Page 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

BLAKE

As I carefully bandaged the last of Finn’s cuts, I glanced at him.

“How do you feel?” I asked, adjusting the gauze over a particularly nasty gash on his forearm.

Finn gave me a small smile, the tension on his face easing just a little.

“Fine, actually,” he replied. “You’ve always been good at first aid. Bet I wouldn’t even need to see a healer now.”

I chuckled, relieved to see some of the old spark in his eyes.

“Years of patching myself up paid off, I guess,” I said.

As I started cleaning up the medical supplies, Finn’s attention drifted to the coffee table.

My sketchbook, lying open where I’d left it, caught his eye. He picked it up, flipping through the pages, his brows raised.

I felt a wave of embarrassment and tried to grab it, but he leaned away, grinning.

“Come on, Finn. That’s… it’s personal,’ I said.

I could feel a warm flush rising up my neck.

I’d been drawing a lot lately—mostly sketches of Samuel, his dragon form, and some wild landscapes.

But there were also sketches of people I missed from my old life.

Finn ignored my protests, a small smile on his lips as he turned each page.

“You’re really talented, Blake,” he murmured, tracing one of the lines with his finger. “I always thought you should do more with your talent.”

I shrugged, feeling a strange mix of vulnerability and pride. “It’s just something I do to unwind.”

He looked up, his face softening.

“You know, I was really worried about you,” Finn said quietly. “When Gordon came back and told everyone you’d died, I was furious. I even picked a fight with him.”

My eyebrows shot up. “You did? Did you win?” I asked.

Finn’s mouth curled into a lopsided grin.

“My brothers pulled us apart before it could get that far. Probably for the best. But even after the Elders declared you dead officially, I couldn’t believe it. Not for a second,” Finn said.

I looked away, my chest tightening.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Finn. I never wanted to worry you like that,” I told him.

He placed the sketchbook down and reached over, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“You’re forgiven,” he said, his voice steady. “Just now, when you told me you were mated to a shifter… I assumed the worst. Thought maybe he’d kidnapped you, forced you into it.”

“No, it wasn’t like that.” I shook my head, thinking back to the night Samuel had bitten me. “He bit me to save my life, Finn. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here.”

Finn nodded slowly, eyes flicking back to the sketchbook.

“I can see that now. You’re… thriving here, aren’t you? Even if you’re still hunting something, you’re different, Blake. More relaxed. And honestly, I think it’s because of him,” Finn pointed out.

A warmth spread through me, and I knew he was right.

I hadn’t fully realized it until now, but I felt more at ease in Samuel’s presence than I had in years.

“When I first woke up in his bed with his mark, I didn’t trust him at all. But as I got to know him, things changed. He’d risk his life for me, and I think I’d do the same for him, without hesitation,” I admitted.

Finn’s eyes widened slightly, his lips parting in surprise.

“You’re… madly in love with your shifter, aren’t you?” Finn asked.

I ran a hand through my hair, a little sheepish.

“At first, I thought it was just the bond. Lust or infatuation because of the mate mark. But now… I think I’m falling for him. Really falling for him,” I confessed.

Finn gave a small, wistful smile.

“I’m envious. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for you. But I always thought we’d both be in this life together, hunting side by side.” Finn hesitated, his gaze dropping. “You managed to get out, and you found your soulmate. I’m glad for you, Blake.”

I was about to reassure him, to tell him that fate might have someone out there for him too, but I stopped.

The memory of the man Finn had loved—and lost on a mission five years ago—held me back.

I knew that wound was still raw for him, even if he never talked about it.

Our conversation was cut short by a brassy roar echoing from the distance. I froze, and Finn did too, his face instantly alert.

“That doesn’t sound like wolves,” he whispered, eyes darting toward the window.

“No, it doesn’t.” I moved to the window, looking out.

Finn joined me, his hand hovering near the knife at his belt.

“Could it be… the thing that burned the roadhouse down?” Finn asked.

“Only one way to find out,” I said.

The roar sounded again, closer this time. The ground seemed to vibrate with it, and I felt a chill race down my spine.

I turned to Finn, our eyes meeting.

His expression was calm, but I could see the tension in his body, every muscle coiled and ready for action.

Without another word, we slipped into our hunting roles, silent and swift.

I grabbed a rifle from the cabinet and handed Finn a spare handgun.

We moved as one, creeping through the cabin to the door, our senses heightened.

I could feel the prickling sensation of something malevolent nearby, its presence like a cold shadow stretching over us.

We stepped outside, and my heart pounded as I scanned the tree line.

The shadows shifted, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of bronze scales glinting in the sunlight.

My breath caught. It had to be the rogue dragon Samuel was hunting.

Finn and I exchanged a glance, and I knew he sensed it too.

“Stay close,” I murmured, tightening my grip on the rifle.

The rogue dragon’s roar split the air again, and I could hear the faint crackle of fire somewhere nearby.

The beast was here, stalking us.

“I’ve got your back,” Finn replied, his tone unwavering.

We moved forward cautiously, following the sound of the flames. My pulse was racing, adrenaline pumping as we drew closer.

I could smell the sharp tang of burning wood and feel the heat prickling against my skin.

Suddenly, the trees parted, and there it was—a massive, scaled creature, its eyes blazing with a fierce intelligence as it regarded us.

The rogue dragon stood in the clearing, its maw dripping fire, eyes fixated on us with a predatory intensity.

It let out a snarl, smoke curling from its nostrils. For a heartbeat, everything else fell away.

Finn and I stood side by side, our weapons raised, facing down the creature that had brought terror to this place.

