Page 102 of Whisper Woods

Which was also how my family and former pack learnt about dragonkin.

Between that, my revelations about Tathys, and my formally leaving the pack, things have been tense and Rafe has spent the last three years trying to make up for his “devastatingly appalling first impression and reprehensible manners” as he called it.

I think being bonded mates has given him some of my dramatic, anxious tendencies.

“Right, come on Mathensiu, we better get going before my beloved gets all grouchy dragon on me again.”

Breath recovered enough, Mathensiu follows me like an eager puppy out of the palace. On our way through town, I have to remember to check my steps—the poor guy is only half my height and struggles to keep up with my pace at the best of times.

With each step closer to home, the feelings in my connection to Rafe grow, starting as a familiar warmth to a bubbling fizz as I approach the back entrance to our gardens. If our guests are really here, I don’t want to tempt fate by going through the front.

Eldrid and Sed are hard at work in the kitchens, giving me a warning look when I slink past them and the dozens of staff helping for the evening. Mathensiu abandons me to chat up the pretty girls in the kitchen, earning him his own jobs to help with.

I manage to sneak all the way to our bedroom before I’m caught.

“Andwherehave you been? Jeddy asked yourmotherabout sex. Withvampires,Seff!Vampires! I’m going to kill the little—” Rafe’s words cut off abruptly when I remove my suit jacket and turn to face him.

With my shirt already unbuttoned, revealing a taunting expanse of skin exposed, the frantic energy flowing from my mate changes from a chaotic frequency to a throb that ricochets low in my core.

Lingering in the door, claws digging into the door frame, his good eye trailsdown the bared skin to rest on the growing bulge of my cock in my partially undone slacks. I catch the sight of his tongue darting out to quickly lick his lips, before he rolls them over his teeth. To stop himself from doing something, I guess.

I don’t want to stop him, though.

“I’m sorry, babe. I got caught up.” Slowly, I unbutton my pants and shove them down over my ass. They drop with a loud clunk of the floor from my belt. Rafe’s eyes don’t move—focused on my cock valiantly attempting to break through my briefs. It’s like he’s mentally calling my dick to him, the way it strains in his direction. But Rafe definitely heard me. His nostrils flared threateningly at my paltry excuse for being late for our party.

To be fair, I’m pretty sure the guests are early. But also, I’m not exactly sure when it was meant to start.

“I cannot believe you left me here to greet everyone on my own, Seff. That wasnotgood behaviour, my darling, sweet, kushinavya. Not good at all. I think you’ll have to make it up to me.”

Why the fuck do we have to have a house full of our friends and family again? Because from the dark look in Rafe’s eye, I can see we both have some ideas for other ways to occupy our night.

I palm myself over my briefs, giving myself a good squeeze, enjoying the way Rafe shudders in the doorway. He’s physically restraining himself from coming into the room. I can feel the weight of the effort of it through our bond.

“Do we have time for quick hand jobs in the shower?”

My offer is enough to distract Rafe from his intense inspection of the outline of my erection. The dark look on his face is a lot less “fuck you into oblivion” and more “actually pissed”.

“Sex. With. Vampires.Seff.” The words are barely audible with the way he grinds them out. “You don’t even have time for a shower. Your suit is on the bed. Get dressed.”

With a last huff, he spins on his heel and stalks from the doorway. He doesn’t go far. I can hear him slumping against the wall outside the room.

Taking pity on my adorable grouchy dragon, I get dressed quickly. Themagnificent midnight blue suit matches Rafe’s black outfit in more ways than one. Our jackets are both the frock coat style, with the high-band collars and dragon glass and chainmail epaulettes favoured here in Tathys. But where his suit is black, mine perfectly matches the colour of his scales. The fabric maker here spent ages finding just the right colour.

Not the old owner, the one who booted me out of his shop before reunification. His daughter ended up taking over after he was arrested with Heylor. He’s since been released, but like most of those involved, he’s been ostracised pretty hard.

It’s just another one of those things we’re all still trying to deal with.

My efficiency is rewarded with a quick, dirty kiss that promises I am still going to pay later. Hand in hand, Rafe and I walk down the hallway. In between the art hanging on the walls, hang the photos from our adventures together over the past three years—holidays overseas, escapes deep in the Woods, get togethers with our friends.

Us together amongst the pack at a barbecue at my parents’ home. Another of us dancing at Theo’s wedding. A group shot of the gang outside the Black Stump. Rafe against the sunset on our camping trip to the hot spring. Me on the black sands of Alluyes, surrounded by brightly glowing water. A red-cheeked selfie of the two of us, freezing our asses off to watch the auroras over Tathys in the winter.

Each one a special memory, a thread in the life we’re weaving together.

Standing shoulder to shoulder on the balcony, we look over our guests. I finally understand the size point of the giant entry. The room overflows with floral decorations and, more importantly, guests. Clutching their glasses of nanosh wine, and plates of delicate finger food, they filter in and out of the dining room and sitting rooms, gathering in the entry to hear the band playing quietly in the corner.

NotMundane Madness. They are here tonight, but only as Brydon’s guests. A much more refined string quartet is entertaining our guests. The sounds of their happiness drift up to the cavernous domed ceiling.

In the crowd, I can see Caelan and Tor dancing slowly together, completelyoblivious to everyone around them. Roan is chatting to Vansh. Mauvy has joined them, smiling coyly at the valkyrie bar owner. Theo isn’t too far from his mate, within arm’s reach, as usual. I spot the recently sprouted little horns poking through his ginger curls before I realise it’s him. They started sprouting not long after his mating ceremony, confirming that he and Roan had performed the bonded mate ritual and been blessed. It’s not a shock, considering he’s basically the Chosen One as the Protector of the Woods and all. Over margaritas one night, he told Seldon and me they did the ceremony in the vegetable garden. He’s chatting to Ain and Red, the three of them laughing louder than anyone else in the room.

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