"My father. He's a retired vet that used to work with big cats at a rescue sanctuary."
"Excellent idea, Brie!" Rathais looked over to where three other men stared down at the cat, looking anxious. "Gage, Kincaid, Priest, let's find something sturdy to transport him into my SUV. Brie, call your father and have him prep for surgery."
Brie reached for her phone, looking around the room. Not one man glared at her. Shouldn't they be upset that she shot their friend? Shouldn't she be getting led out of here in cuffs? What was going on?
One of the men stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly, she felt as if she could think again.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Something I recently learned from an old friend. I simply negated a bit of shock is all. I know that a lot is coming at you fast, but hold on a bit longer. Unless I'm mistaken, the man you shot will be the one to stay by your side and explain everything. We just need to get him back on his feet."
"Thank you…." she stared up at him.
"Kendrick. Kendrick Ashwood. While you get Ari healed, I'll be helping to get these poor souls home." He looked her in the eye. "They were murdered, Brie—make no mistake about that—but they did not die at the hands of anyone in this room. The men you see around you represent the protectors of our kind. You couldn't be safer."
"Why aren't they mad at me?" she whispered.
Kendrick just smirked. "You're not the first female to shoot her mate," his head nodded toward Aiden.
Aiden glared at him. "Meryn said it was an accident," he grumbled.
Kendrick leaned down. "He says that to make himself feel better. We all know his mate, Meryn, is a sharpshooter."
"What's a mate?" she asked, that lost feeling edging back in.
"Cam will explain on the way," Kendrick said, gently pushing her toward the door. "Call your father in the car."
"Thanks a lot!" Rathais yelled back.
Brie jogged after the group of men struggling to carry the large lion to the SUV. As they were lifting him into the back, Aiden ruffled her hair. "Don't worry; he's at fault here. He never should have scared you."
She felt her mouth drop. "I shot him."
Aiden nodded. "Getting shot by human females is quite common."
"It is?" Behind the large man, her boss and the three other men were shaking their heads.
Aiden smiled wide. "My mate is human," he frowned. "Sort of."
"In the car, Aiden," Rathais called out.
They all piled in, and she called her dad.
"Hello, my beautiful baby girl. What are you up to?" Her father's voice sounded so normal she found herself clutching her phone.
"I shot someone!" she exclaimed.
"What did they do to you?" he demanded.
"He scared me."
"That son of a bitch! Wait. That's it?"
"And he turned into a lion."
"Baby girl, where are you? I'm grabbing my keys now."
"No! You have to stay there. We're coming to you."