This was what we were trained for, but the sheer size of the dragon, the raw power radiating from it, was unlike anything I’d ever faced.

“Holy smokes…how do we even face something like that?” Finn whispered.

The rogue dragon’s roar shook the forest, a deafening sound that sent adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Heat radiated off the beast in waves as it towered above us, flames licking at its maw.

I barely had time to process the sheer size of it before it lunged, slamming its massive claws into the ground where Finn and I had just been standing.

Dirt and rocks exploded into the air, and we threw ourselves in opposite directions.

"Move!" I shouted, scrambling to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest.

Finn rolled to the side, coming up with his handgun ready.

He fired off three quick shots, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the dragon's thick, red scales.

The creature barely flinched.

I raised my rifle and aimed for its eye—its only vulnerable spot, as far as I knew.

But before I could pull the trigger, the dragon turned its head, and a torrent of fire burst from its mouth.

“Finn!” I screamed, diving behind a tree as the flames scorched the air around us.

Finn had already ducked behind a fallen log, narrowly avoiding the inferno. My pulse pounded in my ears.

This wasn’t going to work. The dragon was too fast, too strong, and our weapons were useless against it.

We were sitting ducks.

“We need to split up!” I shouted, dodging another swipe of the dragon’s claws.

The beast’s focus seemed to zero in on me, its molten eyes tracking my every move.

It was like the dragon could sense me—was after me.

“No way!” Finn yelled back, firing another useless round at the dragon’s side. “I’m not leaving you here!”

“Listen to me, Finn!” I ducked under another blast of fire, my mind racing.

The creature was relentless, and each attack was aimed directly at me. It was no coincidence.

The dragon had locked onto me, and if Finn stayed with me, we’d both end up dead.

“It’s targeting me. You need to get out of here. If we split up, you have a better chance of escaping!” I yelled.

Finn hesitated, and I could see the conflict in his eyes, even in the middle of this chaos. He didn’t want to leave.

“I’m not leaving you, Blake!” he shouted, firing again as he sidestepped the dragon’s snapping jaws. “We can take it down together!”

“No, we can’t!” I shouted back, my breath ragged. “The bullets aren’t working! It’s after me. I can lead it away, buy you some time. Samuel will come for me.”

It was a lie. I wasn’t sure if Samuel could sense my fear, my distress.

I wasn’t even sure how the mating bond really worked.

I knew distance affected it—Samuel had told me that much—but what if he was too far?

What if he couldn’t feel my terror as I faced down a dragon that wanted me dead?

But Finn didn’t need to know that.

Finn’s expression wavered, but I could see he was starting to believe me.

Another roar shook the ground, and we both stumbled as the dragon smashed its tail into a nearby tree, sending splinters flying.

We couldn’t keep this up. I had to convince him.

“I’ll be fine,” I insisted, meeting Finn’s gaze with as much calm as I could muster. “Samuel will sense what’s happening. He’ll come for me. But you need to go now. Please .”

Finn clenched his jaw, glancing between me and the dragon.

Finally, he gave a sharp nod, though I could see the reluctance in his eyes.

“You better be right about this, Blake,” he muttered.

“I will be,” I lied again. “Now go!”

With one last look, Finn took off into the trees, his figure vanishing into the shadows.

My heart clenched, knowing I’d just sent my cousin running for his life. I had to trust that he would make it.

But now, it was just me and the dragon.

The beast’s eyes snapped back to me, and I felt a cold dread settle in my gut.

My legs were already moving before I could think, sprinting through the trees, weaving between branches and trunks as the dragon thundered after me.

The ground trembled beneath its massive weight, and I could feel the heat of its breath at my back.

It was so fast—too fast for something so enormous.

I barely dodged as another blast of fire scorched the earth beside me.

The heat was unbearable, singeing my skin even though I wasn’t hit directly.

My lungs burned as I forced myself to run faster, pushing through the fear that threatened to consume me.

Samuel, please. Please feel this. Please come.

But the bond felt distant, stretched thin across the miles. I wasn’t even sure if Samuel could sense me anymore.

The thought of being truly alone out here, hunted by this beast, sent a fresh wave of panic through me.

I couldn’t rely on anyone but myself now.

I dove behind a large boulder just as the dragon’s claws raked the ground where I’d been moments before.

My chest heaved, and I pressed myself against the stone, trying to catch my breath.

The dragon growled low in its throat, prowling around the boulder like a predator toying with its prey. It knew I was trapped.

I had to think. I couldn’t outrun it forever. I needed a plan. But what could I do?

The rifle was useless, and I had nothing else that could even scratch the thing’s hide.

The ground trembled again as the dragon circled closer.

Its glowing eyes burned through the smoke and shadows, locked onto me. The moment I made a move, it would strike.

But if I stayed here, I was dead anyway.

A surge of defiance rose up inside me. I wasn’t going to die here, not like this.

Samuel had bitten me to save my life once, and I’d fight to make sure that sacrifice wasn’t in vain.

With a deep breath, I shoved off the boulder and sprinted out into the open, aiming for the thickest part of the forest.

The dragon let out a furious roar and lunged after me, its claws digging deep furrows into the earth as it gave chase.

Trees blurred past me as I ran, my legs burning with effort.

I could hear the dragon’s breath, feel the heat of it growing closer and closer.

Just a little farther. If I could just keep it distracted long enough, maybe Samuel would come.

Maybe.

The dragon roared again, and I barely dodged as its tail swept through the trees, snapping trunks like twigs.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a desperate plea for survival.

Samuel, please. I need you.