Page 5 of The Dragon’s Surprise (Tahoe Dragon Mates #7)
Chapter Four
K yle knew he should stop by the clinic and check on things instead of heading home. While MirrorPeak would be getting a new trainee doctor in the next few months, she would need a lot of supervision before he could think of taking any time off.
Not that he really needed time off. His work was his life, but maybe he could finally visit some of the other dragon clans nearby and see what their doctors were up to. His clan leader, Rio, had suggested it after meeting with David Lee and Wes Dalton of clans StoneRiver and PineRock, respectively.
However, none of that could happen until the new doctor arrived, and he most certainly shouldn’t go check on Lexi and Ethan to see how they were doing. What if he had another life-saving surgery come up?
His dragon spoke up. There could always be an emergency. And our nurses know how to stabilize and triage better than probably any other clan, because we’ve been shorthanded for so long. We have time to check on the boy.
His inner beast was the one person he could never lie to, so he mentally sighed. I just want to make sure he’s doing okay. He looked so happy earlier, and even if I can’t take care of him, I want him to do well here.
With help from Aunt Rita, we could raise him. And once you win over Lexi, we could be a family.
Not this again.
She should be ours, no matter if you deny it or not. I think she’s our true mate.
A dragon-shifter’s true mate was their best chance at happiness.
Not guaranteed, of course. But the one downside was he would never know for certain if Lexi was their true mate until he kissed her.
Because if Lexi was theirs, and he kissed her, it would start a mate-claim frenzy that wouldn’t end until she was pregnant with his child.
And he’d only just learned he had a son, and could barely handle that news.
His dragon spoke again. Regardless of what kissing her means, you like her.
I don’t know her.
Then fix that. Or are you really going to make excuses and lose our chance? The one you used to dream of, before the incident?
The incident was bloody worse than you make it out to be, dragon.
We were young, made a mistake, and the dragonman still lives. He’s forgiven us, so why can’t you forgive yourself?
Kyle didn’t want to talk about it, and before he could think of an excuse, he heard a familiar female voice.
“Kyle! There you are. I thought I’d never find you.”
He turned to see his Aunt Rita power walking toward him. She was in her fifties, with blonde hair that was lighter than when she was younger because of the grays, and eyes that were the same green as his own.
And despite the day’s bombshell news, his aunt’s smiling face made him smile back. “Hello, Aunt Rita.”
He leaned down so she could kiss his cheek. Once he stood, she poked his chest. “I heard something from Rosa Maria, who heard it from her daughter-in-law. What’s this about you having a son?”
“Keep it down. It’s not supposed to be widely known.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Then come inside and start talking.”
Her small house was a two-minute walk away. Considering this wasn’t his usual route home, maybe he’d unconsciously wanted to discuss Ethan with somebody.
Her house was green, complete with her prized rosebushes out front. Once inside, the familiar clutter of family pictures, pastoral scene paintings, and bird statues instantly made him relax.
Once he’d sat at the kitchen table—his aunt always had her “discussions” at the table—she laid a plate of cookies between them and quirked an eyebrow.
With a sigh, he picked up a double-chocolate chip cookie and asked, “How much do you know?”
“Only that a DOCS employee showed up with a young boy who is your son. Did you know about him?”
“Of course not! I might not have wanted to be a father, but I never would’ve abandoned any kid of mine, if I’d known.”
“But I heard you don’t want to raise him. Is that true?”
He broke off a piece of cookie and tossed it in his mouth. After he swallowed, he replied, “I don’t know.”
“What don’t you know, Kyle? You’re a good male, under all that grumpiness. And who wouldn’t be grumpy, given how hard you work? But if the boy is here with DOCS, then it means his mother gave him up.”
“Yes. And by the sounds of it, the male who raised him didn’t want anything to do with him, once he found out.”
His aunt’s voice softened. “So he was abandoned by two parents, then.”
“Yes. And maybe if there was another doctor, I’d consider it. But there isn’t. And too many people depend on me, Aunt Rita. I can’t risk it.”
