Page 10 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

He’d shared the same table as Rowan. He’d been with her in the clinic as she treated his mate. For weeks, he’d been right there, under our noses, next to Rowan, and we had no idea that he’d been the one to cause her—to cause all of us—so much pain.

The kicker was, of course, that it wasn’t only Tanner. He’d been working under orders from our old Alpha. Bastian’s father, who’d looked his son in the eye and tried to kill his mate.

“Rowan won’t hesitate when she hears…” Nina trailed off, handing me a bottle of water before attempting to hand one to Orsen, which he waved off.

Nina had stuck close to Ma since she was attacked, helping me the best she could. We had been icing the dragon fire and using some anti inflammatory salves that Rowan had taught Nina to make. But other than that, we were fairly clueless. We simply had to keep changing her bandages and attempting to keep her cool and hydrated.

“I’ll never forgive myself for this. I let Ma get hurt because I’d been too fucking dumb to see what had been going on.”

“Orsen,” I bit out, shaking my head. “It’s not your fault. We all feel⁠—”

“Guilty as hell.”

The three of us spun around to face the door, knowing that voice immediately. My heart leaped into my throat. I wanted nothing more than to run to her, but I didn’t think it was the right time.

“Rowan… you’re here? Am I hallucinating?” Orsen’s shock was palpable. He furrowed his brow, shaking his head when our mate appeared with a bag of supplies, Bastian and Grey behind her.

“How is she?” Rowan asked, striding into the clinic. She only gave me and Orsen a glance, all her attention going straight to Ma.

“Rowan,” I whispered, lurching forward and wrapping my arms around her as she got to the bed, burying my face in her hair and inhaling deeply.

“Hey,” she greeted softly, leaning into my touch for a moment before pulling back and looking at Ma again.

“We did what we could, but I’m no expert.” I gestured at Nina. “We’ve both been keeping her cool, like you mentioned Kiki doing for you.”

Rowan bobbed her head, setting her things down and stepping closer to examine her patient. “Help me.” She directed her words at Bastian and Grey.

Rowan started laying out items with precision. “I need fresh water and linens,” she instructed.

Nina nodded, darting out of the room, no doubt to order one of the many dragons hovering outside, waiting for anything that they could do to help.

The whole horde was upset.

Ma was an important member of our horde. She knew and cared for everyone as if they were her own. We all appreciated it more than we let on, something I vowed to change because Ma had to see just how much we loved her.

When Bastian had dragged me to North Oak, explaining to my teenage self that I was a dragon, Ma had sat me down, fed me, and mothered me in a way I had never experienced as a foster kid.

I’d said thank you a number of times, but it wasn’t enough. I’d taken for granted how she’d always been there for us—for me—and I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“I brought the stuff that Kiki used on me,” Rowan said in a tight voice, her eyes locked firmly on Ma.

Rowan had survived dragon fire. She knew what to do.

“How bad?” Orsen asked in a broken voice.

Rowan gently peeled back one of the bandages, wincing at the blackened skin. “It’s not good, but it could be a lot worse,” she admitted.

“Will she…” Orsen couldn’t finish his thoughts.

“It’s a lot better than what I went through; the shoulder and arm can take a pretty brutal hit,” Rowan assured him. “I’m going to do everything I can.”

She started mixing various herbs from the baggies she had brought with her.

“Nix, can you rinse the skin?” she asked.

Ma was lying on the cot, a thin white blanket tucked under her arms to give her some modesty. The burn covered her arm, mainly on the front, where it had clipped her at an angle, radiating toward her fingers.

I did as instructed, wincing when a low, pained groan escaped Ma. I hated causing her any pain, but I knew if Rowan was telling me to do it, it was for a damn good reason.