“Trust is a tricky thing.”
The plane descends, touching down on the runway of the small airfield just outside Portland. As the engines whir to a halt, the tension inside the cabin seems to swell, punctuated only by the soft click of our seatbelts being unfastened.
As I step out onto the tarmac, the brisk Oregon air wraps around me, carrying with it a sense of urgency. I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering unease. That dream—it felt too real, too vivid. Its impact leaves me rattled, my thoughts clouded with dread.
I follow Penn as he makes his way down the stairs and over to the large SUV waiting for us. Without a word, Penn takes his place behind the wheel, his movements purposeful as he guides the vehicle onto the dirt track that leads away from the airfield. I stare out the window, the rhythmic hum of the engine providing a steady soundtrack to this fucking nightmare.
Lost in the depths of my thoughts, I can’t shake the haunting image of Ash’s battered and bruised body from my mind’s eye. Why didn’t she tell me where she was going?
The question echoes in the recesses of my brain, unanswered and unyielding.
As the landscape blurs past the windows, the weight of uncertainty presses down on me, suffocating and relentless.
“Why?” I ask into the silence of the car, the only sound being the tires on the road.
Penn sighs, and I catch his grip on the steering wheel tightening momentarily.
“Why did you send her there, of all places?”
“Ash is the best at what she does. There is something of great value in Faerie, something my brothers and I desperately seek.”
Anger simmers in the pit of my stomach. “Then why not retrieve it yourselves?”
“Because we can’t cross into Faerie. A witch put a curse on us, trapping us in this realm. If we were to try to cross realms, we would be torn apart. Literally.”
Despite my anger subsiding to some extent, I cannot let go of the blame I place on him and his brothers for imposing this upon Ash in the first place. Penn turns down a gravel driveway and a large house comes into view. The house’s immense size and expansive wrap-around porch have me in awe. The rolling green hills with the forest backdrop are really stunning. My attention snaps to the front door as it suddenly swings open, revealing a handful of people who step out onto the porch. Lukas Black,the alpha, stands out from the rest with his imposing stature. I also see Sander and Kyra among the group.
Penn stops the car, and we sit for a moment, taking in the six figures staring at us from the porch.
Then Lukas and Nesrin slowly make their way down the steps, accompanied by a blond-haired man and an Asian man, who stand only a few feet behind them. I look over at Penn, waiting. He is eyeing them through the front window and green scales ripple over the exposed skin of his neck, the only indication of his discomfort.
Simultaneously, we both grab the door handles and proceed to get out. We walk toward the group together and come to a halt a few feet from them. My eyes widen at the sight of Nesrin’s unmistakably round stomach. It has only been seven weeks since I saw her last. Had I not noticed back then?
In a show of respect, I lower my head, and Penn follows suit.
“Alpha. Luna,” he says.
“I know you,” Lukas says, looking at me. “But not you.” His green gaze swings to Penn.
“My name is Penn. I’m here to ask for your assistance.”
A sudden commotion from the side of the house draws our attention. Three small pups come racing around the corner, their tails wagging with unrestrained excitement as they dash around the yard. Tiny paws make rhythmic patters against the ground, and their playful yips fill the air, completely oblivious to the presence of the visitors. But it’s the small dragon that captures my attention. Its scales shimmer in brilliant hues of green and blue, reflecting the sunlight with a captivating shine. Despite its diminutive size, perched atop the dragon’s back is a small blond child, no older than five. Her wide eyes are a mesmerizing blend of blue and violet, filled with a mix of wonder and mischief. She sits confidently on the dragon’s back, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“What the hell?” I mutter.
The dragon’s wings unfurl with a whoosh when it sees us, creating a small gust of wind that rolls across the ground. Its keen golden eyes lock onto us, a curious tilt to its head.
Penn steps forward, his attention now focused on the dragon. Sensing the tension building in the air, I reach out and grasp his arm. Even through his suit jacket, I can feel the armored scales of his dragon as he fights against the shift.
“You have a dragon?” he growls.
Lukas steps forward, eyes glowing with the formidable power of an alpha protecting his pack. “That dragon is family.”
“How do you have a dragon?” Penn snarls, snapping his attention back to Lukas.
“None of your fucking business, Kotov,” Lukas replies, his shoulders rolling back. He has clearly connected the dots as to exactly who has entered his territory.
Fuck, we need to deescalate this, or they will never help us. Getting to Ash is my only priority.
