Jimmy hadn’t expected the bond to be so strong. It was amazing being able to feel so close to Francis. They’d bonded two weeks ago, and it had been the best two weeks of his life. On the drive home from work after his twelve-hour shift, he felt the tickle of agitation start to develop behind his eyes, and it grew the longer he drove. When he finally made it home, his fear grew when he saw other vehicles in their driveway.

He stepped into their house and froze. Standing in the living room were Jamie and Max. “What’s up?”

“The Bureau thinks the Brethren are going to try one last attack," Francis stated.

His gaze zeroed in on Jamie. “Your baby, she’s okay?”

Jamie slid his arms around Max, and they hugged as he spoke, “Elizabeth is safe. She’s with Brook and her family. Local law enforcement has surrounded their house, along with a shifter patrol and my dad.”

“What are they planning? Another bombing?” Jimmy asked.

“The Bureau doesn’t know. Some chatter was picked up in chat rooms, and I was notified by my former supervisor in the FBI,” Francis said. “Then, I called Jamie and Max.”

“What can we do?” Jimmy went over to his mate and pulled him close, kissing his cheek before turning back to Jamie and Max.

“No one wants this fight to go down in Lyons. The Bureau is sending in a tactical unit to the Loveland facility as soon as they have the warrant.”

“Anyone else coming to help?” Jimmy asked.

“Homeland Security is letting the Bureau take the lead. The field agents from the Denver office are on their way, but it might take them a few hours to organize," Francis grumbled, and his mood darkened.

Jimmy squared his shoulders and ground his teeth together. “Maybe we should go and stake the place out. You know, make sure none of the Brethren try and slink away before the FBI arrives.”

Francis protested, “No way, Laughton. If you go, you could lose your job. You’re with the State Police and have no jurisdiction there tonight.”

“Fuck that,” Jimmy swore. “I’m not letting those bastards harm anyone else. I can find another job.”

He looked at Max and Jamie. “You in?”

Jamie answered, his expression hardening. "Those assholes tortured my unit and did medical experiments on me. Of course, I'm in."

Max kissed his mate’s head, “Wherever Jamie goes, I go.”

He met Francis’ gaze, feeling the dread from his lover but also the silent resignation that they were going to do this. He would keep his man safe. The Brethren had done too much damage to their kind to sit this out.

They checked their weapons and ammunition before heading out to the compound just west of Loveland. They were dressed in black so they would blend into the shadows. They parked far enough away so no security systems could pick them up and crept silently onto the land surrounding the compound. Jimmy had expected some resistance, at least armed guards in the woods, but they faced nothing.

Jamie and Max signaled they were heading to the other side of the compound to watch and make sure the Brethren members didn't try and escape on the west side entrance, while Jimmy and Francis took the east side.

An hour passed, and no sound came out of the rambling log cabin and outbuildings. They stayed low, just in case the Brethren had placed snipers in the woods. They kept in touch with Jamie and Max via text messaging.

Finally, Jimmy saw the lights of half a dozen government sedans and one SWAT mobile unit enter the driveway of the compound. Francis whispered, “Stay here. The Feds have arrived. We don’t want them to accidentally shoot us thinking we’re the Brethren.”

Within twenty minutes, the tactical unit had surrounded the main building. Flashbangs were shot into the windows, and then the team used a battering ram to break down the door. Jimmy expected gunfire, but none came. He glanced at Francis, questions in his eyes. Francis shrugged, then turned back to the unfolding attack.

Another tense fifteen minutes passed, and Francis' phone lit up. "Kirby," he answered.

Jimmy watched the building, wondering what had happened. When his mate hung up, Jimmy spoke, “Did they get away?”

“No.” Francis shook his head slowly, his brows bunched tight.

Impatient, Jimmy growled, “Well, what happened?”

Francis held up his left hand to stop any further conversation. “Let me text Max and Jamie. We should head to the building and meet with Special Agent Winchester. He said he would explain.”

His mind reeled with confusion, but he followed Francis out of the protection of the dense brush down to the main compound where law enforcement was securing a crime scene around the perimeter of the building.

They were about twenty feet away from the main building when an older agent, his dark curling hair cut short per FBI regulations, ducked under the crime tape and stepped closer to them. “Kirby. I thought I told you to stay home.”

Francis smiled his special smirk, the one that drove Jimmy wild in bed but made him fear for his mate's safety otherwise. "Winchester, since when did I ever listen?"

A grunt and a cut-off laugh accompanied his retort. “Never. But you’re a civilian now. And who’s this?” He gestured towards Jimmy.

“My mate and your former informant in Loveland.”

Winchester threw his hands up in the air. “You are shitting me. You brought a civilian to my FBI raid?”

Jimmy opened his mouth, but Francis beat him to the punch. "My mate is a Colorado State Trooper. Hardly a civilian."

That seemed to really piss off Winchester, and his brows drew together in an agonized expression of disbelief. When Jamie and Max suddenly appeared from behind them, shock quickly yielded to fury on Winchester’s part. "Jesus Christ, you two? What in my miserable life did I ever do to deserve this?"

