Chapter 29 Liz
Liz
Ifinished washing the last dish and handed it to Reese. The kitchen felt quieter than usual, or maybe I was just more aware of the silence. Outside, I could hear the guys talking under the awning, the low rumble of their voices occasionally broken by laughter.
Reese took the dish from me. “So, are you ready for tonight?”
I dried my hands on a dish towel and leaned against the counter. “I think so, but I don’t really know what to expect.”
“It’s kind of like a dragon wedding ceremony. And then sex afterward.”
“Cave sex?” I couldn’t help the skeptical tone in my voice. “My knees and back aren’t what they used to be. I don’t know if I’m built for that.”
Reese laughed. “Don’t worry. They set up blankets, pillows, the works. It’s really cute how they take care of their mates.”
I glanced out the window. Lucan caught my eye and smiled. It had only been a few days since he’d marked me as his, but somehow it already felt like the most natural thing in the world.
My eyes went to the fully extended awning. “Do you think the awning is sentient?”
“I think it’s possessed. It seems to only work properly when someone is moving out.” She gave me an expectant look.
“How long was it before you moved in with Kade?” I didn’t know if there was a dragon relationship rulebook I was supposed to be following.
“Pretty much immediately. Once the bond is there, being apart feels like something is missing.” She sighed, her smile turning wistful. “I showed up here swearing off men, and the next thing I know, I practically fell into his arms.”
“I’ve wanted to move in with him since he’d marked me, but I wasn’t sure how to ask. Or if it’s too soon.” I twisted the dish towel between my fingers. “Is that crazy? We’ve known each other for what, a few weeks?”
“With the bond, time works differently. When they know, they know. I’m sure he wanted you to move in the second he knew you were his.”
Lucan stepped into the RV at that exact moment. “You would be correct.”
“And that’s my cue.” Reese squeezed my arm as she passed. “You’ll do great tonight.”
The door closed behind her, and Lucan moved closer, his presence filling the space. “My home has felt empty without you in it.”
My cheeks felt warm, and I put a cool hand to my face, willing away what might be the start of a hot flash. “I don’t want to rush things, but I also kind of do.”
Lucan had been patient. Unreasonably patient, really, given that I was his mate, and he’d known that before he’d even officially met me. It was really a crazy concept, but every day I could feel my connection with him growing stronger.
“We’ve been taking it one day at a time.” His fingers traced a path from my ear to my neck, lingering on the spot where his mark rested. “And I’ll keep doing that for as long as you need. You can even have your own bedroom.”
I leaned into his touch. “I don’t want to wait anymore, and I definitely don’t want or need my own bedroom.”
His eyes darkened slightly. “Good.”
The weight of the moment settled between us. This wasn’t just some ritual. It was acceptance from his quad.
We stood there for a moment, his thumb brushing against my skin in slow, hypnotic circles that sent pleasant tingles up my spine.
How had I found something so unexpected? Just weeks ago, I'd been hiding from myself in a tent, and now here I was, ready to bond with a man who made my world tilt on its axis whenever he looked at me.
The universe had a strange sense of humor by dropping Lucan into my life when I’d convinced myself I was content with my solitude. Yet somehow, this felt more right than anything else ever had.
My heart felt like it had found its steady rhythm, finally beating in a way that made sense. “I’m ready for this. For us.”
He took my hand and led me toward the door.
I took a deep breath and squeezed Lucan’s hand. He squeezed back, a silent reassurance that I wasn’t alone. That I would never be alone again.
We landed just outside the entrance to the hoard, and Lucan’s dragon form shifted and contracted in the now-familiar blur of motion until he stood before me, gloriously naked in the moonlight.
He pulled out a pair of black athletic shorts from the clothing bin and stepped into them.
“Very romantic,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Nothing says sacred dragon bonding ceremony like basketball shorts.”
His lips quirked up as he closed the distance between us, taking my hands in his. “If it were just us, I’d be naked. But I figured you’d appreciate not having the others see everything.”
“Thoughtful of you.” My body betrayed me with a flush of heat that had nothing to do with my hormones and everything to do with the way his thumbs traced circles on my palms.
