Wicked Bite (Realm Enforcers #5)(66)

The world slowed to barely moving. She knew it was the adrenaline, but she seemed to see everything at once. The troop helicopters touched down, and the tanks roared to a stop. The attack helicopters remained hovering, their weapons pointed at strategic targets.

Her uncle strode out of the rec room area, munching on a bagel. Somebody had given him a Grizzly Motorcycle Club sweatshirt, and it hung low over his dress pants. He took in the scene, smiled, and leaned back against the building to watch. Garrett and Logan took up posts on either side of him, watching the melee carefully.

Lucas took up position next to Bear. "I called for backup. Shifter nation's on the way, but it'll be an hour."

"Missiles and explosives armed?" Bear growled, his stance set.

"Yes. Armed and waiting for the go order," Lucas affirmed, handing over a phone. "I'll give our people the signal if you want to blow the land."

Bear looked at his people fighting and the attacking soldiers coming from the helicopters. "They're Guard soldiers." He looked over his shoulder at Nessa. "I told you to get inside the office and stay there. I'm going to blow this entire area." He lifted the phone to his ear, his gaze furious.

Panic gripped Nessa. She lunged for him, grabbed the phone, and threw it as far as she could. It landed on a fighting Grizzly soldier's head and bounced off, the screen visibly shattering before it sank in the snow.

"What the hell?" Bear bellowed.

She shoved past him and hurried to the center of the area, holding her arms up. "Cease and desist. Now." She yelled the order as loud as she could. The sound of the helicopter might have drowned out her voice, but everyone around her froze. Even the fighting Grizzlies.

A Guard soldier ran her way, ripping off his dark green mask. "Nessa? Nessa?" His voice rose as he reached her.



       
         
       
        

"Jasper." She gave a muffled oof as he picked her up and swung her around. "Jas."

"Oh." He set her down and stepped back, emotion in his eyes. "We received word that you were dead."

She nodded, just as Bear reached her side, raw displeasure on his face. He not so subtly edged between them.

"Jasper, I don't have a comm unit. Call off the attack order," she said.

Jasper's dark gaze took in Bear, who looked like he was about to launch his own attack.

"Now," Nessa snapped.

Jasper shook himself out of it and quickly relayed the order after tapping his ear. The drivers of the tanks cut their engines and exited their vehicles, as did the pilots of the helicopters on the ground. The Guard soldiers on the ground ceased fighting and turned. Only the attack helicopters in the air remained in place, providing cover just in case.

Jasper gave another order.

All the Guard soldiers, what looked like about sixty of them, ran toward them and lined up in formation, their gazes on her. They kept their fighting masks on, and in full tactical gear, looked incredibly dangerous. They stood at attention as one.

Even though this was a debacle of enormous proportions, she couldn't help the pride that filled her chest.

The Grizzly soldiers hovered to one side, guns at the ready. The two who'd shifted into bears patrolled behind the Guard formation.

Bear turned on Jasper. "You're the idiot in charge of this shit show?"

Jasper turned and took his place next to the troops, facing Nessa. "No." In one smooth motion, they all saluted her, fists to heart.

Her shoulders straightened. Honor and humility washed through her, and she saluted them back.

Bear stiffened to rock next to her. Furious tension rolled off him, its heat actually melting the snow that had been falling near her.

Her knees wobbled. She cleared her throat, needing to keep it together.

"These are your soldiers," Bear said, sounding like he'd been swallowing jagged chunks of gravel all night.

"Aye," she said softly. "All of them."

Jasper stepped closer, taking up a protective stance. "Commissioner Lansa? I recommend we immediately vacate the area. We have a safe zone set up an hour away."

"Commissioner?" Bear growled in a much lower tone than normal. The air shimmered around him.

She gasped and tried to move away, but he manacled her arm. Her soldiers instantly tensed. She held up a hand. "Retain formation," she called out.

"I'm not gonna shift," Bear gritted out.

"Bear?" she whispered. "You have to let go of my arm. They're ready to attack." 

He turned and looked at the soldiers all watching him carefully, ready to shoot him in the head. "No."