Page 44 of Act of Command

Corbin wasn’t proud of how he’d given into his baser side or how he’d claimed his mate. He’d wanted it to be special and wonderful. Not in some fucking lab. What was done was done. He just needed to get to her, to make sure with his own eyes that she was alive and well. “I did. And I’d do it again.”

James snorted. “Oh, I know.”

Corbin tried to stand, but found the room spinning once more. “What happened to me?”

“You got shot fourteen times,” replied James, giving him a disapproving glance once more.

“I got what?”

James groaned. “You took fourteen hits with bullets meant to kill a shifter.”

“How am I alive?” asked Corbin, getting his bearings somewhat. He put his feet on the floor but didn’t try to stand yet. “How long have I been out?”

“You’re alive because you mated with Mae. She’s got Fae in her and a lot of other stuff—I’d go into it all, but to be honest, the tests were inconclusive so I sent samples off to Dr. Green with the I-Ops for his opinion. But it’s safe to say that her blood gave you some resistance to silver. Mating to her saved your life.” James touched his shoulder and gave a tempered clasp. “You’ve been in here three days. We were only just able to convince Mae to leave your side. Striker is with her now. At last check he was offering to pose naked for her to sculpt, so I’d recommend feeling better and fast.”

Corbin groaned. “If I had more energy, I’d kill him.”

“I know. There is a change of clothes for you in the bathroom. Shower. Clean up before you go find her.”

Corbin nodded and then glanced at James. “What about the facility? What happened? Did we get everyone out?”

James stiffened and shook his head. “No. We retrieved some data. Not a lot because they blew most of their files and computers. The team has been trying to contact Ezra. He’s either still undercover or his cover was blown and well, I don’t want to speculate until we know more.” James sighed, the stress of it all showing. He’d been held prisoner not that long ago and many of his wounds weren’t ones that could be seen. Many were mental. “Corbin, from what we were able to gather, they were holding a man named Brad there. His name has come up by way of the I-Ops before. He was taken the same time one of the mates of an I-Ops was taken. Brad and Mae formed a bond in holding.”

Corbin wasn’t sure he liked where this was going. He stiffened.

James shook his head. “Not like that. From the files I was able to look at, there was enough overlap in their DNA that I think Mae and Brad are related to some degree. I don’t know that it’s enough for siblings, but I would say cousins maybe.”

“Did we get him out?”

From James’s expression the answer was no.

Corbin exhaled. “Does she know he didn’t make it?”

“She knows what we do,” said James, standing slowly. “That Ezra was there, working undercover for PSI as a Shadow Operative and that Ezra freed Brad and we can only assume Alice.”

“Alice?”

“Mae’s roommate. She’d been taken at the same time from what we can tell. We recovered records on her too. They wanted to breed her as well.” James was quiet for a moment. “We’re still trying to piece it all together. We have a lead on the vampire who was running the operation there. Mae’s not been able to reach her. And before you find out from anyone else, your mother called and spoke with Mae directly. Colette asked if you ripped anyone apart, and when Striker confirmed you did, she wanted us to tell you good boy. She wanted to fly here to be by your side, but Striker convinced her you’d be fine and that you’d need time alone with your mate if she wanted grandchildren.”

It took him a moment to wrap his mind around what he was being told. Mae’s roommate had been taken as well? Corbin closed his eyes, his heart breaking for his mate. “I need to go to her, James. The shower will have to wait.”

They both turned at the sound of Striker’s voice filling the outer hall.

“Lass, he’s nae gonna be doin’ anythin’ other than lyin’ on his lazy English arse healin’. You do nae have to run.”

Mae appeared in the doorway. She was in a long skirt and a t-shirt. Her long hair was down. Her feet were bare. She had on glasses and her eyes were wide. “You’re awake!”

Striker scrambled in behind her, looking winded. “Och, by chance did they use the DNA of a track star in your makeup? Oh, Captain, yer awake.”

Mae beamed and then twisted, hugging Striker tight. “He’s okay.”

Striker wrapped his arms around Mae and patted her back gently. “Lass, when you cry, I cry. We had this talk already. You cannae be weepy around me. It makes me do the same and I’ve a manly code to live up to.”

“Why is he hugging my mate?” demanded Corbin.

James snorted. “Your mate has taken a shine to him. We can’t figure it out. He annoys the hell out of us, but she seems to be able to tolerate him. Strangest part of this all is, he’s not said anything inappropriate to her either. Malik and I think he’s probably dying or something.”

Corbin stood and met Striker’s gaze from across the room. He nodded to the man. “Thank you, Scot.”

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