Chapter 53: Elizabeth's POV
2016 Words
I woke up to find a bunch of people staring at me. I rubbed my eyes to see better and noticed Mike, Anha and Ken all looking at Danny and I. Danny was still sleeping on my lap. I knew I was tired, but I hadn't realised just how tired I was. I couldn't believe that I actually dozed off.
Phoenix was already up. She was watching everyone, but didn't even bother waking me up to tell me I had an audience.
"You need to rest", she said trying to defend herself.
I just rolled my eyes at her.
I shook Danny lightly to wake her up, but she was fast asleep. I shook her a bit harder while our audience refused to take their eyes off us.
"Liz, just give me five more minutes", she yawned and wiggled in my lap.
I shook her a bit harder until she huffed and got up from my lap. "Fine! I'm up", she shouted annoyed.
When she got up she also saw our audience.
"Uhm, why are you guys just staring at us?" she asked them. "That's so creepy."
"Because Raphael attacked right here and for some reason the two of you chose THIS place to fall asleep?!" Mike was visibly very angry with us.
"You know we got here a few hours ago, Liz? We searched the area, had something to eat and even sent the trackers away. You guys didn't hear any of that! What if Raphael had come back? He would have found you guys asleep?" He was now pacing up and down. Ken seemed to be stiffling a laugh, but Anha was just as unimpressed with us.
The last thing I remember is talking to Danny. I don't even remember falling asleep. The plan was to rest for a bit and get my strength back. I knew Mike was angry, but I was just happy to see him again. I was glad to see that he and Anha had somehow managed to get Ken some help in time.
I jumped out of the car while he was pacing up and down and gave him a hug.
"That's not going to work this time, Liz!", he warned me. "What you did...ordering me to leave your side and then falling asleep where we almost died? Come on, who does that?!"
I bit my lip nervously. I had hoped that he didn't notice that I ordered him. Mike and I are equals and that order made me feel like I was no longer treating him as my partner in crime. That's not how things should be between us.
"I'm sorry, Mike", I responded to him scolding me. "But look!", I ran to Ken and grabbed his arm, "we saved a royal werewolf. Ken is alive. Isn't that what matters at the end of the day?"
Mike was about to respond, but Ken interrupted him.
Ken put his arm around my shoulder and almost squeezed the breath out of me. "I completely agree with her! I'm so happy I'm still alive! She saved my freaking life, man. Stop giving her such a tough time!"
Mike's eyes softend a bit, but he was still definitely angry.
"She saved my life too!", Danny chimed in and she came to join in the hug that Ken was giving me.
"Well I for one didn't appreciate what you did, Elizabeth!", Anha spat at me. "I don't know what kind of...power you have, but don't you EVER disrespect me and my beast like that. I am a gryphon. I will always be above you!"
In the blink of an eye Mike was standing inches away from Anha, growling at her. "If you ever speak to her like that again, I will rip out your throat, Anha. Liz did what she did to save not just Ken, but you and everyone else here. Gryphon or not; no one speaks to Liz like that!"
Ken and Anha looked shocked by Mike's sudden change in attitude, but it didn't come as a shock to Danny and I. Mike might reprimand me about being reckless, but he always had my best interest at heart.
I stepped in between Mike and Anha who were now growling at each other. "Mike, calm down", I said as I gently pushed him away from Anha.
"Anha, I apologise for making such an order to you. I know how sacred the bond between a person and their beast is. I did not mean to disrespect you."
She huffed at me and continued glaring at Mike.
"However!", I continued, "Mike is right. I did what I had to do and if I had to do it again, I would!"
She rolled her eyes at me. "Well because of you, the only compass that can locate the kelpie kingdom is lost to us!" She opened her hand and showed me a crushed ancient looking device.
"The kingdom is lost forever, Elizabeth. All because of you!"
"Oh my gosh, Anha, why are you such a buzz kill?" Ken sounded very annoyed. "She literally saved our lives. You get to see your mate and family again. We'll find another way to find the Kelpie kingdom."
Anha just walked away from us.
"Well since things seem to be sorted here", I chuckled awkwardly, "we should get going."
Mike and Danny already knew what I meant and they hopped in the car so that we can go. I didn't know where I was going this time, but I was hoping that the golden path would lead me to Audrey since I had that terrible vision of her.
I thought Phoenix would fight me because I was yet again running away from Mathew and Orion, but she was surprisingly calm.
"Elizabeth", she teased in my mind, "I assure you that no matter what you do, you're not leaving Mathew this time."
I didn't bother responding. I was just thankful that she was not roaring and clawing in my head.
