Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

MELINDA

M elinda moved swiftly through the chaos, her heart pounding as she slipped past Joe. She could feel his concern and frustration radiating off him like a heatwave. He wanted her safe, out of harm's way, but she couldn't stand by and do nothing. Not now, when everything was at stake.

As General Hawkins raised his gun, Melinda saw her chance. With a burst of speed, she leaped at him, her momentum carrying her through the air. Her teeth sank into Hawkins' arm, eliciting a scream of pain and surprise. She wrestled with him, trying to wrench the gun from his grip, but Hawkins was strong, and his military training gave him the upper hand. He managed to shake her off, throwing her to the ground and retaining control of the gun.

But her distraction had worked. Joe shifted, his body transforming him from human to sabretooth tiger in a heartbeat. He launched himself at Hawkins, claws and fangs bared. The general barely had time to react before Joe was upon him, their struggle fierce, primal, and ultimately lethal.

In the chaos, the general's gun discharged. Melinda felt a sharp, burning pain in her side and collapsed to the floor, shifting as she did so. The world around her dimmed, sounds becoming muffled and distant. She pressed a hand to her wound, feeling the warm, sticky blood seeping through her fingers. She hadn't minded the blood when it had been that of her opponent, but it was alarming to see her own pouring out of the wound.

"Melinda!" Joe's voice cut through the haze, filled with panic and anger. He finished off Hawkins with a swift, lethal strike, then rushed to her side. Kallik was there in an instant, covering her with a blanket. His hands were already moving to bind her wound.

"Stay with me, Melinda," Kallik urged, his voice steady and calm despite the urgency. He ripped strips of fabric from his shirt, pressing them against the wound to stem the bleeding.

JOE

Joe shifted back to his human form, grabbing and donning the clothing Kallik shoved into his hands. He tore down the corridor to the communications room he'd spotted previously. Somewhere along the line, the satellite phone he'd had with him had been lost. He hadn't spent much time worrying about it as it hadn't been able to cut through the static of the storm. Still shaken, he grabbed one of the research facility's satellite phones—hoping that their current location had a better and more powerful system that could get a call out.

Dialing Asher's number. "Ash, I'm sending you GPS coordinates. We need an emergency evac."

"Did you find Dr. King?"

"Dr. King, some kind of global conspiracy, murders, mayhem—you name it, I found it. Oh, and to add to the fun, General Hawkins is involved."

"We need to talk about him when you get back. It seems Colby—being the busybody he is—has dug up some interesting information on the general and on the charges that were laid against you. We'll have a chopper in the air ASAP."

"Send two, there is some kind of evil research lab up here. And send paramedics, as well. Melinda's been wounded, and some of the research staff don't look well."

"Got it."

Joe ran back down to the locker room, where Kallik was keeping pressure on the wound, his eyes never leaving Melinda's face. "You're going to be okay. Just hold on." He looked up at Joe. "She should be fine if we can get her help. Amy says there is no medical staff."

"My friend Ash has a couple of choppers on the way with paramedics. We need to start gathering people."

"What about the mercenaries and the guards?" said Amy, fearfully.

Joe put his hand on hers. "This thing is falling apart. Trust me, the goon squads will behave like rats deserting a sinking ship."

MELINDA

Melinda realized she must have passed out. She came to propped up on a cot. Her side where she'd been wounded by a stray bullet hurt.

"You're going to be fine, Melinda. You scared the shit out of me when you went for the general. Don't do that again. Kallik was able to stop the blood, but you lost a lot."

She grinned. "What was I supposed to do? Let him kill the man I've grown to love?"

"You're supposed to do what I tell you… wait, did you just tell me you loved me?"

"Yeah, I did. And for the record, I will not be doing what you tell me. I'm rather reluctant to do that. Any chance I'm going to hear you tell me you love me, too?"

He grinned. "You're a bright girl. You know we're fated mates. Besides, the bonding link should be kicking in, so you should be able to feel what I feel."

"All of that is true, but still, a girl likes to hear that her mate loves her."

Joe smoothed back her hair, kissing her forehead. "For as long as the aurora borealis dances across the skies, I have loved you, and I always will. Now, shut up and save your strength."

"Always with the orders," she quipped.

She perked up, trying to identify what her heightened sense of hearing told her was out there. It sounded distinctly like the choppers and paramedics were closing in on their location.

"On the way," said Joe, "Kallik bound the wound and while you were out, I initiated the change."

"You bit me?" she asked incredulously.

He grinned. "No, sweetheart. You lost a lot of blood. Kallik just transferred some of mine into you. I figured it couldn't hurt and might actually help. Besides, you're going to need to take it easy for at least the next week or two, so I figured the timing wasn't too bad."

Melinda nodded weakly, her vision blurring. She focused on Joe's voice, the calm confidence and determination in it giving her strength.

Kallik moved beside her, his hands were steady, his grip firm. "You're strong, Melinda. Just a little longer. Help is on the way."

She could hear the distant sound of rotors, the approach of their escape. The pain was intense, but she held onto the sound, letting it anchor her to the present. Joe's hand found hers, squeezing it tightly.

"We're getting out of here," he promised, his voice choked with emotion. "Just hold on a little longer."

The room spun around her, but she held onto Joe's words, his presence. The fight wasn't over yet, and she wasn't ready to give up. As the sound of the evac grew louder, Melinda felt a flicker of hope. They had made it this far together, and she knew they would see it through to the end.

"You will be fine," said Kallik. "The two of you have each other now, and what you uncovered will keep the world in balance."

The sound and tone of his voice was soothing, but somehow strange. The old man stood and headed for the exit, laying his hand on Amy's sleeping brow. "Forget," he whispered.

