An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(2)

“You called your friends at the local precinct?” Brandon asked. He was the Omega of the Pack, the one who helped their emotional aches and pains. He was also her brother—one of the triplets. She couldn’t hear fear in his voice, but there was the determination that came from being a Brentwood.

Brynn nodded. She knew a few people on the local police force, as well as another group of humans in the FBI and Homeland Security. It was her job in the Pack to blend in with the humans when she could, and form connections that might help them if the secret of their existence ever got out.

Only she prayed she’d never have to use those connections. There were wolves and humans who were on their side, strategically placed around the country to protect them if they were ever outed. Now they would have to use that web of protection and alliances and pray it did as intended.

“We can’t just stay behind the wards and pray they’ll go away,” Gideon growled. “We need to go out there and show we won’t lie down, but we also won’t attack first.”

Brynn agreed whole-heartedly. What they did this first day would set the tone for the rest of their lives. Or perhaps she’d wake up from this dream and everything would go back to the way it was.

The first human crawled up the rise, a tranquilizer gun in his hand and his buddies by his side.

No, this wasn’t a dream. This was the real deal. Humans versus wolves.

“Come on,” Gideon growled, taking his mate Brie with him. The fact that Brynn’s big brother would even allow his mate to fight with him spoke of the importance of this first meeting.

Brynn stood between her brothers, her chin raised as they moved past the wards. Standing behind them and hiding was never an option. Those weaker than her were safe and hidden. Now it was her turn to show the humans the Pack wouldn’t back down, nor would they attack without just cause.

“Don’t kill anyone,” Gideon said as he moved forward. “Only defend yourself. There’s no hiding. Not anymore. But we can make this work. We will make this work.”

She slid through the wards, the warm magic tingling across her skin. Witches and the Pack wolves had woven together the barrier to protect the Talons from the outside world. The strength of the wards relied on the strength of the Pack as a whole. Though her brother and the rest of her family had done their best to increase that strength, she knew they weren’t as strong as the Redwoods. Betrayals and a past paved in blood had seen to that.

Brynn shook her head, exasperated with herself. She needed to get her head out of her ass and out of the past and onto the future. Or more accurately, the present. All they had to do was keep the humans from attacking them outright and keep things as calm as possible and maybe they’d have a chance at not ending up with a disaster in their hands.

When the first tranquilizer dart flew by her head as she passed through the wards, she knew the latter would only be a pipe dream.

Well, hell.

Gideon pulled Brie behind him and his mate let him. When the Alpha was in the mood he was in, it was best for Brie, a submissive wolf, to do as he said. Brynn knew one of the only reasons her sister-in-law was out here, was because Gideon needed to know she was safe, and the only way to do that was if she were near.

It felt like a blink of time later, and suddenly, Brynn had two humans flanking her, their guns raised, ready to pull the trigger. The others ducked and pushed at those who would take them in. Brynn did the same as she elbowed one man in the stomach, took his gun, dismantled it, then punched the other human in the face before he could shoot at her.

She didn’t use her claws, didn’t growl, didn’t shift into her wolf form. She did all of this as the badass woman she was. Yet she knew it would never be enough. She’d fight, she’d scream, and she’d try to win, but unless their world found a balance as wolf and human, she’d never fully succeed.

No one would.

Another human soldier shot at her, and before she had a chance to duck out of the way, a human at her side tugged her closer. Her eyes widened, but he just frowned at her before nodding at some of his men.

That didn’t make any sense. Why wouldn’t he try to take her down as some of his team was? She frowned and looked closer at the humans attacking her family. It seemed only half of them truly shot at them while the others seemed to only want to get closer for some reason. She didn’t understand why, but she knew it had to be important.

Someday.

She looked over at the man who had pulled her away, but he was gone, hidden among the trees surrounding the den.

What the hell?

“Stop what you’re doing and hold up your hands!” a human called out. “We don’t want to hurt you, but we will if we have to.”

She tasted the lie on her tongue. Oh, this human wanted to hurt them and wouldn’t feel a little bit bad about it. Was this what they had to look forward to? Was this the life they would lead for being different?

Her wolf pushed at her, and she tried to breathe. She didn’t know what to do. This was so unlike her, so unlike every other decision she’d made. There was only one other decision in her life where she still had yet to find the right answer, but she wouldn’t be thinking about him right now.

She couldn’t afford to.

Ryder pulled at her waist and brought her closer, just as another human shot at them. She glared at her brother but nodded thanks just the same. She hated to be saved by any of them, but she could at least be grateful.