My blood was pulsing through my veins and there was a roaring in my ears. I forced myself to step back. I blinked several times, trying to remind myself it was Jake and not one of the Raglan. I gulped in deep breaths and looked down at my shaking hands.
I took a few more steps back as Grant and Silas got to work removing the straps from Pike and helping him to his feet. He wasn’t entirely coherent which would make it a struggle getting him out of the building without drawing attention.
Feeling another spike in adrenaline, I got back to work. Jake was already a crumpled bloody mess on the floor, but I used duct tape from my pack to bind his feet and hands. “Sorry man,” I whispered.
He gave me a barely recognized nod and rolled his eyes. I smirked and then moved to also secure the other guy.
With Pike to his feet and Painter and Grant on either side of him it left me and Silas to safely get us out.
Silas usually kept a level head during a mission, though I’d only actually seen him on the inside a handful of times in all the years we’d worked together. The majority of those were in the early days when he and Painter would go off and do things on their own. They hadn’t been doing that much since the full team had been established and our commitment to taking down the Raglan had increased.
“Ready?” Painter asked.
We all nodded and then waited.
“All clear. You’re a go,” Tarron announced.
Painter opened the door and he and Grant moved quickly back in the direction we came. Silas swept the hallway and then followed them with me backing up and covering the hallway. It was the most exposed we were going to be until we got outside.
Everything continued to go smoothly. With the exception of me getting a little carried away with disabling Jake, the mission was going as smoothly as possible.
“Take cover in the closet on the right,” Taylor said.
Silas moved ahead and opened the door as he ushered Painter, Pike, and Grant inside and held it open for me.
The room was small and cramped. Footsteps were approaching and we could hear voices. As they got closer. I could make out two males and a female.
We were so tight in the closet that I could feel Silas stiffen next to me. His fur started sprouting and I nudged him. He turned wild eyes on me and as his muscles tightened further it felt like he grew three feet more in the confined space.
“Calm down,” I said in a voice low enough that I knew the humans couldn’t hear it.
He snorted and I heard him grunt as his body shuddered. He was trying to regain control, but when the female with them yelped in obvious pain, I thought he was going to shift on the spot. It amazed me that the humans couldn’t hear his heavy breathing.
Silas had always been protective of those weaker than him, but I’d never seen him react so strongly before. He was seconds away from blowing our cover when Taylor spoke again.
“You’re clear but move fast.”
I opened the door and ensured the hallway was clear before allowing Painter and Grant to drag Pike out. They moved swiftly while Silas hesitated. I’d never seen my team leader struggle or lose his head in the middle of a mission.
“Focus and move, now,” I ordered him, even knowing there would be hell to pay for it.
He stared down the hallway and, for a minute, I fully expected him to bolt and try to save every other shifter in the building.
I grabbed the back of his shirt and pushed him into the right direction. He let out a low growl and then shook his head and sighed. He turned and ran after the others.
I checked our six and ran after him. Painter and Grant were already almost to the fence by the time I exited the building. Knowing Ben was watching their backs they didn’t wait or hesitate once we got word to go.
Silas dove through the break in the fence and disappeared into the forest brush. I followed close behind making sure to secure the fence again behind me.
“All clear. Nice job,” Ben praised.
I shot Silas a worried look. It was clear he was still on edge.
“What took you guys so long?” Grant asked.
Silas flinched. I knew that self-deprecating look in his eyes all too well.
“Had to make sure you slow-pokes were clear the whole way out,” I said giving them a smirk I didn’t feel.
Painter snorted and shook his head, but he was grinning. “Nice clean run, boys. Good job. Now let’s double step it back to the rendezvous point before Tarron leaves our ass to hike the whole way back.
“I will, too,” Tarron teased over coms.
As the others picked up the pace, Silas held out an arm and stopped me.
I sighed. “I know, I know. There will be hell to pay later.”
Silas shook his head. “Thanks for…” his voice trailed off as he looked back towards the direction we’d come.
I nodded, unable to formulate words. In that moment there was a silent pact made never to speak of it again. I could be an arrogant shit sometimes, but not over something this serious.
Silas stayed by my side as we ran to catch up and before long, we saw the vehicle in sight and sped up even faster.
Pike Murphy wasn’t exactly a small man. He took up a lot of space and I was the unfortunate one stuck next to him wedged into the back passenger door.
We were almost to the hotel when he stirred. His eyes opened as he stared right into mine. At first, they looked glazed over and still out of it. His forehead wrinkled and his eyes appeared to clear.
“Baine?”
I gulped hard, overwhelmed by his recognition.
“I always knew you would be my purgatory,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry.”
I sighed. “You’re not dead Pike.”
Tarron pulled into a parking spot closest to my room. Great. They hadn’t mentioned that part of the plan, but the intent became clear as he jumped out of the SUV and ran to open the door to our room.
“He’s been through a lot, Baine. Let’s not add to it yet,” Silas said cautiously. It was the first time he’d spoken since our moment in the woods. It was clear my team leader had returned.
I nodded as I got out of the vehicle and walked to my room. Of course he was laid out on my bed.
Ben gave me an apologetic look. “He’ll come through better surrounded by a familiar scent.”
I scoffed. “You have us mistaken for wolves. If anything, my scent will just agitate him more.”
“Guess we’ll see.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder.
I took the one chair in the room and watched as Grant checked him over.
“No physical damage that I can tell.”
“No tracking devices implanted that I can tell either,” Tarron confirmed.
“Where am I?” Pike murmured as he started to come through again.
“You’re free, sir,” Silas said. “I’d love to give you a day or two to recover, but just as a precaution, we’ll be checking out in ten and returning you to your Clan as quickly as possible.”
“You’re taking me home?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Why now?”
“Because that’s your home and where you need to be,” I said. I knew he was still out of it, but that was a stupid thing to say.
Pike sobered. “My Clan.”
“Kano was elevated to Alpha and is doing a great job,” I informed him.
Grant shot me one of his death glares.