The Willow

by Stacey Kennedy

  “What is it?” Drake demanded.

  Shaking my hand at him, dismissingly, I said, “Wait, I can’t—” Squinting my eyes, I stepped forward to draw closer just as the woman leaned back and exposed his face.

  “Nexi, who is it?” Drake snapped.

  His words slid right by me as rage consumed me as I stood face-to-face with one of the wolves who slaughtered that poor woman. “That fucker.” I charged forward, throwing the woman to the ground and grabbed him right between his legs, squeezing as hard as I could muster.

  “What the—” he roared. He looked up, blinked, then his face quickly filled with terror.

  “I’ve been looking for you,” I drawled.

  He shook his head and grimaced from my tight grip. “I haven’t done anything.”

  I squeezed tighter. “Oh no?”

  “Well, that’s one way to do it,” Briggs laughed behind me.

  There were too many people in this room. The entire place had gone quiet. Everyone focused right on us. This couldn’t happen in here.

  “You weren’t supposed to know,” he shouted as I dragged him from the club. “He said you wouldn’t know.”

  I snorted, annoyed at his stupidity and threw him to the pavement. “Lazarus lied to you, idiot!” My tone lowered. “Tell me what you know!”

  “I will tell you nothing,” he yelled and leapt forward as he shifted.

  I kicked out, sent him tumbling back. “We’ll just see about that.”

  “Do you wish for me to help with this?” Valor asked from the sidelines.

  “No way. He’s mine,” I snarled and twirled around to kick the back of his head, driving him snout first to the ground. He flipped over, let out a piercing howl and rushed forward. This time he wasn’t a wolf. His expression caused a bit of laughter. He figured he could win a hand-to-hand fight with me. He came punching, kicking, and striking out with a need to kill.

  It was a pitiful display. His moves were childlike. At any point, I could kill him. There was no skill here only the determination to stay alive. As much as I wanted to tear into him for what he had done I knew I couldn’t. He was my best shot at finding Kyden. I allowed him to think he was winning—allowed him to get hits on me.

  “You’re pathetic.” He cackled.

  Hearing the sound of his laughter, accompanied by the smug look on his face pushed me over the edge, and when he dove forward, I slammed a fist straight to his jaw. He slowly raised his gaze to mine in shock. “That’s right. Who’s pathetic now?” I burst out.

  “I’ll get you for that, bitch.” He leapt forward.

  “Oh, you did not just call me that,” I snarled, smashing my palm into his nose, and with a loud crack followed by a heavy thud, he fell to the ground knocked out cold. “Shit!” I glanced back at Drake. “I hadn’t meant to do that.”

  Valor chuckled. “Not only strong-willed, but a temper too.”

  “I believe that might be an understatement,” Drake stated.

  “Wonder who I get it from,” I retorted, which only made them laugh harder

  Drawing my sword, I stuck it to his throat, waiting for him to come around. “This is annoying.”

  Moments later, he stirred. He stood, confused, forgetting where he was. “Yoo-hoo, remember me?” I applied pressure to the sword. “Where’s Kyden?”

  “Kyden? Who the fuck is Kyden?” he growled.

  I jabbed my sword deeper. The tip buried under his skin. “The Guardian. Where is he?”

  He gulped. His eyes narrowed. Blood began to pour from the wound. “I have no idea where they took him.”

  “If you don’t know where Kyden is then tell me where I can find Archer?”

  His eyes widened. “How do you know about Archer?”

  “Listen ass-wipe, I don’t have time for this. You need to tell me where Archer is or where I can find Kyden. My patience is running thin.”

  “Tell her now,” Valor ordered.

  “Patriarch.” The wolf trembled.

  Suddenly, the importance of having Valor with us became all too real, why it made Talon so grateful. The wolves would be more likely to comply with us considering the authority he has over the packs. What he could take from them.

  “Promise me you will not kill my mate, Bryony, and my cub, Fiora, for my acts,” he pleaded.

  Valor knelt down beside him. “As much as you do not deserve my mercy, because we are in a great need to find the location of the Guardian, I will grant your request. Your family will be kept safe. That is my promise.”

  The fear in the wolf’s eyes softened to relief. “Go to 8th Avenue and 49th Street. You will find a tailor shop there. We have been using it as our headquarters. Archer will be there along with the others.”

  “He is yours Nexi.” Valor stood. “Take your revenge.”

  “It isn’t my revenge. It’s the woman he killed. She could have been a mother, a sister—someone who was loved. It is for all the pain he caused her and all the pain felt by others who are suffering from her death. That is what I take this revenge for.”

  With that, I delivered her retaliation.

  * * * *

  “I see ten,” I said, certain.

  Staked out across the street we sat, peering past the Hilton Garden Inn. Pigalle Tailors sat between the Z Deli on the left and the Olympic restaurant on the right with old air conditioners hanging from the top windows—clearly apartments sat above.

