Werewolves Be Damned - By Stacey Kennedy Page 0,61

it didn’t matter, not to her. She needed to feel the closest connection to Kyden, and that was his father.

“My son.” Talon lowered his head into Nexi’s neck and trembled, only making her tears fall faster. “He shouldn’t have made this personal. He shouldn’t have fought him. He should’ve run.”

All things she’d thought herself, yet guilt burned wicked inside of her. She had caused so many deaths—so many lives taken—all to get to her. Now Kyden was gone… “I’m sorry, Talon.”

Leaning away from her, he cupped her face. “Don’t do that to yourself. You’re worth protecting, but he’s a damn fool for taking Lazarus on alone. That rests solely on Kyden.”

“No.” She could barely get her voice out. “All this rests on me.”

Compassion sped through Talon’s eyes, warming the green. “We must stay focused, not get lost in guilt.” He rose to his feet, pulling her with him. “We need to call a meeting to discuss strategy to find him. The sooner we act, the more hope we have.” Turning to Zia, he said, “Get wolves here to track them. I have no doubt Lazarus is smart enough to somehow lose the trail, but it’s a chance we can’t overlook.”

Zia nodded, staring at Nexi with warm sympathy, then she said, “Haven, with me.”

Sadness swept through their bond and Nexi felt Haven’s reluctance to leave her. But then both witches vanished through the portal.

Talon kept an arm around Nexi’s waist, and they teleported into the foyer, with Finn next to her. Nexi caught sight of Zia and Haven rushing into the Council’s Hall before Talon turned her into him.

“Go home,” he said to her, as if she even had the ability to move. “You’ll be called when the meeting has been arranged.” He released his hold on her and she wobbled as he strode into the Council’s Hall.

Before her legs gaze out, Finn gathered her in his arms. She sank into his embrace and wanted him to tell her that this was another terrible nightmare. He only said, “We’ll find him, Nexi. Trust in that.”

With that he, just as Talon had, left her alone when all she needed was someone to hold her and never let go.

She gasped as the pain of Kyden’s departure sank deep into her gut. The agony of realizing he was lost ripped her soul apart. Emptiness spread through her, strong enough that she had to force herself to keep breathing. Her legs buckled and she dropped to her knees, weeping.

All the things she wished she done—wished she’d said.

He’d put himself in danger for her.

Kyden…

Chapter Seventeen

Half an hour later, the gathering was called to order.

Nexi entered the Council’s Hall and Haven came barreling toward her. The sadness in Haven’s soul equaled her own. It became all consuming, but Nexi fought against Haven’s raw emotions. Now she needed to think straight, not crumble to pieces, and she’d wept until all that remained was emptiness.

Haven gripped Nexi with everything she had. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

Nexi couldn’t believe it either, but there was no denying the danger Kyden had landed himself in, and there was no running from it. When she backed away from Haven, Finn took her hand, and Nexi looked up into his warm eyes knowing she wasn’t the only one suffering.

Finn and Kyden were close, and the torment he suffered showed in his expression. She squeezed his hand tight and he responded with a hold as strong, clenching her hand for all the same reasons she did his—survival.

Drawing in a long breath, she scanned the crowd in the Council’s Hall, which was overrun with supernaturals, most of them werewolves. “What’s with the wolves?”

Finn tucked Haven against his side. “It’s the Texas pack. Holten contacted them immediately after Kyden’s disappearance. They’re here to battle Lazarus.”

One of the werewolves stood out among the bunch. His importance showed, since the other wolves surrounded him in a protective manner. Gesturing toward the wolf with a jerk of her chin, she asked Finn, “Who’s that one?”

He followed her direction. “Thor, the Texas alpha.”

Nexi examined him and she sensed a powerful presence. She spotted an arrogant light in his eyes she couldn’t find in any of the wolves around him, which she suspected was his alpha status.

She turned her attention to Talon when he stepped out into the center of the Council’s Hall. He raised his hand, silencing the crowd. “The reason why Lazarus has Kyden has yet to be discovered, but that doesn’t mean we won’t rip the cities apart