Page 49

Chapter Thirty-Four

Anaki

I had flicked through my phone at the messages, when Elena looked through hers, of which I had a lot.

Bear and Nadia kept me updated, despite keeping my phone on silent during my time with Elena.

I asked Bear to do it, so when I could take time to break away, I read them. I only checked to see if they were sending messages. That let me know they were safe.

The Iron Fang’s mission to Duke Idris’ mansion, formerly Sunshine AKA Delilah’s douche bag ex-husband's place, was successfully infiltrated.

Almost too easily. They had rescued women and some men and brought them back on the stolen plane we had used to bring Elena and her family back.

The fae would be returning soon as well, by their own means, just as quickly.

They were runners, diggers or something or other. I don’t ask questions.

According to the timing of the text messages, they should arrive back at the club any minute .

What struck me as strange was that they were having head pains as well. And it all started around the same time that Elena and mine started. Were they connected? Most likely because things like this in the supernatural world were not coincidences. It all happened for a reason.

I glanced over at my mate, who had just gotten off the phone with her sister. She had just wrapped herself in a thin red linen. Her hair was wet, dripping with water and my cocks instantly sprung to life, ready to claim my female over again.

Unfortunately, it was time to tell her of another danger that the Iron Fang might have to deal with, sometime soon.

Duke Idris.

He strikes, we strike. It’s a terrible cycle, really.

She stood up and slipped her phone into her bag, done with the contraption for the moment.

I extended my hand towards her, inviting her to return.

With a warm smile, she instinctively moved onto her knees and gracefully crawled over to me, positioning herself to straddle my waist. The water droplets, glistening like tiny jewels, trickled down from her damp hair, cascading over her chest and tracing a path along the curve of her cleavage.

I hummed, took my long tongue and slipped it between her breasts. “You taste so good.”

She leaned her head back and pressed her chest toward me. “I’m feeling really warm, actually.” She placed her hands on my shoulders. “Usually, I’m always cold. Is the temperature outside changing?”

I reached around her back and gently laid her on the bed. Previously, I hadn't noticed her scent. I knew if I took in her scent too much, I’d want to fuck her while she was on the phone.

I wasn’t that kinky.

She sighed and settled herself into the sheets. I remembered when I was young, my father would lie my mother in our cave in their soft nest, and he would sniff between her legs when she complained about being too hot or uncomfortable.

My parents never explained any of this to me, maybe they didn’t feel like they needed to and knew who my mate was all along…

When I parted her legs, Elena went to push my head away, but I grabbed her wrists and held them. “Let me smell you,” I growled and pressed my nose to her pussy.

My eyes instantly rolled into the back of my head.

It wasn’t potent yet, but it was oncoming. I didn’t know how many hours or days we had, but judging from what my father did, I do remember spending time with the clan jumping from cave to cave while it happened.

As a fledgling, I thought it was the greatest thing spending time with everyone, but I never understood. Now I know why.

“Fuck, love, you are going into heat soon.”

Her head perked up. “Huh?”

“Not right now, but soon. We need to talk first. There are stirrings at the club, and I’m concerned.”

Elena wrapped the linen around her body and sat up. “One thing at a time.” She held up her hand. “First, the club. What’s wrong?”

I liked how she put the club before herself, but I could feel the tension tightening her body.

“It’s alright. Things are going to work out.” I pushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear. “Bear and Nadia are back. Along with the other mated couples. They all have head pains like us.”

Elena tilted her head in question.

“They are in pain, too? Are they okay? What about Nadia?” Elena scooted closer, sitting on my lap and wrapping her arms around my neck.

I enjoyed this bond we shared. She knew how close I was to Bear and Nadia, and I was glad she understood I only saw them as family. Especially with Nadia’s history with head pains, this was a step back for her.

“She’s going to be fine. They are finishing getting the rest of the humans in the right placements. Some are coming here, to town. They will stay at the apartments we have set up, and we will figure out jobs for them. Others are being sent back home where they wanted to go.”

Elena nibbled on her bottom lip. “We should go help.” She tried to rise from my lap, and I laughed as I grabbed her hips and pulled her back down.

