Page 16 of His Reluctant Mate

Melinda stepped forward, her voice steady despite her racing heart. "And now you’ve found me, or rather, I’ve found you. This ends now, Greaves. We’re taking the information and exposing you."

Greaves laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You really think you can stop me? Or the people I work for? You're in over your head.”

Two armed security guards flanked him, their weapons trained on Melinda and Amy. The guards' presence sent a chill down Melinda's spine, but she forced herself to stay focused, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Joe and Kallik charged in. They didn’t have weapons, but their determination was palpable. Greaves's eyes widened in fear as he recognized Joe’s deadly, protective instincts. It took Greaves only a fraction of a second to realize that despite two armed guards he was in mortal danger. He spun on his heel and bolted through an emergency exit.

"Stop him!" Melinda shouted, but Joe and Kallik had their hands full. The guards had immediately turned their attention to the new threat. When she made a move to give chase to Greaves, Amy grabbed her and held on tight.

“He’ll kill you,” Amy said, terrified.

Joe lunged at the nearest guard in less time than it took the guard to realize the enormous threat that Joe represented. Joe hit him full force, knocking the gun from his hand. The weapon skidded across the floor, coming to rest under a desk. Joe delivered a series of rapid punches to the guard's midsection, forcing him to stumble back.

Kallik tackled the second guard with a swiftness, power and skill that was surprising, both men crashing into a lab table and sending equipment and papers flying. The guard struggled to bring his gun to bear, managing to get off two wild shots before Kallik could knock it from his grasp with a swift elbow to the man’s midsection. The weapon spun out of reach, useless for the moment.

The first guard, recovering quickly, aimed a wild punch at Joe. Joe ducked, then countered with a powerful uppercut that sent the guard reeling. Seizing the moment, Joe kicked the guard’s legs out from under him, and he hit the ground hard, unconscious.

Kallik, still grappling with the second guard, used his knee to deliver a sharp blow to the guard's stomach. The guard doubled over, gasping for air. Kallik didn't waste a second; he followed up with a swift kick to the head, sending the guard sprawling to the floor, dazed and defeated.

Breathing heavily, Joe and Kallik quickly scanned the room. "You okay?" Joe asked, rushing to Melinda and Amy.

"Yes, we're fine," Melinda replied, her voice shaky but determined. She glanced at the emergency exit where Greaves had disappeared. "We have to get this data out."

Joe nodded. “Kallik, make sure those guards are truly incapacitated and then find something to tie them up with. Melinda, you and…”

“Amy,” Melinda supplied.

“You and Amy gather up whatever data you need. Kallik, you stay with the girls, and keep them safe.”

“Don’t let him get away.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him,” said Joe, smiling menacingly before giving her a brief, hard kiss and then turning to race after Greaves.

As he did, Kallik turned to her. “If we need to escape this place, we’ll need appropriate clothing for your friend and your mate.”

Melinda had to wonder at his use of the term mate. She was certain Kallik knew she and Joe were lovers, but ‘mate’ was not a term used by humans and she had not sensed Kallik was a shifter.

“Mate?” asked Amy.

“I’ll explain later,” Melinda assured her..

Kallik nodded. “Finish gathering your data; we’re going to need to move. There could be more of them."

JOE

Joe's heart pounded as he tore down the corridor, his footsteps echoing in the sterile hallways of the facility. Greaves had a head start, but Joe was determined not to let him escape. He sprinted through the maze of passages, rounding corners with a speed born of desperation and training.

Out of sight of Melinda and the others, Joe allowed himself to shift, welcoming the familiar swirling mist as it performed its magic, transforming him into his true form, the massive, powerful sabretooth tiger. His senses sharpened, and he caught the scent of Greaves, his fear mingling with sweat. With a snarl, Joe launched himself forward, closing the distance rapidly.

Greaves burst into the men’s locker room, slamming the door behind him. He fumbled with a keypad, attempting to seal himself inside. But Joe was already upon him. The door splintered under the force of Joe’s attack, shards of wood flying as he barreled into the room.

Greaves screamed, backing away, but there was nowhere to run. Joe's claws slashed through the air, and with a final, swift motion, he took Greaves down. The man’s body crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Joe stood over him, breathing heavily, his anger slowly ebbing away.

He shifted back, his form shrinking and reshaping into human once more. Naked and vulnerable, Joe quickly searched the lockers, finding a set of clothes that fit well enough. He pulled them on, his mind racing with what needed to be done next. They had the evidence, but now they needed to get out, and fast.

As he turned to leave, the door to the locker room burst open again. This time, a group of mercenaries stormed in, weapons drawn and ready. Joe froze, recognizing the man at their head—General Hawkins, his former commanding officer. Hawkins’ presence here could only mean one thing: the conspiracy reached far deeper than they had realized, right into the heart of the military.

"Well, well, if it isn't Joe Crawley," Hawkins said, his voice cold and mocking. "I always knew you had a knack for finding trouble."

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