19. Tobias

CHAPTER NINETEEN

TOBIAS

I woke up in the quiet of my trailer, with Draven draped next to me. I curled closer to my mate, savoring the warmth of his body against mine.

For a moment, everything felt perfect. But then, the harsh reality seeped back in.

Despite finally finding my mate and dreaming of a future together, a black witch could simply take it all away if she wanted.

A shiver ran through me involuntarily.

Draven tugged me closer, his embrace firm and reassuring. He opened his eyes, and the possessive want in them made me smile.

I reached out, tracing the curve of Draven's cheek, feeling the rough texture of his day-old beard, then moving my hand down to his chest.

His heartbeat was strong and steady beneath my fingers, a comforting reminder of his presence and strength.

And the rune on his chest... was fading. My eyes widened. Draven grasped my fingers, kissed them, the tender gesture making my heart flutter.

"Up so early?" he asked.

I laughed. "It's almost noon."

"It is?" Draven gave me a sheepish look.

Today, Draven had volunteered to finish packing the rest of our stuff. Meanwhile, I was planning on meeting Lucinda for lunch.

"Hey, did you know the mark on your chest is almost gone?" I asked.

"It is?" Draven looked down in surprise, then traced the fading lines on his chest in wonder.

"Yeah," I said, my fingers following the lines of the mark. "It’s almost completely faded."

Draven's eyes met mine, a mixture of curiosity and concern in them. "I wonder what that means."

"I don't know," I admitted. “Do you think it’s because we’re now mated and Belladonna has less sway on you?”

“That’s a wonderful thought,” Draven murmured, leaning over to give me a kiss.

His lips were warm and reassuring, grounding me in the moment. When he pulled back, his eyes were softer.

"Maybe our bond is stronger than her curse,” Driven said.

"Maybe," I said, feeling a surge of optimism. "If our bond can weaken her magic, then we might have a real chance against her."

Draven nodded. “That sounds promising.”

We lingered in bed for a moment, savouring the moment. Then, with a final kiss, we got up to face the day.

Draven headed off to finish packing while I prepared to meet Lucinda.

As I dressed, I couldn't help but feel hopeful for the first time since finding out about Belladonna.

I met Lucinda during her lunch break at a cafe in town. Today, I took my car.

As I got out, I felt that strange sensation of being watched again.

I hadn't had that feeling since the time in the woods when I discovered Draven was a dragon shifter.

I never told Draven about the incident because it felt silly. I looked around the street, but there was nothing suspicious, just people going about their everyday business.

I rubbed the goosebumps on my arm, then heard Lucinda calling my name from inside the cafe.

Dismissing the strange feeling, I headed inside.

Lucinda seemed mildly surprised when I hugged her, but she hugged me back and gave me a pat.

"You're looking better than I imagined," she said.

We ordered drinks and shared a BLT sandwich and a muffin before taking our seats at a nearby table.

"So," Lucinda began, taking a sip of her iced coffee, "what's been going on with you?”

"It's... complicated. Things have been intense lately,” I admitted.

Lucinda raised an eyebrow. "Intense how? Is everything okay with Draven and his friend?” She asked.

“Doyle is okay. He went back home with Zane,” I said.

Lucinda sipped her tea thoughtfully. "More dragons in town. Is that why Bruce's fur is all ruffled?" she asked.

I told her about Bruce dropping by as soon as Zane and Doyle had left.

"He wanted me and Draven to appear at the town's next council meeting,” I said.

"Are you going?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Draven and I are planning to leave town for a while, to regroup with his pack and figure out how to deal with Belladonna. We don't have time for a silly council meeting,” I said.

Lucinda reached for my hand across the table and patted it.

"It's not silly at all. Tobias, Bruce has plenty of sway in this town. It's not wise to piss him off," she reminded me gently.

"I know that, but we have bigger issues to tackle," I muttered.

She nodded.

"I understand. Well, if it’s any consolation, if Bruce does decide to put a vote on whether you and your mate are welcome to stay or not, I'm on your side," she said. "Darcy, too, I think, likes Draven. Our coven talked, and most of us believe having a dragon on our side won't be a bad thing."

"Thanks, Lucinda. You have no idea how much your support means to us," I said, meaning every word.

We chatted for a while longer, the conversation easing some of my anxiety. It felt good to confide in someone I could trust.

After we finished our lunch, I hugged Lucinda again.

"Thanks for understanding,” I told her.

"Anytime," she said, giving me a warm smile. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," I said, feeling a bit lighter as I left the cafe.

That feeling soon faded when I spotted Justin standing next to my car, holding a can of spray paint.

For the past few weeks, I had been patient. After Justin had wrecked my car, I had brushed it off, telling myself it wasn’t worth the trouble.

But seeing him there again, spray paint in hand, something inside me snapped.

I walked up to him, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and frustration.

"Hey!" I blurted out.

Justin caught sight of me, his eyes widening in surprise. Then, without a word, he turned and fled.

He was probably remembering how Draven had set his Lamborghini on fire.

My rational mind told me to let it go, to get back in my car and head home.

But something deeper, a lingering resentment from all those years in high school when Justin and his friends tormented me, pushed me to act.

I chased after him, my feet pounding against the pavement. The added stress of facing a black witch didn’t help my mood.

I was tired of being pushed around, tired of feeling powerless. Today, I intended to chase Justin down and confront him.

"Justin!" I shouted as I rounded the corner, catching a glimpse of him darting into an alley.

Memories of all the cruel pranks, the bullying, and the endless taunts flooded my mind. I couldn't let him get away this time.

I pushed myself harder, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I closed the distance between us.

"Stop running, damn it!" I yelled.

Justin glanced back, his face pale with fear. He stumbled, giving me the chance to close the gap.

I reached out and grabbed his arm, yanking him to a stop.

"What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, my voice shaking with anger. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Justin's eyes were wide, and he stammered, "I-I was just messing around. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" I repeated, incredulous. "You’ve been tormenting me for years! Do you have any idea what it’s like to live with constant harassment?"

He tried to pull away, but I tightened my grip.

"You're not getting away this time. You need to hear this,” I said.

Justin looked genuinely scared, and for a moment, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"You don't know what it's like to be on the receiving end of your crap. But I'm done being your punching bag. This stops now,” I said.

He nodded frantically, his bravado crumbling. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Justin blurted.

I let go of his arm, my hands shaking.

"If I ever catch you messing with me or my stuff again, you'll regret it. And not just because of me. Draven won’t be as forgiving,” I reminded him.

Justin nodded again, swallowing hard. "I get it. I won't bother you anymore."

"Good," I said, turning away and walking back toward my car.

The anger still simmered, but it was mixed with a strange sense of relief. I had stood up for myself, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

The feeling of being watched returned, and I frowned, turning just in time to see Justin swinging a crowbar at my face, a vicious leer twisting his features.

"I'm not sorry at all," he hissed under his breath.

The crowbar collided with my skull with a sickening thud. Pain exploded through my head, and I grew dizzy.

The world spun, colors blurring together as my vision darkened. I stumbled backward, my knees buckling under me.

The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was a black rune glowing on the side of Justin's neck, a miniature of the rune that was fading on Draven's chest.

The realization hit me like a final blow: Justin was being controlled by Belladonna.

Darkness swallowed me, pulling me into oblivion.