‘I’m not disagreeing, my Lord. I’m merely suggesting that you’re throwing caution to the wind for the sake of one hot-tempered idiot. We could wait until the trackers have scouted out the immediate area first.’
To my right, Anton shot both of us a surprised look. No doubt he was somewhat shocked at Staines’ uppity words.
‘Don’t surround yourself with yes men,’ I told him. ‘You need people who are willing and able to disagree with you if you’re to be an effective alpha.’
‘Even if you’re going to pointedly ignore all their good advice,’ Staines added, although there was a hint of humour to his tone. I realised that despite his air of prevarication, he was champing at the bit to reach the source of all of Cornwall’s woes and end them once and for all.
I lifted my head up to the sky, watching the first pink streaks that signalled the start of a new day. The tingle across my skin suggested this was going to be a good day. I smiled to myself. I’d rescue the damsel in distress, swoop her into my arms and save the day. Not to mention avenging a great deal of pain and death in the process. There was something I had to do first.
‘Stay here,’ I told Staines.
His face dropped. ‘My Lord…’
‘It’s too dangerous. Someone needs to be here in case things go wrong. Someone who can sort out the mess of the Brethren.’
‘In which case, I’ll damn well go! You need to stay.’
I looked him in the eye. ‘I need to do this. Every shifter in the country needs to see me do this.’
His large body stilled. He knew I was right. This wasn’t just about Mack. If I could prove myself to be as far removed from Xander Brady as possible – as well as the real protector of the shifters – then there was hope for the future of every pack and every shifter. I just needed a back-up plan in case.
Staines dropped his head. ‘As my Lord Corrigan commands.’
I turned to Anton. I was tempted to let him off the hook also but I reckoned he needed to learn something about responsibility. I’d be doing the same if his situation had been reversed with Mack’s. ‘Let’s do this,’ I said firmly.
Anton nodded in return. I straightened my posture, sucking in a final breath of clean forest air, then plunged straight into the portal.
The second I emerged on the other side, I tightened my muscles and assumed an immediate defensive stance. The quality of light here was completely different to anything I’d seen before. It was blindingly bright, although I resisted the urge to shade my eyes. I didn’t want to make any unnecessary movements that might alert a watcher to our presence. I scanned the horizon, taking in the vivid green grass and brilliant blue sky. The vista was slightly akin to wandering onto the set of a Disney animation. I half expected a dewy-eyed doe to spring along followed by a set of singing bluebirds. Instead, however, everything was silent and still.
A half beat later, Anton fell through. I had to grab his arm to prevent him from collapsing face first onto the grass below. Considering it felt unnatural under my feet and I could see razor-sharp edges to each single blade, it probably wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience for him.
‘First time?’ I asked.
He swallowed and nodded. I clapped him on the back. ‘Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.’
He hardened his expression and looked around. ‘This place is weird.’
I knelt down, examining the grass underfoot carefully. ‘No trail,’ I grunted.
‘Then which way do we go?’
I gazed ahead. ‘There’s a valley to the north. Everything else is flat. If I were going to lay an ambush, that’s where I’d set it.’ I pulled off my t-shirt and flung it to the side. ‘We’ll move faster if we shift.’
‘Amen,’ Anton agreed.
I stretched upwards on my tiptoes, feeling my bones, muscles and sinews tug. Then, allowing the panther to take over, I was on all fours, ready to go. I glanced left, flanked now by a large bear. Anton’s fur was smooth and less scarred than other, older bears I knew. But judging by the muscles bunching around his massive body, we were ready.
Let’s do this.
I took off at a sprint, angling my paws to avoid being cut by the menacingly sharp grass. I didn’t possess quite as much brute strength as Anton probably did, but I was able to move a damn sight faster. Rather than go all out, however, I maintained a steady speed so he didn’t fall too far behind. It also made it easier to whip my head from side to side and sniff the air as I ran. I wasn’t about to let any more of the bitch’s minions catch me unaware.
