Ari shifted back and closed his eyes as his future father-in-law hid the scrubs. This should be good.
*****
Brie stood as her father walked through the door wiping his hands. "He came through like a champ. No lasting damage from the bullet and the surrounding tissue isn't swollen."
Gage slumped back against his chair. "Thank the gods."
"I even took advantage of the anesthesia to neuter him for you. No sense in having to put him under twice for the second procedure."
Brie gasped. "What!" she screeched. She looked around the room, every single man was the color of milk.
Her father blinked. "What? It's the law. Unless the animal has paperwork from a zoo, they are desexed to keep aggression to a minimum."
"Ari!" Priest yelled, running into the room, Gage and Kincaid right on his heels.
"Oh Gods, no!" Kincaid wailed.
Brie walked in and could only stare. Blocking the view of his mane was a giant cone. "Oh, oh, oh." she repeated.
Rathais and Aiden stood in the doorway, staring at the large lion in shock.
"His brother is going to murder me," Rathais whispered dropping to his knees, looking as if he was about to vomit.
"Ari," she whispered.
The large lion lifted his head and yowled pitifully. She rushed forward. "It's okay. You're alive; that's all that matters," she said, rubbing her hands over the soft fur on the top of his head.
Gage wheeled on her father. "How could you!" he raged.
"I don't understand." Her father looked so confused.
She sniffled, then stopped. There was no law that said exotic animals had to be neutered. She turned to look at her father. The second their eyes met, a mischievous twinkle appeared in his.
"I hate you!"
Priest wiped at his eyes and went to her side. "He's still Ari," he said brokenly. "Don't be angry with your father; he didn't know. This is our fault."
When her father began to chuckle, she tried to reach past Priest to whack him upside the head. "You're evil!"
"I couldn't help it." Her father simply shrugged.
At her side, the lion shimmered and there in all his glory was her supposed mate. He was laughing as he pulled off the cone. "Sorry, but he was right; it was too good of an opportunity to pass up."
Rathais pulled out his sidearm. "Just one more bullet," he said, growling out each word as he stood.
Gage, Kincaid, and Priest, however, took more direct action. Their fingers were twisting and pinching at lightning speed. Ari yelped then hopped off
the table to pull on some scrubs. He looked over his shoulder and saw that she was still staring. "You can inspect them later to ensure that they're still attached."
"Man, I wouldn't let her anywhere near my balls after that stunt," Kincaid said, glaring at Ari.
As the material covered up his firm ass, she sighed.
"Yeah, I don't think that's gonna be a problem," Priest said, sounding tired.
Ari looked at Aiden. "Any word on the transfer?" And just like that, the mirth in the room died. She had forgotten the mass of bodies they had discovered.
"What transfer?" her father asked, noticing the change in the room's tension.