Chapter 10
Ashton
The gravel crunched satisfyingly under my bike tires as I pulled up to the familiar wrought-iron gates.
Easing to a stop, I dismounted with a fluid motion, born of years navigating the mountain terrain on two wheels.
My boots hit the ground, and I couldn't resist tilting my head back to drink in the sight of the grand manor house perched like an ageless guardian amidst the evergreens.
"God, I've missed this place," I said, the words lost to the cool mountain air. The vast windows, darkened by the dense shadows of twilight, held secrets of warmth and laughter that had eluded me during the long, cold months of hibernation. This wasn’t just a house, it was my home, a grand, sprawling lodge of timber and stone, its silhouette vast and comforting against the darkening sky.
Usually, its sturdy walls pulsed with the subtle hum of life, but now it felt still, waiting.
The hibernation had been a deep, cursed withdrawal, a forced separation from the world, long years that blurred into a cold, isolated existence where my brothers and I lay dormant.
There was always that peculiar ache, a sense of drifting through time, half-aware, longing for the vibrant pulse of life within these stone walls.
The last time I’d been here had been for the quiet, methodical process of preparing for the hibernation that took Drake, Chance, Tyson, Zaden, and me every century.
Rooms draped in white, like ghosts. My brothers by choice, their faces grim, moving with a practiced slowness, covering the furniture with linen sheets.
There was a solemnity to the task, a grim acceptance of the inevitable.
Every century, the curse demanded its due, pulling us into a profound, chilling decade long sleep that felt like a tiny death.
We’d secure every latch, extinguish every fire, knowing that the next time we woke, a decade would have slipped by, and the world outside would be changed again.
Aurelia could have remained in the house, but refused, preferring instead to remain in her own home in the town, but she kept the utilities connected and paid, ready for us to wake.
This year was different, wasn't it? Those dormant days might well be behind me, all thanks to Erin. A bright spark of excitement flared in my chest at the thought of her—my life's mate.
I didn't bother locking up the bike. There was no need, not here. With a buoyant step, I made my way up to the heavy oak doors, their intricate carvings whispering stories of generations past. The moment I pushed them open, a blur of auburn curls and exuberance crashed into me.
Aurelia was beyond excited, her arms a vise around my torso. "Did I tell you that I missed you?"
"Can't breathe..." I managed to gasp out, laughing as she finally released me from her iron grip. "You might have mentioned it."
"Come on," she said, tugging me over the threshold, her eyes alight with the same joy that bubbled in my heart. Homecoming was always sweet, but now, laced with the promise of an eternal spring, it tasted even sweeter.
We'd barely taken three steps when another whirlwind of affection enveloped me. Skye, with her uncontainable spirit, leaped onto me, nearly bowling us both over. Her bear hug lived up to its name, squeezing the breath from my lungs as if I were a treasured toy rescued from obscurity.
Skye was a dragon shifter, like me, but she was something far rarer, a female dragon shifter.
Most females born to a dragon shifter couple were witches, like Aurelia, making Skye's vibrant, uncontainable spirit all the more unique.
Her blue, sea-glass eyes sparkled with unbridled joy as she finally let go, and her skin, naturally tanned from countless hours under the sun, seemed to glow, making the lemon-yellow dress she wore practically incandescent.
Always impeccably put together, even when descending on someone with a crushing hug, she was a vision of stylish outfits and artfully applied makeup.
Unlike me and the rest of my male brethren, she wasn't affected by the curse on me and all the rest of our small clan. Only male dragons were forced by the ancient curse to go into hibernation. The witch who’d set the curse in motion after her fated mate rejected her, had only included the males of our species.
Skye was also Aurelia's best friend.
"Skye, easy now...the dead don't need reviving." I patted her back as she finally eased her hold, stepping back with a grin that could've outshone the moon.
"Sorry, can't help it," she said, the twinkle in her eye betraying not a shred of actual remorse. "You being back just makes everything feel right again."
"Good to see you too," I said, warmth spreading through me like the first rays of dawn.
With my family by my side, the looming specter of hibernation seemed like nothing more than a fading nightmare.
For the first time in centuries, the future stretched out before me, ripe with endless possibilities.
Her eyes danced with unspoken stories and the sheer delight of reunion. "Oh, I can't wait to have everyone together again," she bubbled over, nearly bouncing on her heels. "How long do you think it will take the others to wake?"
"I’m not sure, Skye, I didn’t wake naturally this time," I said, a secretive smile inching across my face. "I have something to tell you."
Before the words could spill from my lips, Aurelia blurted out my news. "Ashton found his fated mate." Her voice was a high-pitched squeal of excitement that echoed off the walls. "I was dying to tell you but wanted to wait for him."
The room seemed to pause; the air charged with her revelation. Skye's mouth dropped open, and at that moment, my disbelief and wonder mirrored in her expression. It was news that would change everything.
I shook my head at Aurelia's exuberance. "You could have let me tell her."
Skye's eyes were wide with amazement—a mirror of the northern sky in their clarity. "Are you serious?" she gasped.
"Serious as the grave," I said. "Erin, the lady who runs the inn—she's my fated mate.
