Page 72 of Dragon Unhinged

I’ve been wondering for decades if I’d ever meet my mate, if I’d ever get the chance to have a family like this. Ash, Henrik, and I were sent off into the human world to learn to assimilate with the humans and make our own wealth to hoard. We’ve all got our treasure troves, but the treasure we truly desire is a mate. Dragons live a long time. We have family, friends, and clans to keep us busy, but centuries are a long time to wait without a mate that may never come along.

Brianna hasn’t been alive as long as I have and she’s had other things to think about, more important things than a husband, especially with her father treating her as property to trade for a better position. I want her to want all of this as muchas I do. So, she doesn’t need me and my dragon breathing down her neck for a few minutes.

Instead, I concede to waiting outside the door. It’s too far for my dragon to be really content with the idea, and he’s still aching for us to claim her. I am too, but I won’t risk anything without Pru and Syrena confirming it’s okay to mark her while she’s pregnant. I hope Fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to make me wait for it until our baby is born, but if it’s the safest thing for my family, I’ll wait.

Grudgingly.

It’s not like we have any real information about how this could go down. It’s not like the Elders are willing to share and they hold all the texts around the subject.

“Declan,” Pru calls my name and pulls my attention from the closed door Brianna’s behind. She gestures for me to follow her. “Ash has requested your presence. He’s on a phone call he wants you to be on.”

I’m rooted to my spot. Ash doesn’t need me. “What about Brianna?”

“We’re in a hospital, a public place with multiple shifters on staff. Not to mention all the dragons here right now. She’ll be okay for a few minutes.” She looks around for a second, making sure there’s no one who could be eavesdropping. “It’s Krystana.”

She was missing too, and even if she called not long after the Vegas siege, I’m sure Ash wasn’t comfortable with her being on her own, constantly worrying about our baby sister. I don’t blame him, but knowing Krystana, she’s been fighting, defending herself from anyone or anything that might try to hurt her. She’s never needed protection from any of us. We just wanted to protect her from the bullshit of our dragon laws and any males who were desperate enough to try and force a bond, but she never needed us for any of that.

Still, it’d be nice to hear her voice. I’ve missed my family. I hate that it’s been all business and politics since I returned.

I take a step toward Pru, but stop again and look back at the door hoping she’ll just come out so she can go with me. I don’t want to go.

“I promise, we’ll be right back,” Pru encourages.

I reluctantly follow after Pru. Her office isn’t too far away, down the corridor and a right down another one, an elevator right up to the fifth floor and right off the elevators. I’m still anxious about being away from Brianna, but when I hear Krystana’s voice coming out of the speaker of my brother’s phone I still.

“I can’t come home, Ash. What I’m doing is too important and it has to be me,” she says.

Ash glances up from the phone and waves me closer.

“Declan is here, Krystana.”

“Declan, are you okay?” She sounds concerned, which means someone told her what happened to me.

“Hey, sis,” I say in a quiet tone. “I’m managing.”

“I imagine with a pregnant mate, it makes the transition back to civilization a little easier. Tell me about her.” She sounds so excited, so happy, and I immediately want to demand she comes back to Miami, not so that she can be back under Ash’s control, but because I think she would love Brianna and Brianna would love her.

I want to tell her everything about my mate, our baby, everything, but I also don’t want to be here long. “Are you safe? Really?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I’m more than capable of keeping myself safe, and if I’m being perfectly honest, I’m having a fucking blast away from Ash. Away from all you overbearing, overprotective, over masculine brothers.” Shelaughs. “I want all the details about your mate. I want a video call. I want to meet her.”

“I’ll have Ash text you my new phone number when you’re done here, and we’ll set something up. Brianna’s been through a lot quickly, so it’ll be on her terms when she’s ready.”

Krystana scoffs, “If she’s putting up with you, I’m sure she’s a badass.”

Gods, I want to wrap my little sister into a hug. And maybe there’s a little part of me that would feel better if she were here where we could watch over her.Her description of us wasn’t inaccurate.

Ash’s expression says he’s pissed she’s off on her own and not under his protection and control. The burden of being the clan leader, the head of our family, is weighing on him more than I thought.

But as someone who’s just gotten free of my own captors, I can’t blame her for wanting freedom either.

“We should definitely talk again soon.” I glance at Ash before adding, “Maybe consider coming home sometime soon, at least for a visit?”

“Yeah, right. Just a visit. Tell Ash to get the stick out of his ass about it. I’m fine. I am more than capable of taking on a few vampires, fae, and some humans who have readThe Hobbittoo many times.”

“I can hear you. And you’re still my sister, still my responsibility.” Ash’s tone is stern.

“Don’t you have a wife and a baby to helicopter over? You don’t need to hover over me too. I’m not going to get myself killed out here. Besides, I’m not alone. I’ll be more than fine.”

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