Chapter 28 Easton
Easton
Anxiety grips me like a vice, my gaze fixed on the diminishing figures of Feray and Diaval as they vanish out of sight. A sense of relief washes over me, knowing that Feray is with Diaval—the safest option among us.
But the urgency of our plan propels me into action.
Torben and I move swiftly, loading the SUV with practiced efficiency. He gives me a thumbs up, and I nod in acknowledgment, my mind already racing ahead to the next steps.
Leading a drowsy Khal out of the den, I guide him to the back seat while Torben takes the passenger seat.
"I guess I'm driving," I mutter, more to myself than to the others.
As the engine roars to life, the elder Clem emerges from between the houses. His smile seems kind but carries a forced quality.
"Where are you off to?"
I summon a smile, attempting to maintain an air of superiority that might prove useful. "Our mate's birthday is tomorrow, so we're running out to find her a present."
The elder's eyebrows raise with a hint of surprise. I tilt my head back slightly, adopting a pose that suggests indifference.
His smile becomes genuine. "On the far side of town, there are several vendors that may have something she would enjoy."
I acknowledge his advice with a nod. "Thanks for the tip. We'll look into it."
With a wave, I pull away, heading toward the back side of town. The elder's intentions remain unclear—whether he's aiding us or setting us up is a puzzle I can't decipher.
When I'm reasonably certain we're not being watched, I turn suddenly and press my foot hard on the gas. The engine roars as we speed through the cavern in the mountain. The tunnels echo with the sound of our escape, and adrenaline courses through me.
Feray and Diaval are ahead of us by now. A symphony of emotions plays beneath the surface—anticipation, fear, the not knowing what's on the other side.
Breaking free of the cavern pass feels like a weight lifting off my shoulders. I draw in a deep, relieved breath. My eyes scan the expansive horizon, an unspoken vigilance keeping me on edge.
Torben breaks the silence. "We should get there in about an hour." He glances at the map on his phone before shifting his gaze to me.
I nod, my focus fixed on the road stretching ahead. The sun is lowering in the sky—it's midday.
I glance upward as an abrupt shadow falls upon the car. Diaval's colossal dragon glides overhead, silent and majestic.
"I bet Feray made him check on us," Torben muses, following the dragon's flight.
I nod, gratitude settling within me for the unspoken connection between Feray and Diaval. Their bond, like an invisible thread, weaves through our shared existence.
"I wouldn't doubt it." A small smile tugs at my lips. "She's the perfect mate for us."
Warmth courses through me as I finally grasp onto the thread that is Feray in the bond. An intricate tapestry of emotions unfolds, revealing her anxieties and excitement for the path ahead.
Feray is a paradox herself. She possesses a captivating blend of qualities—wild yet controlled, strong yet soft, dominant yet submissive. The last one spins my head with its complexity. She holds the power to command us all, yet finds solace in surrender.
It's not a trait commonly associated with a Luna.
As the road stretches before us, anticipation of our imminent reunion fills the car. The bond we share is a delicate dance of strength and vulnerability, dominance and submission. With each passing day, the threads of our connection tighten, drawing us closer.
I'm becoming more anxious by the moment, thinking about how far I am from Feray.
"I fly too..." I mutter, the pang of jealousy raising its ugly head.
"You do realize your shift isn't big enough to carry her, right?" Torben offers gently.
Rolling my eyes, I glance from the road to Torben, then back again. "I wish I was..."
I shake my head, watching leaves flutter past us.
"We each bring something different to the family." Torben looks up from his phone. "Didn't you notice how different we all are?" He angles his body toward me. "You can match Feray's intellect and offer her challenges the rest of us can't."
He hikes his thumb over his shoulder toward sleeping Khal. "He's the sensitive one. He can relate to her emotionally better than any of us."
"Yet he's the one that can turn everyone to stone or poison them," I mention, keeping my head on a swivel.
"I'm her safe place, her silent enforcer. She knows I will destroy anything in my path." Torben laughs a little. "All of us would destroy the world to get to her. Each of us to different degrees."
I huff out a laugh. "Fire, acid, venom, or ripped to pieces. Talk about the new Riders of the Apocalypse."
My own words make me ponder. "I wonder if I can set Diaval's acid on fire and turn it into napalm?"
The reality of it has merit.
Before I can get lost in thought, the silhouettes of two people standing in the middle of the road come into view.
"There they are!" Torben exclaims, pointing down the road.
There's nothing more unnerving than watching a berserker Kodiak get as giddy as a child on Christmas morning. His bouncing in the seat makes the SUV rock in time with his movements.
