Page 47 of The Ruby Dragon's Unconventional Mate

Lachlan put his cards down and stared at Lars long enough that he felt very uncomfortable, and about the time he was going to say, “Just don’t tell me,” Lachlan began to speak. “When I got hurt. No. When I was attacked, it was by someone in our space. The beta dragon that was meant to care for our home.”

Lars sat back in his chair, absolutely unable to breathe. “What?”

He didn’t even think that was possible. These betas were born to do this job. They trained their entire lives. These were dragons who made this commitment. It was their calling. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either. I don’t think I ever will, but it happened. It was a terrible betrayal of everyone who was in the house, and I’m the only one who survived. Thank the goddess that Bryant was here with you.”

“Oh, Lachlan, that’s just… I can’t even… I don’t…” What the hell did he say to that? All of a sudden, he wanted to go to Logan’s house and tell Simon he had to leave right now. And Celeste? How did that even happen? He was going to have to ask Simon. How could this even happen? This was a magical bond. This was goddess-sent. How did this happen?

He lurched to his feet and launched himself at Lachlan and held on. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry that this happened to you, but you have my word that I won’t let anything else happen to you like that in the wing. We won’t let anything hurt you like that ever again. I promise you.”

Mate, mate, what’s the matter? What’s going on? Do I need to come back?Bryant’s voice felt frantic.

Lars wanted to tell Bryant yes, but the fact was that he had this. This wasn’t a new pain for Lachlan; it was a new pain for him. And the way to ease it was to share it amongst the other guardians and to figure it out.

There had to be a way for them to figure this out.

No, I’m all right. I was just talking to Lachlan. He told me what happened.

Oh. How is he?

Better than I am. But I’ll be all right. You just do your thing. I’m here with Lachlan. And he wasn’t going to leave, either.

Well, I’m glad he felt comfortable enough to talk to you.

Me too. I’m honored.

He felt a mental caress, but then Bryant withdrew a little, and he thought maybe he was checking in with Lachlan. Finally, Lachlan smiled at him, brighter this time.

“I believe you, Lars. Thank you for being so kind.” Lachlan patted his back. “I’m healing every day. This wing is a good place.”

“It is, and we’re glad to have you. The little girls especially. Those two think you hung the moon or held the ladder for the guy who did it.” He was going to lighten this up, and then he was going to get hold of Logan. He was going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with Simon. He needed to know one hundred percent that his brother and Dakota and those babies were safe.

“They’re amazing, so smart and fierce. And they just—they didn’t even care that I looked different.”

“Oh, they’re used to seeing all sorts of things, you have to remember. We have teenagers who can’t hold their wings or their scales or anything. That’s one of the great things about Oro Escondido—the coffee shop, the art store, and the bookstore. That’s where the teens start. They begin to integrate to where they can get comfortable moving around in public and out of the wing. Then, once they graduate from that, they usually go to the Golddigger to wait tables or to the coffee shop as a barista. Once they’ve really got it down.”

“I’m not ever going to get to go there, I don’t think.”

Lars snorted. “That’s why we bring it to you. Not only that, but I happen to know the owner of the restaurant, and I bet thatwe could have it closed for a private party. Then the whole wing could come, including the little ones. I mean, think about it, Grant? Not safe out in the human world.”

“Right. Bryant told me that his mothers both died in a storm?”

Lars nodded. “They were flying in a storm, and they ran into each other and crashed. It took them both. It was…ill thought out. But they were both very impulsive.”

“That seems so—” Lachlan stopped himself. “I don’t want to speak in a mean way about the dead, but they had a child.”

Lars shrugged. “They did, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that, had they thought for a second that this would happen, they would never have done it. It was an accident, and accidents happen. You can’t just not live because you have a child, right? I mean. Logan has to go do his business, so does Bryant. It’s just a thing.”

A scary thing, but they had lives.

“Does Bea have a business? I mean beyond being a guardian?”

“Construction.”

“Huh. She’s well-suited to it.” Lachlan smiled. “Though my house seems to be…building itself.”

“Oh, sure, but we need schools and other houses and stuff. Guardian houses are magical. You need a castle, so that’s what you’re getting.”

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