Page 22 of Dragon’s Revenge (Irresistible Dragons #7)

Chapter Twenty-One

A dar slowly awoke, his eyes blinking against the soft light filtering through the drawn curtains. The first few times he’d woken, he’d been disoriented, but now, he knew where he was. In the clinic, in a room, with his mates by his side.

He had no idea how much time had passed because he kept dozing off, sleeping for an hour or two, then waking again for a few minutes. He wasn’t able to stay awake for long and his brain was foggy as shit, but that was okay. He could sense his body needed the rest.

Everything hurt, but Adar wasn’t complaining, not even letting out a grunt or moan every time he moved and pain shot through him.

He was alive.

And while some of his memories of the day of the fight were fuzzy, he did remember passing out, believing he wouldn’t wake up again. He’d been incredibly sad to leave his mates, but at the same time, he’d been proud to have avenged Oliver before he died.

Because he had been dying. As vague as his memories were, that much he knew with one hundred percent certainty. He’d been too far gone, his body too broken to heal.

Yet he was alive, and he’d never stop being grateful for the second chance he’d been given.

He slowly turned his head sideways. Delton sat in the chair next to the bed, putting down his Kindle when he noticed Adar was awake. “Hey, big guy.”

“Hi,” Adar croaked.

Delton got up and grabbed the cup with water from the bedside table, carefully placing the straw against Adar’s lips. He sucked greedily, relishing the cool liquid against his parched throat.

His brain felt clearer than it had before, like he could think again, form actual words. “Where’s Oliver?”

“He went home to take a nap, then shower and change. He was exhausted. We switched off because, before that, I needed a long nap.”

“Thank you for being here.”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. How are you feeling?”

“A little better every hour,” Adar answered truthfully.

“I can tell. You’re able to have a conversation now… But you’re still in pain, right?”

“I’m alive. That’s all that matters.”

Delton carefully took his hand, gently holding it in his. Adar would’ve loved to lace their fingers together, but that was impossible with the amount of swelling he still had. “Thanks to Erwan.”

Adar’s memory was hazy, but Oliver had talked to him for a bit and told him how Delton had all but ordered Erwan to heal Adar. Adar wished he could’ve seen it. That must’ve been a sight to behold, the usually introverted Delton standing up so forcefully.

“Thanks to you,” Adar corrected him softly. “Oliver said you were the one who told Erwan to get his shit together.”

“I never used those words.” Delton looked a little shocked.

“But that was the message.”

“I mean, if you want to see it that way, then yeah, maybe that’s the exaggerated version of what I told him.”

Adar smiled, even though it hurt. “You’re using a lot of words to say yes.”

Delton rolled his eyes. “Because I’m not fully agreeing with you. Yes, I may have provided Erwan with some necessary encouragement and maybe the confidence boost he needed, but he’s the one who healed you. I’m not comfortable claiming credit for that.” Then his eyes softened. “You should’ve seen it. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. His whole face was glowing, like he was emitting light.”

Adar hadn’t talked about his own experience yet, but he wanted to. Especially with Delton, who wouldn’t judge him and wouldn’t be as easily hurt as Oliver, who would probably always remain somewhat emotionally vulnerable. But was now the right time? Or should he wait until he felt better?

Then again, if nothing else, this whole experience had taught him that life was fragile and tomorrow was not a given. “You said he used spells. Did you ask which ones?”

“He said he told you to sleep and heal. And he called you laoch , which means hero. I asked Fallon.”

It matched what he’d heard in his…dream then. His vision. His whatever it had been. “Hero is a little over the top.”

Delton firmly shook his head. “You are a hero. What you did went beyond anything anyone had ever witnessed. Everyone we’ve talked to said you shouldn’t have been able to even get to your feet after what Dempsey had done to you, yet you did…and not only that, but you ended up beating the crap out of him.”

“I don’t remember much of that part, other than that I kept seeing Oliver’s face, how he looked when he first got here. He’d been beaten up and was terrified of his own shadow. Dempsey had done that, and I wanted to avenge Oliver.”

“You did.”

Adar hesitated, then opted for the truth. “I was dying, and I knew it.”

“You did?”

“I felt my body shutting down, but I couldn’t stop. I had to complete that last mission.”

Delton made a choked sound. “Just so you know, I would’ve been really upset with you if you’d died, seeing as how I’ve only now discovered we’re truly mates.”

“I didn’t want to die…but it would’ve been worth it.”

“Why? Why would avenging Oliver be more important than being alive?”

How did he explain this in a way that made sense? “I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself otherwise. My honor demanded it. Oliver’s my mate, and for me to let that injustice against him stand would’ve been…” He made a helpless gesture. “I had to do it. I had to kill him for what he did. If I hadn’t, I never would’ve been able to look myself in the eyes.”

“Even if it had cost you your life?”

Adar swallowed. Would Delton understand? “I was at peace when I passed out, fully expecting to die. That tells me I made the right call.”

“I would’ve been…” Delton’s voice broke. “We would’ve been lost without you.”

“I know, baby, and I’m so grateful I’m here with you. While I was under, I had…dreams. Visions, maybe? I don’t know what to call it.”

“Of what?”