“Easy there. You are not going anywhere.” She landed on my lap with a ‘humph’.

“I can’t have you going into heat around any males.

I won’t. I'm unsure what Scales would do, and frankly, I'm unsure what I would do. The last time I got pissed off, bad things happened.” The playfulness fell from my voice, and I leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “I might eat people.”

Elena gasped. “No, you don’t think you would do that again?!”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I prefer not to find out. It would probably be worse since we are mated. So, no going near any shifters. Fae, yes, since they can’t smell as well. I think that will appease both sides of me.”

I could see Scales nodding in my mind.

“Yes, he agrees. Fae are fine. We can go to the fae village and see if they need help, if you want to. Otherwise…” I cupped her breast, and she slapped my hand.

“We need to help do something besides fucking. What are Locke and Emm doing?” my mate asked.

I shook my hand and pouted in defeat.

“Fucking, like I want to be doing. Bear sent a message, and now Hawke is going to try to intercept it and steal his phone or something. They don’t want to let Locke know that all of us were having head pains right now.

Because,…” I sang. “That’s dangerous and tedious work trying to get a damn lycan to break away from fucking your sister. ”

Elena gagged. “Not to add more pressure, but Emm doesn’t like to be interrupted during ‘private times' either.”

“Mama!”

Luis raced through the bustling crowd of weary fae, and collided with us. Elena, unfazed, enveloped our son in her arms, pressing her nose against his neck. The noise of the crowd faded around us.

While my soulkin didn’t know it, she was scenting Luis as a dragon mother would do to her fledgling, and I think my heart grew two sizes.

One day, I hoped to give her another.

“Anaki! You bit her!” Luis ran his finger over the slightly raised bite mark on his mother’s shoulder. She winced and pulled his wrist away.

“Aye, you know what that means? Has Abuela been talking too much?” I chided.

Luis shrugged his shoulders. “Just means you are married now. We are a family now, right?”

I gently placed my hand on top of his head and felt the soft strands of hair between my fingers as I ruffled it. The smell of his shampoo filled my lungs. My scent was coming in stronger than ever .“That we are. I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

“That means, I call you Papi now? Or Dad? What do you want most? ”

The sensation was akin to trying to swallow a huge chunk of food that simply refused to go down. My chest constricted, and a wave of heat enveloped my entire body.

My mouth hung open, and I tried to get the words out, but they never came. “I.. I… uh...”

Luis waved his hand in front of my face. “Does this mean I get to choose what I get to call him, Mama?”

Elena held back a laugh and buried her nose into Luis’ hair. “Maybe you should give him time to process. I think your Papa isn’t quite ready.”

Luis looked back at his mother. “No Papi then?”

Elena shook her head. “You call me Mama, which is more of an English term. Papa would be more appropriate, or Dad would fit well. Even Daddy.” Elena bobbed her head and pressed a kiss on Luis’ cheek.

Luis nodded and reached for me. I immediately grabbed him, and our bodies connected in a hug. “Okay, you are Dad, then. I don’t want to call you Daddy because that sounds like it's for babies.”

I snorted and hugged him back.

I have a son. A genuine son. Both of them belonged to me, completely and undeniably mine.

Scales purred for the both of us, happy that we had a family. I nearly forgot where we were until I saw Abuela step onto the path and walk towards us.

She didn’t look like the happy woman I once knew. Her step showed determination. She spoke to herself, and she was holding onto her bag like her life depended on it. The crowd of fae broke away from her as she walked. She was too busy in her own world.

“Something is wrong,” Elena said. “Abuela has only had that face a few times before.”

I stepped closer to Elena, my dragon already puffing up inside me .

“Once, when Abuela took me away, after Emmie murdered her fiancée and fled the country. She wanted to protect me from being taken and married off later.”

I growled, and my teeth lengthened. I had seen enough of what Elena went through.

Her father was a bastard. Using his daughters to pay off debts, with arranged marriages and selling their bodies.

The male didn’t even help raise his own children after their mother had died.

Abuela took them in and raised them to be strong, independent women, as she tried to make up for the sins of having such a terrible son.

