Page 16

Visitors

Deke

W atching Ozyn fight with Blake had been terrifying. I knew my cousin wasn’t about to go easy on my mate for what he’d done. While I understood, I didn’t like it. Ozyn needed to figure out the hierarchy and his place within it, despite Blake saying we were equals.

Sometimes my cousin spoke a bunch of bullshit. He was the Alpha, so his place was at the top. We all had to fall in line under him.

After they ended their match, it was clear Blake had the edge. He was the Alpha for a reason and he’d just shown it. I wasn’t sure if Ozyn had held back any. He still wasn’t fully recovered magically, so it was possible. Wasn’t going to ask where people could overhear the answer.

His bout with Will? Well, it showed my mate hadn’t been pulling his punches with Blake. They’d clearly been more evenly matched than the enforcer was with Ozyn.

My mate wiped the floor with him. Not going to lie, it was hot. Ozyn was powerful, deadly, and all mine.

There wasn’t even time to celebrate or for Blake to say anything before we had the next crisis on our hands: Kade was in heat.

Omegas usually got a break between heats and having babies. Kade was coming up on the two-year mark since his last heat because of the triplets. After his fertility worries, I wondered if it would be longer before his heats returned.

“Go!” Chase urged his brother. “We’ve got the pack. Go make more babies or whatever! I want more niblings.”

Blake paled, his footsteps paused. “I’m not sure we’re ready for more babies.”

“Your mate is very fertile,” Ozyn took Blake’s elbow. Our Alpha allowed the friendly touch. It showed a thawing in their relationship if Ozyn was initiating contact. He trusted Blake. “If you do not want another child, I might be able to help with my magic.”

Blake took Ozyn by the shoulders. “No, you need to get better so you can show my babies your dragon form,” he teased. “I’ll get a potion, if that’s what Kade wants. If he wants another baby, then we’ll cope. Cryabell would be delighted.”

The Alpha left to go deal with his mate.

“Who is Cryabell?” Ozyn asked.

“She is an elf. The guardian of my niblings. Gatekeeper of visits. Protector of nap time,” Chase proclaimed to a smiling Ozyn.

“Cryabell is their nanny. The Luna knows they need one with three babies under two,” I said dryly. “How about we leave Chase to deal with the pack and we go see Georgia?”

The omega compound was a section I hadn’t been into often. Never had the need, and I wasn’t really welcome as a single alpha. Now that I had a fated mate beside me, they allowed me a day pass. If Ozyn was going to return for more therapy, it was likely he would do it alone. Maybe I’d get another pass, but those were rarely given out.

Honestly? The place was kinda cool. They had a ton of facilities the greater compound didn’t, like a community center, school, gym, and a pool. Made sense to have those things in the area with the most children. It meant the kids didn’t have to leave the safety of the compound for their necessary schooling. Jasper taught classes there around looking after Hayden.

This part of the compound held both single and mated omegas in family houses. Not all of them lived in the larger houses surrounding Blake’s new place. Our transplants from Greenbriar lived here.

The idea behind this area was creating a community within a community because a lot of the omegas were single parents usually after being abandoned by their alpha. The omegas often ate meals together, pooled childcare so they could work, stuff like that. Kade had been pretty impressed by it when he first visited. I know he missed them during the beta sickness when he couldn’t come see them because of the babies.

Someone must have warned Georgia that we were coming. She was waiting by the gates to guide us to her office in the community center.

“You must be our new fated mate! People tell me you’re a dragon,” Georgia greeted Ozyn warmly with a gentle hug. It surprised me that he let her.

She led us while telling Ozyn about all the features of the compound. I heard her tell him he was welcome to one of the single person homes if he would rather have one. It made me happy when he looked offended and told her he was staying with me.

Her office was comfortable with a desk, a decent sized blue sofa, and a couple of armchairs. Ozyn took a seat on the sofa, holding his hand out for me to join him.

We sat close together; the nerves ramping up. I wasn’t sure what they were going to talk about, but I knew I’d have to listen while Ozyn detailed some really heavy stuff.

He lived it, so the least I could do was hear what he went through so I could help him.

