Page 27 of Cam's Treasure

Micah...if you think I can just replace you with someone else...

I growled low in my throat, just the thought of anyone taking his place enough to rile me up.

No one can ever take your place in my life.

Micah shrugged in my hold, lowering his head as his fingers dug into my wing, desperately holding on. I gave him another squeeze, a promise that I wouldn't let go.

"You can't know that," he murmured in a barely there voice. "They might be hotter than I am, or better at keeping up with you. You might get along so much better, and what if I can't form a connection with them? What if they love you and just tolerate me because we're a package deal and I have to hear all about it from their thoughts?"

My heart sank as I realized this wasn't a new fear. Micah had felt like this for a while, for years probably, and I'd never realized. How could I have not noticed?

I don't want to not matter to you.

I wasn't sure if he'd meant for me to hear that, but my chest ached at the pain behind those words.

Even after all these years, the pain Micah had felt when his birth parents had not only disowned him but also had him arrested because of his powers hadn't gone away. It still hurt him, even though he had much better, worthier parents now.

I would never truly understand what it felt like to be told by the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally that you weren't worth loving. Micah had told me about it in hushed whispers after nightmares had woken him in the middle of thenight, and I'd wished every time that I could do something to take his pain away.

Knowing I'd made him feel similar pain with my excitement over our other mates, and by ignoring the fact that something was bothering him, broke my heart. Micah was an amazing mate, and I'd failed him.

"It's not your fault," Micah murmured, replying to my thoughts. "You can't read minds, remember?"

But I knew something was wrong, and I didn't ask you about it. I ignored it. What kind of mate am I, that I ignored your pain?

Guilt filled me until I felt like I couldn't breathe, and I realized I wasn't ready to meet my other mates after all. I needed to do right by Micah before I could have any hope of being good enough for them, or I might end up failing them too.

We've been together since we were practically kids, Cam. And sure, things happened that made us grow up a little faster, but we were still kids. I've actively worked hard to make sure you didn't sense my...reluctance, so it's not your fault. I wanted you to ignore it.

This time, Micah spoke the words in my mind, like he was ashamed to admit it out loud. Even now, he was convinced thathewas the one in the wrong. How did I convince him otherwise?

I love you, Micah Baudelaire-Romanov, I thought, squeezing my wings tight around him as I buried my nose in his hair. Bending over like this so I could surround him was a little uncomfortable with how big my dragon form was, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be close to him, to surround him with my scent and warmth so he knew I was all his.That will never change, no matter who or how amazing our mates are. And they will love you too—I know they will. How could they not? I have great taste in men, and I think you're the sexiest man on the planet, and so will they.

Micah gave a rough laugh that almost sounded like a sob, and then he turned around, pressing his face against my chest as his fingers dug into the hard scales that covered it. It had to hurt, but Micah still maintained a white-knuckle grip, as if he didn't want any space between us.

Since I didn't want to hurt him any more than I already had, I shifted back to my human form. One of the perks of being a dragon was that my clothes stayed between transformations, unlike with shifters.

I wrapped my arms around Micah, and he buried his face in the crook of my neck, trembling just a little as he hugged me back. I hadn't noticed that before, but it was way more obvious in this form. Oh, my sweet, gentle mate.

"Come on. Let's go inside."

Micah didn't protest when I hefted him up into my arms, just wrapped his legs around my waist, and I took him inside and then up the stairs to our bedroom. Carrying him to the bed, I pulled the covers up until they reached our chins and turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

Turning on my side, I pulled Micah close, hugging him tight as he tucked his head under my chin. I ran my fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp as he sighed softly.

"I'm sorry," Micah mumbled after a while, startling me. I'd thought he was already asleep, but clearly not.

Micah

"What are you apologizing for?"

Whatdidn'tI need to apologize for?

For dumping all my insecurities on Cam, when he'd done nothing to warrant them? For making him feel guilty because ofmy own fucked-up-ness? For making him decide he didn't want to meet our other mates anytime soon? For feeling relieved and maybe even a little happy about his decision?

The list was endless, but Cam gazed down at me with patience, his green eyes gleaming in the faint moonlight peeking in through the window.

We stared at each other for a while, and the sound of rain pattering on the roof filled the air between us after a few minutes. Still, Cam waited.

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