“And the other, well, when she finished the moon ritual the next morning. Emm said she swore Abuela must have seen the face of God that day. Now I’m guessing it was the goddess. But why would she fear her? She was nice to us.” Elena looked up to me for answers.

“I don’t know, love.” I wrapped my free arm around her.

Her tight-lipped smile revealed a mix of emotions, conveying both warmth and a touch of sadness. “Elena, I’d like to have a word with you.”

Elena’s anxiety soared, and there was nothing I could do. I would know through her emotions what was happening due to the bond.

“Alright. Anaki, will you take care of Luis?”

Luis’ head was resting on my shoulder. I rubbed my hand up and down his back. “Of course. Do what you need to do.”

“I’ve already talked to Luis,” Abuela said. “One more kiss, mijo?”

Luis turned slowly, his gaze briefly meeting Abuela's before she planted a lingering kiss on his cheek. He then turned away, burying his head back into my neck, finding comfort in the warmth against me. Oh shit!

I worriedly rubbed his back until my fingers found his hair and stroked him gently.

“We’ll take a walk. Come, mija.” Abuela turned and started her walk. Elena stalled .

“Go on, I’ll know where you are. We will come get you if I feel you spiraling.” I pulled her toward me and gave her a kiss on the side of the head.

Elena quietly followed, and with each step my soulkin made, I wanted to race after her. Unfortunately, I knew she had to take those steps alone. Something was wrong, but obviously she needed Elena alone.

I stood there, watching them disappear into the distance. The sound of their footsteps gradually faded away. I felt a comforting warmth through our bond. Beside me, Luis's breathing slowed, eventually lulling into a soft, peaceful rhythm as he drifted off to sleep in my embrace.

Great, I couldn’t ask him what was up then.

“Hey, stranger.” Bear strode up next to me with Nadia in his arms. Nadia was asleep as well, but she was being carried in the popular bridal style, how all the women around here liked to be carried in.

“How’s she?” I nodded to the bundle in his arms.

“Her head hurts. Traveling to the place where she was trapped for two years also did a number on her. Beretta said she’ll help with a memory-blocking spell when this is over, but we got other problems.”

I pinched the bridge between my nose. There was always something. “What is it? Is it Idris?”

Bear huffed in annoyance. “Not sure. We got the humans out without a problem. That is what I find strange. Didn’t even see Idris, and the guards were…

obtuse. Easy in, easy out. I worry about that, but what I really wanted to tell you is about the head pains.

It’s the link trying to get established. ”

“Link? What wolves have? That is a mammal thing. Reptiles don’t have those.” Reptiles didn’t have voices, was what it was. We didn’t need to have a link because we were not pack animals. Dragon shifters came together because the human side needed it more .

Bear grunted. “Looks like you’re getting one.

You are part of the pack, the Iron Fang.

It looks like the goddess is giving everyone one.

Don’t look at me for answers. You said you had head pains, so that’s what I’m telling you.

I’ve got strict orders to head to the pack house for a big ceremony to speed up the process.

Tajah said she is going to shift Emm into a lycan. ”

My eyes bugged out of my head.

“Do the fuck what?!”

Bear shook his head in confusion. “That is all I know. The pack is forming, tonight. Any other information, I don’t know.

I’ll text you if I get any more info. I will tell you this: be on the lookout for Idris.

I got a bad feeling. It would not surprise me if he and his ass hats popped up.

I tried talkin’ to Hawke, but he’s in dad mode, worried about his mate and pup feeling pain. ”

I ran my hand through my hair. Fuck, fuck, fuck!

I just let Elena and Abuela walk away from the village, and right into the forest where danger could be.

I felt my scales sliding through my skin, my ears elongated, and my fins ripped through the tunic I wore.

Bear stepped back. “I’m gonna go. All mates are required to come.”

I shook my head. “My mate is approaching her heat.” I felt my eyes shift from human to dragon. “No way I’m going down there with a bunch of shifters. We will stay with the fae. You don’t want a feral dragon.”

Bear shook his head quickly. “Nope, don’t want that. I’ll let them know. Elena would be a distraction for Emm anyway.”

I grunted in reply and headed in the direction to go find Elena and Abuela. Watch out Spiderman because my dragon senses are tingling.