Dragon's Claim

Chapter 5-1

Chapter 5

Drake could breathe easier as soon as they entered their territory. He hadn’t realized the grip in his chest until it released and filled him with a sense of calm. The others had flown ahead, saving time and money with their dragon forms. After all the restraint they’d shown in Wales and during the flight home, it would have been nice to have spread his wings again, but he’d stayed grounded for his mate. He didn’t blame her. There would be other times to spread his wings.

It was the storm that bothered him. He knew why it had diverted course, why it followed them. He just hoped that the dragons flying had made it through safely. The rain had been heavy and insistent for a short while. Lightning danced from cloud to cloud above them, as if in search of Isaac. He couldn’t see what was going on above the car with the roof closed. All Drake could do was have faith that they knew what to do in that circumstance.

The trees grew thick around him, massive firs standing tall beside thick trunked oak trees that were older than he was. He should have been able to let go of the breath he’d drawn in, but something made him hold back.

Drake knew something was wrong when they arrived on the Territory. There was a roar in the air that was not the muscle car. Drake yanked the key from the rental car and threw himself up and out of the car, not to be bothered with the process of opening and closing the door. His heart leapt into his throat as he raced toward the sound of the roar.

He knew, the closer he got, who it was. Drake knew the sound of all his dragons.

Luc was crying.

Drake’s feet flew over the ground. It was like he couldn’t get to his dragon fast enough. He’d let them fly home without him. He hadn’t been with his dragons and something had happened. He felt guilt and shame cut through him like a dull knife. It was ragged and dragged him in two. He should have been with the dragons. Yet, he couldn’t have left Layla alone.

He wanted to roar with Luc.

Instead, he kept himself under control as she surged into the small house. Luc was in his human form, fighting to get out the door while being held back by two more dragons. When Drake entered, Luc’s eyes narrowed and fell on him. For a moment, Drake felt the gaze cut like a knife as blame was hurled at him.

But, Luc sagged in the grip of the other dragons. He sucked in a ragged breath and tried to reign his anger, his fear.

“We lost Marc,” Luc said with a shudder.

Drake could feel energy building in his body, crackling along his limbs. The walls around him began to shake and crack. He was useless standing here. He should be out searching for Marc. The wood infrastructure of the house around him began to groan and crack.

“Lost?” His voice was short, barely a bark. He feared the worst.

The house was going to crumble around them. He was pulled in two directions, unable to move in either and it infuriated him. The beast roared with indecision. Was it their fault? For wanting to protect their mate over their people? Where should he have drawn the line?

Drake was more than willing to bring the house down around him in his fury. Feeling it crumble and crack beneath his power would feel so good. It would release the energy riding him, begging to be wrought upon something. Anything.

If only he’d gone with them. If only he’d forced her to fly, or carried her tiny human body the whole way. But, that would have ruined any chances of gaining her love. It was his mate or his dragon and Drake couldn’t deal with it.

A set of arms wrapped around him and the energy fled. His knees began to tremble beneath him and they both fell to the floor. The beast inside of him smelled mate.

She will make things right.

Drake didn’t know how, but he was tempted to trust his beast.

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