Page 27 of Flight Risk

My back had been itching, which Tav had said was a sign, though I hadn’t tried yet to make them come out fully. Shifting should come naturally to me, being that I was a wolf, yet the idea of sprouting wings terrified me.

“Not quite yet,” I said.

Felix patted my arm. “Give it time. Mine didn’t come out until the eggs were laid—or maybe it was before. Oh gosh, now I can’t remember.”

He looked to his mate, Raoul, who shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I could hardly recall what our first few months were like. It was hectic. There were eggs and blankets everywhere.”

Thankfully, I was seated next to Felix, and the two of us spent the evening talking about his experiences as a dragon mate. He never knew dragons existed—at least not with absolute certainty—until his mate showed up at his door and handcuffed them together. That was a whole story on its own.

My role that evening was simply to be at Tav’s side. I was there as his mate, not as his father’s PA. It was relaxing to unwind and let myself just be.

The conversation flowed easily. Tav’s father was an easy man to get along with, which was why he was leader of the clan. Raoul chimed in with tales of the flight team. Each story more exhilarating than the last—daring maneuvers in the sky, rivalries with the other schools within the clan, and of course, the competitions.

“So, how have you settled into mated life?” Felix asked.

I smiled. “Fine. Mostly. I’ve never had a person so...”

“Attentive? Overbearing? Annoying, but also adorably loving?”

Raoul turned from the conversation with the team and faced his mate “I can hear you, love.”

Felix winked. “I know you can.” He turned back to me, his expression turning serious. “Being a part of this clan has been amazing, even more so since the school is like being surrounded by family all the time. We have three little dragonets, and I can’t imagine doing it without our big support group.”

“That’s great to hear,” I said.

“If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out, okay?”

I fought the urge to cry, and Tav must’ve sensed my distress. He put his hand over mine, giving me strength. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

Chapter 16

Tavian

I walked the length from the fireplace back to the couch and then back again, careful not to step on the nest or get too close to it. The stench of my worry would infect the happy space we had built. Kier let out a sigh.

“Tav, are you going to pace for the entire afternoon?”

My body acted on instinct at the sound of his voice. I was by my mate’s side in an instant. “Is everything all right? Do you need anything?”

He laughed. “You need to take a chill pill.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Calm down.”

I closed my eyes and tried to recall any of the meditation techniques I’d learned in my century being alive. Nothing came to me. Nothing had prepared me for this moment. “I know, I’m just nervous.”

“Well, we’ll get all of our questions answered as soon as the doctor arrives.”

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. I practically sprinted across the house and opened it.

“Come in, come in. Kier is in the sitting room. He’s ready for you.”

“Perhaps our guest might like a little breather. I’m sure it was a long drive,” Kier called out.

“Yes, of course. Do you need anything?” I asked the man in front of me.

Hugo chuckled. “No, I am just fine. I recognize an anxious father when I see one. Let’s get right to the examination, and then we can make small talk. I am sure you have a lot of questions.” Hugo worked as the head healer for the clan. He was recently stationed at the Dragon Flight Academy, but when there was an opening at headquarters, he took it.

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