Chapter Twenty

He was frozen. His mate was giving herself up. They’d done everything they could to prevent this from happening, but it seemed inevitable. Callie was a good soul. The pain and suffering around her had broken her resolve to fight. While the others would have kept pushing, Callie wanted to keep them safe.

His heart clenched.

Richard shoved Orion away. The shifter stumbled and caught himself, turning with a growl slipping between his teeth. Callie flashed him a glare, one that warned him against intervening. Orion’s growl died.

Morgan was not deterred so easily. As he watched Richard fold his daughter into his arms, Morgan rose to his feet. He kept a wary eye on Richard. The ones Richard had brought with him were on the ground, unconscious or unwilling to stand. That didn’t meant Richard didn’t have fight left in him.

Callie might have thought she’d won through sacrifice, but Morgan wasn’t ready to give her up. This wasn’t how the battle would end. Richard wouldn’t allow it. Morgan searched for signs of betrayal. For a moment, he wondered if Richard really would turn and take Callie back to the Den.

A flicker of movement sent a wave of adrenaline through his body. The beast surged forward, unstoppable. Fur rippled over Morgan’s skin. Muscles bulked, and bones stretched. Richard raised a clenched fist, something sharp in it.

Before Richard could bring it down, Morgan hit them. Richard’s weapon glided over Morgan’s dense fur, useless. Morgan brought his teeth down on Richard’s arm. With a jerk of his head, he wrenched Richard away from Callie and put his body between them. Richard fumbled back but found his footing before rolling his shoulders.

When was the last time anyone had seen Richard’s bear form? Morgan worried that the beast would be larger than life, when another thought crept into his mind. Richard wouldn’t need the army, the weapons, if his beast was capable of fighting. The creature might be old and brittle. It could have been that Richard had lost his beast, forgotten how to let it out.

Whatever it was, Morgan wanted to use it to his advantage.

He let out a snarl, hoping the others understood. Run, he wanted to scream. Run to safety. But no one moved. They all stood by and watched—no. They stood beside him. Even though they were bruised and bleeding, the others stayed to help.

“I always knew you would be a threat. I thought that I’d gotten rid of you the day I convinced Callisto that you cheated on her. It seemed that it didn’t stick as well as I would have liked. Maybe Callisto never deserved the life I gave her.”

Morgan growled a low warning.

“Don’t do this,” Callie pleaded. She was still willing to sacrifice herself. He could see it in the way her shoulders drooped in defeat. It didn’t matter what her father did, she wanted to see this over.

Morgan wished he could apologize. He never wanted it to end this way, but he couldn’t see any other option. Not in the moment. Not when Richard kept trying to tear their lives apart.

A roar rumbling in his throat, Morgan dropped to all four feet and charged forward. Richard’s eyes widened with surprise. In the back of his mind, he hoped Callie would forgive him. Someday, she would be able to look at him and not remember this moment.

But, Morgan was going to make sure Richard died today.

Before he could reach the man, a shot rang out. Richard staggered back. He looked down at his chest, jaw dropping incredulously at the dart embedded in it. Morgan looked to find Orion standing with the rifle butt to his shoulder. Twice more, Orion fired. The darts hit Richard in quick succession.

Richard’s face rippled with what should have been a snarl, but the drug was taking effect. They watched the blue of the liquid silver spread over his skin and take over his veins. The man crumpled where he stood.

The air of tension that hung taut between them snapped. Everyone let out their breath, hushed whispers of air rushing between forms. Callie stepped up to her father’s fallen form. Morgan was right behind her, reluctant to let her anywhere near her own father—even if the man was unconscious.

She nudged him with her boot. When Richard didn’t spring to his feet and yell surprise, she looked to Morgan. He saw the conflict in her eyes. She couldn’t kill him, but if they released Richard, he would only continue to return.

Orion stepped up, rifle pointed toward the ground. “I have an idea if you’re open to it. I know a man in the shipping business.”

Morgan raised a brow but nodded. Richard needed to understand that he could not toy with the lives of Morgan’s family. They were his and he would do whatever it took to protect them.

Reaching, he pulled Callie into his arms. Her body fit into his and helped ease the aching muscles that had been bunched from the fight. It was over. He could allow himself to relax. But, as long as Richard was in his presence, he knew he wouldn’t be able to let his guard down.

Together, he and Reid helped Dom to his feet. When Dom tried to stand, he buckled. A growl emanated from Dom’s chest, low and menacing. Morgan swallowed and knew they had to pay Emmy a visit. She might not be a doctor, but she would know what to do.

Callie moved past them and picked Aimee up from the ground, carefully cradling the small otter body in her arms. Dom twisted in their grip, glancing back at Aimee before he passed out. Reid released his grip on Dom to let Morgan shoulder his friend’s weight.