Concrete facts were the name of the game. After all, despite his use of magic for this task, in his heart, Az was a numbers guy and that was the best shifter he could be. His father had obviously thought him completely unable to handle his powers, as if he’d truly been beaten down based on his childhood.
He got the answer to his first question much faster than he expected. Kendrick’s mind seemed desperate to give away his information. Az would have laughed if there had been time. With Claudius dead, there was obviously no one left for his father to brag to.
If nothing else, Az was getting to see just how brilliantly devious Kendrick found himself to be.
There were several hundred wolves, all of them being trained to be killers. He’d brought three-dozen with him today. They were ‘babies’, which meant in Kendrick’s mind they were only a few months made. This was a training mission.
Flashes of the sheer number of wolves Kendrick had at his disposal filled Az with a sense of dread. If things stayed as they were, there was no chance for their small pack to triumph against the numbers Kendrick could command.
He didn’t have time to dwell on how horrifying the thought was and forced himself forward, commanding Kendrick’s memories to show him what he wanted to know.
Where were the witches? He saw images of landscapes all over the world. Damn it.
He’d really hoped there was one central location for the coven but it looked as if his father had managed to create an army of witches who didn’t need to be put together to command their spells. It wasn’t going to be such an easy thing to eliminate that power from Kendrick either.
He rubbed his head, which had started to pound. Would they ever get a break?
Kendrick wasn’t a weak man and Az could feel him straining to remove him from his mind. He pushed and pulled at Az’s consciousness, while at the same time digging his hands into Az’s grip on his arm as if removing their physical proximity would eliminate the connection.
Maybe if Az had spent more time practicing with this ability he would know if the touch actually mattered. There was no time to find out right now. What were his father’s plans for them? That was easy to find. Endless conversations, even Kendrick muttering aloud showed him definitively his father hadn’t lied, he intended to kill them one at a time and painfully until he could take back the island uncontested.
So he’d been right, it had been all about the island. Now that was an answer he could use, why was Westervelt so special?
Az felt himself shoved out of his father’s memories. Damn, it looked as if he wasn’t going to answer that question today.
That’s good; I want to kill him now.
He had to agree; this time he liked his wolf’s bloodthirstiness.
As the light hit him, he looked around the street. They were still alone, only Kendrick’s furious, strained expression meeting him where he stood.
“I should have killed you at birth.”
Az nodded. “You probably should have. It’s kind of convenient, isn’t it?”
“What?” He could hear the growl in his father’s voice and knew he was moments from shifting.
“That I have this particular, what did you call it? Oh yes, aberration and I can see through your memories. It’s almost like when fate was dishing out powers it knew we were going to need something to beat you, like you’re being set up for failure.”
His father never responded as he shifted into his wolf form. Az made a quick note that the white light that accompanied their shifts was absent from his father and that he shifted more like a created wolf than a magical one. His limbs didn’t reshape as seamlessly.
It didn’t matter. This time Az needed to let his wolf take control or he would fail.
Just give yourself to me, Azriel. I can take care of you. I have never let you down.
It was true. Other than Leah, his wolf was the one creature on the planet who had never asked him to perform miracles that were impossible, who hadn’t judged him for being able to do magic when only women should have that gift, and who hadn’t tried at one time or another to kill him. Maybe it was time to let someone else run his life for a few minutes.
He ceded control. Actually, it was kind of a relief. His wolf lunged forward at Kendrick’s wolf. He didn’t have to think about it all. In no way was he more capable than his wolf at handling a fight. The two wolves tore at each other, each gaining and losing ground as they struggled. Blood flew in the air. Was it his? He couldn’t tell and he didn’t want to push his consciousness too far into his wolf’s to find out. When this was over, assuming he lived, he would know one way or another.
His father backed up a few steps. Was it possible? Was his father retreating from him?
Just then he caught a sound from behind him. It was footsteps, a lot of footsteps heading his way and it wasn’t his pack. Oh hell, Kendrick must have called for reinforcements.
His wolf looked left just in time to be pounced on by three of Kendrick’s now quite visible wolves. He hit the ground hard, his head spinning. It was a tribute to just how injured he must be that even with his wolf running the show he was aware of how dizzy he truly was.
Gods, this was probably the end.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as his father ran away. Growling, his wolf did his best to leap to his feet despite stumbling once. The created wolves tried to stop him but he only had eyes for Kendrick. No way could he just let the other man get away, not this time.
Az! We’re coming. Leah’s voice filled him with such peace.
I think it might be too late, she-wolf. I’m sorry to have failed you.
He heard her intake of breath in his head. No, don’t you dare give up. We’re almost there.
Is Tristan there with you?
He is. The whole pack is with me.
Tell him Kendrick is here. He gasped as his wolf’s mouth filled with blood. Quickly, because he knew there wasn’t much time, he told her what he’d learned from Kendrick’s memories and hoped she was relaying the message to Tristan.
There wasn’t much time. He dodged one of the other wolves and lunged at his father.
Together they rolled down the street. He could barely see. Everything had gone blurry.
His father had him in a stranglehold, the other wolf’s teeth digging into his throat, cutting off the airway.
Like an exploding comet, another wolf landed on top of them pushing Kendrick’s wolf off of Az’s. He’d know that sent anywhere. It was Gabriel and he was in a rage.
Pieces of Kendrick’s fur flew everywhere. Distantly, he thought he heard his father yelp and whimper in pain. He wished he could see what was happening. Everything felt as if it was moving slowly like he was moving away from where the action was happening to somewhere else. Damn, he thought remotely, he’d failed again. Once more, even at the end of his life, his brother had to rescue him.
Don’t you dare think that.
It was Tristan’s voice in his head. How had he heard that thought? Was he broadcasting?
Every damn thing that you’re thinking, you’re wide open for all to hear.
Tristan appeared by his side still in his human form. Sounds of fighting were everywhere. His vision had tunneled, only Tristan was visible to him now. He took a deep breath, longing for Leah.
We made her stay back a ways. They’re on their way now. Ashlee is here and she’s going to heal you. Hold on a little bit.
Tristan knelt down next to him patting his between his ears. It was a gentle moment, not something Az had seen Tristan do lately. He’d almost forgot that out of all of them Tristan had always been considered the most sensitive, which used to make them laugh since it meant they were all pretty pathetic in terms of emotional stability.