Darkness Unleashed (23 page)

As gently as he could, Devlin laid me down, arranging me into the best position possible, before retreating and locking the cage. I was contained. When my wolf came, at least everyone would be safe.

“
Where are they?” I murmured, hoping Devlin’s vampire hearing caught my question.

“
I was thinking the same thing.” There was a hint of worry in his voice.

“
Go,” I groaned as I felt the last of the drug dissolve and my body convulsed. There was no grace in my change—only blinding anguish as muscles contorted slowly, my limbs bending and lengthening to accommodate the shift. It didn’t happen quickly, a testament to the battering my body had taken. Screaming to each beat of my heart, for a second I thought I’d go insane. As I hovered over the precipice, ready to free fall into savagery, my wolf burst forward, snarling and snapping his powerful jaws.

Launching my body at the cage, furious at being trapped, I caught the first glance of Daniel and Wade limping around the corner, Daniel helping Wade walk.

It didn’t matter, though.

The only thing worth focusing on was the overwhelming thirst for vengeance.

Someone would pay for this.

Someone would die.

And I wouldn’t stop until justice was mine.

Chapter Eighteen

Darcy

Waiting was torturous. I understood why I couldn’t go, but there was no shaking the feeling that Mason needed me. Impatiently waiting in the office, pacing back and forth, desperate to reconnect with him, my mind on overdrive as it tormented me with possibilities.

They would be too late to save him.

They’d arrive and discover it was a false alarm, that we were still no closer to finding my mate.

Or worse, that Helena had broken him.

It was the later that terrified me the most as memories of the excruciating pain surfaced. There was no word to describe the intensity I’d experienced through our mental link. In the time that had passed since Devlin, Daniel, and Wade had left, I’d tried. Just when I thought I found a suitable description, my body began trembling and it didn’t seem adequate.

Praying over and over, my silent pleas a mantra, I didn’t care how they found him, as long as he was alive. I could deal with anything. I refused to accept that he was ripped from me.

“
They’re here,” Vlad spoke softly, startling me from my agonizing reflections.

Instantly, my heart began racing, a large lump forming in my throat as I whipped around from where I’d been standing. My cousin had tried getting me to sit, offering me food—anything to get me to relax. I knew he had good intentions, but all it did was keep me on edge. After a while, he’d backed off, leaving me to brood on my own. He’d never been too far away, watching me from the couch as I stalked about like a caged tiger.

Now that they’d returned, the entire office seemed too confining—claustrophobic. “Mason,” I whispered, reaching the door quickly.

“
Maybe we should wait until they come in?” He was close behind me, his hand outstretched as if to stop me.

There was no way I was staying another second in this room. “I need to know.” Sidestepping his touch, I escaped, leaving Vlad behind to follow. The closer I got, the more I could hear—Devlin and Daniel’s murmured conversation between themselves, Wade announcing he’d go get the silver cage ready.

Relief and fear warred within me—the two powerful emotions struggling for control—as I burst from the house, racing down the steps toward the vehicle where everyone stood. They were safe and in one piece. They’d brought him home, but as I caught sight of the black furred body in the truck bed, I heard the aggressive growls filling the air and knew that danger was far from over.

I knew Mason would shift the moment he could. It was a natural response to being hurt. As werewolves, our bodies could withstand a lot of damage, but even we had our limits. Whenever that was breached, the magic and energy could speed up our healing—making us stronger than most, by our changing to our wolf forms. I’d gone through it when recovering from the conversion and from having Amber removed from inside me, as well as countless other times.

As Alpha, Mason’s ability to heal was incredible. Approaching Devlin and Daniel, and silently greeting Wade as he passed by and disappeared into the house, I prayed that Mason’s abilities wouldn’t fail him.

Daniel heard me first. He turned around, his brows furrowed. “It’s not good, Darcy.” Worry laced his voice.

“
How long has he been like this?” Studying Mason, I didn’t need to know details of how they’d discovered him. The fact he was acting so hostile, slamming his heavy body repeatedly against the cage, told me everything I needed to know. There was only one reason his wolf would react so savagely, more animal than the human.