He stalked off, leaving the four men to ponder what had happened inside the Brethren compound.

Max’s eyes were wide. “What happened? Why is Winchester so upset?”

Jimmy knew Max had worked with the man on the Brethren Task Force before and after Jamie had been kidnapped.

Francis answered, “Apparently he’s unhappy that a bunch of civilians turned up at a crime scene.”

Jamie laughed so loud a bunch of agents turned around and glared at him. “Does Agent Winchester remember I got kidnapped twice by the Brethren? Where else did he think we’d be if he told us an arrest was about to happen?”

Francis shrugged in agreement. “Look, I see a guy I know from the Denver office. Let me go and talk with him. See what I can find out.” A devilish look came into Francis’ eyes. “You three stand here and try to look like you belong.” As he walked away, he said, “Don’t touch anything!”

Jimmy muttered under his breath, “Asshole.”

“Love you too, babe,” Francis quipped over his shoulder.

Jamie, Max, and Jimmy waited on the edge of the growing crime scene watching agents, crime scene technicians, and other law enforcement personnel swarm the area. Finally, Jimmy saw his mate come into view, and his stomach clenched tight when Francis' expression turned bleak. Through their bond, Jimmy could sense Francis' anxiety, and icy panic twisting around his heart. What the hell had happened?

When Francis reached the three of them, his eyes had a burning, faraway look in them. Jimmy reached for Francis’ hand, afraid at what his mate might tell them. Had the Brethren slipped away again?

“Francis?” Jamie was the first to ask. Concern on his face showed the fear he had to feel about his daughter’s safety.

Francis squeezed his fingers and sent a wave of calm through their bond, reassuring him. The love and affection from his mate almost made Jimmy smile, but he knew deep down something was terribly wrong.

“You can call your dad, Jamie. Elizabeth is going to be safe.” He paused and took a breath. “We’re all going to be safe from now on. The last of the Brethren are dead.”

“What?” Max squeaked. “How?”

There was a faint tremor in his voice as though some latent emotion had touched him. “Mass suicide.” He gestured to the building behind him. “It looks like they pulled a Jonestown. They’re all dead, including the three who’d been on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.”

Jamie and Max visibly relaxed, then hugged and kissed each other. They broke apart, and Jamie exclaimed, "I have to call Brook and my dad." Max followed Jamie about twenty yards away before they stopped and pulled out their phones.

Jimmy and Francis turned away to give them some privacy. He knew both men had been through hell at the hands of the Amity Brethren.

It was finally over.

“You okay?” Jimmy asked Francis.

“Yeah, just in shock. I expected a shootout. When I was undercover with them, they said they’d never be taken alive, but I couldn’t have predicted this.”

Jimmy gathered Francis into his arms and felt him relax, sinking into the embrace. Francis dropped his chin on Jimmy’s chest with a sigh of relief. In return, Jimmy wound his arms inside Francis’ jacket and around his back. They breathed in each other’s scents and let the calming sounds of nature soothe them.

Winchester wasn't happy with them, but Francis had explained how they'd been hunting in the foothills and happened upon the compound. When he saw two men who were wanted, he'd followed but hadn't entered the building. Instead, they'd called Max and Jamie, asking them to bring some clothes. Winchester seemed to doubt that bit of their story and questioned why Francis didn't call the FBI. He'd said he was about to when the tactical unit had shown up and that he didn't want Winchester to get a look at him naked. Winchester agreed that he didn't want to see Francis naked.

After a few more grumbles from Winchester, they were released along with Max and Jamie who were desperate to get home to their baby.

Francis held his hand on the drive home. He didn’t mind at all that Max drove them to Brook’s and said more than once they were happy to walk home.

The town felt safer, the stars brighter. The people who had terrorized him and his friends were gone. The ball of fear that had sat heavy in his stomach lessened. After a quick shower, they headed to bed, and Jimmy lay there for a long time, thinking about everything that had happened. Moving to Colorado had been the best decision ever. His mate had been fated for him. Maybe it had taken them both a while to get to this point, but Francis was his, and now they were finally free of the Brethren.

It was a brave new world. Shifters didn’t have to fear the Amity Brethren ever again.

At that thought, Jimmy rolled over and threw his arm over Francis' chest. Warmth spread, and his soul calmed. He had everything he'd ever wanted. Francis snuggled closer, and he felt serene vibes wash over him before Francis sat up and stared into his soul.

“You saved me, Jimmy Laughton. You may think I was the one who saved you, but you saved me.”

“We’re a good pair.”

“We are. And one day soon we’ll make good parents,” Francis said.

Jimmy nodded. “We will. We’ll find someone who needs a home, and we’ll be the best parents for them.”

“I hope so,” Francis said as he stretched out and nestled next to him.

This life with Francis Kirby was better than anything he'd ever thought he would have. Together they made an impressive team, and together they'd conquered the obstacles life had put in their way. They'd fought together for their happiness, and he knew it would only get better from here.