21. Maple
TWENTY-ONE
MAPLE
The desert sun painted golden streaks across the canyon walls as Maple adjusted her hiking pack, feeling the familiar weight of the claim marker nestled inside like a talisman from another life.
Seven days had passed since the night that changed everything—since Elias's attack during their mate bond celebration had turned Rune's mansion into a battlefield.
The past week had been a revelation in ways she never expected.
While Rune healed from his dozen battle wounds, she'd discovered something profound about herself.
She was born to be an Alpha's mate. Not because of some mystical destiny, but because every fiber of her being came alive when she was caring for him, managing clan affairs, and proving herself worthy of the trust his people placed in her.
"You're thinking so loudly I can hear it from here," Rune said, his deep voice carrying that familiar note of amused authority as he checked the straps on his own pack.
She glanced over at him, taking in the sight of her mate—dark jeans hugged his powerful thighs, a forest green henley emphasized the breadth of his shoulders, and hiking boots that had clearly seen plenty of use over his five centuries covered his large feet.
The cuts and bruises from the battle had faded to faint lines, but she could still see the careful way he moved, not quite back to his full strength yet.
"I'm just thinking about how much has changed," she admitted, falling into step beside him as they began their trek into the deeper reaches of his territory. "A week ago, I was forcing you to stay in bed while I handled clan meetings with Bram. Now look at you, dragging me on mysterious hikes."
The corners of his mouth curved upward. "You enjoyed playing Alpha female while I was laid up. Don't deny it."
Heat flooded her cheeks because he was absolutely right.
Those first few days after the battle, when she'd essentially taken over his responsibilities while he recovered, had felt like coming home to herself.
The clan members who'd initially viewed her with polite curiosity now sought her out for advice, brought her care packages for their wounded Alpha, and treated her with absolute respect.
"Maybe I did," she said, unable to keep the smile from her voice. "Your people are incredible, Rune. The way they rallied around us, the way they've accepted me..."
"They love you." His voice carried a note of pride that made her heart flutter. "I knew they would once they saw who you really are. You have the heart of a dragon, even if you're human."
They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the familiar desert landscape spreading around them in shades of red and gold. But something felt different about this hike—Rune seemed more tense than usual, his jaw tight with what looked like barely controlled nerves.
"Are you sure you're feeling well enough for this?" she asked, studying his profile. "Because if you're pushing yourself too hard just to prove a point—"
"I'm fine." His response came out sharper than necessary, and he immediately softened his tone. "I mean, I'm feeling much better. I just... I needed to get out of the mansion. I needed fresh air and time with my mate without clan members interrupting every five minutes."
There was truth in that. The past week had been a constant stream of visitors—clan members checking on their Alpha's recovery, bringing gifts, sharing stories of the battle.
It had been wonderful in many ways, but intensely public.
They'd barely had a moment alone together since the night he'd marked her.
"I understand that," she said. "But you seem nervous about something. Is there something you're not telling me about where we're going?"
Rune's step faltered almost imperceptibly. "Just... trust me. We're almost there."
The landscape around them was beginning to look familiar in a way that made her stomach flutter with recognition. The distinctive red rock formations, the particular way the canyon walls curved, the scattered Joshua trees that dotted the desert floor…
"Rune," she said slowly, stopping in her tracks. "This is starting to look like—"
"Like where you found the claim marker." He turned to face her, his blue eyes intense with an emotion she couldn't quite read. "Because that's exactly where we're going."
Her heart began to race. "Why? What's at the excavation site that's so important?"
Instead of answering, he reached for her hand, his thumb stroking across her knuckles in a gesture that was both comforting and possessive. "Do you remember what you told me about that day? About how something was pulling you toward that exact spot?"
"Of course I remember." The memory was burned into her mind—the inexplicable certainty that had driven her to trespass on his land, the way her instincts had guided her directly to the buried claim marker. "I felt like I was being drawn there by something I couldn't understand."
"That was fate." His voice dropped to that low, commanding tone that never failed to send heat racing through her veins. "The same force that guided you to that marker is the same force that's been guiding us together across lifetimes. And there's something I need to show you."
Her breath caught. "Rune, what are you—"
"Just a little further," he said, tugging gently on her hand. "Please. Trust me."
They resumed walking, but now every step felt charged with anticipation.
The claim marker in her backpack seemed to weigh her down suddenly, as if it too recognized the significance of returning to its place of origin.
She thought about how different the red rock was now—no longer glowing or humming with ancient magic, but simply a beautiful reminder of the moment her life had changed forever.
The mate bond between them had absorbed all that mystical energy, transforming it into something far more powerful. The unbreakable connection that now lived inside her, and in the dragon mark over her heart, and in the telepathic link that let her communicate with Rune without words.
"You know," she said, partly to distract herself from her growing nervousness, "I've been thinking about my future in archaeology. About what I want to do with my career now that I know the truth about dragons."
Rune glanced at her with interest. "And what have you decided?"
"I want to protect dragon history, not exploit it. Ben and I have already talked about shifting our focus entirely. Instead of hunting for artifacts to put in museums, we want to help hidden dragon communities safeguard their heritage from people like Elias."
The pride in his eyes made her chest warm. "That's exactly what I hoped you'd say. There are dozens of smaller dragon settlements throughout North America who could use that kind of protection. Your knowledge and instincts could help preserve centuries of history."
"Our knowledge," she corrected. "I'm not doing anything without my mate by my side."
