6. Tobias/ Draven

CHAPTER SIX

TOBIAS/ DRAVEN

TOBIAS

Once we arrived home, I handed Draven back his helmet, feeling a pang of reluctance as I didn't want our time together to end just yet.

"Don’t forget to head to the station and file a report about your car," Draven reminded me.

"I won’t," I assured him. "Draven, thank you for last night, for everything.”

Before he rode away, Draven surprised me with a parting kiss. The kiss was sweet and gentle, leaving me breathless as I watched him disappear into the distance.

I stood there for a moment, touching my lips and relishing the lingering warmth, before reality set back in.

I approached the trailer, my heart sank at the sight of my brother's latest fling stumbling out, completely disregarding my presence.

"Call me later, Tom!" the omega called out, his attention elsewhere as if I were invisible.

With a heavy sigh, I stepped inside, greeted by the familiar mess that seemed to define my brother's lifestyle.

A wave of frustration washed over me as I began to pick up after him once again.

It was exhausting, this constant cycle of cleaning up his messes, but I couldn't seem to break free from it. Tom came out of the bathroom.

"I didn't hear you come in last night," Tom remarked.

I didn't have time to indulge in conversation, I was already running late. I shoved my way past Tom without answering his question.

As I hurriedly showered and dressed, I thought about my car, my upcoming pointless trip to the sheriff’s office and about Draven.

I found Tom in the dining area, a cup of coffee in hand.

Surprisingly, there was another cup waiting for me, a peace offering, perhaps.

I accepted it with a nod of thanks, but the bitter taste made me wince. It was a reminder of why I usually took charge of making coffee in the mornings.

“There’s an alpha’s scent lingering on you.” Tom's remark caught me off guard.

I shot him a glare, not appreciating his intrusion into my personal affairs.

We may have had each other's backs when it mattered, but that didn't mean he had the right to pry into my love life.

"Why is that any of your business?" I retorted, my tone sharper than I intended.

Tom raised his hands defensively, trying to diffuse the tension.

"It was just a simple observation," he replied, but I could sense there was more to it.

I hastily finished my coffee, the bitterness now a welcome distraction from the awkward conversation.

I thought that would be the end of it but Tom apparently had more to say.

"Tobias, of course you can date whoever you want, but... just be careful, okay? It's my job to look after you,” Tom said.

His concern was unexpected, and for a moment, I softened. But then frustration bubbled up inside me.

"So far, our roles have been reversed, don't you think?" I snapped, immediately regretting my harsh words as I saw hurt flash across Tom's face.

"Sorry, it's been an awful morning," I muttered, pulling out a chair.

Tom looked at me intently, waiting for an explanation. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts before telling him about my car.

I briefly mentioned Draven as well, but only told him what he needed to know.

“Are you sure it was Justin and his pals?” Tom asked.

"Yeah, it's them,” I confirmed, frustrated.

Tom furrowed his brows in concern as he processed the information.

"I hate to break it to you, bro, but nothing would come out of this," Tom finally said.

"Don't you think I know that?" I muttered angrily. "But I promised Draven I'll report this. Otherwise, he'd..."

Tom narrowed his eyes. "He'd what?" Tom demanded.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

"Tobias, this alpha... Is he pressuring you or—“ Tom began.

"It's not like that," I blurted. "Draven's been nothing but amazing to me, and he's different. Special. I knew that from the first time we met."

Tom looked skeptical. I decided it was time to end this conversation.

"Anyway, I'm late for work. There's still some casserole in the fridge. You can heat it up for lunch," I said.

"Tobias, I know I haven't been the best roommate, but I finally found a job," Tom said.

He looked a little uncertain, so unlike him.

Maybe his confidence had taken a huge hit after being unable to find a job for the past few months.

“That's what I wanted to tell you before you walked in with another alpha's scent on you,” Tom finished.

A pang of guilt hit me. I hadn't exactly been the greatest brother in the world either, because I initiated half our arguments.

Still, I couldn't deal with his concerns about Draven. Tom had no right to judge Draven, especially if he hadn’t met or spoken to him.

“That’s great, Tom," I said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. "And congrats on the job. But I've got to go. Maybe you can tell me more about it later?”

"Alright, Tobias," Tom said. "Just...be careful out there, okay?"

I grabbed my jacket and nodded, not trusting myself to speak as I hurried out the door.

DRAVEN

I watched with clenched fists as the tow truck pulled Tobias' ruined car out of the parking lot.

Without Tobias by my side to soothe my anger, it surged back with a vengeance.

Images of Justin's smug face flashed through my mind, and I imagined sinking my fangs deep into his throat.

Perhaps I could turn him into barbecue.

But before I could lose myself in those violent fantasies, someone tapped me on the shoulder, startling me back to reality.

It was the guy from the tow service, Tim, as his nametag revealed. He was explaining the repairs needed for the car, but I hadn't been paying much attention.

"If you don't mind me asking, that's Tobias Anderson's ride. Can I ask how you came by it?" Tim inquired.

My dragon identified Tim as a leopard shifter. I noted there were a couple of them in the bar last night.

Unlike Tim’s other pard mates, Tim didn’t seem afraid of me. Yet.

"Well, Tim, Tobias and I returned here to pick up his car and found it like this. Tobias suspects it's the work of Justin Moore and his friends. You know him?" I replied, reeling in my emotions.

