Chapter 144

Riley spoke in a low, urgent whisper. "One wrong move and you're dead, got it?"

Rayburn's voice rose as he responded fiercely, "Perhaps at some point you'll realize I haven't done anything wrong and I'm not going-"

Kadeem whipped around to interrupt him with an icy growl. They were on the brink of reaching Ardal, and Riley had made a dangerous gamble by freeing Rayburn.

Kadeem could only hope it wouldn't backfire on them.

He knew Riley well enough to guess her thought process. Intimidation was part of the game, and Kadeem showing up with his distracted beta tagging after him while she juggled a captive was no good. Riley wanted it made clear that Kadeem had back-up, and she needed to give herself the chance to fight by his side when it boiled down to it.

But Kadeem also knew the reality of their situation. Now, there was nothing to prevent Rayburn from using the spell that had knocked them unconscious in the woods, killing them, or worse: going after Ardal or the kids. What were the odds he would actually cooperate?

Later on, Kadeem would berate himself and Riley for their stupidity. Very risky bet, indeed. But, in the heat of the moment, he thought, maybe, just once, things could work in their favor?

And then he saw Ardal.

Through a cluster of leafless trees ahead, she was slumped in the arms of his uncle, who clutched a blade to her throat.

Behind Kadeem, Rayburn gasped.

Ardal's lip was busted and the blood of it stung Kadeem's nose. Her body was limp. What had they done to her?

Fury began to burn inside of him. He suppressed it as much as he could, but it was like trying to smother a wildfire.

"Glad you could make it," Bob said. There was a crazed look to his eyes Kadeem didn't recognize. He'd finally, truly lost it.

Or- he was finally, truly, unmasked.

With this stark clarity, Kadeem forced his brain into logic mode, dampening the flames of vengeance for now - but payback, as they say, is a bitch.

Two options in front of him. First, Kadeem could strike now and catch Bob off-guard, silencing him before he could break out into some long-winded villain speech - but for that to work, Kadeem needed to have complete confidence in his speed and accuracy. His assault, launched from yards away, had to be faster than a swipe of the knife already across Ardal's throat.

The second choice was to bide his time: edge closer while Bob talked, and seize upon any distraction, allowing for the perfect moment to attack. Trying to judge the best course, Kadeem's thoughts churned so rapidly it felt like steam would come pour of his ears.

Fuck it! He'd wait till he was sure the timing was right. This wasn't his life at stake- that, he was certainly willing to push to the limit. This was Ardal's, and he had to be sure she was safe.

"I see you brought your bitch," Bob sneered, eyes darting to Riley.

"And I see you've brought yours," Riley snapped back with a menacing snarl.

The "bitch" in question was at Bob's side - her body tense, coiled like a viper ready to strike.

'Keep a cool head, Riley,' Kadeem thought urgently, wishing he could telepathically get her to chill. All he needed was for her to do something rash. He was barely holding it together. One of them, at least, needed to stay level-headed.

Bob laughed and turned his attention to Rayburn. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us."

Rayburn seemed to have lost all control of his vocal cords, nothing but an airy sputter arising from this throat.

Kadeem quietly crept closer, but Susan was quick to spot him.

"Don't even think about it," she cautioned, a tinge of panic creeping into her voice. Then, she turned on her charm, lips opening into a warm smile, "Quite the little squad you've assembled here."

Bob's grip on the knife tightened, his eyes cold and calculating. "And I wouldn't try anything funny if I were you," he warned, pressing the blade against Ardal's skin for dramatic effect. A thin line of crimson appeared, a shallow warning cut.

Fearless, Ardal didn't so much as whimper. With her eyes, she tried to convey something to Kadeem, but he was consumed by a blinding rage. Scorching wrath clouded his vision and all sense of reason went hopelessly gone.

Against complete logic and strategy, he bared his fangs and charged forward, shattering any semblance of a plan.

Ever the coward, Bob's hands flew from Ardal in a panic, ready to turn and run. Kadeem leveled him, mauling him, tearing into his human flesh before he could even transform.

Meanwhile, Riley had Susan, her strong jaw snapped around one of her legs, crushing her bones. Susan screamed and kicked at her, trying to stomp her skull. Riley relinquished her hold in pain. Susan made a vain attempt to bolt, morphing into her wolf form, before Riley collided with her, the two locking into a violent skirmish.

Amidst the chaos, Jack ran for Ardal and pulled her out of the fray. She had collapsed, as though too weak to carry her own weight.

"If you kill me," Bob yelled at Kadeem through strangled pain, "You'll never find out about your kids."

In a flash, Kadeem shifted into his human form. He had his uncle pinned down, his hand wrapped tightly around his throat, at his mercy.

"What did you do," Kadeem demanded.

"Let us go," Bob began, but Kadeem only squeezed tighter, constricting like a boa. The veins in Bob's neck bulged, his eyes widened in terror as he struggled for air. Kadeem was ready to end him.

Subdued and surrendered to Riley, Susan watched on and let out a yelp.

"Kadeem!" Ardal's voice came in a weakened yell. Rayburn was frozen, looking on from attending to the deep cut across her jaw and cheek, where Bob's knife had -

Bob's knife.

Where was-

A fiery pain ripped through Kadeem. Gritting his teeth, Bob plunged the knife into Kadeem's shoulder again and again. Riley let go of Susan and lunged for Bob, just as Kadeem was reaching to wrest the knife out of Bob's clenched fist. But with a cruel twist, Bob buried the blade into Riley, jamming it into her ribs.

Riley let out a sickening wheeze and fell back, hurled back into her human body, grasping her side. Rayburn rushed to her as a gurgling came from her mouth.

Kadeem was momentarily stunned, but Susan wasted no time and charged towards Ardal with a determination bordering on madness. Despite her injured leg, she managed to reach Ardal, trapping her in a cage of her arms.

Kadeem needed to think fast and move faster, but he found himself struggling against a strange fatigue, unable to shift back into his wolf form. Something was blocking his transformation.

Bob hobbled up. He was bloodied and injured, but his face was alight with a savage grin.

"Silver," he panted, holding up the knife. "Coated with wolfsbane."

So that was it. Kadeem's body felt sluggish and heavy, with muscles that wouldn't fire and a head to toe sense of being drained - like his life force had been sucked out.

"You and your lackey there didn't get the dose she did," Bob said, pointing to Ardal, "But I doubt you'll be worth much for the rest of the night. Ready to cooperate?"