Saved by the King

Forty Nine*

//Logan//

The car ride was the ultimate test of patience; at any given moment, I was on the verge of shifting or screaming or...having a heart attack, maybe. Flynn and Amaad spoke very little, and it was probably because I looked ready to kill the first person who did. The only words exchanged were Flynn's periodic driving directions for Amaad. I wasn't familiar with the route, but then again I wasn't familiar with anything in that area. Within an hour, we were already on narrow, overgrown backroads, and we continued deeper into the thick forest the remainder of the trip.

Hours passed by, and a headache that had started as a dull pounding behind my eyes grew until I felt dizzy. For the most part, I didn't even mind it, because physical pain had started to be of less consequence to me since Carter had been taken. It couldn't hope to match the festering blackness of the broken Bond, anyway, and as long as Carter was in danger I had no interest in feeling better.

Finally, though, finally, the overgrown dirt trail we had been bumping along for the past hour began to widen. Through the trees, a glimpse of white. Then, more and more clearly, a large house. A wooden porch. Green grass and flowers in a clearing. A gravel driveway, a pristine white front door.

I was out of the car before it even stopped. Now, it ends now, the not knowing, the helplessness, the wishing I had answers ends now. "Damn it, Logan," Amaad growled as he hit the brakes. He dutifully parked the car after it rolled to a stop; at least, I think he did. I was already across the well-manicured garden, taking the steps of the wooden porch two at a time. Striding to the door. Breaking it open with one shoulder.

Distantly, I heard Amaad and Flynn bounding up the steps behind me. Almost like an echo, I heard Amaad say my name. My sense of hearing was almost completely gone, though, because I could smell her, weakly, my mate, honeysuckles in the summer, but tainted with fear and blood and tears and another male scent that I didn't recognized but quickly committed to memory. She had been here.

And then another female scent, stronger, present, and then a body, thin, long white hair, pale skin. Blue eyes. Widened in surprise, then recognition, then fear. Her scent gave her away, the aura of power she carried with her.

I didn't think. Before I knew it, her throat was in my hand. Against the wall. Her eyes still wide, mouth slightly parted in shock. "Where is she?" I growled.

A pair of hands on my shoulders, pulling me back. Another pair prying me off of the witch. A body stepping in front of her. I was focused on her eyes, on the thin wrinkles on her face, on the disbelieving expression. Another lightening bolt of hatred shot through me, and I lunged again. Or, I tried to.

Amaad held me fast. I was normally stronger than him, could normally have broken his hold if I was motivated. But my body had weakened with the loss of the Bond, so I stumbled back when he pulled me.

Flynn was cursing at me, yelling, but his voice didn't register. I was suddenly dizzy, and the faint smell of Carter still swirled around me, sweeter than I remembered. A dull ache in my skull quickly blossomed into a full-scale pounding. I groaned.

Amaad was still holding me back by my shoulders. He was speaking to Flynn, who was still standing protectively in front of Alice. He looked angry, furious, and was gesturing wildly and motioning towards me as I leaned heavily against the wall and tried not to pass out.

Slowly, my hearing came back. I pushed myself off the wall, still dizzy. Alice spoke.

"I should kill you right here," she ground out. Her voice was low with anger and age. My blood boiled at her audacity, and I lunged again.

Of course, Amaad was ready, this time stepping in front of me and forcing me back. She just looked at me, her face expressionless and unreadable. Her face, her hands, her mind that ripped my Bond away from me, ripped my mate away from me.