Page 31

What would have happened if I allowed Morlie to leave with him at the council meeting ?

She glanced up at Aodh. She knew he could read her thoughts, and she forced herself not to formulate a clear thought about the secret she held back from Aodh.

However, the guilt flooded her conscience and caused a weight to settle in her stomach.

Still holding her hand, Aodh rose. “Life can’t be built on top of what ifs, mate.”

“I know. I want the best for my sister. However, as Morlie told me, I can’t smother her and call it protection.”

He brushed a thumb over the back of her hand. “It’s hard. I don’t worry about Liekki, but Eilidh is my little sister, and even though as a Drahkelle, she could stomp or burn to cinder most things that come her way, it’s hard for me not to build a wall around her so nothing touches her.”

She smiled, appreciating his words. Inhaling, she knew she needed to reveal the truth to Aodh.

“Mate? What has your mind and emotions in turmoil?” He rounded the desk and pulled her close, but not into his arms.

Just say it , she ordered herself. “I lied to you, Aodh.”

He curled a finger of his free hand beneath her chin and lifted her face until they looked directly at each other. Aodh didn’t ask any questions or say anything. He waited for her to continue.

“I could make excuses for why I lied. Tell you that I was scared or didn’t want Morlie being far away with a man or wolf-shifter I didn’t know.”

“What’s the truth you want to tell me?”

She bit down on the side of her lip and felt an ease to her tension when she saw the soft moss color of Aodh’s markings. He didn’t appear angry at her. “Morlie had a birthday right before she woke in the healing chamber. She turned nineteen.”

Aodh stood there for a moment, gazing down at her.

Kai waited for his rage or crimson flames to leap into his eyes. Neither happened.

He pulled her into his arms but kept his gaze on hers. “Thank you, mate, for telling me. You never need to hide anything from me. No matter what it is, we will face it and choose together.”

Her heart swelled with gratitude. She wrapped her arms around Aodh’s waist and hugged him tight as she took in the warmth of his scent.

“Yeongi.”

“Yes, Mckenna?”

Kai drew back and glanced at the door. Aodh’s assistant’s voice surprised her at how close it sounded. She spotted Yeongi framed in the doorway and felt the heat infuse her face. How long had he been there?

Yeongi would not have been outside the door while we were intimate. However, I am sure he heard you crying out in pleasure.

She smacked Aodh’s arm. Thankfully, Yeongi kept a straight face, even though the dragon-shifter probably knew she and Aodh spoke through their bond.

Aodh chuckled. “Yeongi, go down and have Edjer radio his team and remove the shadows from Morlie.”

“I’ll take care of that now, Mckenna.” Yeongi nodded at them before leaving the office.

“Anything else, mate?”

“No. I’ll leave you to your work.” She headed toward the door.

Aodh stepped up beside her and journeyed down the steps with her. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner to finish what we started in the office.”

She didn’t respond to his salacious taunting. They were now too close to the meeting room where all the leaders had waited for Aodh. Kai could hear talking and laughing but refused to glance in that direction. “See you later.”

“Make sure you rest. I have a surprise I want to show you when I get to the suite.”

At the door, she let her gaze travel along his body and recalled his hard length pressing into her just moments ago. When she looked up at him, she arched a brow.

Yes, that, too, little flame. But something else .

“Okay. Enjoy the rest of your day.” She waved and exited the building.

~YH~

“Leaders, we have a situation before us.” Aodh strolled into the meeting room after Kai left the building.

“Before we discuss the issue you are bringing, Mckenna.” Admani, the leader who handled all their territory livestock, rose from her seat.

“Which is?” Aodh claimed his chair at the head of the table.

“I believe I speak for all the leaders and the Thunder when I state it has been a while since we have had hope.” Admani glanced around the room to see if anyone would contradict her.

She continued when everyone remained silent, “Now that you have claimed your mate and many others will conceive now, too, it’s as if life was restored. ”

Anala, the textile leader, beat a fist on her chest. “A people are only as strong as the next generation that follows. Ours shall be mighty.”

The others joined in thumping their chests, and the heavy beats caused a thunderous rumble in the room.

Edjer chanted in their Drahk tongue, calling out, “Dreki-ey! Dreki-ey!”

Dragons eternally.

