An Alpha's Choice (Talon Pack #2)(56)

Kade positioned himself in front of Melanie and Brynn, an odd look on his face. “Remember this, Mel? I seem to remember having my brothers hold me back when you were changed.”

Melanie closed her eyes and put her hands on her mate’s chest. “I remember. I remember you screaming for me. I don’t want to have to scream for my boy, Kade.”

“It’s okay if you do,” Brynn said softly. “I’ll be screaming.” There was no use lying.

“And that’s why I will hold you both back. Our Finn will be strong.” There was a promise in Kade’s words that allowed Brynn’s wolf to breathe. This man would soon be her Alpha if things worked as they hoped. He was a good man. But right now, all she wanted to do was make sure Finn was okay.

“Get into position,” Hannah ordered. Mark stood by her side near Finn’s head. Walker stood behind them, his hands on both of their shoulders. Gideon, Ryder, Mitchell, Josh, North, Cailin, Logan, Maddox, and more of the Redwoods and Talons crowded around the table. Each of them put both hands on a different part of Finn’s body, bracing themselves.

Goddess. They were really going to do it.

They were going to break him.

A growl that ended on a whimper slid from her lips, and Kade put his hand on her uninjured hip. “Hold,” he whispered.

Melanie made a similar sound and leaned into her mate.

“Ready?” Hannah asked, her voice steady, though Brynn couldn’t see the other woman through the mass of bodies.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” North whispered.

The others nodded in assent.

“Now!” Hannah called.

The sound would forever haunt Brynn’s dreams. Each wolf moved at once, breaking the bones in their hands. It echoed off the walls, in her mind, and in her heart. Finn called out once then went silent. Brynn screamed and pushed at Kade, who held on to her, strong. She pulled her gaze from the mass of bodies to her mate’s Alpha and glared.

She kept pushing until she truly saw the wolf in his eyes and the grey hue to his skin. This was killing him just as much as it was killing her. That was his son behind him.

Fuck it all.

“Move back,” Hannah called out. The group surrounding Finn moved as one. Brynn watched their faces. Each looked sick, ashen, and ready to vomit.

Good.

“North. Do your thing,” Hannah said softly.

North swallowed hard, and Brynn pushed at Kade, her wolf in control.

“No!” she screamed.

“Hold,” Kade whispered, his voice a tad weaker than before.

North jammed a needle into Finn’s skin, and Brynn broke free of Kade. She knew the Alpha had let her go. She was no match for him. But honestly, it was too late. The beat of Finn’s heart slowed.

Slowed some more.

Then stopped.

Finn was dead.

Gone.

Lost.

Hannah began chanting, her arms outstretched over Finn’s upper body. Mark’s lower register joined her in the chanting, though his hands held steady over Finn’s head. Brynn gripped Finn’s hand, begging him to come back. Come back to her.

“You can’t die on me fully, Finn Jamenson. I’m going to kick your ass if you don’t come back.”

“She means it, too,” Mitchell murmured.

“Come back,” Melanie whispered.

“Come back,” Brynn repeated.

She waited.

She didn’t know how long, but she waited. Hannah kept on her feet, her mates holding her up at the end, with the others holding Mark and Walker up. Finn never moved. Never twitched.

His hand grew cold in hers.

He had died.

Not just a little death, not partially dead.

Truly dead.

She threw her head back and howled. Others joined her, but she wasn’t sure who it was—a mix of Redwoods and Talons.

Finn’s hand twitched in hers.

Brynn swallowed hard and looked down, willing Finn to wake up. “Wake for me, Finn. Open your eyes so I know you’re there. Come back to me.”

His eyelashes fluttered, and Hannah moved back, passing out from exhaustion in her mates’ arms. Mark and Walker leaned on others as that group left the room, their attention on those who had risked their lives for her mate. Brynn only had eyes for the man she loved.

His eyes snapped open. “Brynn.” His voice was strong, not as if he’d just freaking died in front of her.

“Oh, thank the goddess.” She leaned down and captured his lips with her own. Finn’s hand went to the back of her head and he deepened the kiss. She let out a surprised moan before pulling away. “Finn?”

He sat up, looking fully Healed. His eyes glowed gold. “My wolf. I can feel it. I can hear him. I can feel you, Brynn. Holy f*ck. Is this what you’ve been feeling all this time? How the hell can you manage?” He slid off the table and kissed her again, only to break away when someone cleared their throat.

“I take it your bond to your wolf is stronger?” Kade asked.

“Yes. I can…I didn’t know how much I was missing.” There was an awe to his voice she hadn’t expected. She put her head on his chest, the strong heartbeat under her ear soothing her in a way she hadn’t thought possible.

She cupped his face and smiled. “You came back.”

“I’ll always come back for you.”