29. Oria

29

ORIA

M y fist pounded on Max's back as we flew away. Tears were streaming down my face as I looked behind us contemplating whether I should jump.

"Go back," I screamed. "Don't do this to me, Max. Go back!"

I pounded my fist on his scales, but I knew he didn't feel anything. The phone and bag Soren had given me were making it hard to continue my tantrum.

I can't, Sol. We can't ? —

"I don't care about me, please I need… I need them," I screamed. "She's gonna kill them."

I couldn't see anything anymore as tears clouded my vision as the worst agony pierced the bond.

"No!" I screamed, feeling the pain again.

Max groaned as I felt another stab in the bond. My lungs seized up. I couldn't breathe, my vision was tunneling as I grabbed my chest.

Max roared as I felt his anguish. My chest hurt more and more the further we flew away from them until all I felt was numbness.

I laid down, wrapping my arms around myself, keeping the phone and bag safe, closing my eyes hoping that this was all a bad dream. When I opened my eyes, we were back at the pack house in our makeshift bed. I wished for this over and over again until I fell asleep.

Sol.

I jolted awake, sitting straight up as I tried to figure out where I was. Max huffed beneath me, and my throat grew thick.

Tired. Max said softly, tilting his head towards me.

I looked at his dragon's face and I saw Max's eye. He lowered his body so I could get off. It was still a far drop from the ground, but I managed to use his scales and legs to get down. My hysteria was just bubbling under the surface.

Max transformed into a man, falling onto his hands and knees. I stepped forward to help him, but my anger stopped me. I crossed my arms and stood back, watching him breathe heavily, exhaustion made his face look years older. My heart hurt for him, but he did this to us. They did this.

It took a while before he sat down on his haunches, looking over at me. Guilt was written all over his face and I had to turn away. It was then that I noticed we were in a forest, with a small clearing. It didn't look familiar, and I wondered how far he had taken us. The sun was setting, so I was thinking it had been a few hours of flying to get us here.

"Sol." Max sounded so tired, but I couldn't look at him. "It had to be done. Things were getting out of control. We couldn't let her get to you."

I clenched my jaw, wishing he would stop talking.

"Sol, please…" he whispered.

"Please?!" I turned around to look at him and the anger in my veins reached its boiling point. "You're going to say please!"

I walked up to him, dropping the bag and began pushing him.

"What about when I was asking you please not to leave or please turn around?!" I pushed him again. "Huh, Max, what about then? I need all of you, we were supposed to do this together." I pushed him again. "We make decisions together! You don't make decisions for me! Everyone has done that for me my entire life. You broke your promise. Do your promises mean nothing!"

He looked down. "Sol, your life is worth all of ours and more."

"I hate you. I hate all of you!" I screamed. "You did the one thing I asked you not to do. We are a team, we are mates and now… now they are going to die!"

I pushed him again, falling against him. I cried as the pain grew too much. I covered my eyes, sobbing into my hands, searching for anything from their bonds. Max laid a hand on my back.

"No," I snarled, moving away from him. "Don't touch me, don't try and comfort me when you're the one who made me feel like this. All of you…"

My breathing grew harsh as my crying grew out of control. My chest felt hollow, their absence was only amplified by feeling Max so close to me. I might never feel them again, this might be all I feel now, like I was missing pieces of me.

My crying intensified and I laid down on the ground, wishing we had stayed, even if that meant I had to die with them.

The sound of movement startled me awake. My eyes adjusted to the night as I lifted my head off the black bag.

I looked around to see Max sitting near me, looking around. My ears strained to hear something, but it seemed my ears weren't sensitive enough for what he was hearing. My gaze fell back to Max and how I just wanted to crawl into his lap, find comfort in his arms. I was just so mad that they had made decisions for me, they treated me like everyone else had.

Tears blurred my vision as I closed my eyes. I needed a plan; I couldn't just go back to hiding. I needed to try my plan and pray it worked before she ended up killing them.

Goddess, please don't let them die.

Tears fell down my cheeks when I heard another sound. My body stilled as I looked around, getting ready to run if I needed to.

"It's an animal," he whispered, scanning the area.

I sat up, feeling dizzy, and like I had too much wine. My neck hurt and I winced when I moved it side to side.

"We need to get going," he said, standing up, still on alert. "We've been out in the open for too long."

Max looked exhausted. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and I'm sure he hadn't slept. He held out his hand for me, but I ignored it. I dusted myself off, feeling his eyes on me when all I wanted to do was have him hold me.

"It's night. What is the plan?" I snapped. "Or do you have everything figured out and I'm just supposed to follow you, no questions asked?"

"Sol," he said softly. "I don't know what to do. We didn't plan this. If I didn't get you out when I did, you would be with her, doing goddess knows what."

"Am I supposed to say, ‘Thank you'!" I yelled. "Thanks, at least I'm alive, but there's also this gaping hole in my chest."

A rustling in the trees had me backing towards Max.

"You can finish yelling at me somewhere else. It's almost morning anyway," he said, taking a deep breath, transforming into his dragon.

Max was gorgeous. He was gold, orange and a little bit of red. He was enormous and I wished he could have set Laima's men on fire along with everyone else, but I knew that was too risky. We could have killed wolves; he could have killed one of the guys and I know I wouldn't have been able to live with that.

They were dying anyway.

