“His wolf did what he was meant to do,” Taleb, the youngest of them spoke up.
“Wait. So his wolf brings destruction?” Bell asked hesitantly.
“No.”
“Then what? Death!” Bell hollered, losing his temper.
“Wrath,” Farica whispered, glancing around as if she’d said a bad word.
“He brings… wrath?” Bell leaned forward, staring into each of their faces.
“No. He is Wrath,” Justice answered.
Bell stood on the bottom step of the jet, gripping the rail with uncertainty as he stared into the darkness behind him. The White Mountain Forest was only a few miles away from the private airstrip at Conway Airport where he was ready to board with Wick’s elite troops, but it felt like a million. Alek was somewhere out in that dense woodland hiding from him, and Bell couldn’t stand the hollowness he felt inside. The hurt and longing battled against his honor and responsibility. If he could just speak to Alek and assure him he’d be back and they’d work through this, then his head wouldn’t be as fucked up as it was. He had no clue where he and Alek stood. They’d had a fight and tempers flared. Then Bell had seen a power in Wolf that he’d never witnessed, one he didn’t think possible to be possessed by a person/shifter/vampire and survive. The power of a god, or in Wrath’s case, a demigod. Bell closed his eyes as a vicious tremor shook his body. It wasn’t fear. He wasn’t afraid, or at least he didn’t think he needed to be. Wrath may be one dangerous, angry, vengeful son of a bitch, but he was inside his cherished, so he was able to be touched by love, understanding, and compassion. That person had to be him. Fate had spoken and said so.
“He’s not coming,” Wick said, sounding as upset as Bell felt. “You know they can’t fly.”
Justice stood tall beside Wick, his hand lying comfortingly along the back of his mate’s neck, his fingertips just beneath Wick’s silk black collar. It was as if they had to be touching at all times. The intimate action made him ache for Alek’s touch again.
Justice looked in the direction Bell stared, his voice deep and rough with emotion when he said, “I’d allow my brother to go if he could, but it’s just not possible. If Wolf freaks out thirty thousand feet in the air, or worse if Wrath rears his ugly head again… he’d bring the whole plane down.”
Bell sneered, not liking how Justice was speaking about Alek. As if all the entities inside him didn’t make up who Alek was and exactly who he was supposed to be. And if that was indeed Wrath—and from the heat and intense chaos that had erupted when he tried to get out—then he was put there by someone far more powerful. Bell’s guess would be The Mother. All his theories were speculation at this point. He’d get his answers when he returned. He had to put Aleksei Volkov to the back of his mind—if possible—and try to focus on leading this mission and emerging victorious. Bell released a frustrated sigh and started up the rest of the stairs.
“We’ll be monitoring you on the live feed,” Wick called out. “See you when you get back, old friend.”
Wick gave a slight bow to his king, his best friend, their eyes meeting and holding for a moment. This was the equivalent of him going off to war. This wasn’t his first and surely wouldn’t be his last. But, like always there was never a guarantee of him retuning. But Belleron was a commander for a reason, and he wasn’t so easy to kill. He’d also protect his men with his life. Bell glanced at Justice. His bright blue eyes, different from his beloved’s, held sympathy and understanding. He must’ve known what his brother was going through with his mate leaving his side and his protection. Not fully mated.
If Bell died, he’d have only one regret.
DEATH! That is what awaits our mate. Without us HE WILL FALL!
Alek had the audacity to get upset when this was all his fault. Sure, telling Bell that before went over really fucking well. When he gets back, you and Wolf should tell him again how weak he is without us!
Wrath thrashed around behind the steel bars, hoping he was ramming himself hard enough that those weaklings could feel it inside. Wrath felt nothing but anger and rage. How could they do this to him? Since he’d erupted out of Alek’s ribcage, the coward had been curled up in a ball around his favorite pet, licking his wounds. Usually, he came through Wolf, but Alek didn’t shift in time. Well too damn bad if it had hurt him. He should be hurt. They’d let Belleron go anyway when he’d warned them that it would be the end for them if they did. Now, they’d both conspired against him and had managed to lock him back in this goddamn hellhole. After all the years Wolf and Alek hadn’t connected, they’d managed to do it long enough to hold him back. If Wrath had his full powers he would’ve burned the whole damn compound to ashes and made them start over for teaming up on him. Unappreciative shifters. Sixteen years ago he’d saved them all and look what he got in thanks. Cast into a dungeon any time he tried to get out—which wasn’t often.