Black Moon (Alpha Pack #3)(31)

"Tell me about it."

"It sounds almost as if he was afraid of your magic once it developed." He paused. "Do you know if your parents are still alive?"

"I've been gone for so many years, I have no clue." He looked away. "Even as badly as they treated me in the end, I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know and don't care much if they're still breathing or not."

"Hey, you were a minor when they kicked you out. You have nothing to be ashamed of where your feelings about them are concerned, kid. But we do need some answers about why Malik is so focused on you. I have a feeling your parents, if they're still around, have a couple they could be persuaded to share."

"Are you suggesting we pay them a visit?"

"I think that's a very good idea. And I think we should do it soon."

Kalen sensed their conversation was drawing to a close, and there was one other thing weighing heavily on his mind and heart. "What about Billy, the guy I watched Malik murder? You could take me out for my part in that-in fact, I'm surprised you haven't."

"I haven't because Malik was going to kill that man anyway, and I saw that there was no way either of us could've stopped him. You were under Malik's influence and you didn't touch Billy. But know this-if you kill out of pure bloodlust, and not in self-defense or defense of the team, I will terminate you. It'll kill me to do it, but I won't have a choice."

"I understand," he said softly. Christ, Nick didn't deserve to have the blood of one of his own men on his hands. If it came to that, Kalen prayed he had enough of his own mind left to take care of the deed himself.

Nick steered the topic to the present again. "Back to your parents. Give me your former address and I'll see if they're around. I might know something by this afternoon."

"Okay." Standing, he took his cue to leave. First he took the pen and a scrap of paper from Nick's desk and wrote down his parents' names and address, if they were indeed still there. Then he reached out and shook the commander's hand. "Thanks for giving me a chance. I don't know how I'm gonna pull it off, but somehow I'll get rid of Malik for good."

"You won't be alone. We'll be there with you every step of the way."

That so closely echoed what Aric had said, Kalen's throat got tight. With a nod, he left Nick's office before he embarrassed himself by losing his composure.

Now for an overdue visit that he'd put off as long as he could.

* * *

Nick sat back in his chair and ran his hand down his face with a weary sigh. "Fuck!"

The kid was in so goddamned much trouble. All of them were. And he didn't have a f**king clue what to do next. Where was the line between doing his job and interfering with the future, the one thing he'd sworn off attempting? It blurred more with each passing day.

Suddenly a familiar buzz began in his head. A tingle began in his spine and the room went fuzzy as the oncoming vision gripped him. One he'd been plagued with before, but this time in more agonizing detail.

Nick was kneeling in the middle of a field, racked with pain as cold rain lashed down, stinging like needles. Lightning split the sky, took a jagged path to the soaked earth, scorching it in spite of the downpour.

All around him, his Pack battled the Sluagh. His brave men cutting a swath through Malik's batlike Unseelie minions, losing ground with every passing second. There were hundreds of the terrible beasts, swarming, screeching. Far too many for either fierce wolves or men with magical gifts to defeat.

They were all going to die.

High on a pinnacle stood the Sorcerer with his staff, holding it aloft. Screaming at the Unseelie enemy and at the heavens for help that would not come.

And then a bolt of lightning streaked from the boiling black clouds, making the night as day just before it hit the end of the Sorcerer's staff. A massive detonation shook the ground and the world fell away.

Fell and fell. Taking Nick and his men into the abyss.

Nick jolted back to himself, sucking in great gulps of air. His heart slammed against his sternum, wild with adrenaline. Fear.

"Oh my God."

That had been the end. The ceasing of life. But the question was, whose? Which side had Kalen chosen in that final act, that last devastating second? Eternal darkness or light?

One thing was for certain-unless Nick made a phone call right this minute, neither he nor the rest of the Pack would ever know that answer.

And he knew then that, for the first time in many years, he was going to break his vow never to interfere with destiny.

He picked up the phone. Hit speed dial. Within seconds, his friend answered. And he uttered the words he'd never thought he would say, not to this man.

"Jarrod, I need you here."

Instantly, the general barked, "When?"

"Yesterday."

"How many teams?"

He let out a sigh of relief, though he was careful not to allow Jarrod to hear. God bless the man. "Several. Don't mobilize them yet, just have them ready."

"You're about to f**k up my life, aren't you, boy?"

He didn't object to his friend's use of the term "boy" even though he was much, much older than the general's human years. It was meant in affection, and was nearly his undoing. "Yes, sir. I'm afraid so."