Page 43 of Brave Spirit (Bound Spirit #6)

Kaleb

T he cold night air bites through the rips and tears of what remains of my suit as I fly toward the alpha house.

Long, soulful wolf howls echo through the otherwise quiet forest, and my unease from earlier comes back tenfold.

Those aren’t the sounds of a pack welcoming a new member.

Bracing for whatever new tragedy this evening has to offer, I land where the trees give way to the shifter’s settlement so as not to spook anyone.

As I walk down the central road, a cacophony of distressed voices intertwines with the howling wolves.

In the distance, I notice a large bonfire and what looks like every adult who lives on these grounds in various stages of shifting not far from it.

There are some who weep in broken human howls, some who are shouting at each other, and others who appear as if all life has been torn from them and they are nothing but breathing husks.

Cautiously, I approach the crowd with my heart in my throat, terrified of what I might find.

I argue with myself that it can’t be Connor, reasoning that Callie would be here raising hell if anything happened to him.

Except, she’s at Nolan’s, and I have no idea what state she’s in.

When I don’t easily spot Connor in the crowd, a sickening weight settles in my stomach, and I pray to the goddess that he’s okay. This night has already taken so much.

Two unfamiliar shifters spot my approach with anger in their amber eyes, and they swiftly move to block my way.

One with buzzed hair shoves my shoulder, and I stumble back from the ricocheting pain. “I don’t care if it’s your job. Tonight, you aren’t welcome here.”

The other crosses his muscular arms and gives me a disgusted glare. “Give the pack one night to fucking grieve. You birds are like vultures, coming in to pick over our dead before we’ve even had a chance to process what happened.”

It’s in that instant that I realize they have no idea who I am. They see my white wings and assume I’m here to do what light nephilim are called to do.

“Connor!” I shout, lunging forward, only for the two shifters to grab my arms and start dragging me away.

Struggling to break free, I threaten, “I’ve spent all night slicing through demons and sending them back to hell.

If you don’t let me go and tell me where Connor is right now, I’ll make sure you join them. ”

Shockingly, Daveth, one of Connor’s twin half-brothers, comes to my rescue.

He looks haggard with a weight of melancholy that only heightens my terror.

“Stop, you idiots! That’s one of the alpha’s close friends.

” He shoves himself between me and the guy with the buzzed hair.

“Outside of the alpha’s mate, he might be the only one who can reason with him, or do you want to keep being attacked while Martina grows cold? ”

I stop struggling as I attempt to process the pieced out information. “Martina?”

Daveth’s expression turns grim as his amber eyes grow wet.

“Bayne challenged Martina for alpha of her pack. He won while Connor watched, and then Connor killed him.” He rubs his eyes, appearing furious over his own tears.

“Connor is still in the challenge ring, holding Martina’s body. He won’t let anyone get near him.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I reply, the tone of my voice low and gentle. None of us liked Bayne, but he was Daveth’s twin. I can only imagine how much it must hurt to lose someone he’s grown up with as his other half.

“Thanks,” Daveth sniffs, his gaze not quite able to reach my face.

“Bayne could be a heartless bastard, but he… he was family.” He glares at the two shifters who are standing next to us, one of them still holding my left arm.

“Have you not been fucking listening? Release him and go be ignorant pricks somewhere else.”

The muscular one lets me go, but it’s to get in Daveth’s face. “Watch the way you talk to us, unless you want to join your brother in the bonfire.”

“Fucking try me,” Daveth growls, his claws and teeth starting to elongate. “Unlike you assholes, this is my home. I’m pack. You’re nothing but parasites.”

Before I can consider the wisdom of getting between two shifters ready to rip each other to shreds, I jump in the way, my hand on Daveth’s chest and my dagger at the other’s throat. “Stop. Now. There’s been enough death and violence tonight.”

The one at blade point takes shallow breaths, appearing to grasp that I’m unlike other light nephilim he’s run into before. “Yeah, okay. We’ll stop.”

I nod my head toward the homes that line the main road.

“You aren’t the only ones grieving. Go do something useful to help instead of picking fights.

” I drop the dagger from his throat and slide it back into my belt.

