Not that she needed to follow his orders. He didn’t just get to command her around. He wasn’t the Alpha. But she didn’t want to argue with him either. No, all she wanted to do was eliminate anyone who got in her way. And get Cullen out of this horrid place then squeeze him until she was satisfied that he was really okay.
If he let her. He might be too busy wanting to strangle her for being part of his rescue.
The fluorescent lights above her head buzzed giving the hallway an even eerier feeling than it already had. Summer took a deep breath. She knew if she needed to, she could always let Tristan and Gabriel run the operation. But she wasn’t a coward—at least she was trying not to be one—and Cullen was her mate. No one would take away her joy in rescuing him.
She reached inside the pocket of the jacket she’d borrowed from Azriel and pulled out Faith’s gun. In her vision, she hadn’t been armed. Even though she’d detested taking her attacker’s life earlier in the day, if she had to, she’d go in shooting. Cullen was worth whatever distress it caused her. He’d do more than that for her.
As she turned the corner, she crouched down low. If her dream was to be believed, she was approaching an open window and didn’t want to be seen from the other side. Voices drifted from the room. Cullen wasn’t alone in the room with Claudius. Another person’s scent lingered in the air. Who was it?
It’s a bad, sick wolf. But not like the others. He wasn’t made that way.
Summer swallowed. Only one person qualified for that description. Kendrick Kane. Her mind whirled. She was in big trouble.
If Kendrick was in the room and she could smell him, the former Alpha of the Westervelt Wolves would certainly be able to smell her. Her plans for sneaking in undetected flew out the window.
The future might have changed from her original vision but it didn’t look like Fate would make this easy on them.
I think I am screwed. Kendrick is in the room too. Summer broadcast this thought to the whole pack. They all needed to know who they were up against.
Kendrick is mine. Tristan’s voice spoke of finality and even though she was sure the other pack mates would object to Tristan placing himself in any more danger, his statement warranted no argument or response. We’re in place, Summer. Go in. Nothing has changed.
From inside the room, Cullen swore and roared. Her heart slammed against her chest. Her man needed her.
She narrowed her eyes and stood, making herself visible through the window. Without a second thought, she pushed open the door. Both pig-faced Claudius and Kendrick faced the door as if they’d anticipated her arrival. She’d been right, Kendrick had smelled her.
“What did I tell you, Cullen? Your mate would never leave you here. And now that she’s back, she’s ours.”
Summer had hoped never to hear Claudius voice again but she found she wasn’t bothered by it. A strange feeling of calm entered her body. It was similar to the foggy feeling she got when she was about to have a vision but different. She shook her head. Now was not the time to have a new ability present itself. There was too much at stake.
Let me do this for you. Summer’s wolf pushed into her thoughts.
Do what?
You never let me protect you. You keep me away, even now. But I’m part of you Summer. I always was and I always will be. Cullen is my mate, too. I would save him for you, if you will let me.
“Summer, what are you doing here? Get out. Run.” Cullen’s voice barely penetrated the fog that took over her mind. Was now the time to trust? To finally let her wolf take control and steer the events? She wished she had time to consider but Cullen was strapped to a table with an IV in his arm, doing gods knew what to him.
Do it. Her wolf squealed with delight before a strange prickle sensation crossed her skin. She looked at the floor, her vision getting sharper. She looked up and smiled. Now she understood.
She was still a human but now her wolf was in charge.
Cullen sucked in his breath. “Summer, your eyes. What are you doing?”
“Saving you, darling.” She grinned as she raised Faith’s gun and fired.
Chapter Fifteen
The firing gun exploded through the room and Cullen’s ears rang. For a moment he wondered if he was deaf.
Summer’s eyes had just turned wolf but she remained in her human form. How was she able to do that? It had taken him one hundred years to gain that much control over his wolf to half-shift. She was barely able to make the regular change into her wolf body without freaking out. His eyes widened. Wow, he was proud of her. He needed off of this table. Of their own volition, his hands curled into fists. If he didn’t get out of his restraints soon he was going to spontaneously combust.
In horror, Cullen watched, mouth gaping open as Claudius fell to the floor. Summer had done it. She’d shot and killed the man who had murdered her parents. She cocked her head to the side as if she examined a piece of fine artwork and not just ended a life. She took a step forward until she stood over the body, keeping her gun trained on Kendrick.
Cullen moved his gaze to the other man. The former Alpha had moved since she’d raised the gun, and now his mouth hung open, his eyes huge.
Kendrick narrowed his eyes. “You can half-shift?” Cullen snorted. Leave it to the other man to focus on that and not the death of his friend of thirty years.
“Tristan is going to kill you.” Summer’s voice sounded so reserved, so calm, so un-Summer. Cullen could scarcely believe what happened around him.
“Or you could untie me, Kendrick, and we’ll see which one of us is actually stronger.” He hoped Kendrick would take his bait. He was useless strapped to the table with the IV in his arm.
Kendrick’s eyes flared. “You never could fight me, Cullen. I’m a Kane. You’re nothing.”
“So cut my restraints and be done with me.” Cullen paused. This needed to go over perfectly. “Unless you’re afraid.”
Maybe it was cliché but Cullen didn’t care. They were old fashioned men, born of another time and just as he would never tolerate anyone calling him a coward, he had a pretty strong feeling that Kendrick wouldn’t abide it either.
Cullen had to suppress his grin when Kendrick stomped over to the table and started removing his restraints. He just needed his right hand free.
If we kill him, our Alpha will be angry that we didn’t let him do it.
Internally, Cullen shrugged. Let him be angry.
After hours attached to the table, finally being released made his head and neck feel loose but he had no time to revel in the sensation. He needed his hands freed. Kendrick moved quickly but it felt like it took forever. Finally, the other man pulled out his IV tube and unhooked his hands.
His hands free, he reached up and squeezed Kendrick’s neck. His former Alpha tried to jump back but Cullen was faster.
In his life, he had never felt so strong. Maybe the adrenaline-producing drugs Claudius had pumped into his veins had done something after all. With his legs still strapped to the table Cullen lifted Kendrick over his head with just the strength of his right arm.
It would be so easy to break his neck. One quick snap and all problems related to Kendrick Kane would end. He could protect his mate and end his Alpha’s problems with one snap or a tighter squeeze. Summer ran to the edge of the bed and pulled off the restraints still holding his legs in place.