THE FALTERED BOND

Chapter 19 | Family migraine

JACE W.

-*-

White-hot pain stabs into my skull. I want to yell, but can only hiss through my locked jaw. Everything fucking hurts. My mind begins to haze, feeling as though the floor would slip away if I did not hold on for dear life. Then came the foul bitterness to my mouth. I hold back a gag, fearing the convulsion would only cause me more suffering. And so I remain utterly still. I hate how weak I feel, how stupidly helpless and fragile I must look.

Minutes tick by, when, at last, my mind begins to clear and memories return. I begin to recall everything following my visit to the village, from my sudden collapse in the woods to Kyra feeding me her disgusting mixture. Another gag convulses in my throat, my stomach's contents threatening to spill any second. I lay still when a cough rips into my lungs and I nearly fold in pain.

Had I been poisoned? Caught some sickness?

The thought sent my mind ablaze with worry. Perhaps I should visit Kyra...

I straighten myself into a sitting position, ignoring my muscle's screams of protest, and heave out a heavy breath. Looking around, I came to realize I'd been settled to rest in a small tent though there was barely enough space to sit down as it is. Feeling the fabric beneath me, I notice the thin mattress struggles to hold my weight, leaving little space between me and the floor.

Could explain the pain in my back.

I reluctantly crawl out of the tent. I'm assaulted by a blinding wall of light as I fold aside the thin fabric and I stagger to a halt. Seconds pass before my eyes begrudgingly adjust when a body suddenly slams into me and I nearly stagger to the floor.

''Shit-!'' My eyes snap to Zedekiah's frosty mane as he hastily gathers the supplies he'd scattered across the floor. ''Watch it, Scout.'' I snarl.

- Apologies, Jace.'' It was Zakary who spoke, arriving by his twin's side. ''My brother seems to be quite forgetful of his manners as of lately.''

I scoff. These boys have never had any manners to begin with. The reasons as to why my father accepted them into the pack in the first place eludes me to this day; it's as though he once saw a potential in them I would never fully understand. Or perhaps he was in need of a few extra lackies to do his dirty work.

Regardless of his reasons, they have yet to prove their worth to me.

Turning to scattered supplies, suspicion settles in my chest. ''Where are you two headed?''

Zedekiah stills and raises his eyes to mine. Uncertainty flickers in his pupils. ''There was a storm last night- most of our supplies got soaked.

- Didn't I assign you to watch over them?" I grind, my anger growing by the second.

"Cade needed our aid. When we returned, we had assumed someone else had secured the goods. We've salvaged what we could.'' Zakary cuts in. " a large portion of our food was lost to the rains, however. We must gather a hunting party if we are to avoid starvation."

The authority in his tone rubs me the wrong way- my wolf itches to bite and put him back in his place, but I remain steadfast. I push the mutt aside, reminding it of its place when I reply, :
"I will decide if a hunting party is needed. In the meantime, continue to gather whatever you can find. Report to me how much you've gathered when finished. And Zedekiah-" I turn to him as he finally stands, supplies clumsily held in his arms. "And this time, make sure the supplies are kept dry."

The twins reply with a synchronized "Yes Sir" before I hastily take my leave.

Reaching Kyra's tent within a few minutes, I stumble through the thin fabric with an unsteady footing and nearly barge into her supplies. As I steady my balance, a croaking laugh explodes from the other end of the tent.