Page 11

CHAPTER 11

MALACHI

EARLIER THE SAME DAY

“A lpha team is ready to go,” Rhys reports into his walkie-talkie as we stand out in the deep snow.

An icy wind whips around us, but I don’t pay much attention to how it stings my skin through my tactical clothing. I run an impatient hand down my black tactical gear as I survey our team. The mages are strapped with weapons while the enforcers I brought with me don’t bother with knives or guns. Our claws and teeth work in pretty much all situations.

We’re standing outside the first of three mage barriers that protect a nondescript squat building. Underneath the single-story structure is the Knights of Aeneas facility we think Briar is in. It’s the only one in the search perimeter Saint narrowed down for us, so we’re fairly confident this is it.

Unfortunately, with the mage protection spells, we’re unable to get a good idea of what we’re walking into. Most Knights of Aeneas supernatural holding facilities are laid out similarly, so we’re operating on the assumption that this one is the same.

With four entrances, we have four teams assembled. That way, we can stop anyone trying to leave and make sure one of the Knights doesn’t slip Briar past us.

“Beta team is ready to go,” Declan’s voice crackles over the radio. Rhys Gallagher, Declan O’Brian, Logan Shanahan, and Bishop St. James are the four mages who own Elemental. Because of the complexity of the mission, all four of them are spearheading the operation today. Xander, Bastian, Saint, and I are all on different teams so there’s at least one of us on the team that locates Briar.

“Gamma team ready to go,” Bishop confirms.

“Delta team is ready to go,” Logan choruses.

“We breach on my signal.” The ten mages with Rhys all raise their hands and aim at the barrier. Rhys takes a deep breath and calls, “Now! Abolere .” The other mages follow suit and shout the Latin word for destroy. Electricity crackles in the air and skates over my skin before a deafening blast sounds. I can’t see the magic, but by the way the mages are running past the barrier line, I’m guessing they successfully dismantled the protection spell.

Once the mages rush through, the enforcers and I hustle to follow them. They repeat the process three more times before we come to a stop outside a metal door with flaking white paint.

Rhys bends down and puts his hands on his knees. The other mages look similarly drained as they stare at the door with apprehension. When Rhys straightens up, he and the mages get into position. With a shout, they blast the spell with their magic. Nothing seems to happen for a moment before an invisible force explodes out and tosses us backward.

I land with a grunt in the cold snow. Slightly dazed from the impact, I stare at the evening sky for a long moment before I catch my breath and scramble to my feet. I’m the first one up and at the door, but it doesn’t take long for the mages and wolves to follow my lead.

Without another word, I shove through the doorway and come face-to-face with a terrified Knight. I give him a savage grin. We don’t have time for me to hurt the guard like he deserves, so I simply punch my fist through his all-too-human chest and rip out his heart. The whole thing takes a few seconds at most before his body drops to the ground with a thud. I carelessly toss his heart next to him and stalk further into the facility.

We make our way through the maze of hallways, killing any Knights we come across. While the mages and my wolves take turns dispatching the guards, I’m still covered in blood and gore by the time we’re almost done clearing our section.

While we haven’t seen Briar, we have seen plenty of terrified shifters running past us. We’ve collected a sizable group that’s tagging along in the middle of us. We weren’t sure what we would find here, so we tried to plan for most contingencies. There’s a rally point set up with transportation for any supernaturals being held here. However, we can’t spare anyone to show them out of the facility until we clear the whole building.

Some of the shifters have opted to follow our directions on how to get out, while the remainder have chosen to stay with our group. We’re doing our best to protect all of them while also getting rid of the guards and searching every room for Briar.

Our final hallway to clear is to the left. I can’t help the disappointment coursing through me that we haven’t found Briar yet. All I can do is hope that one of the other groups will find her. Otherwise, well, it’s best if I don’t think about that. The last thing we need is my alpha wolf rampaging through the facility.

When I round the corner, I freeze in my tracks. My heart thunders in my chest as I lay eyes on my mate, who I haven’t seen in almost two weeks. Relief soars through me at finally finding her. It’s quickly replaced with worry when I see her passed out on the floor, surrounded by a puddle of blood. That worry turns into blinding rage when my gaze settles on a human standing over her about to shoot her in the chest.

