Aiden sputtered. "How ... what's my fault?"
Rheia stood and began pacing back and forth. "At the clinic you told me that the necklace masked the smell of the ferals, making them undetectable. In my mind, I didn't question the necklace further, so we had no idea why the body began to break down, but it's like I just said, the decomposition only accelerated after the necklace was removed. That's why they wanted the slide samples; they knew we would figure it out." She faced the room and realized that not even Meryn was following along.
"Okay. Slide one, normal paranormal right? Slide two, Mystery Man before he went supernova. Adam and I assumed that the cellular decay that we saw was due to the body slowly decaying, because it was an assumption that he was a normal paranormal. Slide three, Mystery Man, the gooey state. All cells were in the process of breaking down simultaneously. Slide four, regular feral, all cells had some form of decay." She took a breath and continued.
"What if the decay we saw in slide two wasn't because he was decomposing slowly like a normal paranormal? What if the decay was there before he put on the necklace? What if he was already a feral and when he put the necklace on it stopped the cellular degradation? That necklace acts as more than just a Glade air freshener, it actually halts cellular decay, that's why there's no smell."
Beth gasped, bringing a hand to her throat. "So if a feral were to put the necklace on right after turning, there would be no way to detect what he was."
Gavriel looked between Aiden and Byron. "It would also explain why we suddenly have different types of ferals. In the past they acted like mindless beasts, relying on brute strength to create terror and cause pain. But we are now seeing them starting to band together, laying traps, and acting with caution."
Rheia nodded. "It makes sense. If the cellular decay is stopped, they would retain higher brain functions."
Meryn stared down at her hands. "So to recap; we have an unknown and growing force of intelligent ferals that cannot be detected by scent who have been operating in secret for at least the past twenty years collecting chameleons to further make them invisible and have only recently grown big enough balls to start attacking unit warrior mates." She looked up and around the room.
"We are so fucked."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Mina turned to Meryn. "How did you arrive at the conclusion that they were collecting chameleons for invisibility?"
Meryn shrugged. "Kinda going out on a limb for that one, but it makes sense. We have invisible ferals attacking and they've killed hundreds of chameleons, I'm kinda just connecting the dots at this point."
Mina shook her head. "It doesn't work that way, to use our abilities you have to be born to it."
Keelan stepped away from the wall. "It is possible, if they were using a blood spell."
Mina gripped her mate's hand tight. "No where is safe."
Her words galvanized the men into action. Byron and Aiden stood. Aiden set Meryn down in their chair and kissed her softly. "We need to call a council meeting and contact the other three pillar cities. We have some major decisions to make."
Ryuu left the room heading to the foyer.
Colton leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Gavriel and I will be going with Aiden, Darian and Keelan will stay here. Gamma has also been assigned to patrol around the estate, you'll be safe."
As they went to leave Ryuu walked in holding the brass perimeter charm. He looked at Aiden. "Someone took the perimeter down."
Frowning Aiden looked around the room. "Who'd do that?"
Rheia felt ice slide down her spine. "Where's Penny?"
Colton was already moving, she could hear him yelling as he ran up the stairs. "Penny! Penny, where are you!"
Rheia ran from the room to Aiden's office.
"Rheia!" Colton called out.
"In Aiden's office!"
Colton, Meryn, and Aiden rushed in.
"She was supposed to be right here. She was supposed to be coloring!" Rheia turned to look at the colors and figures on the wall.
"Keelan, Ryuu check the house, top to bottom! Gavriel call Sascha, check to see if they saw anything outside!" Aiden began barking orders as he ran from the room.
Rheia turned to Colton. "Where is she?"
Colton shook his head. "I don't know, but I will find her. I'll start upstairs to see if I can pick up her scent."
Meryn pointed to the drawing. "Do you think she got scared drawing the attack scene from your house and hid?"
Rheia shook her head. "Why would she take the perimeter down?" She looked down at the drawing. "Besides, that's not our house, we don't have rounded windows." Rheia froze. Why hadn't she realized that earlier, this wasn't something Penny was drawing from her nightmares.
Rheia stared at Meryn and they both turned to look at the rounded window behind Aiden's desk, then down at the drawing. The terrifying figure that was stared back at them, Penny had seen looking into Aiden's office window.
"Colton!" Rheia screamed.
The sound of thundering feet heralded the men as they ran into the room. Colton burst through the doorway looking around for an unseen enemy.
"What?" he asked.
Rheia pointed down at the drawing. "Something has been stalking her outside Aiden's window."
Colton looked at the drawing and blanched. As one, the men left the room at a run, heading outside. Rheia and Meryn followed. As they turned the corner of the house Rheia was just in time to see Colton throw his head back and howl, his body expanding before he burst from his clothing as a giant wolf. He rushed into the woods behind the house, Aiden and the rest of the Alpha Unit right behind him.