Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Trahern frowned as he digested Grace’s words, and his dragon spoke up. She’s right. I know sharing things is difficult, even with me. But she needs us, all of us.
I can’t share everything at once. She will get frustrated or laugh at me.
Father’s words were bullshit, and untrue. I wish you would’ve listened to me.
Ignoring his beast, he glanced at Grace. She plucked at her top and bit her bottom lip, clearly not at ease.
His dragon sighed. Say something.
Unable to maintain eye contact—he didn’t want to see her frown or roll her eyes at him—he cleared his throat and said, “I learned a long time ago to keep to myself, as a kind of protection.”
“Why? From what?”
Such simple questions with such difficult answers.
Trahern rearranged some supplies on the nearby counter as he said, “My father.”
He heard Grace shuffling, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. As soon as he did, she tilted her head and said, “I kind of did the same thing—hid myself—because of my stepfather. So I understand.”
Just imagining someone trying to hurt Grace made his fingers curl into fists. “What did he do to you?”
It was her turn to look away, toward the floor.
“My father died when I was little, and my mum struggled. She thought having a man around would solve everything and went from one to the other. Until him.” She paused, took a deep breath, and added, “He beat her. And every time, my mum made up an excuse, and I could never convince her he was anything but her protector.”
He turned toward Grace and took a step closer. “Did he touch you?”
She shook her head, her curly hair bouncing. “No. As soon as he tried, I ran away. And because of me, my mum…”
Her voice cracked, and Trahern knew something must be wrong. He moved closer. “What happened to your mum?”
“He killed her and then himself.”
Bloody hell. Self-absorbed as he was, Trahern rarely wondered about other people’s difficulties with their parents. Grace had seemed so…normal.
His dragon spoke up. Everyone has a past.
Given Grace’s words “because of me,” he suspected she felt guilty. Which was rubbish. He stated, “That was not your fault.”
Lifting her head, Grace met his eyes again. “I shouldn’t have abandoned her. If I hadn’t run, he probably wouldn’t have done it.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But he would’ve hurt you. Your mother made her choice when she gave excuses and refused to leave. By doing that, she put you in danger.”
“It’s not that simple, Trahern. Everyone has their own struggles and ways of coping.
I suspect from what little you’ve shared, you keep to yourself as a way of dealing with some inner demons.
With what, I’m not exactly sure. However, my mother was the same.
She so desperately wanted to be loved that she put up with anything to think she was. ”
“Perhaps. But you were the child, and she was the parent. It wasn’t your job to take her place, allowing your stepfather to abuse you, so she could be spared a little. A difficult choice, yes. But if you’d stayed, he might’ve killed you, too.”
She searched his gaze. “Maybe. I still miss my mum, though.”
Before he could think better of it, he blurted, “I didn’t know mine. She died giving birth to me, which I was blamed for, as I’ve mentioned before.”
Frowning, she shook her head. “It’s unfair to blame a child for being born. Your mother chose to bring you into the world.”
“My father didn’t want children. However, I was the result of the mate-claim frenzy, and my mother convinced him to let her keep the child. He’d just found his mate, didn’t want to deny her, but then nine months later she was dead. Because of me.”
“And your father treated you horribly, didn’t he? Long before the incident you shared.”
He readjusted his glasses and studied his fingers, unable to maintain eye contact. Trahern rarely talked about his father with anyone. Only Emily knew a little, and the few people on Snowridge who’d witnessed his father’s outbursts.
His dragon spoke up. She is our mate. She deserves to know. Especially since she just told us about her mother, which had to be difficult.
He blurted, “He told me I was strange, odd, and a disappointment. That I wasn’t worth my mother’s death. And for many years, he kept me in our home, hidden, so I wouldn’t embarrass him further. I learned to keep to myself. It was easier that way.”
“Bastard.”
Looking up at her harsh tone, he asked, “Pardon?”
“Not you, but your father.”
Trahern shrugged. “He was correct on some fronts, though. I’m not like most other people, be it human or dragon-shifter. I am odd. But I’m also clever, and decoding complex chemistry problems soothes me. I learned early on that science made sense to me, and found my escape there.”
“And that’s what you were doing all these past weeks, wasn’t it? Escaping into science because it makes sense to you.”
After readjusting his lab coat, he nodded. “Yes.”
She stood and moved closer. “Were you running from me?”
He met her dark brown eyes again, and the lingering redness and puffiness from crying caused a thread of shame to course through him. He’d done that, by not being there for his mate.
Without thinking, he blurted, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For abandoning you. I feel more at ease around children, so it wasn’t your twins. However, you tilted my ordered world, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I still don’t.”
“Well, I’m a little out of place, too, learning about dragon-shifters and how to be a mother, all in one go. How about we just both promise to do our best and be honest? If something frustrates you, tell me. And if I need a short break, maybe you can help me.” She put out a hand to shake. “Deal?”
Unlike with most people, he didn’t hesitate to take it. He shook a few times, but didn’t release her. Instead, he stroked his thumb against the back of her hand and stared at where she continued to grasp him.
The longer her skin was against his, the more his anxiety faded.
“Trahern?”
He looked up. “Hmm? Yes?”
“Whatever you gave me is making me feel a little tired and dizzy. Is that normal?”
“Tiredness, yes. Dizziness might be because you haven’t eaten enough. When was the last time you did?”
She frowned. “Yesterday?”
Grace placed her other hand against his chest and closed her eyes. “I don’t faint. Ever. And I won’t start now.”
His dragon spoke up. Help her.
“I’ll take you home.”
Before she could say anything, he swept Grace into his arms. She squeaked and said, “What are you doing?”
“Taking you back to the cottage. I vowed to take care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I’m sure if I sit for a few minutes and drink some juice, I’ll be fine.”
“No, you need some proper food. Let’s go.”
Before she could protest further, Trahern exited the room, holding Grace, and marched out into the waiting area.
He barely noticed the stares or Hayley calling him as Grace leaned more against him and wrapped an arm around his neck.
He’d never touched someone for so long, apart from babies. And yet, there was no panic, no itchy feeling, no desire to drop her off and run away.
She was his responsibility, and she’d run herself ragged because of his neglect.
So from now on, he would make Grace his priority. She’d trusted him enough to mate him and live with him. Now, he needed to be the mate she needed, even if it was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done.