I don’t really know what happens next. One moment, I’m at the end of the hallway. The next, I’m behind the man with my hands around his head. I twist his skull to the right hard enough to snap his pathetic human neck before he has a chance to fire a shot at Briar. Or, I should say, another shot once I catch sight of the two bullet holes in her stomach.

When I take a step toward my mate, a tiny ball of blonde fury streaks toward me and slams into my legs. The young shifter pounds her small fists into my thighs as she bares her teeth at me. “Leave her alone!” she shouts.

Shaking myself out of my shock, I crouch down until I’m level with her. I capture the little fists she aims at my face and let my wolf bleed into my eyes. “I would never hurt her. Briar’s my mate.” My voice comes out deep and raspy, my wolf making himself known.

Her brown eyes go wide when she sees my amber ones. “Wolf,” she whispers.

My eyebrows raise at the realization that the girl was able to identify what I am. Usually, shifters that young can’t differentiate between species in their human forms. “Yes. Will you allow me to tend to my mate?” I ask, even though I can easily get past her. The little girl probably hasn’t had anyone respect her choices in a long time, so I try my best to make her feel like she has a say.

She gives me a small nod, and I let her go. Running back over to Briar, she drops to her knees on the grimy white tile next to my mate. Her tiny hands comfortingly stoke Briar’s raven hair sprawled around her. Tears run down the little girl’s round cheeks, but she doesn’t say a word as she stares at my mate with anguish.

My shriveled, black heart breaks for the girl and everything she must’ve been through here. I shake my head because that’s not the most pressing problem right now. I need to figure out what happened to my mate so the mages can heal her.

Standing up, I rush to Briar’s side and kneel on the cold, hard floor. I grasp her clammy, blood-covered hand in mine as I turn to the girl. “Do you know what happened to her?”

Rhys and four of his mages also drop to their knees around Briar. His eyes are pinched with worry as he uncertainly hovers his hands over Briar’s injuries, not seeming to know where to start fixing her. My heart feels like it’s in my throat as I try hard not to think about what happens if they can’t heal everything wrong with her.

“Fuck. Finn, you heal more often than I do, but I know we’re gonna need my power for this. Where in the hell do I even start so I don’t heal her wrong?” Rhys hisses quietly to one of the mages, trying to keep his voice down so he doesn’t worry the little girl.

The mage shakes his head as he shoves a rough hand through his red hair, his blue eyes staring helplessly at my mate and the state she’s in. “I don’t know, man. I don’t think I’ve ever healed someone with injuries this bad. They’re usually dead at this point.” As soon as he says that, he winces and looks over at me, like he expects me to leap over there and tear out his throat for mentioning Briar and dying in the same sentence.

Honestly, he’s right to be worried, but that’s not the most important thing right now. Healing my mate is.

Instead, a half growl half whine makes its way out of my throat at the prospect of my mate dying. I’m trying desperately to cling to my rage at what the Knights did to her because I know it’s the only thing keeping me and my wolf from drowning in our worry and grief.

“I got stabbed and shot,” Briar’s weak voice answers my question dryly, tearing my attention away from the frantic mages still desperately trying to figure out how to heal her. I didn’t realize that the state Briar’s in is so far outside of what they usually deal with, which makes it feel like someone is crushing my heart as I try not to think about it too hard.

My gaze snaps to her half-open icy eyes. Whereas Briar’s light blue eyes are usually crystal clear, they’re hazy with pain, or maybe blood loss, right now. “You’re awake.” My words are choked out as I stare at Briar, all the fear and heartache and worry roughening my voice.

She makes a humming sound. “That’s debatable. There’s still, like, an eighty percent chance I’m hallucinating this whole thing as I die.”

I force my lips to twitch up the slightest amount at her retort, not wanting to worry Briar with how I’m doing. All my little mate should be focusing on right now is healing, and it kills me that I can’t do anything to help her, unlike the mages. “You’re not hallucinating, baby girl, and you’re not dying,” I grit out between clenched teeth.

