Feray's unease radiates through the bond. Her head remains vigilant, scanning the surroundings for any threat.
It's heartbreaking—the transformation of my once-bold and fearless mate into someone who fears the unknown more than ever. All because she feels she couldn't protect Easton.
Something fierce rises in my chest. Determination wells up within me, and I silently vow that, as long as I draw breath, Feray will not know fear.
My heart beats with unyielding resolve. I will shield her from the shadows that seek to consume her.
Through a narrow gapin the trees, a skeletal framework emerges—a haunting reminder of what once stood as a house. A tall stone fireplace, defiant in its solitude, stands on one side like a sentinel marking the ruins of a collapsed farmhouse.
The air here carries the scent of aged wood and earth.
Feray, guided by some innate sense, comes to an abrupt stop.
Torben and I move alongside her, hands gently placed on her lower back in reassurance.
"My wolf knows this place," she whispers, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves.
The revelation hangs in the air, heavy with the weight of blood-born memories she may not yet fully grasp.
My chest tightens. This is where she began. This pile of rubble and ruin is where my mate took her first breath.
Diaval, having overheard, turns to face the skeletal remnants. A sadness shades his usually stoic visage.
"Like dragons, wolves know where they were born. This was your home, I assume." He steps forward with quiet understanding and carefully pulls Feray into his embrace, mindful not to crush Easton nestled in her hoodie.
"We will face this as a family."
His words are a firm declaration. Pressing a tender kiss to the crown of Feray's head, Diaval imparts a silent promise—a reassurance that whatever lies within these shattered walls, we will confront it together.
Feray nods, finding solace in the embrace of her dragon mate. A subtle nuzzle against the underside of Diaval's jaw speaks volumes—a silent exchange of comfort that transcends words.
Stepping away, she shifts her gaze toward the tree line. Her expression is a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.
"Let's go take a look and see what we can find," I suggest gently, moving to stand alongside her.
Feray turns her haunted gaze upon me. Her eyes reveal depths of emotion swirling within.
I've come to understand that when faced with something significant, Feray retreats into contemplative silence. She processes the complexities of her thoughts in her own time.It's a learned defense mechanism, perhaps forged during her upbringing by witches. Her survival meant navigating a world of magic she couldn't access.
As we approachthe remnants of the farmhouse, the ground beneath our feet—scattered with dry leaves and stray twigs—seems to echo with whispers of the past.
Feray stops dead, staring at the structure, then scanning the entire property.
Remnants of a silo lean against what's left of a barn whose roof has long caved in. The barn itself has hints of the red color it used to be, boards that made up the walls now falling away. A wagon stands just outside as if set to leave.
Looking closer at the wagon, I notice several steamer trunks resting in the back. Packed and ready to go.
Glancing around, I spot the nose of a car sticking out of a small shed close to the house. It makes me wonder—why would they choose a wagon and horses over a car that can move faster?
"What's that look for?" Diaval moves closer to me as Torben takes Feray in his arms, guiding her toward a storage shed.
"Why the wagon?" I motion to it and the trunks in the back. "They have a car over there." I point toward the nose of the car sticking out from under a weathered tarp and collapsed roof.
"Maybe the car stopped working? Or it's because horses, being prey animals, sense predators faster than another predator." Diaval muses, looking between the two objects. "Did you look in the trunks yet?"
He reaches out, grabs one, and sets it on the ground before us.
"No. I'm not sure if we should be the ones to do it." I meet his questioning gaze, and he nods.
