Simon tried to deflect the lines using a simple distraction spell. Nothing. He tried to unweave the magic, move them outside of Garon and away from his core. Nothing. He created a bubble around it. Nothing worked. He banged his hand on the bed in frustration.
In a panic, Simon opened himself wider and dropped his shields completely, something he had never done outside the security of his own home. He did the only thing he could think of and grabbed hold of the thing that leeched the life out of Garon. With every bit of power his magic possessed, he yanked at that dark void and ripped it away from the dying boy.
He felt himself falling, the thud of the carpeted floor against his back, and then the slam as the spell that attacked Garon turned onhim. Simon couldn’t stop it. With his magical barriers down, he was unable to keep the leech out of his body.
The dark magic began to attack Simon’s core, and his body started shaking. He wouldn’t be able to hold it off for long, but he had to if he hoped to help Garon survive. He rolled over to his knees and saw movement out of the corner of his eye.
One set of feet passed him, but the other remained in his vision. A warm hand pressed on the center of his back. He flinched away from the touch, afraid the magic would try to find yet another victim before he could contain it. He crawled his way back to the bed.
It wasn’t going to get another piece of this boy, but Garon wouldn’t make it if he didn’t have some help. While he wrapped that nasty leech tight into himself, Simon divided his magic, willed it into two pieces. One trapped the dark spell inside him.
When he had it contained, he clenched Garon’s hand in his and fed the rest of his magic to Garon. He heard the springs creak on the bed and heard muffled voices, like shouting underwater.Gray, calling frantically to his son, he reasoned.
Simon watched Garon’s body buck, heard more angry shouts behind him. Garon’s eyes fluttered open and locked on Simon’s.
“Simon, no!” Garon’s voice surprised them all. Gray and Cade responded instantly to the strength of his plea.Too late, Simon thought. He smiled at Garon and felt himself being jerked away. He landed on the floor, Cade’s hand on his chest, holding him down. He turned his head toward the bed and watched Gray grab his son, saw their arms wrapping tightly around each other.
Garon spoke, but Simon couldn’t seem to make out the words. He was okay, though. Nothing else mattered. Both sets of clear blue eyes turned to him.
Simon tried to smile again, but it didn’t work. He met Gray’s stare and acknowledged the gratitude in them. It was enough. He closed his eyes.
8
Gray watched in frustration as Simon’s eyes drifted closed. He didn’t know which way to turn. He held his son, his awake and alert son, in his arms. Simon wasn’t so lucky.
Simon’s body lay where it fell on the floor of Garon’s bedroom. His ridiculous green-plaid pajamas and bright orange T-shirt twisted to expose his stomach. One bright yellow shoe sat on the floor next to his bare foot.
Garon squeezed Gray with his arms to get his attention. “Dad, we have to help him.”
Gray knew that, wanted to help, but didn’t know what to do. Cade lifted his hand from Simon’s limp body on the floor and stared down at the unconscious man. He’d no doubt thought Simon was hurting Garon and had jerked the mage away from his alpha-heir. Cade looked up at his alpha for direction. Gray couldn’t tell him anything. He’d never felt so helpless.
Garon struggled out of Gray’s arms and went to kneel at Simon’s side. “He gave it all to me, Dad.”
“All of what?”
“His magic. I could feel it. I didn’t have any left, and then he saved me.”
Hell. This was worse than he’d thought. Gray really had no clue when it came to magical stuff and hadn’t had a chance to learn much with everything else going on.
“Okay. Well, we’ll just have to figure out a way to fix this.”
“I should give it back.”
Gray stopped himself from shouting his answer. “No, Garon. Simon gave you his magic for a reason.” He moved to the floor and knelt on the other side of Simon’s still form. “Now we have to figure out what was going on so we can help him. Right?”
Garon nodded. “You’re right.” He paused, his eyebrows scrunching together before they relaxed and he smiled. “You’ll just have to give him some of yours.”
Cade jumped in before Gray could respond. “No way.”
A low growl filled the room. Cade’s eyes widened, and he looked at Gray. It wasn’t coming from Gray, though. It came from Garon.
He snarled at Cade, his face beginning the shift, which shouldn’t have been possible.
“Garon, stop!” Gray’s deep and commanding tone allowed for no disobedience. It was the first time Gray had needed to use his alpha voice on his son.
Garon immediately complied, lowering his eyes and baring his neck to his father. He took several deep breaths then looked back up at Gray with tears in his eyes. “He doesn’t get to tell us what to do.”
“Garon Nathaniel Townsend, you will not disrespect an elder member of this pack at any time. Do I make myself clear?”
