“Are you going to let her speak to me like that?” Ebony, with a face like thunder, was by her husband’s side.
“You want the answer that pleases you, like always, or the truth?” Hunter barely even gave her a second glance.
“She’s making a laughing stock of me and thus your pack.” Ebony slammed her Gucci clad foot down on the floor.
“You know what? You’ve been making a laughing stock of my pack for years now. And I think I’m going to take a leaf out of Teagan’s book and finally be done with it. I think it’s time you went home, and I’m not talking Kansas. I’m talking England, where they might accept your obnoxious attitude more, but this has been a marriage of convenience since the start for me. It was never a mating, and right now it’s no longer convenient. “
“You can’t do that.” Ebony threw herself at her husband’s feet. “I’ll change.”
“I don’t think that’ll happen.” Hunter lightly shook his wife off his foot. Teagan knew she should feel sorry for the she-wolf and the breakdown of her marriage but, at that very moment, it was the least she deserved.
“Kas,” Hunter stepped forward and shook her alpha’s hand again. “We’ll talk soon.”
“I look forward to it,” Kas replied.
“Teagan.” Hunter turned his attention to her, while Ebony sobbed in the background. “I think you’ll do wonders on the committee. Everyone here bare witness that my vote goes to Teagan Holland.” Ebony let out a loud scream at that. Teagan just ignored her.
“Thank you.”
“My door is always open should you need anything.”
Hunter shook her hand, and then turned to his wife and the two bodyguards who’d been accompanying him. “Bring her, she can collect her belongings and leave tonight.” The alpha wolf and his soon-to-be-ex-wife left. The latter being unceremoniously dragged along by the guards.
“Teagan Holland gets my vote as well,” a shout came from the crowd.
“And mine.”
“Mine as well.”
Shouts came from all over the corridor now. Ethern stepped over to her.
“It would appear we have our first member of the committee.”
She looked around, not quite believing what was happening.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
She looked over to where Jessica and Kas were standing. The witch had disappeared, but Kas was there with the biggest smile on his face. She’d never seen him look so happy.
“Congratulations.” Kas pulled her into a massive bear hug.
“Can’t breathe,” she called out from where she was pressed against his masculine chest.
“You’ll get over it,” Kas chuckled. “I’m so happy for you.”
“It was your words that gave me the courage.”
“Just a mere point in the right direction. You already had the courage and strength.” Kas pulled her back but still kept his arms on her shoulders. She took in a deep breath to re-inflate her lungs from the bear hug.
“I don’t feel strong.” With the adrenaline of the past few moments passing, the recollection of Tyler back home in a cage hit her again. A tear tumbled down her cheek.
“He’ll be alright. It’ll take time,” Kas replied knowing instantly who she was thinking about.
“I wish he was here to see this.”
“Maybe he is.” Tyler’s voice came from behind her. She spun around. He held Jessica around the neck. “Get your hands off my woman. I won’t let you take her from me.”
Kas looked to Ethern. “Get everyone out.” Ethern nodded and started to usher people away. He stayed by the door on guard.
“I’m not taking Teagan anywhere. You have my word.” Kas let go of her and positioned himself in front of her. “How about you let Jessica go. You don’t want to hurt her.”
“No, I don’t.” Tyler threw Jessica to the floor. “But you try any magic on me and I will. I have to do this.”
The witch held both her hands up to show that she would not attempt magic.
“Jessica, are you alright?” Kas asked.
“I’m fine. He was already free when I got there. It was Emma who was calling me. Scott’s unconscious. He’s had more drugs. There was a packet on the floor.”
The elation of being voted to the Council faded, and Teagan felt her world faltering again. She wanted to run to Tyler, but the wolf before her was not the man she loved. He was full of poison.
“Teagan, come here,” he ordered. She shook her head. “Now,” he shouted.
“Will you give up the drugs?” she asked him.
“I can’t,” he replied with sadness in his voice. “It’s too late.”
“You can,” she begged.
“I can’t. I’ve made a deal.”
“With who?”
“Nuka. I didn’t kill her. Her step-father did, but it’s too late to save me now. I need to make sure you’re safe.”
“Whatever deal you have made with Nuka can be broken. Teagan is under my protection, Tyler. I can keep her safe,” Kas offered without hesitation.
“No, you can’t.” She watched Tyler. His eyes were full of tears. He wasn’t watching her though. His eyes were directly boring a path into Kas. His body started to slowly shift to that of a wolf. No…the world slowed again when Tyler leaped directly for Kas with his mouth open and fangs displayed. Kas made no effort to move. No…mounting the strength of a giant, she pushed Kas out of the way at the last minute. Tyler’s powerful jaw bit down on her neck. Pain shot through her tiny body. Her eyes met Tyler’s; then, as they melted from the confusion of drugs to the clarity of what he was doing. He shifted back to human form.
