31. Hayden
My bare feet padded down the carpeted hall toward my bedroom. Cáel poked his head out of the door. “Ready for bed?” His lips twitched. “I like the atom pajamas.”
My cheeks heated. The guys had clearly told Sharee some of my favorite things, and she’d worked that into my wardrobe. “I was just looking for Cillian.”
He’d been MIA all day, and it was starting to feel like it had been years since I’d even had a hug from him.
Knox strode up behind Cáel, and they shared a look.
I stiffened. “Where is he?”
Neither of their expressions spoke of anything good, and that had anxiety racing through me.
“He’s fine,” Knox assured me. “Just on horde business. Mad is with him.”
A little of my tension eased at that. I knew Maddox would have Cillian’s back through anything and vice versa. I bit my bottom lip. “Is it about me?”
Cáel frowned, tugging me to him. He rubbed the spot between my eyebrows. “Don’t like when you have worry lines.”
I nuzzled into him. “Then maybe you guys shouldn’t make me worry.”
Knox chuckled at that. “Don’t hold your breath on that one. But for now, you need sleep.”
I didn’t miss how they’d avoided my question. But that itself was an answer. I sighed, and Cáel lifted me into his arms. I didn’t fight him on it. I was too tired.
I could tell I was still getting my energy back from my injuries. I mostly felt back to normal, but at the end of a long day like this one, fatigue won out.
Cáel laid me gently in the center of my massive bed, and I crawled under the covers. I pinned him with my most intimidating stare. “Turn on my alarm, please.”
One corner of his mouth kicked up, but he hit a button on my clock.
“Thank you.” I dropped back onto the pillows.
Cáel reached behind his head and tugged off his tee. Shucking his gray sweats, he was left in nothing but black boxer briefs.
My eyes roamed over him. His entire form was decorated with intricate artwork. I really studied the skull covering his chest. In each eye socket was a landscape with mountains and a starry sky. In the sky were dragons.
“You keep staring at me like that and you won’t get the sleep you need,” Cáel said huskily.
Suddenly, sleep was the last thing on my mind.
Knox climbed into bed behind me, pulling me against his naked form. “We all need sleep.”
“Then you probably should’ve worn some pajamas to bed,” I huffed.
He chuckled. “Close your eyes.”
Cáel slid into bed on my other side, brushing his lips against mine as he turned out the light. “Good night, Little One.”
“Good night,” I whispered.
I didn’t think sleep would find me easily, but it quickly pulled me under. Only it was far from peaceful.
Branches slapped at my arms and face. The cuts and scratches stung as I ran faster, pushing my muscles as hard as I could go.
“Càit a bheil a’ bhana-phrionnsa??” a deep voice bellowed behind me.
Terror shot through me. I knew the owner of the voice. Knew he was the one who had killed my mother.
I pushed myself harder, my lungs seizing. My foot caught on a root, and I hit the ground hard. I struggled to get up, but it was too late.
“There she is. My bana-phrionnsa,” the man growled.
I struggled to roll over, to ready myself for defense. And when I did, I saw the owner of the voice.
Dexter Corbett.
I jerked upright, breathing hard. My pajamas, damp with sweat, clung to my body.
Knox was sitting up in a flash. “Hayden. Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “It was another dream. Dexter again.”
Cáel hauled me against him. “You’re safe.”
I let the beat of his heart soothe my frayed nerves. “It was so real,” I whispered.
Knox rubbed a hand up and down my arm, sharing a look with Cáel.
Cáel brushed his lips across my hair. “They’ll fade with time. I promise.”
“How do you know?” I croaked.
He was quiet for a moment. “Because I used to have them.”
“More like night terrors,” Knox said softly.
I felt Cáel wince.
“They were bad,” he muttered.
I pulled back, twisting so that I could see Cáel’s face. “From what happened when you were younger?”
He nodded jerkily, swallowing hard. “I showed signs of being a strong shifter early. My alpha used to brag about what a great warrior I’d be. Word spread.”
My stomach knotted, dread seeping in.
“Another horde decided they wanted to use me for themselves. They kidnapped me when I was thirteen. Tortured me to try to break me so that they could get allegiance to their horde.”
Knox muttered a series of curses about the horde.
I pressed my face to Cáel’s neck, and for the first time, I felt the scars there. Mottled skin he’d covered with ink. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, tears clogging my throat, the wetness slipping out and dampening Cáel’s flesh. As if those tears could take it all away.
“Don’t cry, Little One.” Cáel stroked my face. “I got out.”
“How?”
“My dragon gave me the strength. He went feral inside me, and I broke the bindings. I killed the guards in the cabin, then slaughtered each and every one of those that had held me.”
I shivered in Cáel’s hold. “I’m glad.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “I’m not a good man, Hayden.”
“Yes, you are. One of the best I’ve ever known,” I whispered.
“She’s right,” Knox croaked. “You could’ve killed the whole horde. But you held your dragon back. You only ended those who hurt you.”
Cáel’s eyes bled to silver. “You guys saved me.”
I looked up at him in question.
“I was a lone dragon, couldn’t stand being with other people, even shifters. But I got into a jam with some vampires. Cillian saved my ass.” Cáel looked at Knox. “And the rest of them. They made me feel like I belonged, like I had a family again.”
Knox reached out slowly, making it clear he was going to touch Cáel and giving him all the time in the world to pull away. But Cáel didn’t, and Knox’s hand came down on Cáel’s shoulder. “You’re our family. And you make us so much better.”
Tears burned the backs of my eyes as my gaze moved between the two of them. A certainty flew through me. “Make me yours. Fully yours. And everything that comes with it. I want to be your mate.”
Knox sucked in a breath. “Hayden…”
“I’m sure,” I cut him off.
Cáel let out a low growl.
My hands lifted to both their faces. “Please. I need you. Both of you.”