The valley slopes were already steepening when I caught the first scent. Instead of bland nothingness, my nose wrinkled at the faint whiff of death. I knew what it was. Mack had taken the black cloth with her because Floride had used it to set up a scrying spell for her to follow. I might not have a clear-cut spell to work from but my cat senses were keenly alert. Relieved that my initial instincts had been correct, I pushed deeper into the valley. That’s when I heard a bellowing howl of pain that was so loud the ground underneath reverberated with its sound. It wasn’t Mack. I bared my fangs in a grim smile. Whatever my kitten was doing, she was putting up a fight.
I rounded a corner, moving faster now. I could hear the heavy breath of the bear behind me. Up ahead two figures were visible. One was unmistakably Mack while the other was an Amazon-like woman. Iabartu. Mack kicked her in the stomach with one swift motion. The demi-goddess spiralled up into the air. I dimly registered the prone figure of what was no doubt the ispolin, lying dead on the ground. Iabartu, however, was moving too fast for even me to judge where she’d go next. As I sprinted towards them, I could see Mack spinning around trying to work out where the next attack would come from. In a flash, Iabartu landed behind her, her hands encircling Mack’s delicate throat. Panic overtook me.
Leaving Anton to fall behind, I pelted forward. Mack was clawing at the fingers round her neck, kicking frantically in a bid to free herself. I was less than fifty metres away and both of them were so focused on each other that neither of them had noticed me. I thundered down, realising with each step that Mack was running out of both time and air. Forty metres. Thirty. The demi-goddess was whispering something in her ear but I didn’t pause to try and hear the words. All I was focused on was Mack and ensuring she stayed alive. I cursed myself for not getting to the portal quicker. If she died… I dismissed the thought and scraped up the last vestiges of speed I had within me. Then I roared and sprang, flying over Mack’s bowed head to swipe at Iabartu.
The force of my blow sent her staggering back. The look of surprise on her face was almost comical. I spun round, checking on Mack as she collapsed forward, gasping for air. Then Anton caught up, one massive paw with lethal claws slamming into the demi-goddess’s body. I took advantage of his move to launch myself at her again, pouncing on top of her and dragging her to the ground. I dug into her shoulders, scraping at her flesh. She stared up at me, horror reflected in her eyes. This was already over and she knew it. I snarled, exultant joy at finally being in a position to rid ourselves of the bitch. Then I lifted my head, my eyes meeting Mack’s. The yellow flecks in her irises were oddly heightened and she screamed silently at me. I knew what she wanted but she was in no position to give it. I wasn’t about to permit Iabartu a single inch. She’d been too focused on Mack before to muster her defences at our approach. Another chance to use the air and we might lose her forever. I curved my neck down, jaws snapping. Making it as swift as possible, I sank my teeth into her throat, ripping away her jugular and exposing her windpipe. Iabartu gurgled, her hands flailing in the air. Then the light in her eyes flickered and died.
Mack staggered to her feet, pain visible in every tiny movement she made. Satisfied that she wasn’t dying, I sat myself on Iabartu’s chest. It was hard not to feel both pride and joy that this was over. My eyes followed Mack as she wobbled forward and I was just about to start purring when she reached out and clipped me round the face. She was too weak to make it hurt but my surprise caugh
t me off guard. I shifted back, my more vulnerable human form taking shape. Then I glared at her.
‘You fucking idiot.’ Iabartu was dead. This was no time to pick another fight.
Mack coughed, trying to find her voice. ‘She...she was mine to kill.’
My anger was immediately replaced with amusement – admiration. Mack had been knocking on death’s door. If we’d not appeared when we had, she’d have been nothing more than a corpse. Yet she was entirely uncaring. I’d never met anyone with more grit and determination. ‘And you were doing such a great job of that, Kitten, weren’t you?’ I pointed out, trying not to laugh.
Anton shifted back. I noted that he was less happy than I was to see Mack still alive. ‘My Lord,’ he said, filled with righteous indignation, ‘she attacked you. The Way…’
Considering we’d come here to rescue Mack, I was hardly about to execute her for treason. ‘Under the circumstances, I’ll overlook it,’ I said.
