“But thereisan antidote? Why is that a problem?” I demanded, my rising fears causing it to come out sharper than I’d intended.
Boone flinched, then pushed his glasses up his nose. “Because it’s in the early stages of development, and those tests haven’t had promising results.”
I bit my lip, blinking hard while trying to hold back my tears of frustration. This couldn’t be the end. There had to be something I could do other than sit and watch my mates die.
“Let’s go to the lab and get the records. I’ll explain more as we walk, since you’re probably in a hurry to get out of here.” Boone’s tone was far too gentle for someone who was having his life threatened.
The councilman deserved everything I’d dished out on him, but Boone seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Guilt mixed with my fear and sorrow. Still, I had to finish my mission.
Forcing my emotions to the back of my mind, I glanced between Boone and the councilman, trying to think through my next decision. Boone could be taking me into a trap. But even if that was the case, what choice did I have?
I rose to my feet and hurried to the councilman’s side. Grabbing the roll of duct tape, I wrapped it not only around his mouth but also around the back of his head. He might eventually work it off his mouth, but it was going to take him a while. Hopefully that would give me the time I needed to make my getaway.
With a last look back at the duct tape mummy, I followed Boone into the hall. I braced myself, expecting him to grab methe moment I stepped around the corner, but he didn’t. Instead, he reached into his pocket and wroteFumigation in Progress. Do Not Enteronto the dry erase board framed on the wall next to the door.
“That should keep anyone from opening the door and accidentally finding him… at least for a little while.” He gave me a tentative smile, then ducked his head and hurried further down the hall and away from the entrance where I’d come in. “Okay, so you want to know about the antidote?”
“Yes,” I gasped, jogging to keep up with his long-legged strides.
“We’ve found that all the rabbits living in the burrow have antibodies against the toxin in their blood. This is because of the high levels they are exposed to on a daily basis from the barrier, as well as the plants we grow. We extract the base toxin from parts of those plants, but other parts are edible, and they’re used in the kitchens.”
“Anything to save money so the council can get richer,” I murmured, not even a little surprised.
Boone stopped in front of another door and typed in a code. When the lock clicked, he motioned me inside. “I used blood samples from myself and gave them to the wolves that were exposed to the toxin. The wolves’ immune systems responded to the antibodies, but not fast enough.”
He sagged down into a well-worn office chair. Removing his glasses with one hand, he pinched the bridge of his nose with the other. “I wanted to save them. Instead, I just prolonged their death.”
Staring at the broken young man in front of me, I wanted to rage at him for taking part in what was done to the wolves. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that, like me, free will wasn’t something he’d been allowed to possess.
“I will save my wolves. Failure is not an option.” Straightening my spine, I lifted my chin.
“Your wolves?” Boone’s head snapped up, his eyebrows drawing together.
“Two of my mates are wolf shifters, and they’ve been exposed to the toxin. It’s been over twenty-four hours, and they are still alive.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Boone drummed his fingers on the desktop and his gaze took on a faraway look. “None of the wolves survived that long.”
Maybe not to him, but I was beginning to connect at least a few of the dots. “I think it might be because they claimed me.”
“And by claiming… you mean?” Boone dragged out the question, obviously unfamiliar with werewolf mating behavior.
“Bit me. Left their mark on my neck. Claimed me as their mate.” Turning my neck from side to side, I let him see the pale white scars.
“Are you sure they weren’t just hungry?” His eyes widened with obvious horror.
“Of course I’m sure,” I snorted, then blushed as I remembered what they’d been doing when they’d marked me. “What I’m trying to say is that they ingested some of my blood prior to their exposure.”
Boone’s confusion gave way to an expression of excitement. “So, they already had some antibodies to the toxin in their system… giving them a leg up when they became exposed.”
“Is it possible?” I asked.
“It has to be!” Boone spun in his chair to tap his keyboard and bring his laptop to life. His fingers danced across the keys, blurring as he pulled up record after record. “Yes, that’s the only thing that makes sense. We never tried to introduce the antibodies before the exposure, only afterward. And by then, it was too late to do more than delay the inevitable.”
“So, what you’re saying is my guys have a fighting chance?” My voice shook.
If he hadn’t already figured it out, now he knew my mates were my biggest weakness… what I cared about more than anything else on earth. It was something he’d be able to use against me, but there was nothing I could do about that at this point.
I’d moved to stand next to him so I could read the screen over his shoulder. He paused to look up at me. “Yes. As long as they’re still alive, there’s a chance. But how bad are they?”