“Okay, Ozyn, I’m still learning. I don’t want to go too deep and re-traumatize you. That’s not what today is. I’d prefer to hear what issues you’ve been having with adapting to life here. We can talk more in detail at another time, hopefully with a colleague there to guide me. Does that sound acceptable to you?”

“Yes, it does,” Ozyn answered with some relief. “Though I have forgotten much of what happened to me. A side of me took over.” He spoke so earnestly. “I think of it as becoming feral. When I was beastly, it gave me some protection.”

“Ah, yep, the brain likes to do that, and honestly, if you have repressed memories, unless they are giving you trouble in the form of waking flashbacks and panic attacks, then sometimes it’s better to leave them the hell alone. Make sense?”

Ozyn nodded. It made sense to me, but my input wasn’t needed. I stayed quiet, happy to just listen in on this session.

“Sometimes I have nightmares,” he admitted.

“Dreams are a way of the brain processing what has happened. Do you feel you get enough rest? Are they affecting your day to day life? Are they daily?”

“Deke helps me with them. They aren’t every night and I’ve usually forgotten about what happened in them by the time I’m going about my day.”

Georgia nodded approvingly. “We’ll monitor the situation.” She noted something down. “So, what are the main problems?”

My mate glanced at me. “I am territorial over Deke.”

Georgia looked over at my mate with a neutral expression. “Not necessarily a bad thing as such, though it can drive a wedge between you two and your other healthy relationships. Once you bond, it will be easier to deal with that.” She tapped her pen against her notebook. “Most of the problem there is your lack of solid bond. Right now there’s the push towards each other, making you more unstable than you’d be normally.”

“Deke does not think I’m ready for the bond.”

I wanted him to be ready. Wanted to bond with him badly. It hurt to hold back at times. I just didn’t want to push him into something he wasn’t fully onboard with.

“Have you been intimate?” Georgia wasn’t watching us closely, instead writing notes.

Ozyn spared me a glance before answering. “Yes. Deke waited for me to initiate things. Just some touching and kissing.”

“And how did that make you feel?”

“Good,” he answered immediately with a faint blush. “I hardly remember the times I was forced. It was so long ago that it happened now. When the beast side of me took over, it was too dangerous…”

“Do you feel healed enough mentally to try bonding with Deke?”

“Yes, but he is not sure.”

Georgia met my eyes. “You can’t decide things for your partner. If he says he is ready, then you should be open to trying.” She continued before I could interrupt. “I’m not saying there won’t be issues. The best thing you can do is communicate. Check in with your partner. Let Ozyn take the lead.”

I tried not to sound like I was pouting when I said, “that’s what I’ve been doing.”

The smiles both Ozyn and Georgia gave me made me feel better. I felt validated, like I’d scored high on a test.

“Ozyn,” Georgia began seriously, “you are remarkable. You are resilient, strong, capable. Coming here to save Deke just showed that you’re still in there, you aren’t that feral beast. Okay, you’ve had a couple blips. I heard about Chase, but honestly? That was kinda justified. I know Chase doesn’t hold it against you.”

“Thank you,” Ozyn murmured.

“I would like to continue the sessions. They might be beneficial to you both as you settle into your bond.” Georgia scribbled something down. “I wonder if your dragon magic has done something with your memories, to safeguard your mind from the trauma your body suffered.”

“He… I… There were cuffs. I did not have access to most, if not all my magic.”

“Well, maybe there’s something about your brain physiology that protected you. Either way, I’m proud of how you are adjusting to life in Sweetwater.”

“Even with what happened with Chase?”

“Yep, even then. That boy has been the bane of my life since he was born. He and his brothers had a tough upbringing though, so I can deal with some bratty behavior. Chase is sweet really. You should see him with all the babies.”

Georgia had been like another mom to Blake when his mother, my aunt, died when he was a teenager. Her death at the hands of her mate, led to my father taking over the pack. He was supposed to hold it until Blake was ready. He couldn’t handle it. We had a couple heated conversations over it, then he handed it over to me.