‘I needed to kill her,’ Mack whispered, oblivious to the anger emanating from her new alpha.
Stirring, I fixed her with a stern gaze. I was only prepared to admire her spirit up to a point. Enough was enough. Besides, Anton was watching. I had to ensure I dealt with this appropriately to avoid him taking it out on her at a later date. ‘And you presumed to think that you would do it single-handedly? That I didn’t have a plan to sort all this out in the first place?’
She opened her mouth to speak but little more than a croak came out.
‘At last, silence reigns,’ I said, satisfied, sending a quick sidelong glance to Anton and hoping he was taking note. If he thought she was already hurt, he’d be more inclined to leave her alone. ‘With any luck your vocal chords will be permanently damaged and then you’ll be forced to keep that sweet mouth shut for good.’
Mack, apparently too addle-witted after her fight to think sensibly, snarled and advanced towards me. Before she got too far, however, she twisted to Anton and stared at him, horror filling her gaze. I had no idea what he’d just said to her but she’d obviously just twigged that he was now the Cornish alpha. Her faced paled and she pitched forward, the events of the day suddenly seeming to catch up with her. I only just managed to grab her in time before she collapsed to the ground. I circled my arms round her and held on tight. She obviously thought that Julia had died.
‘She’s not dead,’ I said as carefully as I could, gazing into her eyes to make sure she believed me. ‘But her wounds are such that she no longer has the physical ability to manage your pack. Anton’s Voice emerged several hours ago and Mother Nature is doing its job.’ I dropped my voice, wanting to acknowledge to her that things could have been different and that I was honestly surprised they weren’t. ‘Funny, I thought it would be you.’
For the briefest moment, warmth spread across her face. Then, inexplicably, she shut down, pulling away as if I’d scalded her. Trying not to feel hurt at the obvious rejection, I did my best to remain expressionless. ‘We need to leave. The other portal will not remain open for much longer.’
Mack swallowed. ‘Uh…other portal?’
‘How do you think they got through to attack the keep?’ Anton said. ‘The beach portal was already sealed by your friend. There was obviously another gateway.’
I sighed internally. Anton still had a long way to go. ‘There’ll be time to analyse later. You need to shift so all those cuts will start healing and we need to return. I don’t want to spend more time around this plane than necessary.’
Mack squeaked and, incomprehensibly, turned to Anton for help.
‘For fuck’s sake,’ I exclaimed. ‘She’s dead, your alpha’s death is avenged, you can shift. We don’t have time for this.’
Fear flickered in her eyes. ‘Right. Okay, time to shift. Yes, can’t wait to finally shift again. If I go too long I get that itch, you know? So it’s good that I can now actually shift.’
I raised my eyebrows. What on earth was going on? Completely flummoxed, I was about to compel her to shift when her eyes rolled back into her head and she dropped down in a dead faint. I had to spring forward to catch her yet again. Cursing, I adjusted her weight, cradling her against my chest and trying not to notice how pale she looked. Her skin was hot, burning against me. I should have paid more attention. I’d thought she’d been starting to recover. Feeling guilty for being so harsh with her, I glanced at Anton.
‘We need to get back home to Fenewick now.’
He nodded. Without waiting any longer, I took off back for the portal and the safety of the keep. It was awkward trying to move quickly while not jolting Mack’s unconscious body too much. I gnawed at my bottom lip and hoped to the gods that she’d be alright.
‘My Lord, I will take her,’ said Anton, surprising me.
I didn’t want to let her go. I had the oddest feeling that if I did, I might never see her again. While she was next to me, I could feel her heart beating and I knew she was still alive. ‘It’s fine. She weighs nothing.’
‘I am her alpha. It is my responsibility – she is my responsibility. We have not always been on the best of terms but perhaps this way I can demonstrate to her that she can trust me.’
Damn. This was all I wanted from the werebear. Perhaps I’d read him wrong and he really was trying to do the better thing. I had no choice but to give him the benefit of the doubt; I couldn’t pull rank on him now. Very, very reluctantly, I passed Mack over to him. I winced when he slung her over his shoulder rather than gently holding her though.
