Page 48 of Shattered Fears

“Hi.” She waved. “Sorry if this is rude, but what are you?”

Ethern laughed, “I’m a multi-shifter like Selene. This is me in the disguise of a witch.”

“It’s not much of a disguise.”

“No, I guess not.”

“Isobel, this is Hunter Windsor. He’s alpha of the Kansas wolf pack.”

Hunter held his hand out for Isobel to shake it. She did, trembling with nerves. The wolf was massive. She was pretty confident he had muscles on his muscles. He could squash her like a fly with one swat, if he wanted to.

“Nice to meet you,” she stammered. “I hope you’re going to help with getting Zain back. I think everyone will run in the other direction when they see you.”

Hunter threw his head back and let out a howling laugh. Tyler joined him before stopping and looking at the ground.

“Sorry, a force of habit. Hear a wolf, and I have to howl as well. It’s a canine thing.”

“Speak for yourself.” Teagan raised her eyebrow at her lover. “You didn’t hear me open my mouth.”

Tyler frowned at her before wrapping his arm around her waist and bringing her closer to him.

“I’m sure Zain is going to have strong words with me for even asking this of you, but do you want to help us?” Kas asked.

“Hell, yes” She didn’t even need to think about the answer.

“Jessica has a connection to Zain. We know where he is. He’s being held in a secure facility just outside of Helena. It’s guarded by ten large men with rapid firing guns, but they keep a low profile.” The team all stepped in closer to Kas while he spoke. Isobel had to admit he had a commanding presence about him in a situation like this. “That fact is what helps us. Despite the press releases, it seems they don’t want to announce shifters to the larger community, yet. It doesn’t surprise me. Humans are well known for their ability to panic at anything different. It gives us an advantage. Hunter, Brayden, Tyler, Katia, and Scott, I want you five to concentrate on distracting the guards. Ethern, help them out with magic, anything you can do to stop the bullets from finding their target would be advisable.”

“I’ve got just the spell up my sleeve.” Ethern nodded.

“Jessica, I want you to drop me, Emma, Isobel, and Teagan in the thick of it. Right into the same room as Zain. Teagan, Emma, you deal with any guards who appear. Isobel and I will work on getting Zain free and dealing with her father. Jessica, you said you thought Kingsley was with Zain as well?”

“Yes, I sensed him in the room. I don’t know him well enough to get a full reading on him, but I did sense pain from someone else. It felt like the Kingsley I’d met a few times.”

“Pain,” Isobel spluttered and felt her legs weaken.

Kas sighed heavily, “I was going to prepare you in a minute, but I’m afraid our words have necessitated I do it now. Your father called me from Zain’s mobile a little while ago. He made demands for your return and had a chunk of flesh cut from Zain’s abdomen.”

She slapped her hand over her mouth as bile rose promptly to her throat, on hearing those words.

“Our bodies heal quickly. Zain will be alright, but we suspect he may have done the same to Kingsley. Human bodies don’t heal as easily. Unless they’ve administered painkillers to your brother, he’ll be in considerable discomfort.”

“He wouldn’t?” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her own father was torturing her brother. It was too much to take in.

“I’m afraid, given what Jessica feels, it is likely to be true.”

She gulped, but it wasn’t enough to keep the bile down this time. She turned and vomited over the crisp white snow.

“How can he do this?” She stood back upright and clutched at her stomach as she continued to dry heave.

Kas brought her into his arms and stroked the top of her head. It made her long for Zain’s touch even more.

“I fear your father has lost his mind. He’s scared of what he doesn’t understand, and instead of asking questions, he’s trying to rid himself of a threat that isn’t even there. He’s going about it all the wrong way and creating more problems.” Kas held his head up high and addressed everyone. “We do not shift when we’re there. Ethern, obviously you’ll be the only one who’ll look differently to a human because your magic’s needed. We don’t allow our claws, fangs, or fur to appear, which would reveal us to be the wild beasts they think we are. We fight as humans. We show them unity as a pack. We do not, under any circumstances, maim or kill them. We can render them unconscious, but we need to show them we’re the better people. Prove that shifters aren’t dangerous animals who will eat them. We’re peaceful and only forced into violence when provoked, which is just human nature, and they can’t deny it. Now, let’s go and get Zain back.”

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