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Striker climbed into his car and drove off with a grim promise to meet me at the clubhouse later.

I walked into the warehouse. It was a small space, mostly used to store parts for the scrapyard.

The wooden crates had been pushed into their usual place against the wall.

I grabbed a crowbar and wrenched the lid off one.

All the merchandise seemed to be in place. Handguns and semi-automatics were nestled in the foam padding. I checked the two other crates to be sure, and they all looked untouched.

So, Sean and his guys hadn’t messed with this order along the way. They’d just wanted to destroy it. Usually, I’d let the order wait in the warehouse, but now I’d have to get a few guys out here to transfer the goods to the garage today.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number that was unfortunately familiar. After four rings, it connected.

“Your little game got two dragons killed,” I said.

“You get what you pay for, I guess,” Sean said with a laugh. “So, you took care of them for me?”

My blood ran cold. The two dead dragons weren’t Sean’s clan members—they were solo dragons, wanderers who had been hired to do this task. But I’d thought he’d at least regret losing the manpower. Instead, their deaths seemed to amuse him. Like this was as good of an outcome as any.

This wasn’t my brother anymore. Sean had become something different. Something cruel and sadistic.

“You’re asking for a fight you have no chance of winning,” I snarled.

“Don’t get so cocky,” Sean snapped back. My dragon sensed his rage in his voice and rose up, as if Sean was right here where we could beat some sense into him. “This was just a little teaser. If you think this is all I have planned for you, you’re a damn fool.”

I thought about what Levi had said—about Sean losing time, losing memories. “I think you don’t have a fucking thing planned. I think you’re desperately chasing after me, like a playground bully.”

There was a long pause on the other line. When Sean finally spoke, his voice was low. “I want you to remember this moment. When I take Lakeview and you’re flat on your back, bleeding out, looking up at the real alpha, I want you to remember this.”

I didn’t need my draconic senses to know he wasn’t lying. He really believed that was our future. “You’re delusional.”

“You’ll see, Ace.” The line went dead.

Rage burned through, and my throat ached with the first hint of smoke. I ripped my phone away from my ear and squeezed it so hard it threatened to crack.

This was Dylan’s day. I wasn’t going to let Sean’s insane threats ruin it.

I hopped on my bike and gunned it back home. I took a long, winding route there, following the narrow two-lane highways into the mountains. The sharp switchbacks and steep turns almost made me feel like I was flying.

By the time I got home, my mood had lifted a bit. It was lunchtime, and as soon as I opened the door to the house, my appetite hit me like a hammer.

“Everything okay?” Harley asked as I walked in.

I nodded. “It’s handled.”

A slight frown flickered on her face, but it was gone quickly. She was dressed in tight jeans and a white tank top that showed off her small waist and the curve of her breasts, and she was busy making sandwiches for lunch. But the sight of her in the kitchen ignited a different kind of hunger.

There was no time to sneak off, though. Dylan was running around outside, throwing a frisbee into the wind and then catching it as it blew back toward him.

Harley followed my gaze to the windows. “He’s antsy. He’s nervous about tonight.”

“I’d be concerned if he wasn’t,” I said with a smile. “It’s a lot of new faces.”

“You think he’s ready for this?”

“He’s ready. He’s tough.” I stepped towards her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Gets it from his mom.”

My anger was still present, a low simmer, but it was easier to push it aside with Harley in my arms. I’d handle Sean. I wouldn’t let anything ruin this day for Dylan.

The deck doors slid open. I expected to hear Dylan start shouting about his parents being gross, but he was uncharacteristically silent. I straightened as Dylan padded into the kitchen, his eyes downcast.

“You all right, Dyl?” I asked.

“Uh-huh,” he said. “Heard your bike when you pulled up.”

“Got that good dragon hearing.”

Harley laughed. “You don’t need super-hearing to hear that thing pull up.”

I grinned and nudged her. “Fair. What’s on your mind, kid? Nervous?”

He nodded.

I knelt to his eye-level. “What are you nervous about?”

“What if… Dad, what if they don’t like me?”

Harley paused. She turned around and leaned against the counter, watching us with a concerned downturn to her lips.

Dylan wrapped his arms around himself. Now that the dam had broken, all his worries started spilling out.

“I haven’t even shifted yet. What if my dragon is too small?

Or too ugly? Or what if I don’t shift this summer at all?

What happens when we go back home? Will everyone be mad at me?

Or what if they totally forget about me?

What if I’m not good enough at being an alpha? ”

“Dylan. Hey.” I grabbed his shoulders and squeezed. “Look at me.”

His eyes shone with unshed tears, and flecks of gold gleamed in them. He was so close to his shift that those hints of gold never seemed to go away, but now, worked up like this, they were even more dramatic.

