Page 24

Disaster

Deke

F uck Abrocaelum. Fuck the fae. Also fuck everyone who waited and watched while Ozyn was a captive in that goddess forsaken place.

Seeing my mate in pain nearly broke me. There was nothing for me to fight except the ghosts of the past, and really, I couldn’t do that for him, just stand with him while he battled.

Exhaustion and the rich wine had pulled me into sleep. My wolf shoved me awake announcing Ozyn had left our bed for the night. Seeing him so sad had cut into my soul. He’d needed me and I’d failed him.

Of course, generous as he was, Ozyn didn’t see it like that. He welcomed my comfort, as pitiful as it was. My suggestion to sleep outside really touched his heart.

It was more peaceful outside under his wing than in the oppressive castle. I could sleep comfortably knowing I’d done my duty to my mate by making his mental health my priority. The patch of grass we had chosen was just as comfortable as the feather down bed because I knew I’d done right by him.

Waking in the cold hard light of day, I found myself in my human form with an armful of Ozyn, also back in his human guise.

“You are the best mate anyone could hope for.” He pressed kisses all over my face smiling so wide. Part of it was for me, the other because we both knew we were going home in a few short hours.

“Now,” he said, flinging my shirt at me. “Cover yourself up. I think someone is coming.”

He was right, there was a shape coming up the hill. They had wings.

Safi.

“I think he wants to speak to you, do you want me to let you two speak alone?”

“No, I want you to put clothes on so he doesn’t see you naked!” he snapped. Then he grinned letting me know he didn’t mean it. “I don’t want anyone but me looking at you.”

“Yeah, I feel the same about you.” Honestly, Ozyn being so possessive over me was gratifying. It was one of the many things I loved about him. Getting dressed took only a moment. I stood next to Ozyn, almost touching the bubble over us.

The fae waved when he got near. “I’m glad I found you. Could you please tell your sons you are safe? Everyone was worried when they went to your room and you were gone. They’re about to take to the skies to look for you.”

“Oh,” Ozyn’s face screwed up with concentration. “The bubble to protect us had blocked them. I had wanted some privacy with my mate. One moment while I make my apologies.”

“I did text Chase. Maybe they were all too drunk to remember.”

Trying the bonds didn’t work. Huh, the bubble didn’t stop us from hearing anyone close, but it did make it so bonds didn’t work. That was handy.

With a pop, the magic disappeared.

“I have told my brothers, Gedith and Nhil where we are and why we came outside.”

The smile Safi gave was bittersweet. “I imagine it was the same reason why I could not sleep inside, preferring the roof.”

“Yes. We each have bad memories from our time there.”

Mild understatement there Ozzy , I sent dryly to him.

“Mine are nowhere near—“

“It’s not a competition,” I said, butting in. “Trauma is trauma. Are you okay, Safi?”

“Yes, are you well?” Ozyn asked. “I at least had my Deke to help me when it got too difficult.”

“Thank you, I went out early. I had much to think about. Ulrian’s favor was unexpected.”

Should we ask? I fired the thought at my mate.

“Would you like to discuss it?” Ozyn asked diplomatically, reminding me he used to be a king.

“Ulrian has received permission from the court to recognize me as a prince.”

Ozyn gasped. “That’s—“

“My brother has a hidden generous heart. To fight for me in such a way is unheard of. I will be his heir until such a time as he has children.”

Wow. Ulrian had made many mistakes over his time as the mayor of Northarbor and essentially Sweetwater. This was a step forward to changing his image.

“He did not do it entirely without a request in return.”

Ah, there was the downside. Always a politician.

“He would like me to choose a mate from the elves. At present he is looking at potential matches for me.”

“An arranged marriage?” Okay, I could stand to sound a little less horrified. Royalty did this all the time. Except, maybe my reaction was warranted. The last political marriage I knew of was bad news.

Ozyn had gone pale next to me. I wrapped my arms around him. “Don’t worry, we’ll get Ulrian to see sense,” I assured him.

Stop him, please! Ozyn silently pleaded.

“Thank you, but no, I would like to honor my brother by choosing an elf for a mate. I will meet with Prince Teárlach next week to discuss it with him. It may mean I will be unable to be your nanny for long—“

“We still want you to be our nanny,” I interrupted him. Maybe we could talk him out of it or find him someone nice. Yeah, that’s what we would do.

Together, we’ll make sure Safi only marries the nicest elf ever to exist.

Ozyn cuddled closer to me, his side of the bond filled with love for me.

When we returned to the castle, breakfast was in full swing. I sent Ozyn to the table where his sons were eating together. I went to the long buffet table and piled two plates high with delicious looking pastries and fruit. The castle might be depressing, but they had nice food.

No one questioned Ozyn about his disappearance, which I was grateful for. We didn’t linger over our breakfasts, each determined to take the win and get home much sooner than planned.

The ceremony to apologize to Ozyn was blessedly brief. The amount of jewels and gold they wanted to give him was vast. He chose a few pieces to take with us, then left the rest in Laer’s care. I got the impression he would never return for them and only took some things as to not offend Ulrian.

Seeing Safi pardoned, named as a prince, and also Ulrian’s heir took a little longer. I felt Ozyn’s pride for his friend. My life was something else. Mated to a former king, with a prince for a nanny to my dragon kids. I couldn’t wrap my head around it sometimes.

Vale stole Chase to fly with, leaving Gedith to take Aldrin and James. Nhil took Safi once more, the pair chatting easily. Ozyn stayed side by side with Gedith, the pair using their bond to chat, while Nhil guarded our rear. Not that I expected any trouble.

