4. Draven

CHAPTER FOUR

DRAVEN

"This is a funny episode," Tobias pointed out.

We were both perched on the queen-sized bed. Tobias leaned against the headboard, his gaze on the TV, but occasionally, he'd steal glances at me.

It was as if he was making sure I was still there. I understood the feeling.

Part of me did wonder if Tobias, if tonight was real, or did my lonely mind conjure him up completely.

"It was a good episode," I said after the show was over.

I glanced over at Tobias, who had fallen asleep, his soft snores filling the room.

He looked vulnerable like this, precious, ripe for the taking.

That last thought left a sour taste in my mouth. It would be easy to make him ours, my dragon whispered.

I ignored the beast but he kept whispering the same words in my head. With some effort, I blocked him and I could feel him seething with rage inside me.

I knew this decision would come back to bite me in the behind eventually, but for now, this would do.

Not trusting myself, I got up from the bed and began to pace.

Sweat beaded on my back, and the spot on my chest where the black witch's mark lingered started to ache.

I rubbed at the spot, but it only got worse. The ache turned into a terrible burning sensation, as if someone had deposited hot coals against my flesh.

Shutting my eyes made everything worse. I could hear my victims’ screams again and smell that awful burning smell. All my fault.

The temperature in the room rose, and I felt confined by the four walls. It felt like a cage.

I needed air, needed to breathe. I snatched my cellphone from the bedside table and, in desperation, called Zane.

It must be 3 a.m. where he was, but I didn't care. I needed my lead alpha's advice. After three rings, Zane picked up, and unsurprisingly, he sounded grumpy.

I would be annoyed as well, if someone called me in the middle of the night.

"Draven, there better be a good reason you're calling," Zane grumbled.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then told him the truth.

"Zane, I can feel my control slipping," I whispered, ashamed of my confession.

"Where are you?" Zane demanded. "I can’t sense you."

Since I’d acknowledged Zane as my lead alpha, I was connected to him through the pack bonds. Distance, it seemed, weakened that connection.

“Some town up north. Can’t remember the name,” I lied, because

Zane didn’t need to know the details, about Tobias. At least not yet. Silence on the other end.

Why did I have a feeling Zane knew I was keeping something from him? Maybe it was a lead alpha thing.

"Did something or someone trigger you?" Zane finally asked.

I hesitated before responding to Zane's question.

"Not exactly," I finally admitted, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

"It's... complicated," I confessed, my gaze returning to Tobias, who still slept soundly on the bed.

The sight of him stirred conflicting emotions within me—warmth and guilt warring within my chest.

I knew I shouldn't have allowed myself to get close to Tobias, to let our connection deepen.

But despite my better judgment, I found myself drawn to his innocence and kindness.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't deserve someone like Tobias, that I was only bringing trouble into his life.

Yet, the hope for something real and good persisted. After everything I had been through, didn’t I deserve some measure of happiness?

Not if you'll end up hurting him, a voice inside me answered.

"Are the woods nearby?" Zane asked.

"I need to check my phone, but I think it's just a short drive away," I said.

"Good. Head there, make sure you're not being followed, and let out your inner beast. Fly low and make sure no one sees you," Zane advised. “Once you’re better, head back here. You’ll feel better surrounded by others of your kind.”

His advice was sound, but nonetheless, a growl slipped out from my lips. The thought of sneaking around like some rat made my dragon silently seethe.

"I'll call you again," I told Zane before he could ask me any more questions.

I ended the call, looked at Tobias again, then grabbed the keys to my motorcycle and headed out.

I followed the directions on my phone until I reached the entrance to the woods.

After ensuring I was alone, I carefully concealed my motorcycle among the bushes and ventured deeper into the forest.

Once I was certain of my privacy, I shed my clothes and bundled them into a tight ball.

Taking a deep breath, I began the transformation, feeling the familiar sensation of bones shifting and muscles rearranging within me.

As my body contorted and reshaped, scales erupted across my skin, and my limbs elongated into powerful, claws.

With a mighty roar, I completed the shift, my wings spreading wide with a satisfying rustle.

The pressure in my chest eased slightly, now reduced to a dull throb, but I knew it wouldn't vanish entirely.

Zane had mentioned that the witch's mark would diminish over time, but he never specified a timeline.

I suspected it might take months, if not years, for it to completely fade away... unless I hunted down the witch responsible for cursing me.

As I soared low over the forest, my wingtips grazing the treetops, I allowed myself to imagine confronting the witch.

I envisioned her fleeing in terror before me, her scent tainted with sweat and fear.

How would it feel to be utterly helpless, to be at someone else's mercy, as I once was? The thought lingered in my mind as I continued my solitary flight.

As I soared through the night, another thought crept into my mind. What would Tobias think if he knew the thoughts of vengeance frequently consumed me?