“You won’t repeat the mistake from your past, my boy.
This is different. You’re not young and stupid, thinking you could live your old life and still be a doctor.
You’ve grown up.” She sipped the water in front of her before adding, “Plus, I heard the female DOCS employee is nice and pretty and good with kids. She obviously doesn’t hate our kind, and she’s single. ”
“How did you…Oh, wait. Jenny.”
Jenny’s mother-in-law was Rosa Maria Torres, his aunt’s best friend.
His aunt continued. “Jenny won’t tell anyone else, but she tells her mate and mother-in-law everything.
Rosa Maria only talked with me because she knows how you try to carry the world on your shoulders and thought I might be able to help you.
If you do want to raise him, Kyle, I would always be here to help you. ”
He sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I know that, but it’s not as simple as raising the boy, though.”
His aunt merely waited, nibbling on a cookie, as he debated telling her his dragon’s guess.
His beast spoke up. Why hold back? She’ll find out eventually, anyway. She always does.
Aunt Rita placed a hand over his and squeezed. “Tell me, Kyle. I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”
He met the green eyes so like his own and said, “My dragon thinks the DOCS employee, Lexi Sakamoto, is our true mate.”
Her pupils flashed to slits and back. “Hmm, then I think fate had a hand.”
“Which is the problem. I like things planned, without any surprises. I only just found out I have a son, and on the same day, I meet the female who’s probably my true mate? After so many years of being in control, I don’t like it.”
His aunt snorted. “Come on, Kyle, you know how I found my mate all those years ago. It wasn’t exactly convenient back then, either.”
His uncle had been dared to visit a different clan, claim their clan’s flag, and return to SkyFalls without being seen.
Except his aunt had caught him in the act and chased after him.
He eventually tripped, she reclaimed the flag, and they’d ended up talking for hours.
Somehow the incident had turned into secretly dating, which had been risky.
Mating between clans back then had been difficult, and yet somehow his aunt had been able to stay on MirrorPeak and get her eventual mate to come, too.
He said, “But you were at least a little in love with him before he told you that you were his true mate. In my case, Lexi will be gone in two weeks, and I can’t distract her from taking care of Ethan.”
“Then why not get to know the boy, which will also mean spending time in her company, and see how it goes?”
“And what about the clinic?”
“Hmm. Rio owes me a favor, so I’ll ask him to find another clan doctor to stay here and help for a week or two.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Why does Rio owe you a favor?”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “That’s not important. But I might be able to get someone here in the next day or two. If so, will you take the time to at least get to know the boy and think about telling him the truth?”
After taking another cookie, he nibbled and debated what to do.
His dragon spoke up. At least give both of them a chance. Otherwise, you’ll regret it. And if Aunt Rita does get another doctor here, you’ll be out of excuses.
You make it seem like taking care of my patients isn’t important.
Of course it is. But every clan should have at least two doctors. Maybe one day they’ll let humans train and live with dragon clans, and it won’t be a problem any longer. But for now, Aunt Rita’s offer is the best we could hope for.
Kyle met his aunt’s gaze again. After a few beats, he sighed. “Fine. If you can get me some help, I’ll spend some time with Ethan.”
“And Lexi?”
He grunted. “We’ll see.”
“That’s better than before.” She stood. “Finish up the cookies while I call Rio. We’ll have this sorted in no time.”
As his aunt dialed their clan leader on her cell phone, Kyle wasn’t sure if he was happy or anxious. He’d never thought to be a dad, and he was a long way from truly being one, and didn’t know how to act.
His beast spoke up. Ethan doesn’t know how to be a dragon-shifter. So help him with that, and things will be fine.
I hope so.
Soon his aunt hung up and told him that Rio would ask for another clan’s help and sent Kyle on his way. Once he bid her farewell, he decided to head to the school and see if he could help the teachers. Or, at least, answer any questions if Ethan’s tutoring session was over.
It was time to try and get to know his son.