Melinda propped herself up on her elbows as Joe rose to follow him.

"Where are you going?" Joe asked.

"My time with you is done. It is time for me to go," he said, pointing to the wilderness.

"Wait, I don't understand," said Melinda.

Melinda lay on the cot, the pain in her side throbbing with every beat of her heart. Kallik's hands were steady on her wound, but she could feel herself growing weaker.

"You'll be fine," said Kallik. "Try and keep some pressure on the wound."

He stood up and Joe followed him. Kallik's face a mask of concern and determination.

Kallik looked up, his eyes meeting Joe's. "I need to go," he said, his voice calm but resolute. He continued to move toward the door.

"Wait," Melinda croaked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Where are you going? Why?"

Kallik paused, turning back to her. "I must return to the wilderness. The village of Akumaqtaq existed on this mortal plain thousands of years ago. It was scooped up by the gods and taken to dwell among the stars. It only returns when the Arctic is in danger, and then only to help those who can save it."

Melinda struggled to process his words, her mind clouded with pain and exhaustion. "You mean... you're not staying?"

Kallik shook his head, a sad smile on his lips. "My place is with the village. But you and Joe have done your part. You have secured the evidence and alerted the authorities. The Arctic has a chance now, thanks to you."

Joe returned to Melinda and gripped her hand in his. "We couldn't have done it without you, Kallik."

Kallik nodded, his form seeming to shimmer in the dim light of the lab. "Take care of her, Joe. She's stronger than she knows." He turned toward the door, his outline growing fainter with each step.

Melinda felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. The room seemed to spin, and she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Kallik," she whispered, but her voice was too weak.

He glanced back one last time, his figure almost transparent. "Remember, the village will always be with you in spirit. You have the strength to protect this world."

With that, Kallik faded away, his presence dissipating like mist in the morning sun. Melinda's vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. She felt Joe's arms around her, heard his voice calling her name, but it was distant, like an echo.

The last thing she saw was Joe's face, filled with worry and love, before the darkness claimed her, and she passed out.

As she slipped into unconsciousness, Melinda felt a strange sense of peace. They had done what they came to do. The evidence was safe, and the authorities were on their way. The arctic, and perhaps the world, had a fighting chance. And even as Kallik's presence faded, she knew his spirit, and the spirit of Akumaqtaq, would always be with them, guiding them in the battles to come.

Kodiak Island, Alaska

Several Weeks Later

The cold air of the Alaskan wilderness filled Melinda's lungs as she ran, the familiar scents and sounds of Kodiak Island invigorating her. Her sabretooth form moved effortlessly through the rugged terrain, muscles rippling under her thick, snow white fur. Beside her, Joe kept pace, his own powerful form a reassuring presence.

The landscape stretched out before them, a stunning expanse of snow-covered mountains and dense forests. The sky was a clear, icy blue, the sun casting a soft, ethereal glow over the world. Snowflakes danced in the air, sparkling like diamonds in the light.

Melinda's paws crunched through the fresh snow, leaving deep prints in their wake. The ground beneath was uneven, a mix of rocky outcrops and hidden ice patches, but she navigated it with ease. Her senses were heightened, every sound and scent amplified in her sabretooth form. She could smell the pine trees, the fresh snow, and even the distant scent of a deer grazing far ahead.

She couldn't help but compare this to her time as an Arctic fox. As a fox, her movements had been lighter, more agile. She had been smaller, quicker, darting through the snow with barely a sound. Now, as a sabretooth, she felt the power in every stride, the ground trembling beneath her weight. There was a raw, primal strength in this form that she relished, a connection to a deeper, more ancient past.

Joe was a blur of motion beside her, his strides long and confident. They moved in perfect harmony, their bond evident in the way they instinctively anticipated each other's movements. He glanced at her, his icy blue eyes filled with a mix of exhilaration and affection. It was in these moments, running free through the wilderness, that she felt most connected to him.

The terrain grew steeper as they ascended a snow-covered hill. At the top, they paused for a moment, taking in the breathtaking view. Below them, the island spread out in all its wild glory, a patchwork of white and green, with the dark blue of the ocean in the distance. The mountains stood tall and majestic, their peaks dusted with snow.

As an Arctic fox, she had often felt like a ghost in this landscape, her white fur blending seamlessly with the snow. She had been a part of the winter itself, invisible and elusive. But now, as a sabretooth, she was a force of nature, powerful and unmistakable. The change in perspective was exhilarating, and she felt a surge of pride in her newfound strength.

A gust of wind blew through the trees, rustling the branches and sending a cascade of snowflakes into the air. Melinda shook her head, dislodging a few flakes from her fur. She felt alive, every nerve tingling with the thrill of the run and the beauty of the landscape around them.

With a playful growl, she body-slammed Joe, then took off down the slope. He followed, his affectionate chuffing echoing in the crisp air. They wove between trees, leaped over fallen logs, and splashed through icy streams. The world was a blur of motion and sensation, and they reveled in it, their hearts beating in time with the rhythm of the wilderness.

As they ran, the bond between them grew stronger. Each stride, each leap, was a testament to their connection, not just as a couple, but as partners in every sense of the word. They had faced danger and darkness together, and now they embraced the wild beauty of Kodiak Island as one.

Eventually, they slowed, their breath visible in the cold air as they panted, side by side. Melinda looked at Joe, her eyes reflecting the love and trust she felt. He nuzzled her gently, a silent promise of many more runs to come.

In this moment, amid the rugged and snowy wilderness of Kodiak Island, Melinda knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. Whether as a swift and elusive Arctic fox or a powerful and primal sabretooth, she had found her place in this wild world. The wilderness was their sanctuary, and their bond was unbreakable. She was his reluctant mate no more.