Every Miraculous Moment (Hyena Heat #6)(18)

They checked out of the resort and took a cab to the airport. Mack had changed their flights, and they sat together in first class on their way to the airport nearest her clan’s mountains. The three-hour flight was just long enough for her to take a nap, leaning against his strong shoulder. When they picked up their bags from baggage claim, she dialed Tonya’s cell. She had promised to pick them up and was expecting Miracle’s call.

“That’s weird. It went right to voicemail,” she said.

“What color car does she drive? Maybe she’s here and her phone is dead.”

Miracle followed him out of the airport. They stood on the sidewalk and looked up and down the street, but there were just a few shuttles and several cabs. She didn’t see Tonya’s white sedan.

She dialed her friend’s number several more times. Then she tried her mom’s cell phone.

“I was wondering when you would call,” Tais said.

A chill ran down her spine. “What are you doing with my mom’s phone?”

Mack put his hand on her shoulder, and she moved the phone from her ear and pressed the speaker button.

“Oh, I was just visiting my in-laws. They’re getting up in age, you know. It’s a shame that you’re such a selfish bitch who went off to go f*ck random shifters, and left them all alone.”

“They’re not your in-laws anymore, Tais. Our mating was dissolved by the council, with your uncle’s approval. I want to talk to my parents. Put them on the phone, now.”

“Aw,” he said, tsking. “You’re not even going to ask me where that ice bitch friend of yours is?”

Dread pooled in her stomach. “Tonya? Where is she? What have you done?”

“Nothing much, really.” His voice drawled a little, and she could imagine the smarmy smile on his face as he toyed with her. “I followed you when you got your tattoo. I didn’t know that dragon tears were so valuable. After you left the shop, I talked to the owner. Did you know he’s a wizard? They’re crazy into buying valuable potions. I offered to get him some dragon tears, fresh from the source, and let’s just say he was very happy to partner with me.”

She imagined her mom, with her silver-white hair and crinkly blue eyes, being forced into her shift and then made to cry. She was shaking so hard that Mack took the phone from her and pressed the button to take it off speaker.

“What do you want?” Mack demanded. Miracle could hear Tais screaming through the phone, but couldn’t make out his words. “I’m her mate, that’s who, chosen by her dragon. You’ll release her family or I’ll take you apart piece by piece.”

She could hear the venom in Mack’s voice, and was very certain in that moment that he would absolutely kill to save her family.

Mack pulled the phone from his ear as Tais went on another screaming bender, and Miracle pushed the speaker button again.

“She took everything from me! If she doesn’t dismiss the dissolution and come back to me as my mate, I’ll take everything from her, starting with her precious mother.”

“You took it all yourself,” Miracle said. “You never once treated me well in twenty years! I won’t come back to you.”

“Oh no? I think you will. I think you’ll come crawling back on your knees when you hear your mom’s pain. When she dies because you thought you were too good for me… I know you’ll crawl.”

“Release her family or suffer,” Mack said. His voice was low and deadly, and his eyes were bright amber.

“No. You have an hour, Miracle, then I make your parents and your friend really cry.”

A pain-filled dragon scream blasted through the phone. She knew it was Tonya. Her best friend was being tortured because Miracle had tried to start a new life. Mack ended the call and grabbed her shoulders, giving her a shake.

“What?” she asked, blinded with tears.

“Listen.”

His head was tilted and his eyes were narrowed. She copied his actions, and listened intently. On the wind she could hear the dragon scream. “It’s coming from beyond the mountains,” she said.

“Good. Fly us there, babe.”

“I can’t fight him. He’s bigger than me, and no offense to your alpha skills, but he’s twenty times your size at least.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Then shift, Miracle. Right now. Only you can get us there in time.”

Nodding, she pushed her phone into a pocket in her suitcase and grasped his hand. She hurried away from the airport toward the parking lot, where she stripped as fast as she could and shifted. Lowering her neck, she waited for Mack to climb up and settle between her shoulders.

“You can do it,” he said, patting her neck.

She wasn’t sure what would happen, but as she lifted into the air with powerful presses of her wings, she knew that they were the only ones who had even a shot of helping. She would never forgive herself if she lost her parents or Tonya.

Tonya screamed again, and the sound cut through Miracle like a blade. Moving high into the sky, she followed the sound and flew at top speed toward the mountain, curving around to the back, away from the gated community. Behind the mountain was a valley with a lake, and thick woods that she and her family had been hunting in for years. Below in the distance, she could see firelight and an odd blue glow close to the ground. Figures lurked in the shadows, and Tonya’s dragon was stretched out on the ground near the fire.