Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Two weeks later, Cam stood in front of his parents and brother as his father held out a wee box. Once Cam took it, his father said and signed, “This was my father’s, then mine, and now yours, son. We all wore it at the start of our new lives, and now it’s your turn.”
He opened it, revealing a brooch, the kind meant to hold together a traditional dragon-shifter outfit. There was a circle made of Celtic knots, and on the pin across the center was a dragon in flight. He’d seen it before in the pictures of his parents’ mating day.
His father took the brooch and pinned it on the fabric over his shoulder.
Since Seahaven was a splinter clan, they’d decided to use a kilt color they’d designed, with blue, green, red, black, purple, and gold, representing all the dragon colors.
Fabric over the shoulder held up the bit wrapped around the waist. Overall, it was like a great kilt used in the past by the humans in Scotland.
His mother smiled and took his face, bringing it down so she could kiss his cheek. “My braw lad’s all grown up now.”
Resisting a sigh, he replied, “I’ve been grown for a long time now, Mum.”
She released his head and tapped his chest before saying and signing, “You were lost for a wee while, but all it took was the right female to set you straight.”
Tor nodded. “Aye, Emily was exactly what you needed. What the clan needed.”
On the surface, his brother’s words might seem a bit much.
However, Emily had forged relationships with all the dragon clans in the UK, as well as Clan Glenlough in Ireland, and they respected her.
The leaders of those clans had been invited to the mating and celebration, and most of them had arrived a few hours ago.
Which meant Seahaven was one step closer to having alliances with the other UK and Irish dragon clans.
His dragon spoke up. You can talk and think about futures and alliances later. I want to mate Emily so we can finally kiss her.
They’d decided to wait, just in case a kiss set off a mate-claim frenzy, so they could be fully recovered. Then let me finish talking with our parents so we can head out into the main area.
His beast fell silent, and Cam looked at his mum, dad, and brother as he said, “Aye, Emily was what I needed. But if you want me to mate her and bring her into the family properly, then you need to go grab seats so I can head out, too.”
His mother smiled. “Aye, we’ll go. And as soon as your honeymoon is over, we’ll have a proper dinner and party at the house, too.”
Tor spoke and signed. “I have quite a few stories to tell her.” He winked. “If she doesn’t know you have a huge heart yet, she will after I chat with her more.”
“Of course she does. Now, go. I can’t be late to my own mating ceremony, especially with all the clan leaders here.”
His mother said, “I still can’t believe they all came. But I’ll have to chat with Finn and his mate at some point. I knew the lad as a boy, and maybe he’ll remember me.”
“I’m sure he will.” He kissed his mother’s cheek. “Now, go.”
They all said goodbye, and Cam looked in the mirror to readjust his clothes.
After a nod, he strode out of the wee room and toward the big tent.
He nodded at people as he went down the aisle.
And even the Lochguard leader gave him a wink before Cam headed to the small, raised dais and waited for his future mate.
Emily fidgeted with the skirt of her dress. Not because she was nervous about mating Cam. No, she wanted that more than anything.
It was rather that the clan leaders of Stonefire, Lochguard, Skyhunter, and Snowridge were all in attendance.
Sid had suggested Emily invite them, and at first, she hadn’t understood why they’d want to attend her mating ceremony. But Trahern had understood and written to her in an email: You’ve helped save a lot of their clan members. Of course they want to celebrate you.
Her and Trahern’s friendship was mostly intact, as they still exchanged emails and research. Trahern had also been working with Antony Holbrook on some secret research project, but the dragonman had sounded almost distracted in his messages. However, Trahern had refused to talk about it.
She thought it might have something to do with his mate, Grace, though. Dr. Sid had shared the pair’s progress, and Emily had been genuinely happy to hear that Trahern had found his person, too, even if he didn’t quite realize it yet.
He’d been unable to attend today because of working on a classified project, and Emily understood.
She would always treasure her friendship with Trahern, but all that mattered was mating Cam and finally seeing if they were true mates or not.
