Chapter 12
TWELVE
DRAY
I woke up in Pax’s arms, and for the first time in eight years, the nagging ache inside me had vanished. I used to think it was frustration at not being able to live my life how I wanted. But I realized now it had been longing for my mate.
Pax stirred, and I pressed a kiss on his neck over where I’d marked him. He tensed and whimpered. I kissed his brow and apologized for hurting him. I needed to remember how fragile humans were.
“It’s okay.” He rolled over to face me. “Morning.”
I traced over the tattoo, and like mine, it was no longer hotter than the rest of him because we’d finally found one another.
“How do you feel?” Judging by his smile and one arm flung over my chest, whatever he was about to say was going to be positive.
“I feel whole. Maybe complete is a better word.”
“Me too. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
We kissed again, and I pulled him closer, not wanting any space between us. There was no urgency to get up, and we lay in one another’s arms, talking about everything and nothing. But when my stomach growled, Pax laughed and pushed me to the edge of the bed.
“Come on. I can’t finally mate my dragon man only to have him expire from hunger.”
We made it downstairs with difficulty because we kept touching one another and kissing. I made coffee while my mate started on the eggs. I kept glancing at him as he stood at the stove to make sure he was with me and marked.
“Stop staring.” He didn’t look up from the pan where he was flipping eggs.
“I can’t help it.”
“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”
“Yes.” If it bugged him, I’d stop, and I’d have to stare at him when he wasn’t looking.
We ate our food with our legs entwined and intermittent kissing.
Pax mentioned he’d need to call his parents and tell them about me, but he was putting it off for a few days.
That was an obstacle I hadn’t considered.
Not that he’d tell them I was a shifter, but he hadn’t been in town long and was already in a relationship.
That was super speedy by human standards.
“If it’s okay, I’d like to take you somewhere today.” My dragon tensed because the last time we’d been in that place, Pax had run from us.
“Okay.” He rested his chin on his hands. “Where?”
“The clearing.” I held his hand and watched his face for any sign of distress. But other than a raised brow, he didn’t react.
“My family will be flying today, and I’d like you to be there with us. You’re one of us now.”
My parents and everyone else adored Pax after meeting him at the birthday party. But he was family, and they wanted to include him even though he couldn’t fly.
He asked if he’d see much being on the ground, and I suggested we get Garrett’s GoPro and attach it to my dragon.
“Wow. You can do that?” He clapped, and his eyes lit up. “I’d love it.”
Dad’s truck was already at the clearing, along with Garrett’s and my aunt and uncle’s. My family wasn’t known for being on time, but as had happened at the party, they were eager to see Pax, knowing we were mated.
We walked the trail hand in hand, and when we emerged into the clearing, Garrett was on lookout.
“There they are.” He jogged over and pulled Pax into a hug. “Congratulations.”
I was familiar with my cousin’s hugs, but we were both shifters, and I worried Pax couldn’t breathe. But Garrett released him before he’d squeezed the air from my mate’s lungs.
Dad and Pops came over and welcomed Pax into the family with more hugs and kisses. The rest of the family took turns greeting him, and Aunt Raine made Pax laugh with a comment about the weather being suitable for flying.
The family began to strip down, and while my mate understood we didn’t want to destroy our clothes, his cheeks reddened, and I steered him away from the naked butts.
“What about you?” he whispered. “I’d like to see your ass and other parts of you.”
I told him I’d wait until everyone else except Garrett had taken their scales. We moved to the edge of the clearing so Pax didn’t get caught in the downwash, because when a flight of dragons took off, the wind could easily bowl a human over.
I draped an arm around my mate as one by one my family took their scales. Dad’s blue ones glittered in the afternoon sun while Pops’s silver scales shimmered. Pax shielded his eyes, and his mouth fell open as they took off into the air.
When it was my turn, I removed my clothes and walked into the middle of the clearing and told my dragon not to linger on the shift. Once my beast had his scales, Garrett attached the GoPro to my dragon’s horns. Pax already had the app, and when my beast soared upward, my mate waved and cheered.
My dragon circled the clearing, and Garrett was showing off with a slow partial shift before transforming, while my cousin’s dragon did a barrel roll and then breathed fire.
What a showoff! I can do better than that.
My dragon dived toward the ground and pulled up at the last second. There was a rush of air under our wings, and Pax squealed as we came so close to the ground. Launching himself upward, my beast joined my family, and we flew in formation, weaving in and out of each other’s paths.
Flying had always been freeing, but now that Pax and I were mated, I was glad he was experiencing a tiny snippet of it.
My dragon peeled off from the group and flew lower. When he landed, Pax bent his head as people did when they got on or off a helicopter and came over. He placed a hand on my beast’s scales. Smoke curled from my dragon’s nostrils, signaling he was as content as I was.
“If you want to fly more, go. I’m fine here.”
My dragon was itching to soar, so he rejoined the family. We flew for another hour, burning stuff and racing, and when we landed, Pax was lying on the grass with his head tipped back and his eyes closed. I pulled on my jeans and sat beside him.
“Your verdict?”
He shuffled over the grass until our thighs were touching. “That was amazing. People often use the expression, ‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’ but in this case it’s true. Thank you for letting me be a part of it.”
I wrapped an arm around him, and the family gathered around. My folks passed out drinks and snacks because flying was thirsty work.
Garrett plopped down on Pax’s other side. “So when are you moving in with Dray?
I growled at my cousin and allowed my beast to the forefront of my gaze. Not that it bothered Garrett.
“What? It’s a reasonable question.”
Pax laughed. “We just marked one another. Give me a minute to catch up.”
My place was a rambling old farmhouse that was bigger than June’s place, but I didn’t have a particular attachment to it. I’d be fine with moving.
“Fair enough.” Garrett nudged me, but I shoved him and he fell backward onto the grass.
“Ignore him,” I told Pax. My mate had not been to my house, and we had a lot to work out before we made a decision about where to live.
“I’m not ready to leave Aunt June’s place. I might never be.”
“And I’d be happy moving there, assuming you want to live with me.”
He tapped his lips. “I might have to draw up pros-and-cons columns.”
“Dray can always live in the garden.” Garrett smirked. “I heard he’s good at that.”
I tackled him, and we rolled over the grass as we used to as kids.
When the family left, it was just Pax and me in the clearing.
“This is my life now, isn’t it?” He rested his head on my shoulder.
“As long as you want it to be.”
“I do.”
On the way back, I suggested we eat dinner at the café. “It’ll bookend our meeting, or rather me scenting you, and our mating.”
“And then you’d better grab your toothbrush because I don’t want to spend another night without you.”
Arthur had the thermostat way too high, and we removed our coats. Pax entwined his fingers through mine.
“Awww, you got matching tattoos. That’s so sweet.” Arthur admired the details and asked about the significance.
“It’s for Aunt June. She always wanted me to get a tattoo,” my mate told him.
“That’s a beautiful tribute. She would have loved it.”
My dragon snoozed through dinner, and for the first time in eight years, I wasn’t wondering about my future because it was right in front of me.