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“You said he came to the penthouse? And he needed a medic?”
“Yes,” Evan said slowly. “Jax escaped, but he was battered and bruised when he arrived. Tomas had gotten to him again, left him for dead, but he didn’t let that stop him. He fought his way through Tomas’s men to get to us. To tell us how to save you.”
The thought of Jax again risking his life for me brought tears to my eyes. Despite the strained relationship between him and Evan, Jax had still come through for us when it mattered most.
“Without Jax, we might never have found you,” Evan said, his grip tightening around mine. “But the guilt… it’s eating him up inside. He blames himself for not stopping his father sooner.”
I hated that Jax felt such guilt when he’d been nothing but a pawn in Tomas’s twisted maneuvers. Still, I could understand why it weighed so heavily on him. He’d been betrayed by the one person he should’ve been able to trust above all others.
“None of this is his fault. I hope he can find some peace in knowing that.”
Evan nodded in solemn agreement, and we lapsed into silence as we both processed the enormity of everything that’d happened.
Finally, I looked up at him. So, what now?”
Evan’s eyes met mine, filled with equal parts love and resolve. “For now, we keep our eyes and ears open for signs of Tomas. We protect our family, our clan, and we do whatever it takes to ensure their safety. And also, we take some time for you to rest and adjust to being a dragon.”
My dragon. A breath whooshed out of me as it stretched in my chest, making sure I was fully aware of its—her—presence. Evan’s heart beat faster as he bent his head to mine, and I could only think about one thing.
“Is my heart always this loud to you?”
“What?” Evan burst into laughter.
“I mean, I can hear just how excited you are to kiss me.” My cheeks turned pink as his grin widened.
“Oh, Mariah. How do you think I always knew you had a thing for me? Long before you even realized it yourself.”
I swatted at him, and he laughed again as he caught my wrist, tucking my arm behind my back as he pulled me in even closer.
Then when his mouth closed over mine, I knew everything was going to be okay. We didn’t have all the answers, and I had no idea how to “adjust” to being a dragon. But I did know this: as long as Evan was by my side, we would figure it out together.
Chapter 30
Evan
I leaned against the massive wooden desk in my father's study, resting my head in my hands. Two weeks had passed since I took over as alpha, and I still felt like the weight of this responsibility might bring me to my knees.
Being in Sebastian’s office made me question everything. The room was filled with the scent of aged leather and wood, so familiar to me. It was a smell I associated with Sebastian, part of the memory of the countless times I’d been in this very office with him. But he was no longer here, and I feared I’d never fill his shoes.
I ran a hand through my hair and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. My dragon was unusually quiet, seemingly needing to come to terms with this as well. After all, I didn’t take the legacy I’d inherited lightly. The future of the Carey clan rested on my shoulders.
As I turned my attention back to the records Sebastian had left behind, I continued my studies. There were endless things I needed to know, and these books were filled with meticulous notes, meant as a guide for Lucas when he was supposed to take over as alpha. But Lucas wasn't the alpha. I was.
I made my way through the pages, surprised to find that some of the notes weren't meant for Lucas at all. They were for me. It seemed Sebastian had held out hope for me even in the years I’d been away. My heart thudded in my chest as I read one particularly poignant passage.
Trust yourself, Evan, Sebastian had written. You have the strength and wisdom to lead our people. You are more capable than you know.
He’d always believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Even when he’d been forced to banish me, he’d cared, hoping for the day I could return. It was all here in his letters and notes. When had he written these? Some seemed to go back several years.
I was still in the office hours later, long after the sun had descended, sitting alone at my father's desk, running my fingers across the worn pages of the book he'd left behind.
Do not be overwhelmed by the weight of this responsibility. Trust in yourself and know that you are destined to be the best alpha for our people. I have always believed in you.
So many similar statements, always reaffirming his belief in me with the reminder to trust myself. His words struck me to the core as tears flooded my eyes. I couldn’t remember ever being this emotional. Then again, I’d lost my father. It would take time. The sorrow might never fade completely.
“Hey.”
I glanced up, startled to find Lucas in the doorway. I’d been so absorbed that I hadn’t even heard him coming. I had no doubt he could see and sense my distress.
