It did the trick, and I’d come back to myself.

  I hadn’t heard from Roman Santos since we’d left town. A mistake. I should’ve kept tabs on him. Assuming he wouldn’t try to eventually enact some sort of revenge had been naive.

  As I followed Stefan over the trees, away from my normal hunting area and higher into the mountains, my fear grew.

  At least if it was a trap, I had my dad and Axel by my side to help. I’d made Jury stay behind with Maddox and return to the manor. It would be on them to protect Mom and Hailey if someone tried to take them.

  I prayed it wouldn’t come to that. As we flew ever northward, I could hear Carlos and part of his pack below us, moving far faster than a wild wolf would’ve been able to. They couldn’t quite keep up with our flight, but we’d slowed down a small bit so they could keep pace.

  I heard her voice before the cabin came into view. She screamed, but it was cut off with the audible sound of fist meeting skin. Even though stealth would’ve been the best idea in the situation, Zephyr roared his anger at hearing his mate hurt. I was just as angry as he was, but I would’ve stayed silent.

  “Maverick,” she said in relief. She could’ve whispered as softly as she could, and I would’ve been able to hear her.

  We landed in front of the cabin, Carlos and his wolves catching up by the time I pushed my way into the cabin, naked, of course.

  Ava was on her side in one corner, tied to a chair. She was way too close to the fire.

  “Stop, Mav, he has a—” Roman cut her off by kicking her in the stomach.

  I lunged toward him, grabbing his arm and yanking, pulling him across the small room and away from my mate.

  Dad and Axel rushed in wearing shorts. Axel threw me a pair, which I slipped on as I moved toward Roman.

  “I’m going to kill you.” He didn’t know when he was beaten. Laughing, he held his arms out. “Come on, alpha. You won’t best me this time.”

  I roared and put my shoulder forward, aiming for his center mass.

  “He has a gun!” Ava screamed. I made contact with Roman’s stomach, driving him into the wall of the cabin and pinning one of his arms behind him. A gun wasn’t much threat to a dragon. Even in our human skin, a bullet wasn’t much of a threat. Our skin was tough and hard to pierce. We could be shot, but the smaller caliber weapons felt more like BB guns.

  Rearing back, I punched at him as hard as I could, but he moved his head in the nick of time and my hand drove into the rough log of the cabin.

  This time, I roared in pain. What a stupid, rookie move.

  Roman swung around into the opposite corner, still smiling as he faced down me and my family, with Carlos and his wolves outside. “Why are you smiling?” I asked. “You have nowhere to go.”

  My hand had already healed, my adrenaline amplifying my already fast healing process.

  He pulled out a gun, aiming and firing fast, faster than I would’ve been able to do. We’d never had much to do with weapons as they weren’t much good against the type of enemies my clan usually faced.

  Ava screamed as he pulled the gun out. My dad and brother had untied her and gotten her on her feet. She must’ve known what he planned, because she rushed him, knocking him to the side. The bullet, which probably would’ve hit my heart, sliced through the skin of my arm instead.

  Shit. It shouldn’t have been able to pierce my skin, and damn it. “What is this?” I roared as pain throbbed across my arm. It fucking hurt!

  Roman pushed Ava with his full strength, sending her flying across the room. Axel and Dad both reacted and tried to catch her, but they only managed to grab her arms. Her head flew into a stack of wood beside the fireplace. She went limp.

  With a roar I couldn’t contain, I rushed Roman again, knocking the gun away and punching at his face again. This time, my fist connected with his flesh.

  Everything blurred after that. Roman was stronger than he’d been when we’d fought as teens, but he wasn’t anywhere near a match for me. This time, I wouldn’t let him live to scheme up another revenge plan.

  In accordance with dragon law, he had to die for his crime. He’d provoked the attack when we were kids and kidnapping an alpha’s mate was unforgivable. No clan in the world would fault me for taking his life.

  I shifted just my hand, allowing Zephyr to take control with his claws. I knew he’d enjoy the kill.

  With a roar, we swiped downward, but we hadn’t anticipated Roman’s deviousness. He grabbed the gun, just within reach on the cabin floor, aimed upward, and shot.