We moved toward the entrance, and once we stepped inside, I noticed the torches lighting the path.
“Nice touch with the mood lighting,” I whispered, suddenly feeling the weight of what we were about to do.
“Atlas set these up last time. It’s a nice romantic touch.”
My nerves jangled as we walked the torch-lit path. The quad had been accepting of me, but Zarek still left me uncertain. He’d warmed up, sure, but this was different. This was permanent. What if he changed his mind about accepting me when it came down to it?
Lucan must have sensed my anxiety. “They’re here because they accept you.”
“Even Zarek?”
“Especially Zarek. He doesn’t do anything halfway.”
We approached the main cavern, and a golden glow spilled out around the giant boulder hiding it from view. This was it, the moment I’d officially become part of something I hadn’t even known existed a month ago.
I kept hold of Lucan’s hand as we slipped past the rock. The cavern opened around us, firelight painting the rocky walls in shades of amber and gold. The warmth from the central fire washed over me immediately, and torches along the walls cast long shadows that danced across the piles of treasure.
The hole I’d discovered during my last visit was now filled. I couldn’t tell exactly how it had been closed, but there was no way anyone was getting through without a jackhammer.
Kade, Zarek, and Atlas stood in a semicircle, their faces serious but not unwelcoming. The sight of them waiting made this feel suddenly very real.
“Nervous?” Lucan’s breath was warm against my ear.
“A little. What if I do something wrong?”
He guided me forward. “You won’t.”
We stopped a few feet from the quad. Reese stood off to the side, her smile encouraging as she gave me a thumbs-up.
Kade stepped forward first. “Mate of Lucan, you are accepted by this quad.” He held out a pocketknife that was silver with intricate swirls etched into it. “I offer you protection and something less likely to get you mugged.”
A laugh escaped before I could stop it, and Kade’s mouth twitched.
“Thank you, Kade.”
He gave me a single nod and stepped back.
Atlas came forward next, warmth radiating from him. He held a velvet pouch and tipped it into his palm, a gold pocket watch tumbling out. He clicked it open, revealing tiny painted wildflowers around the numbers.
“Time moves differently when you’re with the right people. I hope you feel that now.”
My throat tightened, and I took the watch carefully. “Atlas, this is beautiful.”
He stepped back, and Zarek moved forward.
The cavern seemed to grow quieter. Even the fire seemed to settle. Zarek’s eyes held mine with that same assessing intensity I’d felt the first time we met in the office, except now I understood what lived behind it.
He opened his palm to reveal a delicate silver hairpin with a sapphire at the tip that matched his eyes. “Something to hold you steady when life tries to pull you apart.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, unable to manage more without my voice cracking.
“Now it’s your turn to choose from the hoard.” Lucan’s eyes were sparkling. “Anything you want is yours.”
I blinked, looking past the men to the piles beyond them. My mouth went dry. “Anything?”
Lucan nodded, his hand at the small of my back, pushing me forward.
How could I possibly choose from all this? What would be meaningful enough to mark this moment?
I moved deeper into the cave with hesitant steps, the treasures stretching endlessly in every direction. As I walked, I felt a pull, like an invisible thread tugging at my chest, drawing me toward the back of the cave. I didn’t understand it, but I followed, trusting the feeling.
My feet guided me to a corner where the light barely reached. I knelt, my fingers brushing away dust from a small wooden box tucked between a silver helmet and a vase.
I opened the box, and nestled among jewels lay an antique silver bookmark with a bird perched on top. It was perfect.
“For all the new chapters ahead.” I ran my thumb over the bird.
I stood and turned around, discovering the cave had emptied except for Lucan, who stood watching me with an expression that made my chest tighten.
“I have something for you too.” He reached for my hand and slipped a simple band with tiny diamonds embedded around its circumference onto my finger. “When you’re ready, you can move it to your other hand.”
I didn’t hesitate to place it on my ring finger. “I’m yours. There's no need to hide it from the world.”
His fingers closed around mine. “My mate.” His voice dropped to a low rumble that vibrated through my entire body. “My treasure. Mine.”
The possessiveness in those words wrapped around me, and something fundamental shifted inside my chest. This was exactly where I belonged.