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CHAPTER THREE

IVAN

I groaned as I rolled onto my back, the sound escaping my lips before I could stop it.

Pain throbbed through my body, dull and persistent, making it hard to focus on anything else.

For a moment, confusion swamped me as I stared up at the dirty brown ceiling above me. Where was I?

My mind felt foggy, like I was trying to wade through thick mud just to grasp a single coherent thought.

I blinked, my eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light filtering through a small, grimy window.

The air was heavy, thick with the scent of mildew and something metallic.

My muscles protested as I shifted slightly, trying to get a better sense of my surroundings.

The ceiling above me was cracked, streaked with dirt and age, so were the walls.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus, to think. What had happened?

My memories were a jumbled mess, fragments of images and sounds that didn’t make any sense.

There had been…something. Something important.

But the more I tried to grasp at it, the more it slipped away, like trying to hold water in my hands.

The pain in my side flared, sharp and insistent, and I winced, my hand instinctively moving to the source.

My fingers brushed against something sticky and wet, and when I pulled them back, they were smeared with blood. My blood.

The sight of it brought a rush of clarity, a wave of panic that pushed through the haze in my mind.

What the hell happened to me? Either way, my healing was going to kick in sooner o later.

I pushed myself up on my elbows, ignoring the way my vision swam and my stomach churned in protest.

I needed to figure this out, to piece together what had led me to this place, this situation.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat sending a fresh pulse of pain through my body, but I gritted my teeth and fought to stay conscious.

Memories began to trickle back, disjointed and confusing. There had been a fight—no, more than that. A confrontation.

I remembered losing control of my dragon, the flash of steel, someone shouting, the taste of copper in my mouth as I struggled to stay on my feet.

Faces blurred in my mind, voices echoing in my ears, but nothing clear enough to latch onto.

It was like trying to remember a dream that was already slipping away.

I clenched my fists, the effort sending a fresh wave of pain through my side, but I welcomed it.

The pain grounded me, kept me focused. I wasn’t going to let myself slip back into that fog.

I needed to stay sharp, to figure out where I was and what had happened. I might be a dragon shifter but I wasn’t invulnerable.

Finally, I managed to sit up fully, my back pressed against the cold, damp wall behind me.

The room I was in was small, barely more than a cell, with no furniture besides the stained mattress I’d woken up on.

The door was heavy, metal, with a small, barred window near the top that let in just enough light to see by. I was trapped.

I reached up to touch my head, where a dull ache throbbed just behind my temples.

My fingers brushed against a patch of dried blood and what felt like a nasty bump.

Had I been knocked out? It wasn’t easy to take someone like me out.

I came to the conclusion I was probably overwhelmed by sheer numbers. As I took in my surroundings, my mind raced with possibilities.

I finally remembered arguing with my lead alpha and brother, Zane, before leaving Sky Stead, the territory our pack protected.

I needed space; it had been hard to breathe at home lately, especially after seeing each of my pack members find their mates, leaving me out in the cold.

My dragon felt restless, so I hit the road.

One thing was clear. I needed to get out of this place. The door was locked, of course, but I wasn’t the type to give up easily.

I forced myself to my feet, biting back a groan as the pain in my side flared again.

I could feel the warmth of blood seeping through my shirt, but there was no time to worry about that now.

I staggered to the door, pressing my ear against it, listening for any signs of movement outside.

Silence. Not a good sign, but also not the worst.

My fingers found the handle, and I tested it, feeling the sharp sting of silver embedded in the metal.

It would’ve probably dissuaded the average alpha shifter, burning their skin and weakening their strength, but I was far from average.

With a surge of power, I crushed the handle in my grip, the metal crumbling like brittle paper.

The lock snapped, and I pushed the door open, stepping out of the cell into the dimly lit basement.

The scent of damp earth and mildew filled my nostrils, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

The room was small, lined with crates and old, rusty tools. A single, narrow staircase led up to what I assumed was the ground floor.

