Page 2 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

But I didn’t.

Ash left for a moment, getting up and going to the door. He opened it; apparently, someone had knocked, and he came back with a bottle of water. After cracking open the lid, he handed it to me.

“Here.” He nodded at the bottle. “Tell me what’s going on. Last I heard, you were out in the Three Ridges area.”

“Close,” I whispered, taking a sip, realizing abruptly that I hadn’t had any in a long time. “I’ve been at North Oak for the last two months.”

Ash frowned. “North Oak? I haven’t heard from them in a while. That’s a stretch for you. Usually, you’re constantly moving around.”

“Yeah. Well…” You’ve been running, Rowan. That’s what you were doing… Are doing. Running. “It’s a long story, but I found out where I’m from.”

His brows rose, and Ash leaned in. “You did? You found out… who attacked you? How the heck did you manage that from the other side of the country?”

Tears filled my eyes, and I sniffled loudly. It was gross. I was gross. I hadn’t slept or eaten. I was alone. And I’d been avoiding thinking too much about everything. But as Ash asked, the weight of reality hit me, precise as a bullet, intense as an explosion.

“Ash… It’s so fucked. It turns out I’m the mate of the North Oak Alpha clan, all four of them. Years ago, when the old Alpha found out his son wasn’t going to rule on his own because of it—because of me—he was furious, unhinged. He had someone try to kill me.”

Ash reared back, looking at me in surprise. “You’re the Alphas’ mate?” He shook his head, trying to rationalize everything, to put it into order. “Holy fuck, Rowan. We knew there was a chance you were aware of dragons because of what happened, but this is…”

“I know. I only just found out… about the attack. When I did… the guy was convinced he’d do it again. That he’d hurt me, hurt the other Alphas. I just… panicked. I got in my car, and I drove. I didn’t even realize where I was until I saw the gates.”

Ash pulled me in for a hug. “You’re more than welcome to stay here. The horde will welcome you back with open arms. Even if it’s only temporary.”

“I don’t know if it’ll be temporary. How am I supposed to go back when he’ll try to ki—” My voice cut off, and I trembled, my eyes burning as tears dripped down my face. “I’m human, Ash. If an Alpha wants me dead, I’ve got no chance!”

It was hitting me just how vulnerable I truly was. I had been stupid, putting myself at risk at every turn by being stubborn. Antagonizing Alphas, staying in North Oak when I knew there was danger there.

“Hey.” Ash forced me to meet his eyes. “You’re safe. No one here is going to hurt you. Take your time, regroup. We can discuss this more when you’ve rested.”

“I just left… I didn’t even tell them. My mates…”

“Give yourself time, Rowan. Rest. I can send word to them, tell them you’re safe in the morning if you want. You look dead on your feet. When was the last time you slept? Or ate?” Ash regarded me, and I shrugged, exhaustion firmly taking hold. “Well, it’s all right. You can pause for a second. Your old rooms are still there, too.”

My brows shot up as I leaned back. “Really? You don’t have a new healer in them?” I sniffed.

Ash cocked his head, the gesture nonchalant. “Cormack works from an office attached to the facility, but I made it clear your rooms were to remain untouched, in case you ever wanted to come home.”

Home.

As he said the word, I couldn’t help but notice how wrong it felt. My stomach pinched, a rising nausea following right on the footsteps of a pain in my heart so great that I was sure it’d kill me. So much was trying to, apparently. If Cyrus didn’t do it, the grief would do me in, anyway.

There was no winning this. Even here, among friends, I felt adrift, unconnected to the people and place. I wasn’t the Rowan who’d lived here before. I wasn’t Emmeline, either. I didn’t know who I was.

I was back at my beginning, yes, but I wasn’t sure I was home.

Bastian

It didn’t take long for news to reach us that Rowan was gone—mere moments. One of her guards had seen her driving off horde lands as fast as physically possible. He’d called out after her, apparently several times. He said it was like she couldn’t hear him. He tried to follow her, but she ran directly to the car, and he didn’t have one to follow her with.

“Are you sure she was driving herself?” Orsen demanded, facing the young dragon with a glare as he paced.

“Yes, sir. She was moving fast, like she was worried about something.” The guy looked like he was going to piss himself, so I didn’t think he was lying. “I tried to get her attention. I swear. I called out several times, but… well, she was fast. Then I came straight to you.”

A crushing pain hit my chest—there was no way we could be losing her… again.

There had to be a sensible reason Rowan would leave. If we could just find out what had happened before she took off, I was sure we’d get to the bottom of this.

At least, that was what I was telling myself.