Extreme distress, trauma, and threat often triggered this kind of display—making Mason extremely volatile. Unless we could somehow calm him, soothe his spirit, there was no telling when his wolf would release him to shift back.

If ever.

“
He was himself when we reached him. He was in bad shape, but he was talking. He shifted as soon as the drugs left his system and he’s been like this ever since.”

My heart hurt for the man I loved. His suffering all but made the air around us vibrate. But that wasn’t the scent that was practically palpable, the sensation that stirred my own wolf, making her want to come forth and protect what was hers. Rage and fury screamed with each growl and snarl from Mason.

It was a call to war, an order to seek out vengeance.

It was anger at being caged.

It was a demand to be released so the bloodshed could begin.

If there was ever a time Mason needed me, it was now. Tears filled my eyes as his pain crushed down over me. Others might see their Alpha uncontrolled, ferocious, and completely wild. But I saw beyond that. Beneath the fur and sinewy muscles of a predator, lay the gentle spirit of my mate. He was in there—struggling to rein his wolf in—no doubt unable to in his weakened state.

Whatever Helena had done to him, the things I hadn’t been able to experience once our connection had crumbled, had reduced him to this. He was barely human, more wolf than he’d ever been in his entire life.

Someone needed to help him find his balance, again. Someone needed to help coax his wolf into submission so Mason could reclaim control. Each second he remained like this, each moment his wolf refused to relinquish its strong grip, my mate slipped away.

Remembering a time when I’d felt the same, I stepped closer.

“
Careful,” Devlin warned, grabbing my arm and stopping me. “We’ve tried to settle him and he hasn’t responded.”

“
But I’m his mate.” Not taking my gaze away from Mason, I calmed my nerves, finding my own center as I approached him, so he wouldn’t see me as a threat. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

“
He’s not himself, though, Darcy,” Daniel answered. “I’ve never seen him this far gone before. I’m worried.”

“
He’ll be okay. You guys brought him home safely and he’ll be okay.” And I believed every word I said. We’d come through too much to let this be what destroyed us.

“
But at the moment, he isn’t. We might have rescued him from Helena and her thugs, but he’s in as much danger, now, as he was before. Maybe more.” Even though what Devlin said made sense, it still irritated me.

Keeping my body still, the cage a few small steps in front of me, I kept my tone flat, never breaking eye contact with Mason. “He’ll be okay,” I repeated, not willing to accept any other possibility. “I get what you’re saying, Devlin, but this is my mate we’re talking about, not some wild beast.”

“
I know you don’t want to hear this, but at the moment, that’s exactly what he is. He’s not himself. I know you want to believe that he’ll snap out of it, but it might take days.” A hand rested lightly on my shoulder. “If ever, love. Be hopeful, by all means, but also be realistic.”

Closing my eyes, I struggled against what he was saying. I’d heard of situations like this where something had happened that broke both spirits—catapulting the person into pure, primal survival mode. When everything that made them human was stripped away, the results looked heartbreakingly like this.

Even though he was here, he wasn’t.

I would lose him if I didn’t act quickly. Coming closer, there had to be some way of soothing him.

“
Darcy,” Devlin warned, again.

“
Trust me,” I replied.

“
I do. It’s Mason that I don’t trust. Not like this.”

I couldn’t let Devlin’s fear affect me. My husband had to see me for who I was—his mate. His.

“
Darcy,” Daniel added. He must’ve realized there’d be no talking me out of it, because unlike Devlin, he understood exactly what was at stake. “Take your time. Slow and steady movements. Keep your features neutral, and whatever you do, don’t show weakness.”

I raised my hand tentatively, revealing a slight tremor that disappeared as I took in a deep, fortifying breath. I could do this. There was no need to fear the man I loved.