"Justin Moore?" Tim scoffed. "Everyone here knows the mayor's kid."

The revelation about Justin Moore, the mayor's son, explained why Tobias seemed deflated when I reminded him to report the incident to the police.

"Then... nothing would come out of Tobias reporting this to the police?" I questioned.

"Tobias could try, but yeah," Tim confirmed, scratching his beard. "Justin's done worse and has gotten off every time with a slap on the hand."

A growl escaped my lips without thought, causing Tim to take a hesitant step back.

I cursed myself silently as the mark on my chest began to ache again. Taking deep breaths, I fought to regain control of my temper.

"Okay, thanks for everything," I managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Tell Tobias to come by the shop in a couple of days. His car will be ready by then," Tim said with a nod before heading back to his truck.

I realized Tim probably could have called or texted Tobias. Tobias mentioned that everyone in town knew each other.

Since Tim passed that message to me, I couldn't help but wonder if he assumed Tobias and I were... dating? An item?

The thought made me scrub at my face in frustration.

The ache in my chest intensified. Gasping for air, I staggered backward, clutching at my chest as if trying to hold myself together.

My skin felt like it was on fire, and I could almost see the scales emerging, spreading across my arms.

Images of chaos and destruction flooded my mind, vivid and terrifying. I saw myself transformed, my body twisting and contorting into my second form.

Wings unfurled from my back, tearing through my clothes, as I soared above Red Vine, unleashing devastation with each beat of my powerful wings.

Fear gripped me, and I struggled to control my breathing, to push back the rising panic clawing at the edges of my mind.

Every fiber of my being screamed for release, for transformation, but I fought against it with all my willpower.

Closing my eyes tightly, I thought of Tobias. My sweet wolf. I focused the sound of my own heartbeat, the rhythm grounding me in reality.

Slowly, the sensation of heat began to ebb, the ache in my chest gradually subsiding.

Trembling, I sank to my knees and fumbled for the vibrating phone tucked inside my jacket pocket.

Zane's name flashed across the screen, and I hesitated before answering.

"Draven, you didn't check in with me. How are you feeling?" Zane's voice came through the line, sharp and concerned.

"I'm... I'm good," I lied, my voice betraying a hint of strain.

"You don't sound well," Zane remarked, his tone probing. "Are you on your way to Sky Stead?"

"I... I've decided to stay in Red Vine a little longer," I confessed, slowly rising to my feet as I spoke.

"That's not a good idea," Zane cautioned, a note of urgency creeping into his voice.

"Why not? I like it here, and... I've met someone. Tobias. He calms my dragon," I admitted.

Joining Zane's group had been a daunting prospect initially, but after last night, I realized how much I needed his guidance, especially if I wanted to become someone deserving of Tobias.

Zane was silent for a few moments.

"Draven, I hate to deliver bad news, but Belladonna Payne has been sighted recently in Raven Port," Zane finally said.

Raven Port, the town close to the mountain where I used to live with my dad. And Belladonna Payne—the name alone was enough to send shivers down my spine, invoking memories I was trying desperately to bury.

A cold dread settled in the pit of my stomach, a feeling foreign yet all too familiar.

Few things could strike fear into the heart of a dragon, but the mention of a black witch was one of them.

I could still remember the tendrils of her binding curse, creeping into every facet of my being, rendering me a puppet to her will.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to contain the rising panic threatening to consume me.

Taking deep breaths, I thought once more of Tobias’ smile, the press of his lips against mine, and miraculously, the panic subsided.

"I take it she's looking for her lost pet dragon?" I bitterly asked.

Zane told me he was looking for a way to erase Belladonna's mark completely from my chest, but so far, his search yielded no results.

"I'm surprised you're taking this news well," Zane said. "But we can't risk Belladonna finding you again and reactivating the binding curse. You need to come home."

Sky Stead wasn't home, I wanted to argue. Home was, or used to be the mountain and the lonely cabin where I was born and raised.

But that place had been tainted, the day Belladonna entered my home and put that binding curse on me.

I had no home...but Tobias could be my new home, my new reason for living, even if he didn't know how much he meant to me.

"I can't leave," I said.

Even to my ears, I knew I sounded like a whiny child, but simply imagining Tobias' devastated face when he realized I was gone... it felt like a silver bullet to the chest.

"Draven, you just met this guy what? Yesterday? He can't become that important to you so quickly," Zane said.

"I'm staying," I said firmly. "Besides, Raven Port is a couple of thousand miles away from Red Vine. I'll be fine. I'll keep my guard up at all times."

I knew Zane would argue, so I continued pleading my case.

"Zane, I need time to figure things out, to see if this thing with Tobias will lead somewhere. What did you feel when you first met Otis?" I asked.

I knew bringing up Zane's mate was a cheap shot, but I needed to convince my lead alpha how important Tobias was—will be—to me.

Zane expelled a long sigh. "Alright, Draven. It's clear emotions are driving you right now, not logic," he said.

I didn’t argue because he was right.

“I’m sending Doyle to tail Belladonna,” Zane decided. “I’ll update you.”

Doyle was Zane’s uncle, a member of the pack. From what little I knew about him, Doyle hated black witches as much as I did.

“Tell Doyle to keep his guard up at all times,” I said.

Zane grunted in agreement. “Will do. Stay in touch and be careful yourself.”