Kamrynn’s POV
I barely sleep the rest of the night. The hours crawl by, each second stretching longer than the last as my mind races. My babies. I need to see them. I need to hold them in my arms, feel their little hands gripping mine, hear their voices calling out for me. It’s been too long.
The logical part of me knows they’re safe with Rmonica. She’d protect them with her life. But that doesn’t stop the ache inside me, the unbearable longing that refuses to be soothed.
If I had it my way, I’d go straight to Blue Bell to be with them. Still, I know where my duty lies. The Obsidian Pack has been suffering for over a year because of my curse. My absence has already cost them too much, and I can’t let them continue to bear the weight of sins that were never theirs to shoulder. My children will always be my top priority, but I won’t let an entire pack suffer when I have the power to set things right.
Morning finally arrives, and I throw off the covers, exhausted yet restless. I waste no time getting ready, dressing in a simple yet practical outfit that won’t be a hindrance during the journey. When I step into the living room, I find Lorien seated in an armchair, drinking some kind of dark liquid from a carved wooden cup. The bitter scent of herbs fills the air.
“What is that?” I ask, wrinkling my nose.
Lorien glances at me over the rim of the cup. “A suppressant.” He takes another sip, grimacing slightly before setting the cup down on the table. “To keep my rut under control.”
I blink. “Your rut still isn’t over?”
He smirks, amusement flickering in his vermillion eyes. “Yes, little wolf. A dragon’s rut lasts a week, sometimes more. It’s only fair since it happens like once every five years. And let’s just say I don’t intend to be around anyone while I’m in that state. You can attest to what almost happened between us yesterday. It’s a lot to handle, especially around someone I’m attracted to.”
The memory nearly makes me shudder but I straighten up and fold my arms, eyeing him warily. “So, what? You’re just going to disappear into some cave until it’s over?”
Lorien shrugs. “Something like that. I’ll drop you off safely, then I’ll find somewhere isolated until I have full control of myself again.”
I nod, digesting this information. “Well, you better not lose control while we’re in the air. I don’t want to end up plummeting to my death because you suddenly decided to start acting on instinct.”
Lorien chuckles, standing up. “You wound me, Kamrynn. I have better control than that.” He stretches, rolling his shoulders before looking at me expectantly. “Ready to go?”
“More than ready.”
Lorien strides towards the door, and I follow closely behind. As soon as we step outside, he moves a few paces ahead of me and takes a deep breath. Then, before my eyes, his form begins to shift.
It happens so quickly yet so fluidly that it never ceases to amaze me. His body stretches, limbs elongating, his skin transforming into smooth, deep crimson scales. His wings burst from his back, unfurling into massive, leathery appendages that block out the rising sun. His tail extends behind him, powerful and lined with jagged spines, and his neck grows longer, his head morphing into something both majestic and terrifying, strong horns sprouting out from either side.
Lorien is huge. Towering, monstrous, yet breathtakingly beautiful in his draconian form. The sunlight glints off his red scales, making them shimmer like molten lava. His scarlet eyes glow like burning embers, dark slits menacing but somehow mesmerising and when he exhales, wisps of smoke curl from his nostrils.
I’ve seen him like this many times, yet the sheer magnificence of it still stuns me.
He turns his massive head toward me and huffs, the force of it ruffling my hair. “Well?” His voice rumbles through my mind. “Are you going to keep gawking, or are you getting on?”
Snapping out of my trance, I move toward him and carefully climb onto his back, settling between the ridges along his spine. His scales are warm beneath my hands, pulsing with raw energy.
The next moment, he spreads his wings and takes off.
The ground vanishes beneath us in an instant as we ascend into the sky. The wind whips past me, and I clutch onto him tightly, watching as the small cabin we’d been staying in becomes nothing more than a speck below.
Lorien flies steadily, cutting through the clouds with ease as we head toward the Obsidian Pack. The journey takes hours, but the sight of the landscape passing beneath us keeps me from growing restless. Vast forests, winding rivers, and open fields stretch as far as the eye can see. Eventually, the familiar borders of the Obsidian Pack come into view.
As we cross over, I notice movement below. The border scouts have seen us. Naturally, the sight of a massive dragon flying into their territory throws them into a panic.
“Ignore them,” I tell Lorien through our mental link. “They’ll sort themselves out soon enough.”
He rumbles in response, descending toward the Pack House.
By the time we land, a crowd has already begun to gather, drawn by the sight of a dragon in their midst. As I dismount, I can feel their fear, their hesitation. No one dares to step too close, their gazes bouncing between me and Lorien with uncertainty.
Then, the whispers start.
“She’s back…”
“Is that… Kamrynn?”
“Dear goddess, it is her.”
Some sound awed. Others sound wary. The weight of their stares presses down on me, but I keep my chin high.
The murmuring is cut short as the crowd suddenly parts. A figure pushes through, moving quickly.
Calvin.
The moment I see him, my stomach twists.
He looks… different. There’s shock on his face, but also something deeper-something that looks almost like relief.
“Kamrynn.” His voice is hoarse, thick with emotion. In an instant, he closes the distance between us and pulls me into a tight embrace. “Gods, I’ve missed you,” he murmurs, his arms tightening around me. “I’ve looked everywhere for you…”
Disgust churns in my gut.
I stand rigid in his hold, repulsed by the false affection he’s suddenly so eager to shower on me. Missed me? Oh please, spare me. Only someone with a heart, who’s actually capable of emotions, can miss someone. He’s a psychopath. A heartless egotist. Most of my misfortunes in life have spawned from him. My parents died saving his father, my own sister turned against me because of him, he put me through absolute hell because he couldn’t process his own emotions and yet he has the nerve to stand here and pretend like he cares? Bullshit.
I shove him away, hard.
Calvin stumbles back, eyes widening. “Kamrynn-”
“Don’t touch me,” I snap, my voice colder than ice.
The crowd watches in stunned silence.