How would he react if he glimpsed the beast that resided beneath my skin? Tobias still believed me to be an alligator shifter, and I hadn't corrected him yet.

Was it because I didn't fully trust Tobias with my secret?

Apart from the biker bears from Moon Burrow aligned with Zane, no one else knew about the existence of Zane, me, and the other surviving dragons.

I flew on through the night, lost in my thoughts.

When the first hints of dawn began to appear on the horizon, I landed on the forest floor and shifted back into my human form.

Zane was right again. I did feel better after that flight. Retrieving my clothes, I dressed unhurriedly and made my way to my hidden motorcycle.

A quick sniff told me no one was around, so I didn't need to worry on that account.

I mounted my bike, but thoughts of Tobias lingered in my mind.

Was my little wolf still sound asleep, or had he woken up in the middle of the night, wondering where I had gone?

As I revved the engine, I took a deep breath. If I left Red Vine now, I'd cut all ties with Tobias. That was for the best.

Still, simply picturing Tobias' devastated expression when he woke up felt like a dagger to the heart.

Tobias had been hurt before, and hurt badly. I didn't relish being another disappointment in his life.

"Maybe I could buy breakfast, sit him down, and tell him an emergency came up, and I needed to go," I thought out loud.

It was still an awful move, but it would somehow cushion the blow of me suddenly leaving. I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.

What a mess I was, unable to make up my mind about Tobias since last night. Then again, ever since Tobias entered my life, he made everything confusing.

Pulling up at a diner near the hotel, I paused, pondering what to do. I wasn't sure what Tobias liked, so I decided to order one of everything on the breakfast menu, just in case.

With a bag full of food in hand, I returned to the motel room, still debating how to approach the situation with Tobias.

Entering the room, I found Tobias awake and sitting up in bed, looking a bit confused. I cleared my throat.

"Hey, Tobias," I began, my voice slightly strained. "I, uh, got us some breakfast."

I set the bag down on the table, and considered my next words with care.

"Draven!" Tobias blurted, looking surprised.

I noticed he was already dressed and ready to leave and wondered what time he had woken up, what conclusions he had come up with when he saw the empty space next to him.

"You... brought breakfast," Tobias said, biting on his lower lip, bringing my attention to the tempting curve of his mouth.

How would he react if I kissed him unexpectedly? I was betting he would taste sweet as strawberries, my favorite fruit.

No, no. I shouldn't be thinking these thoughts, not when I was about to announce that I was leaving.

"Yeah, I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got everything off the menu," I said, taking out the food to distract myself and buy more time.

Tobias sat on the edge of the bed, staring at all the food. Then he let out a laugh.

"Is something wrong? Are you allergic to anything?" I asked, concerned.

"No, it's just... I thought you left. That I was just a one-night stand to you," Tobias admitted. "I know. Horrible thought."

"Tobias, you have no idea how special you are to me," I said.

I sat next to him, acutely aware of how close we were. He smelled so good.

His scent wrapped around me like a blanket, and the lingering ache in my chest disappeared.

Maybe, just maybe, Tobias could be my cure.

Tobias froze, eyes wide. He was partly terrified; I could smell his fear. But underneath that, there was something else. Eager anticipation.

I lifted his chin with two fingers, gazing at him. Tobias swallowed, and I wondered how I was looking at him. Hungrily perhaps?

Because I certainly wanted to devour all of him. If I had to be honest with myself, I didn't want to leave yet. Leave him.

Tobias looked at me with those mesmerizing blue eyes, waiting for an explanation.

Something told me fate nudged Tobias in my direction for a reason, and it was bad luck to ignore fate.

My father believed that, and so did I.

"Last night, something came up," I admitted, breaking the tense silence. "So I left to get some air."

"But you came back," Tobias whispered, his voice barely audible over the racing of my heart.

"I did. The thought of leaving you...it kills me," I said.

"Draven," Tobias ventured, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "Are you...going to kiss me? Because you're sending me all these confusing signals and I--"

I didn't let Tobias finish. Without hesitation, I closed in and plundered his mouth.

Tobias hungrily kissed me back. The world seemed to fade away and a spark ignited between us, setting every single nerve ending ablaze.

Gripping his shoulders, I deepened the kiss and Tobias eagerly sucked on my tongue.

When I pulled away, I couldn't help but notice the way Tobias's eyes were dilated with desire, mirroring the intensity of my own.

We were both panting slightly, caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that surged between us.

In that moment, everything became clear.

That kiss helped me make up my mind. Leaving was no longer an option.

Despite the lingering witch mark making my dragon unstable, Tobias seemed to be the solution to all my problems.

With him by my side, I felt a sense of calm wash over me.

"Tobias," I said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Now I just needed to find a suitable excuse to tell Zane that I wasn’t planning on returning to Sky Stead any time soon.