The Alpha and The Witch.

Chapter twenty-two

The trees pass by in flashes; we're zooming by other cars on the small road. Ryder hasn't looked at me since he pulled me into the car.

One of his large hands grasps the wheel as the other holds a note, a horrific note written in Luke's blood. Ryder said I couldn't go, he didn't want me to be in danger when he meets with his siblings captives.

I refused to let him do this alone; though it was a struggle he let me come. Like floodgates opening, I have this overwhelming need to be with him; to protect him.

We make a sharp left turn, the highway is a place for speeding, but Ryder doesn't bother doing seventy, no he's over the limit and I don't say a word. I can't imagine how he's feeling right now, I don't have siblings. Iris is as close as I have gotten to a sister.

"I love you," he says to me. His face still burdened with worry. "I just need you to know that no matter what happens tonight, I love you Amethyst."

He takes a moment to look at me and grab his hand, he drops the note in order to tangle his fingers with mine.

"I wasn't sure I even believed in love, until I met you," I say pulling his hand to mine and kissing it.

"Everything will be fine," I assure him.

I actually can't assure anything. There's an entire pack of psycho serial killing werewolves, against a lousy witch and a soon to be Alpha King.

I cringe from the gruesome images that flood my mind. The thought of this amazing creature next to harmed; it's enough to drive me crazy.

The ride is silent again, the only sound is the sound of the air whipping against the windows as we race passed cars.

The sun is starting to set; vibrant hues of Purple and orange mixed together creating a beautiful view in the ugliest of times.

"That's strange," Ryder says to himself.

"What is?"

"The sun shouldn't set for another hour."

I shrug; I never know what time the sun sets, but of course he does. Now that I think about it he probably reads the paper.

We arrive to a wooded area that I'm familiar with. Without hesitation we jump out of the car and Ryder begins the long jog into the woods.

He's much faster than me even in human form, I try to keep up but he's a few feet ahead of me.

His head moving in every direction; he's got a scent. Before I can ask anything he's thrown into a tree by the rust colored wolf from before.

I stopped horrified.

The leader looks at me, teeth out and blood running from its muzzle. He's about to take a jump for me, that's when a huge ball of white fur lunges for him.

There's a wrestling match between the two of them, cries erupting from both of them as they take chunks from one another.

I don't know what to do, I feel frozen in place. The leader breaks free and takes a run for it, Ryder follows and of course I chase after them into the clearing.

I see Gwendolyn unconscious, sprawled on the rock I know too well.

I run to her as the two wolves wrestle, she's out cold and there's a gash on her face that looks like claw marks.

"Gwen," I shake her wildly. "Please wake up."

She's got a pulse, thank you baby Jesus.

"GWEN!" I shout, her eyes flutter open.

"What's-" she coughs, "-What's happened?"

"You were kidnapped, where's Luke?"

She looks around, "Luke... Luke hit me." She closes her eyes again, a surge of pain must have shot through her head.

"Wha-" I have the air knocked out of my lungs, it's the rust colored wolf. It's growling, it's large paws on either side of my head.

This isn't the leader, the wolf on top of me is smaller and it's eyes are bright green almost like Amel-

"Amelia?"

She seems shocked, almost surprised. A larger black and white wolf lunges at her, I look back and notice Gwen is gone. She is now tangled with my friend at war.

Amelia.... Her brother...

Where's Luke? Why isn't Luke here?

I watch as the four of them wrestle around the clearing, the only sounds heard are trees being snapped, snarling and cries of pain.

What do I do? Nothing. What can I do? What can I do...

I focus all my energy on the clearing, I need everyone to stop. I need them all to stop! A loud howl of pain escapes from Ryder as the rust wolf bites into his leg.

"STOP!" I shout and it echoes through the clearing like a sonic boom. Just like that the four wolves are frozen... Did I do that?

I look to the side of me, Gwen and Amelia's animal forms are frozen at mid-air attacks.
I must have done this... Dear sweet baby Jesus, did I kill them?

Running over to Ryder I place a hand in front of his bleeding muzzle; he's breathing. Thank God! I look into the grey eyes I've grown to love so much, they look shocked. "Can you hear me?"

His eyes soften; he can. "Look, I'm not sure how to undo this... Considering I don't know what I've done," I let my hand pet his bloody fur. "I didn't know I could even freeze time."

"You've frozen them, not time. Idiot," I hear a familiar voice say from behind me.

I turn around to see a very tired looking Luna standing behind me, Iris making her way towards us. "I never saw a spell like this in any of the books," I say, not even realizing that she caught me 'dancing with Wolves' again.

"That's because it's not a spell, that's pure magic. That's very rare magic," she says observing the frozen figures in front of us.

Iris takes a glance at Ryder, "They won't stay like this forever." She pulls a velvet purple pouch from her back pocket.

"No," I gasped. I know exactly what is in that pouch. They want to kill them all at once, I can't even unfreeze them to save Ryder and Gwen.

"Amethyst, really- you have to let go of this fantasy that witches and werewolves can be together," Luna says darkly.

"I won't let you hurt them," I say taking guard in front of the love of my life. "Not any of them." Really I would have given her the leader, but not Ryder, Gwen or Amelia.

"Jesus Amzy!" Iris bursts. "I can't keep this up with you! I don't want to be stuck in London any longer!" She grabs a handful of that powder and as she throws it into the air I throw my hands up in defense.

"NO!"