“Teagan. No.” He cradled her as she slumped down on to the floor. She tried to speak, but the blood bubbling up into her throat made it difficult. She tried again, but nothing. She wanted to tell Tyler that she loved him, she forgave him, but the darkness claimed her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jessica rubbed her neck where Tyler had held her tightly. Kas was getting back to his feet after Teagan’s superhuman strength had taken him out of the wolf’s path. She got to her feet and ran over to where Tyler was cradling a lifeless Teagan.
“Tyler.” She placed her hand on his shoulder. He flinched and turned to look at her.
“She’s dead.”
“I need to look at her.” She knelt beside him.
“No.” He pulled Teagan closer to his chest. “Don’t touch her.”
“Please.”
“He was right. I’m a monster in amongst angels.”
“It was an accident.” She reached out again to take Teagan, but he pulled her even closer to him.
“I was meant to kill Kas. What was I thinking?” he sobbed. She hated to see him this way. Tyler was one of the strongest people she knew. He was so happy and carefree.
“Let Jessica look at Teagan.” Ethern was next to them now. Kas was still dazed and trying to figure out where he was. Judging by the lump on his head he must’ve hit it when he fell.
“He can’t keep doing this?” Tyler was nodding his head. A plan was formulating in the wolf’s head, and Jessica didn’t think it would be a good one. “It has to stop. I’m going to kill him.”
“Who?” Ethern offered.
“Nuka Lincoln. I’ll get rid of him once and for all.” Tyler tried to get to his feet, but he was weak from the drugs and lack of food.
“Let Jessica look at Teagan, and you and I can go and talk in here.” Jessica saw a key drop into Ethern’s hand when he spoke. He would lock the wolf away until they could better restrain him.
“No. Stop trying to confuse me. I know what I have to do.” Tyler looked down at Teagan and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry, my love. I’ll make him pay.” He laid her down on the floor. “Bury her in the forest. She loved the wildness of the trees and leaves.”
Jessica scrambled forward and desperately tried to find a pulse.
“Tyler,” she called when she found it, but it was too late. The wo
lf had already shifted back to human form and taken the multi-shifter councilman by the neck. Next, Ethern’s skin turned green and they disappeared. Kas leaped forward to her side.
“She’s alive but barely.”
“Help!” Kas called out. Three guards came running down the corridor. “We need a medical team in here immediately.” They nodded, and one of them ran out.
“We need to go after Tyler. He’s gone to find Nuka, and he’s in no fit state to fight him. Nuka will kill him.” Jessica placed her hands over the puncture wound on Teagan’s neck to try and stem the flow of blood.
“I suspect that’s been my brother’s plan all along. Weaken us with death, either mine or Tyler’s.” A medic ran into the room and Jessica stepped back to let him work on the wild dog. She still didn’t move, and the color continued to fade from her body every moment she lay there.
“Let’s go. There’s nothing we can do here for now. I’ll get you home and then come back.”
She took a last look at Teagan. “Fight, because he’s going to need you.”
She took Kas’ hand and recited the spell in her head that took them back to the Glacial Blood mansion.
Brayden ran past them with a medical kit as they materialized in the dungeon.
“Thank fuck you’re here. All hell’s broken loose.” The snow-leopard paused for a moment then went to where Ethern lay on the floor. He had a gash on his head.
“What happened?” Kas knelt down to his multi-shifter friend.
“He pushed me into the wall the second we got here. I guess he knew I was going to use Jessica’s stone layout to trap him.” Ethern rubbed his head and looked towards where the stones lay in a pentagram. “I sensed it when I started to materialize. We were so close to each other he must have read my thoughts.”
“The drugs haven’t addled his brain that badly then,” Kas retorted.
“How’s Scott?” Jessica asked.
“Conscious and ready to go kick some ass,” the lion’s voice growled out from behind her.
“I think you need to rest more.” Emma was examining a cut to his head as well.
“That messed up polar bear has interfered with our lives one too many times. I want my buddy back. Not one that is riddled with guilt for killing Nuka without our help, when he regains his sanity. I hope Nuka rots in the same prison he stuck my woman in.” Scott was livid. Jessica could see that. What had happened with Emma had forced him to grow up, and he wasn’t going to back down now. Death was not the option for Nuka. Life imprisonment was what he needed. Her ex-lover Ciaran, on the other hand, was a different matter.
“I need to get back to Teagan,” she told Kas. “Where’s Selene?”
“I’m here.” Brayden’s mate came into the room with Jane and Katia at her side.
“Tyler has badly hurt Teagan. I need to get back to her.”
“Will she be ok?” Selene gasped.
“Too early to tell. I need you to transport the pack around where they need to go.”
Selene didn’t answer but looked over to Brayden.
“I can do it.” Ethern interrupted and got to his feet. He stumbled backwards and slid down against the wall.
“I think you need to rest.” Katia gave the councilman an ice pack she’d been holding.
Brayden went over to his wife’s side.
“She can’t.”
Kas stood up to him.
“What is going on?”
