Alpha Pack 3 - Black Moon (37 page)

“I did lose it,” he said, his voice aching with regret. “In that cell, the evil consumed me and I longed to kill. But when Nick grabbed you . . . Yeah, I went nuts. You’re my mate and seeing his hand on you

reminded me I’d do anything for you. For you, not for that sonofabitch.”

“Oh, Kalen.”

“I’m still fighting the compulsion, and God, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But
you
make it go away. The only time it’s really manageable, when I feel like I can win, is when you’re in my arms.

When he brought you here, I had to make it believable that I’m completely on his side. I do love you.

I’m sorry, baby.”

She held him tight and they stood together, breathing each other in. Holding on to this moment in

time, because it might be all they had. “He’s going to attack. What are we going to do?”

He stroked her face tenderly. “
We
aren’t doing anything. I’m sending you back to the compound

because that’s where it’s safest. Then I’m joining the fight against that fucking Unseelie bastard who is not my father in any sense of the word.”

“But you just lowered the shields there! I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t lower them, sweetheart. I strengthened them.”

She sagged against him. “Oh, thank God. I thought . . .”

“I know.” He kissed the top of her head. “And I’m sorry all I’ve done tonight is scare you. This will

be over soon. I promise.”

“I’ll kill you for it later. We need to get going before
he
decides to come back or something.”

“He won’t. Malik’s too focused on his mission. And we have time.” He edged her backward, toward

the big bed. “Let me make love to you, baby.”

“Here? In his house?”

“It’s not his house. It’s an illusion. But we’re not, and neither is how we feel.”

“I know, but—”

“Loving you keeps him out of my head and my soul. Help me drive out the darkness for good. I

need to show you how much I love you before . . . before I have to fight.”

That sounded far too much like goodbye. She wouldn’t accept that, but neither would she waste any

precious moments with him. And if it would help him, she wouldn’t refuse. He undressed her with care,

the regular way because he enjoyed it, then himself with magic. He pushed her onto the bed, followed

her down.

Covering her, he pushed inside. Made slow, tender love to her, cradling her close. He whispered in

her ear, “Never forget this. Never forget me, or how much I love you and our child. How much I want

you both.”

“I won’t,” she told him. Tears streamed into her hair. It was a beautiful joining, despite the

uncertainty that awaited them.

They reached their orgasm together with mutual cries and floated down. He held her as long as he

could, then slipped out of her. Standing by the bed, he clothed himself again, then her, with a wave of his hand.

“I wish I could take you far away from here. Just run from the fight with you.”

“But you’re not made that way.”

His smile was heartbreaking as he took her hand. “No. And you wouldn’t love me if I were. Hold on.

I’ll take you back.”

Before she could protest, the room disappeared. The same sense of flying shot a thrill through her,

and it wasn’t as nauseating as before. In moments, her feet touched solid ground and she found they

were standing outside Sariel’s room. Kalen knocked, and it took several seconds before the door opened and his brother stood gaping at them.

“Good gods!” The prince ushered them inside and glanced up and down the hallway before shutting

and locking the door. He faced Kalen with worry. “Are you mad? If Nick finds you here, all hell is going to break loose. Again.”

“He won’t. I’m not staying long. I just brought Mackenzie back, and then I’m joining in the fight. On

the Pack’s side.”

“That’s not what Nick believes.” Sariel eyed his brother.

“He’ll believe it when he’s faced with the proof. I can’t do any more than that to convince him.”

“You don’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. I told my mate and I’ll tell you—I don’t run from a fight.”

“You seem in control of yourself. Nothing like what I saw earlier.”

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Kalen said, his expression bleak. “Mackenzie grounds me, and it’s

worse when people or circumstances interfere with our harmony.”

“She won’t be with you in this fight. How will she ground you then?”

“I’ll just have to keep her and the baby in my thoughts. And my real family—you and my Pack

brothers. All I can give it is my best shot.”

“I’m joining you. I’m not standing by this time and allowing all of you to fight my battles.” He held

up a hand to forestall Kalen’s argument. “I am Malik’s son as well, and this conflict started because of me.”

“No. It started because of Malik’s plot to create super-shifters. The Pack was already after him.

They just didn’t know who they were chasing for a long time, and you being related to him and on his

hit list was pure coincidence. You’re under their protection now and they don’t resent that one bit.”

“That’s true,” Mac put in. “Everyone adores you.”

Sariel’s face colored a bit. “Well, I think the world of everyone here and I’d hate to leave.”

Kalen’s expression hardened. “You won’t have to. We’re going to give that asshole a taste of what

super-shifters really are—and he’s not going to be able to handle the reality check we hand him.”

“I think I’m going to enjoy having you for a brother,” Sariel told him with a smile.

“Same here.” Kalen glanced at Mac. “Give us a minute, baby?”

She nodded and the pair moved across the room, murmuring in hushed voices. Sariel seemed upset

but eventually capitulated to whatever Kalen was speaking to him about. Apparently satisfied, Kalen

pulled the prince into a brief embrace, then let him go. Kalen returned to Mac and gave her a hug as

well, ending hers with another searing kiss.

