Page 72 of Spike

Gray followed my gaze, then kissed me on the cheek. "I'm glad this was all sorted out," he said.

"Me too," I said, returning the kiss with a smile.

Gray and I took the long way back to Moon Burrow, savoring every moment of our journey.

Along the road, we stumbled upon a charming bed and breakfast run by an elderly couple and decided to spend the night there.

The cozy ambiance and warm hospitality lifted our spirits, and we woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready to continue our journey home.

As we headed back to the compound, I couldn't contain my excitement. I had a surprise waiting for Gray, and I was eager to see his reaction.

However, it seemed my unusual behavior didn't escape his notice.

"Spike?" Gray asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "You're acting a little odd. Do you have a fever?"

I chuckled, relieved that he hadn't figured out my plan yet.

"No fever, I promise," I reassured him, placing a gentle kiss on his hand.

Gray eyed me suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"You'll see," I said with a grin, taking his hand and leading him towards the clubhouse.

Inside, my MC brothers were eagerly waiting to surprise Gray with a party. After everything we had been through in Blue Vale Valley, I knew in my heart that being mated to Gray wasn't enough.

I wanted to ask him to become my husband.

As we entered the clubhouse, anticipation surged through me, expecting the familiar uproar of my MC brothers' cheers and yells.

But instead, an eerie silence enveloped the room. Confusion gnawed at me as I scanned the surroundings.

Everything appeared to be in order – Nitro and the others had done an amazing job of decorating, and there was a mouthwatering spread at the center of the area.

Yet, no one seemed to be in a party mood.

The only voice cutting through the silence belonged to Colin, who was seated at a nearby table next to an unexpected guest.

Draven, whose attention was initially on Colin, abruptly stood as he caught sight of Gray and me entering.

However, it wasn't me he was focusing on; his intense gaze was fixed solely on Gray.

An instinctive possessiveness surged within me, and a low, rumbling growl escaped my lips as I instinctively drew Gray closer, wrapping my arm around his shoulders.

"Calm down, bear. I'm not interested in your mate romantically," Draven said.

I believed Gray when he told me Draven was simply misunderstood, but I still didn't trust him completely, not after all the damage he'd caused.

Sure, he was only following Jack's orders, and now that Jack’s pendant was destroyed by Colin’s relatives, he was harmless. Yet, I could sense that Draven wasn't entirely stable.

Approaching Gray, Draven reached out and gently took his hands in his own.

"Thank you, Gray," his voice held a sincerity that I didn’t expect.

"I didn't really do anything. It was all you," Gray said.

"But you said the exact words I needed to hear. It's partially thanks to you and the other two dragon shifters that I managed to regain my control," Draven said.

It was a good idea, having Colin and his uncle Zane to back us up at Blue Vale Valley. Their presence evened the odds, and Jack no longer had an unfair advantage.

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