Page 63 of Marked Dragon

Even if Thorn hadn’t told me, I would have known they were fated mates by the way they defended each other. Cassidy wouldn’t let Vlad’s parents hurt him without having her say.

“Why did he decide to stop protecting us?” Aiden lifted a brow. “Are we no longer worthy?”

Cassidy laughed bitterly. “That’s not it, at all. He finally found a reason to comehome. He’s been hoping for one every day for the past twenty-one years, but nothing could justify it. Now, thereisa reason, and your son needs your help. This was why I tried talking him out of coming here to begin with.”

“That’s what people do when given a chance.” Thorn released me and took my hand, tugging me to follow him as he stepped up beside Vlad. “They disappoint you. All these years, Vlad talked about what an amazing man you are, but you’re no better than the king. Let’s go. We’ve wasted too much time here.”

Thorn let go of me and forced Peter toward the door. Saphira and the others stood from the couches, and our group moved to leave.

When Vlad touched the doorknob, Alina called out, “Wait. Please don’t leave. Not yet.”

Aiden growled. “Alina.”

I turned around to see the older woman glaring at him as she said, “You had your say. Now it’smyturn to get stuff off my chest.”

CHAPTERTWENTY

I hopedwhatever she was about to say would be in our favor. So far, in the face of Vlad’s sudden resurrection, she’d been the more level-headed of the two.

Vlad didn’t turn. He continued to face the door, his hand on the knob. Cassidy stood close, ready to defend her mate.

“Your father has made it clear where he stands, but as soon as you walk out the door and leave, he’ll regret it.” Alina flexed her fingers at her sides. “And, even if he doesn’t, I won’t stand here and turn my back on my son, even if Aiden is the leader of our thunder.”

“Alina,” Aiden growled, but the older woman ignored him.

“Unfortunately, I do agree it’s too risky for you to stay here. Not just for us but for our thunder. The royals could be on their way here now. I can give you cash so you can rent rooms at a hotel the next town over, and I’ll make some calls to find a place for you to stay in the near future.”

My lungs inflated more freely again. I’d thought we were doomed, and his mother was helping us, although mainly for Vlad’s benefit.

Grimacing, Vlad slowly turned and looked at his mother.

The rest of us shuffled to the side so we weren’t blocking their view of each other.

“Thank you,” he rasped, his eyes glistening.

Though I hadn’t been around him long, I already knew he was a strong, smart man, yet his parents had so much influence over him. From what I’d seen, parents didn’t understand the lasting impact they had on their children until random moments of clarity like this.

My heart ached, and my fingers caressed the pendants of the bracelet Mom had given me. Even six years later, her loss still gaped inside me, especially when something good or bad happened, and I reached for the phone to call her, only to remember that was impossible.

Thorn pushed warm love and comfort through our connection, knowing exactly what I needed. Though I no longer had Mom, I had him, and that meant more to me than the world.

“Of course.” Her body shook harder. When she stopped in front of him, a tear trickled down her cheek. “But it comes with one stipulation.”

I tensed. I’d thought this had been going so well. Had that been an illusion?

Vlad huffed. “Which is?”

“Youcan’tdisappear on us again,” she murmured and hugged him. “I can’t survive it a second time.”

His face crumpled, and Cassidy glanced at Thorn, then flicked her eyes toward the door.

She wanted us to leave, so I wasn’t surprised when Thorn said, “Let’s give Vlad a moment with his parents. Everyone, get in the Suburbans. We’ll leave as soon as he’s ready.” He walked over to Peter, standing close, not willing to risk my stepdad trying to run.

Saphira nodded. Gently nudging Alina and Vlad out of the way, she opened the door. We walked to the vehicles and climbed into the ones we’d ridden in here. Thorn put Peter back in the front passenger seat and got into the seat behind him to keep watch. He didn’t trust Peter to sit behind us since he seemed to be trying to find a way to escape. At least, this way, he couldn’t try to talk Elliott into doing something stupid like jumping out the back.

The front door opened, and Cassidy marched out with a sizable duffel bag.

Will Vlad be all right?I asked Thorn.

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