“I know shifters run hot, but a lot of people are in shock. Get them blankets and something hot to drink. Packs are supposed to take care of each other. You don’t need an alpha to know that. ”

Not bothering to see if they take my advice, I head for the center of the crowd with Daveth on my heels. I glance over my shoulder and ask, “Where’s Sam? Has she tried to talk with Connor?”

Daveth shakes his head. “She’s in the alpha house with a newly turned wolf.

Won’t say who it is, only that Connor ordered her not to leave the wolf’s side.

Since Sam tends to take his orders as suggestions, I’m guessing whoever it is must be pretty important for her to leave the rest of us to handle Connor. ”

“You call him Connor instead of alpha,” I comment, changing the subject. “Why?”

“Because he’s my brother, and he hates being called Alpha,” Daveth answers, clearing the way to get beside me.

“Probably because to us, Alpha will always be our dad. That’s not really something he wants to associate with himself.

I use the title when it’s necessary. Right now, he’s a kid grieving his mother. ”

Despite my need to get to Connor, I can’t help but stop to figure out what doppelganger took over his half-brother. “That’s… observant of you.”

He sighs and stares at the flames of the bonfire.

“Life was easier if Bayne thought I was the dumb twin, and it kept my dad from expecting too much out of me. Bayne was the chosen son. I was the throwaway. Connor was the stubborn thorn in his side.” He scrubs his face with both hands, his claws and teeth already safely returned to their human lengths.

“Now they are both fucking dead, so what’s the point in pretending anymore. ”

“Connor could have used a brother who cared while he was growing up,” I state, a bitter anger growing inside me knowing that Daveth wasn’t the idiot sidekick we all thought he was.

“I am also a coward,” he replies quietly, guilt twisting his drawn features.

“When it came to our dad, it was better to be invisible. I was afraid that if I showed I cared about him, he would use me against him, just like he used Sam. Besides, you all are his family. Connor and I just share toxic blood.”

Not interested in joining Daveth’s pity party, I work my way through the last of the crowd to the sand that marks the edge of the challenge ring.

My emotions churn in different directions, my heart breaking as I see Connor curled over his mother’s body and frustration building from watching the ghosts of Martina and Bayne argue over his head.

I really wish I let my parents drive me here instead of flying on my own, especially when Bayne spots me first.

Full of all his indignant glory, he stomps over and points at Connor. “I won the challenge fair and square…”

“The hell you did!” Martina shouts from her position over Connor. “You violated the spirit of the challenge, and you paid for it.”

Bayne rolls his eyes and ignores her. “I won, and then he ripped my fucking head off.” He swings his arm at the crowd of mourners.

“Half of these bastards are my pack, and they are sitting around instead of avenging me, their alpha . Clearly, my door hasn’t shown up because Connor needs to pay for what he did before I can move on. ”

“What do you mean door? What door?” Martina questions with her fists on her hips.

“And pendejo , they are my pack. You meant nothing to them other than the dishonorable jackass who cheated them out of the alpha they loved. They are already far more loyal to my son than to whatever bullshit shifter politics says about avenging your sorry ass.”

“Shut it, you discount alpha. The men are talking.” Bayne turns to face me with his arms crossed over his chest. “It’s your job to help me with my unfinished business, so I can get my door and leave this mortal wasteland for paradise, so get to it, angel boy.”

It’s like I’m stuck in some sick horror comedy, except the joke is on me.

I’ve had the night from literal hell, and now, instead of helping two of my friends through their life-changing crisis, I have Bayne’s ghost demanding the unthinkable and Connor’s mother’s ghost, who probably has a crap ton of baggage to deal with before she’ll move on.

I pull my dagger out and watch the iridescent sheen over the metal shimmer in the firelight.

“Bayne, if you suggest I harm Connor in any way ever again, you’ll be lucky if I ship you off with a one-way ticket to hell.

This blade destroys souls. I’ve only used it on demons, but I’m more than ready to test it on you if you try me one more time. ”

“Bayne is still here?” Daveth asks, his eyes searching the circle.

A sliver of guilt strikes my heart, because I forgot he was standing next to me. “He’s right in front of me. You can’t see him?”

Daveth shakes his head. “Should I?”

“Considering you’re supernatural and his twin, you should be…” My words trail off as I give Bayne a dirty look. “Are you kidding me? You’re using your twin as an anchor, but you’re too self-centered to care whether he can see you or not?”