Page 71 of Dragon Daddy Protector

I considered his words. I’d thought of this many times, though it took a backseat to my family and clan’s safety. If Tomas managed to replicate the serum, he could create an army of dragon-human hybrids. We didn’t know his end game yet. Yes, it was likely all about the money, but knowing how insane Hawthorne was, who knew what chaos and devastation he might create?

Matthew didn’t look happy with me when he said, “You should have told me what he was up to. I can understand why you didn’t, but we could have acted sooner. This is more than just a turf war between clans. Now that I’m aware of the serum, I have to act.”

I understood. Matthew had his own code of ethics and duty he had to follow. It was his job to protect human society just as it was mine to defend my clan.

Matthew looked at Mariah. “I’m so sorry for what’s been done to you. Truly.” He offered her a small smile. “But that you survived is a miracle.”

He brought his focus back to me. “Many innocent lives have already been lost because of Tomas Hawthorne and his experiments. We now have proof of this because of Jax. If what he’s told me is true, we have enough evidence to put the man away for a lifetime. I know this isn’t what you want his fate to be, but this is the best outcome we can aim for.”

I wasn’t fully convinced. I still wanted to rip his head from his body and watch him bleed for what he’d done to my mate. I wanted vengeance for my mother and stepfather, for Sebastian, for Mariah’s parents, and for every innocent life.

I nodded. Tomas had been working on perfecting this serum for years. Every day that passed brought him closer to success.

“We don't have any time to waste,” Matthew said. “Which is why I’m here. Jax said he had irrefutable evidence of the lives lost in these experiments.”

Jax nodded, looking to me. “I’ve got everything they need. Just say the word, and I’ll hand it all over.”

I looked around at everyone in the room, the weight of their gazes on me. As alpha, it was my responsibility to lead them through this storm and bring them through safely to the other side. I wouldn't let them down, even as the desire for vengeance weighed on me.

“We’ll cooperate, Matthew. Jax can provide you with whatever resources you need to bring Tomas to justice.”

Matthew nodded. “We’re all on the same side here.” He turned to Jax. “You have videos of what you disclosed?”

“I do.”

I nodded. “Get the man what he needs.”

Jax disappeared into the room while I met Mason’s gaze. He’d been quiet, and while these weren’t his battles to fight, we’d been best friends and business partners for two decades. His opinion mattered.

“This is the right move,” he said softly.

I exhaled. My emotions were on edge, and while I liked to think I could remain level-headed and make the right decisions under pressure, having his confirmation put me more at ease.

Jax returned with a DVD and handed it to Matthew. “Here’s the footage you need. Keep this safe. It’s the only hard copy we have, and it’s too risky to send this over the internet.”

“Thank you. We'll make sure Tomas pays for his crimes, and we'll do it without compromising the safety of your family—any of them,” he said, with a pointed glance at Jax, assuring me of his immunity.

With that taken care of, he left us, and I looked at everyone else. “Tomorrow, we head back to Texas. No overnight stops. We’ll take turns and drive straight through.”

It was time to get back to the safety of the clan lands.

Once Mariah had taken Sofia upstairs for the night, I convened with Jax.

“I want to leave early—well before dawn—but first I want to make sure the place isn’t being watched. Help me check?”

“Absolutely.” We ventured outside to scan the area while Mason made calls to the building security, as well as to our own private team requesting additional surveillance.

The night air was cool against my skin as we went about our business. My dragon senses were on high alert, attuned to every rustle of leaves, every footstep on the sidewalks of the city, and every scurry of the creatures that lived in our midst. But there was no sign of a threat or indication that someone lurked in the shadows.

“Everything check out okay?” Jax asked when we reconvened.

“Seems like it.” I looked into the darkness one last time. “Just being cautious.”

“As we should. With everything happening, better safe than sorry.”

“Get some rest, Jax.” I clapped him on the back. “Tomorrow's going to be a long day on the road.”

“Will do.” He turned to head back inside, but I called out his name.

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