by Jade White
She howled in pain, screaming bloody murder. When it came to torture, Katherine didn’t seem to have a problem with it. So much for her moral code.
“Are you going to tell us what we want to know, or do I have to remove the other one?” Katherine tilted her head to the side.
If Katherine wasn’t ready for battle, she was now. He had never seen this side of her, and it was doubtful he’d ever see it again. It was a shame she only got dark for Louis. It was a shame she probably wouldn’t kill any more than this once Louis was home safe.
“He’ll be dead by noon. The village plans on sacrificing him to appease our gods.” Willow looked up at Mason. Her head was dripping with sweat.
“My men?”
“Tied to the ash wood tree out back. They still might be alive if you get to them fast enough,” Willow laughed. She wouldn’t have much to laugh about once he ripped her lower jaw off. At least then she would shut up.
Katherine dug her fingers into the last slit, dragging out the remaining wing. She ripped it away from the membrane. Willow screamed out in pain again, muttering curses under her breath. “I will go get your friends. This is my battle.” She jumped to her feet.
Mason shook his head. “Louis is our son.”
“Yes, but these are my people.”
“I’m coming with you. Louis is our child, and I don’t want you going in without backup.” He kissed her.
“Isn’t that sweet? The noble Mason Wilde wanting to keep his bride safe?” an unnatural voice said.
Mason turned his head, scowling. “Alpha,” he snarled. Mason put Katherine behind his back, keeping her from his eyes. “You’re not welcomed here.”
“I’m welcomed anywhere.” His red, beady eyes darted straight to Katherine.
“How nice to see you, Kitty,” the alpha’s mate said, addressing Katherine.
“Mother,” she mumbled. Katherine intertwined her fingers with his. “Does this kid know you’re a prudent and insufferable cougar?” She snuck from around Mason’s back.
“Does your mate know just how weak you are?” Mason couldn’t help but chuckle. After what Katherine just did, she couldn’t be called weak.
“Tell that to your eldest.” Katherine threw the dagger at her mother, nailing her in the shoulder. “Unless you want me to do the same thing, I suggest you stay the fuck out of my way.” Katherine’s eyes were consumed by embers. That black flame danced over her skin, a warning signal.
“Why don’t we take this outside?” Her mother cocked her head to the side, pulling the dagger from her shoulder. The wound instantly stitched together.
“With pleasure.” Katherine was in front of her mother in the blink of an eye. She snaked her hand around the back of her neck, and dragged her outside. Mason watched as a pair of angelic wings burst from Katherine’s back. She tossed her mother out the window, and she followed after.
Total badass. Mason admired his wife as she lifted her mother up into the air, and dropped her. Ruthless. His attention turned to the alpha, but he was too slow to react. The boy had already shifted, and Mason was being dragged along for a ride.
*
Katherine wasn’t one for a fight. She wasn’t the one to get her hands dirty, but she couldn’t possibly resist the need to punish her sister for what happened in the village. Now she got the chance to kill her mother. Of course she wasn’t going to pass on a moment so blissful.
Two phoenixes could be equally matched, but Katherine against Veronica was an unfair score. Her mother had millenniums to practice to hone her powers. She had died countless times to strengthen herself. Katherine only just recently was learning to control her powers. She had never died. She wasn’t anywhere strong enough to kill her mother. Not alone at least.
She watched Mason get tossed out of a window, and she flew to him as fast as she could. After planting him down on the ground, she switched targets with him.
Katherine looked up at the window, and that bratty alpha boy stared down at her. He was young, clearly, but she knew better than to underestimate youth. She could feel his power from the distance she was at. It was a drug, and she wanted to feel more of it. Wanted to taste it.
Katherine flew to him, and buried her teeth into his neck. Though there was not much blood in his system to begin with, she got her fill. She ripped away from him, taking a piece of his neck with her. Blood squirted from the wound, and Katherine was happy with herself. She pulled him out the window, and let him go. There were thorn bushes below, and he wasn’t likely to feel good after landing in one of them.