  Drake squinted and searched the window. “Yes, ten. I count the same.”

  “There are ten on the lower floor, but many more are upstairs. I can smell them,” Valor said.

  “Do you have any idea how many?” I asked.

  “No, can’t say for sure. More than ten up above as well, but definitely could be more.”

  Drake sighed deeply and looked at me. “I suppose asking you to stay here is out of the question?”

  “You suppose right.” I took a deep breath. “Ready?” I asked it, but knew it really didn’t matter. Could anyone ever be ready for the shitload of trouble we were about to land ourselves in?

  Briggs nodded dauntlessly. “Batters up!”

  We charged forward. A foot away from the door, Drake kicked out and slammed it wide open. The men jumped to their feet, startled.

  “What—who,” a man shouted. His eyes widened as he took me in. “It’s you.”

  Valor shifted and growled deep as he stepped forward.

  “The Patriarch,” another man said. He glanced around at the others terrified, then back at me. “Why is the Patriarch with you?”

  Valor growled again, more of a demand. They instantly shifted and pounced forward.

  When the first wolf was only a hairsbreadth away, I drew my sword. I sliced quickly, sending his head toppling to the floor. “One down,” I commented just as another wolf flew toward me.

  Abruptly, I was slammed from the side. There was a slice followed by a splatter. Drake obviously dealt with that wolf. A growl rose beside me—fur brushed against my arm while a loud crunch followed by a heavy thud meant Briggs or Valor took out the other wolf.

  I stayed focused on the new wolf approaching me as he swooped forward, his teeth snapping viciously. Before he had the chance to bite, I landed a hard right hook, which sent him soaring away from me. He shook his head, recovering, and leapt forward. Without a second to lose, I grabbed my sword from the ground and flung it at him. “Two down.” I continued my count.

  Fur tickled my left side. I took a quick look and found it was Valor. His position beside me seemed almost protective. It appeared he was allowing me to kill, guarding me only if I couldn’t manage it. Before I could think of why he would do that another wolf lunged at me. I dove toward my sword. Just as he was about to land on my back, I spun around and shoved it deep into his chest. “Three down,” I continued.

  I hopped to my feet, searching quickly, scoping for my next target. There was none. Valor caught my attention. His gaze was very fixed wi
th mine. My curiosity grew. Why would he feel the need to protect me?

  Briggs’ growl came loud and fierce. He shifted and came up to my side. “She belongs to Kyden,” he snapped at Valor.

  Valor shifted. “Don’t be ridiculous, Briggs.”

  “Huh? Sorry, did you do something?”

  Briggs interrupted and looked less than pleased. “He was protecting you when you are not his to protect.”

  “You’re joking, right? You think I mind him looking out for me?”

  “You do not understand wolves,” Briggs replied with a tight jaw. “We protect what is ours. By his protection, he was claiming you.”

  My eyes went wide. “He what?”

  Valor shook his head, annoyed. “You are reading me wrong. Next time, ask what my intentions are before you go making assumptions. I do not wish to claim her. I only feel a need to…” He hesitated. “Protect her, is all.”

  “Why?” I couldn’t help but ask.

  “Do you need a reason?”

  I pondered that. “Actually, no I don’t. You’re right! We don’t have time for this.”

  “Boss, if I spoke out of line…” Briggs started.

  Valor stopped him with a wave of his hand. “Do not apologize for your loyalty to Kyden. It is those reasons you are my Beta. To reassure you, she reminds me of Isla.”

  Briggs examined me. Then, laughed loudly. “Right you are.”

  “Okay, are we done here?” I asked, glancing between them.

  Valor gave a valiant nod. “Yes, let’s continue.”

  Just as we walked away, I leaned over to Briggs. “Who’s Isla?”

  “His daughter.”

  At the back of the room was a set of stairs. We started up, and with each step, it creaked loudly. It didn’t matter how quiet we tried to be the stupid stairs just wouldn’t stay silent. We stopped trying and flew up.

  I hit the last step. “Oooohhhh…shit.” I’d been expecting trouble—just not this much trouble.

  “I believe we have found their headquarters,” Briggs stated, grimly.

  The twenty wolves waiting for us made that statement very true. With a deep rumbling growl, the room erupted into complete chaos. Fur was all around me. My only recourse was to slam my fist against everything, hoping to hit something vital, unable to tell their faces from their butts. The most disconcerting part was not knowing where their teeth were.

  Not a moment later, my worry was justified when sharp teeth plunged deep into my side. “Bite me, you son of a bitch,” I snarled and punched his snout with more power than I knew existed in me. I flew to my feet and stabbed quickly.

  Before I could pull back my sword, another wolf hit me from behind and landed a hard bite to my shoulder. Pain roared from my throat as sharp teeth tore wreckage against my skin.

