AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay.” Sloane let out a steady breath and told Dex everything. From everything Wolf had said to TIN allowing Wolf to take Dex. “Everything that’s happened has happened because TIN’s allowed it.”
Dex was quiet as he stared down at nothing in particular. He was quiet for so long, Sloane was starting to get worried.
“Babe?”
“They kept you safe.”
Sloane blinked at him. “Yeah, but Dex, they let Wolf take you.”
“Yeah, but when Wolf came back for you, they saved you.”
Why was his partner so damned stubborn? Why couldn’t he see? He should be livid. Sloane was upset, but after what they’d been through, he pushed that aside. With a small smile, he squeezed Dex’s hand.
“Yes, sweetheart. They kept me safe.”
“Okay.” Dex gave him a nod.
“Okay?”
“Yeah.” Dex’s pale blue eyes were intense. “Sparks was right. I would have wanted you safe. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still assholes, but they saved you, and I won’t forget that.”
There was no point in arguing with Dex. Not about this.
“Sorry for intruding.” Sparks walked into the room, stopping by the bed. “The results from the Genetic Map Comparison have come in, confirming that Dex’s DNA is no longer Human.”
Dex squeezed Sloane’s hand, and Sloane squeezed back. Whatever happened, whatever came their way, they would work through it together.
“According to the test results, there are now similarities between Sloane’s DNA and yours.”
“What does that mean?” Dex asked.
“Your DNA contains both Human and jaguar Therian DNA. Dex, you’re somehow carrying strands of DNA from both species, making you a Human-Therian hybrid. The very first.”
“So what now?”
“You go back to work.”
“What? You expect me to just go to work tomorrow like nothing’s happened? I died! My DNA has been mutated. What—I don’t, I can’t even….” He lay back with a sigh. “My brain’s broken. Fine. What do you want us to do?”
“Tomorrow, you’ll go to work. Leave the rest to us.”
Sloane and Dex exchanged glances with Dex speaking up first. “I’m going to end up bleeding, aren’t I?”
Sparks arched an eyebrow at him.
“Yeah, well. Let’s try and not get me killed. Again.”
If their only chance to get to the bottom of this, to get some peace, was to play TIN’s game, then so be it. Sloane stared down at Dex’s hand in his for some time as TIN medical specialists came in and out, examining Dex, checking his vitals. Dex didn’t remember what happened or what Sloane said when he’d flatlined, but Sloane remembered his words all too clearly. As soon as this was over, it was time for a new beginning.
“SO WHAT have we got?” Tony asked as he finished strapping himself into his seat across the bench inside Destructive Delta’s BearCat.
“Bunch of drunken frat boys streaking Therian style,” Sloane replied, checking through the notes on his tablet.
“Dumbasses,” Ash grumbled. “Every freaking year.”
Tony nodded. “Ash, Hobbs, Sloane, Cael, you know the drill. Round up those youths. Put the fear in them so they don’t do it again. Theta Destructive and Beta Ambush will meet us on scene with agents in their Therian forms. I’ll be in the truck running surveillance. Anyone needs anything, let me know. Rosa, Letty, Cal, Dex, let’s get it done before we get too many spectators.”
Dex and Sloane were the first ones up. The privacy screen came down, and Dex helped Sloane quickly get out of his uniform to assist him with his shifting. Sloane cupped Dex’s face, his words hushed so the others wouldn’t hear.
