Fighting for Power (Howl of the Elements: Book One)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Layla still hadn’t moved, so Logan decided he would try whatever he could. Closing his eyes, he focused on warming his hands. Not too hot, because he didn’t want to burn her even more, but just warm enough to help keep her body temperature steady. Very carefully, he lowered his hands until they were resting on her stomach.

Next, he lifted his hands back up and increased the heat in one of his hands. The open gash in her thigh was still bleeding and needed to be cauterized. He reached down and ran his fingers along the wound, watching closely as the bleeding began to stop. He was thankful that she was not awake for this.

Snap. Crack.

Sounds of twigs breaking nearby made Logan snap his head up and stop what he was doing. He braced himself for an attack, ready to shift forms at a second’s notice. He could hear footsteps coming closer and closer. Someone else had found the hidden trail.

His father, Callie, and two of the other pack members emerged from the shadows of the trees. Logan was about to feel relieved at his father’s presence until their eyes connected. Never before had he seen his father have such a cold stone gaze directed at him. For a second, he swore he saw a look of disappointment, but it was quickly masked into that steely expression again.

“Father, you have to help me. I think she’s dying. She’s not moving, and she’s hurt real bad,” there was almost a begging tone to Logan’s voice.

Standing still as a statue, Rocco stared at Layla’s body and said in a steady voice, “Move away from the girl.”

Logan stepped to the side as the two other men made their way over to her. They stopped when they reached her and looked back at Rocco. There was a tiny nod in response from their alpha, but it was enough for them to receive the command they were looking for. Bending down, one of them scooped her up in his broad arms. The other man started walking towards Logan, keeping his eyes straight forward at him with every step he took.

“What’s going on?” Logan was obviously confused, but he refused to take his eyes away from Layla and the man that held her.

“I am doing what is best for you and for this pack,” calmly, Rocco clasped his hands together behind his back.

In a swift motion, Layla’s body was flung out of the man’s arms, and splashed into the water. Shouting, Logan tried to lunge forward, but the other man grabbed a hold of him. Swinging his head forward, Logan felt it collide with the man’s nose. There was a loud crunching sound, and immediately blood started gushing from his nostrils. The man screamed and reached his hands up to try to stop the bleeding.

Now that the man wasn’t hanging onto him anymore, Logan jumped around him and rushed towards the water. He didn’t make it very far, though, before the one that had threw Layla in tackled him to the ground, tugging Logan into a chokehold.

“Get up and take him to the jail,” Rocco roared, anger practically seeping out of his pores.

Logan was lifted from the ground, and the man started dragging him towards the trail. The other man that was bleeding followed close behind. Callie stood still, watching as Rocco moved towards the water. Slowly leaning down, Rocco dipped his fingers into the water, closed his eyes, and soon the water began bubbling.

“You are going to freaking boil her? Leave her alone! She doesn’t need to die, especially not like this,” Logan screamed.

Turning around, Rocco started walking towards the path as well, “Son, she is already dead, but I suggest you stop disrespecting me and your pack mates like this before you regret it.”

Callie linked arms with Rocco, and walked with her head held downwards, staring at the rocks beneath her feet. Rocco, on the other hand, kept his chin and eyes high in the air.

Tears began to stream down Logan’s face as the clearing drifted out of sight. I tried to save her, but instead I just helped get her killed. I will never forgive myself for this. I will never forgive my father, either.

His chest tightened with every sob, and he lost the will to fight back. The heat seemed to drain from his body, and he felt numb to his core. Slumping his head, he turned and started walking with them instead of fighting against them.

A small smirk spread across Rocco’s lips as he watched his son start to obey. He was still going to send him to the jail, but that was just to teach him a lesson. Allowing his son to get mixed up with that girl might have been a mistake, but it would be an easy mistake to fix. He already got rid of the problem, now he just had to correct the way Logan was acting.

A/N: Don’t worry, this story is not at the end yet. There are still more chapters to come. How are you guys feeling about this so far, though? I never thought I’d have as many reads as this is at so far, so thank you all so much. It is so exciting to see that people are actually interested in this :)