I hated sleeping in this bed. It was a bed for children, the children we’d planned to have with our mate someday. Sleeping here was meant to be temporary until Shira had felt more comfortable with us. That moment had never arrived.
I hadn't been doing much sleeping anyway, knowing that my mate was out there, risking her life to spy on one of the most dangerous dragon flights in Avalon. Eventually, it would be more than spying, I was sure of it. If it had been my family murdered by Flight Milain, I would be one part anger, two parts righteous vengeance. Shira and I weren’t so different. She would have her revenge.
Tonight, I hadn’t slept at all. Fucking Hiram was on guard duty. We’d been taking it in turns to watch over Shira each night. She would travel from The Alchemist’s apothecary in Leodis where she’d been staying, to Flight Milain’s territory where she’d watch them for a few hours. Hiram had been the least enthusiastic about my decision not to interfere. I’d held off assigning him to watch duty until now, in case he went renegade and dragged Shira back here against her will.
It wouldn’t just be Shira’s angry wrath he’d be facing if that was the case.
“You alright there, Alpha?” Seff asked, lying on his back with his hands folded behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t think Hiram will do anything stupid, if that’s what’s got you sighing like that. He’s really struggled with being banned from seeing Shira this week, he won’t do anything to jeopardize that, hopefully.”
As Alpha, it was important that I kept the flight together, which meant not bad-mouthing any of my flight brothers. That’s why I couldn’t complain to Seff that Hiram was a whiny brat who was pushing all of us away with this ongoing tantrum of his, even Levi, who he’d always been closest to.
Their friendship was also why I didn’t tell Seff that even if Hiram had been on board with the plan from the beginning, I’d have concerns. Hiram was the least attentive and the most unreasonably confident of all of us. If anyone was going to fuck up, it was Hiram.
“I hate not knowing how Shira is feeling. What she’s thinking,” I replied instead when I realized Seff was still waiting for an answer. It wasn’t a lie — I felt like my mind was constantly going around in circles whenever I was the one on watch duty, not able to tell if she was happy or sad.
//Uhh, are you guys there?// Hiram's guilt-laden voice had Seff and I out of our beds in seconds, darting to the entryway to join Oren and Levi.
//What's going on?// I asked sharply.
//I don’t really know what’s happening, but I’m in shift-proof chains in The Alchemist’s apartment… she looks like she wants to eat me, and not in the painful way.//
“For fuck's sake,” Levi muttered.
//Where's Shira?// I asked exasperated. She'd usually be on her way back to the apartment by now.
//She's not here.// The embarrassment in his tone had faded, leaving only nervous uncertainty behind. //Uh, The Alchemist says you should come here and get me. And to hurry up because she isn't getting any younger.//
By the fucking gods, only Hiram could get himself captured by a four-foot-tall, elderly goblin. We left the den, stripping our shirts and only letting our wings out for the short flight from our territory to Leodis. Usually, we tried to be discreet with our late night travels, but there was no time for that now. We needed to ensure Shira was safe, and as much of a fuck up as Hiram was, he was still our flight brother. I wouldn’t really let The Alchemist take a bite out of him.
The four of us landed heavily on the stone pavers outside the apothecary, each looking around for any sign of Shira. Dread filled my gut, sitting like a lead weight in my stomach. Where was she?
“Come in,” a nasal voice called from the top of the stairs that ran up the side of the building to the apartment above. “If you want to see Shira then get this whiny dragon out of my home. He is my least favourite,” she added under her breath, though our sensitive ears easily picked up on it.
“Come on, keep your guard up,” I instructed, following her up the stairs.
“Shouldn’t we be cautious? She captured Hiram,” Seff pointed out, though he didn’t hesitate to follow.