18. Chapter 18
Adrian
She’s perfection.
I stand in the doorway of my bedroom, watching Julia sleep.
The early evening light filters through half-drawn curtains, casting golden patterns across her bare shoulder where it peeks above the sheets.
My wolf rumbles with satisfaction at the sight of the fresh mating mark on her neck—two crescent-shaped punctures already healing into what will become a permanent scar.
My mark. My claim.
The mingled scent of our bodies hangs in the air, a heady mixture that makes my nostrils flare with primal pleasure.
Each soft breath she takes resonates through me like a physical touch.
The bond between us pulses with new life; her emotions flow into me like a gentle stream, subtle echoes of contentment and security that mirror my own.
I've never felt anything like this before.
The connection is still forming, still strengthening, but already I can sense a bridge between our minds that will only grow with time.
When she wakes, she'll feel it too, my emotions flowing to hers, like a permanent lifeline between us.
The thought both thrills and steadies me.
My wolf, normally restless and prowling beneath my skin, lies content for the first time in memory. The beast recognizes what I've known since the moment I caught her scent: she is ours. She has always been ours.
A sharp knock at the front door jerks me to attention. My wolf surges forward, instantly alert to a potential threat so close to our vulnerable, sleeping mate. I move silently through the cabin, reaching the door in a few long strides.
I inhale deeply before opening it, scenting the visitor. Dragon.
I pull the door open to find Percy Ashbane standing on my porch, looking like he's aged a decade since this morning. His normally vibrant green scales have dulled with fatigue, and dark circles rim his eyes.
"Percy," I acknowledge, stepping back to allow him entry. My wolf remains wary, protective instincts making me track his every movement. "Come in. "
"Sorry to drop by unannounced," Percy says, stepping past me into the cabin. "I needed to check on you both after the fire. And update you on the situation."
"Julia is fine," I reply, closing the door. "How's Silverine?"
Percy runs a hand through his hair, a surprisingly human gesture for a dragon.
"Sprained ankle. She's back at the manor, barking orders from a chaise lounge with her foot propped up on satin pillows."
Despite the tension between us, I find myself smiling.
"Sounds about right."
I guide him toward my office space, away from the bedroom where Julia sleeps. I don't want our conversation disturbing her rest.
"Coffee? Whiskey?" I offer, gesturing to a chair.
Percy shakes his head. "No, thank you. I can't stay long. I don't want to leave Seraphina alone too much right now."
He sits heavily in the offered chair, his wings dwarfing the furniture. I take the seat across from him, studying the lines of strain etched into his face.
"What's the damage report?" I ask, getting straight to business.
"The fire completely destroyed the east wing's security system," Percy reports, his voice flat with exhaustion. "No footage, no backups, no trace data that might help identify the thief."
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "Convenient."
Too convenient. Too clean. I know I have no choice now. I have to tell Percy.
Before I can continue, a soft sound from the doorway draws both our attention .
Julia stands there, dressed in my faded Saltford Bay Sheriff's Department t-shirt and a pair of jeans that hang a bit too loose on her frame.
Her hair tumbles around her shoulders in sleep-mussed waves, and the mating mark stands out vividly against her pale skin.
Even disheveled from sleep, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
"I heard voices," she explains, her gaze moving from me to Percy. "Everything okay?"
I feel a surge of protectiveness as Percy's eyes widen slightly at the sight of the mark on her neck. My wolf preens at this visible proof of our claim for all to see.
"Fine," I assure her, reaching out a hand. She crosses the room to take it, and I pull her gently to my side. "Percy was just updating us on the situation at the manor."
"How's Silverine?" Julia asks, her concern genuine. "Is she alright?"
"Sprained ankle," Percy repeats. "But she'll be well enough for tomorrow's rehearsal dinner. Dragons heal quickly."
"And Seraphina?" Julia's fingers tighten slightly around mine, a gesture I feel both physically and through our new bond, her worry pulsing into me.
"Shaken," Percy admits. "But determined. That's one thing about dragon women—once they set their minds to something, not even fire can deter them."
Julia nods, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.
"Good. I should call her later, see if there's anything I can do to help."
An awkward silence falls over us. I can feel the weight of what I need to discuss with Percy pressing down on me, but I'm reluctant to expose Julia to what might become an ugly confrontation .
"Julia," I say gently, "would you mind giving us a minute? Percy and I need to discuss the investigation."