Mason had stopped trying to break free of the cage and stood rigid just beyond the bars in front of me. In wolf form, he was magnificent, his sleek body doing very little to conceal the power he contained. A low rumbling from the back of his throat filled the air as he watched me, the only warning sign as he waited to see whether I was friend or foe. There were no hurt feelings that he didn’t recognize me—everyone would remain the enemy until he settled. I knew this and accepted it.

“
Now easy,” Daniel coaxed.

Devlin remained quiet, on alert in case he needed to act quickly. The combined tension we were giving off was incredible.

When Mason didn’t respond to my drawing closer, I took courage and stepped forward. Just as my fingers brushed lightly past the cage’s bars, he reacted, erupting into action, his powerfully built jaw snapping at my hand in an attempt to bite it off.

Despite the overwhelming urge to withdraw, I didn’t move a muscle.

“
Stop!” I ordered, knowing Devlin was about to drag me backward and out of Mason’s reach. “I’m okay. He didn’t touch me.”

“
It’s too soon. He’s too unpredictable,” Devlin answered. Without turning to look at him, I knew he didn’t like how close I still was to the cage.

“
Sorry, Darcy, but I agree with him. I love Mason, but I know what his decision would be if he was here. We need to tranquilize him and get him into the cage downstairs. That way we can better help him,” Daniel added, the voice of reason.

“
Let me try, again.” Not waiting for their refusal, I tuned them out and returned my focus to the dangerous wolf staring me down. “It’s me, Mason,” I crooned, my voice soft and non-threatening. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this; but you’re safe, now. There’s no more danger.” Again, I brought my hand to the bars, steeling my nerves in case he attacked. When he didn’t move, I took it as a good sign. “Tell your wolf it’s okay to step down. He’s done an amazing job protecting you, but I’m here, now. Let me take care of you.”

My fingers breached the cage and still he waited. Encouraged, I continued. “I love you. Together we’ll make Helena pay.” When Mason began growling, I inwardly chastised myself for bringing up his kidnappers. Changing tactics, I stopped trying to reach Mason and instead addressed his wolf. “Thank you for defending my mate. You honor us with your vigilance. You’ve brought him home to me, to his Pack. Release him so we can help our Alpha. Please.”

There was a slight flicker in his eyes as I gingerly touched his fur, the closest I’d been able to get to him so far. Just when I thought I’d reached him, that we’d connected, Mason sprung off his paws, his fangs bared as he attempted to rip my arm from the socket.

Blood trickled from where his teeth grazed my fingers. The only reason I still had my limb was because Devlin had acted so quickly, yanking me backward without one moment to spare.

“
Damn it, Darcy. Do you believe me now? He needs more time!” he cursed, whirling me around so my back was finally turned against the cage. Muttering under his breath, he examined my hand, flipping it over back and forth until he was satisfied there was no lasting damage.

“
It’s just a scratch.”

“
I don’t care how you downplay this. You won’t go near him, again, until I know he’s not going to hurt you,” Devlin said angrily.

“
You’re not my boss, Uncle,” I retorted stubbornly. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting.” Pointing at the cage, my voice cracked with emotion. “That wolf in there is my mate. He’s suffering and if it means I need to play a game of chicken with him until I can comfort him enough to shift, then that’s what I’ll do. This is what it means being married to an Alpha, hell, to a Pack. It comes with risks. But until I know he’s out of danger, I’m not going to idly stand by and finger my pearls like some helpless female.”

“
You need to think of your own safety, as well.”

“
He is mine.” Those three words held all the truth I needed.

Devlin stood still as he studied my features, weighing his options and the likelihood of me listening to him. I’d never stood up to him like this before, but the odds had never been so painfully stacked like this, either. I wasn’t the little girl he’d watched over growing up. I wasn’t the awkward teenager who cleaved to the strength of her vampire best friend.

I was mated to the Mystic Wolves’ Alpha.

Even deeper, I was a strong-minded woman who knew that despite what challenges came her way, she had what it took to not only face them, but also overcome them. There was no obstacle big enough that I would shy away from.

I’d gone through the refiner’s fire and survived.

I was no victim, and I refused to cower.

“
Damn it, Darcy,” Devlin uttered.