Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
FREYA
" D RIVE FASTER YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"
If there weren't guns pointed at me and Kate, I think I might have lunged for Ken the minute he started yelling. I swear this weird ass van is meant to make his voice echo to enhance the torture that is traveling with him.
I don't think I've stopped pleading for Lucas to come get me since we officially made contact. What breaks my heart is I can't even appreciate the feeling of my mate through our bond.
Every wonderful experience of becoming an alpha's omega has been stolen from us and this is no exception. Figuring out that rumors of fated mates being able to communicate telepathically should be cause for celebration and yet, here I am, desperate to hear him in person once again.
"GO THAT WAY!"
"Sir, I don't know what's in that direction. We could run into anything if we go off the roads we made!"
Making eye contact with Kate, I think we're feeling both excited at the prospect of possibly running into a snag deeper into the woods, but also a bit terrified. I have no clue what's out here. Cliffs, collapsed trees, steep hills... Who the hell knows?
Ken's arms flail in my peripheral vision. "DO IT!" His demand is punctuated not only by his scent spiking in rage, but by the clicking of his pistol.
I'm nibbling on my lip in worry while keeping an eye on the other guns flailing about in the rumbling vehicle when I'm thrown sideways into the wall. Blood fills my jaw before I register the stabbing pain blooming from my right temple.
"Shit!" Kate hisses, righting herself before helping me back into my seated position beside her. Hugging her arm to her chest, Kate glares at the back of Ken's head.
"Control yourself!" one of the burly enforcers snaps at us, making my head throb harder.
Dick .
I'd like to see them control themselves if they were thrown about on the bed of the fucking van instead of in their nice bench seats hovering over us.
Through the bond I feel Lucas' worry spike, followed by a bunch of curse words that are projected hard enough they reach my pounding brain.
In the back of my mind, I wonder if he will always feel like a storm. I yearn for a time when I might experience if Luke feels like the adrenaline before a storm rages and the calmness of one after.
With thoughts like that comes worry I'll never experience anything ever again. Maybe all I'll ever know is my mates' feral panic, and the broken strands of the other ones trying to tie themselves back together.
Whimpering, I curl in on myself while trying to control my panic. I just can't see us getting out of this with only a few bumps and scratches.
'I'm here, Freya. Deep breaths.'
Choking on a gasp, I worry I'm going crazy or maybe I hit my head harder than I realized.
Suddenly, it's like he's here. Like Elliott is here with me, warming my arms and soothing the ache in my temple.
Maybe I'm not crazy or concussed.
'Eli?!' I project as hard as I freaking can, knowing he's my weakest bond and fearing I won't reach my broodiest alpha if I don't try my absolute hardest.
'I'm here now, Ray. Lucas has you, we're coming. Just focus on me, okay? Deep breaths, relax your muscles as best you can.'
A tear slips from my lashes as I sink into the strong presence Elliott brings to our connection. I feel like I can let go, like as long as he has me, everything will be okay.
'Alpha... ' I breathe through the connection, feeling my muscles loosen and air reach my lungs.
Where Lucas felt like a tornado about to barrel through the world for me, Elliott is my shelter. These two pack mates are the perfect balance, and I couldn't be more thankful for Elliott taking hold of our bond and soothing me when it felt like everything was about to shatter.
Then the vehicle slows, and the bumps bruising my tail bone become fewer.
"Don't you dare stop," Ken threatens the driver. "Don't fucking stop!"
Peeking beneath my lashes, I see trees. Nope, not just trees. Tree trunks !
"Sir, I have to!"
I don't hear much else of the argument happening in the front seats until the two enforcers stiffen and reach for us.
"Don't fucking touch me!" Kate fights, but I'm caught between thinking this is a promising change of events or the end of the line.
I don't have much time to think about anything when the back doors are thrown open and Ken is latching onto my hair and dragging me out of the van, while one of the gun-happy enforcers does the same to Kate.
My muscles give way, sending me crashing into mud and exposed roots. I don't hear the shouts or demands being thrown around as blood pounds my ears into a beat of naivety.
Turns out, I kneeled just as he needed.
With rain pelleting my T-shirt clad body and my legs sinking into the mud beneath me, I'm at the perfect height for the barrel of his gun to press into the back of my skull.
Defenseless and weak, I'm at the mercy of a madman.