Marie Harte - Hale

“Why are you all here?” she asked, hoping against hope that she wasn't the reason.

Robbie, Hale, and Caitlyn raced back toward the house. They ran into Zack and Roane on the way.

“Nothing,” Roane said. “Doc's not outside. He's got to be—” Sabrina screamed, and Derrick roared.

They rushed into the house, changing along the way. Clothing ripped and pulled, shoes and socks stretched and popped, leaving a trail of tattered garments along the grass.

Once inside, Hale and Robbie headed after Paige's scent. Hale's beast felt anxious.

He knew the enemy had found them. What he didn't understand was, why now? And what had Robbie meant about Kohl needing a new head scientist?

He scented the enemy before they found Paige at the end of the hallway in front of the elevator. Between them and her raged a bloody battle. Rogue Circs fought mutants while Paige fought to steer clear. As he pushed his way into the fray, Hale saw one of the rogues take some damage while protecting…Paige? It didn't make any sense, but he didn't care. He had to reach his mate.

Robbie helped him clear a path. As he moved, opponents starting dropping like flies, grabbing their heads in pain. Hale didn't know how much Robbie could do, but he hastened his efforts and reached Paige with a few minor scratches. The rogue nearest her nodded at him, his light gray eyes almost white against his darker, changed skin.

Then, oddly enough, the rogue disappeared. The mutants around them continued to press closer but screeched when something slashed at them.

Not sure what the hell was going on, Hale grabbed on to Paige. “Get your ass in that elevator.” He turned to kick at one of the mutants that clawed at his leg in an attempt to reach her.

“No.” She leaned closer to be heard past the noise. “Kelly's down there. If I open the elevator, they might get by me. I won't chance it.”

“Fuck.” Hale turned and roared as two mutants tackled him. “Where the hell are they all coming from?”

“Half of them are fighting with each other in the bedrooms. Then they spill into the hallway,” said a voice out of nowhere. The odd rogue reappeared over Hale and dragged one of the mutants off him. As they fought, Paige pulled at the other mutant.

“Get back!” Hale tried to bring his opponent with him away from Paige, but the scent of cherries captivated him and those closest around them. Everyone around Paige slowed down, focusing hungrily on her.

“I told you not to do that,” the rogue by them growled. “It's not helping.”

“But Hale—” Paige said.

“Is fine.” Hale yanked the rogue back, relieved when Paige retracted that scent.

Holy hell, but she packed a punch. “If you have to, beat them back. But don't attract them to you!”

Robbie fought through a mass of bodies toward them, tossing Circs and mutants back into the rooms they spilled out of. “Hawkins. What the hell are you doing here?” The rogue next to Hale answered back, “Kohl ordered us to capture your doc.

Dunn took off with him and ordered the rest of us here to put an end to Circe's Recruits. Against Kohl's orders.”

Robbie grinned, his teeth wickedly sharp. “Dissension in the ranks. I like it.” Paige growled low in her throat and swiped her nails across a rogue's jugular when he pushed past Hawkins. Hale wanted to help her, but he had his hands full trying to stay upright amid the bodies piling up.

“This is ridiculous. Paige, come on.” He shielded her as they made their way to Robbie. They were forced to step over groaning bodies, the hallway overflowing with the enemy. A stabbing pain hit him in the side, but he ignored it and pulled Paige with him, thrusting her at Robbie. “Take her out of here.”

“What the fuck?” Roane roared beyond them and started to charge into the shrinking corridor.

“No, stay back,” Robbie said as he caged Paige between him and Hale. He continued to backstep toward Roane and the others now with him. “Take Paige out of here.”

“Dammit.” Roane grabbed her and quickly pulled her behind him. “She's good.

You two, get out of there.”

Hale looked over his shoulder, relieved that one of his mates was out of harm's way. His beast nudged Robbie to also move in her direction.

“I know you did not just try to push me back there.” Robbie punched a mutant in the face, cracking its jaw. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I don't know.” Hale felt dizzy but shook it off. “Look. They're just about done.” Only two more mutants were actively fighting. The rest littered the floor, along with a few rogue Circs. Three of the rogues remained standing, using stunners and lethal fangs and claws to dispose of the mutants still struggling.

Hale couldn't believe how many bodies fit in the hallway. It was like a living, or dying, carpet. The sight made him queasy.

Robbie swore and tucked Hale under his arm. “You're injured, you idiot.”

“I'm fine.” Circs healed with amazing speed. Even if he had been wounded, he'd soon be on the mend. Too bad his body hadn't gotten the memo.

“Roane, playboy's bleeding all over the place.”

“New venom in the mutants' claws. You'll need to see to that.” Hawkins joined them, breathing hard. He was covered with blood, both his and the darker stuff that leaked from the mutants. But as Hale watched, his body healed itself. “We're immune.”

“Great. Just when we need Doc. And he's where?” Zack said from over Roane's shoulder.

“Can we get out of this stinking hallway?” Hale tried to push away from Robbie, feeling like a pussy for not standing on his own two feet. But Robbie wouldn't let him go. He glared, and his mate glared back.

“Those guys friends of yours?” Roane asked Robbie, looking at Hawkins and the other rogues with him.

“You could say that.”

Roane wiped the sweat from his forehead, and Hale noticed the healing wounds on his forearms. “Come on, then.” Over his shoulder, he said, “Derrick, bring Sabrina down here to see to Hale. Zack, make sure every one of these fuckers is dead.” Zack passed Hale, carrying one of Doc's special guns. The ammunition had been doctored to counteract Circ healing. A bullet to the brain would kill anyone living.

“Zack, Kelly's safe in the lab with Ace,” Hale heard Paige say.

“Thanks.” Zack started shooting at the ground, one bullet per body. He stopped and reloaded just as Hale left the hallway.

Paige quickly wormed her way under Hale's arm as everyone congregated in the family room and kitchen, where Sabrina stood in a ragged shirt. Her black hair was messed, and a scratch was healing on her cheek. At Hale's raised brow, she shrugged.

“A bunch of rogue Circs took me by surprise upstairs. But Derrick killed most of them.”

“Except for the ones Sabrina tagged. A few got away,” Derrick admitted.

“Damn.” Hawkins leaned against the kitchen counter. “They'll get word back to Dunn about us sooner than I'd hoped.” He looked over his shoulder at the other rogues with him. “Fallon, Tersch, take care of our problem, hmm? And tell Hayashi to bring his ass back here when you see him. He's not answering his cell.”

The rogues nodded and left on silent feet.

“They're solid.”

“Great. Now, who the fuck are you?” Roane snarled. “And why is our house littered with rogue Circs and mutants? What happened to our alarm system? Where the hell is Doc ?”

“Shit,” Robbie muttered. In a louder voice, he said to Roane, “This is Hawkins.

He's one of the Circs they tapped at Pearson Labs. A Navy SEAL, right?”

“Yeah.” Hawkins looked uncomfortable around the females. “McKinley, please tell me Doc made some headway with our problem. Torrence looks fine.” He nodded to her.