Her gaze softens. “I’m not doing too hot, Malachi. I was already in rough shape after Ryker shanked me, which was really freaking rude if you ask me. Anson shooting me, again, rude, just made the situation a million times worse. I’m all out of magic to heal myself, and I’ve lost a lot of blood.” She attempts to squeeze my hand in reassurance or apology, but she’s barely able to twitch her fingers.

“Good fucking thing we brought mages, then,” I growl at her, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak. My eyes prick with tears that I refuse to let fall. I need to be strong for Briar, not come apart at the seams at the state we found her in. If the mages don’t start doing something soon, I’m going to lose it, though. I’m tired of them whispering to each other instead of healing her. “You’re not allowed to die, goddamn it.”

She doesn’t seem to know it, but I need Briar more than I need my heart to beat or my lungs to breathe. In the short time I’ve known her, she’s become the center of my entire fucking universe. I can’t live in a world without her.

Briar glances at the mages around us and all of the people behind them in surprise, not having noticed the collection of mages, enforcers, and scared shifters standing there. The enforcers form a line between my mate and the other shifters as a precaution. “Oh, well, that’s nifty. And I’m doing my best not to, Mr. Bossy Pants.”

I can’t even force a smile at her calling me bossy. Normally, I find it funny when she tells me how controlling I am, but, right now, I can’t feel anything other than all-consuming rage and fear for her.

The little girl lets out a hiccupping half sob half giggle. Briar turns her head to look at her in surprise. “Annabel, what are you still doing here, honey?”

“I didn’t wanna go away.” She wrings her hands nervously. “Please don’t leave.” Annabel’s voice breaks, and her shoulders shake with silent sobs.

Briar’s face looks devastated at Annabel’s tears. “I’m not going anywhere. The Knights will have to try harder than this to get rid of me. And you heard Malachi, they brought some fancy-dancy mages to patch me up. I’ll be A-okay.” She weakly reaches out a hand to the little girl before realizing it’s smeared with blood. Before Briar can pull away, Annabel desperately clutches her crimson-stained palm.

Annabel’s lower lip trembles. “Promise?”

Giving her a solemn nod, Briar says, “I swear it.”

The mages abruptly stop their whispering amongst themselves, and Rhys looks down at Briar with apprehension and worry. He tries to give my mate a reassuring smile, but it comes out as a grimace instead. “Hey, Briar. I don’t know if you remember me, but you were in my little sister’s class for a couple years. Sorry about the delay. We’re just trying to figure out the best way to heal you without any… complications.” His face twists when he mentions complications, and I feel a pit form in my stomach as I wonder what the possible problems are. “I’m going to patch you up, but I need to know what happened in order to fix everything properly.”

The normally collected mage is rambling, the stress of the situation getting to him. He shakes his head at himself before glancing back up at Briar.

“I wanna say you’re one of the Gallagher boys.” Briar attempts to shrug but winces at the movement. She’s the calmest out of all of us, not seeming particularly worried about her injuries. “But I’m honestly barely conscious right now, so take it with a grain of salt. As to what happened, I got stabbed with a serrated knife that was then dragged across my abdomen. My wolf partially healed that, but running around started to reopen the wound. Then I got shot twice in the same spot. I can’t say that’s my favorite thing that’s ever happened, but there you have it.”

I hang my head because I don’t have it in me to keep my expression neutral at everything she’s been through. A tear trails down my cheek at the emotions that are trying to consume me, and I try to subtly wipe it away before Briar notices.

Taking in a deep breath and holding it, I shove all the anxiety and grief and panic behind a curtain in my mind. Later, when Briar’s safe, I can feel all of those emotions and break down. Right now, I need to stay strong for her and do everything I can to get her the healing she needs.

Rhys gives Briar a ghost of a smile, although his eyes swim with worry for her. “Your guess was correct. I’m Rhys, the older Gallagher boy. It sounds like you have a lot of internal damage. I’ll do my best to heal you all the way, but I may have to tap out part way through. Is it okay with you if either Finn or Cian take over if I need to take a break?”

I appreciate him getting Briar’s consent before beginning to heal her. My mate hasn’t had a lot of choices in her life for a while, most likely having even fewer while she was trapped here. Having even the illusion of a choice about getting healed helps, despite the fact that the mages will have to fix her whether she wants them to or not.

