The men shifted uneasily, their weapons wavering slightly. Confusion rippled through their ranks at this unexpected welcome. After a moment of awkward silence, one man stepped forward. His red armband marked him as some kind of leader.
"We're here for the shifters," he declared, trying to sound authoritative despite his obvious uncertainty.
Jacinth blinked at him with exaggerated surprise. "Oh! You want a shifter?" She turned to Liam, her expression comically wide-eyed. "They want a shifter!"
"Well," Liam drawled, his hazel eyes glinting with dangerous humor, "I guess we'll have to give them one then."
Beth felt Tyr's arms tighten around her as Liam's form blurred and expanded. Where the veterinarian had stood moments before, a massive white Great Pyrenees now towered, his impressive bulk somehow even more intimidating than the men's weapons. The dog's thunderous bark shattered the nightair, making several of the armed men stumble backward despite their firearms. Others started yelling "Shifter! It's a shifter!"
The rest of them panicked at the sight of Liam's transformation, their formation breaking as several bumped into each other. Beth couldn't help snickering as she watched these supposedly tough guys retreat from a single dog. Beside her, Tyr's chest rumbled with quiet laughter.
"Not quite what they were expecting, I'd say," Tyr murmured against her ear, his amusement evident in his voice.
The leader—the man with the red armband—recovered first, raising his rifle to shoulder height.
"Stay where you are!" he shouted, voice cracking slightly. "All of you!"
Jacinth tilted her head, examining him with the casual interest one might give a mildly interesting insect. "Or what?" she asked, her tone light and curious.
The man's jaw tightened. "We want the shifters. Hand them over, and nobody gets hurt."
Liam's massive canine form moved forward, head lowered, his eyes fixed unflinchingly on the leader. He placed himself protectively in front of Tamera and Jacinth, and a low, rumbling growl vibrated from his chest, the sound carrying across the parking lot with unmistakable menace.
"I don't think he likes your offer," Jacinth said, patting Liam's broad white head. "And frankly, neither do I."
The leader's eyes darted between Liam and the clinic building. "This whole place is lousy with shifters." He took a step forward, stopping abruptly when Liam's growl intensified. "This doesn't have to get messy. Just send the rest of them out."
"And why exactly do you want them?" Tamera demanded, her voice carrying despite her smaller stature. "Who sent you?"
"That's not your concern," the leader snapped, though Beth could see his confidence wavering. "Last chance. Send out therest of the shifters, or we start shooting. And you," he waved his gun toward Liam. "Get over here. Now."
From inside the clinic, Beth felt Tyr's muscles tense. His arms tightened around her waist, ready to move at superhuman speed if necessary. She knew without asking that he could have her safely away in less than a heartbeat.
"You could try shooting," Jacinth offered helpfully, examining her nails again. "But I wouldn't recommend it."
The leader's face flushed with anger. He gestured sharply to his men. "Spread out! Surround the building!"
As the men moved to comply, Jacinth sighed dramatically. "Now you're just being rude."
Beth pressed closer to Tyr as she watched the scene unfold. The leader turned to a stocky man beside him, jerking his head toward Liam's massive white form.
"Take it out," he ordered.
The stocky man raised his rifle, but before he could aim properly, several others pushed forward, brandishing baseball bats and crowbars.
"Hold up!" A tall man with a red bandana waved his bat. "Let us have a go at him first. Been waiting to crack some shifter skull."
"Yeah," another chimed in, slapping his bat against his palm. "Save the bullets for when we really need 'em."
Beth's stomach churned as more men crowded forward, their weapons glinting in the headlights. The casual way they discussed violence made her skin crawl.
"What about the women?" A voice called from the back of the group. "Don't forget why we came here."
"Right." Another man stepped forward, leering at Tamera. "We can have some fun once we clear out the freaks."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.
Beth shuddered, and felt Tyr's arms tighten around her protectively as several men's gazes swept over the clinic windows, searching for more targets.