  The bullet tore through my shoulder, acid burning away from the injury and into my blood in a way that shouldn’t have happened with a simple bullet wound. I’d never been shot before, but the burning pain spread throughout my entire body. I froze, my clawed hand out to my side, and gasped for breath. I’d never felt anything like this. My entire body worked against me as I fought to stay upright.

  I couldn’t. Sinking to one knee, I let my brother slide behind me for strength. He held my body up while my eyes were on Ava as she woke in my father’s arms.

  Carlos came in warily. “Hey, okay now. You got us covered. Put the gun down.”

  Roman crowed his triumph. “The mighty Maverick Kingston, brought down by a bullet.” Laughing, he struggled to his feet. I’d beaten him so soundly he was taking a while to heal. “I’m not so weak now, am I? I cultivated a plant that was rumored to incapacitate dragons. I guess it works pretty good, huh?”

  Fire burned through my veins, and not the kind that I thrived on. But I wasn’t quite as bad off as I made it seem to him.

  “Roman,” I whispered.

  He leaned forward. “Have any last words?” He waved his gun toward Carlos to keep him at bay.

  Carefully making my voice choked and thin, and leaning heavily on Axel, I played up the weakness and pain I felt. “Yes. I wanted to say…” I gasped and lurched forward, leaning on Roman and clutched his shirt. “Die!” I growled, then let my hand which was gripping his shirt shift into claws and sink into his chest. Pushing in, my claws easily cutting through the bone, I found his heart and clutched it before yanking it from his chest with a roar so loud it hurt my throat. Chest heaving as my body battled the pain from the bullet and the adrenaline, I barely noticed Ava’s reaction.

  She yelped and buried her face in my father’s chest, the only thing that made me possibly regret the method I’d chosen to kill the rogue alpha.

  Shit.

  Stamping back my desire to rub my enemy’s blood all over my body, I threw the heart down and wiped my hand on Roman’s shirt after his body thudded to the floor. Composing myself as much as I could, I quieted my labored breathing and tried to calm down.

  It didn’t help that Zephyr was losing his shit inside me, crowing our enemy’s defeat and ready to breathe fire on his body in celebration. His exuberance caused low growls in my throat I couldn’t stop. Almost like a cat’s purr, but more frantic.

  Then, I turned to Ava. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She nodded, peeking at me with most of her face still against my dad’s chest.

  I didn’t think for one second that my dad took any pleasure in the situation, but Zephyr didn’t like his mate against the bare chest of another male. He growled, so I held out my arms for her.

  She pressed herself into my embrace, but she didn’t collapse against me and sob like I expected her to. She pushed me away and inspected my shoulder. “We’ve got to get this looked at,” she said. “Shouldn’t you have healed by now?”

  She was right, and I was reaching the end of my strength. “About that,” I said. “I don’t think he was lying about whatever he put in the bullets.”

  I stumbled forward and Ava caught me, but I was too much for her, so Dad and Axel scooped me up and helped me walk outside, sensing I didn’t want to stay in there with the dragon.

  The cold air was bracing to me, but I knew Ava would freeze quickly. “Someone find the truck keys,” I gasped. “Get us home.”

  I couldn’t quite keep up with all the movement around me as I was stuffed into the small cab of the truck with Ava. Dad drove us down the mountain and to the manor.

  By the time we got there, the burning had intensified until I couldn’t stop the moans. I’d never felt pain like this, not even with my first shift, which was pretty damn agonizing. All first shifts were, then it changed to be more orgasmic.

  It took both Axel and Dad to carry me inside, and they couldn’t make it to my bedroom. They got me on the couch, laid out, while Mom held Hailey.

  “Is he going to be okay?” she asked in a terrified voice.

  “Of course,” Axel told her. “He’s the alpha. Our doctor is on his way, and he’ll set him right.”

  We had a healer in our clan, but he generally stayed in Arizona with my grandfather, since that settlement was far bigger than ours.

