Mini Bonus Chapter One
A Dragon at The Howl
The following Sunday, Cass and Trick spent most of the day moving her things from the split-double she’d shared with Juliette to his home – their home – behind The Howl.
The night before, they’d had dinner at her mom’s, and before they left, her mom had told Cass how happy she was for her and how much she liked him.
Cass could relate.
She’d never been happier. And it was because of her sexy mate.
That afternoon, she’d reached out to Lauren and asked if she and Lucy would like to come to The Howl for dinner with her and Trick so they could get to know him, and Lauren had accepted.
When Lauren and Lucy arrived, Cass hugged them both and brought them to the table where Trick was waiting.
“Lauren, Lucy, this is my mate, Trick. This is my sister and my amazing niece.”
He stood and shook their hands.
Lucy smiled at him and handed him a picture she’d drawn of a wolf.
“I don’t know what color you are,” she said, looking serious. “So I made your fur purple because it’s my favorite color.”
“It’s great, thank you,” he said. As the girls sat, he added, “Let me get drinks for you while you figure out what you’d like to order.”
They all got the sparkling strawberry lemonade made with strawberry syrup, lemon lime soda, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
Trick delivered the drinks and took their orders.
Lucy handed her menu to Trick. “I would like a regular cheeseburger, please. But ask Aunt Juliette if I can have ranch in a bowl?”
“I know she’ll do that for you,” Trick said.
He disappeared into the kitchen, and Cass watched him leave, a smile on her face.
“All right, he’s cute,” Lauren said with a chuckle. “And he’s nice. How’s moving going?”
“Good. We got most everything over to the house today, just have to finish up this week and clean, then turn in my keys.”
“What’s going on with work? Are you staying at the coffee shop?”
Trick came back with a pen and several sheets of paper and set them in front of Lucy, whose eyes went wide. “Juliette said you like to draw and she really liked the wolf you drew for me, so I wanted to give you something to do while you wait for your cheeseburger with ranch on the side.”
“Oh, thank you. Can I call you Uncle Trick?”
He smiled so sweetly that Cass almost melted into the floor. “I’d love that, kiddo.”
Lucy happily hummed and began to draw. Trick winked at Cass and walked back into the kitchen.
“Okay, he’s a good guy,” Lauren said. “So anyway, about work?”
“I switched to part-time. They really only need me in the mornings, anyway. Juliette is part-time at the bookstore too, since she spends time in the kitchen with Sigh. I don’t know if I’ll help out here, but I do want to be in King Lake more than I’m in Mill Creek.”
“You’re happy?” Lauren asked.
“Very.”
“Then I’m happy for you. I’m happy you found love, and I’m sorry that I tried to talk you out of it. Following our hearts doesn’t come with instructions.”
Cass laughed. “No, it really doesn’t.”
Trick brought the burgers out with Juliette’s help, then he joined them at the table and they ate and talked.
After dinner, when Lucy had given pictures to Cass, Sigh, Juliette, and Dare, and Lauren said they needed to head home, Trick said, “Can you come out in the parking lot with us for a few minutes before you go?”
“Uh, sure. Why?” Lauren asked.
Trick looked at his phone, then smiled. “It’s a surprise.”
They all stood, the chairs scraping with the motion, and Cass looked up at him. “What did you do?”
“Something good.”
They walked out into the parking lot as the sun was beginning to set, bathing the whole place in beautiful, soft orange and gold. She heard a dragon call loudly and that’s when she knew what Trick had done.
Lucy gasped. “Oh, did you hear that? That’s a dragon!”
“I heard you’ve always wanted to meet one, so I asked Alpha Caz if someone from his clan could stop by.”
The Pine Ridge Mountains bordered one side of King Lake, and the dragon clan lived there. Trick had told her the dragons ran a security company and patrolled the town from the sky periodically.
“Oh, look!” Lucy said, pointing to the sky as the dragon drew close, swooping in big arcs. He let out a bellowing call and breathed fire, and Lucy cheered and clapped.
“Do you know which one that is?” Lauren asked.
“It’s Orazio – Z to his friends. He’s got dark green scales.”
Z circled over them, slowly landed at the back of the parking lot that was empty of cars, then folded his wings against his back.
Cass had never seen a dragon up close either. Holy crap he was impressive.
“Would you like a picture with him?” Trick asked.
“Oh, could I?” Lucy asked, her voice squeaking with awe.
“You bet,” Trick said.
They walked across the lot to the dragon, and Lucy stood fearlessly in front of him, her head tilted back to look up at him. “I’m Lucy! You’re very big!”
Z chuckled, the sound rough from his dragon. His big, clawed hand came forward and down, and he opened it in front of Lucy. In the palm of his hand was a rock. Trick had heard from the alpha that Z was going to bring a treasure to the little girl.
Trick squatted down next to her and said, “Z brought you a rock to start your treasure collection. Alpha Caz said to tell you that it means you’re an honorary member of the clan. You can start your treasure collection with a rock from the ridge.”
She leaned over and picked up the rock, which was about the size of a dinner roll. “Thank you, Z.”
He lifted his head into the sky and let out a call that echoed through the woods.
Trick moved away and let Lauren take pictures, then Lucy hugged Z’s leg and said goodbye, and they watched as he rose into the sky with another call and blast of fire and took off for the ridge.
Lauren looked at Cass. “Trick loves you.”
“Yeah, he does.”
Her eyes went glossy with emotion. “Maybe fast love isn’t so bad when it’s the right guy.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Cass said with a chuckle.
“I’m listening, and I’m happy for you.”
They embraced, and then Cass hugged Lucy. “I love you, Lucy-girl.”
“I love you too, Aunt Cass.” She hugged Trick. “Thank you, Uncle Trick.”
“Anytime, kiddo.”
They waved goodbye to her sister and niece and walked back into The Howl. “So, Lucy has an end of the school year concert next week. And now that you’re my mate and part of my family, you get to go and sit through three hours of mind-numbing elementary school music.”
“For you, anything.”
She gave her mate a sweet smile and said, “I think we’ve socialized enough for the night? I have some ideas about the rest of the evening.”
“Sexy ideas?” he asked.
“The sexiest.”
“Lead the way, beautiful. I’m all yours.”
“Forever.”