29. Nik

Aweek has passed since I last shifted into my dragon, since the night that changed everything. Bram left that very evening, taking a handful of loyal clan members and his Enforcer with him. But the majority chose to stay, to pledge their loyalty to me as the new head of the Draken family. The time has come to forge my own legacy worthy of pride.

I sit at the desk, my eyes scanning the long list of expenses and investments that Bram made in the last month alone. The numbers are staggering, the sheer amount of money he’s blown through enough to make my head spin. I smooth a hand over my mouth, a deep sense of dissatisfaction settling in the pit of my stomach. How could he have been so reckless, so irresponsible with our family’s legacy?

One of my first acts as leader was to fire Bram’s accountants, to rid our clan of the incompetent fools who not only failed at their jobs but actively stole from us, lining their own pockets while our coffers dwindled. The betrayal stings, but not as much as the knowledge that I let it happen, that I stood by and did nothing while my brother ran our family name into the ground.

I close the ledger with a snap, the weight of my new responsibilities settling heavily on my shoulders. Tomorrow, I’ll meet with a new team of actuaries, professionals who will treat our finances with the respect and diligence they deserve. From now on, I’ll be supervising only, delegating the day-to-day tasks to those better suited to handle them. The gods know I have enough on my plate as it is, enough commitments to keep and grudges to fix, all thanks to Bram’s quick temper and poor judgment.

Word of my transformation has spread like wildfire through the magical world, whispers of the Last Dragon Shifter, the Draken Firebreather, reaching the ears of every major family. In a matter of days, I’ve become a legend, a figure of awe and fear and respect. It’s a heady feeling, knowing that I’ve done right by my lineage, that I’ve owned up to who and what I am.

But even as I bask in the glow of my newfound power, even as I relish the way the tables have turned in my family’s favor... I can’t shake the weight of my sins, the burden of the secrets that Bram laid at my feet.

His last words to me, the accusation that I killed our parents... It haunts me, echoing in my mind like a twisted lullaby. I try to recall that night, to dredge up some memory of what happened, but all I find are brief flashes, hazy images that slip through my grasp like smoke.

Did Bram speak the truth? Was the lethal firemagic that took my parents’ lives born from my hands? Or perhaps my dragon, the beast that’s lain dormant inside me for so long, somehow broke free that fateful evening, unleashing the blaze that destroyed everything I held dear? Is that why I can’t remember, why the events of that night are nothing more than a blank void in my mind?

A low growl rumbles in my chest, frustration and self-loathing warring within me. I shake my head, trying to banish the grim thoughts, but they cling to me like a second skin, tormenting me with possibilities too horrific to contemplate. This is exactly what Bram wanted, I realize with a sinking feeling. He may have lost the reins of our family, but his final blow was a masterful one, a poison that seeps into my very soul, corroding me from the inside out.

The chime of my phone snaps me out of my dark musings, and I glance down at the screen, seeing the reminder for tomorrow’s meeting with the new accountants. I heave a sigh, swiping away the notification... and that’s when I see it.

The photo memory section, a collage of images from my weekend with Sam. My breath catches in my throat as I flip through them, each one a bittersweet reminder of the happiness we shared. There we are, walking hand in hand on the beach in Brittany, the sun setting behind us in a blaze of orange and gold. And there, blowing out the candles on my birthday cake, Sam’s face lit up with laughter and love.

I linger on a selfie of us kissing, my heart clenching with a longing so intense it steals the air from my lungs. Gods, I miss her. Miss the warmth of her smile, the fire in her eyes, the way she fit so perfectly in my arms. My fierce Little Bear, the woman who taught me what it means to love with every fiber of your being.

I was a fool to let her go, to push her away in some misguided attempt to protect her from the chaos of my life. I see that now, with a clarity that borders on painful. I should have fought for her, should have done everything in my power to be the man she deserved, the partner she needed by her side.

But is it too late? Have I lost my chance at happiness, at the future we might have together?

A knock on the door shatters my thoughts, and I look up, startled. “Come in,” I call out, my voice rough with emotion.

The door swings open, and there, standing on the threshold, is my sister. Clarissa. I sent for her, summoning her from London where Bram had settled her, far from the heart of our family.

I rise from my seat, my heart pounding as I take in the sight of her. She’s grown so much in the years since I last saw her, no longer the little girl I remember, but a young woman, beautiful and strong. But there’s a wariness in her eyes, a guarded look that speaks of the pain and loneliness she’s endured.

“Clarissa,” I murmur, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for coming.”

