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Who was surrounded now?
My lion pal gave a roar, and they all charged.
Chapter 33
Gunnar
Iwokeuptofind myself surrounded by the strangest pack of shifters I could imagine, all in their shifted form: canines, cats, bears, even a massive gorilla. It was a menagerie.
“You’re awake.” Lillian’s voice was like a fresh breeze, clearing the fog from my head.
I reached toward her. “My mate.”
She held onto me and kissed me softly on the forehead. “How are you feeling?”
“Groggy. But perfect, now that you’re here.”
“How about your injuries? I tried to get them to patch up your bullet wounds, but your body had already pushed the bullets out, and the holes were already closing.”
“I heal fast.” I flexed my muscles.
“You had me so worried, Gunnar. I swear, when you are motionless, you look exactly like a lifeless stone statue. I was so worried you’d never move again.”
“I’m sorry I worried you, Lillian.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “And I’m also sorry for what I said before. Will you forgive me? Please? You are everything to me.”
She wrapped her arms around me. “Already forgiven. I was rash too and said things I shouldn’t have.”
“I guess this counts as our first fight?”
She grinned. “I think it’s the first part of our relationship that’s finally happened in the right order.”
Someone cleared their throat. “I told you he’d wake quickly. Those gargoyles are tough, and the darts don’t work long on them.” The slight accent gave away the speaker.
“Dr. Shen.” I blinked at the older gentleman.
He wasn’t wearing a suit this time. He was in sweatpants and a T-shirt. He must have been the snow leopard I’d seen prowling the area right before I swooped down to rescue Lillian from that jackass. And the other two were the wolves.
“I’m surprised the darts worked at all, actually,” I said. “Usually, they bounce right off me.”
Dr. Shen held up an empty offending dart. “These ones were made specifically to puncture thick hide and fur.”
The EA and cops arrived, along with the paramedics, who had no idea what to do with all the shifted shifters milling around. These were not the usual victims they treated.
No matter how rich they were or how much clout they had, I was sure Arthur and his family wouldn’t get away with just a slap on the wrist this time, not with so many witnesses and victims. Some of the shifters hadn’t stopped at simply attacking but had straight-up killed the guards. I didn’t blame them. They’d thrown all the bodies into one big pile, including the guy I’d stomped. It would be hard to pinpoint who had done what if it ever came to that.
A movement to the left caught our attention. It was a snow leopard. Dr. Shen got up and approached it carefully, then knelt in front of it. After a moment, he got up, his head hanging in disappointment.
“It’s not her,” I said gently.
“No. It’s not.” He didn’t even ask how I knew. “This is a male, a stranger. I should’ve known even from afar by the eye color. But I was so hopeful…”
“Who isher?” Lillian asked.
“My daughter.” Dr. Shen took a deep breath and turned to Lillian. “I should tell you now before you hear it from your mate. You are my granddaughter. I only found out a few years ago, when you were already in school here in Darlington. Your father is…well, he passed away in a car accident, and we never found your mother.”
Lillian blinked a few times, then shook her head. “No. You’re kidding me.”
“He’s not, Kitten. His story checks out,” I said.
