Page 91 of Marked Dragon

“Because he senses you’re putting his mate at risk,” Theron growled and gestured at me. “If I had that power, I’d do the same if you talked like that about Hydra, especially if the person hunting her wanted to make her his wife.”

“By helping them, you’ve put the whole thunder at risk.” Wyvern shook his head. “What do you think will happen if Drake finds out? Hell, they knocked out the king!”

Vlad touched Thorn and me and murmured, “We need to go.”

He was right. Wyvern was distracted, arguing with Theron. If we gave them time to calm down, we could be stuck here, especially if Wyvern had a fated mate, or if he'd texted someone in the thunder to alert them about us.

Taking Thorn’s hand, I guided him into the trees as Sol and Hydra moved to stand between us and Wyvern.

“Hey!” Wyvern shouted. “You’re not going anywhere!”

Thorn tensed, but I tugged him deeper into the woods after Vlad. There was no doubt the three of us could get out of here with Hydra, Theron, and Sol there to protect us.

“Yes, they are,” Theron replied. “I’m the leader of this thunder, and I’m telling you to let them go. He healed Sol. Do you understand? Or do I need to remind you why I’m in charge?”

There was a moment of silence before Wyvern sighed. “Fine.”

Thorn relaxed as the three of us continued into the woods at a quick pace.

“Let’s shift.” Vlad stopped in his tracks and turned toward us. His skin took on a green hue. He’d already called his dragon forward.

Moving far enough away from Thorn and Vlad, I did the same. As my dragon surged forward, my vision sharpened, and my hearing amplified. My body expanded, and I found myself in my dragon form.

When Thorn completed his shift, the three of us took off, soaring back to the barn, but a chill still ran through me.

* * *

The restof the day passed. We filled everyone in on what had happened back at Theron’s thunder, and soon, dinner was ready. The scent of meaty lasagna filled the house, and my stomach grumbled.

Though I wanted only the pasta, Eva, Elliott, and Peter enjoyed a salad with their main course. My appetite for greens had vanished since I’d become a shifter, but I craved meat and carbs all the time. Thorn had explained that needing more calories, carbs, and protein was a side effect of being a dragon.

Thorn, Vlad, Cassidy, Saphira, and I headed outside to the firepit to eat. I sat between Saphira and Thorn. I tilted my head up to stare at the night sky and enjoyed all the new colors and views I hadn’t been able to see as a human.

“So… Sol and Wyvern.” Saphira twirled a piece of hair around one finger. “Were they attractive? The only dragon males I’ve met are the ones who live around the chateau or Drake’s friends, who, let’s be real, are pompous and unappealing.”

Putting his fork on his plate, Thorn glared at Saphira.

“What?” Saphira stuck out her tongue. “Just because she’s mated doesn’t mean she can’t find other men attractive. She’s taken, not blind.”

I smirked. Since I’d met Thorn, all other men had paled in comparison. Someone I would’ve found attractive a month ago, I wouldn’t even glance at today.

Cassidy leaned over the arm of her chair and patted Thorn’s leg. “I bet their looks didn’t even register on Everly’s radar, now that she has you.”

“Oh, come on.” Saphira rolled her eyes. “There’s no doubt Everly is devoted to him.” She mouthed to me,You can tell me later.

Thorn snarled.

I took his hand as I answered, “I won’t have a different answer.” We were concluding this conversation now. “Thorn is hands down way more attractive than either one of them. It’s like comparing a kid’s fingerpainting toThe Starry Night.”

“Uh…” Saphira glanced up at the sky.

“The paintingThe Starry Nightby Vincent van Gogh. Not the actual sky.” Sometimes, I forgot that many people didn’t love paintings the way Mom and I did.

Vlad nodded. “That is a gorgeous painting.”

Okay, at leastsomeonewas cultured.

“To put it more bluntly, once you find your fated mate or complete a bond with a chosen mate, you inherently don’t notice anyone else in that way.” Vlad shrugged and smiled at Cassidy adoringly. “And I wouldn’t want it any other way. She is the sun, moon, and stars to me.”

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