Page 78 of So I Dared a Dragon

“Are we actually fighting these wolves?” Luca asked, like he was reading my thoughts. “It won’t be a fair fight.”

But would I take on Bibi, if she challenged me? She’d shown us nothing but kindness.

“Don’t think we’ll need to,” I said as a plume of flame exploded close to the ground. “But we protect what belongs to us.”

I swooped down, coming closer to the scene, and that feeling got stronger.

For a moment, the pavement disappeared, and there was nothing but the barren desert and beasts before me. The vision became clearer. The last time I was in this place, it was as an agent for the Night God. The Shifter King had fallen, disappeared by some accounts, and the Night God saw an opportunity.

And it was my job to tell them what a good opportunity it would be.

That was first time I’d ever laid eyes on my mate.

She was one of them. But she was alsothe one. Her red hair glistened in the sunshine as she threw her head back to laugh like she didn’t have a care in the world.

In my mind’s eye, our gazes locked, and I knew from that moment she would be mine.

Fire blossomed from every fiber of my being when I realized exactly how much had been stolen from me.

“Aarix!” Magnus snapped. “You’ll incinerate them.”

The wolves scattered. Only Bibi, Calista, and a woman I’d never seen before remained.

“Who’s the other dragon?” Luca asked.

I’d been so focused on the wolves—and then wrapped up in the vision—I hadn’t even noticed she had dragon characteristics. She was more like Calista, a hybrid. Naked from the waist up, with wings that overwhelmed her tiny body. Her eyes were wide, scared, and she was lucky to be alive. There was no one within scent distance of her who thought she had any experience in this form.

At least, in this lifetime. I had a feeling there was a reason Calista had been so drawn to her. Which made me wonder if she and Bibi shared a similar connection.

We landed in the middle of the highway.

Calista ran over to me and put her arms around my neck. Hugo barely had a chance to dismount.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” She pressed a kiss against my neck. Smoke rose on contact. “Those wolves are Montana pack.”

“I wish it had come as more of a surprise.”Bibi huffed. Her fur was caked with other wolves’ blood.“And I played into their hands, calling them to ask for help.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?”

She closed her eyes for a long blink. It wasn’t like her. Something didn’t smell right, and now I wondered if that wasn’t some of her own blood.

Hugo wasted no time shifting and going straight to her side.

“Because you can leave the pack, but it stays with you. We were taught to keep our problems to ourselves. Not let anyone else know we were weak.”

“You’re the furthest thing from weak, babe.”Hugo nuzzled his snout against her neck.

“Or did you not trust us?” Magnus growled.

Calista’s mouth dropped. “Why would you ever say such a thing?”

“Because you’re in love with Bibi.” He grinned, like this was some sort of victory. “We watched Lars and Hannah’s episode. Where you told the entire world that your episode would end with a twist. Is that what this meeting was about? How your pack would help you twist the knife in Aarix’s heart?”

“Absolutely not.” Calista shook her shoulders and squeezed her eyes shut. A wall of heat rose from her, and her skin melted away, revealing her true form.

The most gorgeous dragon I’d ever seen.

Her scales were still red, copper, and gold, and she looked like she’d risen from the earth. She tipped her head back and let the fire inside her loose, and it rose to the sky.

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