Epilogue
EPILOGUE
KESTREL
Two days later.
“ I can’t believe it’s finally over,” I say, peering out of the passenger window at the familiar ornate-brick building of my bookstore.
Just above the doorway, a wooden sign reads ‘The Book Corner.’ A warmth fills my chest as soon as I see the sign my grandfather carved with his own hands.
The past two days have been a whirlwind of celebrations, people, and packing.
So much so, I didn’t have time to tell him about the baby, and he deserves to hear without so many people around.
Brooks parks his car, and I practically jump out.
“It’s officially yours,” Brooks says, dangling the keys in front of me.
He added an adorable dragon keychain to the ring.
“James filed the paperwork the morning we got married. He said to consider it a wedding present.”
Leaning forward, I snatch the keys from his index finger and press a kiss to his lips before grinning up at my shop.
My hand finds its way to my abdomen, and I can’t fight the wide smile spreading across my face.
We did it, little bean.
Brooks stands close behind me, before pressing the front of his body against my back.
I lean against him just as he places his hand over mine.
I close my eyes, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and happy.
“Thank you, Brooks,” I whisper.
“Of course, love.”
“Let me give you the grand tour, then I can introduce you to my friends and staff.
Three hours later, my two favorite people are laughing and chatting up at the front of the shop when a new shipment of romance books arrives. Rosy and Brooks quickly get to work unloading the truck while I sign the delivery confirmation papers with the driver.
“Where do you want this last box, love?
”
I glance up to see that the last box is my shipment of the newest best seller from our favorite author.
Brooks grins, and my heart flips.
“I think Zial and Coco deserve a pretty window display. What do you think?”
Brooks chuckles.
“Agreed. Want me to place them up front?”
“Yes, please.” I nod.
“Just gotta grab a few things in my office and I’ll meet you up there.”
Once in my office, I’m shuffling through my file cabinet, looking for extra fairy lights, when the door slams open behind me.
I whip around, only to have my blood run cold as a wave of fear and dizziness hit me.
Franky stands there in the doorway looking angry and manic.
His gaze rakes up and down my body.
Instantly, I cover my abdomen as if to protect my baby.
It was stupid and instinctual because his eyes followed the movement.
Confused, he tips his head and sniffs the air.
“You’re pregnant,” he sneers.
Rather than denying it, I place my other hand in front of my stomach, ready to fight for my baby.
I have no idea what Franky will think.
It has to be obvious to him now that I’m several months pregnant.
Whether he assumes I cheated on him or realizes he’s the sperm donor, either outcome won’t be good.
“You need to leave,” I say, proud that my voice doesn’t waver.
“This is my bookstore, and you aren’t welcome here.” I strategically walk around my desk, placing a barrier between my baby and this evil man.
Franky watches me, smirking.
“Do you think you can just spread your legs for any alpha and get him to marry you? This bookstore should be mine. That baby should be mine, too.”
“Fuck you,” I hiss.
“This shop was my alpha father’s. It was the last thing he gave me before he passed. There’s no way in hell you’re taking it from me.”
Franky chuckles.
“What will your new alpha think when he realizes you only married him to steal this bookstore out from under me?”
I shake my head.
“That isn’t true.”
“You might have stolen your shop back,” he laughs, stepping closer to me.
“But that baby in your filthy body is proof I can easily appeal the decision. If I can’t get this place, at least I have a right to that baby.”
He points at my stomach.
“No,” I gasp, trembling with anger.
Franky steps even closer, caging me in.
I’m frozen in place with fear.
He can’t take my baby.
My eyes bounce to the open door, looking for an escape.
With a violent tug on my wrist, Franky yanks me into his embrace.
Snapping out of my shock, I scream in his face, stomp on his foot, and shove him away, just as a shadow darkens the doorframe.
“Get the fuck away from my mate and our baby !” Brooks roars, smoke pouring from his nostrils.
His green eyes flash with rage.
I gasp.
My mate.
Our baby.
He knew.
Scales ripple across his arms.
Franky peers around frantically, probably looking for a way out.
Fuck, if a dragon shifter looked at me like that, I’d get the fuck out of there too.
In Franky’s confusion, he steps back.
Brooks steps forward into the room.
His emerald wings erupt from his back, knocking into a shelf and toppling all the items onto the floor.
“Oh, gods. Please—” Franky whimpers.
The sound is so sad and pathetic.
Unlike anything I’d ever made when he used to hurt me.
Franky dodges under Brooks’ spread wings and takes off, sprinting out of my office and down the hall.
I rush to Brooks’ side, and we throw our arms around each other.
We’re both trembling and breathing hard.
Brooks wraps his wings around us in a protective cocoon.
“Are you okay, Kes?”
I nod.
“Thank you for checking on me.”
He kisses my temple and hugs me tighter.
“Always. You don’t have to worry about him anymore. Rosy called the cops. Asa and the agent he’s been working with are on their way. They gathered enough proof, love. That fucking bastard is going to rot in prison.”
