I’m running towards them with a growl. My wolf has taken charge of my body, my mind and my soul. All I feel is rage. I’m going to rip their throats out and bathe in their blood. It is going to be glorious.
All around me, the other customers get to their feet. Shit. They are hunters too. I’m a fucking idiot. I summon my magic. Fitz is staring at me, his emerald eyes wide with horror and alarm. I’m only a few steps away, I can reach him.
I hear the sharp twang of a crossbow firing and everything goes black.
Chapter thirty-four
Thereisnothingaroundme but darkness, but Fitz needs me so I fight it, I swim through it even though it is heavier than lead and stickier than treacle. Moving through it is impossible, but so is giving up. I’m an alpha and my omega is in danger. Nothing is going to keep me down.
I’m not even sure if I am going the right way, there is no way to tell. The only thing to do is keep going. Keep fighting. Suddenly, I can feel it. Pain. Sharp and bright. I am going the right way. This is great, I need to pick up the pace. This is the most important thing I have ever done, I need to throw all my determination at it.
The pain is getting more intense. I can feel my body now. I just need to keep going. With one last push, I make it and open my eyes.
I’m lying on my stomach. On the floor of the bar. There is a hum of voices all around me but I don’t smell any humans. With a groan, I flop over onto my back.
An omega with long red hair is peering down at me. I blink up at him.
“Hey, don’t move around so much. You just had a silver crossbow bolt in your back.”
No wonder my body feels like I’m on fire. How on earth am I alive? The omega puts his hands on my chest and a soothing, tingling sensation spreads out from them. Oh, this is why I’m alive. He is a healer. A damn powerful one by the feel of his magic.
“Where is Fitz?” I croak.
My gaze casts around the bar frantically but all I can see is shattered furniture and enforcers. The healer winces and my attention snaps back to him.
“Three hunters got away with him.”
I haul myself to my feet, ignoring the healer’s protests and the flash of agony down my back. I see the Grand Master talking to a group of people down the other end of the bar.
“This is all your fault!” I bellow and then wince as my lung feels like it’s about to explode.
The Grand Master turns his dark gaze to me. “You’re the one who ruined the plan with your stupidity. Now shut up and let the grownups work to fix your mess.”
He turns away from me as if I am nothing more than an unruly child. Maybe I am. But one thing is for sure, he is absolutely right, this is all my fault. I’ve been a stupid hot-headed alpha. Of course the Council and the Grand Master knew what they were doing, they are the frigging Council. They don’t put fear into the hearts of all paranormals for no reason. They are ruthless and unelected, but of their many flaws, incompetence is not one of them. They are scarily good at efficiency. Especially since Silas Darkstar took over. Why had I ever thought I could do better? Because I let my alpha stupidity take over, that’s why. And now Fitz is paying the price.
‘Fitz, Fitz, Fitz!’ wails my wolf frantically. My chest is in agony and it’s not just crossbow damage. Fitz is with hunters. Hunters who know he tried to doublecross them. A whine escapes out of my throat but I don’t care. Adrenaline is making my whole body tremble. I need to find him. I have to save him.
I look around the bar again as if it can give me any clues, but all I can see is broken furniture and puddles of blood. The scent of death tangs in my nose. All hunters as far as I can tell. It looks like after I was knocked out, enforcers burst in and there was a hell of a bar fight.
None of this tells me where they would have taken Fitz though. I need to get outside and see if I can pick up his trail. I shamble towards the door. The healer makes a noise of dismay but he doesn’t say anything and no one else tries to stop me. They are probably glad I’m leaving, I can imagine they are all pissed off at me right now. The Grand Master is undoubtedly furious and I expect I’ll suffer the consequences of that later, but I couldn’t care less. The only thing that matters is finding Fitz. I know the enforcers are trying to do that, but I cannot sit back and leave them to it. I have to do everything I can.
The night air has a faint chill to it and it’s laden with a thousand urban scents. Food, tires, engines and so many different people. I can’t smell Fitz at all. I can trace the pickup truck to the exit of the parking lot but then the smell is lost in all the other vehicles that have passed.
Fuck. My hands tear through my hair. What now? If I had mated Fitz, we’d have a telepathic bond. I’d be able to find him, he’d be able to tell me where he is. As long as he wasn’t unconscious or dead. My throat is too tight to swallow. I should have mated him when I had the chance. Why am I so stupid? There was zero reason not to, zero.
I knew how I felt about him. I knew his hunting past was not his fault. I knew his attempts to murder me were misguided. Why oh why had I been such a stubborn ass? Was I really so scared that he’d say no?
An image of the way he looks at me, flashes through my mind and I can’t breathe. He wouldn’t have said no. I grit my teeth, he won’t say no. I’m not frigging thinking of him in past tense. I’m going to find him, ask him to be my mate and he is going to say yes.
I hate that it has taken this absolute disaster for me to finally be able to see clearly. But it is what it is. Whining about it will not get me anywhere.
I take a deep breath. Okay, think. What is going to get me somewhere? I can’t trace his scent, and we don’t have a mate bond. What can I do?
There must be a tracking spell that would work. Do I have anything of his? Another whine escapes from me. No, I don’t. But wait, the whole point of a personal item is so that the spell caster can get a feel for the person’s essence, their aura, their soul.
But I know Fitz. Intimately. His essence is as familiar as his delicious scent. I’ve felt his aura wrap around my own. I love him. I don’t need a possession of his, I am his possession. And he is mine.
I close my eyes and recall the feel of his soul, then I reach out with my magic. Where are you Fitz? Where are you?