"Wait, you're leaving already?", Ken asked. He was already closing the car door to stop me from getting inside.
I put my hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'm glad you're okay, Ken. But it's time for us to go now."
He furrowed his brows. He looked really disappointed. "Your'e going to leave him again?"
His question took me by surprise. I almost chocked.
Mike was standing between Ken and I before I could even respond.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Ken", he snarled at him. "She has to go."
"I know about the shadow, Elizabeth", Ken suddenly said. "I know that you left because everytime you got close to Mathew the shadow grew and it destroyed both your lives."
"If you know all that then you know that I can't be anywhere near him, Ken!"
He shook his head at me. "Mathew is almost here, Elizabeth. He says he's found a way for the two of you to be together. I have orders to keep you here and that's what I'm going to do."
This sent a new wave of determination through me. This is why Phoenix wasn't even trying to fight me. Shee could sense that Mathew and Orion were close by.
I tried to open the car door again, but Ken stopped me. Mike was about to grab Ken's shirt collar, but I stopped him.
"Ken, leave right now", I ordered him.
His eyes widened in shock. He obviously didn't expect me to be able to order him.
I saw him balling his fists and pursing his lips. He was trying to fight my order.
"I said leave my side right now, Ken!", I ordered him again.
"Elizabeth", he clutched his chest, "please just let the boss explain. He loves you."
I narrowed my eyes at him and got closer to him. I pushed some of my aura down on him until he fell to his knees.
"Elizabeth I owe you my life, but I can't let you leave", he said through deep breaths. "Mathew won't survive it this time. Please don't leave him again."
Tears were threatening to escape my eyes, but I couldn't let myself fall apart now. Ken didn't understand that I was the reason he almost died. I was the reason they lost all those warriors today and because of me Audrey was probably still in danger. No matter what Mathew and I felt for each other, it wasn't worth the lives of innocent people.
I bent down to his level.
"Tell him I love him, Ken", I whispered to him. "Tell him as soon as I find a way to be with him, I'll come running back. I'm really sorry for doing this to you, but I have to get out of here before he gets here."
I didn't wait for him to say anything else. Mike and I got in the car, but when I started the car Ken was lying infront of it, still clutching his chest.
"Ken!", I roared at him. "Leave right now!" This order was too strong even for him to fight and he had no choice but to get out of the way.
He finally stopped fighting my order and he reluctantly got out of the way.
I drove off and watched him through the rearview mirror. I watched him take out his phone and shortly afterwards he crushed it in his hands.
"Want to talk about it?", Danny asked. Mike knew better than to ask me anything related to Mathew.
I just shook my head. The sooner I got out of here, the better.
My thoughts were interrupted when the car came to an abrupt stop. Something was pulling the car from behind and no matter how hard I stepped on the gas pedal, the wheels just kept turning but the car wouldn't move.
"What the hell is that?", Mike asked.
I knew what it was. I could smell him. His scent alone was enough to drive Phoenix crazy.
"Told you!", Phoenix said smugly.
We felt the back of the car buckle to the ground. When I looked in the rearview mirror, I noticed that the tyres had been torn apart. Before I could even think of what to do next, my car door was ripped off and Mathew was standing infront of me. To say he was furious is an understatement.
"I know you-" He growled at me before I could finish.
He picked me up and put me over his shoulder before I could say anything else.
Danny and Mike ran after me. I was kicking and thrashing on his shoulder, trying to get off, but none of it seemed to bother him. He just tightened his grip on me and continued walking in the opposite direction of where I was driving.
"Let her go, Mathew. You don't know what you're doing!" Mike growled at him.
I could feel the anger coming off of Mathew in waves. Poor Danny was on her knees with her neck outstretched to him. Mike was stronger. I could tell he was struggling, but he wasn't willing to give up. I could feel the intensity of Mathew's aura, but it didn't affect me. I could tell he was angry, but it wasn't causing me any pain like it did in the past.
"Mike, get out of my way before I kill you", I heard Mathew growl at him.
This gave me more determination to get out of my predicament.
"Mathew, put me down right now!", I roared at him.
"No!", he roared back at me, "I'm taking you back, Elizabeth. You're mine."
I took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm yours, Mathew", I responded. "Please put me down so I can explain everything to you."
He paused for a few seconds.
"She said put her down, Mathew!", I heard Mike shouting.
"No!", he finally said. "You can talk to me like this. Whatever you want to say won't change just because I've put you back on the ground."
I let out an exhausted sigh as I realised that he wasn't going to let me go.
- Writer