“When this is over, we’re taking a vacation in Fiji. Just so you can start packing.”

She gave him a watery smile. “Sounds good to me.”

“I love you, baby.”

“Love you more,” she choked out. Before she could say anything else, he vanished. She gazed at the

spot where he’d been. “What did he say to you?”

Sariel just sighed heavily.

“Tell me.”

“He asked me to take care of you and the baby if he doesn’t come home. But he will,” the prince

said fiercely. “We have to believe that.”

She was trying. Really, really trying to keep the faith.

But it was getting harder with each passing second.

* * *

Nick was perched on the edge of the conference table, slurping as much coffee as he could to keep

himself going, like many of his Pack.

They were all tense. Waiting. Jax and Zan were scouting the perimeter, using the cover of darkness

to locate Malik and his Sluagh. A crack of lightning split the sky outside the window and thunder rolled again, the time in between shorter. Stronger. The storm was closer and moving in fast.

And out of the blue, the vision held him in its icy grip.

Nick was kneeling in the middle of a field, racked with pain as cold rain lashed down, stinging like
needles. Lightning split the sky, took a jagged path to the soaked earth, scorching it in spite of the
downpour.

All around him, his Pack battled the Sluagh. His brave men cutting a swath through Malik’s batlike
Unseelie minions, losing ground with every passing second. There were hundreds of the terrible

beasts, swarming, screeching. Far too many for either fierce wolves or men with magical gifts to

defeat.

They were all going to die.

High on a pinnacle stood the Sorcerer with his staff, holding it aloft. Screaming at the Unseelie

enemy, at the heavens for help that would not come.

And then a bolt of lightning streaked from the boiling black clouds, making the night as day just

before it hit the end of the Sorcerer’s staff. A massive detonation shook the ground and the world fell
away.

Fell and fell. Taking Nick and his men into the abyss.

“Nick!” Was that Ryon? “Nick!”

He blinked to find Ryon crouched over him, patting his cheek. “Shit.”

“What did you see, boss?”

He took the hand up Ryon offered and met each of their worried stares. He’d never told his men

about the vision before. But maybe it was time he did. They needed to know what they were facing. The

dire odds.

So he told them in detail. And when he was finished, the pall in the room was palpable. Never had

he seen such doubt and fear on their faces, and he almost regretted it.

“So Kalen’s going to save us?” Ryon asked.

“Or destroy us all. I don’t know which way it goes, so if any of you want out, now’s the time to

speak up. Anyone?”

No one moved. Or spoke.

Jax and Zan eased inside, Sariel after them. “What did you find?” Nick asked Jax.

“There’s a huge army of Sluagh gathering a couple of miles west of here, in a clearing in the forest.

There’s way too many, even with Grant’s forces meeting us and intercepting them.”

Nick and Jarrod shared a look; then Nick repeated his question. “Could be we’re all about to meet

our deaths. In or out?”

Jax scoffed. “How could you even ask us that? In, dammit.”

The rest echoed him, and the Pack took a few moments to center themselves. To contemplate the

monumental task before them. Then they went to face their fate like the men of honor they were. Nick

was the last out, but not before he took one more look around the room.

And he wondered, as they all did, whether they’d make it home alive.

Sixteen

C
ome to me, son. It’s time we end the commander and his men.

“The shields are down,” he lied. “Come and get them.”

To
me
, boy. We fight together.

Kalen ignored the summons and waited. In the darkness, outside the compound, he knew Malik and

his goons would start their way, and he’d gloat when he saw how very outnumbered the Pack was, even

with the military black ops groups assisting them.

But he’d soon be in for a very big surprise.

The Pack filed out of the building, tense and battle-ready even though they must be exhausted.

They’d already tackled the last research facility, and now they’d battle for their lives. They’d been up almost all night anticipating this, and still they showed. Ready to rumble.

His pride in them, in being a part of them even for a short time, nearly overwhelmed him. If it was

the last thing he did, he’d prove to them that he’d been worthy all along. He could resist the lure of evil because of his brothers. Because of Mac and their child. He just had to hold out a little longer.

Kalen cloaked himself from their presence, though some of them sensed something off. He rode

right next to Aric in the SUV on the way to the rendezvous point with Grant’s men, and the redhead

never knew it. That made Kalen smile. Aric would hate that he hadn’t known.

Soon the vehicles pulled over near a clearing. The forest edged the open space, and behind that was

an outcropping of rock that formed a peak. It wasn’t high enough to be called a mountain like some in

the distance, but was much more than a hill. Kalen thought that would make a fine vantage point for

what he had planned.

Nick and Grant gathered the soldiers and their instructions were simple. Grant took the lead.

“Remember, heart and head. Those are the only two places to kill these bastards, and if you miss,

you’re dead. What you see here tonight, you didn’t see it at all. You were never here. Correct?”

“Yes, sir!” they shouted.