Page 13

Baby Steps

Deke

B lake admitting Ozyn to the pack was a move I hadn’t seen coming. My youngest cousin was careful with who he let in his pack, especially recently after so many betrayals. He’d learned the hard way to be cautious. I figured he’d wait to test Ozyn’s mental state before he extended the offer to join.

Maybe it was the government forcing his hand, but Blake appeared to be happy with his decision. With Ozyn glued to my side, I hadn’t had the chance to ask him.

Not that I resented the closeness I was sharing with my mate. In fact, I preferred having him close. It made both of us, the man and wolf sides of myself, happy to have him near me. I got as anxious as Ozyn having him too far away from me.

Work was going to be a problem. I needed to go back into the office, especially now there had been attacks again. Whatever reprieve we’d gotten after the news interview Kade did was well and truly over. Twice a team of birds had tried to get within our territory boundaries. We’d had delivery routes discovered. I needed to be working.

With such young babies at home, Larken couldn’t be expected to do it all himself. Some godparent I was, stealing their daddy from them so soon after they were born! Going back in was the right thing to do. Besides, I was getting bored at home now that I was mostly healed. I missed solving problems for the pack and keeping everyone safe.

Ozyn was napping, so I stole a moment to myself to call Blake.

“Hey, Deke. How are you feeling?” Blake’s voice was always warm and soothing. My dad would have hated seeing me be submissive to Blake, yet he’d never seen Blake come into his power like I had. He was a different level of Alpha. There were few who could stand up to him when he unleashed his alpha gift.

“Like I should be doing more than resting at home,” I admitted. Scrubbing a hand over my face, I sighed.

“Feeling up to returning to work?”

“Yeah. It’s not as straightforward as that, though.” I cast a glance at the bedroom.

“Why?”

“Ozyn,” I whispered. Part of me, the wolf mainly, felt bad that we were talking about our mate. We didn’t want to upset him or set his progress back.

“What about him?”

I checked the bedroom to see if he was still sleeping then wandered to the back door, as far as I could go without leaving the house. He always seemed to sense me if I went outside.

“He can’t be left alone.”

“So take him with you.” Blake said it simply, like it was obvious, or should have been clear to me what to do.

“Are you sure?”

“I made him pack to keep him with you, Deke.” Oh, I heard the “duh,” in there without him saying it. “You need him as much as he needs you right now. Take him to work with you. Who knows, he might have a different perspective on how to deal with the aviary, what with being a dragon with centuries of life experience.”

Huh, I hadn’t thought about it that way.

“Goddess knows I could do with some help making Michael see sense.”

“Still won’t take your calls?”

Blake grunted. I smiled in response to his frustration, not at all surprised about how the aviary Alpha was acting.

“Emails, texts, letters, petitions from the council. Nothing. He won’t listen to reason.”

“Fanatics like him never do,” I said ruefully.

“Yeah. Ozyn might have some fresh ideas. Take him with you. Keep him close until your bond settles, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed. “I will. Tomorrow though.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Larken can have the afternoon off.”

“I bet he needs it with the babies.” I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the little ones.

“For sure.”

Even though his were nearly two, they were still a handful. There were three of them getting into everything they could get their little paws on.

“Blake?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for making Ozyn pack. I know you kinda had to with the government breathing down our necks—“

“Deke, I did it for you. Now that he’s here, your mate belongs with us. Of course I’d make him pack.”

“What about…” I couldn’t put it into words. Ozyn was decades of trauma in an incredibly powerful being. I wasn’t scared of him. He was my fated mate, he couldn’t harm me. Still, I couldn’t help but worry about those who got between us when Ozyn wasn’t feeling himself.

“You’ve got to have faith that The Luna put him on your path for a reason. He needs the love and guidance of the pack to keep him… not stable, that’s the wrong word.” There was a moment of silence. “Keep him present.” I had a feeling Kade was involved there. Like he’d fed the words to Blake through their connection.

“I’m sure you’re right, or rather Kade is.”

Blake chuckled. “Kade says thank you.”

Ha. Knew it.

We ended the call, and I returned to the sofa just as Ozyn exited the bedroom and crawled into my lap.

“You are smiling. Good phone call?”

I tensed a little. “Were you listening?”

Ozyn smoothed a hand over my chest, quieting my worry. “I tried not to. Alpha Blake is a good man. He cares about everyone, even me.”

“Of course he does.”

“I will try to be worthy of that gift.”

“Mate, you already are. I just worry it was too soon.”

“Our Alpha has faith. We should too.”

He laid his head on my chest with a smile on his face. I kissed the top of his head.

“You’re right.”

“Are you ready to tell me about your ability now? I sense something within you now that my magic is returning.”

It was. I could feel the well within him filling slowly.

“I—“

“If you are not ready to discuss it…this requires trust.” Even without a full bond, I could feel his disappointment. Ozyn wanted, no, needed me to trust him with this secret.

