The Alpha Kings Queen

xix.

" and he knows where you live, death's got a warrant for you "

_____

I don't know how far I make it, just how the breeze slides through my face as I run and the pounding of my heart can be heard over my footfalls and I don't look back.

I can't look back.

There is the thumping of something, someone, following behind me in the same pathway I am running from and the feeling of cold dread swirls inside me as I pump my legs to go faster, feel the last spike of adrenalin pull me through to veer off in another direction in hopes of throwing them off trail.

And then, I'm falling.

Something grabs me from the side where we both go tumbling down into the bush, I begin to scream out only to have another hand clamp around my mouth, their body pressing atop of me keeping me flat down against the ground.

When I open my eyes I see a face I've never seen before, he's got an expression of utter panic all over him and he shakes his head at me in what seems like desperation. He keeps mouthing something and I blink trying to zone in on it before I realise he's mouthing the word quiet over and over. 

For whatever reason, I do. My tense body sinks into the ground and he sinks further atop of me with utter relief and proceeds to dip his head down to my shoulder staying completely still. I don't know what we are waiting for until a rustle and footsteps approach the area.

"You can't hide, Cassandra." Richmond drawls and I begin to tense up alongside the guy atop of me. "Not forever at least. You're trapped and you know it."

The footsteps creep closer towards the bush that we've sunk in and I pray to anything above that we are hidden enough that he cannot see us, that the wind is strong enough that he doesn't hear our staggered breathing nor smell our scent.

There's a long drawn out pause that has me holding my breath.

"You'll come out of your hiding place sometime, my dear. When you try your next move I'll be there waiting because you cannot escape." Theres a deranged chuckle that pulls at the fear in my chest before the footsteps recede and begin to to fade further away.

We still don't move, not for a long while until he suddenly does, rolling off of me and onto the ground beside me.

I let out a large deep sigh finally feeling as if I am able to breathe properly and feel everything in me relax, seeping into the ground as the tension flows outwards.

"I apologise for grabbing you like that." His voice has an accented tilt to it, and blue eyes turn towards me as he pulls himself into a seating position and runs his hand though the curls atop his head tugging on them, "you were- and then he was- I didn't mean to get that up close and personal but you-"

"It's okay." I smile reassuringly, "thank you for saving me."

"I didn't-"

"I would of kept running and he would of caught up eventually." I point out, and he nods along in agreement instead of rebutting. "Why though?"

"Why what?" He blinks at me.

"Why did you save me?" I ask quietly, moving gently into a seated position and only slightly wincing at the pull against my taut muscles and bruised body.

"You smell like him." He whispers out pained.

"Who?"

"My- my mate." He chokes out, "it's not possible."