Page 57 of Dark Dragon’s Wolf

Are you okay? he demanded.

I’m fine. They haven’t hurt me. They were disturbingly happy to see me, though. Apparently they didn’t know for sure their little trap would work. Some evil fucker is getting a promotion out of this.

Not if I kill him first, Tristan said. Where are you?

In that cell. She showed him a mental picture, though it was distorted. But that other dragon’s not in it with me. I think he works for them.

Tristan’s wolf growled, and tried to claw his way out. Cages made him crazy, and seeing Mayah in one made him crazier.

Tristan fought him back. He couldn’t lose it now. Mayah needed him.

Did they drug you? he asked Mayah.

Yeah.

Fuck. He was definitely killing somebody. Soon.

It’s okay though, she tried to reassure him.It’s one of the ones that Ragnor gave me, so I’m kind of used to it. It makes everything weird in my head, but I can still function.

Is that why your cell looks like a fun house? he asked.

Yeah. Sorry.

Hell. He’d let her get captured, and she was apologizing to him?

Did they collar you? he asked. Or insert an inhibitor to keep you from Changing?

Not so far, she said. They couldn’t find my dragon. I sent her away. Back to the cave. You know.But I told them that what Ragnor did damaged her too much. That she’s been gone for years. They must have believed me.

Smart girl.

Don’t worry, he said. We’re coming to get you. They’re mustering the team right now.

No. Not yet.

Are you crazy? I’m not leaving you there. I promised you. He felt the weight of that promise—that if anything ever happened to her, he would save her. He would keep that promise, or die trying.

I know. The warmth in her voice told him she remembered too. I’m counting on you. But I think I can still communicate with some of the wolves. I can get more intel from their minds—the layout of the whole place, where the power station is, where the main server banks are, what kind of defenses they have.

Mayah, you can’t.

He could feel her determination through their bond.

This is the best way, she insisted. It’s not just about me. We have to save them all—and I’m not losing anybody I care about doing it. If we wait—if I can get the information you need—we all have a better chance of getting out alive. Just give me a day or two.

The thought of her alone in there for another two days—or another two minutes—was killing him.

She’s right, Flynn said quietly in his mind. He could hear Emon growling faintly, but he didn’t object.

I need to do this, Mayah said softly.

He wanted to race in there right fucking now and pull her out. How the hell could he leave her? But then, how could he take her choice away from her? He knew how much it meant to her to be able to do something meaningful—to help people in trouble.

To help his people.

And she needed him—not to rush off half-cocked, but to trust her and back her play.

It went against all his wolf’s protective instincts, and all of his too.