Chapter 12
Theo carefully slid out from under Norm’s arm and leg that were pinning him to the bed.
Noting the time, he quickly dressed and then, quietly slipping out of their room, headed for the kitchen.
He wasn’t sure Dakota would be there this morning but if he wasn’t, Theo would start making breakfast by himself.
It was the meal he had the most confidence in doing so he was pretty sure everything would turn out all right.
Humming to himself, he hustled into the kitchen and finding it empty, grabbed the eggs and bacon, setting them on the island along with everything else he needed.
Working efficiently, he added seasoning to the scrambled eggs, whisking them before pouring them onto the griddle next to the sizzling bacon.
Taking a deep sniff, he basked in the aroma of the cooking food.
Crossing the great room filled with the scent of breakfast, Steel grinned at the thought his mother had returned early and wanted to surprise him. Pushing open the kitchen door, he stared at Theo, dancing to some imaginary beat while standing at the stove. “Hey, Theo…”
Startled, Theo swirled around, holding out the spatula like a knife, ready to do battle. Seeing who it was, he lowered his arm. “Don’t you know better than to sneak up on a person? I could have hurt you, then what would the Alpha say? He wouldn’t be happy, I know that much.”
Squeezing his lips together, Steel fought back the laughter threatening to erupt at the image of him being attacked by a spatula. “The Alpha would blame me, Theo,” Steel said.
“That’s a good thing, too, otherwise pooh bear would have to defend my honor.”
Chuckling, Steel replied, “Jackson would have my ass for spooking you.” Walking over to the cupboard, Steel removed the serving platters, setting them on the counter next to the stove. “I’m really sorry but I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here. Dakota is still down in the hosp…”
“Oh, my god! Is he okay? Nothing happened to the pup did it? I was going to visit him last night but pooh bear told me to let Kota rest,” Theo interrupted.
“As far as I know, he’s fine. Slate spent the night with him and if there were any problems, he would’ve sent me a message.”
Biting his lower lip, Theo fretted about his friend and mentor. Turning back to the griddle, he flipped the strips of bacon, wondering what to do next. Suddenly Steel stood next to him, taking the spatula from his hand. Looking up at the Alpha Mate, Theo asked, “Am I doing something wrong?”
“Not at all,” Steel assured him. “Dakota, Slate, Ian and Colton won’t be coming up so I thought you could take some breakfast to them.”
Grinning, Theo replied, “Yes! Good idea! I’ll make up trays for each of them right now.”
Smiling, Steel grabbed another dozen eggs and started cracking them in a bowl, glancing at Theo occasionally, who was bustling around the kitchen filling each tray with enough food to feed an army.
Pulling Dakota’s serving cart out of the pantry, Theo loaded it up and said, “As soon as I give them their breakfast, I’ll be back to help you.”
“Sure, but try to spend a little time with Dakota, will ya? I know he’s worried about what condition his kitchen is in,” replied Steel.
“Uhmm, okay,” Theo said dubiously, looking around the kitchen. “Do you want me to tell him the truth or…?”
Hesitating for a moment, Steel surveyed the kitchen, realizing for the first time how messy it had become. “Oh shit. You better not. If he asks, just tell him I swear it’ll be perfect by the time Ian lets him out of bed.”
“Good answer,” Theo said grinning. “After breakfast, I can help you as long as the Alpha doesn’t have anything for me to do.”
“He won’t, cuz I have an ‘in’ with him.”
Giggling, Theo wheeled the cart out, eager to see Dakota.
~/~/~/~/~
Opening his eyes, Fionn grinned at the glow of his gold.
Turning onto his back, he shut them again, feeling the calmness of his cavern.
Even when his mother was alive, there was always an undercurrent of tension; they never knew when his father would show up.
But now, here, he could feel for the very first time in his life what it was like to live without fear or anger permeating the air around him.
Yesterday proved to him that being free of constant strife had a positive effect on his muse.
Sketching late into the night, Fionn fed his soul the same way that gold fed his dragon.
And finally, when he fell into bed, sleep came quickly, though his dreams were haunted by the face he’d drawn.
Now awake, his fingers itched, wanting to draw, wanting to capture more expressions of his mate’s visage.
