Page 47 of Dragon's Revenge

“Powerful? Like how?”

“Dude, my brother-in-law’s cousin died, and when we buried him, the earth shook and the moon turned red. My own brother came back from the dead.”

“What?”

“My brother had a brain tumor two years or so ago, and he died. Like, dead-dead. His own mate, who’s a doctor, confirmed he was dead. And then he came back to life after his omega mate…” He threw up his hands in a helpless gesture. “I don’t even know how or what happened. All I know is that my brother was dead, and then he wasn’t. Not only that, but he was healed, the tumor gone.”

Duff took a step forward. “His omega mate? You said his omega mate had something to do with it?”

Rhene nodded. “Vieno. He’s mated to my brother Palani, as well as to Enar and Lidon.”

“The True Alpha.”

Every single time someone mentioned that a shiver danced down Rhene’s spine. He’d never get used to the sheer power in that name, in that title. “Yeah.”

“Did anyone ever…?” Duff swallowed. “Did anyone ever mention something about the True Omega to you?”

Why was Duff so interested in this? “Yeah, that’s Vieno. Grayson, the storyteller for the Hayes pack, has confirmed it.”

“When the times are at their darkest, the True Omega will rise from this pack. He will carry the child who will be the vessel to bring back our powers. He will unite his mates and use their power to enforce his will, to heal, and even to bring back life to what was dead.” Duff’s voice was a near-whisper, yet every word had an impact as he recited the prophecy that Grayson had cited years before.

“Yes, that one.”

“You’re saying he did.”

“Bring back to life what was dead? Yes, he did. Plus everything else. Lidon was able to shift the day Hakon, their son, was born. Vieno himself shifted as the second in our pack, borrowing all our magic when the pack was attacked to defend himself and his son. And he’s been able to alpha-compel using Lidon’s powers.”

Duff staggered back, his face pale as he leaned against the wall. “I don’t understand. How can it be?”

“How can what be?”

“How can the True Alpha and the True Omega have an alliance with the dragons? How can pure good embrace pure evil?”

“Because they’ve always been allies, ever since our forefathers took a blood oath back in the old country.”

“But the dragons betrayed you. They stood idly by as you were attacked.”

“Some of them, yes. Others were unaware of what was happening, like my mate.”

Duff harrumphed. “He was old enough to have known better.”

“Yet he didn’t because his father never told him anything. You’ve met Cladhaire and Baoth. Do they strike you as men willing to share their power?”

Duff’s hand trembled as he held his own cheek, his eyes showing his internal battle. “I can’t make sense of it. Everything I’ve learned about Lidon Hayes has led me to believe he’s powerful yet honorable, that he’s inherently good.”

“The man is not a saint,” Rhene protested. “And he’d be the first to tell you. He’s not infallible. He’s grown a lot, but he can be arrogant and inconsiderate, and his mates have clashed with him repeatedly. But his intentions are good, and despite having this deep, deep power, he doesn’t crave it. He had the chance to rule when the civil war erupted, but he didn’t. As soon as he could, he stepped back.”

“Why would a man like that want anything to do with the dragons? Can’t he sense how evil they are?”

Rhene studied him. Duff was honest in his confusion, that much was becoming clear. He wasn’t provoking Rhene or being deliberately obtuse. He was attempting to reconcile two beliefs that were now unexpectedly clashing: his belief that Lidon was truly good and his conviction that all dragons were inherently evil. Was this a way to get through to him?

“I’m sure he would immediately sense it in Cladhaire and Baoth or any of the Murphy dragons. I know I did, and I don’t have even ten percent of his power.”

“But all dragons are evil,” Duff whispered, his voice breaking. “They have to be. Otherwise…”

Rhene had to tread as lightly as if he were stepping on thin ice. “I’m certain many dragons throughout the course of history have been evil or at least dishonorable. And from the ones I’ve met in person, a good fifty percent or more were despicable excuses for… Well, I want to say for human beings, but they’re not. But they lack any empathy or even decency. On that, we agree. But not all of them. Definitely not all of them.”

“I don’t believe you…”

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