My lip trembled again, feeling so guilty. Max lowered his body, lying down as close to the ground as possible. It took me a few tries to get up on his body and on my last attempt his head helped me. He had a perfect spot on his back for me that had a few spikes I could lean against and a few to keep me from sliding off the sides.

Ready? He asked.

Ready. I said.

He barely fit in the space and I worried how he would get us out of here, but I should have known better. He got us out of there with ease, climbing higher and higher. I grabbed my last invisibility charm. I could see daylight in the distance, and I activated it before I pressed it against Max. The magic hummed over us, and I hoped no one had seen us yesterday.

I argued with myself for a minute before I decided to heal Max, giving him a little boost. I whispered my words, letting my healing power travel through his body.

Thank you. I'm sorry, Oria. Our decision wasn't malicious, and we didn't do it to control you. His voice was soft and calm. I know you think it was the wrong thing to do, but if we saved you then we still have a chance. They suggested I hide you, but I'm thinking we need to find Addie so we can use her workshop and make the potion you wanted to make.

I pursed my lips. Damn him, for being logical and doing the opposite of what I thought he was doing. I felt awful for the way I had treated him, but I was still mad, the emptiness I felt didn't help either.

"Addie, where are you," I whispered, wondering how we were going to find her when we had no idea where we were.

I don't know where to find Addie. I finally said. Maybe we can head to that castle and possibly find Katarina. She might know where she is.

I don't feel comfortable going back, but that's a logical place to look. He grumbled. If at any point I don't like what I see, we won't land, or we will leave immediately.

Ok. I said, not wanting to deter him

Where are we going? He asked, and I had no clue.

I racked my brain trying to remember if they had said anything in particular.

Maybe we should fly until we see mountains? I said unsure, but that was the only thing I could remember.

"The phone!" I yelled, reaching into my bra for it.

I tapped the screen, but it didn't turn on. I hit the buttons on the side, but nothing happened until I held down the one on the right side.

The screen lit up and I squealed. A bunch of boxes appeared until I saw the one that said maps on it. I clicked on it, holding the phone for dear life because if I dropped it, we were screwed. A blue dot appeared on the screen, but there was nothing but green around us.

I should have made them teach me how to use this damn thing. The phone started to vibrate, and Addie's name appeared on it. I hit the green button hoping this was the right button.

"Hello!" I said, as I realized the wind might be too loud.

"I'm going to send you a location through a text and you're going to click on it!" she yelled. "It's going to give you directions to my location, click on the blue link and it shouldn't take you long since you're on an enormous dragon! The directions might be a little strange, but just go to the blue dot!"

My eyes grew wide. "Uh, ok, but how did you know I needed you?"

"I heard my name in the wind and I'm a seer, remember?" she chuckled. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Thank you," I said, and then I could no longer hear her anymore.

The phone vibrated again with a box appearing. I clicked on the blue link she said would pop up. A map appeared and I clicked the green button.

Max, we are going the wrong way. I said. We need to turn around.

How do you know?

Addie called me to help me use the phone. I said, holding on while he made a wide turn.

Stop turning! A little to the left, ok, perfect. I said, seeing us flying in the right direction.

How long will we fly for? he asked.

I scrutinized his tone because he sounded exhausted already. We also hadn't eaten for a while.

I don't know, but it says eight hours. I don't think I can put it to dragon speed, so I'm thinking a little faster than that. I said, rubbing my arm to fight off the cold.

I felt his apprehension. Our bond hummed with his discomfort. I clenched my jaw, trying not to notice the hollowness I felt from Ryder, Gray and Soren.

We should stop and get some food. I said, leaning down to keep myself warm.

No, we can't stop.

You need to refuel. I said, getting annoyed.

I'll be fine.

Well, I'm hungry and cold. I curled into myself more, wondering how I had done this before.

Fine, but we find something to eat, and we leave.

And a jacket. I said, as I looked around for a city. I think there is one up ahead.

I see it. He started to fly down.

The sun had broken the horizon when he landed in a field behind a Target and a Starbucks. It would be a short walk to the line of stores, but we couldn't very well park the dragon and walk in.

Max helped me off, shifting quickly, when I realized he didn't have any clothes. Humans weren't going to like Max parading around naked, no matter how good-looking and chiseled his body was that I couldn't help staring at. I shook my head, opening the bag Soren gave me, hoping for at least a pair of pants.

At the bottom of the bag were a pair of gray sweats and I thank the gods and goddess for them.

"Here, can't have you walking around naked," I said, shoving the pants towards him. "I think Target is a store where we can buy you more clothes."

I saw a wad of money as well as a few potions, invisibility and silencing charms, artifacts and a sunflower. The sunflower was warm to the touch. I put the phone back into the bag, zipping it up and putting it on my back like I had seen the guys do.

Max was staring at me, and I knew he wanted to say something, but I shook my head.

"Come on, let's get some clothes and food then we can get back in the air," I said, walking towards the buildings.

Max followed me silently, but I could feel the heaviness between us. It was like our bond was wrapped in lead. They had broken our trust. I felt like I was making a big deal out of nothing. I was alive and that was something, but life without them wasn't a life worth living. I glanced back at Max behind me to see his hands in his pockets, staring at his feet as we walked.

My stomach soured at the thought that it might just be us from now on. I had to make the most of it and I'd be damned if I didn't try to get them back. They were mine, no matter what.