She was side swept, a fist colliding with her jaw. Katherine felt the bone crack and pop out of place. Veronica took flight after finding herself unable to take up arms against Mason. Good. Now she had both the alpha and her mother’s attention, and she didn’t know what to do.
“Go get your friends!” Katherine yelled down to Mason. She would have to distract them in the meantime.
Katherine maneuvered through the sky, trying to dodge both the alpha and her mother. It was becoming more difficult as the seconds passed by. Veronica was hurling fireballs at Katherine’s wings, and she was barely able to keep herself from falling.
She was surrounded. Veronica was to her right, and the alpha was to her left. He was floating in mid-air. “How the hell are you doing that?”
Katherine knew shape shifters only took one form. She knew they’d only have the weaknesses and strengths of their beast. He seemed to take on so many characteristics from different animals. Aren’t you a pain in my ass?
Katherine ducked as a fireball was hurled at her head. She watched the alpha dodge the attack, and he gave Veronica an unpleasant look. She had an idea.
Katherine flew towards Mason, weaving in intricate patterns to throw her mother off. She picked Mason up off the ground, and dropped him off by the ash wood tree. He began untangling the knots tying his friends to the withered tree.
She dodged another fireball, moving in front of the alpha. He snaked his arms around her shoulders. Katherine shoved her wings back into their slits. Veronica threw another fireball at Katherine. Instead of trying to get out of the way, she let it absorb into her body. She heard her phoenix squawk with approval as it unleashed a hail mary of fire from her skin. Though she fell to the ground, she was satisfied with herself.
Mason caught her. “Easy does it.” He smiled at Katherine. “Go get Louis. I have a fight to settle.” She looked behind him.
Erik, Torrent and Lucca were free, and they looked very angry. She wanted to borrow one, she wandered if Mason would let her steal one of the men. Katherine fluttered her eyelashes at him.
“Take Torrent.” He sat Katherine back down on the ground.
She reached out for Torrent. She smiled at him. If there was one thing Katherine learned about this man, it was that he loved a good fight. “Ready to take on a whole village of phoenixes?”
“Do I get to rip your sister’s head off?” He cocked a brow at her.
She nodded, releasing her wings from their hiding places. “Good.” Katherine launched into the air, pulling Torrent with her. “Try not to look down.” She flew east, away from the giant house and high.
Katherine tried to stay as high as possible. She knew her mother was following her, and that was good. That meant Mason would have less trouble at getting what she wanted, and she would get to extinguish an entire population of moronic immortals.
Katherine looked down at Torrent. He seemed to be enjoying himself very much. He reached down to touch a cloud, but Katherine warned him not to. If Torrent went the least bit out of life with her wings, she could drop them, or strain her wings. It was already hard enough to carry his weight as it was.
“You’ve got a torpedo behind you,” Torrent said. “She doesn’t look very happy.”
“She’s never happy.” Katherine started to change her pattern of flight, flying harder and faster. She hoped she wasn’t hurting Torrent though. Her grip on him got tighter, and she swung him up on his back.
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“Holy shit!” He reached up higher, to try and touch even more clouds.
“I didn’t put you up there so you can be a child. Watch her patterns and tell me which way to fly. I do not feel like being shot down by fireballs today.” Katherine searched down below, trying to pull back her vision.
All she saw was a vastness of trees and water. It must’ve been a lake of some sort, maybe even an ocean. She’d never seen one, not even when the village picked itself up and moved. They either stuck to the land, or stuck to the air. They raided other villages, killed the other phoenixes, and took control of the grounds. Her people were vicious brutes, and it was rare that people picked fights with one of them, let alone all of them. This was going to be one of those rare moments.