Fuck! All I want to do is draw more sketches of him, so why the fuck am I afraid to go home and meet him? Fuckingbedamned!
He wished he could talk to Ki, have him explain what was happening to him and why his mate was all he could draw.
Maybe his friend could help him decide what to do about it.
But it would have to wait. He just wasn’t ready to meet the man, and he still wasn’t sure he wanted a mate. I don’t want to give up my freedom!
Groaning, he sat up, scrunching his nose as he sniffed the dry sweat on his skin; he needed a shower, but that could only happen if he went home. Pondering it, he decided to go home, quickly shower and return to his hoard before anyone knew he’d been there. Grinning, he rose and entered the portal.
~/~/~/~/~
After checking in on their patients, Colton sat across from his mate in Ian’s office, eating the breakfast Theo delivered.
Yesterday was unbelievable, not only because his mom was alive but also for the shitty way Ian treated a fellow medical professional.
He’d thought about it overnight, trying to figure out what Mac had done to provoke Ian, but nothing came to mind.
If anything, his mate should’ve thanked Dr. Evans for saving Kieran, instead of snarling at him.
Looking at Ian, he asked, “Babe, how are you feeling today?”
“Good. Hope’s vitals remained steady, maybe even improved a little bit, and Dakota is much better. I sent a text to Logan, asking him to bring Kieran down after breakfast because it’s time to do an ultrasound and see how his pup is doing.”
“What about Dakota? Shouldn’t he have an ultrasound too?”
“Of course, but tomorrow,” Ian replied. “I’d rather he rest today.”
“Fine. I’ll schedule it for three,” Colton said. “By the way, have you gone through all of Dr. Evans’ notes on Mom?”
“Not all.”
“See any problems from what you’ve read?” asked Colton.
“No,” Ian looked at his mate. “Did you expect any?”
Glancing down at his empty plate, Colton then looked up at his mate. “Yesterday, you were quite angry with him and I couldn’t figure out why.”
Sighing, Ian scraped the last bits of food off his plate, gathering them into a little pile in an effort to delay answering.
Finally, he said, “Kieran’s heart had stopped because he overdid it.
Removed too much at one time and, while it’s true, he did save your mother’s life, I’d have never allowed him to do it when it could’ve cost him his life…
and the life of his pup. At first, I didn’t know Mac was a doctor and, of course, I assumed he wouldn’t know who Kieran was.
But when I got there, he talked about Kieran’s aura being lighter. ” Ian paused, shaking his head.
“That’s when I got angry,” he continued.
“You see…not everyone can see auras. It’s an ability…
like your natural healing ability. Your cousin admitted he saw how black Kieran’s aura had become and yet did nothing to stop him.
Then I found out he was a doctor and…I’m sorry, I know he’s your cousin, but I was furious he would risk Kieran’s life to save your mother when there wasn’t any certainty of the outcome. ”
“But Kieran did save Mom.”
“Yes, he did…at least she’s alive, but Hope doesn’t want to live. You heard Dakota. And unless she finds the will to do so, I’m afraid, the prognosis is very bleak,” Ian explained.
“What can we do to help her?”
“Hope has to wake up. Her reason for living is right here… it’s you and your brothers. Until she knows that, she will continue to decline.”
“I get that,” said Colton, “but what can we do to help her wake up?”
“Nothing,” replied Ian. “The only possibility is Kieran…but I’m very hesitant about him trying again. If something happened to him or his pup…”
Colton nodded. It would devastate Logan. Then, thinking back to Ian’s reaction, he said, “It wasn’t Mac’s fault…what happened to Kieran. The only person I know who can stop him is Logan.”
Smirking, Ian replied, “Sure, let your brother think that, but I know for a fact, no one can stop Kieran when he puts his mind to something. Both Jackson and Hunter’s Alpha power combined couldn’t do it.”
“So you admit Mac isn’t responsible for what happened to Kieran?”
Standing, Ian walked around his desk, sitting down on his mate’s lap. Looping his arms around Colton’s neck, he nibbled along his mate’s jaw, before saying, “Yes, I do. And I promise to apologize to Dr. Mac Evans.”