"Before you accidentally roll us, please settle down."
He realizes how much his movement was affecting the vehicle. "Sorry..." His tone makes him sound like a kid caught stealing cookies.
"I'm excited too. Except I would turn this vehicle into an exploding fireball."
Biting my bottom lip, I pull off onto the side of the road close to Feray and Diaval. Before the vehicle is in park, Torben is out the door and down the road.
After parking, I walk slowly to where Torben is hugging the stuffing out of Feray.
"We were separated for less than two hours," I say, bored, rolling my eyes.
Turning to address Diaval, I'm impacted by a small giggling body.
Looking down, I can't stop the smile that crosses my lips. "My beautiful flame."
Carefully, I thread my fingers through her fiery tresses before pulling her in for a kiss. Feray melts in my arms, and my insecurities fade away in an instant.
This little wolf in my arms is more precious to me than any treasure in my treasury.
Feray's eyes flicker with the power of her wolf as she stares up at me. "My flame..." She traces my cheek, smiling, her eyes dancing over my features.
The way she's looking at me makes my bird rise to the surface. Her wolf is calling to my bird on a primal level.
"My mate..." When she smiles, I see the canines of her wolf.
"What's on your mind, Feray?" I've seen this before. She needs to scent-mark me again—that, and she probably wants sex.
Feray tilts her head left, then right, before she leaps into my arms. The sudden movement catches me off guard, and we fall backward.
Oof...
The wind is knocked out of me when we impact the ground. Thankfully, I take the brunt of it.
She climbs up my body and pulls my tie free, nuzzling my shoulder where she'd bitten me before. Her teeth grip my flesh, and I hate to admit it—I come in my pants instantly.
She doesn't break the skin, but she holds me there for a few moments.
"You are not less than any of the others." She presses the tip of her nose to mine.
The words hit me harder than the ground did. She felt my jealousy. She knew.
She climbs off and heads toward the SUV.
"She's uneasy about heading into the town. She doesn't scent anything living in the area beyond wildlife." Diaval says without taking his eyes off the SUV.
"The town is abandoned?" Torben lifts his nose to the wind, closing his eyes, focusing on the minute scents traveling on the air. "My nose isn't as sensitive as Feray's." He looks back at us. "I don't smell anything living either."
"Let's be prepared for anything, then." I look between my bondmates.
Diaval glances back at the car, then between Torben and me. "Keep Feray with you." He looks into Torben's eyes, and Torben gives a firm nod. "Easton and I will handle whatever threat comes. Shift and get her out of the area fast."
"Wouldn't you get her out faster?" I tilt my head.
"No. I take too long to shift, and we'll be vulnerable in that time. Khal is a good second option to get her out." Diaval taps his chin, looking down the road.
"Why is Khal getting me out?"
Feray's voice catches us off guard, and I almost jump out of my skin.
"Just in case there's danger, little wolf." Torben moves to her side, stealing her from Khal, and presses his lips to her forehead.
"All I've known is danger since my amulet broke." She rubs the area over her sternum where the missing amulet must have sat. "Hopefully soon we'll know why."
I motion down the road. "Silver Falls is on the other side of the hill. Hopefully, we can find answers in what remains of the town."
Every tiny movement of the skin around her eyes tells me she's not thrilled. She gives me a sharp nod, then moves back to the SUV and climbs into the backseat.
Drawing in a fortifying breath, I return to the vehicle and drive down the dirt road.
Rolling into town is like the start of the horror movies Feray and Khal watch at night.
Dead and dying trees surround the outskirts. Entering the town limits, it's more of the same. Most buildings are dilapidated beyond repair. I wonder when someone last lived here.
I park just inside the town, concerned about making too much noise.
"We'll walk from here."
My eyes find the others, and they nod firmly, resolve flickering in their eyes as they come to terms with what may come.
We don't know if we face an army of the dead, a horde of wendigos, or worse yet—feral vampires nesting in the heart of town.
I refuse to voice my concerns, yet Diaval pops into my thoughts, expressing the same fears I have. Mythics and ancient wyrm dragons can communicate without words in close proximity.
I'm ready to burn the town to the ground to protect my mate—and now my bondmates.
Feray looks skittish yet resolved to go through with this adventure. Her wolf lurks under the surface, ready to rip free to protect its human counterpart. Torben's bear feeds off the anxious energy she's giving off.
This, regardless of how it turns out, is going to be a major turning point for my mate.
Either we're going to find the answers to her universe, or hopefully at least a direction to find them.