“Of me running through endless fields in wolf form, the sun on my face and my belly full. You know those perfect spring days when the weather is warm without it being stifling hot? When you can feel the sun and hear all the bees and birds, and when nature almost hugs you? That’s what it felt like.”

“It sounds beautiful,” Delton said softly.

“It was. And I wasn’t alone. I saw…” He had to swallow before he could continue. “I saw Jawon, Lidon’s cousin.”

“The one who died when the Hayes pack was attacked?”

Adar nodded. “I didn’t know him well, but I recognized him immediately. He welcomed me and said he was happy to see me, though sad too because it meant I had passed.”

Delton made a little gasp. “You had a near-death experience.”

“I think so, yes.”

“What else did he say?”

“He said that the gods had found me worthy to be counted among the warriors.” Even thinking about it, he felt the same shock he’d experienced then. “I told him I wasn’t worthy, but he assured me I was. I felt so honored yet so lacking at the same time.”

“Erwan called you a hero. The gods must have agreed.”

“I can’t even imagine. He told me to give Lidon a hug from him, which didn’t make sense to me at the time because I was expecting to stay there.” He’d also given him a personal message for Lidon, but that part, Adar kept to himself. That was for Lidon’s ear alone, and it was the True Alpha’s choice to share it or not. “I saw someone else too.”

Delton frowned, and Adar could practically see him trying to come up with the name of someone else who had died. “Who?”

“I didn’t recognize him, but he was the spitting image of Lucan, only younger.”

Another gasp from Delton. “Didn’t Bray and Lucan have a younger brother who passed away during the civil war? He suffered from oxygen deprivation at birth, if I remember correctly, and lived in a long-term care facility.”

“That must’ve been him, then, though he didn’t seem to have any disabilities or limitations there. He was running and laughing, his body as perfect as everyone else’s, and he was playing with other wolves like a couple of pups who needed to let off some steam and energy.”

Delton’s eyes teared up. “That’s so beautiful. Gah, you’re making me cry…but in a good way.”

“I wanted to stay.” That was the part he struggled with the most. How could he have felt that way when he loved Delton and Oliver so much?

“I can imagine.”

“You can? But why? I didn’t want to leave you and Oliver, so why would I want to stay?”

Delton gently squeezed his hand. “Because you were in heaven or Walhalla or whatever you want to call it. You were perfectly happy and at peace. The whole concept of heaven is that you’re lacking for nothing, so in that moment, you didn’t miss us.”

Delton was always so good at explaining things in a way Adar could understand. “I feel guilty.”

“You shouldn’t.” Delton scratched his chin. “I’m not sure what heaven is or how it works, but I don’t think we’re fully ourselves there. Like maybe we only take the best parts of us, the good memories, character traits, and habits, but not anything bad or negative. Because if we did, it wouldn’t be heaven anymore. So, of course, you wanted to stay. Anyone would have.”

Sweet relief filled Adar. “I recognized Erwan’s voice like he was calling me in plain English. And once I did, something changed. It was like the colors were a little less bright, everything a little less perfect, and I felt different. Sad, like I had lost something. I wanted to go home.”

“You did.”

“How much time has passed?”

“Between you getting hurt and now? Four days.”

“And it’s been quiet? Nothing from the Murphys?”

“Not from the Murphys, no, but we did get some great news. Rhene is back.”

Adar gasped, then immediately pinched his eyes shut as pain stabbed his chest. Note to self: don’t attempt that again. Not a good idea in his current condition. “Rhene is back? How?”

“Are you sure you’re up for this? I don’t want to tire you.”

“Please tell me. If I fall asleep again, I apologize in advance.”

“He showed up yesterday with Duff Bás, the man who held him prisoner in northern Sweden. So he didn’t escape, but he managed to convince Duff he had it all wrong regarding the dragons and that he should investigate himself. He’s vowed that no one will harm him—and, of course, no one will.”

“I’ll be damned,” Adar said slowly. “How classic for a Hightower to talk his way out of the predicament he was in.”

Delton chuckled. “We all said the same thing.”

“Is he okay? Was he treated well?”

“Very well. He told us Duff cooked for him, kept him warm and safe, and didn’t lay a hand on him. He was bored out of his mind after a while, but other than that, he only suffered from the separation from Erwan, the same way Erwan suffered without Rhene. They both looked like crap, and it’s remarkable how much better they now seem after not even one day.”

Adar let that all sink in. He was growing tired again, but he didn’t want to go back to sleep. He had more questions to ask, and above all, he wanted to spend more time with Delton. “So that Duff guy is walking around freely now? Do we trust him?”

“Rhene said Duff has given his word he won’t harm us while he’s our guest.”

“But he can once he leaves. He could gather information while he’s here and use that against us later on.”

“Yes.”

Adar winced. “Bray must not be happy about this.”

“No, but he didn’t say anything in front of anyone else. I was watching him, so I could see it on his face, but I doubt many people did.”

Adar’s eyes grew heavy again, and he blinked slowly. “You’re always observant.”

“Thank you, but it’s my job.”

“Mmm, maybe, but you’re so good at it. You always see me. Truly see me. It’s rare.” He lost the battle to keep his eyes open. “Please don’t go.”

A soft squeeze of his hand. “I’ll be here when you wake up. Sleep and heal, my hero.”