*****

~ SASHA ~

”Can you lead them back to the village if I get them moving?” Sasha asked Kyelle quickly.

The woman nodded, her eyes fierce and darting to all the faces around them. If she’d been in her bird, Sasha suspected she would have puffed up her feathers—and screeched at something.

”Get them as far as the village, then stop to rest and see how they’re doing. We can take all day getting them to the City if we need to, but I want them away from Nick and Patty as quickly as possible.

”Lhars, can you run ahead and arrange a fire—a bonfire, something big enough that they can all gather around. They haven’t seen the village before, remember. So they won’t be expecting it. We’ll tell them it’s just a rest stop, okay?”

Lhars nodded quickly, but Sasha was already turning back to Kyelle.

”I had them assigned to groups, each with a little-alpha at its head, and a second. They have a chain of hierarchy to ensure that everyone gets every piece of information, but it looks like they’ve kind of abandoned that on this side. I’m going to get them focused again. Once I do, keep them in their groups. Don’t let them get split up. They know who they’re with then and who to watch out for. Then we won’t risk anyone wandering off.”

”Good idea.”

”You know, they could shift and run to the City,” Zev offered. “They’d get there a lot faster.”

Sasha considered it but then shook her head. “You said your instincts are stronger in your animals. I’m worried some of them are going to lose control and run, then they’ll get split up… no. Let’s all work together. Let them get their bearings. Once we’ve made it to the village and they’re a little more settled, maybe some of them can shift and move ahead of the others? I don’t know. Let’s just… let’s do one thing at a time.”

She hadn’t even thought about giving the orders, making the decisions. They were all submitting to her, and she was certain what the females needed.

”Zev, is Yhet here?”

”Yep. Dunken too. I think they’re just staying out of the way so they don’t scare anyone. The females were pretty shaken when we showed up.”

She opened her mouth, but before she could even call for them, Yhet stepped out from behind a tree above the cave mouth, and Dunken straightened from where he’d been squatting near the place Lhars had appeared.

She started speaking before they even reached her. “Can you two walk patrol outside the females—make sure no one approaches unexpectedly? Warn them if someone’s coming, or… tell the Creatures to leave them if they come?”

Both males nodded and submitted.

Then Sasha called the females to attention and those that had been dazed or turned upwind called to her and rushed to be closer until she and Zev were surrounded by a ring of females four deep.

Zev shifted uneasily, obviously wanting to protect her since all the Chimeran females were larger and stronger. But none of them challenged her, they just crowded in. She put a hand to Zev’s forearm when he started twitching.

”We’re going to get you to a place where you can take a short rest,” she said calmly. “Then after something to eat, if you’re ready, we’ll return you to the City. Those of you who don’t feel like you can be out, we’ll have help for you at the first stop. You’re home now,” she said, smiling. “I know it’s overwhelming. But you’re really here. And we’re going to do everything to make sure you’re safe.”

She quickly called the little alphas forward and had them gather their groups—each five or six females strong.

There was a short panic when a couple of groups discovered one of their members missing, but Sasha stepped in. “A few haven’t come through the Gateway yet. This isn’t uncommon. We have guards waiting to escort them when they do. Don’t fear. If they make it here, they’ll be protected. But for now, we need to get you all fed and clothed.”

She could have slapped herself for not thinking about what the females were wearing. It appeared many had either lost their bags in the Gateway or never brought one to begin with.

”If you have an extra fur—or fleece—please pass it to a sister who isn’t fully covered. The walk is going to take about an hour.”

Soon, they were all in place, the females huddled or lined up, the alphas becoming more confident, finding their bearings.

Sasha moved between the groups, here reassuring an alpha, there refocusing one or two others. And the entire time, Zev stayed at her back, like a bodyguard, hovering at her back.

His presence was steadying. And she needed it more than she was willing to let on. But she couldn’t let herself think about how close she’d come to not making it back at all. The important part was that she was here. She was back in her mate’s arms. And the females were here, too.

Then, just as the females began to inch forward, Nick appeared out of the cave mouth, followed by two of the guards.

Sasha and Zev had been talking to one of the alphas, so their warning was when Yhet stepped between Sasha and Nick, growling.

Sasha had never heard a sound like it—deep and resonant, the growl that erupted from Yhet’s throat sounded like he’d swallowed a lion.

But she caught Yhet’s arm. “We have an agreement, Yhet. Nick stays safe, do you hear me? No one touches him!” she said, raising her voice to any of the males who were watching on. “He has to be able to do his job—but he is not to be trusted. So do not harm him unless he draws a weapon or goes after someone else. Understood?”

As everyone grumbled but moved ahead, she turned to Zev. “Was he searched?”

Zev’s eyes flashed, then he turned on his heel and stalked over to Nick who smiled at first, then his face went blank as Zev reached him and turned him around bodily, frisking him.

A growl shook the air around them when Zev yanked a gun out of the back of his pants, under his jacket.