My hand instinctively went to my side, where I had been injured, but I could already feel the flesh knitting back together.

Shifters heal fast, and I was no exception—soon, the wound would be nothing more than a memory.

As I made my way to the stairs, the sound of rowdy laughter and loud, boisterous voices echoed from above.

They were having a grand time up there, completely unaware of the danger lurking just beneath their feet.

I smirked to myself as I approached the door at the top of the stairs, testing it only to find it locked as well.

Typical. They thought a few locks and a bit of silver would be enough to hold me.

I pressed my shoulder against the door, feeling it strain under the pressure, and with a single, powerful shove, it burst open.

Wood splintered and cracked as the door swung wide, revealing a narrow hallway.

At the end of it, a coyote shifter lay sprawled on the ground, his scent unmistakable.

He wore a tattered biker jacket, the leather worn and cracked from years of use.

His breath was slow and shallow, as if he’d been dozing off on the job. The sight of him brought everything back to me in a flash.

The roadside bar, the alcohol—an impressive amount, given how hard it was for shifters to get drunk—the challenge I threw at the biggest and meanest alpha in the room, and the savage fight that followed.

I’d been too drunk to realize that the coyote shifter wasn’t alone, that he had his entire pack backing him up. But I was even drunker to care.

I’d wanted the fight, craved the violence, and now I was paying the price for my recklessness.

Lucky for me, I hadn’t revealed my true form. If I had, things would have gotten much messier.

Dragon shifters were practically extinct. My pack was known only to our closest allies and friends.

Zane would have a field day if he ever found out I nearly exposed myself to a bunch of coyote shifters.

The coyote on the floor suddenly stirred, his eyes snapping open as he sensed my presence.

He was on his feet in an instant, snarling as he launched himself at me. But I was ready for him.

With a swift sidestep, I avoided his clumsy attack and struck him in the back of the head, sending him crashing back to the ground.

He was out cold before he even hit the floor.

I paused for a moment, listening to the noise coming from the next room.

The laughter and chatter continued, oblivious to the brief scuffle in the hallway.

Good. It was time for me to make my exit before anyone noticed their guard was down for the count.

I moved quickly, slipping through the building's back door and out into the cool night air.

The sky was clear, the stars shining brightly overhead, but there was no sign of my truck.

They’d probably left it at the bar, figuring I wouldn’t be needing it anytime soon.

My pockets were empty—no phone, no keys, nothing. But I didn’t need them. I had something better.

I stepped into the shadows, letting the darkness conceal me as I focused inward, calling on the power that lay just beneath my skin.

The transformation came easily, my bones shifting and muscles expanding as my body morphed into its true form.

My skin darkened, hardening into red scales as my limbs lengthened and twisted, becoming powerful wings.

A low growl rumbled in my chest as I stretched, feeling the cool night air on my wings for the first time in what felt like ages.

In moments, the transformation was complete.

My wings beat the air as I leapt into the sky, leaving the coyote shifters’ compound far behind.

The ground blurred beneath me as I soared higher, the wind rushing past me in a roar that drowned out all other sounds.

The freedom of flight was exhilarating, but something in the back of my mind kept tugging at me, pulling me away from the direction I intended to go.

I’d planned to head straight back to that roadhouse, retrieve my truck, and get the hell out of dodge before Zane caught wind of what had happened.

But my dragon had other ideas. It resisted, pulling me toward the dense forest that lay just beyond the compound.

Why? What was it searching for? I scanned the trees below, my sharp eyes piercing the darkness, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The forest was thick, the canopy nearly impenetrable in some places, but there was no sign of life—not even the smallest flicker of movement.

And yet, the feeling persisted, a nagging instinct that wouldn’t let me ignore it.

I flew lower, skimming the tops of the trees as I searched for…what? I wasn’t sure, but my dragon wouldn’t be satisfied until I found it.

There was a ravine up ahead, the ground dropping away suddenly into a deep chasm.

I could feel the air currents shift as I approached it, the temperature dropping slightly as the cold air from the depths of the ravine rose to meet me.