‘The others will be anxious for news, my Lord,’ Anton continued. ‘I do not wish to move too quickly as clearly Mackenzie has many small wounds from which there is a considerable amount of blood. I have no objection if you wish to move ahead and let everyone know what has happened. Perhaps then you can alert the doctor to move to the portal to help her as quickly as possible. Mackenzie is usually more hard-headed than this. I am concerned that she has fainted and not yet re-awakened.’
I tightened my jaw. As much as I hated to admit it, he spoke sense. I started to move away, then, making sure that Anton wasn’t about to do anything stupid, I called out a caveat. ‘You are very demanding when you want to be, Anton. I hope that the Way has chosen a true alpha for Cornwall. I would hate to spend more time down here babysitting you.’
It was a cheap move but I needed to know he’d look after Mack despite his apparent dislike of her. Anton needed to know he was trusted. It was the only way he’d rise up and fill the very big shoes both Julia and John had left behind. But where Mack was concerned I wasn’t going to take any chances. He wouldn’t dare try anything now. I looked over at her. She seemed very small and very vulnerable.
Take care, Kitten, I told her gently. Then, before I changed my mind, I pivoted round and took off.
***
I could have used the Voice to make all the necessary preparations for Mack’s arrival while staying beside the portal. I knew instinctively, however, that everyone waiting back at the keep needed to see for themselves that everything was finally going to be alright. Therefore, I hotfooted it back through the forest, springing into action when I arrived.
To a man, the Cornish shifters and the Brethren were all in the main hall – the same one in which I’d first addressed them all. The relief on everyone’s faces was only matched with joy when I told them that Iabartu was dead and this catalogue of misery and woe could be laid to rest. I gently pushed aside the fervent messages of congratulations and focused on the doctor.
‘We need a room now. In fact, use the one I’ve been sleeping in.’ At least that way I could keep a close eye on her. ‘Make sure there are plenty of bandages, clean water and medicine. Mack collapsed on the way back and we need to look after her.’
He bobbed his head, immediately setting to work. I followed him, stripping the bed of its sheets so I could re-make it with some fresh ones. I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. I’d just finished smoothing down the pillowcase when there was a ruckus downstairs. Realising tha
t Anton must have returned with Mack, I sped down. When I spotted him alone, however, my insides went cold.
‘Where is she?’ I demanded.
The other shifters around him took several steps back. He cleared his throat and met my eyes. ‘Mackenzie recovered by the time we emerged from the portal. She has decided that this would be a good time to take her leave.’
There were several stunned gasps. Somehow, however, I got the feeling that the shock amongst the Cornish shifters wasn’t as great as it should have been.
‘What do you mean,’ I growled, ‘by take her leave?’
He shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. There was an edge of nervousness to his movements, however. ‘It’s no secret we’ve never gotten along. She’s decided it’s time to leave Cornwall and make her own way in the world.’
‘I had questions for her,’ I ground out. Not least why on earth Iabartu had been so hell-bent on getting hold of her in the first place.
‘Then I apologise, Lord Corrigan,’ Anton said with a stiff bow. ‘Mackenzie is, and always has been, her own person. She never took to the strictures of the pack particularly well.’
I clenched my fists together. What I really wanted to do was grab him and do whatever it took to get to the real truth. He was lying – I was sure of it. First, however, I had to be sure that Mack was really alright. I whirled away, back up to the bedroom. The instant I located her with my Voice, sharp relief flooded through me.
You’re running away.
I have to, she sent back.
She was scared and I didn’t know why. You don’t have to just join another rural pack, Mackenzie. Come to the Brethren. I swallowed down my own desires in order to be the bigger person. Your boyfriend is joining us, after all – you won’t be alone.
When she didn’t answer, I sat down heavily on the bed. I suddenly knew what she was doing. I couldn’t let her. You’re not joining another pack, are you? You’re going rogue.