Either way, she looked forward to finally kissing her dragonman on the mouth and having him naked in her bed.
Well, he’d been naked before, but nothing had happened, really. Both because of his recovery, and because they had both wanted to get everything sorted in case of a frenzy.
There was a knock on the door, and Dr. Sid Jackson entered, followed by her mate, Gregor, who was another doctor Emily had become friends with on Stonefire.
Sid smiled and came over to give one of her rare hugs. “I’m so glad you’ve found your mate, Emily. I always sensed he wasn’t on Stonefire, but knew better than to meddle.”
Gregor also gave her a hug. “Aye, well, she was waiting for her own Scot. We make the best mates, after all.”
Sid rolled her eyes. “There are plenty of fine dragonmen elsewhere, Gregor.”
“Few and far between, Cassidy.”
He winked, and Sid battled a smile.
Someone else knocked on the door, and as soon as Emily said enter, her friend Alice Darby rushed in.
Emily and Alice had known each other online for a long time, but had rarely spent time together in person.
They’d both been in the same dragon appreciation groups back in the day, and even if they rarely got to hang out in real life, they still kept in touch.
That she was here in person made the day that much more special.
Alice grinned at her. “Look at you, getting a dragonman of your own before me.”
She shrugged. “It’s not like I planned it this way.”
Her friend hugged her. “Of course not, but I’m allowed to tease you. I hear there’s a charming dragonman here looking for a mate. Maybe he’s meant for me?”
Gregor snorted. “Roman Baillie, no doubt. That lad has a reputation, even on Lochguard.”
And since Gregor was originally from Clan Lochguard, Emily guessed he’d heard of Roman before.
Alice waved a hand in dismissal. “There’s no harm in flirting and dancing with him. Besides, I don’t have time for a mate right now. The Department of Dragon Affairs is running me ragged.”
She was about to ask what Alice was up to now—she was usually pretty cagey about her jobs over the years, although had shared they were all related to dragon-shifters—but there was another knock before Seahaven’s clan leader, Euan, poked his head inside the room. “It’s time, Emily. If you’re ready?”
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “More than ready.”
He smiled and offered his arm. “Then let me take you to the gathering.”
Since Seahaven didn’t have a great hall, like on Stonefire or Lochguard, they’d constructed a big tent to host the visitors and for the celebration.
She looked at Sid, Gregor, and Alice. “I’m glad you’re all here. I’ll see you at the celebration afterwards?”
Sid bobbed her head. “Of course. Now, go mate your dragoman, Emily, and start the next chapter of your life.”
Alice nodded. “I can stay for a bit before I have to leave. I wish I could stay longer…”
Emily shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, I know how busy you are. Just be careful with Roman and the other single dragon-shifters.”
Alice winked. “Not too careful, because where’s the fun in that?”
Emily laughed and then took Euan's proffered arm. They walked out of the cottage she’d used to get ready and headed toward the large, white tent in the distance.
Thankfully, Euan didn’t fill the time with small talk. She liked the clan leader, but as her heart pounded and her palms sweated a little, she knew she wouldn’t make for a good conversation partner right now.
Mainly because she kept wondering if Cam would still be as excited to have her if they weren’t true mates.
Stop it, Emily. He loves you, and you love him. Cam’s shown it over and over again, leaving zero doubt. He won’t care.
Before she could fret too much more, they reached the tent. And when she spotted Cam waiting for her on a small dais, her worries melted away. The way he looked at her, as if she were precious and loved and beautiful, made her grin at him.
This was her dragonman, no matter what fate said.
And given how she was becoming part of Clan Seahaven, who all liked to steer their own fates, she thought it rather fitting.
She barely noticed those in attendance, not even the clan leaders and their mates in the front row, as her eyes were solely for her dragonman. And when she was nearly to the small, raised dais, Euan released her so she could walk up to Cam.
Dragon-shifter mating ceremonies, at least in the UK, were between two people.
Once she was within arm’s reach, Cam put out a hand and she placed hers in his. As soon as he squeezed gently, her heart rate slowed a little.