“Not now. Just know that she can’t,” Brayden replied.
“The reason we’re in this mess is because of people keeping secrets.”
“She’s pregnant,” Brayden sighed.
“So am I, but I’m going to fight.” Emma waddled over.
“Er. No, you’re not,” Scott flatly stated.
“Even ready to drop I’m the best fighter in this pack. I’m coming with you to get Tyler. No arguments.” Emma folded her arms. Scott backed down.
“It’s not that. I’ll fight. It’s just I can’t risk turning into a witch. You know the recent report of an explosion in the Nevada desert? Well, that was me.” Selene put her hand up.
“Are you having trouble with magic?” Jessica asked.
“Not me. The baby.”
“Our baby is half multi-shifter and half snow leopard.” Brayden placed his hand on his mate’s stomach. No one had ever birthed a multi-shifter. They were created with a form of ancient magic that she could only hope to understand one day. If Selene was worried about turning into a witch, then she would have good reason.
“If the baby were to feel threatened when I’m a witch, it could lead to the end of the world or at least leave a very big crater in it.”
“Do you think you could go to Teagan?” Jessica asked.
“I think so.” Selene looked up at Brayden. He nodded.
“You go there and bring her home. I’ll join the fight.”
Kas brought them all together: Jessica nestled into his side while he spoke, taking strength from him. “Tyler’s one of us no matter what he’s done. The drugs are eating away at him. We have to save him. I won’t let my brother take a member of my pack. We fight to the death, mine and Nuka’s, if needs be. Nobody gets in the middle of us. I should have ended him years ago. No more will I put my blood above my family.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Tyler felt like he’d been running for hours, but nothing could erase the pain that he felt. The need for drugs had vanished. It was replaced with the gut wrenching agony of having murdered the one woman in the world who understood, no, not just understood, but loved him for who he was. He loved Teagan more than every breath that he took. She’d been his world, and he allowed his weakness to come between them. She’d worried about the prejudice against her, but she was more special than anyone in the world. Her heart truly was made of pure gold.
He stopped at the edge of a mountain. He should throw himself off and end the suffering for everyone. He would. He’d come back here after he’d killed Nuka Lincoln. He wouldn’t live eternally ever after with Teagan for she would be in heaven, but hell would be a breeze compared to life at the moment.
“Well.” Nuka Lincoln’s voice sounded out behind him.
“Is it a recognized fact?” Tyler asked not bothering to turn around.
“Is what a recognized fact?”
“Second birth syndrome.”
“I think the drugs are still addling his brain.” Ciaran joined them.
“No, for the first time in ages my brain’s perfectly clear.” He stared out over the beauty of the Glacial National Park. He would miss it. The fresh air as he ran, the trees that seemed to whistle out his name, and even the lakes that threatened to break under his feet. A still calmness descended upon him.
“Is my brother dead?”
“I thought twins had a perception of what the other feels and thinks.” This time, he turned to face Nuka. The polar bear stood in a smart suit. He looked out of place amongst the snow. Ciaran wore a thick coat and hat. He was dressed more in keeping with the conditions, but then Tyler suspected he felt the cold up here more than a polar bear would.
“I’ve never felt anything from my brother. He’s a closed book, dried up to all emotions. He deserves death to rid him of the boring nature of his life. Now, is he dead?” Nuka pursed his lips together. It was then that Tyler noticed the briefcase in his hand. The strange thing is not more than a few hours ago he would’ve been fighting his way over to snatch it from Nuka, but the thought of it now repulsed him. Nuka had used him. Played him into believing he was a murderer, and the irony was he’d become one thanks to the drugs. He’d murdered an angel.
“No. He’s still alive, because he’s a good man. He was right. I listened to the wrong people.”
Ciaran inhaled a sharp breath.
“He killed the wrong person.”
Nuka sniffed the air and let out a long laugh. A growl rumbled in Tyler’s throat.
“Oh, the irony. I sent you to kill my brother to save your woman, and y
ou ended up killing her.”
Tyler shifted to a wolf.
“Which makes me dangerous.” He pushed into Nuka’s head. Whether Ciaran could hear his thoughts or not he didn’t care. “For I have nothing left to live for.” He leaped for Nuka, and the polar bear dropped the case and shifted. Tyler caught him with a bite to the shoulder. Nuka flipped him over, and he skidded part of the way down the mountain. The jagged edges of the rock jarred into his side and scraped away several layers of skin. He howled in pain but got back to his feet again and made for a second attack. Ciaran swirled an energy ball in his hand and threw it directly at him. He skipped around it by the smallest of margins. Another was formed, aimed, and thrown. This time it caught the fur on his back and bounced away. The flesh sizzled with a distinct smell of burning. He yelped again but wasn’t distracted from his intended path. Nuka Lincoln’s neck. He snarled and jumped but was pushed away by a black bear. Zain jumped into his path and Brayden joined him, they both prevented him from making the attack.
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