  A fierce growl broke through my screams, followed by a piercing yelp. Then, those teeth were no longer a source of pain. Valor stood over the dead wolf. If I only had time to thank him. “Look out,” I blasted and moved around him.

  Grabbing my sword from the dead wolf, I stepped forward, and with a quick slice, he no longer had legs. The need to kill them quickly—caring if they suffered had long past.

  I scanned the scene and astonished was an understatement. There were only seven wolves left. Being that they were torn apart, Valor and Briggs obviously handled the majority of them.

  Drake was currently fighting two, which left five wolves who were slowly approaching Valor, Briggs and I.

  “Which one is Archer?” I asked Valor.

  He shrugged his fury shoulders.

  The wolves looked at each other and suddenly looked at one of the wolves fighting Drake. I took that as an introduction. “Drake, don’t kill the one on the right. That’s Archer,” I yelled.

  The wolves all shot their gazes back to me, snarled deeply, and flew at us. Two of them came straight for me while the other three went for Valor and Briggs.

  Now that I knew Archer was within reach this needed to end.

  Kyden’s location was just a few feet away, which sent me into an urgent frenzy. Diving toward the wolves, I threw a hard punch to the one as the other came barreling toward me. He didn’t make it. Soaring through the air, I hit, slicing down the middle of him sending all sorts of yuckiness to spread through the air. His front half fell with the other half following thereafter. Quickly turning, the other wolf was only inches away from ripping off my arm. I drew in all my strength and kicked out, causing him to yelp and hit the floor.

  Just as he hit, I slammed my blade down into his chest and immediately pulled it back. Fucking wolves!

  Drake was still fighting the two. They were so focused on him I had a clear advantage here. I stepped in between them and with a quick hit, he fell.

  Archer immediately spun around, and realizing his defeat, he shifted instantly. “Don’t—don’t kill me,” he begged.

  Drake stepped away. He was injured. His forearm had been mutilated—bone was visible. “Christ, Drake.” I reached for his arm. “Are you okay?”

  “I am fine. Deal with this. We must get going.”

  “Sure you are.” I bent down, ripped off a piece of Archer’s shirt, and wrapped it around Drake’s wounded arm. After I braced his wound, I focused back on Archer. “You know where they have taken the Guardian. Tell me where he is.”

  He shook his head. Terror filled his eyes. “You don’t understand. He will kill my family. He knows the name of my cubs. He will take their lives. He has told me so.”

  Apparently, Calder was speaking the truth. Lazarus did have a hold on Archer. He feared for the life of his family.

  Valor shifted. “What do you think I will do?”

  “Patriarch.” His voice was so frightened it came out as a whisper. He was struggling with himself, trying to decide.

  We didn’t have time for this. I was about to make the decision for him. I punched out hard sailing him across the room. Drake lunged forward and stabbed down into his stomach. It wasn’t enough to kill him just enough for him to take us seriously.

  “No! Wait!” He screamed out in pain. “You will take my cubs into your safety. Promise you will make sure harm does not come to them.”

  “I give you my word,” Valor responded adamantly.

  Archer grimaced a little and then nodded bleakly. “He’s either at 634, 11th Street. That’s Lazarus’ home or you’ll find him at a warehouse on the corner of Lexington and 110th Street.”

  “What is your plan from here?” Valor asked me.

  Shock stunned me a little. It’d been a long time since I was asked my opinion rather than told it. “I think it’s best if we split up. We need to find him quickly. The longer we take the less likely it will be that he is alive.” I glanced to Drake just as he finished off Archer. “What do you think?”

  “I agree with you,” Drake replied. “It makes the most sense.”

  Valor approached me and rested a hand on my shoulder. The warmth of his hand was much needed comfort. “I wish you safe.”

  “You as well.” Then, I leaned up and kissed Briggs’ cheek. “If you find Kyden give him that for me.”

  Briggs let out a sharp laugh. “I’ll be sure to do that. Although, I do believe it might result in a punch to the face. But for you, Nexi, anything.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “You know where you’re going?” I asked Drake as we walked down the street.

  “No, but he might,” he responded, pointing down an alley where a homeless man rested on a cardboard box. “Go on. I will wait here for you.”

  Suspecting he needed a moment to recoup I didn’t argue. That wound had to hurt like hell. Where was Zia when you needed her? When I reached the homeless man, he lifted his head to look at me. He was filthy and stank of something that belonged in a sewer.

  “Can you tell me how to get to Lexington and 110th Street?” I asked, hoping he was sane enough to tell me directions.

  He took in my
lack of clothing and gave me a toothless smile. “Sure. Walk down that way,” he said, pointing to the right. “You’ll hit the 42nd St. station. The subway will take you there.”

  “Thanks.” Spinning on my heels, I ran back to Drake. Just as he came into view, something flashed behind him. Squinting, I forced my vision to clear. When it did my world stopped. “Behind you,” I screamed.