Page 9 of The Dragons’ Eternal Mate

Still, I didn’t have the energy to deal with it. I just shook my head and followed Bastian.

For a small plane, the bedroom was surprisingly spacious, with a king-sized bed that nearly filled the space. I kicked off my shoes, I climbed on top and slid beneath the covers. I was exhausted, my body melting into the mattress as soon as I lay down.

When Bastian settled in the armchair beside the bed, I sat up, staring at him in confusion.

“What are you doing?” I asked, raising my brow as I nodded at the chair.

“Watching over you,” he replied simply.

“I don’t need guarding on a plane. We’re in the air, for Christ’s sake.” I rolled my eyes. “Are you afraid of gremlins?”

He shrugged, narrowing his eyes at me. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not leaving your side until the people who hurt you are in the ground.”

I opened my mouth, prepared to argue, but stopped when I saw just how serious his expression was. I’d never seen him give me that look. While it was a little overzealous, I understood where he was coming from. In truth, it was nice to know that someone had my back, even if I didn’t feel like I deserved it at the moment. After all, I was part of the reason Ma was injured.

And there was no use arguing with Bastian, of all people. That dragon was going to fight me every step of the way.

In fact, Bastian kicked up his feet on the tiny ledge that was a glorified table along the side of the cabin. He leaned back in the chair, putting his hands behind his head and shut his eyes, getting comfy while I glared at him.

“Fine, but if you start snoring, I’m throwing something at you,” I grumbled, lying down and turning onto my side so my back was facing him.

“I’m not the one who snores,” he countered, and it took everything in me not to fling a pillow at his head.

Nix

Seeing someone you loved in pain had a way of wearing you down.

Ma had been in agony; the burn on her arm was brutal. I kept staring at her, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest, desperate each time to make sure she’d breathe again.

Once, when I’d been watching over Rowan in the clinic, I’d heard her explain how to treat dragon fire burns. It turned out that I’d picked up a lot in my weeks of following her around like a lost puppy.

I had been able to use a few anti-inflammatory herbs that I had found at the clinic thanks to my mate’s meticulous labeling and dress the wound with ice to help stop the burn from spreading. It was by no means perfect, but it was better than nothing.

It didn’t feel like enough. I wasn’t the healer Rowan was. I was just… doing what I could.

So, while I’d wanted nothing more than to go with Bastian and Grey to get our mate, I was needed in North Oak. Someone had to do something, and Nina and I were the best options.

“Come on, Ma. Hang in there. You need to.” I smoothed my thumb over her hand—-the non-burned one. “You should see your son. If you could, you’d be out of that bed in a flash, yelling at him to brush his damn hair.”

“Shut up,” the dragon in question growled.

Orsen was a mess—he hadn’t left Ma’s bedside. He sat with her, holding her hand as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Watching him so distraught, with little I could do to help, added yet another layer of pain.

A tearful, traumatized Celia had told us what had gone down after our mate fled. Cyrus had been enraged once he realized that Tanner had told Rowan about his plans. The fact he had warned her, and because of it, she’d left the horde lands instead of, you know, being killed. So, in a fit of rage, he went after Tanner’s pregnant mate. Tanner had the foresight to leave Celia with Ma, fully expecting he wasn’t going to live through the night.

When Cyrus came after Celia, Ma threw herself in the way, using her own body to shield her in an act of bravery I would never forget for as long as I lived.

It was exactly the kind of thing Ma would do. While I was grateful that Celia was unharmed—because she truly was innocent—I hated that Ma had to suffer in exchange. Cyrus’s bloodlust for power had gotten Ma hurt. It was just another item on the increasingly long list of things to hate about the asshole.

“What if she doesn’t survive this?” Orsen asked in a broken whisper, his eyes fixed on his mother.

I shook my head, throat tight as my eyes began to burn. “Rowan will be back soon—she will make sure Ma is okay.”

“Why would Rowan ever step foot here again?” Orsen asked, voice thick with unshed tears. “After what Cyrus did… I wouldn’t be surprised if she ran and never looked back.”

We were all beating ourselves up over that. The threat had felt external; a random attack from a rogue at the cabin all those years ago. We never imagined the culprit had been so close to home. Even worse, it’d been a former Alpha who the horde trusted. Rowan had helped Cyrus, had been doing her best for him as a healer, while the entire time, he’d wanted her dead.

And Tanner…