Page 14

SLADE

W e’d made quick progress across the country to Texas, and as badly as I wished to be in my dragon form, shielded from the heavier emotions of losing my omega, I refused to tire myself out before we arrived.

I had no idea what to expect or how hard they’d be to find; none of my searches brought up any property owned by Blaine or his pack in Marfa, Texas. Wherever they were holding Emme was completely off grid, with no registered electricity or plumbing connected.

We’d be tracking them the old-fashioned way, helped along hopefully by the tangible connection between Hunter, Kellan, and Emme. A connection I didn’t have yet, maybe ever , and for once I was grateful not to be suffering with my brothers. I needed to keep my head clear while in enemy territory.

During our flight, Hunter had taken to staring pensively out the window, his hands steepled in front of him. His face was expressionless but his eyes blazed gold—he was on the edge. I’d never seen him this close to losing it, and a complete loss of control would have him making mistakes.

Mistakes that could hurt Emme.

Hence why I was determined to remain as calm as possible, despite the rage building in my gut.

Kellan had taken to pacing up and down the plane, his hand rubbing in circular motions across his chest. Sorrow, pain, and desperation bled from them both, and I couldn’t begin to fathom how hard it was to have bonded and then lost her, when I was struggling not to shift and all but disintegrate this fucking plane.

Emme had burrowed under my skin so flawlessly that I never saw it coming.

She’d been a curiosity when she first appeared on the scene, and I’d had no idea if I would embrace or destroy the interloper to our pack life.

That curiosity soon turned into obsession as I found myself stalking her every step, following digitally, along with in real life.

Everything about her took me by surprise, from the way her eyes lit up and she’d throw her head back to laugh when she was truly happy, to the concentration on her face when she was attempting to decipher words. She had no idea how strong she was, but I saw it. I saw it every damn day.

Fuck, I knew her face better than my own, with all her tanned skin and freckles—that I could map in my sleep—along with the icy blue of her eyes and strawberry hint in her hair.

I knew her… and I’d still fucking lost her.

The memories of our prank war were some of the best I had in my life, but I couldn’t let it happen again. I’d been amused when she shut down the cameras, and I hadn’t overridden them so I could experience her prank without any prior knowledge.

My selfish needs had gotten her kidnapped and hurt.

I had no idea yet what my choice fully cost her, but I would find out soon enough. I just hoped I could live with the consequences of my actions. One thing I did know for sure was that it would never happen again.

Our mate might have thought she was under surveillance before, but that was nothing on how closely I’d watch her now. Every step. Every breath. Every fucking second, she was mine.

The pilot’s voice came through the speaker advising us that we were about to land, and to take our seats. Kellan ignored him completely, growling and grumbling as he stomped up and down the aisle. Hunter continued to scowl into the dark sky, the morning sun not yet breaking through on the horizon.

We were heading for a private airfield that we’d paid a fuck-ton to use, keeping our names and organization out of all paperwork. We wouldn’t risk Emme by giving those bastards advance notice of our arrival.

Hunter pulled to his feet and grabbed the tactical gear we always had stored on our plane.

He handed Kellan an armored vest and weapons, before he donned his own.

I didn’t bother. Most likely I’d be in my dragon form for this battle, and it was better not to weigh myself down with gear that’d only get destroyed.

“There’s a car waiting here for us,” Hunter said, his voice rasping from lack of use. “And an ATV in Marfa. If she’s in an underground bunker, I doubt they’re keeping her in the town itself, and I want to be prepared for anything. Including isolated and rugged terrain.”

“I’ll be in dragon form,” I said flatly. “I can track her better that way. You will follow my lead.”

It wasn’t that I generally toned down my dominance around Hunter, but I never pushed it either. He was the entitled alpha by my choice; we all accepted the hierarchy with no need to challenge it, but today I was too furious and worried to keep my essence contained.

Hunter, thankfully, just nodded, also too pissed off to fight me when we had other assholes to deal with.

The plane touched down smoothly, none of us in our seats as ordered, and by the time we came to a halt, Kellan had already released the door and was preparing to disembark.

“Fuel up and plan to take off at short notice,” Hunter advised the pilot and copilot as we headed down the stairs. I immediately spotted a black Mercedes Maybach S680 sitting off the side of the runway, waiting as Hunter had promised.

We’d never owned one of these, and frankly I didn’t give a shit about cars today, but at least I knew it was fast and somewhat discreet.

Hunter got into the driver’s side, and Kellan slid into the back so I could take the passenger seat.

I was our greatest defense if we were attacked, which made this the best formation.