I was still ashamed of how I’d run the pack. Being a pack Alpha wasn’t for me.

“We are going to have dinner with Larken, Dalton and their family soon,” Ozyn said proudly. “I am looking forward to meeting their babies.”

“Oh you are in for a treat!” Georgia beamed. “All four of them are as cute as buttons! Dalton rescued a cat and a ferret and they treat the babies like their own. It’s simply adorable.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing it. May we go now?” Ozyn stood, still holding my hand as if ready to pull me out the door. “My sons have just arrived.”

“You have sons?” Guess it wasn’t common knowledge. Georgia’s eyes were wide.

“Yes, five of them. They have just exited the portal and are waiting for me.”

“Then you’d better go. We’ll pick this up next week, okay?”

Ozyn spared her a nod before he tugged me behind him.

Next to the portal were seven figures. I guessed they were the five sons and two of Ozyn’s brothers.

It surprised me that there weren’t more of them. Dragons were plenty deadly, though, so maybe they didn’t need a ton of guards. Then I remembered their numbers suffered during Ozyn’s imprisonment. It was possible they didn’t have dragons to spare.

“You said Rezoth is the king because he’s an omega. What about the others? What do they do?”

I had to admit to being curious about Ozyn’s sons. Most of the time I avoided asking about them, since he would be sad. I knew he missed them badly. He loved them dearly to sacrifice himself the way he did. When we bonded, they would become my sons and they were much older than me, which would make things interesting.

“Like in my court, Rezoth would have chosen his brothers to be his advisors. Ryoko, who is the delta of the group, would be his heir until Rezoth has his own clutch with an alpha or alphas. Dragons are often polyamorous.”

I tucked that away to question another time. It would explain why he and his brothers looked so different if they only shared an omega or delta parent.

“Does every clutch have an omega?”

“It is very rare that they don’t. Like with single eggs, it is considered unlucky not to have an omega. A delta is not considered as special as an omega.”

“Why? They can still carry babies.”

“Yes, but it is more common for a delta to want to create rather than carry. We see the act of giving birth as sacred. Drakon was an omega himself.”

“Okay, so what are their names? Rezoth, Ryoko, and I remember you saying Nhil, he’s an enigma, right?”

“That’s right. I had an especially rare clutch with all five designations. Rezoth the omega, Ryoko the delta, Nhil the enigma, Balon is an alpha and it is likely he and Nhil are Rezoth’s main advisors. Lastly, my beta son is Gedith. He will be Rezoth’s companion until he finds a mate and will run the castle.”

“Is that seen as lucky, having all five? Because omegas are rarer and you have three sons capable of carrying young?” Three because if the beta found an enigma, he could carry. Technically the alpha could, too, I guess.

Ozyn’s smile was brighter than the summer sun. “Yes! It was a charmed day when they were born.”

There was a part of the conversation I hadn’t dared approach before, but the worry churned my stomach.

“What about their other parent, or parents?”

“Oh.” Ozyn’s footsteps paused. “There was just one. Though I tried several times to give my heat to an alpha. Their father died in a skirmish with the fae when the children were small.” While he sounded a little sad, he wasn’t devastated, though this had to have happened a few hundred years ago.

“Taurak was a soldier in the army. We weren’t a love match, if you are concerned I harbor feelings for him.” Ozyn looked up at me thoughtfully. “He spent a heat in my bed to secure my legacy, not out of affection. I was sad when he died because I lost a friend and my children’s father. They barely remember him now, which makes me unhappy. He was a good dragon.”

Taking Ozyn’s hand, I pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for telling me. I’m looking forward to getting to know your sons.”

“Let’s not keep them waiting any longer.” Ozyn pulled free of my embrace, but kept my hand in his.

“Papa!” the boys yelled as we came closer.

Ozyn let go to run to them. They surrounded him, all talking, hugging, and kissing his face. The amount of love they gave him and the joy on his face made me smile. Each of them looked a little like Ozyn, though their hair colors were shades of blond and brown.

The alpha, Balon, or maybe this was the enigma Nhil, approached with an outstretched hand. He had the same color eyes as his papa.