  Thankfully, Granddad’s settlement was in the northeast of Arizona, and flying into the mountains wouldn’t take him long at all. When we pushed ourselves, we moved as fast as a small aircraft.

  “He told me what poultice to mix until he got here,” Mom said. “Hailey and I will make it now.”

  They ran to the kitchen, and I slipped in and out of consciousness. I woke again as they applied a cloth covered in herbs to the bullet wound. It didn’t feel any different, and I grunted as I passed out again. Ava’s voice followed me into the darkness. “Hold on,” she whispered. “Help is coming.”

  The next thing I knew, a sharp pain in my shoulder had me roaring and sitting straight upright. The doctor, Buddy, jerked back and held the syringe upright and away from my flailing. “I didn’t expect you to be strong enough to fight like that,” he chortled. “That’s a good sign. The sheriff helped with their first aid, after all.”

  Mom beamed at me. “Lie back down,” she said in her sternest mom voice. “Let the doctor give you a shot.”

  I did as she said—even alphas shouldn’t disobey their mothers. Doc Buddy injected something into my shoulder, and the dizziness increased. I put my other hand on my face and moaned.

  “It’ll get worse before it gets better,” he said. “I’ve seen these bullets used before. You’re lucky you’re an alpha. A beta might’ve succumbed to the poison by now.”

  My stomach lurched, but they’d planned for that because Doc held out a garbage can for me to retch into.

  Soft hands held my hair away from my face as I emptied my stomach. I hadn’t imagined I could’ve had that much food in there. It’d been hours since I’d eaten.

  But still, more came up.

  “How?” I lurched between bouts of vomiting.

  Doc chuckled. “It’s the nature of the herb used in the poison. It empties you of more than food. The poison is drawing out of your blood and into your stomach. That’s part of what’s coming up.”

  Ava hummed as she held me. At some point, she’d slipped herself under my head and held me as I retched.

  Eventually, she and I were alone in the room as the vomiting quieted. My shoulder had healed on its own once Doc put the antidote in me, so I was beginning to feel closer to normal, just weak and tired. Doc had given her something to speed along her healing as well, but she insisted all she’d had was a headache. I was just glad the doc had been there.

  Maddox walked in a while later to find me sitting up and Ava in my lap. I hadn’t let her go since I started feeling better.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Hey, son. Come here.” I patted the couch beside me, and Ava got up as Maddox sat down. She enveloped him into a hug and then settled on his other side.

  “Please don’t do that again,” he choked out. I put my arm around him as he broke down, then the three of us ended up in a big hug as Maddox wept.

  “I was so scared. If we’d all been together, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”

  I didn’t tell him that they would’ve grabbed Hailey. He was right, we had strength in numbers. “You’re right,” I said. “I won’t get scared like that again.”

  Ava sat back. “Is that why you ran? You knew this was coming?”

  Shit. Time to face the music.

  Indeed. “I knew something was coming. I suspected. When I told you I needed to shift focus, I never meant to make you think I was running or wouldn’t be back. I just wanted to create distance so it wouldn’t seem quite so much like you were a vulnerability to me.”

  She arched an eyebrow at me over Maddox’s head. “That didn’t work out quite like you imagined, did it?”

  I barked out a laugh and shook my head. “I guess not.”

  Maddox finally calmed down. “You stay here with Jury tonight, okay? It’s late. Your mom and I are going to go home and talk out everything that happened.”

  He nodded. “Okay.” After walking across the room toward the foyer to go upstairs, he turned. “Gross,” he said weakly. He knew damn well we weren’t just going to talk. Not if I had anything to do about it.

  Mate. Zephyr had one thing on his mind, but this time, I was right there with him. “Let’s go.”

  25

  Ava

  “Wait,” I said as we walked toward the woods. “Can I ask something inappropriate?”

  Maverick arched an eyebrow at me as he stopped to see what I wanted. “Of course.”

  An idea had popped into my head that I wanted to explore, but I wasn’t sure if he was too tired or if it was even possible. “If you’re too tired, say so. I don’t want to do anything to strain you after what happened.”

  He nodded, looking more confused than ever.

  “I was just wondering, is it even possible...”

