Page 71 of Dragon Unhinged

“Maybe don’t always respond to them? I’m freaking out, but it doesn’t mean you have to try to solve it or make it go away.” I cup his cheek, still kind of in awe of the fact that he’s mine. “I know that you’re here for me, that you’re going to help me in every way you can through this, but I’m still allowed to freak out a little bit at the prospect of carrying two babies at once, when we haven’t even talked about what kind of family we want, or if you even wanted kids.”

A small knock on the door draws our attention before Declan can say anything else, and then Pru steps into the room with an ultrasound machine in tow. “Let’s get you checked out, so that you’re ready for this little bundle of joy.”

Declan squeezes my hand and projects his thoughts to me as Pru gets everything set up.

I cannot wait to be the father to your children, whether it’s only one now, or multiple. We’ll face whatever comes together.

I knewthis was going to be invasive, but by the time the appointment is over and I’m getting dressed again, I’m not sure I want anyone, not even Declan, touching me anytime soon.

At least Pru seems confident that everything is going normally, and that there’s only one baby in there. I’m not even entirely sure I’m ready to be a mom to one baby, let alone two or more.

“Ms. Wystan?” A nurse in dark blue scrubs steps into the room, a soft smile on her face. She hardly looks old enough to be a nurse, but then I would’ve said the same about Pru being a doctor. “The doctor asked me to bring these in for you. Prenatal vitamins.” She extends her hand with a small paper cup and then with the other hand she lifts a water bottle toward me.

Pru didn’t say anything about sending anyone else in, or needing any vitamins or anything else, but Declan’s right outside the room. He wouldn’t let anyone in that shouldn’t be in here, or who shouldn’t know that I’m here.

I look down at the paper cup. Prenatal vitamins are a standard with pregnancies, if the movies and television are anything to go by. The whole point of them is to keep expectant mothers and their babies healthy, right?

I take the cup of pills and down them with the offered water, and then hand the empty cup back to the nurse.

“Good. Grey was worried this would be a harder task.” Her smile turns sinister as she says, “Finish getting dressed and then you’re coming with me. Grey’s waiting for you. Don’t call out for anyone, don’t think about your mate. Just stay quiet and do as I tell you.”

There’s a yank in my brain and my body starts moving before I’ve made the decision to listen to her instructions.

Did she say Grey?

Like a robot, I don the rest of my clothing. As I work through sliding on one sock on at a time, I can’t help the sensation of déjà vu that overcomes me. The sense of being completely out of control of my own body and mind.

I squeeze my eyes and try to stop my hands from tying my shoes lace, but it doesn’t work. I can’t call out for Declan. I can’t do anything but exactly what she says.

I stand up and turn to her.

“Good. Let’s go.”

I take a step. What am I doing? I don’t want to go with her. My feet stall out a little bit and gives me hope I’m fighting whatever she’s doing to me.

I go to reach for my purse that has the burner cell phone they gave me.

“You can leave that here. You don’t need it.” She hands me a baseball cap and sunglasses, and says, “Put those on, though. And don’t even think about making a noise until we’re on the road.” After a second, she adds, “You can’t share any thoughts with your dragon. Any time he reaches out for you, your mind goes blank, and you have no idea how to reach out to him. You’re Grey’s now.”

The more she talks the more my mind empties with motivation to do anything but what she wants. I feel like I’m bottled up in my own brain unable to do anything. Unable to control my own body. How is this possible?

As we leave the room, I try to get a good look around the hallway. Declan’s not standing there, and no one else in the hallway looks familiar at all. Where did he go?

One step after another, the knot grows in my stomach, tangling it into a vicious twist.

Where is she taking me? What could Grey want with me?

As we step out of the hospital and into a limousine, I realize I’m going to get all of my answers, and I suddenly don’t want them.

Chapter

Thirty

DECLAN

Afew minutes earlier…

I want to stay in the room with Brianna. My dragon is all but demanding it, but she looks overwhelmed, and I can’t really blame her. Her life changed dramatically in a short amount of time. She’s suddenly in a new environment, surrounded by new people who are intimately in her space, and she’s carrying a dragon shifter’s baby.

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