“I didn’t have to.” Gage couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice. He quickly recounted the night’s events, keeping it as brief and to the point as he could. “I didn’t have a choice. I had to shift to fight them.”
Xander swore.
“Did she see you kill those men?” Mike asked.
“Worse,” Gage said. “She caught some of it on video.”
Xander wasn’t the only one who swore this time. Or shifted. They were all looking at Gage with yellow-gold eyes as if they wanted to tear him apart. But Xander was the only one brave enough to come at him with claws extended and fangs flashing.
Gage braced himself, letting out his claws and baring his teeth. Unfortunately, Mike and Nelson grabbed Xander, holding him back. Too bad. He wouldn’t have minded putting his fist in someone’s face right then, and something told him Xander would have given him a good fight.
“This is all your fault,” Xander snarled.
“Don’t you think I fucking know that?” Gage roared. He clenched his fists, welcoming the pain as his claws dug into his palms. “I never should have let Mackenzie step foot in this compound, but I did, and saying I’m sorry isn’t going to change it.”
“He’s right,” Mike said. “Our faces are going to be on every newspaper and television station in the country by tomorrow night. Let’s just worry about that right now.”
Xander pinned Mike with a glare, but only shook off his pack mate’s hold and stepped back.
“So, what are we going to do?” Lowry asked, his golden eyes filled with concern.
“Disappear,” Gage said. “Change our names and go somewhere no one can find us. There are already fake IDs and passports in the safe in my office, along with burner phones for each of us.”
They all looked stunned by that. He couldn’t blame them. Besides having a job they all loved, they had parents and siblings and friends they’d never be able to see again. Parents, siblings, and friends who’d be hounded by reporters like Mackenzie for a sound bite. She wouldn’t only destroy his pack in her quest for truth, she’d destroy the lives of everyone close to them.
Becker shook his head. “Damn. How long have you been planning this? Us going on the run, I mean.”
“Right after I recruited Xander and Mike,” Gage said. “I always knew there was a chance someone would find out what we are, and I wanted to be prepared.”
Xander looked at him scornfully. “And because you let some woman lead you around by the dick, we have to go on the run like the criminals we put in prison.”
Gage let out a soft growl. He didn’t need the reminder. “We don’t have a choice.”
“Yeah, we do,” Xander said. “We can get the video back from Mac and make sure she doesn’t talk.”
The entire room went still. Though whether it was because the rest of the Pack was shocked by Xander’s words or because they agreed with him, Gage didn’t know and he didn’t care. He fixed his senior squad leader with a hard look.
“Anyone who wants to try it will have to come through me first.” Gage slowly and deliberately locked eyes with every member of the Pack. “And you’d better be ready to kill me.”
No one seemed to want to take him up on it, not even Xander.
“Mackenzie said she’d give us twenty-four hours before she ran the story, but I want you all out of here before noon tomorrow,” he continued.
“Wait a minute. What about you?” Becker asked. “You’re making it sound like you aren’t coming with us.”
“I’m not. At least not right away,” Gage added. “I can’t leave until I make sure Hardy is no longer a threat to Mackenzie.”
Xander cursed. “I can’t believe you can even give a damn about her after what she did to us.”
“He gives a damn about her because she’s The One for him,” Cooper said.
“That’s bullshit! There’s no one perfect mate for any of us.” Xander gave Gage a disgusted look. “And if you think there is, you’re a damn fool.” He shook his head. “I’m going to get some air.”
Gage watched him go. He was tempted to follow just to make sure Xander didn’t do something stupid, like go after Mackenzie. Because he’d meant what he said. He’d fight his entire pack before he’d let them hurt her.
***
Instead of running up to her apartment the minute the police officer dropped her off so she could start her story, Mac jumped in her car and drove straight to Zak’s apartment. She needed someone to tell her she was doing the right thing—or the wrong thing. Because she was so confused right then she didn’t know what to think.