“Who are you?” Dad spoke harshly. “Don’t believe we have met.” The Kitsune had a slow chuckle, walking towards the King of Shifters. Theoretically, dad should be able to have him listen to his Alpha command, but this Kitsune must be serious news. Dad wasn’t even attempting it.
“The name is Yutaka Yuki,” the Kitsune fake bowed, causing the Bears to back away. “Now, give me Seraphina or we will finish what’s left of your small militia. I’ve had my fun, but now I’m getting impatient.”
“She isn’t here,” Big Claw interrupted. Yutaka chuckled. His throat bobbed a few times until the chuckle turned into a maniacal laugh. The Bears in suits gripped their guns tighter, their suits flexing from the tension.
“Did you hear that, men?” Yutaka waved two fingers, and a Bear came forward. “Get her. She’s in the upstairs bedroom with her mother. Why don’t you invite her father down too so we can do this properly?” Several bears followed. Growling, I hovered over Seraphina, Declan not enjoying being cornered in a room, but we had nowhere to go.
Immediately shifting, my arms stretched, my legs felt heavier while ripping my clothes, my head hitting the ceiling. My half form was as tall as father’s, and damn it hurt like a bitch to shift so quickly. We were to protect our mate at all costs, even if it meant enduring a shit load of pain.
Folen grabbed his battling ax and knives in the corner. The door burst inward, showing three enormous Bears. Once seeing me, they stepped back, only to regain their footing. Holding up their weapons, they aimed to fire, but Folen grabbed the first Bear’s gun while I mauled the others’ faces. One gun went off, piercing my shoulder. Silver was inside the bullet. Not affecting me as bad as other Wolves, the initial shock made me drop to my knees. The Bears in front of us were long dead once my knees hit the ground.
“Stupid fuckers,” I heaved a breath. My body pushing the silver bullet out. Turning to check on Seraphina, I see her body now gone.
“SERAPHINA!” Declan howled along with me. The window being the fastest way down to the courtyard, we burst through the large window. Glass scraped our body, clinking around us as our paws hit the ground from three stories above. My heavy breath let out steams of smoke as I charged at the Kitsune.
I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, the blood flowing through my body. Rage enveloped me like a blackened storm until my eyes found the Kitsune. Yutaka’s smirk fueled my anger. My giant body hovered over the smirking Fox until my eyes shot lower. The fucker had my girl.
Seraphina’s head lulled away from Yutaka, only giving confirmation that it repulsed her even in her unconsciousness.
“Sit down, dog, you are making a mess.” Yutaka’s tails twitched and swayed as he sat down in a padded, elaborate chair made just for him. “You can come down now,” he called to Folen, who was at the top of the third floor. “I must ask you a question. No harm will come to your mate. After all, I don’t want her.” Folen was having an internal battle: save his daughter or save his mate. Folen’s parental instincts won out. He jumped silently to the ground, not even disturbing the glass below him.
Dad was flexing his fists, obviously upset that my mate was in the arms of another. Dax must have shifted when I did, because now there were two half-shifters standing before a small Fox.
“Come, come, wake her up,” Yutaka beckoned to my mom. Mom looked up at dad who gripped his hand around hers.
“She will not,” Kane growled. Yutaka rolled his eyes, his fingers doing a wave. The Bears went to another SUV behind the limo, pulling out a little girl and a female Bear shifter. “Look, Queen Clara! I found mama!” Mom gasped, realizing it was Nonnie.
“I thought you left with the others!” Clara cried. Mom tried stepping forward, but dad held her back. The little girl, oblivious to the dangers before her, held her mother’s hand. A black eye decorated her face. It wasn’t healing, which made me believe a dose of silver was injected into her. The mother nodded her head, letting us know she was alright.
“Now wake her up,” the Kitsune cooed. “Or little Nonnie will be a snack for a big, hungry Bear.” One Bear pulled Naomi to his front; a claw extended right under her neck.
“And this one is just right,” the Bear snickered.
Mom looked at dad. He wasn’t happy, but he knew mom was going to do it. Her quiet footsteps, her bare feet hit the black carpet as she drew closer. My claws scraped against each other. Dad’s Wolf was calling to mine and Dax. Whatever plan our Wolves were secretly working on must have been good, because they would not let us listen.
“The Kitsune can hear,” Melody mind-linked us. “He can read links.”
“Smart little wolf, aren’t you?” Yutaka glared at Melody.
“Or so they say,” she growled back.
Mom’s fingers tickled Seraphina’s forehead. Seraphina jerked away from mom. Yutaka held her tighter to his chest, making sure she could not fall from his grasps. Declan and Dominic growled loudly, Bears backing away slightly.
“Let go of the girl.” Mom looked into his bright yellow eyes. “I did as you asked.”
“I don’t think you are the one with the upper hand now, are you, Queen Clara?” Mom let out a growl. You do not let mom growl at you, it means you are in deep shit. Hell, dad and the rest of us stepped back. Mom’s claws grew long and thick.
“Might want to rethink that, Fox.” Mom stepped forward, inching herself so her legs were now touching the overgrown fox. “Because I have powers you don’t understand, even if you are supposed to be clever,” she whispered.
The Kitsune’s eyes widened for a moment, he shook his head. Mom continued to keep her eyes on the Fox. Squirming in his seat, he let out a terrible yell. The grip was loosened enough so I could grab Seraphina by her arms. Pulling her away, mom continued to use a power that had evolved since the war.
Taking all the pain, the suffering to keep others healthy and pushing it back on to a single entity. Every single Wolf she had healed, her body took their pain. Eventually, it had to go somewhere. Now she inflicted it on her current enemy.
“Quick! Get the child!” Melody screamed. With the Wolves we had left, they jumped into action. Bears tried to retreat, but dad’s shift came quick and fierce. Bears fell with royals descending upon them. My arms gripped Seraphina, using my legs to kick any willing Bear to take her from me. Mom continued to stand pouring the negative energy on the Kitsune.
The only problem was that the energy would soon run out and the Fox would regain his composure. He could not die from the released pain mom forced on him, but it was enough to cause a diversion.
Cyrene’s lightning weakened, she finally retreated behind the large oak tree along with Matthew and Ajax, whose sole purpose was to protect her.