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“Easy for you to say. If it doesn’t work out, I’m the one who ends up empty-handed while you two walk off into the sunset.”
“True, but if you leave now, you’ll never know for sure. It’s the worst sales pitch in the world, but you’re already hurting. Is one more month gonna make a difference if it fails? At least you’ll know and will be able to move on.”
He held his breath as he watched Delton, emotions playing over the beta’s face in rapid succession.
Finally, Delton sighed. “Okay. I hate this because I know I’m gonna end up hurt all over again, but you’re right. If I don’t try it, I’ll never have the certainty I need to move on.”
Pure joy filled Adar. “Oliver? You okay with this?”
“More than okay.”
Adar still had Oliver’s hand in his left and now took Delton’s hand with his right. “All right, then. Let’s give this a go.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Rhene woke up confused. Where the hell was he?
He was in a bed. A hard one and a far cry from being comfortable, least of all because his arms and legs were securely tied down, but he wasn’t dead, so there was that.
The last thing he remembered was hanging upside down from a tree. For hours until he’d lost all feeling in his legs. He hadn’t even tried to shift back, fearful his human body wouldn’t stand up to the cold and he’d freeze to death. Thank fuck his fur had provided him with some insulation and protection against the weather.
But he was somewhere inside now. Somewhere warm, with a wood fire burning, judging by the smell. And he was back in his human form, naked under a thick layer of covers. How had that happened? Maybe he’d shifted subconsciously while he was out. But who had taken him down from that tree?
“Ah, you’re awake, Mr. Hightower.”
He whipped his head around. A red-haired man stood leaning against the doorframe, a cup of steaming liquid in his hand. He was studying Rhene intently. A shiver danced down Rhene’s spine. The guy looked familiar, but where had Rhene seen him before?
“Who are you?”
“My name is Duff Bás, Mr. Hightower.”
“Name doesn’t ring a bell, but you do look familiar.”
Duff took a step closer. “We met before, though under very different circumstances.”
“You’ll have to refresh my memory.”
“Oh, I’d be happy to. You and your pack are harboring dragons, Mr. Hightower. Dragons that are responsible for killing family members and comrades of mine for centuries. And I intend to use you to bring them down.”
Understanding dawned. “You’re one of the dragon slayers.”
“No, Mr. Hightower. I’m the only dragon slayer, the last one left after my mates were killed when we attacked your ranch. I will not rest until I’ve rid the earth of all the dragons. And you’re going to help me.”
Fuck. He was in so much trouble.