I nod again, overwhelmed with relief and jittery nerves.
Brooks is still trembling.
It’s then that I realize I feel a fierce sense of protectiveness, love, and need.
Oh gods.
I’m turned on.
“Our bond. I feel it,” I gasp.
He nods, breathing me in.
“Fuck. Omega. I need you.” He grinds his hard cock against my groin, causing my eyes to widen.
“I’m losing control, Kes. For a moment there, I was so scared.”
“Alpha,” I breathe, my body responding to his; cock hardening and slick leaking from my hole.
“I’m going into heat,” I moan, thrusting my hard cock against his thigh.
How?
I can’t.
I’m already pregnant.
My gaze meets Brooks’.
It’s something we still need to discuss, but first, I need to feel my mate inside me.
Claiming me.
“It isn’t your heat,” he groans.
“I’m in rut.”
“Oh, fuck.” Novl told me that dragons only go into a rut with their fated.
Ruts can be even stronger than an omega’s heat.
“My apartment is around back. I don’t have much, but I do have a bed.”
“Take me there,” Brooks growls, slamming his lips to mine.
“I need you, love.”
Claim.
Mate.
Breed.
We kiss passionately, barely looking up to kick the apartment door closed, when Brooks lifts me up and tosses me over his shoulder.
I squirm against him until he gives my ass a sharp spank that has me moaning.
I’m so fucking turned on, I’m gushing slick.
“Please,” I beg.
He tosses me onto the bed and suddenly his hands are everywhere, groping, caressing, and teasing as we yank each other’s clothes off.
He easily works two fingers inside of me, then three.
I’m so wet and open from my slick, I don’t need any more prep.
“Please, Alpha.”
Brooks climbs on top of me and thrusts inside.
“Kes, this is…fuck.”
Suddenly, we’re kissing as Brooks pounds into me in a punishing rhythm that drives me wild.
“Yes,” I moan.
“More. Harder.” I claw at his shoulders, marking him the only way I know how.
Mate.
Mate.
Mate.
His dragon.
I can hear his dragon, and he’s just as desperate as me.
Breed.
Breed.
Breed.
The idea that his dragon wants to breed me is hot as fuck.
It doesn’t matter that he might not be able to, or that I’m already pregnant.
It’s kinky as fuck, and I’m totally into it.
“Yes, love. Breed me,” I moan.
“Give me your knot.”
His thrusts grow erratic.
Uncontrolled.
He wraps his fingers around my hard cock and strokes me.
“Fuck, little omega. Is that what you want? You want me to fill you with my cum and lock you in place with my knot?”
I nod frantically.
“Yes. Knot me, knot me,” I chant, spilling over the edge.
With a roar, Brooks comes, filling me.
Flooding me.
I shudder and whimper at the sounds of his animalistic moans, and suddenly I feel his knot expand.
“Gods, yes,” I sigh.
And just like that, I fall asleep to my alpha, locking us in place, his heavy weight a reminder that I’m safe.
Loved.
Cherished.
I wake up to Brooks kissing my abdomen.
I’m already clean, and a part of me misses the feel of him inside of me.
I smile.
“You knew.”
“Hmm?” Brooks settles next to me and kisses my cheek.
“That I’m pregnant.”
He nods.
“My dragon knew the first day. How far along are you?”
A smile breaks across my face.
Even then, he wanted me.
Wanted us.
“Four months. You’re lucky you missed most of my morning sickness. And I only recently started showing.”
He chuckles.
“You’re beautiful pregnant.”
Guilt swirls in my stomach.
Gods, he’s so nice.
“I wanted to tell you so bad, Brooks. But every time I tried, I got interrupted or chickened out. I kept imagining all these scenarios where I’d tell you and you’d hate me, or leave me,” I ramble.
“I was so stressed trying to figure out the best time to tell you.”
“It’s okay, love. Just promise me no more secrets. I’ll always help you.” He chuckles.
“You’re stuck with me.”
“Promise. Did you mean what you said at the bookstore?”
“Hmm?” he runs his fingers through my wavy hair.
“You told Franky to get away from your mate and our baby. You said our baby.”
He kisses me softly before placing his large hand on my baby bump, splaying his fingers wide.
“I meant every word, Kes. I love you. I will love your baby as if he is my own.”
Memories of the night he told me he might not be able to have children of his own come to mind.
My baby is Brooks’ little miracle, too.
I lean forward and capture his lips with mine.
“I love you, too, Alpha.”
The smile he gives me is blinding.
“Gods, omega. You’re perfect.”
I cuddle against his side, feeling happy in a way I never experienced before.
“Our baby might be a girl, you know.”
He shakes his head and grins.
“My dragon can tell.”
I take his hand, placing it back over my stomach.
“Well then, our baby will grow up knowing that he has two fathers who love him.”
…
And he did.