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Okay, now we’re both saying hurtful things, but I don’t deserve this. I’m trying to follow this pull I’m feeling and help these lost travelers, and he’s calling me crazy instead. I haven’t lost my mind; I’m following my heart. If he can’t see that… then I don’t know. I don’t know what that means for us.
“You’re being ridiculous,” he says as his eyes darken. His frustration is rising to the surface. “You can’t ignore me all day.”
Without missing a beat, I give him the most serious look I can. “I can, and I will. Leave me alone.”
I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm before I can get more than a step away.
“You can’t be serious,” he scoffs in disbelief.
“Leave. Me. Alone,” I scowl as I tear my arm from his grasp, storming away without looking back.
Who does he think he is?
Chapter Seven
DREYDEN
Flames rip from my palms as I lose my shit. My skin feels like wildfire as the heat rages through me.
I didn’t want to leave Adeena with all those strangers this morning, but she made it clear she doesn’t need me. She doesn’t want me.
As soon as she tore from my grasp, leaving me standing alone between the legion tents, I opened a portal. I had to get out of there. I couldn’t stay somewhere that I wasn’t wanted when it felt like my mate was rejecting me.
My portal got me here in a matter of seconds. I’ve been standing at the edge of the forest for at least ten minutes, and my blood hasn’t stopped boiling.
Today is going to be a fucking terrible day. I can feel it.
I make my way toward Alaric’s family home just like every other morning, but today I’m later than normal. I hadn’t planned on traveling to Northford today because of my gut feeling, but here I am, fighting against instinct.
I grunt through each step as I walk, trying to work through the extreme anger I’m feeling. I need to calm down before I get to Alaric’s house. I can’t let Razvan see me like this. It’ll frighten him and he’ll be afraid of me.
Shaking my palms, I will the flames to go out, and they reluctantly recede into my skin.
I try to loosen my stride as I stalk toward the house, but it feels next to impossible.
Adeena doesn’t want my protection, and that pains me more than most of the trauma I’ve experienced throughout my lifetime. It’s etched into my brain to protect her. How could she not want it?
Razvan appears on the horizon ahead, and I send him the friendliest wave I can as my eyes focus on him.
He’s waving back with both arms, which is something I’ve never seen him do.
My ears begin to pick up frantic cries for help as I get within hearing range of Razvan. His face comes into focus, and his eyes are opened wider than I thought possible. That’s when I realize he’s not greeting me with a wave, he’s trying to flag me down, panicking as he tries to get my attention. All the anger I’d been previously feeling melts away as worry settles in.
Gold wings explode from my back as reality sets in. Something’s wrong. Razvan is alone in the yard, and Alaric is nowhere to be seen. I squat into a low stance, then launch my body off the ground. I soar through the sky, reaching Razvan in a matter of seconds.
“What’s wrong?” I ask more assertively than I meant to.
Razvan’s young man-boy face is frightened. “It’s my dad! They attacked him!”
“Who attacked him?” I ask as I look around for potential threats. “Where is he?”
He points toward the house. “He’s inside with Mother! He’s bleeding! Mother told me to watch for you outside.” His young voice is full of adrenaline.
Perhaps I was reading my gut feeling wrong this morning. Maybe this is where I was supposed to be.
I curse under my breath, scolding myself as I run inside the house with Razvan hot on my heels. I burst through their door, searching for Alaric.
My eyes meet Ellia first. She’s leaning over Alaric’s bloodied, beaten body while she applies pressure to a gushing wound. “Where have you been?” she screams, her voice full of anger and rage.