  “Ava,” he said when I waffled around and wouldn’t say it. “Spit it out.”

  “Can I ride you?” I blurted.

  His eyes widened and jaw dropped, and Zephyr roared in my head. “Is he laughing?” I asked, not sure if I should be offended.

  “No, he’s screaming at me to take my clothes off. He wants you to ride him.” Maverick cocked his head. “A lot.”

  I clapped my hand over my mouth. “Really?” I whispered.

  Maverick gave me a sly look and stepped away as he stripped. I enjoyed the sight of his skin appearing as he threw his clothes on the grass. “You ready?” he asked.

  Giggling, I nodded, my eyes glued to his hard dick. The idea of me on his back had excited him quite a bit.

  He shifted, and again it happened so fast I couldn’t take in the details. In the end, Zephyr stared at me with his enormous head. He chuffed in my face, sending his scent all over me and bringing up massive goosebumps.

  I was hyper-aware that we stood out in the manor front yard. His family could look out at any moment. “Can we go on to the cabin? I want to explore you, but not here.” My skin itched with the thought that my son could be looking out at us.

  Zephyr bumped into me with his massive head. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I said. “Now how do I get on?”

  He crouched down; his enormous body pressed against the ground. “I’m going to just do the best I can, okay?” I said.

  I can talk to you, don’t forget.

  I jumped and squealed when I heard him in my head. “I had forgotten,” I exclaimed. “Hi, Zephyr.”

  Hello, Mate. Are you prepared for the claiming?

  “Um,” I said nervously. “I’m a little fuzzy on how that works.”

  I will explain it as we fly. Climb on. You will not hurt me.

  “Should I take my shoes off?” I stepped closer, but it felt so weird to climb on top of a winged dinosaur.

  No. He chuffed out a laugh. I do not think you could hurt me even if you tried with all your strength.

  “Okay,” I said, and did my best to be light. Once I was settled behind his wings, I leaned up and patted his head. “Where do I hold on?”

  Base of my wings.

  He gave me no more warning, launching into the air. I screamed as we rose straight up. He moved as if there was no regard to my weight on his back.

  Are you comfortable?

  “Yes!” I called over the cold air whipping past us. “It’s cold, though!”

  This flight will be quick. When we claim you, Maverick’s mouth will transform into my teeth. He will bite you on the back of your neck near your shoulder.

  “Will it hurt?” I yelled.

  No. Biting in the height of a sexual encounter enhances the experience. You will have the best orgasm you’ve ever had, and sadly you’ll never have another one as good as the first bite. So, prepare to enjoy it.

  Zings of anticipation zipped through me at the thought. The best orgasm I’d ever had? I would do my best to have fun.

  “And we’ll be bonded forever?”

  You will live as long as we do, enjoy good health and vitality. You cannot be easily killed, as your life force will be tied to ours. Our daughter will be given the choice of a similar, nonsexual bite when she is of consenting age.

  Interesting. I loved the idea that my children could go on the journey with me.

  You do have a choice. We would not force this on you.

  There wasn’t much of a choice to make. I wanted to be tied to Maverick and Zephyr. Maverick was an idiot who thought staying away from me would protect me, but he hadn’t been running, not like I’d thought. And I never wanted to be parted from him again.

  Zephyr slowed his flight as we neared the cabin and it was easier to hear. I didn’t have to yell. “When I’m bonded, will you guys feel like you have to run away from me if there’s danger?” I asked. Zephyr didn’t answer as he lowered himself to the ground. I tensed up, expecting the landing to be jarring, but he stepped onto the ground light as a fairy on a flower petal.

  No. When you are bonded, you will be hardier. It will be hard to kill you, even if someone tries. We will be happier about your safety. We can also teach you to fight.

  I nodded. I accepted that explanation.

  Trying to be graceful, I swung my leg out backward, trying to dismount my enormous dragon mate without falling on my ass.

  I did not succeed.

  Plopping onto the grass, I burst out laughing, soon joined by Maverick. He’d shifted back to his human body. I’d have to explore Zephyr another time.

 

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