" We settled into the worn couches of the family room, the familiar scent of aged wood and leather enveloping us.
As I recounted the events of yesterday to Skye, her anticipation grew palpable, transforming the air around us into a static charge.
Her hands clasped together in excitement, the gesture so uniquely Skye. "You know what this means?"
Meeting her gaze, I nodded solemnly. "Yes, if Erin doesn't reject me for some crazy reason, it means my curse is broken."
She clasped her hands together, the sound crisp in the quiet room. "Not just yours," she said, a smile playing on her lips. "But you know when an alpha finds his mate, the rest of the clan will find theirs."
I allowed myself a moment to absorb the gravity of her words, the reality that this extended beyond my fate. It wasn't about me; it was about all of us. The thought sent a thrill through my veins like the first rush of spring meltwater in the streams outside.
"Alpha? No, that's not me," I protested, uneasy with the title Skye so casually gave me.
Skye waved off my denial as if swatting a bothersome fly. "We might not sit on thrones or hold official titles, Ashton, but we are a clan." Her eyes held mine, fierce and unyielding. "If anyone is our alpha, it's you."
I shifted uncomfortably, her belief in me pressing down like a physical force. "We're just... friends. Family that watches out for one another," I said, though the word felt too small, too simple for what we were to each other.
"Friends who rely on each other, yes," she said, "but when it boils down to it, we're a clan.
And magic," she said, a knowing look crossing her features, "magic doesn't care for our self-imposed labels.
It sees the truth of what we are. The truth is, Chance, Drake, Tyson, and Zaden all look to you as our alpha. "
I sank back into the couch, the worn leather creaking under my weight.
Could she be right? The thought was a spark igniting tinder in my mind.
If my finding Erin meant freedom from the curse, did that extend to the others?
All my friends, trapped in their enforced slumber in the cave, could they also be moments away from shaking off the shackles of our shared torment?
The possibility sent a thrill through me.
A current of hope surged through me, setting my pulse racing.
For the first time since awakening, I allowed myself to truly consider the future—a future where the curse was nothing more than a memory, and each of us could find the kind of bond I had stumbled upon with Erin.
"Could all of them find their mates?" I said, almost afraid to give the words life. But Skye heard them, saw the dawning realization in my eyes, and her smile spread wide.
"Yes. According to my research," she said. "Just imagine it. Not just the end of hibernation. No more having to retrain for your veterinary certificate or make excuses to the humans who don’t know where you’ve gone for a decade, and why you look no older when you return. I mean come on Ash. How many times has Zaden told some female in town he’s his own cousin?
It will all stop and if your fated mate accepts you, then all of us will find ours.
This is exciting, it’s the beginning of something new for all of us. "
Skye’s mention of research did not surprise me, though like any dragon, she liked to keep an eye on her hoard with her job in accounts, this was one dragon that kept herself well acquainted with the latest technology, what there wasn't to know about computers and the internet, Skye could probably jot down on the back of her hand.
She didn't just scroll through websites, she navigated the deepest corners of the web, finding backdoors, making even the most complex digital landscapes yield to her will.
Aurelia leaned against the doorframe, her eyes dancing with curiosity and mischief. "So, what's your next move with Erin?"
I paused. "I'm going to woo her," I said firmly, surprising myself with the confidence in my voice.
Skye made a squeeing sound, her grin infectious. "We're here to help," she said, her eyes bright. "Anything we can do or any advice we can give—just let us know. We happen to be women and know what we're talking about."
"Actually," Skye said, her expression turning thoughtful, "I recommend you stop on the way home and grab some flowers for her table."
I arched an eyebrow, confused. "For her table?"
"Exactly," Skye said, nodding. "It's too early to take flowers for her personally. If it's just something casual that you picked up as you passed by in town, no big deal."
Aurelia nodded eagerly, agreeing with Skye's strategy. "She's right. It's the little things that count at this stage."
"Okay." My mind was already racing with ideas. "I'll swing by the florist on my way back."
"Make it look effortless," Skye said with a knowing smile. "Like you just happened to see them and thought of her. The charm is in the understated thoughtfulness."
"Effortless, right." I nodded, making a mental note. "Nothing too fancy then."
"Exactly," Aurelia said, her voice filled with a sister's knowing tone. "Erin will appreciate the thoughtfulness without feeling overwhelmed."
Skye tapped her chin, a new glint in her blue eyes. "And speaking of thoughtfulness, notice what she likes. Find out if she has a favorite tea? Or a certain pastry from the bakery?"
"Yes!" Aurelia chimed in, bouncing on her toes slightly. "Or if you overhear her mentioning something she needs for the inn, a specific tool, or a book she’s looking for, keep an ear out. Finding it for her, without being asked, shows you’re paying attention."
"And most importantly," Skye added, her voice dropping slightly, "Listen. Really listen to what she says. Her hobbies, her small complaints, her dreams. Remember the details, Ashton. That’s how you show you truly see her, not just some idea of her."
"Thanks," I said, genuinely grateful for their insight. "I could use all the help I can get."
"Anytime, brother." Her support was unwavering.
"Good luck," Skye said, her enthusiasm clear.
"Thanks." I turned toward the door. "I think I might need it."