Page 52 of Dragon's Desire (Dragon Shifter's Mates 3)

Ren’s lips twitched. She leaned into my embrace for a moment. But her eyes traveled across the room to where her human friend wasstanding.

“I think there are a few things I need to take care of before I get to do any resting,” shesaid.

* * *

Ren

Iwalkedover to Kylie tentatively, watching for any sign that I’d come close enough. She’d never seen my dragon form before, and her first time, all she’d seen me do was clobber rogues and fry them into cinders. And then I’d sliced open a guy’s throat right in front ofher.

She’d already been having trouble coping with the violence she’d been faced with. And now I was right in the middle of it. Maybe she’d just want to head right home and never speak to meagain.

My best friend saw me coming and moving forward to meet me. I stopped, letting her set the pace. To my surprise, she strode right up to me and threw her arms around me, not seeming to care that I was naked and a littlebloody.

“Oh my God, Ren,” she said. “I was so scared for you. But you were such a badass! Holy shit, those rogues didn’t know what hit them, did they? Fuckingassholes.”

I hugged her back with a halting laugh. “You were scared forme? I was freaking terrified one of them would hurtyou.”

“Aw, I had my eagle bodyguard fending them off. No problems there. And I got in a couple hits of my own.” A tremor ran through her body, but she sucked in a breath and kept her voice steady. “I mean it. You wereamazing.”

My heart felt as if it had cracked open. My own breath came in almost a sob. Kylie pulled back to stare at my face. “What’swrong?”

“I just— Maybe it was stupid. I’ve been so worried that this whole... well, everything would be too much for you.” I waved to the remains of the battle around us. “It’s not what the shifter community is usually like. At least, from what the guys have told me it isn’t. But everything is such a mess right now. I don’t want to have to fight, but I do have to. People are dying... You shouldn’t have to deal with allthat.”

“Hey,” my bestie said firmly. She gripped my shoulder until I met her eyes. “I don’t have to. But I want to. The second F in BFF stands for forever, remember? How much shit did we get into and then back out of when we were in New York? So the stuff you’re mixed up in now is a little scarier—fine. Maybe I need to take a step back sometimes, but I’m still in this with you.” A grin broke over her face. “My best friend is adragon. How many people can saythat?”

I really laughed then, and squeezed her with another hug. “You’re the best, