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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SAMUEL/ BLAKE

SAMUEL

For a second, I allowed myself to breathe, to think it was over.

But the second I looked toward Blake and my heart twisted with fear.

The rogue dragon might have been down, but the wolves were still out there.

It wouldn’t take long for them to realize they had the upper hand. What were the chances they’d come back?

It turned out they were very high.

They soon returned. Their snarls filled the clearing as they circled me, their eyes burning with a feral hunger.

They no longer had a leader but they knew they outnumbered us, and we were barely hanging on.

Blake. I studied him again. He looked terrible.

Panic clawed at my throat, but I shoved it down. I couldn’t let myself fall apart now. Not while he was still in danger.

One of the wolves lunged at me, teeth snapping at my leg, and I lashed out instinctively, sending it flying with a hard swipe of my partially shifted claws.

But more of them were closing in, their snarls growing louder, more confident.

Shifting back to my dragon form would be a disadvantage. It would take too long, and by the time I finished, they would’ve gone after Blake.

My body screamed in protest, every injury pulsing with agony, but I forced myself to remain awake, to keep fighting.

Struggling to my feet, I put myself between the wolves and Blake. I couldn't afford to lose now. Not when Blake still needed me.

A sudden sound broke through the chaos—a gunshot. Sharp and unmistakable.

I whipped my head toward Blake, my heart hammering.

There he was, still on the ground, blood smeared across his chest and face, but his hand was steady as he aimed his gun at the nearest wolf.

Another shot rang out, and the wolf yelped, collapsing mid-leap.

Blake’s eyes were glazed with pain, but he was fighting through it, fighting for me.

“Blake!” I shouted, shock and relief crashing through me. "Stay down!"

He shook his head, wincing as he pushed himself up onto one elbow.

“I’m not… staying down,” he gritted out, his voice hoarse. "We... have to finish this."

I wanted to argue, to tell him to stop and rest, but I knew Blake. He wasn’t going to lie still while I fought alone.

He wouldn’t be Blake if he did.

The wolves seemed to sense the shift in the fight. They paused, glancing between me and Blake, uncertain now that we were both fighting back.

But their hesitation didn’t last long. They regrouped, snarling as they prepared for another coordinated attack.

“I can handle them,” I called out, readying myself for the next wave.

Blake’s voice came again, breathless but determined. “Not...alone.”

The largest of the remaining wolves darted toward me, its jaws wide as it went for my throat.

I braced myself, ready to strike—but before I could, another gunshot echoed through the clearing.

The wolf stumbled mid-leap, its head snapping back as Blake's bullet found its mark.

I didn’t even have time to acknowledge the shot before another wolf lunged at me from the side.

It slammed into my already wounded ribs, knocking the breath from my lungs.

I went down hard, my vision exploding with pain as I hit the dirt.

I could feel the wolf’s hot breath on my neck, its teeth gnashing inches from my throat.

But then, Blake was there.

Despite his injuries, he had dragged himself closer to me, pulling a silver knife from his belt.

With a grunt of effort, he plunged the blade into the wolf’s side, driving it in deep.

The wolf let out a pained yelp, its grip loosening enough for me to throw it off.

It staggered back, blood pouring from its wound, and collapsed in the dirt.

I scrambled to my feet, breathing hard, my side screaming in agony from the rogue’s earlier strike.

“Blake, stop,” I panted. “You’re hurt.”

He shot me a stubborn look, his hand clutching his side where the rogue had torn into him, but he wasn’t backing down.

“So are you,” he said, his voice strained but steady. "But we're still standing, right?"

Before I could respond, the remaining wolves made their move, rushing us in a desperate last-ditch attack.

There were only a handful of them left now, but they were fast, their movements blurs of fur and teeth.

I barely had time to react before one of them was on me, its claws raking down my back as it tried to drag me down again.

“Blake!” I shouted, hoping he was still standing.

I couldn’t see him anymore, the chaos of the battle obscuring him from view.

Panic surged through me as I struggled to throw the wolf off, my muscles screaming in protest.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of silver—Blake’s knife.

My mate was there, moving faster than I thought possible given his condition.

He plunged the blade into another wolf’s side, twisting it until the creature collapsed with a final yelp.

With renewed strength, I managed to throw my attacker off and spin, slashing at the last remaining wolf with everything I had left.

It went down hard, whimpering as it hit the ground. And just like that, the clearing was silent.

The entire pack was dead, and the rogue dragon lay still in a pool of its own blood.

I collapsed to my knees, my body trembling with exhaustion and pain.

Blake staggered toward me, his breathing ragged, but there was a triumphant light in his eyes.

“We did it,” he said, collapsing beside me. His voice was faint, but there was a smile tugging at his lips. “We...did it.”

I pulled him into my arms, ignoring the pain that flared through my side as I held him close.

His body was trembling, his skin clammy with blood and sweat, but he was alive.

He had fought with me, bled with me, and now...we were both still here.

“Yeah,” I whispered, pressing my forehead to his. "You were incredible, baby.”

He gave a weak laugh, wincing as he leaned into me. “You're not so bad yourself,” he murmured, his voice soft.

For a long moment, we just stayed like that, the two of us huddled together in the clearing, surrounded by the aftermath of the fight.

I could feel the bond between us thrumming with life. We were battered, broken, but alive—and together.

