Alpha's Mate

Chapter 20: Hallucination

They had been sitting in the car for about thirty minutes and in that time, Leanna could feel the wolfsbane moving through her system, leaving burning trails in her veins. Her muscles ached and felt weak, her body hot with a fever, and she was sure she was experiencing hallucinations. 

Jagger had an increasingly worried look permanently etched on his face but she was far too distracted by the bird perched on his shoulder to pay too much attention. The feathers were a wild shade of violet, fire red, blazing orange, its eyes small and golden.

"Pretty.."

"Hey, Rowena, can you see me?" Jagger's voice sounded very distant and when she looked at him his eyes were like swirls.

Can you see me?" She repeated, a bit concerned he couldn't with his eyes.

"Uh, yes, I can. But you're pupils are very dilated. How do you feel?" his question distracted her from the bird and when she looked at him, she saw Rick.

"Where's Jagger?" She whispered, his dark eyes striking fear in her core.

"Jagger's gone, sweetheart," his voice was crackly and rough and he licked his lips, a sadistic look in his eyes.

"What did you do with Jagger?!" She screamed, pressing herself against the door and attempting to open it.

She heard yelling coming from everywhere around me but all I could see was Rick. It felt as if it was just us two in the car and my chest felt tight.

"Jagger!" She could feel the sob rising in he chest and it was far too much.

"He's gone, and you're next. You didn't really think you could get away, did it? Tsk tsk tsk, poor little Luna. Far too weak. I will always find you."

She felt his hands on her throat and his eyes were filled with malice, a gruesome smile on his lips as he squeezed until she couldn't breathe. Small wheezes left her as her vision began to blur. Rick's face began to shift and then she saw Vincent. 

Jagger was completely helpless as he watched Leanna panic and cry, her eyes holding such terror it looked as if someone was attempting to murder her.

"Jagger!" When she called out his name she sounded close to tears and she was pressed against the door, pulling on the handle in a futile attempt to get out.

She looked out of breath and her hands were scratching at her throat so violently they left behind trails of blood.

"What the hell is happening?!" The driver yelled back, his eyes glancing over at the panicking girl in the car.

"She's got wolfsbane in her system! Now step on the gas!" Jagger snarled and the two wolves up front responded with a growl of their own.

"Can we please just focus on the girl who is clearly not okay in the head?!" the girl in far back seat hollered over them, momentarily cutting through the hostility.

"It's not that she's messed up in the head, it's that she's been dosed with wolfsbane. A lot of it. I managed to slow the effects but they are clearing coming back now. She will die if we don't get there as soon as possible," Jagger explained, agitated.

"Why didn't you just say so?" the girl snapped.

"I did!"

The girl slid over the seat and settled herself between Leanna and Jagger. Leanna was still pressed against the door but she'd stopped crying.

"Does she at least have a name?" she asked.

"Rowena Winter."

The girl nodded and turned toward her and cleared her throat before speaking.