Song of my Heart

Chapter Twenty-Three

Az

"You missed our celebration, Aria. I was extremely disappointed."

Barrett's grey eyes sparkled with fury, but I ignored the automatic, fearful reaction I had at the sight. I had more important things to worry about right now.

"What did you do to my pack?"

He sighed in disappointment. "No 'sir'? How could you forget so quickly, my girl?"

My jaw clenched. I was suddenly so, so tired of his games, his little pet names for me, his arrogance. "What did you do?" I snapped at him.

"Don't worry, it's just a little wolfsbane. Enough to weaken them, cut off their mind and bond links. They'll be fine." He paused, tilting his head. "Well, they'll be fine if you cooperate, that is."

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head in seeming amusement, though I could see the anger still simmering in his eyes. "If you come with me, back to where you belong, I will tell my rogues to stand down." He tapped the earpiece nestled in his ear. "If not, then your weakened pack members will stand no chance."

He took a few steps closer to me, and I had to force myself to stay upright, stay still. Even after three months, I could feel the power he had over me creeping back.

"I'm willing to forgive you, Aria. For your defection, your... activities with your mate," he spat the word at me. "But only if you come with me, right now."

Another step closer. I had to end this. I knew, deep down, that if he touched me, I would be lost. "So, what you're saying is, the rogues won't attack until you give the command?"

"No, I wouldn't say that," he replied casually. "They're most likely attacking already. They're rogues, after all. A touch bloodthirsty, just like you."

I felt the hit, refused to acknowledge it. "Then you're wasting my time."

I was done. Done letting him affect my body and emotions, done being haunted by his eyes, done with my whole ugly past.

I lifted the gun that I'd tucked into my pants at the small of my back, and I shot him in the head with a silver bullet.

Surprise filled his expressive eyes as his body fell. I felt a strange new feeling wash over me, but it didn't last long, all of my thoughts turning to my pack, my brother, my mate. I had to get to them. The only way to get there fast enough was to shift, so I didn't hesitate.

I pushed myself into my fur and took off running.

***

Marcus

The battle wasn't going well. We were trying, but they'd managed to surround us, and with the wolfsbane poisoning our bodies, we were at a severe disadvantage. Jace and I swapped; I shifted back into my wolf form while he put on his skin, forced to so that he could shout instructions, desperately trying to keep our fighters alive. I stayed close to him, knowing he was more vulnerable in his human form. I constantly had to push my concern about Az aside; my pack needed me to be here mentally right now. I'd worry about her later.

A howl went up from one of the larger rogues, filled with pure anger, and they redoubled their efforts. I had no time to wonder what had changed as I found myself defending against multiple rogues at once. I backed up closer to Jace, then leapt forward and ducked under a rogue who came flying towards me. I used my claws to gut him from beneath but had no time to breathe before another rammed into my side. I picked myself up as fast as I could, but it was too late; Jace was exposed.

Our eyes met, and a sad sort of understanding passed between us, before Jace turned, ready to accept his fate. I began to rush back to my Alpha's side, but I knew I would be too late.

A new howl broke through the bloody battlefield, one that filled me with relief and fear at the same time, one that made the fighting pause.

Az was here.

I felt the attention of everyone around me shift to the East, where something was happening to the line of rogues that surrounded the pack Warriors. From the sounds – snarls, flesh tearing, lives whimpering out – I could tell that Az was breaking through. I paused in uncertainty; she was creating a gap for us to retreat, but heading that way would put us in her line of fire. I didn't want to subject her to the guilt of killing one of her own, but if we stayed, we were going to die, anyway.

I looked to Jace and saw the same hesitation on his face. I nodded to him, and he understood.

"Warriors! Retreat!"

He shifted back into his wolf and I moved with him, both of us beginning to push our way towards my snarling mate as she continued to tear into the rogues around her. I felt the change in the air; the uncertainty of the rogues, the cautious hope coming from our wolves. We were still fighting, but there was a taste of victory in the air, and I marvelled at the difference one ferocious Fighter could make.

I dug my teeth into the neck of the wolf in front of me, but as he dropped my stomach fell with him. I could see Benji's sandy-furred wolf ahead of me in serious trouble. He was on the ground, struggling against the mangy rogue who had its teeth embedded in his shoulder, blood oozing from multiple wounds. I couldn't get to him, not in time.

Out of nowhere, Az appeared, the white socks on her paws caked in blood. She leapt on the rogue above Benji, flipping him over and away, and before I could blink he was dead. She turned and eyed Benji, snarling a little, and I held my breath.

I felt a wave of both relief and confusion as she turned and bounded away, leaving Benji as she went after yet another of the attackers. I saw the same questions in Benji's eyes as I approached him to help him up, nudging him in the direction of the pack buildings, my meaning clear. Questions would have to wait; it was time to end this.

I turned and dove back into the fray, fighting alongside my mate and those Warriors that were still able. I saw a lot of the Ring Fighters amongst us, knowing they had held their own because of all that Az had taught them, and fierce pride filled me. She saved us. She was in control.

A sudden pain ripped through my side, and I glanced down, but there was nothing there. It wasn't my pain.

My Az was injured.

I saw red.

***

Az

The battle was dying down, I could tell from the shift in the atmosphere around me. I was glad; my pack would be okay, after all. I'd been so worried I wouldn't get here on time.

I took a deep breath, ignoring the pain that shot through me, the blood that seeped out of the deep wounds across my chest and side. I was pretty sure several of my ribs were broken, but I wasn't worried about that now.

I felt my body shift back into my skin where I lay, felt darkness creep at the edges of my subconscious, and then a wave of panic that wasn't my own.

"Az!"

I felt hands on me, lifting me onto his lap, and my eyes struggled open to see tears in my mate's deep, dark eyes. Those eyes, they killed me every time, stripped away my defences and built me back up into something beautiful, something entirely his.

"Marcus," I managed to whisper. "He's dead, Marcus. He's gone."

I let myself finally feel it, the relief, the freedom. His shadow no longer hung over me, and I felt like I was feeling the sun on my face for the first time, despite the light misty rain falling around us.

"You did it, sweetheart," his eyes glistened as his hand cupped my face.

"I'm going to rest now," I murmured. "I'm okay... I just need to sleep."

"I know, my love. You can sleep now." I felt his lips touch my forehead as my eyes drifted shut. "I'm so proud of you, Az."

My hand fisted in his shirt; there was something important to tell him while I could remember. "When I wake up... I think I want you to call me Aria."

And then the darkness pulled me away.