Page 3 of A Dragon's Curse

I hoped he wasn’t hurting like I was and that he knew I’d had no other choice. Most importantly, I hoped he could find a way to forgive me once I got out of this mess.

Knox brushed past me, his shoulder brushing against mine and making the forced connection between us flutter. Vomit rose up my throat, and I spit it out behind me with a gag.

There were no forced feelings of want with a chosen mate. There was no greater force at play that increased my attraction to this man. No, when a bond was created instead of being fated, any feelings shared prior to the bond between the chosen mates remained. A blessing for which I was currently thankful.

If tying myself to him had changed my instant hatred for this man, I had no clue what I would have done.

Knox opened the front door slowly, blocking my view. It took everything in me not to punch his spine and barrel through, but I’d made the choice to obey this dragon shifter for River. I wouldn’t fuck things up when I was so close to making sure he was okay.

What felt like several minutes later, but was probably only a handful of seconds, Knox moved out of my way. In the center of the barren living room sat an unconscious River, bound to a chair with chains that appeared to be burning his skin.

“Riv,” I whispered, nearly dropping to my knees before I swirled my head around to glare at Knox. “I agreed to your asinine request. Why isn’t he healed yet?”

“Because I don’t trust you,” he replied casually.

“Yeah? Right the fuck back at you.” I sneered. “Can I touch him?”

The dragon shifter waved his hand flippantly, then said, “Remove the restraints.”

I’d thought he was talking to me, but then the masked man I’d seen in the picture of River that Knox had showed me back at the dorm stepped into the room from the hallway on the left. He kept his eyes averted and had some sort of shield over himself.

Stupidly smart warlock. If I couldn’t scent him with my wolf, then I couldn’t track him later to rip his head off. Not that I wouldn’t still try. Someone would know something, and I’d fucking find out. Nobody touched my family and got away with it.

Even if River and I weren’t blood or pack family, he was just as important to me. These men were fools to believe they’d get away with this, but I’d let them think what they wanted for the time being.

Suddenly, I was able to smell something different in the room. It appeared the warlock’s shield couldn’t block his magic from me when he was forced to use it.

I won’t forget that scent, my wolf growled with a promise I knew she’d keep.

She’d been quiet since the bond to Cillian was shattered, but I knew she was just as furious as I was. Together, we’d find our vengeance, just as soon as we made sure everyone we loved was safe.

We need to find out what Knox has planned, my wolf added.We’re in it this far. Might as well play the game.

She had a point. I didn’t like it, but I agreed. As long as I didn’t have to let Knox put his hands on me.

Fuck. What if the bond triggered a heat? Even though I hated him, I wouldn’t be able to deny allowing him to ease the pain of a heat. If that happened, I had no doubt that I would wish I was dead and that Cillian would never forgive me.

Moon Goddess, please don’t be that cruel, I begged.

The warlock stepped away from River, but before he could get too far, I said, “Heal him.”

Knox chuckled. “You’re in no place to make demands, Little Wolf.”

I swirled around, and a rumble echoed from my chest and around the room. “That’s where you’re wrong, Knox. You might hold River’s life over my head, but that can only last for so long. Either he’ll be safe, or he’ll be dead and you’ll lose all your leverage. I’ve played nice, but don’t fucking push me right now if you want my compliance to continue.”

His eyes widened briefly, but he wiped the surprise quickly from his face. “An alpha female. I didn’t expect that.” His eyes cut to the warlock. “Very well. Heal the boy.”

River wasn’t a boy, but Knox could have the insult. All I cared about was that he knew I was right. Of course I wanted to keep River alive, but holding his life over me couldn’t be Knox’s endgame. It wouldn’t work forever. There had to be something more. Just like my wolf had said, we needed to find out what that something was.

River groaned in the chair as the chains fell to the floor. Dried blood still covered him, and there was bruising around his face, but he was waking up. I had to find a way to ignore everything else.

“River?” I pleaded, gently touching his face and pushing my alpha energy to him. “Wake up.”

A moan sounded from between his busted lips, and his eyes finally blinked open, but they weren’t able to focus on me before closing again.

“I said to heal him,” I demanded without tearing my gaze away from my best friend.

“He’s healed enough to prove he’ll live,” Knox answered. “His wolf will do the rest. Now, say your goodbyes. It’s time for us to go.”

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