Grinning, Colton swatted Ian’s ass. “Glad to hear that. Otherwise, I’d be forced to put you over my…”
“Oh fuck!” Mac exclaimed, entering the office just as Colton slapped Ian. “I…uh… uh…I’ll just leave the rest of my notes…uh…at the nurse’s desk,” he said, quickly backing out the door.
Looking over Ian’s shoulder, Colton saw his red-faced cousin retreat. Laughing, he turned to his mate. “Now, where was I? Oh, yes.”
Jumping up, an embarrassed Ian said, “Oh, my gods…I should go and apologize to Dr. Evans.”
Pulling Ian back down on his lap, Colton tugged him in tight. “Trust me, he’s gone. How about after he’s had his breakfast? In the meantime, you can make up to me for your crappy mood yesterday.”
Chuckling, Ian replied, “And what will it take for you to forgive me?”
Leaning forward, Colton whispered into his mate’s ear, causing Ian to grin.
~/~/~/~/~
Fionn wandered among the piles of gold coins, jewels and priceless artifacts from long ago, eating a sandwich.
It had been a while since he acquired anything and it annoyed his dragon, but it was too risky; his father might have found out and been able to track him.
Now, that was no longer a problem. Stopping, he picked up the green diamond he’d given to Reif, running a fingertip over the facets, feeling the fire inside that had given it life.
Soon, he would add his father’s hoard to his and, according to the list of assets the family attorney had sent to Penn, he’d become one of the richest dragons in the world.
Looking thoughtfully around the cavern, Fionn made a mental note to speak with Mystia about enlarging it so he could move his inheritance here once probate was over.
That couldn’t happen too soon; he’d then be free of his relatives forever.
He had a new family now, one who wanted him for himself, not for his white dragon’s power or his hoard and that thought made him smile until his mate’s face crept, once again, into his mind.
Then, growing glum at the thought of the mate waiting for him back at the Blackwood Pack house, he flopped onto a gold coin pile.
He was sure his mate would want him to go back east, but his friends were here, along with Jackson, the Alpha the gods and Fates had designated to protect him. So why the fuck do I need a mate?
Panicking when he first felt the bond grow between his dragon and his mate’s wolf, Fionn had slipped inside the house to hide.
It was then he made the decision to go to his hoard, giving him time to sort out how he felt and…
leaving my family is not an option. But what if my mate, or Jackson, or maybe both of them use their Alpha power, like they tried to do with Ki, to force me to go somewhere against my will? I’d be helpless.
“Gods, I need Ki!” Fionn shouted, his fists pounding the gold coins in frustration, but unless he went back to the pack house, it wasn’t going to happen.
Standing, he headed to the gold table where he’d left his drawing pencils and sketchpad.
After sitting down and finding an empty page, he picked up a pencil and began to put down his thoughts about having a mate.
After twenty minutes, Fionn paused, reading his list, realizing that while he was confused about many aspects of being mated, there were three points that were very clear, giving his mind some order.
His frustration now gone, Fionn flipped back to the sketches he made yesterday.
Studying the first one while lightly running his finger over his mate’s features, he wondered what it would feel like to actually touch them.
Moving on to the others, he repeated his actions, trying to decide which one he liked best; each captured a different expression.
In the end, he realized they were all missing something.
Picking up his pencil, Fionn began a new sketch, determined this time to capture the sorrow he saw in his mate’s face.
Several hours later, he stretched, arching his back while listening to his growling stomach.
Reaching for his backpack, he dug around, finding another sandwich and a bottle of water.
Grabbing them, he walked over to the chair he’d built from gold bullion bars and collapsed in it.
There was enough food for dinner but then he’d have to go back.
Munching his food, Fionn idly thought about the options open to him, realizing he wasn’t ready to leave yet.
I wonder what my mate is doing. Probably pissed he can’t find me, so he can control me.
Shaking his head, Fionn recoiled from going home to face all the drama that awaited him with his mate. It would be different if he was sure Jackson wouldn’t force him to do anything he didn’t want to do, but though he liked his Alpha, he still didn’t totally trust him.
Swallowing the rest of the water, he grinned as he reached a decision that pleased him. Resuming his work, he found himself drawing his white dragon wrapped around a large black wolf.