Stupid. Katherine scorned herself, shaking her head. One of two things was going to happen. Either she was going to kill everyone in the tribe and get her son back, or they would see a reason to release him when she killed the tribal master. Katherine wasn’t going to bow to him. She didn’t want anything to do with him or her people anymore. Her sisters dishonored her, and her mother was trying to kill her for a power she had no right to claim. Veronica was not a shape shifter, married to one or not.
“She’s about to fire. Go left,” Torrent said, breaking through Katherine’s thoughts.
She listened to him, slowly tilting left. Katherine felt Torrent’s grip tighten on her. Katherine winced at his strength. “Easy back there!” she scorned him.
“On your left,” he warned her. Katherine went to the left. “Why did your sister take Louis anyways?”
“Willow said my village was going to sacrifice him.” Katherine dove downwards, spotting her landing spot. She could feel the threshold of power reverberating from down below. Her village was close. Katherine wondered if her mother still remembered this place. She spent more time out of it than in it anyways. “Hold on, and don’t break anything.” She didn’t have time to heal.
Katherine’s landing was rough. She did her best to make sure they were well concealed. She didn’t want Veronica to find them, and she didn’t want her village to know she was coming for her son. Of course though, she did make her intentions known if the tribal master touched her son. Now he was going to get the brunt of her wrath.
Torrent looked as though he was having a hard time keeping up with Katherine. She didn’t want to make it difficult for him, but she was on a mission. If he wasn’t going to shift to keep up, he would be in trouble.
He did though. His arms and legs became four long legs. A long slender body was coated with white fur, black stripes creating intricate patterns. Torrent put his head down to her, offering Katherine a ride. She wasn’t one to deny it.
There were few times she was able to ride Mason while he was shifted. Those chances were fun, but there was nothing like trampling through a forest on a giant albino tiger.
Katherine leaned inwards as he picked up his speed. She guided him around the trees with gentle tugs on the fur around his neck. He didn’t seem to mind though, even when she tugged really hard to make him stop.
“This is it,” she whispered to him. Katherine started to climb down from his back, but Torrent gave her a disapproving grunt. She climbed back on.
Slowly, he treaded forwards. The boundary was down, which only meant they were waiting for her. Katherine’s muscles tensed.
The huts around the village were vacant. There was mild chanting in the distance, and it made her stomach churn. She hoped they didn’t start the ritual already. If they did, it was too early. It wasn’t close to noon, or maybe she was just off on her timing.
Torrent crashed through one of the huts, roaring as loud as he could. This was going to be it. She was probably going to die, but she would come back. Katherine knew Torrent wouldn’t. She’d have to do a lot to ensure his safety. The last thing she needed was one of Mason’s friends getting hurt. She wouldn’t hear the end of it.
There was a crowd of people waiting in the center of the village. As her and Torrent made it around the corner of another hut, none of the Phoenix reacted to her presence. They all seemed to be in a trance. They chanted a dead language, their bodies swinging back and forth. At the head of all of the Phoenix was the tribal master, with Louis in his arms.
Torrent released another menacing roar, getting the attention of every single phoenix.
CHAPTER 14
Though it was three against one, Mason, Erik and Lucca were still outmatched against the alpha. They had strength and power to their advantage along with hundreds of years of experience each. The alpha was able to shove that aside.
The three of them were chew toys for him. Not once did he shift. He didn’t have to. The alpha was capable of containing all of the prowess and powers of the entire animal kingdom. They only had three.
After Katherine left with Torrent, Veronica followed hot on her trails. That was enough of a distraction to keep away the alpha’s mate. It allowed them to focus on one target. That target was becoming a real pain in their asses.
Lucca was panting. He was trying to heal a bite mark on his stomach, and Erik was trying his best not to get killed by the alpha. Mason was taking the full brunt of every onslaught of attacks.
He absorbed each shock wave, using it as a filter for his strength. Mason had to be careful though. If he held too much pent-up aggression and power, he would eventually have to expel it. He wouldn’t be able to control his beast when the time came, and he could’ve possibly hurt his friends. Mason didn’t want that.
