Bringing on the shift, Theo let himself enjoy the warmth of the white light for a second before he stood in front of his former Alpha, the man who had helped to give him life, and then had destroyed everything he believed in.
"We're not here for a family reunion." Theo's voice sounded gruff, even to his own ears. "I don't know how you got Rex but we're not leaving here without him and without a few more things we came for." Inadvertently, his eyes scanned the fire demons. Was Faith among them? Had she made the shift to completely look like them now? Somewhere inside did she still hear his voice and know who he was?
"You're here because it is exactly as I planned it to be."
Gabriel laughed, a long, mirthless sound. "What did I tell you Theo? Fate, fate, fate? We're here because that's what we chose to do today. We could have stayed home and washed our socks. Your dictates have nothing to do with it."
Kendrick walked from the wall he leaned against towards Rex and placed a hand on his shoulder. Such a simple gesture but Theo was sure he'd never seen anything so threatening in life. The subtext was clear, his hand was right near Rex's jugular, and one bad move or wrong statement and Kendrick would snap their youngest brother's neck as if it was no more than a twig.
"Everything that has happened so far has happened because it is what I wished to have occur." Kendrick's eyes were in their wolf form and Theo wondered if they were like that all the time or if that had ceased when he'd lost his position as Alpha of Westervelt and now it was back because he was mad. "You think I care what happens to your beaten down pack?" He shook his head. "No. What I care about is you three boys."
Theo rolled his eyes and Rex, still tied up in the chair, snorted. Gabriel remained stiff and unmoving at Theo's side, surprisingly unsarcastic given what was going on. "How did we manage to be so lucky?"
"You were the three who understood that there are shades of grey in life. Your brothers Tristan and Michael are so damn good all the time...I have no idea where they get it from. Even your mother, who you all remember as sainted, was never that pure. Azriel lives in his own damn head so much, I never know what he is thinking." For the first time, Theo appreciated the decision Az had made as a child to keep quiet and maintain his own council. Evidently smarter than the rest of them, it now seemed brilliant to have kept Kendrick at bay.
His father wasn't finished. "I created a dynasty with my boys. You've all lived up to your talents beautifully, better than I could have anticipated. Let Tristan and Michael have the leftovers. You belong here with me."
Theo fisted his hand at his side. "Sounds to me like you're in denial. I somehow recall hearing after you butchered Ashlee and Summer's family that you wanted the pack back or you would start murdering our lost women. What's the problem Dad, can't find them? Plan not working so well?"
"Ah." Kendrick leapt into the air shifting into his wolf form as he launched himself at Theo. Bracing himself for his father's impact, Theo shifted once again into his wolf. That was two shifts. One more and he'd be out of commission.
Growling, he tore into his father's neck. Kendrick swerved, losing only a small amount of black fur before backing up and charged again. Theo ducked left and missed being slammed into by the bigger wolf. Gabriel rushed forward to Rex and Theo was glad to see he was soon free.
Rex roared and shifted into his wolf form.
Watch out, if you can, for the wolves you cannot see. With only seconds to wonder if they listened, Kendrick attacked again.
I thought I was one of your chosen sons. Now you want to kill me?
Perhaps you are not as deserving as I once thought.
That's the best news I heard all day.
Theo dodged right and ran to the side of the room where Rex and Gabriel battled three demons. Don't let them touch you. Leave me here. Go find the damn book. If we can send them back, we can rid ourselves of some of the enemy right away. Inwardly he hoped the demon leader did what he claimed he would do and rid him and Faith of their demon essence so they didn't get sent back with the creatures.
Rex nodded and ran for the door.
Gabriel leapt on top of a table, shifting as he met the air. Come on, little brother. It's a good day to finish off Dad.
Three. That was Gabriel's third shift. He'd soon be useless which meant Theo had to take advantage of his strength while they still could. Theo braced himself for another hit from their father as two of the wolves Gabriel couldn't see knocked him over.
What the hell? It's those damn invisible wolves.
He needed to help Gabriel. If he was the only one who could see them, he was the only one who could fight them.
The loudest boom he'd ever heard sounded above his head and he jerked back, throwing Kendrick off in the process. Glass from broken skylights rained down on them followed immediately by a sight that tightened Theo's throat. Without a doubt, he knew it was she. His mate, still looking like herself only with demonic wings had come to rescue them.
Crossing to him, she petted him on his head. "Enough of this." Her voice sounded different, much more akin to the demon they had spoken to when they'd made this deal.
She poured a strange white powder on the ground. It smelled acrid and Theo wanted to rear back in disgust.
"What is unseen, let it now be visible."
Cries of anguish filled the air as fifty wolves appeared, stunned and terrified looks on their face. Gabriel grinned and licked his lips.
Well hello there.
Theo had no time to enjoy the moment as a hot liquid that smelled like burnt oil poured down on his body spreading from his head all the way to his feet within seconds. He screamed and thought he heard Faith's cries before he lost consciousness.
Chapter Fourteen
Faith stared in horror as Theo's father, who had taken the distraction of her arrival to jet the jump on Theo, poured an unknown liquid on him. It didn't look like it was hot but Theo wailed like he'd just been scalded with acid. For all she knew, he had been.
An anger like she'd never known surged through her body and made her hands shake with rage. Inside of her, something foreign came alive and she didn't care if it was human, demon, or wolf--she knew she could cause Kendrick tremendous pain by letting it guide her hand.
From deep within her core, the ability to destroy the Westervelt pack's former Alpha emerged. She would simply stop his heart by electrocuting him from the inside out. It was easier than scalding him and letting him die over time. No, she would end this here and be glad of it. He'd hurt her love.
She focused her gaze on the former Alpha, and a strange buzz seemed to fill her then project out. Breaths came in and out of her mouth as Kendrick fell to his knees. Good, it was working. A door slammed and as she watched the saliva in Kendrick's mouth start to bubble, she realized Rex had run into the room. Gabriel stood over Theo, a job she would take over doing just as soon as Kendrick Kane was no longer a splinter on the skin of the world.
"I've got it." Rex sounded jovial but she had no idea of what he spoke. It didn't matter. Only death mattered. The next sound she heard was the distinct resonance of tearing paper. What had Rex torn up?
As fast as the power she had felt started, it was pulled from her body. She closed her eyes and wailed. It felt like someone was tearing off her limbs one by one.