Page 49 of August

August tilted his head back toward Ginny then hooted. He wished he could speak when he was in his shift. It would be so handy right now.

“Is that her brother? I thought he was dead?”

August shrugged with one shoulder.

“Damn.” Atticus hummed. “A few jackals died during the battle. The ones alive are being held in the theater since it’s the best building topside with no windows and exits we can easily control. I really need your mate to talk to me. We’ve got some decisions to make.”

August patted one of Ginny’s hands that was resting on his chest.

“It’s Cliff,” she whispered. Then she cleared her throat and sniffled a few times before climbing from his back and standing next to him.

His fierce female.

“He’ll be in his shift for a couple hours. The male he killed was our grandfather, Josiah.” She shuddered slightly and August put his arm around her, letting her lean on him. He hooted at her softly when she looked at him.

Joss came over with Ginny’s brother, who bounded right up to her like a puppy, barking and howling.

She dropped to her knees and put her arms around his neck. “I thought you were dead!”

“This has been a hell of a day,” Joss said, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “August, can you help us cart these males to the theater? Ginny, you and your brother come along with us so you can identify them. Then we’ll wait out Cliff’s and August’s shifts in the employee cafeteria.”

“The park is obviously closed for the day,” Alistair said as he walked over to them with a male slung over his shoulder. “Cael, Indio, and Kelley are rounding up the deer that got loose, and Nathan is on his way to repair the gate. Cael and the boys will check out the norms and make sure they’re all okay.”

“Tank saved my life,” Ginny said as she stood once more and put her hand on August’s shoulder.

“He’s a good fellow,” Alistair said. “We’ve seen him do some amazing things. You can tell us everything once we’re settled in.”

She nodded. Alistair carried the male away. August looked at his sweetheart and hooted.

“I’m okay. I’m going to follow you with Cliff. Just be careful.”

He nodded and hurried over to where the other jackals were either unconscious or too scared to move. He grasped an unconscious male by the collar and hefted him over his shoulder. He caught up to Ginny and Cliff and they made their way out of the paddock and through the park to the theater, where not too long ago they’d had a group date.

Now it was a holding cell for jackals.

He couldn’t begin to describe the strange chain of events that day.

He was just damn thankful they were all safe.

After dumping the male next to another unconscious one, he joined Cliff and Ginny, as she told Jupiter who each male was and he wrote their names on a pad and detailed the clothing they were wearing.

Males were left to stand guard both inside and outside the theater.

August, Ginny, Cliff, and the rest of the park shifters who’d been involved in the battle gathered in the employee cafeteria.

Doc Paula, a wolf shifter who was the park’s main medical person, hustled over.

“You must be Ginny, I’m Doc Paula,” she said. “Have a seat and let me look you over.”

“I’m okay,” Ginny said as she slumped into a chair with a groan.

“Sure you are, but it’s okay to let me have a peek. August, you okay?”

August nodded and settled on his haunches next to the chair but not in the way of the doc as she talked to Ginny quietly and examined her.

The alphas were gathered in the center of the cafeteria. There were at least a dozen males inside the cafeteria along with the alphas. So many had come to their aid.

August was damn proud of his friends and grateful too.

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