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Evan shook his head. “I know we promised he could have him, but if they aren’t able to make things happen before Tomas makes his next move, we’ll handle it our way.”
While I couldn’t ignore my delight at the idea of Tomas getting exactly what he deserved, Evan’s words made me uneasy. The last time they’d gone after him, Sebastian had ended up dead. Tomas wouldn’t hesitate for a second to kill anyone who stood in the way, including Evan.
I shook my head. “I don’t know if that’s—”
Evan's phone rang, cutting me off. He hesitated for a moment before answering, his jaw clenched tight. The room fell silent, every pair of eyes fixed on him as it rang again.
“It’s Tomas,” he hissed.
My stomach twisted in knots, knowing that the enemy was on the other end of the line.
“Tomas,” Evan spat, his voice dripping with venom.
“Ah, Evan,” came the smooth, cold voice that still haunted my nightmares. “I thought I’d let you know I’ve grown tired of these games. There have been one too many fuckups, so it’s time to handle things myself. Mariah is mine, and it’s only a matter of time until you see there’s no use fighting the inevitable.”
“Over my dead body,” Evan growled, his grip on the phone tightening.
“Yes, yes, not to worry. That’s part of the plan as well,” Tomas said with chilling calmness. “I’m coming for Mariah, and when I do, your life will be forfeit.”
My blood ran cold at the implication of his words. Evan held my gaze, his eyes filled with a storm of emotions that echoed my own: fear, rage, determination. We were standing on the precipice of a battle that could change our lives forever.
My dragon prowled within, and a rumbling growl made its way up my throat. I would never let this man take my mate from me. We’d stand together against the darkness, fight this monster, and put an end to his reign of terror.
If Tomas dared to set foot on our lands… well, he’d learn firsthand just how fiercely a dragon mama could fight for those she loved.
Chapter 25
Evan
The days after Mariah’s first shift and Tomas’s threat were tense, busy, and full of preparations and meetings as we got ready for what was coming. At this point, there was no if when it came to Tomas coming for my mate. It was just a matter of when.
My plan remained the same, to continue enhancing security so that we could stop Tomas at the gates before he ever got a chance to get close to Mariah. But I made sure my backup plan was just as solid. I’d been working tirelessly to help get the bunker ready, just in case.
When Tomas came, I wanted a safe place for my clan to go. As their alpha, their safety, their very lives, were my responsibility. The weight of it rested heavily on my shoulders, but that was what came along with the mantle. I kept asking myself what Sebastian would do in every situation. He would do everything in his power to assure the safety of the clan, and I’d do the same.
I couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
As I left the house, heading into town to check on the latest security upgrades, then stop by the bunker, I reflected on my mate. She hadn’t spoken much about what happened on the way home from New York. I knew Abi had talked with her, which gave me some comfort, but I hoped that my mate would open up to me if she were truly struggling. I didn’t want to keep bringing it up, but I tried to assure her whenever I could that she’d done the right thing.
Then there was the matter of her dragon. She hadn’t shifted again since that day, and didn’t really want to. The urge would come, that much I was sure of. I just hoped she wasn’t afraid of the power within her. She had been fierce and magnificent, and I longed to see her in dragon form again. To shift together, and even take flight. We had our whole lives ahead of us, but I was anxious to move past the endless drama with Tomas Hawthorne and begin my future with my mate and children.
While she still wasn’t showing, I could sense the life in her getting stronger with each passing day. I’d never experienced this with Sofia, and I wanted to treasure my mate’s pregnancy. We just needed to be rid of Tomas.
The bunker was nearing completion—I was surprised at just how much of it had already been completed under Sebastian’s oversight—but I wanted to check on the progress that’d been made yesterday when I’d been in the office all day taking care of business.
First up on my agenda today was checking supplies and making sure we had enough of everything in case the entire clan was forced to retreat for safety. I wasn’t taking any chances when it came to Tomas.
“Okay,” I muttered under my breath as I made my way along the walls through the storage room of the bunker, checking off the supplies on my list. I could have delegated this to someone else, but Sebastian had always been a hands-on alpha, and that’s how I wanted to be, too. There was comfort in knowing that I’d checked and double checked everything.
Once I’d determined that food, water, blankets, and medical supplies were stocked in sufficient amounts, I moved through the rest of the bunker, ensuring that the security measures I’d ordered were in effect. There wasn’t much left to be done, but there were a few items still on my list by the time I’d done the full walkthrough.
I called Kyle, wanting to schedule a time for him to come finish up the remaining construction and put the final touches on the security system. My past losses were all taken from me by one man, and it fueled my need to ensure the safety of my clan. I refused to lose anyone else, especially not Mariah or our children.
“Hey, Evan,” a voice called from outside as I made my way up the stairs to the surface, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was one of the lead guards I’d hired, Mark—a strong shifter in his twenties who had a commendable work ethic and was eager to prove his loyalty and worth.
“Everything okay?” I asked as I stepped out of the bunker, instinctively scanning the area for any signs of trouble.
“Yes, sir. I just thought you'd like to know the alarm system connecting the alpha’s mansion to the front gate is completed.”
