Page 72 of Draven

Lucinda raised an eyebrow. "Intense how? Is everything okay with Draven and his friend?” She asked.

“Doyle is okay. He went back home with Zane,” I said.

Lucinda sipped her tea thoughtfully. "More dragons in town. Is that why Bruce's fur is all ruffled?" she asked.

I told her about Bruce dropping by as soon as Zane and Doyle had left.

"He wanted me and Draven to appear at the town's next council meeting,” I said.

"Are you going?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Draven and I are planning to leave town for a while, to regroup with his pack and figure out how to deal with Belladonna. We don't have time for a silly council meeting,” I said.

Lucinda reached for my hand across the table and patted it.

"It's not silly at all. Tobias, Bruce has plenty of sway in this town. It's not wise to piss him off," she reminded me gently.

"I know that, but we have bigger issues to tackle," I muttered.

She nodded.

"I understand. Well, if it’s any consolation, if Bruce does decide to put a vote on whether you and your mate are welcome to stay or not, I'm on your side," she said. "Darcy, too, I think, likes Draven. Our coven talked, and most of us believe having a dragon on our side won't be a bad thing."

"Thanks, Lucinda. You have no idea how much your support means to us," I said, meaning every word.

We chatted for a while longer, the conversation easing some of my anxiety. It felt good to confide in someone I could trust.

After we finished our lunch, I hugged Lucinda again.

"Thanks for understanding,” I told her.

"Anytime," she said, giving me a warm smile. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," I said, feeling a bit lighter as I left the cafe.

That feeling soon faded when I spotted Justin standing next to my car, holding a can of spray paint.

For the past few weeks, I had been patient. After Justin had wrecked my car, I had brushed it off, telling myself it wasn’t worth the trouble.

But seeing him there again, spray paint in hand, something inside me snapped.

I walked up to him, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and frustration.

"Hey!" I blurted out.

Justin caught sight of me, his eyes widening in surprise. Then, without a word, he turned and fled.

He was probably remembering how Draven had set his Lamborghini on fire.

My rational mind told me to let it go, to get back in my car and head home.

But something deeper, a lingering resentment from all those years in high school when Justin and his friends tormented me, pushed me to act.

I chased after him, my feet pounding against the pavement. The added stress of facing a black witch didn’t help my mood.

I was tired of being pushed around, tired of feeling powerless. Today, I intended to chase Justin down and confront him.

"Justin!" I shouted as I rounded the corner, catching a glimpse of him darting into an alley.