Black Moon (Alpha Pack #3)(2)
"Yes, ma'am," he croaked. Fumbling with the clasp, he lifted the necklace, reached behind his neck, and fastened it after a couple of tries. "There. Mission accomplished. I'm safe from all the creepaziods in the world." He tried a cheeky grin, hoping to lighten things up.
Grandma returned his smile, and though the shadows in her eyes remained, she seemed happy enough now. "That you are, little hellion. Run along and join your friends," she said with a throaty laugh. "You're practically vibrating with impatience."
Leaping to his feet, Kalen grabbed the box and gave his grandma a quick kiss as she rose. "Thanks! I promise not to take it off!"
The heavy visit at an end, he once again looked forward to his Saturday and all the promise it held. Jogging to the front door, he yanked it open. And suddenly stopped. Turning, he faced the woman he loved more than anyone on earth, hurried back to her, and impulsively threw his arms around her middle. Hugged her close and breathed in her sweet scent.
"I love you, Grandma."
"I love you so much, my boy. Always will." She kissed the top of his head. "Go on now, have fun. The day is wasting!"
Grinning at her, he turned and dashed out, down the porch steps, his heart light. He'd think about the bad stuff later. Everything would be cool. Right?
It might have been. If only he'd kept his promise.
And if only he'd known that the lingering warmth of her love, enveloping him like a cozy blanket as he pedaled away, would have to last him for the rest of his life.
Chapter One
Kalen Black stood apart from his team, awash in guilt. Impotent in his shame.
Right this second the Alpha Pack's beloved resident Fae prince, Sariel, might by dying. On top of that, Aric Savage's mate had nearly been killed a short while ago by the witch Beryl before Aric ripped out Beryl's throat, thereby putting an end to any information they might have gained from her.
The danger surrounding them all increased daily. Hourly. A traitor walked among Kalen's friends and colleagues, slowly drowning in the darkness clogging his lungs. Overtaking his soul.
And it's all my f**king fault . . . because the traitor is me.
As Aric tended to Rowan and the prince was rushed to the infirmary, Kalen hung his head. He tried to find comfort in the fact that Aric's mate was all right, but it didn't work. Then he wanted the earth to swallow him when Nick Westfall, the Pack's commander, ushered everyone into the conference room and demanded to know, "How the f**k did Beryl get out of Block T?"
"I let her out." His voice caught. "God, I'm so sorry-"
"Why? Did she seduce you, or was it Malik?"
Kalen died a thousand deaths during the questions that followed his confession and the truthful answers he supplied. In Kalen's wretched lifetime he'd suffered abuse and humiliation. Isolation. Starvation. More horrors than most people ever had to face.
But none of those were worse than almost achieving his dreams of a home, a job, a family of sorts, and most of all, acceptance among those who were as different as himself. Almost. Before Malik, king of the Unseelie and Sariel's evil sire, decided that Kalen Black-Sorcerer, Necromancer, and panther shifter-was exactly the sort of powerful ally he needed in his quest to rule the world.
And that he'd begin by taking over Kalen's mind. One wicked suggestion at a time.
Facing them all, Kalen whispered his admission. "Not her. Malik." He resisted the urge to squirm under Nick's hard gaze.
"He gained control of your mind long enough to make you let her out?"
"Yes, sir. I think Beryl spelled me back at the house where we caught her. My defenses are . . . crumbling. I can't keep him out for very long at a time."
The witch had placed a bloodied finger to the center of Kalen's forehead and whispered, "Abyssus abyssum invocat."
Hell calls hell.
"Jesus," Aric said, his tone dripping with horrified disgust.
The red wolf wasn't any more disgusted with him than Kalen was with himself. Though the spell wasn't Kalen's fault, and he hadn't known that Beryl would try to murder the Fae prince, it hardly mattered. He was to blame. He should've been stronger, even without the protection of his silver pentagram pendant. The one he'd given weeks ago to Dr. Mackenzie Grant, his onetime lover, and made her swear never to remove.
Nick cursed and rubbed his eyes. "Okay. We'll figure this out. At least now we have Malik's human name-Evan Kerrigan. Grant is tracking him down, gathering intel. With any luck we'll have his location and a complete profile soon."
The man Nick referred to was General Jarrod Grant, Mackenzie's father. Kalen wondered what the man would think of what Kalen had done to his precious daughter. He doubted the man knew-Kalen was still in one piece.
When Mackenzie walked into the room, her blue eyes briefly meeting Kalen's, they were filled with such pain it stole his breath. Kalen could feel nothing but self-loathing. As she looked quickly away, his gaze settled on the beautiful doctor, hungrily devouring the woman he could never have again, never allow into his mind or heart. The woman he had to protect at all costs from Malik.
From himself.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we knew you'd want word of Sariel. We believe he'll recover." Murmurs of relief sounded around the room. "But he was already weakened from some health issues stemming from being in our world, so healing will take time. He's stable, though, so I wanted to pass the good news along."