“I’ve never admitted it to anyone, but I can sense magic. Like I could sense that Safi was hiding in the room when we spoke to the government. He slipped out before it got too heated.”

Honestly, I’d found it funny that Safi had pulled it off. Somehow even his scent was masked in that invisible state.

“He wanted to see his brother. Ulrian left so long ago…”

“Ah, makes sense.” I pitied Safi sometimes. He didn’t have anyone aside from the pack now. “I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want to put Safi in danger. The government would love someone sneaky with that kind of power.”

“Just like they would use you, with yours. Sensing magic is a useful gift,” Ozyn said, proudly.

“Never felt useful before. Not until you.”

“Maybe it was meant for me. Another way you can look after me as my mate.

Sleeping next to Ozyn wasn’t always restful. It was a struggle sometimes, usually when I was exhausted, to remember all the shit he’d been through and be understanding. Patience wasn’t a virtue I had a lot of, alright?

Most of the time, it was easy just to hug him back to sleep, reminding him he wasn’t in that dark place any longer.

It helped that my place was still shy on comforts. Look, I’d been focused on feeding him, okay? There were no drapes to keep out the light of the moon or the early morning sun, meaning the room was never fully dark like the place he’d been kept in for so long. I think it helped him get to sleep, so I left it like that instead of putting up the curtains someone had dropped in.

The pack was welcoming to Ozyn. He was like a celebrity, an oddity, I guess. Dragons were still with us after we’d been told they were extinct. Pack members liked to stare at him or try to engage him in conversation when we went out for walks. I knew he found it stressful and limited our exercise, wanting him to heal more instead of taxing his body and his mind.

“Are you ready to come to the office with me?” I asked him after a broken night of sleep.

There were dark circles under his eyes. “Do you want me to come? I worry—“

“What?”

“That you would prefer to have some time alone.” He burrowed harder against my chest.

“Ozzy…”

“Say that again, please.” When he lifted his head, his eyes were lit with happiness.

“Ozzy?”

“Yes. I like that.” He smiled a satisfied grin at me before growing serious once more. “You may call me Ozzy. No one else, though,” he warned. I was pretty sure he wasn’t joking.

I tugged him close once more to kiss the top of his head. “Ozzy, I want you next to me, so I know you are okay. I didn’t want to go back to work and leave you alone.”

“Are you sure?” I wished everyone could see this soft and sweet marshmallow side to my mate. They wouldn’t be nearly as afraid of him otherwise.

“Yeah. There’s a really comfy nest in my office where you can have a nap. There’s a ton of blankets. Sometimes, before you, I preferred sleeping there than in my house.” I ran my hand up and down his back, enjoying the feel of him in my arms. A few days of a calorie rich diet and he wasn’t nearly as frail as he had been. “We can get some books from the library so you won’t be bored, or I can get you a tablet to learn to use. I know your magic has taught you some stuff about technology and life now, but actually using tech is different.”

“I think I would like to learn. Sometimes it does not feel…”

“Real?”

“Yes. As if this is a dream.”

“Is that why you sometimes wake through the night?” I didn’t want to call them nightmares, though that was what they felt like.

“There are times I cannot tell if things are real or a dream. When I wake I am confused. I have so little magic, it takes me longer to understand.”

His words hurt my heart. I badly wanted to be the one who soothed all his pain and helped him forget all the shit he’d been through. That wasn’t possible. All I could be was a comfort to him. A safe place for him to work through things in his own time.

“We better get ready. Winter messaged me to say he’s making us breakfast sandwiches. We’ve got to stop by the kitchen to get them before we head to my office.”

“I like Winter.”

“The feeling is mutual. He’s never gone out of his way to feed me before work like this. I think if he’d chosen it, he would have been a fantastic alpha.”

“It is strange to see so many betas. In dragon flights, betas are rare. From what I understand, The Luna gave each of the betas a choice. Winter and Chase—“

“And Melody,” I added, thinking of the raccoon shifter.

“They all chose to remain as betas.”

“That’s right. They didn’t know they could be anything else. Melody didn’t know there were alpha females. Winter and Chase didn’t know about enigmas and deltas.”

“Do you think they would change now if they had the choice?”

“No. Well, not Winter and Chase. They like their lives as is, at least I think so. I can’t answer for Melody.”

“When I have my magic back, I could offer them the chance if you think they’d appreciate it.”

“It’s amazing your magic can do that. Do dragons worship The Luna too?”

“She is the sister of the Great Drakon, the first of our kind. We were always taught to think of her kindly because she helped our god and our people. We owe her a debt. If I can repay that by changing her shifters, then that is what I must do.”

The more I learned about Ozyn and dragons, the more in awe I was. The Luna had given me the greatest gift in a fated mate, but to have one so powerful was beyond anything I could have hoped for.

“Come on, we better not keep Winter waiting.”

“It smells divine in here,” Ozyn remarked as we entered the kitchen hand in hand.