“Do you want to do this?” I asked. “You don’t have to meet the clan. Hell—I mean, heck—you don’t have to be the alpha. You technically get the right of first refusal.”

He sniffed and rubbed his nose. “What’s that mean?”

“Means if you say no, Dad’ll pick someone else to be alpha,” Harley said gently.

“I want to meet everybody,” Dylan said. “I want to be like you, Dad. I want to be the alpha one day.”

My dragon hummed with pride. “This is a big change, Dylan. It’s okay to be nervous. Everyone’s going to be really happy to meet you. Think of it like a big party. As you grow up, everyone will be there to help you. That’s how this clan works. We’re a big team. A big family.”

Dylan nodded. “That sounds nice. But… I won’t be here when I have school at home.”

“That’s all right,” I said, even though my dragon raged at me that it was very much not all right. I ignored that. Harley needed time, and so did Dylan. “It’s important that you get to be a kid. You’re my son before you’re an alpha. And I’m proud of you because you’re my son.”

Dylan nodded again.

“Feel better?” I asked.

Another nod. My dragon hummed. Dylan wasn’t lying, and some of his nerves had dissipated. I knew he’d be a little anxious until we got to the clubhouse, but that was to be expected.

Harley dabbed at the corner of her eye with a kitchen towel, then cleared her throat. “You need to eat something before you get ready to go,” she said. “Both of you.”

I stood up with a smile. “There’ll be a ton of food at the clubhouse tonight.”

“Yeah, and I’ve seen how much the both of you can eat. Here, have a sandwich. Or two. Or three.”

“Dad?”

“Yeah?” I turned around, and Dylan barreled into me. It was by far his preferred way of hugging, but I still hadn’t gotten used to it.

“I’m glad you’re my dad.” Dylan’s voice was muffled against my shirt.

I squeezed him back. Emotion bubbled within me—pride, happiness, honor. It was a strong upswell of feeling, and I still wasn’t used to feeling this much. Only Dylan could make me feel this intensely. Dylan… and Harley. “I’m glad you’re my son,” I said as I returned the hug.

I reached out to Harley. She took my hand, and I squeezed it. It was my turn to fight back tears.

“Come on, you two,” Harley said warmly. “Let’s eat.”

We had our sandwiches, then Dylan ran upstairs to change out of his T-shirt into a nice, collared, button-down to go with his jeans. I’d told Harley it wasn’t necessary, but she insisted. “This is important,” she said as she sent Dylan upstairs. “We should dress with respect, too.”

As Dylan disappeared up the stairs, I pulled her into my arms. “Does that mean you’ll wear a dress tonight?”

She laughed. “Do you want me to?”

“Maybe. If you want to.”

She patted my chest. “We’ll see.”

Dylan hurried back downstairs in his slightly wrinkled shirt. “What now?” he asked.

“Now it’s time to put this on,” I said. “It’s going to be a little big for you.”

I picked up a garment bag I’d left on the couch. It lived in the very back of my closet. I hadn’t used it since my introduction as alpha, and part of me had thought it might never get worn again.

I unzipped the protective garment bag and pulled out the robe inside.

“Whoa,” Dylan said. “Am I gonna be a wizard?”

“Kinda looks that way, doesn’t it?” The robe was a thick, lush green, made of sturdy cotton and embroidered with delicate gold thread. I’d worn it, my dad had worn it, and his father before him. Now my son was going to wear it, too.

I turned the robe around. The clan crest was embroidered on the back. It showed two dragons, their necks intertwined, with a mountain range around them.

“This robe is for the next alpha of Lakeview,” I said. “It’s special.”

Dylan swallowed. He held his arms out, and I helped him into it.

It was made for an adult dragon, so the sleeves fell to cover his hands, and the bottom of the robe pooled around his feet.

He looked more like a kid playing dress-up than a strong alpha, but that was fine.

He was just a kid. And the robe might be too big for him now, but as he grew up, he’d learn to fit it perfectly.

“Looks really good, Dylan,” Harley said, her voice wavering a little. “You look so handsome and grown up.”

“Mom, stop!”

“I remember when you were a chubby little toddler running around at your grandpa’s house.” Harley scooped Dylan into a hug and squeezed him hard. “You’re so big now.”

“Moooom!” Dylan struggled against her. “Quit it! I’ve gotta be the alpha now!”

Harley and I started laughing. She let Dylan go, and he started laughing, too.

“All right, Harley, you’re sure you’re okay with meeting us there?”

She nodded. “I’ve got to get dressed, anyway. You two take your time.”

“All right, kiddo,” I said to Dylan. “Let’s ride.”