Page 43 of Fallout

His face softens. “I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry, Henley. I should’ve made more of an attempt with that other supernatural. Maybe if we had caught him, you could’ve spoken to him and got some answers.”

I shake my head. “No. You’re right about him. It’s not safe for me to talk to him. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t care for shifters, but especially wolf shifters. I get the feeling he is deranged enough to want to kidnap me for my protection.”

The guy won’t listen to reason, I already know that. And while it would be nice to know somebody like me, I know I’m not alone anymore. I’ve got Parker and the pack—even if I’m not a wolf shifter, I am one of them.

Seven hours later, our plane lands on a private airstrip in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We travel over water for an hour or so and then suddenly there is a mountain shooting up from the ocean. I can feel magic surrounding the island, likely cloaking it from humans. As the plane goes in to land, I see something black out of the corner of my eye. Startled, I turn and look, spotting a huge winged creature soaring in the sky.

A dragon, I realize. An actual dragon.

Wow.

A dragon’s wings are vastly different than my own. Their wings are just as large, maybe larger, but they’re black and scaled. The creature pays us no mind as it soars above the island. As soon as I take my eyes away from the dragon, I notice three more dragons.

“Wow,” I say, unable to form any other words.

“Dragon shifters.” Parker slips his hand into mine as he leans forward to look out the window. “They’re pretty impressive. I’ve never seen them in the air like this.”

I nod, not sure how to respond.

“The island is gorgeous. No wonder the dragon shifters chose to live here,” he muses.

The dragon shifters live here.

A small part of me is jealous. The teal blue water surrounding the island is beautiful. But not even this could tempt me away from my home. We have our own beauty in the mountains back home.

I sigh, leaning back in my seat. “Do you think I could possibly fly while we’re here?”

Parker’s forehead wrinkles. “I don’t know. I suppose we could ask. Maybe one of the dragons could go with you and act as your guard.”

A guard? “I don’t have a guard back home.”

He frowns. “I know. And with the other supernatural hanging around, I question how safe it is for you to be flying.”

“But I have to fly,” I counter, my heart racing at the thought of being locked up for my protection. What if it’s truly not safe for me to fly? Would Parker try to keep me from letting my wings out for my safety?

“I know. And I’m not trying to keep you grounded,” Parker promises. “I just have to keep you safe. I’m not sure I know how to do that anymore.”

I squeeze his hand. “I trust you and I know you’ll figure it out.”

He relaxes slightly, but he’s still frowning.

I do trust Parker and I know he’ll do whatever he can to make sure that I’m safe and happy. Even before we found out we were mates, I knew all he wanted was for me to be safe and happy. The bond only intensified those feelings.

Once the plane lands, there is an SUV waiting for us. A guy in a black suit opens the doors for us, motioning for us to get inside. I am hesitant to get into a vehicle with a stranger, but when I see how relaxed Parker and his dad are, I follow them. They would never put us in a potentially dangerous situation.

I look out the window as we drive toward our destination, taking in the sights. Palm trees line the road every few feet, giving the island an even more tropical vibe. We head up a large mountain, giving us an excellent view of the ocean the entire way.

I’ve been to the beach only once in my life and it wasn’t an enjoyable experience. My father tried to book the vacation for us to relax, but he booked it during peak tourism season. I spent two weeks in the hospital. We never went back after that. But this seems nice, much better than the crowded Floridian beach I visited.

“How long are we going to be here?” I turn my attention away from the water to look at Parker.

His dad is the one to answer. “Likely three or four days.”

Too bad we couldn’t stay all week.

Parker leans closer to whisper to me, “After graduation, we can go anywhere you like. Maybe we can spend a week at the beach or something.”

I grin, liking the sound of that.