Page 45 of Cruel Daddy Dragon

“You need to learn not to react, Man,” Orion says, “Seriously. Kaius wouldn’t find it funny if you didn’t react.”

“I know,” I groan, “It’s hard not to; he just knows how to piss me off.”

Orion chuckles again and shrugs.

“I really thought getting with his fated mate would calm him down a bit,” I grumble, “Get some energy out, you know?”

“He’s still Kaius, though,” Orion says playfully, “He’s always going to be a prick.”

I chuckle. Orion looks back to the snow, and his face drops.

“Wait…” He murmurs, “This is…”

Orion starts walking, eyes fixed on something I can’t see. As I follow along with him, I try to see what he’s looking at.

“If you’re following a set of human footprints, they might be Sarah,” I say.

“They’re not human…” Orion mutters in reply.

My heart drops.

“Wait, is that a dragon’s footsteps, then?!” I snap.

“I think so…” He answers.

“But Sarah was herealonehere yesterday!” I yelp, “She could have been kidnapped again!”

“But she wasn’t,” Orion says briskly.

I suck in a deep breath. Thepanicwhich filled my throat just then…

“Right,” I say.

He keeps walking, eyes fixed on the floor. As I walk, my mind starts whirring. I feel like I can see it—Sarah in her little police uniform, staring down at the small hole, and an Eclipse dragon landing behind her and—

“Rufus!”

I flinch. Orion’s glaring at me.

“You’re stepping in the trail!”

“Sorry, O,” I answer.

“What were you even staring at?” he snaps.

“Oh… nothing,” I say, “I just… I was seeing Eclipse kidnap Sarah again.”

“Well, that didn’t happen, so get a grip,” Orion grumbles.

“Sorry,” I say again, “I can’t get her out of my mind. I don’t know how.”

“You need to do something about it!” Orion says, “I need you to concentrate, Man!”

“I’m not sure what to do about it!” I protest, “You don’t know what it’s like!”

“No, I don’t,” Orion sighs, “You need to talk with Cyrus and Kaius about that and figure it out.”

“I don’t know,” I answer, “I don’t know if they could help. The pair of them started acting real crazy when they first met their fated mates.”

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