The crack of Andre's rifle echoed across the yard. One mercenary ducked, gesturing to his partner. Their attention was fixed on the granite boulders where her mate held the line. Perfect.
Joy circled wide, paws finding silent purchase on the familiar ground. This was her territory. The men moved like soldiers. Professional. Trained.
But they'd never been hunted by an angry cougar defending her legacy.
She gathered her haunches beneath her, muscles bunching with explosive power. The nearest mercenary paused to reload, his attention momentarily divided.
Joy launched.
One hundred and twenty pounds of fury slammed into his back. Her claws punched through his tactical vest like paper, finding flesh beneath. His scream cut off as they hit the ground, her jaws finding his throat. His partner spun, his weapon rising. Time slowed as Joy saw the muzzle swing toward her, the black eye of death seeking her heart.
Andre's shot cracked across the yard. The mercenary jerked, his weapon spinning from nerveless fingers as he crumpled. Joy released her prey, leaving him groaning and bleeding. Her tongue tasted copper. Her lion wanted more. Wanted to tear apart everyone who'd destroyed her girls, who'd burned her dreams.
A shout echoed from the main fight. More mercenaries, drawn by their fallen comrade's scream. Three of them, moving in formation toward her position. Joy melted back into the shadows. Let them come. This was her garden of ashes, and she knew every inch.
There was movement to her left. Another mountain lion, tawny and scarred. Her mother. Maria had flanked wide, coming from the workshop side. To her right, a massive grizzly emerged from the tree line. Buck, eight hundred pounds of paternal fury.
The mercenaries slowed, weapons tracking between threats. Their formation tightened, backs together, trying to cover all angles. One spoke into his radio, voice high with stress.
"Need backup at the apiary. We've got multiple shifters. Repeat, multiple?—"
Joy struck from behind while he transmitted. Her claws raked down his back, tactical webbing parting like tissue. He screamed, dropping the radio to clutch at wounds he couldn'treach. Maria hit the second man low, powerful jaws clamping on his thigh. His shot went wild as he toppled. Buck's massive paw swept the third mercenary's legs, sending him sprawling.
The yard erupted in chaos. More mercenaries rushed to help their comrades. Joy danced between them, using speed and agility against their firepower. Strike and fade. Slash and retreat. Never staying still long enough for them to target.
Andre's rifle cracked steadily from the rocks. Each shot dropped a threat, covering her movements with mechanical precision. But she could hear the tension in the rhythm. Too many enemies converging on his position.
Three fresh mercenaries rushed the boulders from the north. Andre swung to engage, but two more came from the east. He couldn't cover all angles. Couldn't hold them alone. The gunfire from Andre's position stopped. For one heartbeat, Joy's world froze. Then the roar that erupted shook dust from the ground.
The mercenaries charging the rocks stumbled to a halt as eight hundred pounds of grizzly rage erupted from behind the boulders. Andre's bear form moved with shocking speed for something so massive. His paw caught the nearest attacker, sending the man flying fifteen feet to crash into a burned hive.
Joy's lion sang with savage satisfaction.
She drove a fleeing mercenary straight into Andre's path. The man saw the bear, tried to change direction, but momentum carried him forward. Andre's massive form slammed him to the ground.
They moved together now, two predators in perfect synchronization. Joy's speed created chaos. Andre's powerbroke their cohesion. Maria and Buck sealed escape routes, turning the yard into a trap.
The mercenaries' professional composure cracked. One threw down his weapon, hands rising. "I surrender! I'm done!"
Another followed. Then three more. The virus of defeat spread through their ranks as they realized the truth. They weren't soldiers anymore. They were prey and the predators had them surrounded.
"Stand fast!" The voice boomed across the yard. Webb stood by the vehicles, trying to rally his broken force. "You're professional soldiers! Act like it!"
No one listened. Men who'd faced combat zones fled from shifters defending their home. Some ran blindly into the forest. Others dropped to their knees; hands laced behind their heads.
Webb raised his rifle, aiming at Joy who was focused on corralling surrendering mercenaries. Andre’s charge shook the earth. Andre accelerated to terrifying speed. Webb's shot went wide as primal terror seized him. His rifle fell.
Andre’s paw swept Webb's legs. He crashed down, all military bearing forgotten as he scrambled backward on his ass. "Please! I surrender! Don't kill me!"
Andre loomed over him, jaws parted to show teeth capable of crushing a skull like an egg. But he didn't strike. Just stood there, massive and implacable, until Webb curled into a ball and sobbed.
An engine roared to life.
Joy's head snapped toward the sound. The command SUV, forgotten in the chaos, sprayed gravel as it peeled out. Throughthe rear window, she glimpsed a pale face twisted with rage.Prescott.
Buck shifted back to human form, grabbing the radio from where it had fallen. "Heath, this is Buck. Multiple suspects down at Joy's property. We need cleanup crews."
"Copy that," Heath's voice crackled back. "Officers Blackthorn and Stone are two minutes out."