She glances between us, intelligent eyes picking up the undercurrent of tension. Through our bond, I feel her curiosity but also her willingness to give me space.
"Of course." She squeezes my hand once before releasing it. "I'll make some tea."
Once Julia has left the room, Percy's expression hardens.
"What is it, Adrian? I can smell the suspicion on you."
I move to my laptop, opening it and pulling up the security footage I flagged before. I turn the screen toward Percy, showing him the frozen image of Kraxon approaching Silverine's office just before the theft.
"Your brother told my deputy he was in Portland the day the tiara was stolen," I say, watching Percy's face carefully. "But this footage shows him at the manor at the exact time of the theft."
Percy stares at the screen, his expression unreadable.
"So? He misspoke about his whereabouts. That doesn't make him a thief."
"It makes him a liar," I counter, leaning forward. "And now we have a fire that conveniently destroyed all the security equipment."
Percy's scales darken, a sign of rising anger in dragons.
"What are you implying, Sheriff?"
"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating facts." I keep my voice level, professional. "Kraxon lied about where he was when the tiara disappeared. He's in serious financial trouble due to that scandal at his law firm. The tiara is worth millions. "
Percy stands abruptly, his wings half-extending in the confined space of my office, knocking a lamp from a side table. Heat radiates from his skin as his control slips.
"My brother would never betray me this way," he growls, smoke curling from his nostrils. "Never."
"The evidence—"
"This isn’t what it looks like," Percy cuts me off. "Kraxon is working to clear his name in that scandal. He has nothing to gain from stealing the tiara."
I rise to meet him, unwilling to be silenced by a misplaced sense of dragon loyalty. If his brother is the thief, then Percy needs to listen to reason.
"Then why lie to my deputy? Why say he was in Portland when he was clearly at the manor?"
Percy's jaw tightens, flames flickering briefly at the corners of his mouth before he forces them back.
"Because he's working as an informant with the Portland police to trap a dirty associate. He gave your deputy a false statement because he couldn't reveal his real whereabouts without compromising that investigation."
This is news to me. But it doesn’t mean it’s true.
"Can you verify that?"
"Call the Portland PD if you don't believe me," Percy challenges. "He's working to clear his name and his firm's reputation. He would never jeopardize that by stealing from his own clan."
I remain unconvinced.
"Then what about the fire? That fire was too hot to be natural. "
"It still doesn’t mean it was dragonfire," Percy countered. "We won’t know if an accelerant was used until we get the results from the lab."
"But only one of our suspects has both motive and opportunity," I press.
Percy's control snaps. "Find another suspect," he roars, his voice shaking the windows in their frames. "It's not Kraxon!"
He turns and storms out of my office, slamming the front door so hard behind him that the entire cabin shudders. I stand in the stunned aftermath of his departure, running a hand through my hair in frustration.
Julia appears in the doorway, her expression concerned. Through our bond, I feel her worry washing over me.
"That went about as well as expected," she observes, moving to my side.
"Yeah." I exhale slowly, forcing my own anger down. "I knew he'd defend his brother, but I didn't expect him to have an explanation ready."
Julia leans against me, her warmth a balm to my frustration.
"Dragons are intensely loyal to their clan members. I’m not sure he would believe Kraxon is the thief even if he saw him with his own eyes."
"I know." I wrap an arm around her waist, drawing her closer, inhaling her scent now permanently marked with my own. The wolf in me settles slightly at the contact. "But something still doesn't add up. Why work with the police to clean up his name if he’s going to make a fortune selling the tiara?"
"Unless he can’t stand the thought of losing his brother," Julia muses. "Maybe he thinks he can keep this a secret. After all, Seraphina didn’t call off the wedding like I’d feared once the tiara was stolen. "
Still too many unknowns. And still no way to get the tiara back.
A soft electronic ping interrupts our conversation. I cross the room and open my email, then freeze at what I see.
Julia follows, looking over my shoulder at the screen.
No sender. No subject. Just a message:
Midnight. West Dock. Come alone. Bring cash.
My body tenses, the wolf rising to the surface, my eyes beginning to glow emerald in the dim room. I feel Julia's heartbeat accelerate through our bond, a mixture of fear and excitement pulsing between us.
"They accepted the offer," she whispers.
My wolf bristles, teeth mentally bared, ready for the hunt. The predator and prey are finally about to meet.