And then I heard it—a whimper, followed by a scream.

“Let me go!” The voice was faint, almost lost in the wind, but I heard it clear as day. Someone was in trouble.

I dove toward the ravine, my heart pounding as I followed the sound.

The walls of the chasm were steep, but I maneuvered easily, my wings slicing through the air as I spiraled downward.

The trees were denser here, their roots clinging to the rocky sides of the ravine, but I could see a small clearing up ahead, just at the edge of the drop-off.

There, in the shadows, I saw them. Two figures, one standing, the other crumpled on the ground.

The one on the ground was the source of the scream, a small, trembling figure that I immediately recognized as an omega.

His scent was faint but unmistakable, even from this distance.

The other figure loomed over him, holding something in his hand—something sharp and glinting in the moonlight.

I didn’t think. I didn’t need to. My instincts took over, and I let out a roar that shook the very earth beneath us.

The sound echoed through the ravine, reverberating off the walls and sending birds scattering from the trees.

The figure standing over the omega froze, his head snapping up to look at me just as I landed in the clearing, the ground trembling under the weight of my massive form.

For a moment, there was silence.

The omega on the ground stared at me with wide, terrified eyes, while the other figure—another shifter, by the scent of him—took a hesitant step back.

But it was too late. I was already upon him, my claws flashing as I lunged forward.

The shifter tried to fight back, raising his weapon—a knife, I realized—but it was useless.

I swatted it aside with a flick of my claw, sending the blade spinning into the underbrush.

He didn’t have time to react before I slammed into him, pinning him to the ground with one powerful paw.

He struggled, but I could feel his fear, his scent turning sour as he realized just how outmatched he was.

I growled low in my throat, the sound rumbling through the clearing like distant thunder.

The shifter’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to say something—maybe to beg for mercy—but I didn’t give him the chance.

I bared my teeth, the sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight, and let out another roar, this one full of fury.

Run, I warned him with my eyes. And if I ever see you again, I’ll finish what I started.

He shivered and must’ve understood my message.

As soon as I lifted my paw, he scrambled to his feet and bolted, disappearing into the shadows of the forest without a backward glance.

I watched him go, my dragon still seething with the urge to chase, to hunt, but I forced it down.

My attention turned to the omega still cowering on the ground, his body trembling with fear.

He looked up at me, his eyes wide and filled with terror, and for a moment, I thought he might faint.

I shifted back to my human form, the transformation happening in a matter of seconds.

The omega’s eyes widened even more as he watched, his mouth falling open in shock.

I crouched down beside him, reaching out a hand, but he flinched away, pressing himself against the cold, hard ground.

“It’s okay,” I said softly, trying to keep my voice calm and soothing. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe now.”

The omega didn’t respond, his breath coming in quick, shallow gasps as he stared at me with a mixture of fear and disbelief.

I could see the bruises on his skin, the cuts and scrapes that marred his body.

Whoever that shifter was, he hadn’t been kind to this omega.

“Come on,” I urged gently, offering him my hand again. “We need to get out of here before he comes back with reinforcements. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

For a moment, he hesitated, his gaze flicking between my face and my outstretched hand.

But then, slowly, he reached out and took it, his fingers trembling as they curled around mine.

I helped him to his feet, steadying him as he swayed unsteadily.

He was weak, barely able to stand on his own, but he clung to me like an anchor.

I could feel the fear radiating off him in waves, but there was something else there too—a faint flicker of hope, maybe.

“Let’s go,” I said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to support him. “We’ll be out of here before you know it. What’s your name?”

“Nathan,” he whispered. “You?”

“Ivan,” I replied.

As we made our way out of the ravine, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was more than just a coincidence.

My dragon had led me here for a reason, drawn to this omega like a moth to a flame.

I didn’t know what it meant, but I had a feeling I was about to find out.

The night was far from over, and the path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: this omega was under my protection now.

And heaven help anyone who tried to take him from me.