J. Tyler - Savage Awakening

Rage suffused him, and the shift happened with no conscious thought on his part. He was a killing machine, bent on the one goal of killing the bitch who’d harmed his mate. There would be no more reprieves for Beryl.

She saw him coming, smirked, sent another blast. Aric dodged it and it sailed harmlessly to his side, smashing into the wall behind him. He had one split second of immense satisfaction when her eyes widened and she knew death had finally come to call.

Then he leapt, was on her, sending them both crashing to the floor. Shouts sounded, the cavalry coming, but no one was going to stop him. Beryl grabbed at him, tried to shove him off her, but he lunged.

His big jaws closed on her neck and he sank his teeth deep. Her screech of pain was abruptly ended when he ripped out her throat. Heal that, you skank. He hung on until her body stopped twitching, then sat back on his haunches and let out a howl of victory.

This time, she really was dead.

But Rowan—

Shifting back to human form, he wiped his mouth and crawled to the small brown wolf’s motionless body. He was hardly aware of the rest of the team pouring into the hallway as he gathered his precious mate into his arms.

“Rowan? Wake up, baby. Open your eyes for me.”

“Aric!” Jax shouted. “What the fuck happened?”

“Beryl got loose somehow,” he choked out. Tears pricked his eyes. “She hit Sariel. Check on him, please.”

His friend went to do just that, and others joined him in tending to the Fae prince. Aric was worried about the guy, but his mate took top priority. She stirred some, and he could feel her breathing, lungs sawing in and out. Relief nearly undid him, but he tried to remain calm. For her.

Then her eyes opened and she blinked slowly. Her pink tongue poked out to tentatively lick his arm, and he laughed with profound joy. “My God, when she blasted you, I thought— Forget that. You’re okay. Shift back, honey. For me?”

It took several moments, but at last he had a lapful of gorgeous naked woman. Who just grinned weakly and tried to make a joke out of the whole thing.

“After little things like drug dealers and gangbangers, witches, demons, and all that other shit are going to take some adjustment.”

“You crazy woman,” he said hoarsely, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t do anything like that again.”

“Um, I’m on the team now, Red. Job hazard.”

“Damn. Well, promise you’ll be more careful.”

“Avoid magical blasts from the bitch witch. Check.”

“Well, not that bitch witch. I killed her.”

“Good,” she said fiercely. “Wait—how’s Sariel?”

“Let’s help you on with your clothes and I’ll check.”

Together, they got her dressed. She was still shaky, but insisted she was fine. He helped her limp over to where everyone surrounded the faery. Everyone but Kalen, who stood several yards away, his head hanging low, looking like he’d lost his best friend.

Aric turned his attention back to the prince. Melina, Mac, and Nick were crouched beside him, Melina holding a compress to his shoulder. Blood the color of a brilliant sapphire soaked the towel, and Aric’s own blood ran cold. How the fuck were they supposed to replace Fae blood?

Noah and Sam, the heavyset nurse, came around the corner fast, wheeling a stretcher. Nick and the nurses lifted Sariel on the count of three, placed him on it, and strapped him down.

“Let’s go!” Melina shouted. They set off at a rapid clip.

Nick turned to the Pack, leashing a barely controlled rage that Aric had never seen before. “Someone cover the witch’s body until we can deal with it.”

“I’ll dispose of it,” Kalen offered quietly. When no one objected, he turned Beryl’s body to ash. Then the ashes swirled and vanished.

“Good riddance,” someone muttered. Sounded like Jax.

Nick sighed. “Meeting in the conference room. Right fucking now.”

Aric felt sick. He should’ve been faster, blocked the shot meant for the prince. Now all they could do was pray that he would survive.

Before he headed off, Nick paused to look Rowan over. “Maybe you should get checked out?”

“No, no. I’m just sore and I’ll be bruised. Nothing that won’t heal.”

The boss nodded and walked off. The Pack trailed him, no one celebrating Beryl’s demise. A good, gentle being they’d come to think of as one of their own was fighting for his life.

In the conference room, someone shut the door behind them. No one bothered to sit as Nick began. “How the fuck did Beryl get out of Block T?” he asked, his voice low and ominously calm.

For a long moment, there was silence.

“I let her out,” Kalen admitted, voice catching. “God, I’m so sorry—”

“Why? Did she seduce you, or was it Malik?” There was no question that one of them must’ve gotten to the Sorcerer.

“Not her. Malik.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

Nick’s gaze was hard. “He gained control of your mind long enough to make you let her out?”

“Yes, sir,” Kalen whispered. “I think Beryl spelled me, back at the house where we caught her. My defenses are… crumbling. I can’t keep him out for very long at a time.”

“Jesus,” Aric said with a shudder. He wouldn’t want some Unseelie creep fucking around in his brain.

Nick cursed viciously, rubbed his eyes. “Okay. We’ll figure this out. At least now we have Malik’s human name—Evan Kerrigan. Grant is tracking him down, gathering intel. With any luck we’ll have his location and a complete profile soon.”

Just then there was a knock, and Mac stepped inside. Her gaze went briefly to Kalen, and Aric saw real agony there, quickly covered as she addressed the group.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we knew you’d want word of Sariel. We believe he’ll recover.” Sounds of relief went around the room. “But he was already weakened from some health issues stemming from being in our world, so healing will take time. He’s stable, though, so I wanted to pass the good news along.”

“Thank you, Mac.” Nick gave her a tired smile.

She returned it and left. Without looking at Kalen again, who stared with longing at the place where she’d just been.

Nick spoke to the group again. “All right. I need to speak to Kalen. We’ll adjourn for now and discuss this mess later.”

Nick led a shaken Kalen out, and Aric didn’t envy him the coming meeting. The Sorcerer was in for a long session, no doubt. Aric wondered what this would mean for his future in the Pack. He liked the kid. Hoped like hell things would turn out okay for him.

Selfishly. Because if the Sorcerer turned on the Pack, gave himself to the control of the Unseelie king…

They were screwed, down to the last man.

A hand settled on his shoulder, rubbing him gently. “What do you say we go for a run, and escape for a while?” Rowan suggested. “Just you and me?”

“I think that sounds like a fantastic idea.”

Smiling, he took her hand and led the way out of the building, across the field to the trailhead. This once, he was going to break Nick’s rule. Because he needed to run with his mate. Make love in the sunshine.

Outside, they shifted and took off for the woods. Letting their wolves loose, they ran for miles before finally slowing near a stream. They padded over and took a long drink, slaking their thirst. Then he nipped playfully at her rear end, yipping as she nipped back and started chasing him. For several minutes they simply allowed themselves to be free, just a pair of wolf mates frolicking in the sun-dappled afternoon, splashing in the water.

God, they needed this time together. To just be. So they took it, playing until Aric shifted, laughing, and gathered his mate into his arms.