Page 29 of Ancient Promises

If Cider Falls was dragon territory, a guard would fly up to meet the dragons, ensuring they had good intentions or were expected. But Cider Falls wasn’t dragon territory, and no matter how fierce Rehlik and his people were, dragons were simply larger and more dangerous. The damage a lone dragon could wreak on a town like this one would be immeasurable, not to mention the loss of life that could follow in the wake of the battle that would surely come if the shifters raised arms against them.

Fuck fuck fuck.

He glanced at the second-story window where Diem was sleeping.

He’d meant to tell her everything—why he’d stayed away from her originally but hadn’t been able to leave her unprotected, why he worried about his crazy brother, and why he’d eventually decided he could be with her if she’d have him.

Then he’d fucking fallen asleep like an asshole and not told her a single damn thing.

A roar sounded again, even closer.

He knew exactly who it was: Zihndyr.

Footsteps sounded nearby and he spun, facing Trace and his mate, Jewel.

“What the hell is going on?” Trace demanded.

“We were patrolling when we heard the dragons and we came to find you. Are you okay?” Jewel asked.

“It’s my brother,” Eivross said. “I have to go meet him. Tell Diem I’ll return.”

“Be careful!” Jewel called.

Eivross moved away from them and called for his dragon as he stripped. Then he took a running start and leaped into the air as first his wings came out, lifting him into the air. When he’d cleared the buildings, he let his shift come over him entirely and flapped his broad wings.

Now in his dragon form, he could see more clearly in the dark and headed in the direction of the coming dragons. There were six, flying like geese in a V-formation, with his brother in the lead.

Eivross knew it was Zihndyr because of the call that sounded once Eivross took to the sky.

Racing toward the group, Eivross tried to meet them as far from Cider Falls as he could.

He had just reached the outskirts of the town when the group stopped, a few yards separating them.

Hello, brother, Zihndyr said through the clicks and calls of his dragon.

Why are you here?

Is that any way to greet your family?There was a sneer to Zihndyr's tone, which put Eivross on edge.

Hello. Now, why are you here? And how did you even know where I was?

I know everything.

Coldness filled Eivross. What did that even mean?

I came to meet this supposed mate of yours.His brother inhaled loudly, his dragon’s wings dancing in the air.Funny, you don’t smell mated.

How the hell could he possibly know about Diem?

His mind worked fast.You can’t come into town like this, it’s not proper. You need to speak with the alpha. You can’t simply show up with an army and make demands, not in a place where you have no authority.

Zihndyr bellowed out a warning roar and punctuated it with fire.

You will not tell me what I can and can’t do, brother. I’ll meet this alpha of yours, whether he wishes to meet with me or not.

Before Eivross could get another word out, Zihndyr suddenly banked to the right and dove downward, the males with him following suit. Eivross snarled and dove, trying to beat him, but he couldn’t. Zihndyr and the others shifted to their winged forms just a few feet above the street, rocking parked cars on their tires and knocking into the trees with their wings.

Eivross shifted and dropped to his feet.