Doctor Dragon And Her Mate

Safe?

Nina's pov

Several days passed by. My relationship with Blake grew stronger and I slowly started to forget about the insignificant note I found the other night. Sometimes I found folded pieces of papers that were obviously slipped under the front door, some of which I discarded without opening. One of them asked me to meet him by the lakeside.

That kind of confirmed that Drake was the one behind all those notes. The lakeside was supposed to be a special place for us. That was where he proposed to me. It was supposed to be sweet memories, but for me they were painful and bitter.

I threw the note into the bin and went on with my day. I was at a good place and I didn't want to allow him to ruin it.

However I knew he wouldn't stop so keeping it a secret was pointless. So when after three weeks of ignoring him, I got another message, I went to look for my father. It was still early in the morning so he was still in his room. I knocked on the door.

“Dad?”

“Yes?”

I heaved a breath. “There's something I need to discuss.”

The door opened and I showed him the piece of paper. The creases on his face deepened as he peered into the writing.

“It has been a while since I've been getting these. I think it's Drake, dad.”

His countenance changed. “What? Didn't he die?”

I pursed my lips. “We all assumed he was dead. They never found his body.”

His eyes widened as he grabbed the door frame for support. “What? Does this mean he is back?” Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. “What if he tries to hurt you. And the girls? What he does something… I don't know… shouldn't we call someone?’

I knew he'd panic. That was one reason I stalled telling him anything, but I had to. I didn't want him to run into Drake one day before I warned him. I was hoping he'd stop, but I should have known he wasn't like that.

“Dad, don't overthink. He won't do anything stupid. He may be cruel and narcissistic, but he cared about his public image. Even if he's back, he won't try to hurt us in public. I just wanted you to know about this so you won't be shocked in case you run into him… or find one of these lying around.”

He shifted his weight uncomfortably as he wiped away the sweat from his face.

“I still feel we should tell Blake. He's the king's second in command. I'm sure he will protect you and the girls.”

A smile formed on my lips. Blake… of course he would protect us. He had selflessly saved my life once. He was the one for me.

“I see you smiling. Why don't you tell him? Let him help you,” my father said.

I sighed. “He is nice.”

“Nice? Just nice?”

I chuckled. “Well, he is great. But I don't think we should burden him with our troubles.”

“Sharing what's going on in your life with your soulmate isn't burdening him with it, Nina. You should seriously allow people into your life. You have allowed him to talk to you, but right now, you are forbidding him from being the perfect mate he is. Can't you see how he's hurting? Nina, he isn't Drake. Blake is different, I know it.”

I spent the entire day thinking about what my father said. He was right. I really should allow people to be in my life. I hadn't been truly living during the past few years and after so many years, I wanted to live.

Blake was a darling and the girls loved him. I had no other reason not to take the next step in our relationship.

I knew he was holding himself back because he didn't want to cross any boundaries or make me uncomfortable. So as the weeks passed, I thought about surprising him… with a little something I knew he'd enjoy.

I planned ahead. I would take him somewhere special on my day off and that was where we would make it official. I planned a spa day for the both of us. We were supposed to get a couple's massage and then go for lunch. I had booked a hotel room for the night, but that was a surprise for him. With my father in the house, making it official there didn't feel right… or special.

Everything was going perfectly well and I started to think that I had a chance at a happy life. Blake and I enjoyed the spa session. We laughed and joked about being workaholics during the couple's massage and needing to do it once in a while. It was a school day and the girls were at school. My father would go to fetch them so I had nothing to worry about.

Or so I thought. We were at the restaurant when my phone rang. My face creased when I saw the school's number on my phone screen. The school wouldn't contact me unless it was serious.

“Excuse me, it's the girls' school,” I said and answered the phone.

He nodded his head. I answered thinking that perhaps one of them got sick. But the news they gave me shattered me.

“Ma'am. Is this Brianna's parent?”

“Yes,” I said.

I could tell he was hesitating on the other end. “We need you to come to the school at once.”

My frown deepened. That sounded serious but this was the first time they were being ambiguous about anything.

“What happened?”

“Uh… Brianna isn't at school. She went to use the bathroom and now, she is gone.”

***

I was wrong. I was so effing wrong. How could I think they were safe? They weren't. Not when Drake was out there. I should have kept an eye on them. I should have thought a hundred times before sending them to school without warning the teachers there about a possible danger lurking round the corner.

I should have…

But I didn't and here I was, running down the school corridors with my heart in my throat. It was my day off and I had received the news nightmares were made of.

Bree wasn't in school and they had no idea where she went. They had absolutely lost here. I was more scared, angry than anything else. How could such a thing happen? Weren't schools supposed to be safe environments for the kids?

Holding my tears back, I sprinted towards the principal's office with the security hot on our heels. They had received me and Blake at the gate, but they weren't the ones I wanted to talk to. I wanted answers and most importantly, I wanted to find my little girl.

Without even knocking on the door, I barged inside.

“Where is she?” I demanded, my voice trembling with the overwhelming emotions in my chest.

“Miss, please calm down,” the principal slowly got up from his seat.

“Calm down? You want me to calm down while you failed to keep my daughter safe in your school?”

I swear that wasn't how I usually spoke to others, but this involved the safety of my daughter. And I was ready to cross all boundaries for them.

“I understand, but please, we are trying our best to figure out what is happening,” he said. “We are monitoring all the CCTV footage available and have informed the headquarters too. Please, we have to be calm.”

They did have a point. I tried to think of what I could do to find her. I was almost a hundred percent positive that Drake had something to do with her disappearance. Perhaps he saw me with Blake somewhere and wanted to get back at me. He would know that the easiest way to get my attention was to do something to the girls.

Maybe he didn't like it when I didn't go to the lakeside like he suggested in one of those many notes he left under my rug. Or maybe he noticed me with Blake while we were on a date.

Blake held my hand. The sparks that erupted gave me no reassurance. I was worried. He had taken Bree. I just knew he did. What if he took Zoe too? My heart felt like it might jump out of its enclosure.

“Zoe… where's Zoe? I want my Zoe!” I started to hyperventilate.

“Bring Zoe here. I want her. He might take her too! Bring her here!”

Tears were streaming down my face. The principal gestured for one of the teachers, perhaps to bring her to me.

“We are bringing her, ma'am,” he said.

Blake, who had been silent the entire time, lifted my chin so our gazes met.

“Who might take her, Nina? Do you know who took Bree?” He asked.

I looked into his eyes, feeling guilty. I really should have told him everything. My father was right. I should have asked for help. Blake would have done everything in his power to protect us… to stop this very moment from happening.

I forced the lump in my throat down. A sniffle escaped my lips as I tried to speak. I felt like I was to blame. I should have seen this coming I should have…

“Drake…” I whispered.