He dodged attack after attack, dancing circles around the alpha. Mason was doing everything he could to make sure he stayed away from Erik and Lucca. They needed time to heal and strengthen themselves. If it came to it, Mason would use all that he had to weaken the alpha enough for his friends to strike the final blow.
He struck him in the leg, and the alpha went down for a moment. Mason struck him again, taking a page from Isabel and Willow’s book. Mason slammed his elbow against the top of the alpha’s head. He was discombobulated for a while, and seemed to struggle to get back up on his feet.
Mason shifted, allowing his beast to take control. He took a bite out of the man. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and there was so much power that lived within him. Mason looked at his friends, silently summoning them.
The alpha wrapped his arms around Mason’s neck, fracturing his collarbone. He chucked Mason to his friends. In mid-air, he shifted back. Mason clenched the crevasse of his neck, trying to force the bone to heal.
“Are you okay?” Lucca asked. He looked Mason up and down before turning his attention to the alpha. Lucca didn’t look very happy.
“I’m fine.” Mason rolled his shoulder around and around. He felt the pain grow numb before finally disappearing. “Unless Katherine comes back, we need to figure out how to weaken him.” He looked at the two men. “He is way too strong to try and take on by ourselves.”
“What if we tried together?” Erik asked calmly. He picked Mason up off the ground and sat him on his feet.
“That might work,” Lucca said. He shook his head at Erik, sighing. “That might work if we were all of equal strength. In case you didn’t notice, Mason is a fucking bear.” Lucca ran after the alpha, jumping at him. He shifted. Just as he did with Mason, he threw him away like a piece of trash.
A panther, a bear and an impaired shifter walk in a bar. Mason’s beast chuckled. It was enjoying itself at his friends’ attempts in subduing the alpha.
He didn’t know what to do at this point. The longer they waited to attack, the more time the alpha had to regain his strength. The more they attacked the less strength they had. This was a situation where no one could win. If they did win, it wouldn’t be without serious circumstances taking place. If the alpha won, they would all be dead.
Mason had a wife now. He also had a kid. She told him to stay alive. Mason feared his wife more than he feared death, especially after what she did to her sister. He didn’t want to be on her bad side.
Ever.
“You are my brothers, my family,” Mason said to them. “No more harm will come to you. Go and find Katherine, and make sure my wife and son live. I want them to come home.” He locked eyes with the alpha, his nostrils flaring. Mason would win his title as alpha, even if it meant him drawing his last breath.
“No!” Lucca said. He grabbed Mason’s arm and held him close and tight. It was the type of embrace a true brother would give his own.
“Go find her. I will come with the horde.” He held his friend close before shoving him in the general direction Katherine went. Mason looked at Erik. “Follow him.”
“Good luck.” He patted Mason’s back before taking off after Lucca.
He moved towards the alpha, watching his every move. Mason wanted to learn from him. He wanted to know his preferences in combat style. There was so much to this kid, Mason was overwhelmed. All he wanted was to try and get down to the basics. He would worry at the much more complex things later.
The alpha jabbed at Mason’s head. He was quick to block it, keeping himself centered. Mason countered with a palm to his sternum. He heard the bone crack and he struck it again, breaking it. The alpha heaved over for a moment, gasping for air and clutching his chest.
Mason grabbed him by the scruff of his hair and kneed him in the face. He would show no mercy, not if it meant him living and getting to see his family. Mason shoved him onto the ground. As soon as the alpha landed, Mason got a swift heel kick to his face.
The alpha got up, wiping the blood from his nose. He looked at it, his eyes glowing with furry. He was angry. Good. Mason wanted him angry. Angry men fought blindly. That was what he needed.
Mason pulled himself together, shaking off a slight head rush. His head tilted to the side. He saw what he wanted to see. The alpha was actually going to shift. He was finally going to see what this bastard could do.
He prepared himself for what was to come. Mason shifted, and his beast stretched out its arms. It was ready to play. It was ready to kill.