“Get there fast,” I growled, my beast sending flames through my center until the car filled with the scent of smoke and the heat of dragon fire.

“My fucking pleasure,” Hunter murmured, putting his foot down so hard we were thrown back in our seats.

The speed helped to calm me. I maintained it was the second best feeling to flying.

The airfield was a fair distance from Marfa, but the car handled the roads well and got us into the city in record time.

Once we reached the main street, Hunter navigated through a series of backroads until he reached an old mechanic’s yard.

The metal gates opened after Hunter keyed in a code, and I knew this facility was human-owned.

Humans liked money, which came in handy when we needed their assistance. They all had a price, and generally, we could afford it.

Hunter parked the vehicle behind a mound of old engine parts, then we relocated to the ATV. It was a newer model, one of those rugged off-roading versions that would be fast and capable over any terrain. It didn’t appear to be registered for road use, but that wouldn’t matter.

If everything went to plan, we’d be out of town before anyone here noticed.

“You shifting now?” Kellan asked.

I nodded, already calculating in advance. “Yeah, we’re still in early sunrise and this area is isolated. I’ll be able to get high enough to blend before anyone notices. You two follow as closely as you can, and signal if you feel her through your bonds.”

I ditched my clothes, leaving them in the back seat of the Mercedes. The shift was seamless, and my beast wanted to roar at finally having his freedom to hunt our mate again. For the sake of remaining undetected though, we kept that roar internal.

Spreading my heavy wings and pumping them until my body lifted was as easy as walking.

As I soared into the chilly morning air, the fires in my gut burned hotter and brighter.

I traveled in shadows as the sun rose, and pushed my essence to the surface until the shimmer of my scales reflected the light.

If any humans looked up, I’d appear as nothing more than a sunbeam.

In this form, my senses were strong, and while I couldn’t scent Emme, there was a tugging in my center that led me away from the town toward an uninhabited section of land.

I flew for a while, changing directions as I followed the tug.

I’d always felt a pull toward the omega, but this calling felt different.

It reminded me of the time I was hit with an urge to return to the volcano and search for more of my kind—a search that had ended in disappointment.

I refused to believe today would yield the same results.

When I got closer to whatever was drawing me, my beast took over, moving frantically as if he was afraid we’d be too late.

Trusting in his instinct, I let the human side of my mind fade under the ferality of the dragon.

Our kind was ancient and wise, and I trusted him to act right when it came to our mate. At least when it came to saving her.

That pull in my chest deepened, and I smelled a rich sweetness on the air for the first time. Only it wasn’t Emme’s chocolate and honey, it was different. Deeper and tied to the land, with a very mild undercurrent of the same smokiness of my scent.

My beast roared suddenly, and to my fucking surprise, there was a roar in return.

A dragon roar.

I’d know that sound anywhere. My wings moved faster as I raced across the countryside, leaving my brothers behind for the first time.

I had to get to whatever waited out there.

I had to know who had called me.

A dragon appeared on the horizon, roughly the same size and dimensions as me, but his scales were an inky black, with just a shimmer of green, like an oil slick across water. My beast roared again, and he returned it once more, this time with a hint of rage underlying the sound.

Emme was here too, I felt her in my gut, but the tugging had been for this shifter. A dragon .

Who, in my center, I knew was part of my clan.

My family line.

The same that had called to me when I was younger. He hadn’t been there when I arrived that time. But he was here today, and he had something to do with my omega.

The darker dragon raced towards me, and I wasn’t sure what he intended to do, until he struck out with his tail, aiming right for a vulnerable section of my throat. I dodged and rolled to the side, shaking off confusion and pain as I registered that, kin or not, we were about to fight.

Spinning into another evasive maneuver, I came up from below him, my fangs out as I bellowed fire and sliced with my claws into his side. The fire would do nothing, but while we were vulnerable to very few weapons in this form, dragon claws cut through our scales.

Ignoring the gouges now dripping blood from his side, he attacked with force, swiping across my right front leg. I pulled away in time for it to only end up a minor scratch, but it was a close call.

He was well trained too.

As we moved closer again, clashing mid-air, I locked my gaze on his dark eyes, noticing that they held the same hint of green as his scales. It was almost as if he had inverted colors to mine, and I wondered if his green went darker or lighter depending on his beast’s mood.

Wait. I shouldn’t be wondering about him at all. He’d attacked me, and was clearly part of whomever took Emme. Which meant he was the enemy.

An enemy who had to die.

Even if it did feel like I would be cutting out my own heart in the process.

For my mate, I’d do that, and worse.

I’d cut out every fucking heart in this world and let her bathe in the blood.