“You shake hands here, right? The magic says so. I am Balon.”

“We’re going to be family, so we can hug. Wolves like to hug.”

He stepped closer and wrapped me in a hug. “This is better!”

Okay son number one was cool. I hoped the others would be as welcoming.

“Hello,” a quiet voice said next to me. “I am Gedith. Do I hug you too?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be your dad and family hugs, right?”

Gedith smiled, he moved into my space, welcoming me into the family. Two down, three to go.

Nhil and Ryoko weren’t quite as warm, but they did allow me to give them brief hugs. It was only when I faced Rezoth, I realized there was going to be a problem. He looked the most like Ozyn, his hair a few shades paler than Ozyn’s honey blond. His eyes were a darker blue.

Rezoth’s uncles stood guard, watching me process the scene with sly smirks. They were enjoying this.

“So, you are the wolf who has been keeping Papa from us.”

“And you are his son who has been keeping the kingdom safe while he was away. Your papa is very proud of you.” Rezoth’s hard expression twitched. “I’m sure you can understand him needing to be here, far from Abrocaelum, for a while. When we were bonded and he was ready, I was going to ask him to take me to your kingdom.”

My words left the dragon king looking stunned.

“You were?” Ozyn looked amazed. He nestled into my side once more, making my wolf relieved.

“Of course.”

“But what about the attacks?”

“What attacks?” Rezoth demanded to know, the fierce expression back in place.

“We have enemies nearby,” I told him before turning to my mate. “They can handle things without me. It’s not so dire that we’d lose just because we visited your people, Ozyn. You have to know you’re not stuck here. I can leave any time. Just say the word and I’d give it all up for you.”

“They are your family.”

“And here is your family.” I gestured at the gathered dragons. “Even if we decide to stay here with the pack, we can still visit.”

“You are not keeping Papa from us?” Rezoth asked in a sharp tone.

“No. His magic was very depleted.” It was returning. He could probably hold a shift for a while but he was a long way from full strength.

“I can manage to shift now. Not for long, though,” Ozyn said, confirming what my ability already knew. He looked up at me, those pretty eyes sparkling. “Can we fly a little? I want to show you the skies.”

“I’d love that.”

As if he’d given a signal, all the dragons separated, making way for their larger forms. Beside me there was a shimmer and Ozyn changed. Gone was the tiny omega. In his place was a huge white dragon, scales gleaming in the sunlight.

Each of the other dragons, their colors as varied as a rainbow, all dipped their snouts to Ozyn. They came forward to breathe air over his head.

They are sharing magic, Ozyn’s voice said in my head using our pack bond. They want me to be able to fly for longer if you allow it.

“Just remember the boundary,” I made sure to say it loud enough so the others would hear. “The humans want us to stick to our territory. We have a lot of land so it should be okay for you all to fly.”

We will. Step onto my leg. He lay close to the ground. See the ridge? Sit behind it and hold on tight.

I climbed onto his back. Before I took hold, I whipped my phone out to send a photo to the group chat.

Deke

Off flying. I have the coolest mate.

Axel

Fuck no. I’m married to a prince.

Chase

Wait for me! I want to fly too.

Deke

Don’t you have work to do?

Are you done? I felt some of Ozyn’s amusement in his tone.

“Yep.” I tucked my phone away and held onto the spiked ridge. My heart thumped in my chest. My wolf whimpered with fear.

Don’t worry, I assured him. Our mate has us.

Ozyn launched into the sky, surprising a yelp from me. In seconds we were high above Sweetwater with seven other dragons.

They flew over the compound and orchard in a formation, putting Ozyn and Rezoth in the middle. His sons played in the air, performing tricks for their Papa.

We dipped low over the lake, spraying water behind us.

Further and further we flew until I felt Ozyn getting tired.

Circle back, I urged him.

His brothers turned back towards the grounds of the mansion and the portal.

One by one they landed, shifting seamlessly. Lucky bastards kept their clothes.

My mate let me down before he shifted back.

“Deke!” Melody called. “There’s humans at the gate. Police too. There’s been a complaint.”

Well, shit.