Page 101 of Devoted to the Dragon

My mother holds out her hand to Randi and pulls my dragon into a hug. She speaks softly into her ear, but I can’t hear what she says thanks to the celebrating crowd. Whatever it is, it sends a burst of love and a flash of grief through the bond.

Yesterday, my family arrived, and it’s been surreal to have the two parts of my life collide. Also, it was mortifying because my siblings told some of my most jackass stories over dinner last night. No doubt Gunnar will never let me forget them, but I’ll take all their teasing if it means we can have this. Randi’s warm welcome to my family made me fall in love with her all over again.

This truce is probably the most important thing I’ve ever done. Maybe I did it for Randi, but it’s bigger than us. I can feel the magic in it, the power of the reconciliation.

I step closer, my hand finding Randi’s back. She pulls away from my mother to snuggle into my side. Her two wolves join us, and we face the gathered crowd.

I’m pretty sure every wolf and human in Randi’s territory has come out to the lake today, along with my family and a few from our crew.

Her voice is sure and commanding when she affirms the terms of the treaty and vows to work toward a solution to theproblems facing their magic. She ends her speech with a wide smile, calling to the crowd, “Now, let’s run!”

The crowd cheers again, clothes tossed as bodies shift. Today’s gathering is twofold. We’re not only celebrating a treaty with the serpents, but Randi and Fennik are also honoring the creation of the new wolf pack of Moon Lake Valley.

My dragon is a collector, her pack full of strays, but that doesn’t seem to matter to anyone. The humans get ready to run alongside the wolves, and even my sister takes her place at the front with them.

Randi tugs in the bond, and I let my shadows loose, joining her mates and my sister as we take off into the forest. My dragon leaps into flight with a roar, signaling for her pack to follow.

We move together, and Fennik and Gunnar set a pace even the humans can maintain. The forest feels full of magic, and the air is charged with the connections between us. Never before have I felt so alive or so in tune with a group of people. I can feel my bonds, all of them pulsing with our shared magic, and beyond that, a whole pack made of light energy.

The run is loud, full of joyous shrieks and howls, dizzying closeness, and the fire of our dragon above. Together, we taste like home.

After the pack run,we returned to the lake house to celebrate. We’ve turned the shore into a giant sprawling picnic. Wooden tables are lined up along the bank, there’s a huge spread of food under a series of tents, and a giant smoke pit is being run by an older wolf.

It’s comical to watch the serpents mingle amongst the wolves and even funnier to see my mother attempt to eat ribs with her hands.

Stef, Randi, and Vandera have been talking magical runes for most of the afternoon, huddled together at a picnic table, but I’m impatient. I snake my shadows around Randi, cutting into their theorizing. “I’m sorry, guys, but I need to steal my mate.”

Vandera and Stef don’t even bat an eye, still deep in conversation as I pull Randi away. One of my shadows slips over her eyes and another around her waist to steady her.

“Where are we going?” she asks, her scent spiking with cooling mint.

“Telling you would ruin the surprise,” I tease.

I tug her down the sloped lawn and onto the dock.Her smile takes over her face as she realizes where we are. It feels like a lifetime since the two of us were on this dock.

I slow my pace, wanting to savor this moment that I almost missed. The sun is setting, and the lake is cast in a golden glow, framed by a puffy pink sky.

Fennik dips his head out of the tent, and Gunnar is right behind him, both of them eyeing our dragon. I take away my shadows and watch as she sees the new nest for the first time.

The guys helped me rebuild it, and together we’ve made it pretty fucking perfect. It’s a repaired version of the original, with new additions like hanging crystals. It’s warm and inviting, and the deep green tent glows softly in the warm lantern light.

“You remade it?” Randi asks softly, turning to me with wide eyes.

“Yeah, baby. We made it all together this time.”

Her blue eyes mist over, and she leans in for a sweet kiss. It sends a vibration through the bond that I feel all the way to my soul. “Thank you, it’s perfect.”

Fennik steps off the floating dock and holds out a wrapped box. Randi uncovers the lid, her perfume swelling as she fingers the necklace we made with the red stone that forged our horde bonds.

“It’s perfect.” She bites her lip. I know it’s because she’s trying not to cry.

I grab the metal chain, slipping it around her neck and locking the clasp in place with my magic. Her dragon purrs, and her whole body sings. Sparks of energy dance around her.

I kiss her shoulder where my mark lives and pat her ass. “Go thank them then, baby.”

She turns from me and leaps for Fennik, practically climbing him. She kisses him deeply, their bonds thrumming, then she jumps down and throws herself into Gunnar’s arms. The two tumble onto the nest bed, kissing and laughing in a messy heap.

“Get in here,” Randi shouts.

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