Chapter 21
This was bad. Ezra was pretty sure he'd made the wrong decision. Jiprix was more or less hanging over the steering wheel, driving slower than Ezra believed was normal.
"We should turn around."
"No."
There was a clawing in Ezra's chest he couldn't make sense of. It was like when he'd sensed Rourke while waiting in Farkas' cabin, only ten times worse. Almost painful. He rubbed his sternum, needing it to stop.
"Jiprix, you need to rest, and I need to get back."
Jiprix glanced at him. "Why?"
"What do you mean? It's my home. My...eh...mate is there."
Jiprix didn't move any muscles in his face, and yet Ezra had the feeling he was sneering. No one had sneered at him in ages. The wolves didn't sneer. He was sure they could, but they'd treated him kindly. The first few days had been hard, but not nearly as bad as Ezra had believed they'd be.
He wanted to go home.
"Stop the car."
"What?"
"Stop. I'll walk from here. You don't need me in the car. You're the one driving." Fuck, he was stupid, he could've handed Jiprix the keys and stayed. Why had he gone into the car at all?
Something lurched in his chest as fear washed over him. There was no reason for him to be here.
"Stop the car!"
A roar echoed in his mind. He was most likely imagining it, but part of him calmed at the response.
"I can't."
"Yes, press the brake pedal and let me out."
The look Jiprix gave him was full of misery. "I'm sorry, Ezra. She said to bring you back."
Panic clawed at him. No. He couldn't go back. He had to be with Rourke. He undid his seatbelt and yanked at the door handle. Locked.
"Stop the fucking car!"
"Ezra, you don't belong there. You're a witch. We need you back home."
No, they didn't. He belonged with the pack. "Let me go or you'll regret it." Ezra had never threatened anyone in his entire life, but he wasn't the same person anymore.
"You're a witch."
"I am. I am a witch mated to an alpha werewolf who will slaughter you.
" The realization had warmth bloom in his chest. He'd said it to scare Jiprix because, despite all the derogating things they said about the wolves, they feared them.
They were quick and strong and stopped at nothing.
And in that moment, Ezra knew Rourke would come for him.
He would. He would stop at nothing because Ezra was his.
Not a bargaining chip. Not a witch he found lacking. Not a pawn with lesser value he could use. No. Ezra was his mate, and he'd walk through fire to get to him.
Ezra reached for the handbrake and pulled it as hard as he could. The car spun, and he tumbled into Jiprix who made a pained sound.
For a moment, he feared for his life, but then he snatched the key from the ignition and held it up to Jiprix's throat as if it were a weapon. "Let me out." He spoke low but with determination.
Jiprix's eyes were wide with shock. "What the hell!" He tried shoving Ezra away, but pain halted his motions.
"Let me go. You can take the car if you have to go back, but I'm not going with you."
"Ezra--"
"Let me the fuck out!"
"You have the key."
Oh...He fumbled to press the lock button, but nothing happened. He pressed it again and again. Jiprix watched him with narrowed eyes, and Ezra pushed the key against his throat. He looked as if he was contemplating attacking.
Ezra pressed the button once more, and the lock sounded. He tried the door. Still locked. What the fuck? He pressed the button anew, the lock sounded, and then the door opened.
"Ezra."
"No! You can't fucking take me."
Jiprix gave him a chilling smile. "We're already on clan land."
They might be, but they wouldn't have triggered the wards, and they weren't deep into clan land. "Then you're home."
Ezra got out of the car, slammed the door, and hurried along the road; the key still clutched in his hand. Someone would come for Jiprix. There were people patrolling the area. How he'd get the car back, he didn't know.
Fear filled his core as he imagined having to explain to Rourke what had happened. This time, he might be forced to punish him.
* * * *
Rourke's insides lurched. He took a stumbling step and grabbed Ulric's arm. They'd both stayed in human form to be able to communicate, but most of the people running next to them were in wolf form.
"What?" Ulric stopped, forcing Rourke to do the same.
"I don't know. Something happened."
"With Ezra?" Due was also in human form.
"Yes."
"Is he hurt?" She started running again, and Rourke followed. They didn't have time to stand around.
"I don't think so, but something happened. He's frightened, but angry too."
"Good." She nodded. "Anger can get you far."
Rourke pushed forward.
They ran for a few more minutes, moving in loose formation, flying forward in the dark. He ran easier than he'd ever had and had to pace himself not to put distance between himself and the others. Weird, but this was not the time to analyze it.
"We're nearing the border." He spoke loudly to make sure everyone could hear him. "Once we cross over, they'll sense us here. They'll know how many and where we are, so be prepared. Don't linger, make yourselves hard to hit."
He lowered his voice and spoke to Ulric. "They drained their familiars during the last battle. We know Shixyll has at least one since she got the black kitty, but they might be weaker than last time."
"We'll need it."
Fuck. Rourk raised his voice again. "Crossing the border now!
" He might have imagined it, but he believed he sensed magic brushing over him.
Maybe his connection to Ezra gave him the ability.
According to the scriptures, he should be stronger after the mating.
The bond should help them both. He hadn't sensed any differences before, no shifts in power, he didn't think. But it was different today.
Clan land was different from pack land. They mostly had forest, but here only a few groves interrupted the fields.
They followed the road. He didn't think Jiprix would stray from it.
A short time later, the scent of rot hit them hard, and Rourke snarled. A wall of eight witches appeared in front of them. They had to already have been out patrolling to get there this fast.
A green ball flew through the air, and a woman with a million long braids full of bling cackled as they jumped out of the way. "Lost something, Alpha Flint?" The glee was evident in her voice.
He snarled at her. "Where is Ezra?"
Another ball flew through the air, but he didn't think she was trying to hit them, simply keeping them at bay. Rourke glanced at Ulric, then looked around. "Where is Geri?"
Ulric looked too. "He was right here, wasn't he?"
"Farkas?"
No reply. Rourke didn't dare turn around, but where the fuck was Farkas. "Farkas!"
Still no sign of him.
Rourke looked at the witches. They couldn't turn people invisible, could they? It wasn't something they'd seen before.
Lightning struck, not a natural lightning bolt, but a purple one. Tala jumped out of the way at the last second and growled at the witches.
Next, several balls of different colors exploded around them, and someone behind Rourke snarled in pain.
It was the starting signal. The pack moved as one and the wall of witches scattered.
They ran in different directions, throwing curses and a couple of them erected a shimmering shield in front of them.
Rourke had seen them before. It wasn't a skill everyone possessed, but if you reached through the shield, your arm caught fire.
Ulric snarled nearby, and Rourke turned to see what was happening.
Three cars came toward them. They stopped some distance away and witches spilled out of them, balls and lightnings painting the night sky in different colors.
"They were waiting." Ulric moved around, never letting the witches out of his sight.
"Which means this must've been the plan." Fucking Jiprix must have been sent to get Ezra to lure them here. A fucking trap.
"Kill them." His voice flew over those closest to him, and he heard the order being repeated.
Shixyll exited one of the cars and hate welled up inside of Rourke. He wanted her dead, wanted her gone.
A ball of blue flew toward him, and he had to more or less throw himself at Ulric to avoid getting hit, but it only angered him more. Fuckers.
* * * *