Page 10 of The Fox and the Dragon

"I am thrilled, but my mate is not emotionally in a place to handle this news, so I have let my cloak remain in place. I know him, but he is not aware of me." Saphir got to the heart of the matter. Waiting was weighing heavy on him, and the value of the deceit was quickly losing its veracity. Saphir explained the failed wedding plans and the jilted bride, making his apprehension clear.

"Fate brought you together, so your love is perfect. Do not second guess Fate's plans or her power." Bazil stated what sounded like a warning.

“I don’t wish to overwhelm him.”

“Don’t play games with him Saphir it’s not fair to him.” It was what Saphir needed to hear. He nodded his agreement and understanding. “He is your mate, and it is not your place to keep that information from him.”

“You’re right brother.” Saphir stated and clarity took him over. Dodging and pretending was no way to begin their lives together. He needed to be honest and straight and if mates are asrevered in the fox culture as they are in the dragon culture then everything should fall into place.

"A young fox," Bazil said, shook his head, and smiled warmly. "I've seen him, and he is a very handsome man, Saphir. Fate has been very kind to you."

“It was a shock, but I was also pleased beyond anything in this world. I've waited a very long time as you have, too, and I am ready to have the love and companionship of my Fated mate." Saphir paused briefly and then added his concern. "He and Will both appear cautious and afraid when in the company of dragons. I convinced him to stay for a couple of days, and I took him to dinner, but not once did he let down his guard. He allowed me to get closer but not too close.”

"The knowledge that you are his mate will hasten his acceptance and will clear the fog of uncertainty. The fox, like most shifters, understands the importance and the power of a Fated match. He will not turn his back on you if that is what you are fearing." Bazil pinpointed his real concern.

“I fear that a dragon shifter may not be what he’d hoped for.” He responded. His brother knew what Saphir was feeling just as he knew his entire circle. No one hides from the King.

Saphir walked him back to the apartment after they finished dinner, and Ashton enjoyed every minute of their time together. Whatever he'd previously thought about the big dragon was now being muted by the way he cared for and supported them. He personally met with them to persuade Ashton to stay when he could have just done nothing and let them be on their way.

He left him with the promise of checking on them again in the morning and Ashton couldn’t help wishing that Saphir was still there by his side and that yearning seemed odd and out of place, but it was real. Perhaps he was reacting to his strength and warmth at a time when Ashton was feeling decidedly helpless and inept.

He tried to set things right with Harley only to get his brother nearly killed, and now there was someone out there who supposedly wanted him dead. How had everything gone completely to shit so fast?

The answer was obvious, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to face it. If he’d dealt with Ally and the sham of a wedding months ago or even weeks ago instead of thinking in some strange way that things would work out none of this would have happened. He thought he could be happy in time and didn’t want to disappoint so many and in the end he disappointed everyone especially himself.

"Hey, stop thinking so hard." The voice of his brother, who had awoken at some point, pulled him from his depressive thoughts. "It's not Ally, is it?"

"No, I'm glad to be out of that mess, and like I said, she wasn't hurting half as bad as she pretended to be. It was just an act for her parents." Ashton leaned on the edge of Will's bed and rolled his eyes.

“Is it the traps are you thinking Ally’s family has it out for us?” Will was smiling as he said it. Ashton shook his head. “No, me neither.” Will said. “I never saw her family as that type. To retaliate like that is really low class and they have struggled for years to move up that social ladder. She wouldn’t risk it.”

"Unless she doesn't know about it," Ashton interjected for no particular reason.

“You think her dad and brothers would participate in something so dreadful?”

"I'm not sure anymore." Ashton wasn't sure what he was saying, but the feeling kept getting stronger that he was naive where they were concerned. "He might be trying to save face and probably assumed the attack wouldn't be linked to them or that it might be considered an unfortunate accident. Karma, if you will." He finished, and Will stared at him with a bewildered expression.

“I saw the video and didn’t recognize the men in it, but they could have been hired to do the job.” Will started sorting his own thoughts on the matter. “Are we still going home tomorrow?”

"No, I promised Saphir we'd stay a couple days and give them a chance to figure out who tried to kill us. He said it will be easier to protect us here than back in Pittsburgh." That statement earned him a side-eye.

“Saphir?”

“Yes, you know the man who caught you before you hit the floor and carried you to this room and tucked you into bed and then called for the doctor to tend to you.” Ashton enunciated very clearly letting him know that Saphir had treated him very kindly.

“He carried me here?”

“Yes, you passed out while we were waiting for Roan to drive us home. You weren’t as healed as we thought you were.”

"I just wanted to go home, Ashton." Will laid back against the pillows and sighed deeply. "I didn't think they wanted us here."

"I didn't think so either, but Saphir assured me we are welcome and, as I said, urged me to stay a couple of days, giving them time to find the trappers and for you to heal properly." Ashton straightened up in his chair and glanced around the room. He hadn't really looked at it before and was impressed with the size and the décor. This was a very nice apartment. "He said we can stay here in this apartment, and he'll have the kitchen stocked."

“There’s a kitchen?”

"Yeah, large and beautiful, just like the rest of this place. It makes two of my poor little apartment.” Ashton joked.

“My townhouse is a good size, but it could not compete with the furnishings around here or the specialized care.”

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