Ozzy spending quality time with Gedith was sweet. He kept part of the connection open so I could hear them. I knew Ozyn struggled with guilt about being away from his sons, more so now that he was pregnant again. Them having the time to re-establish a connection was precious.

The elves usually at the portal were scrambling when they came into view.

“An attack!” one cried.

We landed close by, the dragons all shifting to talk to the guards.

“Sir,” Lusha, a regular commander for this side’s forces, rushed to me. “I have sent through those I could spare. The pack is under attack! I called…” She was utterly frantic. It unnerved me to see her like that.

“But I was flying. I don’t think they expected us back today.” I clasped her shoulder, steadying her. This time Ozzy didn’t growl, too busy looking through the portal as if he could see what was happening there.

“We certainly did not, though we are grateful for it.” She gave me a relieved smile.

“Okay, gather who you can. We’re going in.” Pulling away from Lusha, I scanned my surroundings and the people with us. “Vale, can you protect Aldrin and James? We might need a healer.” He nodded. James clung to his mate. Both could fight, they were bears after all, but it went against their healing oaths to do it. I’d rather keep them out of it.

“Gedith? Nhil? Can you fight?”

“We can. Once we’re on the other side I’ll shift with Papa,” Gedith answered confidently.

“He’s pregnant, should he be fighting?”

“He,” my mate snapped, “is a capable fighter and will be safer in the skies as a dragon than on the ground in my human form.”

“Good point, I’m sorry. I’m just scared for you, for everyone.” He hugged me tightly, telling me all was forgiven.

“Nice save,” Nhil drawled. “I’ve fought in this form, I’ll fight alongside you, Dad,” he teased with an added wink. I was not ready for these dragons to be calling me dad.

“Chase, I want you on my heels in wolf form, okay?”

“Got it. Let’s go already!”

My cousin was likely as desperate as me to see how our family, our friends were fairing under this assault.

We crossed the portal as a tight group and exited to chaos. There was fighting everywhere. Shifters, a few magic users, and strangely some humans in tactical gear.

Mercenaries.

The aviary or the council had paid fucking mercenaries to attack our compound where children lived and played! Fucking monsters! All of them.

As a group we fanned out, two of our dragons taking to the skies.

Be safe my mate. Anyone who touches you is getting roasted.

I laughed before taking to fur and charging into the mele.

Chase peeled off, seeing I had someone guarding me, to help protect the omega compound just in case.

To be honest, these guys either weren’t paid enough, or no one warned them there could be dragons because they took one look at Ozyn’s bright white scales gleaming in the afternoon sun and ran the fuck out of there screaming.

No really. We barely had to fight. A couple of wolves, big cats like tigers, and some bears tried to press deeper into the compound but they were pushed back quickly. They took far more injuries than we received in return.

Overhead there were bursts of dragonfire singeing tail feathers as the birds from the aviary noped the fuck out. It was kind of funny to watch Gedith and Ozyn chase the birds away. For such large creatures they were pretty nimble. I loved the way they moved through the air.

“Pay attention!” Nhil barked at me, punching a lynx trying to side swipe me. “Stop mooning at my Papa. Yes, he’s glorious, but he’s going to be mad if you get hurt.”

I launched my body at the dazed lynx, tearing them to the ground. Shifting, I punched them in the head until they were unconscious.

Don’t think I can’t see your naked ass, mate. Shift! Ozyn demanded from above.

Taking fur once more I playfully howled at Ozyn. Damn dragon was always watching. I loved him so much. When we got home after this mess was over, I was going to work his body over until he was begging for my knot. Some of that may have crossed our bond because Ozyn’s wings faltered for a moment.

Nhil cuffed my head. “You’re drooling. They’re leaving. What’ll we do with this one?”

Tell Nhil— I began to Ozyn.

“He opened up the bond for us earlier. I can hear you, unfortunately.”

Oh, we have a detention center. We’ll take him there.

“Great.” Nhil picked the shifter up, hoisting them onto his shoulder. “Lead the way, Dad.”

Everyone gathered around the front of the mansion. Hiroshi was there helping Aldrin tend to the few scrapes we had. Very few had anything that actually needed treating. I wasn’t surprised to see that the prisoner Nhil held was the only one. All the other attackers had fled. Cowards.

Back in their human forms, Gedith and Ozyn got a ton of congratulations, my mate keeping a careful distance from most of the pack’s hugs. He had to invite the contact and I was proud of him for drawing the boundary, not because I didn’t want anyone else touching him.

“Well done, Nhil, you did a great job of guarding Deke for me.”

No praise for me. To be expected since I shifted mid-fight. I held back my laugh. He was such a shit sometimes. The Luna knew what she was doing with him for sure.

Ozyn took my hand, squeezing it. “I like your prize.” He toed at the still unconscious shifter.

“Me too.” Oh, he was a savage thing. I dipped down to kiss him. He tilted his head up welcoming my affection like a flower tilting to the sun. He made me so happy I thought all sorts of poetic stuff about him.

“Do you think we’ll get answers out of them?” he asked when we broke apart.

“That’ll be up to Blake and Chase. They’ll question him tomorrow. Make him sweat overnight.”

“I think they waited until we were gone.” Ozyn voiced my secret fear.

“Yeah, me too. Looks like we’ll be doing another round of weeding out traitors.” I gave a long sigh.

On my other side, Nhil stiffened. “What’s that scent?” His eyes tracked the crowd. “Him.” His eyes zeroed in on one of the enforcers.

Striding forward, Nhil made an imposing figure.

“Oh, fuck!” Micah whispered. “No way. Nope. Not happening.”

“You are my mate,” Nhil said in wonder. His hand reached out to cup Micah’s cheek.

In a blink, Micah shifted into his dingo form, turned tail, and ran.