Her Pact

Part 23

Chapter 23

“He’s growling.”

Charlie glanced over at Peyton with narrowed eyes.  “If my mom used her magic to knock me out, I’d be growling too.”

Peyton shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  “It was necessary.”

“Telling him wouldn’t have worked?” she question, leaning back into the padded seat behind her.

Peyton’s mouth snapped closed, something she knew was hard for the man.  They were seated on a plane, of all places.  The drive to the airport was silent.  Charlie wasn’t ready to talk to Carrie while Carrie didn’t feel up to talking to Peyton.  It made the drive awkward, to say the least.  Now, they sat on the plane, Zeke’s head against the window, her in the middle, and Peyton near the isle. 

What surprised Charlie the most was the way that Carrie convinced the people working at the airport that Zeke was fine.  If she didn’t know better, Charlie would say that the woman could use compulsion.  That wasn’t a gift that shifters, other than the Queen and King, were gifted with. 

“You think he’s having a nightmare?” Peyton interrupted, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Her eyes stayed narrowed as Zeke growled beside her.  “No,” she answered.  “I think that his mom didn’t give him enough knock out mojo.”

“You mean he’s waking up?” Peyton asked, freezing in his seat.

Charlie smiled at him.  It was a large, happy smile.  “Yep,” she said in a cheery tone.  “He’s waking up.”

“He’s going to kill me,” Peyton groaned.  “Do you think he’ll know that I was in on it?”

“I know,” Zeke growled.

Charlie looked towards him, excitement clashing inside of her.  Since when did she get so happy that a man was waking up?  The answer was simple, never, but Zeke wasn’t an ordinary man.  “I’m glad you’re awake,” she said, turning towards his seat.

He lifted his head from the window and slowly opened his eyes.  “I know you had nothing to do with this, but would you mind explaining?”

Someone gripped her arm, but when she looked down, Peyton was the one gripping her, not Zeke.  She turned towards the shifter, ignoring Zeke’s question for the time being.  “What are you doing?” she hissed, trying to pull away from his grip. Peyton wouldn't release her no matter how hard she tried to tug away. 

“He’s trying to protect himself,” Zeke said from beside her.  “If he touches you, my magic can’t hurt him.”  Charlie struggled more, making other passenger’s attention center on her.  “Peyton,” Zeke snapped, “if you don’t let her go, you won’t have a hand to touch her with.”

Peyton’s hand dropped as he let out a sigh.  “If you’re going to push at my barriers, will you do it when were on land?”

Zeke didn’t answer.  Instead, he asked a question of his own.  “Why are we on a plane?”

“We’re visiting my family,” Charlie replied.

“I thought your kind did not like visitors.”

“Neither do yours,” she reminded.  “It seems that we both come from secluded families.”

“The only difference,” Zeke said, a small smile forming on his face, “is that my people kill without thought.  Yours say violence can always be avoided.”

“It can be.”  The words were embedded in her mind.  Violence could always be avoided, always.  There was never a time that violence was the answer.  It was what she grew up learning, what she was taught to feel.

Zeke’s smile dropped from his face, annoyance replacing it.  “If I remember correctly, you don’t listen to your people’s motto as much as you should.”

“You were in danger.”

“Which means that you disagree when they say violence is not the answer.”

“He could have killed you.”

He leaned towards her, bringing his face inches from hers.  “Will they shun you?” he asked, his tone cruel.  “When you show up there, and they see the violence you feel on the inside, will they push you away?”

“Why are you doing this?” she asked.  Hurt hit her hard.  He was being cruel, mean for no reason.  She didn’t do anything to put him in harm.  She didn’t plan this ordeal.  She didn’t stop them from doing it though.  Was that why he was mad, because she didn’t put an end to his mother’s plans.

Zeke stared into her eyes for a moment before turning away.  His face was reflected in the plane window, but it was blank of expression, not allowing her to see how he was feeling.  Her right hand intertwined with another.  Looking over at Peyton, she sent him a wobbly smile.

He smiled back while tightening his grip.  “I told him everything,” Peyton whispered.

“Oh,” she breathed.  It made sense now, why Zeke was trying to push her away.  He thought that if she weren’t around him, he would live.  Glancing at Zeke from the corner of her eyes, she didn’t blame him.  He didn’t want to be around her because she would be his death. 

She pulled her hand from Peyton’s as she shifted closer to him.  If staying away from Zeke was what the man wanted, she would stay away from him.  She would do anything as long as it kept him safe.

Zeke stared at her through the reflection of the window.  He could see the emotions flash over her face, and reminded himself to teach her how to keep her emotions a secret.  He understood the sadness that passed in her eyes, but why the resignation?  He expected her to be mad for pushing her away, not defeated.  He didn’t want to see the light dim from her eyes, the happy smile slip from her face.

He had no choice though.  With what Peyton told him, there was no other choice.  Charlie couldn’t be connected with him.  It would only make things harder for them both when it came time for him to make the sacrifice.  He would do it, for Ally, for her children.  It didn’t matter how far away his mother flew him, he would return.  He would put himself in harm’s way for those he loved.

Even now, as he was hateful to Charlie, he would do anything for the woman.  He hated himself for making her sigh in defeat, for making her close her eyes in hurt.  He wished things could be different, wished that his meeting her would change something.  It didn’t though.  When the time came, his time would be up.  He just hoped that Charlie would find someone else to protect her before then.

Closing his eyes, he pressed his forehead against the cold glass.  He didn’t like the thought, didn’t like thinking about Charlie with another, but in some way, he would rather her find a mate before his fate rose.  That way, when he left this world, he would be able to leave peacefully, knowing that she would be safe.