I kissed him then, softly, the warmth of his lips grounding me in that moment.

We had survived the worst of it, and now there was only the future to look forward to.

BLAKE

As I lay there, my body sore and covered in bandages, I couldn’t help but feel a gnawing sense of restlessness.

"Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you?" I asked, my voice coming out weaker than I’d intended.

Samuel stood across the room, arms crossed as he looked at me skeptically.

Finn was beside me, gently tending to my injuries, applying fresh bandages.

Samuel raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a slight smile, though his eyes were full of concern.

"You’re in no condition to head out," Finn chimed in, shaking his head. "You can barely stand."

"I know, but—" I started to argue, sitting up a little straighter despite the dull ache in my ribs.

"But nothing," Samuel cut me off, his voice gentle but firm. "Finn’s right. You need to rest. I can handle the sheriff on my own."

I sighed, knowing they were both right, but that didn’t make me feel any less useless.

We had called Sheriff Davidson earlier to let him know the rogues were dead, the threat to the town finally over.

Samuel had burned the dragon’s remains to nothing but ash, leaving the wolves' bodies behind for the sheriff to find.

Yet even with the immediate danger gone, I still felt on edge.

Samuel stepped over to me, leaning down to press a soft kiss on my cheek.

His lips were warm, a brief touch that sent a wave of comfort through me.

"I’ll be back soon," he murmured, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Just rest, okay?"

I nodded reluctantly. Samuel turned to Finn.

"Make sure he stays put," Samuel added, giving Finn a look that said he was trusting him with more than just a simple task.

"Don’t worry," Finn replied, smirking a little. "I’ll keep him in line."

Once Samuel was gone, the room felt a little emptier. I glanced at Finn, who was finishing up with my bandages.

"What are you going to tell the Elders?" I asked.

I knew that once this was all over, Finn would be returning to the Guild. It was part of who he was, just as it used to be part of me.

Finn scoffed, wiping his hands clean.

"Nothing. I’ll tell them I found nothing. What do you take me for?" he asked, sounding almost offended.

I smiled faintly, squeezing his arm in appreciation.

"Just checking," I said.

The truth was, it meant a lot to me that Finn wasn’t going to report anything about Samuel or our mating bond to the Guild.

He was protecting us in his own way.

Exhaustion hit me hard after that, and before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep, the soft rustling of Finn moving around the cabin fading into the background.

My dreams were hazy, a mix of old memories and new feelings. But one thing stayed constant—Samuel. Always Samuel.

When I finally woke, the light outside had shifted, casting long shadows across the room.

My body protested as I sat up slowly, careful not to pull at my stitches or aggravate any of the wounds.

I could hear voices—Samuel and Finn—talking softly in the kitchen.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I swung my legs over the side of the bed, pushing myself to my feet.

Every movement was slow and deliberate. I wasn’t stupid.

Even though I was mated to a dragon shifter, I was still human, and it would take a while for my body to heal.

I shuffled toward the kitchen, the warm smell of cooking making my stomach rumble.

When I reached the doorway, I paused, taking in the sight before me.

Samuel and Finn were prepping dinner together, the two of them moving around the small kitchen with surprising ease.

It made me smile. Finn had been skeptical of Samuel, of our bond, but now… it seemed like they were getting along.

"How did it go with the sheriff?" I asked, making my presence known as I stepped into the room.

Samuel looked over his shoulder, his expression softening as soon as he saw me.

"You shouldn’t be out of bed," he chided, though his tone was more affectionate than reprimanding.

"I’m fine," I insisted, walking up to him and wrapping my arms around his waist from behind.

I pressed my cheek against the warmth of his back, feeling the solid muscles beneath his shirt.

The steady rhythm of his breathing calmed me, grounding me in the moment.

Samuel let out a small sigh, relaxing into my embrace as he continued stirring the pot on the stove.

"Davidson was suspicious," he said, his voice low. "I think he knows I’m keeping details from him, but he didn’t press. He’s just relieved the murders and fires are over."

"I would be too if I were him," Finn commented from across the room, setting the table for dinner.

I stayed where I was, holding onto Samuel for a moment longer, feeling the safety of his presence wrap around me like a blanket.

The bond between us had grown so much stronger in such a short time.

It wasn’t just about survival or lust—it was something deeper now. Something that made me feel whole.

As we sat down to eat, the three of us settled into a quiet companionship.

Finn, ever the practical one, announced his plans to catch the first bus out of Grey Arrow in the morning.

"So soon?" I asked, surprised.

Finn nodded, his expression resigned.

"My brothers will start worrying if I don’t show up soon. They probably think I’ve gone rogue or something,” he joked.

I frowned at that but didn’t argue.

I knew how much Finn’s family meant to him, even if it meant going back to the Guild and leaving us behind.

"Well, we’ll miss you," I said sincerely.

After dinner, as the sky darkened outside, I found myself once again wrapped in Samuel’s arms.

This time, though, it was in the comfort of our bed.

His hand stroked gently along my side, avoiding the worst of my injuries, while I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"You should really get some rest," Samuel murmured, kissing the top of my head.

"I will," I whispered, feeling his warmth seep into me, making everything else seem distant and unimportant. “But let’s stay like this just a little longer.”

“Of course, for as long as you need,” he replied.