Cam’s pupils flashed a few times before he retrieved a silver arm cuff from the box behind them with his free hand and said, “Dr. Emily Davies, when you arrived on Seahaven, all I saw was another burden to protect, one that I didn’t think I wanted.
However, you soon showed me that my past was clouding how I viewed you and other humans, and the more time I spent with you, the more I craved seeing you again, until I fell for you.
That happened before you saved my life a couple of weeks ago, too.
There is no one more dedicated, clever, kind, or honest than you have been with me.
All the things I need in my life, and now I could never imagine it without you.
I love you, Emily Davies, and with this band, I will claim you as my mate. Do you accept my claim?”
She nodded, and he slid the cool material around her arm. The engravings were Cameron’s name written in the old dragon language.
After picking up the slightly larger arm cuff in the box—the one written with her name in the old dragon language—she said, “When I first arrived on Seahaven, all wanted to do was focus on my research. But from the very beginning, you were there, simultaneously making me want to strangle you and learn more about you, until I truly felt seen for the first time in ages. As we learned more about each other, you were determined to win me over, until I had no doubt of your feelings. When you nearly died, I felt genuine panic for the first time in my life, and you’d better never do that to me again, Cameron Alexander, or there will be consequences.
” Chuckles filled the room, and then Emily continued, “I love you, Cam, and with this band, I’ll claim you as my mate. Will you accept my claim?”
He nodded, and he leaned down so Emily could slip the cuff onto his upper arm. Then he pulled her close, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “Now you’re mine.”
“You’re mine, too.”
They smiled at each other as applause broke out. After a few more seconds, with hands clasped, they faced the crowd and descended the stairs.
As much as Emily hated large gatherings, she was far too happy to care today. Even though she hadn’t drunk a drop of alcohol, she was high on life, as if she’d drunk an entire bottle of wine.
So when Finn Stewart and his mate, Arabella, approached them, she smiled. “Hello, Finn.”
He nodded and took Emily’s free hand, kissing the back of it.
Cam growled, but Emily squeezed their clasped hands as Finn said, “Congrats Emily, Cam, on your mating. And thanks for inviting us, aye? That just means you’ll have to accept my next invitation to Lochguard. Maybe for you and your entire clan.”
Emily held her breath, but Cam merely shrugged. “I suppose, as long as there’s plenty of time to go over security details and ensure everyone will be safe.”
Finn hugged Arabella to his side and said, “Aye, of course. Even if you never come back to live on Lochguard, you’re all still clan to us, and we’ll protect you as such.”
Cam’s mother appeared and jumped in. “Why, Finlay Stewart, you’ve grown, haven’t you? You might not remember me…”
“Mary Alexander, of course I do. My aunt still speaks fondly of you. Maybe you can visit Lorna soon? She has a human mate now, too.”
“Does she now? Well, aye, I’d like to visit. If Cam and Euan say it’s okay.”
Finn nodded at both Emily and Cam before saying, “Let’s go talk to Euan, Mary. I’m sure these two want to get their greetings done so they can celebrate alone.”
Finn winked, and Emily’s cheeks heated.
Thankfully, Cam spoke up. “Aye, for once, you’re right. We’ll talk more later, Finn.”
As Finn, Arabella, and Mary headed toward Seahaven’s leader, Cam guided her to the other leaders.
It was a whirlwind of congratulations and gratitude for her help with various counter-poisons and serums over the years. By the time she finished speaking to the last clan leader pair from Skyhunter, she was exhausted.
Cam guided her toward the exit, greeting people as they went, until they stepped into the cool air. After a few deep breaths, she said, “It was nice of them to come, but I definitely need a break. Will they think badly of me if we flee?”
“I doubt it, love. The fact that we stayed as long as we did speaks of our restraint.”
As his eyes turned heated, her heart rate jumped up. “Um, right.”
He nuzzled her cheek and said, “Let’s go home, lass. I’m more than ready to kiss and finally claim you.”
And so they headed home in silence, half-jogging toward their cottage.
Emily was more than ready to be claimed by her dragonman.