“Yep. As long as none of you try to kill me, I really don’t care who heals me. I’m kinda at my limit of people trying to kill me today, ya know?” While Briar tries to keep her voice light, vulnerability slips into her words. It makes me want to go on a rampage to eviscerate everyone who hurt her.

He closes his eyes to gather himself, his calm expression fracturing at the vulnerability in her voice. Blowing out a harsh breath, he opens his eyes to focus on Briar and starts healing her. At least, I assume that’s what he’s doing because I can smell the peppery scent of magic in the air. “That’s reasonable. I’d be pretty done with it too if I were you. And none of us will hurt you. I highly doubt your alpha wolf would let any of us so much as look at you wrong. This will probably hurt, but you’ll feel better once I’m done.”

A grim smile crosses my lips at the mage’s comment about me. He’s right. I’ll rip them to shreds before they even get close enough to hurt her.

She gives him a tired smile. “I’ll be fine. Believe it or not, this isn’t the worst injury I’ve had.”

A low growl rumbles up from my throat at the reminder of the other time she would’ve died without mage intervention, and my wolf howls in pain in my mind. Both of us desperately need her to stop getting into these situations. I lean down, my breath feathering over her ear. “Almost get yourself killed again, and I’ll spank your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for a week. Understand?” I make sure to keep my voice low enough that only Briar hears me.

While I know none of this is really her fault, I can’t control what the Knights and other people do. I can try to keep her safe, but that doesn’t work when she willingly jumps headfirst into danger. All I can really do is make Briar think twice about sacrificing herself so I can protect her.

Her eyes widen, and a faint blush stains her cheeks as she stares at me in shock. I pull back and cock an eyebrow at her, wordlessly demanding her response. “I understand,” she squeaks. I give her a satisfied half smile at her agreement as she gapes at me.

Rhys shakes his head at Briar casually mentioning that she’s experienced worse than getting shot and stabbed but doesn’t say anything. He hovers his hands over her wound. While I can’t see it, I can feel the energy raising the hairs on my arms.

Briar winces but doesn’t make a sound. She smooths out her facial expression after a moment. Pride at how strong my mate is wars with rage that she had to learn to be this strong.

“Where are Xander, Bastian, and Saint?” Briar asks softly, the effort to speak seeming to drain her.

“They’re on the other teams clearing the building. Once all of them finish with their sections, I’ll radio and let them know we found you. I don’t want them getting sloppy and rushing to come to you.” We were apparently the first team to clear our section, so we’re still waiting to hear back from the other three teams.

She dips her chin slightly before bouncing her gaze between mine. Biting her lip, she seems to think about what to say for a long moment. “Are… you… they… mad?” she asks, struggling to get the words out.

My brows jump up in shock when I piece together what she’s trying to ask. “What? No! None of us are mad at you. We’re just so fucking relieved to finally have found you. Why would you think that, baby girl?”

“Because… forced… portal,” she rasps as she fights to stay conscious.

“I’m not mad about it,” I attempt to reassure her. While I was and still am enraged that she sacrificed herself to save us, I’m not mad at her. I just don’t think I can handle her doing something like that again.

Briar gives me a weak smile before her lids flutter shut, and her hand goes limp in mine. My panicked gaze jerks up to Rhys. “What happened?” I demand. “Why did she pass out? Did something go wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Rhys tells me through gritted teeth. Sweat is beading on his forehead as he funnels magic into my mate. “Her body is shutting down to protect itself. That’s actually a good thing. When her body isn’t fighting so hard to stay awake, it can focus more on healing.”

The hand not holding Briar’s clenches hard enough that my nails bite into my palm. I’m trying to keep ahold of my wolf, but it’s hard when Briar looks like she’s barely alive. “Will she wake up when you’re done healing her?”

His mouth twists into a frown. “She should wake up in a day or two.”

“Should?” I growl, not wanting to hear any uncertainty on whether my mate will wake up.

Rhys pins me with an exasperated look. “I don’t know what to tell you, wolf. I’m doing everything I can to ensure she does, but there’s always a chance she won’t wake up at all.”