Page 80 of Draven

It turned out it wasn't just Zane who had flown to Raven Port to back us up.

Not far from Draven's old cabin was Doyle, waiting in his truck. As soon as he saw us, he hurried over and took over supporting Draven's weight.

"I'll see you three in Sky Stead," Zane said, glancing at me.

I was about to open my mouth, but he beat me to it.

"I won't take any chances. Draven is hurt," Zane said. "I understand your witch friend might be willing to help, but as a member of my pack, it's my responsibility to keep a close eye on Draven until he's recovered."

I cleared my throat. "I was just about to say, I'm looking forward to seeing your town,” I said.

Zane smiled at me then, a rare expression that softened his otherwise stern features.

Then he parted from our group, preparing to take to the skies once more.Doyle took out his first aid kit, and I insisted on patching up my mate. Doyle let me.

I carefully tended to Draven's wounds, cleaning and bandaging each one with care.

Soon enough, we had Draven bundled up and snoozing in the back seat. Hearing his snores made me smile because it was a sign he was alive and going to get better.

I remembered to give Lucinda a call. Our conversation was brief.

"We'll make sure Justin’s returned to his father. He probably won’t remember anything. And as for Belladonna, we'll handle any remnants of her presence,” Lucinda said.

"Thanks, Lucinda," I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Tobias," she replied warmly. "Take care of yourself and that mate of yours. You've both been through enough."

With that, we ended the call. I felt a sense of closure starting to settle in.

As Doyle drove, I gazed out the truck window, seeing Zane's massive outline against the night sky.

I had a feeling he wasn't going to let us out of his sight until we arrived at Sky Stead. That gave me a measure of relief.

With Draven in this injured state and Doyle still recovering, we had no chance of winning a fight if more of Belladonna's kin appeared, but I doubted it.

I looked over at Doyle, who was focused on the road but glanced my way with a reassuring nod.

"We'll make it," he said, his voice steady. "Draven’s tough. He’ll pull through this."

"I know," I replied, squeezing Draven's hand gently. "He's stronger than anyone I've ever known."

Doyle smiled faintly. "And he's lucky to have you."

As we continued our journey, the tension in my chest began to ease. I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment, letting the rhythm of the road lull me into a state of calm.

Zane's silhouette was still visible in the distance, a silent guardian watching over us from the skies.

Belladonna Payne was truly gone, reduced to ashes, but the threat of more of her kin coming after us lingered in the back of my mind.

It was another problem for another day, I thought, feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion wash over me.

The adrenaline that had kept me going was now fading, leaving me drained and weary.

“Take a nap, Tobias. I’ll wake you once we’re there,” Doyle said.

The offer was too tempting to resist, and I knew I needed the rest.

I nodded, giving him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Doyle."