Rowan
“Inever thought I would say this… but I think we’re on top of the horde’s health care!” I laughed, sinking into my desk chair with a contented sigh. My entire body felt the impact of the hard work, but on the other side of it all, I had to admit I was damn proud of myself.
“We need champagne or something.” Nina grinned. “You’ve achieved the impossible!”
“Not impossible, just stressful.” I tilted my head back and took a deep breath. “And it wasn’t only me. You were right there, by my side, the entire time.”
Even with everything going on, I’d been slowly chipping away at a backlog of patients. And yes, I could admit I’d been using it as a distraction from all the chaos outside the clinic’s walls. Working with Nina had been a huge part of what had kept me sane.
“So… what now?” Nina asked.
I took a deep breath, stopping to consider what the long-term needs of the horde were.
“I guess we have to figure out what maintenance looks like. There are still a few older dragons who haven’t come in, but I can’t force them to. We’ll want to implement a system for regular reminders and think about filling in any of the gaps in equipment or supplies that we’ve been putting off.”
Nina nodded with a hum. “I know a lot of the older dragons are… Well, they’re cranky. To put it nicely. As for supplies, the prep work for the greenhouse is coming along nicely.”
I smirked. “Well, then, I guess we’ll see them when they get so sick that they don’t care who treats them.”
“Yep. We’ll just have to be prepared.”
“With things getting quieter around here, we can work on your training.” I cocked my head. “That is, if you do want to become a healer?”
“Me? A healer?” Nina appeared truly surprised at the suggestion. “I know I jumped in and helped while everything was chaos, but… Wow, I didn’t think you wanted me to be a full-time healer.”
“I think you’d be excellent at it. That is, if it’s what you want,” I offered pointedly.
Nina thought about it for a moment. “I’ve really enjoyed working here. Ma doesn’t need my help in the kitchen anymore, now that Allison is here. I think I would enjoy healing… but do you really think I would be good at it?”
I flashed her an honest grin. “You’re a natural. You’ve jumped in with me on several emergencies. You held down the fort with Nix while Ma was injured. I think you’ll be fantastic at it, and I won’t lie and say I wouldn’t appreciate the help.”
Slowly, a dazzling smile took over Nina’s face. “In that case, I look forward to my training.” After standing, I walked around my desk, pulling Nina into a hug. “Thank you. I don’t think I’ve said it enough, but I would never have been able to do all this without you.”
Nina grinned back; her dark hair tucked behind her ears. “It’s been a joy, honestly! Now, we need to figure out how to get you a few days off each week. Though I’m sure those days will be quickly filled up with Alpha duties! It’s been a very long time since North Oak had a female Alpha.”
“Oof, don’t remind me. I’m much better at healer duties.” I smiled at her, enjoying a moment where we were both blissfully planning, imagining a future where our issues were long behind us.
“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Nina squeezed my shoulder. “I’m not the only natural around here. I—”
Without warning, Samuel burst into the room, his pace quick. “Alpha Rowan, you need to follow me right away.”
I frowned. “What’s going on?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure, but there’s a commotion in the den.”
I didn’t like the sound of that, and I didn’t need to be told twice.
Rushing, Nina and I made our way through the path toward the den behind Samuel as quickly as possible.
People were gathering in the courtyard. There were easily seventy-five dragons milling around the space, all of their focus on the circle in the middle. Everyone was looking at a group of three dragons I’d never met before, standing there, fury radiating out of their expressions.
I was about to open my mouth and ask who they were when someone swore next to me. Turning, I noticed Colin, his mouth open on a snarl. He was wearing dirty clothes and smelled faintly of sweat. He’d clearly been working on one of the cabins.
From what I’d heard, Colin had settled into working with the horde.
Surprisingly, even though my men had given him grief for kidnapping me, they had encouraged him to become an active member of our horde, and it seemed to have worked.
Between his mate, who was helping to feed everyone while Ma was recovering, and him helping build houses and cabins, the family were quickly becoming welcome members of the horde.
“Do you know them?” I asked.
Colin nodded; his face grim. “They’re from Birch Creek. Byron must have sent them. They’re all high-ranking horde members.”
Orsen, Nix, Bastian, and Greylen came out of the den, walking up to meet the strangers together, their steps solid, purpose etched into their features.
“Samuel.” I turned to my guard. “Go find Allison and Baby Rowan, keep them the hell away from this.”
He flinched, shaking his head. “I’m not supposed to leave your side…”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I gestured at my mates. “They’re right here. Go.”
“I can go,” Colin replied, his face hopeful.
“Don’t. It’ll draw attention to you, and that’s the last thing we want right now.” I held out my hand, low toward the ground, urging Colin to stay put.
“Join them,” Nina said, giving me a nudge.
“What? Why?” I hissed the question.
“Because this looks like an official visit. You, as Alpha, need to be there with them,” Colin explained.
My stomach flip-flopped. “I’m human, though.”
“Still an Alpha.” Nina pushed me forward. “And we’re making a change in all that, aren’t we?”
I sighed. “Shit.”
Doing my best to look graceful and poised, I walked over to my guys. Nix wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer.
All of them greeted me with measured smiles, radiating confidence and strength. I tried to suck down some of that courage for myself, steeling my spine as I faced off with the other dragons.
“Hello, I’m enforcer Lasser. This is Poe and Xander,” the one in the middle, with scraggly hair pulled back into a greasy ponytail, greeted.
Bastian nodded, his eyes never leaving them. The air was thick with tension, and even Nix was holding on to me uncharacteristically tight.
“We’ve met before,” Bastian countered. “May I ask why you’ve decided to come into the center of our horde lands?”
“We’re here to ask you one final time to return Alpha Byron’s daughter to him.”
Everything in me wanted to glance at Bastian to see his reaction, but we needed to show a united front, so instead, I simply stared at these intruders. There was no way in hell that Bastian would allow Allison to be taken.
None of my mates would.
“That’s not happening.”
Lasser grimaced, and a tiny flicker of amusement sparked inside me, adoring the way Bastian told him how it was. However, the next words out of his mouth made my stomach drop, and the world tilt on its axis.
“In that case,” the enforcer announced, letting his voice carry, “I need to inform you that Alpha Byron issues a formal challenge to the Alpha of North Oak.”
Everything stopped. You could hear a pin drop, and I clenched Nix’s hand. I wasn’t removed enough from dragon society to be happily unaware of what that meant.
A challenge? That’s a fight…
“When?” Bastian asked, somehow keeping his voice level.
The enforcer nodded, tight as ever. “Tomorrow. Midnight. At the border of our lands…” He paused.
My mind buzzed with worry, waiting for his last words.
Deep down I knew what a challenge entailed…
but I needed to hear it. Confirmation that my world was possibly about to come crashing down around my ears.
“…to the death.”