Without another word, Maple rushed toward the door, her heart pounding as she prepared to confront the dragon who had claimed her body and then fled from her soul.
Maple's feet barely touched the polished floor as she rushed down the guest wing corridor, her heart hammering against her ribs.
I'm not letting him run from me again.
She rounded the corner toward the main corridor at nearly a sprint, her mind focused on one thing: intercepting him before he could lock himself away in his private chambers and leave her with nothing but questions and the memory of his retreat. But as she turned, a wall of solid muscle and heat crashed into her with the force of an avalanche.
Rune.
Her feet left the ground as the impact sent her backward, but before she could hit the floor, his powerful arms wrapped around her waist and hauled her against his chest. The movement pressed every inch of her body against his, and heat exploded through her veins like molten fire, shooting straight to her core with devastating intensity.
Their faces were inches apart, his breath warm against her lips. His blue eyes had darkened to midnight, flecked with gold that seemed to burn as he stared down at her. The hunger in his gaze was unmistakable, raw and desperate, matching the ache that had been building in her since he'd fled last night. For aheartbeat that stretched into eternity, she thought he might kiss her.
But then his jaw clenched, and he straightened, pulling her upright with careful precision before releasing her. His hands lingered at her waist for just a moment before he stepped back, putting distance between them that felt like a chasm.
"We need to talk," she said, her voice breathier than she intended.
"We have a problem," he said at the same time, his tone clipped and businesslike.
Maple's stomach dropped.
Here it comes. He's going to tell me to leave.
But instead of the rejection she expected, Rune said, "I found out that Bram did rebury the claim marker a century ago, and then released a rumor about something being in the area. Throughout the past century, it clearly circulated, and that's probably how you came across the rumor in your line of work."
Relief flooded through her so suddenly her knees nearly buckled. He wasn't sending her away—at least not yet. But his words sparked another realization, one that made her cheeks burn with embarrassment as she thought about how she'd actually discovered the rumor.
"How did you hear about this rumor?" Rune continued, his piercing gaze fixed on her face. "Maybe that will help us pinpoint who's after the claim marker too."
Maple felt heat crawl up her neck. The truth was mortifying—hours spent scrolling through obscure online forums, diving deeper and deeper into fringe theories and conspiracy discussions. She'd told herself it was research, but really it had been desperation, a grown woman chasing childhood fantasies through the dark corners of the internet.
"I stumbled upon it in my research online," she said carefully, hoping he wouldn't press for details.
"What kind of research online?" His voice carried the unmistakable authority of an Alpha. "Maple, you need to be very honest and upfront about this because you are in danger now that you found that claim marker, and now my town could be in danger."
The weight of his words settled over her like a stone. People had died yesterday because of her discovery. Whatever embarrassment she felt about her online habits paled in comparison to the lives at stake.
She took a deep breath. "I saw the rumors on an online forum I'm part of. It talks about fringe theories that dragons existed and has discussions about where and what could be out there to prove that dragons had walked the earth—not that anyone believed they still exist currently." The admission rushed out of her in a single breath. "I can have Ben get a list of who belongs to the forum. It's a paid membership, so not just anyone can join. It should narrow the search, but it could take time to figure out any leads that way."
Rune nodded, processing the information with the calculating precision of a man accustomed to strategic thinking. "Is there anyone in your archaeological circle—anyone at all—who has been paying too close attention to you over the years?"
The name hit her consciousness like a lightning strike, so obvious she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it immediately.
"Serena," she said, the word escaping. "She's another archaeologist, Dr. Serena Vale, who has become quite invested in what I've been doing. I just thought it was jealousy or professional rivalry, nothing dangerous."
Rune's eyebrows drew together in a frown that transformed his handsome features into something predatory. "Why don't I pay this Serena a visit and see if there's more going on with her?"
"You can't just go busting down her door," Maple protested, her protective instincts flaring despite everything. "Why don't we follow her and see if she's connected to that car chase yesterday, while Ben stays here and gets a list of people on that dragon forum?"
"You should stay here," Rune said, his deep voice carrying the unmistakable tone of command. "I don't need you getting hurt."
Fire sparked in Maple's eyes. "Like hell I'm staying here while you risk yourself. Plus, you don't know where to find her."
For a moment, Rune looked like he might argue, his jaw working as he clearly wrestled with his protective instincts. Then he let out a sigh that sounded like surrender.
"Fine. But we need to do this in stealth mode. I should probably use my dragon form so I can track her from a safe distance."
"Then I'll just ride on your back," Maple said, the words coming out more boldly than she felt.