“Ozyn!” Winter called. He approached with arms open, as if going in for a hug before he paused. “Is it okay to hug you?”

My mate glanced at me, asking for permission. “Your body, your choice.” I let go of his hand, letting him know I was alright if he wanted physical affection from someone else. When it was his brothers and Safi, I’d handled it fine. I could cope with my pack mates touching him. The problem was Ozyn watching others get close to me.

He went and hugged the cook. “Thank you for feeding me so well. I already feel better.”

Winter held my mate at arm’s length. “You’re filling out some. Got some color on those cheeks too. You’re a cutie, aren’t you?” Winter looked at me for approval.

“He really is. Gorgeous. I’m a very lucky wolf.”

Ozyn blushed at our compliments. “I am a very lucky dragon to have such a handsome and caring mate. He looks after me so well.”

“Glad to hear it. Our Deke has always had his head screwed on right. Now, you better get to the office. I’ve packed you breakfast.”

Sure enough, there was a basket waiting for us. I took it in one hand, reached for Ozyn’s hand with the other, and led him to my office.

Larken was behind his desk. Since promoting him, I felt it was best that he have his own workspace.

“Hey, glad to see you both. Damn, that smells delicious. What are the chances there’s one in there for me?” Larken crossed the room to my space. He peered hopefully into the basket. “Yes!” He pumped his fist. “Winter’s the best!” He retreated with his prize, leaving Ozyn smiling at him.

“I hope you don’t mind that I have followed Deke to work. I won’t get in the way.”

Larken frowned at him. “Why would I mind? I figured you’d come with him. Axel and Teárlach were practically inseparable until they bonded. Even now, it’s rare to find one without the other. It’s just how mates are.”

“Your mate is at home? With the babies? Are they alright after the attack?”

It was sweet Ozyn thought to ask about Dalton and the babies.

“They’re fine. Young enough, they won’t remember. Dalton was shaken, but he wasn’t hurt. We were more worried about Deke, but you fixed him up. We’re so grateful you burst through the portal.”

I’d never get enough of Ozyn blushing.

A couple of hours passed by while Larken caught me up on everything. Ozyn occasionally added some insight to the conversation, but mostly looked at the tablet I got him and ate breakfast and then a snack delivered by Winter. He came under the guise of reclaiming his basket. I knew it was just to feed Ozyn some more.

Seemed like Ozyn had made his first friend in Sweetwater. Winter was a good choice of shifter to befriend, not only for his cooking skills, but as the cook he was at the heart of things. He always had the latest tea.

Mid-morning, Larken felt like I was caught up enough that he could go home and help Dalton and Ingal with the babies. He showed Ozyn pictures of them playing with Spice and Priscilla in the yard. They had a sandpit for them to shift in, which was super cute. Their ferret pet loved it.

“May we visit so I can see the little ones?” Ozyn asked before Larken left.

“Sure. If you convince Winter to make dinner for us, you’re welcome anytime.”

My mate didn’t understand that Larken was joking and frowned. “I think that is unfair to Winter.”

Larken just smiled. “Nah, you’re right. Besides, Dalton is a fantastic cook. You two need to come over for dinner sometime.”

“Maybe next week?” I suggested.

“Sure. If you’re okay with things here, I’m going to take a couple days off.”

“Sounds good to me. You’ve earned them.”

He left soon after. The room was pretty quiet as Ozyn looked at whatever he was reading on the tablet. I’d found him a reading app and downloaded a broad selection of books. He seemed content to read while I worked.

Winter called and insisted we come to the kitchen for lunch. Ozyn thoughtfully stacked the plates and leftovers from his snack and tried to carry them back to the cook, but I took them off him. When he glared, I explained.

“I’d get in so much trouble for leaving you to carry everything.” Handing him back the sack of food, I earned a smile. “You don’t want me in trouble, do you?”

“Of course not.” He playfully bumped me. I relished each and every time he made physical contact with me, knowing it was a sign of his trust.

Our lunch was amazing. I joked with Winter that he was trying to steal my man, which sort of backfired when Ozyn pulled away from the cook.

“Hey,” I said softly to Ozyn, who had retreated into himself. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It was a poor joke. If you decided you wanted someone else, I’d be sad, but I’d understand.”

That lit a fire in my mate. His eyes blazed as he looked at me. “There is no one else for me but you.”

“Same, but you know you don’t have to accept the bond, right? You have free will if you decide someone is better.”

“There is no one better. No one else would hold me in the night even when I disrupt your sleep. Only you make sure I drink the shakes even when I complain because you want to see me healthy.”

“I’m sure other people would do that.” I edged my seat closer to his.

“No, I only feel safe with you.”

The small admittance broke me. I went to him and pulled him into my arms. “You will always be safe with me. Ozyn, I’ll wait forever for you to be ready for the bond.”

“What if I’m ready now?”

I kissed the top of his blond head. “Soon. Not now. You’re getting there.”