A palpable roaring vibration filled the space as each leader repeated the words around the table as they stared at him.

Aodh’s chest filled with pride as he took in all the moss-green and violet hues of the markings of the leaders gathered.

Bright flames of the same colors fully encompassed more than a few of their eyes.

Aodh had done a lot in the years since he’d been Mckenna.

He tried to ensure he always placed the Thunder’s needs first and did all he could to bring them out to the harsh world laid at their dragon’s feet.

His people supported him and showed their faith with every move he made; however, the pride he’d felt about his role before paled compared to the moment he was in.

His beast stretched and bellowed inside of him, setting Aodh’s core ablaze with his gratification.

He thought about his child, who was growing up within Kai.

It had stressed him for over two decades that he could not find a mate and provide the way for his Thunder to enlarge.

In some shifters, and with humans, the ability for others to breed did not rest solely on the shoulders of the leader, but it was how it worked for his kind.

And every year that passed where his suite remained empty of a mate and a nest could not be created for his hatchling, it tore away another piece of his pride.

With Kai at his side and his seed planted, it restored his faith in himself. His dragon was deserving of this recognition.

Briefly, Aodh stared down to the other end of the table to Keahl, the wise one in the room.

Keahl smiled and gave a short nod of approval.

Aodh held his hand high.

The thumping and cheering stopped, but the illumination of the leaders’ scaled markings remained.

“I appreciate the words of support.” He lowered the hand and placed it over his chest. “Drahks are one, and I feel the strength in our connection this day.”

He took a moment to glance around the table and meet each person’s gaze. “I’m anxious to sense that more of you here as well as others in the Thunder have been blessed by the Great Spirit, soon.”

Various leaders smiled and nodded. Not all would conceive. A few leaders were older Drahk and had young adults in Eilidh’s age range. Then, there were a couple like Liekki not mated.

Aodh glanced at his brother, who assumed his normal relaxed, devil may care posture in the chair. Often, his brother’s behavior with different Drahkelles or multiple females simultaneously did not appear as if Liekki wanted to settle down anytime soon.

“Now to the business at hand,” Aodh began. “There is a strong chance we may have a wolf invasion.”

The leaders, colors now muted, sat up straighter in their seats and gave him their attention.

Edjer leaned forward and set his elbows on the glass top. “When you say invaded, are we talking about many wolves or only the alpha? Liekki shared the situation with me that occurred during the council meeting.”

Aodh nodded at Liekki for briefing the security leader during his and Kai’s claiming time. Aodh briefly explained it to the others present then he shifted his gaze back to Edjer. “Just the one, I’m sure. Chanin is not trying to present a war.”

“What would bring him into our territory?” Hugo’s face drew taut, and his radio kept a low crackle on his hips.

“The desire for a woman.” The corner of Liekki’s mouth curled into an awkward smile, and his eyes brightened with wicked humor. He continued, “The length a male will go to claim a mate.”

Aodh understood Chanin’s desperation, and so could most of those in attendance who had mates. He looked away from his brother. Again, the thought went through his mind about whether such a web of need would catch Liekki and consume every part of his being someday.

“Yes, Chanin’s mate has been declared to be Morlie.” Aodh met Hugo’s gaze.

“An Alpha’s mate?” Incredulity filled the voice of Idalia, the leader of the growers.

Admani’s face twisted with confusion. “If this was revealed at the preternatural council meeting, why didn’t the Alpha take her then? It would’ve been less hassle for him, and we wouldn’t have to concern ourselves with countering an invasion.”

Taking a moment to meet each of the leaders’ gazes, Aodh saw they all had the same bewilderment showing in some way. “It is a complex situation. This is the first time a marked human was awake before the council and during the detection process. Thankfully, they granted leniency.”

There were a few nods, but Aodh also picked up on several murmurs about humans given choices.

Aodh understood the naysayers’ point of view.

The human government had shown they needed to be contained and dictated to, or they would take every kernel of opportunity and pollute it.

“However, as preternatural entities, we need not try to control or manipulate the human people who came to us in need under the same guise, or we could become just as self-serving as the human rulers.”

“We will do our part here to honor it,” Aodh informed them.

This time, everyone affirmed his words.

“If the wolf alpha does breach our borders, what do you want from us?” Edjer asked.