He'd burned all memories of her. They'd return thinking that the beach had been completely empty.
Alyx felt guilty for a moment—what would Sarah think about all of this? But at the same time, as she looked over to Wing Island, she couldn't help but feel an immense relief.
She relaxed on Braeden's back, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek to the warm scales.
She'd fix things with Sarah. Once she had time, once all of this was over, she'd apologize and show Sarah the shifter world.
But right now, all she could feel was gratitude that her friends on Wing Island were still safe and hidden from the human world.
Chapter Fourteen: Braeden
She's safe.
The thought echoed through Braeden's mind, again and again.
He'd made it just in time. He still had no idea what exactly had happened, but he'd come as soon as he'd felt her distress through the bond.
I did that. I drove her off. Maybe it would have been better to let her go...
But she hadn't wanted to go with the cops. He'd felt that very clearly. Worse, she would have been in danger again. If Steele found her, no human weapons would protect her...
Braeden looked over towards Wing Island. He hesitated for a moment.
Then he swerved to the left, away from the shifter town. He headed towards the ocean, following the coastline for ten minutes.
Then another tiny island rose out of the water. It wasn't much larger than a football field, and uninhabited. It had no beaches to attract tourists.
But the center of the tiny island was green, a small meadow shielded by bushes and trees. No one would find them there—neither fire dragons nor human cops.
It was a good place to talk. Because no matter how terrified he was that this dark thing inside of him might harm her, he owed her the truth.
Once she knows about the darkness in me, she'll want to leave.
But that was what he deserved. It had been cowardly to hide from it.
She deserved the truth. And then, if she wanted to leave, he'd help her find a place where she would be safe while he went back to deal with Steele.
Perhaps the storm dragon could help to hide her. Alyx would love Naomi—and she'd be safe.
Braeden folded his wings, landing right in the center of the tiny meadow.
They were surrounded by an ocean of wildflowers in all colors of the rainbow. The scent of flowers overpowered even that of the sea.
As soon as Alyx had slid down his back, he shifted back. And a heartbeat later, Alyx's fists hit his chest, her eyes blazing as she glared at him.
“Don't you ever do that to me again! Don't you dare run without talking to me!”
Braeden swallowed, staring at her.
That wasn't what he'd expected. He'd thought that she'd still be scared, after her run-in with the cops.
Instead, she was furious. If she'd been a fire dragon, he wouldn't have been surprised to see her spitting fire at him.
“I'm sorry,” he said at last.
“Is that all you've got to say?” Alyx demanded. “Damn you, do you know how I felt last night? I don't care what the hell was going on with you. If you don't want me as your mate, I can deal! I'm an adult. It didn't work out; so what? Most people don't have soulmates, you know. I can survive without you, if I have to. But you could at least show me the respect to break up with me to my face, instead of running like a coward.”
“I didn't—I thought—” Braeden forced himself to take a deep breath.