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“I do have updates on the security,” Sebastian said, leaning back in his chair. “The team completed the upgrades, and we’ve brought in a few men from other clans that I vetted personally. If Tomas tries to come for us directly, he'll be in for a surprise. No one will step foot on clan lands without us knowing.”
“Good to hear.” I clenched my fists as my dragon stirred restlessly within me. Even with the increased security, I couldn't shake the sense of unease settling over me with his words. I trusted that Sebastian had done everything he could, but my protective instincts were out of control these days.
“Thanks, Sebastian,” Jax said to the alpha. “I appreciate the help.”
They continued discussing the next steps while I was lost in thought. Tomas was still out there, plotting and scheming, and we were racing against time to stop him. The stakes were incredibly high not just for Mariah and Sofia, but for all of us, for every human who’d been caught in his trap whose lives were at risk thanks to his vile experiments.
We worked for several hours but eventually needed a break. Jax and I stood up to leave Sebastian's office, and as we stepped out into the hallway, he turned to me, his expression full of concern. “How's Mariah holding up through all this?” he said. “I haven’t seen her around much the last few days.”
The sound of her name on his lips, the familiarity and expectation that he should see her, made me growl straight away.
Jax raised his eyes in shock, lifting his hands in the air. “Whoa, there. No need to go feral.”
I gritted my teeth and forced myself to calm down, to be rational, but it wasn’t easy. My dragon snarled within, and my blood boiled with raw fury. It was an outrageous reaction. I was self-aware enough to realize it. But it was getting harder and harder to hold it back, especially with Jax living under the same roof as us. Part of me wanted to keep him as far away from my mate as possible.
“Sorry,” I muttered, rolling my shoulders, trying to loosen up because damned if I wasn’t strung out right now. “It’s my dragon. He's been acting up lately.”
“That’s one way to put it.” Jax let out a disbelieving laugh. “What’s the deal?”
“It’s just that…” A growl rumbled up again as I looked away in frustration. “Mariah is my mate, and my dragon wants to claim her. Like yesterday.”
Jax frowned. “So, why haven’t you?”
I hesitated, trying to put it into words, but found that I couldn’t. I didn't have a well-thought-out answer. It was just this… feeling. This sense that I needed to wait.
“It's not a good time,” I said. “We're dealing with a lot right now, and I don't want all this chaos to cloud the joy a claiming is supposed to bring. It’s supposed to be a happy moment, a memory to treasure. In the midst of all this…” I shrugged, not sure how else to explain it.
Jax nodded, but I could see he wasn’t fully buying my story, and for good reason. He knew as well as I did that the bond between mates was powerful and all-consuming. If I were to claim Mariah now, the desire to be around her would be more than I could bear. If it came down to it and I had to leave Mariah to put an end to Tomas, it would be extremely difficult. Still, that wasn’t the whole story. There was also this deep-seated fear that claiming Mariah would somehow put her in even greater danger, or worse, end up hurting her in the process. It was irrational, but it was how I felt. I wanted to wait until all of this was behind us.
“Look, I understand your reasons, Evan,” Jax said carefully. “But keep in mind that it's different for dragons. Mariah isn't a dragon, so your bond might not be as…intense as you're expecting." He paused, his eyes searching mine. “Right?”
Jax's words hit like a punch to the gut. I hadn't considered that before—the fact that Mariah was human and wouldn't experience the same bonding I did. Would my dragon still feel the same connection? Or would that be muted, too? Doubt crept in, making me question everything I thought I knew about my connection to Mariah.
“Maybe you're right, Jax,” I said. “Maybe I’d be able to handle it and take care of Tomas, too. But is it really worth the risk?” I shook my head. “Once all of this is over, then I’ll claim her.”
It felt weird to talk about this with the man who’d enraged me by merely asking about my mate. I cracked my neck. This mate bond was something else.
“You’ll figure it out,” Jax said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Love is powerful, Evan, and from what I've seen, you two share that connection. I'm just saying maybe you shouldn’t let your fears dictate your actions.”
I appreciated his advice, but a feeling of unease still lingered. “Thanks. Think I’ll go find Mariah,” I said, leaving him in the hallway and jogging down the stairs, lost in thought. My priority had to be finding Tomas and protecting my family, Mariah, and Sofia. No matter which way I looked at it, claiming her now would be a distraction.
When I stepped outside, I saw Mariah, Abi, and Sofia coming back from a walk. Just the sight of them made me smile. Sofia looked absolutely adorable in her stroller, dressed in a little white sunhat and sunglasses that perfectly matched Mariah's.
Mariah's face brightened when she noticed me, and I thought Jax might be wrong about our bond. How I felt for Mariah, and the way my dragon reacted to her presence, was enough to convince me that her humanity didn’t matter. Our bond would be just as strong if we were both shifters.
“Hey, there you are,” I called out as they approached, stepping off the porch to meet them. Mariah's eyes sparkled, and I couldn't resist leaning in for a kiss.
“Hi,” she said, her cheeks flushing with color as she glanced at Abi. “Were you looking for us? We needed some fresh air. It’s been a bit tense inside lately.”
Immediately, guilt hit for not spending more time with her amidst all the chaos. I’d been gone for days, then once I returned, locked myself away, figuring out where to go from here. “I’m sorry, Mariah. Truly.”
She waved me off with a gentle smile. “Don’t be sorry, Evan. I get it. We all have our roles to play right now. Keeping everyone safe is your priority.”
Her gentle understanding only made me love her more, but it also deepened my frustration at not being able to claim her yet. I glanced down at Sofia, who was fast asleep in her stroller, clearly worn out from their walk in the summer heat. She seemed so peaceful, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows.
“Mariah and I were just discussing her class schedule,” Abi said with a smile. “I’ve already cleared my own routine, and I’ll be able to take care of Sofia at any time.”
“You got your schedule?” I said quickly, looking between the two of them. She hadn’t told me.
