

Wait for me at the wolf sanctuary.

Right. Did he really expect her to wait here for him? For how long? And for what? Too many questions without answers. She barked an incredulous laugh. She’d waited all right. But she was done with that. She didn’t even know how to reach the man, for crying out loud. Given his line of work, was he even still alive?

“Tara!” Matthew called from across the grounds. He jogged toward her waving papers in his hand. “Tara, there you are.”

She exited Shane’s habitat. “What’s got you so worked up?”

“The article Grant McCall wrote. Here it is!” Matthew handed the pages to her. “He sent it to me to read and approve first. I printed it out for you.”

Grant…He kept his commitment to Matthew. She should be happy but disappointment that he hadn’t contacted her first—or at all—pricked at her heart. She skimmed the well-written persuasive article that included the stunning images Grant had taken while here, willing herself to be excited for Matthew’s sake. This would make a huge difference for the sanctuary and the wolves. “Oh, Matthew, this is wonderful. Does he know where it will be published?”

“That’s for you to decide.” Grant’s familiar voice wrapped around her.

Tara whirled at the sound in time to catch Grant’s tall and rugged form emerging from a trail. He wore a navy polo shirt and jeans. Had his shoulders always been that broad? She’d missed his handsome face, and how his intense gaze sent warmth sliding over her.

Matthew leaned in and whispered. “Remember to breathe.”

Heat flooded her cheeks, but he was right. Now if only she could slow her pounding heart. Grant approached them, his smiling eyes never leaving hers, and took the papers.

“I have some great connections. We can talk about where it would be the most beneficial to place the article.”

After he handed the pages off to Matthew, he cupped Tara’s cheeks. Her breath caught. He drew her in and kissed her slowly. She should step away from him. Tell him her outrage that he’d taken so long. That he hadn’t contacted her in all that time. Who did he think he was, after all? But she’d missed him. Dreams about Grant had slowly taken the place of her fierce nightmares. That was a good thing, right?

He kissed her breathless, then finally allowed her to come up for air.

Matthew had remained, looking on with a broad grin.

Grant brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his touch tender. “Thank you for waiting.”

“You’re welcome.” It was all she could manage.

“I came to let you know we have some promising antiviral compounds, and a vaccine is close to being developed. The bioterrorism organization has been completely dismantled, thanks to your help. Doesn’t mean another one isn’t already springing up to take its place, but we have to remain diligent.”

“I don’t understand why anyone would want to unleash terror on the world.”

“The reasons vary. Groups or individuals could have a grudge against a particular country. It could be ideological, or they could plan to release the virus and then blackmail the government with their vaccine and make a ton of money. Their goal could be to cause mass panic and disrupt a region. But we won this time,” he said, a measure of disappointment in his voice.

“I’m glad to hear it,” she offered.

He had to be disheartened that the head of the group came within his own leadership as well as someone associated with the CDC and WHO.

The desire for more money could change people, turning them into monsters.

“Can we take a walk?” he asked.

“Of course.”

Matthew started for the sanctuary offices. “I’ll leave you two alone. Thanks for the article, Grant. It’s going to bring in the funds, I can tell.”

“You’re welcome.” Grant took her hand and walked toward the wolf habitats. “I’ve been thinking about us.”

I was hoping you’d say that. “And?”

“Maybe we can put our heads together and come up with our own organization. I have connections who might be willing to fund us. We both want the same things—to expose the injustices in the world and make it a better place.”

Tara smiled. She could hardly believe he’d come back. Grant McCall was standing here in the flesh, saying this to her. “I can’t see myself raising funds or running an organization. I much prefer to be in the field and get my hands dirty.”

He grinned. “I thought you’d say that, so I came up with a Plan B. I can work for the WHO, follow you around and take pictures. That is my background, after all.”

Tara could see him doing that, and his photojournalism, his gift could be used to expose the dark and diseased corners of the world.

Before she could reply he said, “Or if you don’t like me taking pictures, maybe you would prefer this.” He kissed her again, slowly and tenderly.

Then he paused, his voice low and husky. “I just want to be where you are, Tara. Whatever that looks like.” In his eyes, she saw the hope of a future together.

“If I’ve learned anything over the last few months, it’s that life is much too short. I’ll take any plan you come up with.” Tara slid into Grant’s arms, hoping she could stay there forever.

As long as she was with him...she knew she would fear no evil.

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