She nods, stepping into the room with a hesitance that breaks my heart. “Nikolaas,” she says, my name sounding strange and unfamiliar on her tongue. “You wanted to see me?”

“I did.” I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words, the ones that will bridge the gulf between us. “I know we don’t really know each other, that we’ve been apart for so long. But you’re my sister, Clarissa. My blood. And I want you to come home, to be a part of this family again.”

Her eyes widen, surprise and hope warring on her face. “You mean it?” she whispers, her voice trembling. “You want me to stay?”

“More than anything,” I tell her, pouring every ounce of sincerity into my words. “I know it won’t be easy, that we have a lot of lost time to make up for. But I’m willing to try if you are.”

Tears well in her eyes, spilling over onto her cheeks, and then she’s launching herself into my arms, her small frame shaking with sobs. I hold her close, stroking her hair and murmuring words of comfort, my own eyes burning with unshed tears.

“I’ve never had a real home,” she chokes out, her face buried in my chest. “Not since Mum and Dad died. I was always sent away, passed around like an unwanted burden.”

“Never again,” I vow, my arms tightening around her. “You belong here, Clarissa. With me, with our family. And I swear, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you never feel alone or unwanted again.”

We stay like that for a long moment, clinging to each other like lifelines in a storm-tossed sea. And when we finally pull apart, I feel lighter somehow, as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

But then Clarissa’s eyes meet mine, and I see something there that makes my blood run cold. A knowing, a sadness that seems to reach into the very depths of my soul.

“You’re in terrible pain,” she murmurs, her voice soft but filled with a quiet strength. “I can feel it, rolling off you in waves.”

I start, my eyes widening in surprise. “How did you...?”

“I’m a witch,” she explains, a hint of pride coloring her words. “And an empath, like Mum was. But I’m also a seer, Nik. I see things, things that haven’t happened yet, but will.”

I swallow hard, my heart racing in my chest. “And what do you see now?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Clarissa’s gaze turns distant, unfocused, as if she’s looking at something far away. “I see her,” she breathes, her voice taking on a dream-like quality. “Samara Alexeeva. Your fated mate. You’re destined for each other, Nik. Two halves of the same soul, bound together by a love that transcends time and space.”

I stumble back, my knees suddenly weak, my mind reeling with the implications of her words. Sam... my fated mate? The idea seems impossible, too good to be true. And yet, as I think back on our time together, on the way she made me feel, the way everything just seemed to click into place when I was with her...

It makes sense. Perfect, beautiful sense.

Of course she’s my destined mate. How could I have ever doubted it, ever questioned the bond between us? Everything always felt so natural, so right when we were together, as if the universe itself had conspired to bring us into each other’s lives.

“Will you fight for her, Nik?” Clarissa asks, her eyes boring into mine, searching my face for an answer. “Will you do whatever it takes to win her back, to claim the future that’s meant to be yours?”

And in that moment, I know. Know with a certainty that goes bone-deep, that reaches into the very core of my being.

“Yes,” I breathe, my voice ringing with conviction, with a determination that sets my soul on fire. “Yes, I will fight for her. For us. For the love that we share, the love that nothing and no one can destroy.”

Clarissa smiles, a fierce, proud smile that makes my heart swell with affection. “Good,” she says, reaching out to take my hand in hers. “Because you’re going to need every ounce of that strength, every bit of that courage, if you’re going to face what’s coming.”

I frown, a flicker of unease running through me at her words. “What do you mean? What’s coming?”

But she just shakes her head, her expression turning serious, almost grim. “Darkness,” she whispers, her voice taking on a haunting, otherworldly quality. “A storm that threatens to consume everything in its path, to destroy all that we hold dear.”

I feel a chill run down my spine, a sense of foreboding that settles heavily in my gut. But I push it aside, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin in defiance.

“Let it come,” I growl, my eyes flashing with the fire of my dragon, the power that thrums through my veins. “Whatever it is, whatever challenges lie ahead... I’ll face them head-on. I’ll fight with every breath in my body, every beat of my heart, to protect the ones I love.”

Clarissa nods, a fierce light shining in her eyes. “And we’ll be right there beside you,” she vows, her hand tightening around mine. “Your family, your clan. We’ll stand with you, Nik. Always.”

A torrent of gratitude overwhelms me, a love so fierce that it takes my very breath away. This is everything I’ve ever yearned for. A clan to call my own, a cause to fight for, a purpose to live and die for.

And Sam... my beautiful, beloved Sam. My fated mate, the other half of my soul.

I’ll prove to her that our love is stronger than any obstacle, any force that dares to stand in our way.

Come what may, I’ll find my way back to her.