His steps faltered as his eyes flashed with that molten gold. But instead of answering, he simply squeezed her hand and picked up the pace.
As they rounded the curve in the canyon wall, Maple saw it—the exact spot where she'd knelt in the dirt just two weeks ago and dug up the claim marker that had changed her entire world.
The excavation site looked exactly the same, the small depression in the earth the only sign that anything had ever been disturbed.
But Rune wasn't looking at the dig site. His attention was focused on something else entirely, his body coiled with nervous energy that was completely unlike his usual commanding confidence.
"Rune," she said softly. "What are we doing here?"
Maple's heart hammered as she stared at the exact spot where she'd knelt in the dirt and unearthed the claim marker that had led her to everything—to him, to this impossible love, to a world she'd dreamed of since childhood.
"Are you finally going to have me arrested?" she teased, trying to lighten the charged atmosphere between them. "Because I should probably point out that—"
"No," he interrupted, his deep voice rough with emotion. "But I am going to see if we can settle the damages of you trespassing and stealing my heart a different way."
Before she could process what he meant, before she could ask why his hands were trembling slightly, Rune dropped to one knee in the red desert dirt.
Her breath stopped completely as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small velvet box, his movements deliberate despite the way his hands shook.
The sun caught the dark fabric, and she could feel his emotions flooding through their completed bond—nerves and excitement and love so profound it made her knees weak.
"Rune," she whispered.
Tears were already gathering in her eyes as he opened the box to reveal the most stunning ring she'd ever seen.
The center stone was a deep red ruby that seemed to glow with its own inner fire, surrounded by smaller diamonds that caught the sunlight like captured stars.
It was elegant and timeless and perfectly suited to the woman she'd become since finding him—not the practical archaeologist who'd buried her dreams, but the Alpha's mate who'd learned to believe in impossible things again.
"Maple," he began, his commanding voice softer than she'd ever heard it.
"Five hundred years I've walked this earth, convinced that love was nothing more than beautiful destruction waiting to happen.
I destroyed every claim marker, built walls around my heart, and told myself I was protecting my independence. "
His blue eyes were blazing now. "Then you came crashing into my territory with your stubborn curiosity and your fierce heart, and you demolished every defense I'd spent centuries building. You didn't just find that claim marker. You found me."
The tears were flowing freely now, her heart so full it felt like it might burst from her chest. Through their bond, she could feel the depth of his love, the way it had transformed him from a lonely, guarded Alpha into the man kneeling before her in the dirt.
"You've given me back my life," he continued, his voice growing stronger with each word.
"You've shown me that love isn't loss—it's the only thing that makes life worth living.
You've brought laughter back to my mansion, warmth to my bed, and purpose to my days.
My clan adores you, my dragon recognizes you as his perfect match, and I can't imagine spending another moment of my life without you by my side. "
He lifted the ring from the box, the ruby catching fire in the afternoon light.
"So I'm asking you, here in the place where our story began, to make this permanent in every way that matters.
Marry me, Maple. Be my wife, my partner, my equal in all things.
Let me spend the rest of my very long life proving that you made the right choice when you refused to let me run away from our bond. "
Maple felt the moment crystallize into something eternal. This powerful, ancient dragon who commanded respect from everyone around him was kneeling in the dirt, offering her his heart and his future with a vulnerability that took her breath away.
"Yes," she said without hesitation, her voice strong despite the tears streaming down her face. "Of course yes. Always yes."
The smile that spread across his face was radiant, transforming his usually controlled features into something beautiful and unguarded. With reverent care, he slid the ring onto her finger, the ruby settling against her skin like it had always belonged there.
The moment he stood up, she launched herself against him, her hands fisting in his forest green henley as she crashed her lips against his.
He caught her easily, his powerful arms wrapping around her waist and lifting her feet off the ground as he kissed her back with a passion that made her forget everything else existed.
The kiss was consuming, filled with promises and declarations that didn't need words.
She could taste his relief, his joy, his overwhelming love as his tongue swept against hers.
His scent enveloped her and she felt herself getting lost in the sensation of being claimed by her dragon in the most fundamental way.
When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, she kept her arms wrapped around his neck and marveled at the ring glittering on her finger. "I can't believe this is all real," she whispered against his lips. "I can't believe I found everything I've ever wanted."
His smile was soft. "You've said that in every lifetime."
The words sent a shiver of recognition through her, a sense of déjà vu so strong it made her dizzy.
She'd never believed in destiny before meeting him, had built her life around logic and evidence and provable facts.
But with Rune, with this love that defied explanation, she'd become a true believer in the eternal nature of their bond.
"How long were you planning this?" she asked, studying his face. "And how did you know where to find this exact spot?"
His grin turned slightly sheepish. "I may have asked Bram where he buried the claim marker a century ago.
As for the planning..." His expression grew serious.
"I've been planning this moment in my mind since the day in the gardens when you refused to let me push you away.
The moment I realized you weren't going anywhere, no matter how hard I fought against our bond. "
The admission made her chest tight with emotion. This man, who'd spent centuries avoiding love and commitment, had been planning their future from almost the moment they'd met. Despite all his resistance, despite his fears, some part of him had known they belonged together.
"You're incredibly romantic for someone who spent three hundred years convinced love was dangerous," she teased, pressing a soft kiss to his jaw.
"Only for you," he murmured, his arms tightening around her. "Only ever for you."