Page 11 of Ancient Promises
“His name is Eivross Danforth,” Rehlik said as he joined her. “What the hell happened?”
She hummed. The dragon opened his eyes for a brief moment and then closed them again. “He shifted.”
“I know, but why?”
“Because he’s my truemate.”
* * *
Eivross’s head pounded and his mouth was dry. Everything ached, from the top of his head to his feet. Or his tail? Wait, was he still in his shift?
He opened his eyes and found himself staring up at a ceiling. Something soft was under him, a bed or couch perhaps. He blinked to clear his vision and sat up slowly, groaning at his aching head.
He was in an office and picked up the faint scent of liquor and fried food. The bar, maybe. A stack of clothing was folded neatly on the floor, along with a pair of boots. He glanced down and realized he was naked and covered from the waist down with a blanket.
He puzzled over what had happened as he donned the sweats and t-shirt. The door creaked when it opened as he was putting on the boots.
A large male walked in.
“Oh, you’re up, that’s good. I’m Rehlik, alpha of Cider Falls.” He stopped next to the couch and extended his hand.
Eivross finished putting on the boots and then shook the alpha’s hand, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. The abrupt change of location caused his head to swim, and he groaned internally until the lightheadedness went away.
“I’m Eivross,” he said. “What happened?”
“What do you remember?”
“Meeting the guards and walking to the bar. Then…” His mind went blank as he thought over what had happened. He’d been speaking to Weston and Novak, and then his dragon had gone berserk.
Had he hurt someone?
No…he didn’t think so.
“So, you caused some damage,” Rehlik said as they walked through the bar. He held the front door open, and they walked out into the sunshine.
“I apologize, I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s quite all right. My mate’s glad the gazebo survived. She loves that freaking thing.”
Something caught his dragon’s attention again, and his senses lit up like a Christmas tree.
“What the hell?” he muttered, walking away from the bar.
Rehlik grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop. “Hold up, man. First, you need to tell me what’s going on with you. Then I’ll let you speak to Diem.”
Eivross could feel his beast stirring within him. An image flashed through his mind, of a beautiful female with dark hair.
His dragon exhaled a purr, stretching under his skin and wanting to be free.
“What’s Diem?”
“You mean who,” Rehlik said.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said, but he already felt an inkling of truth coming to his mind. He surveyed the scene before him—several vehicles were crushed flat, a few trees had been taken out at the root, but the gazebo was still standing.
As was the female he’d seen before everything went black.
He knew right then why he’d shifted into his dragon without warning; the pull to his beast had been like nothing he’d ever experienced in his life, and there was really only one reason for it. He’d come into his truemate’s presence.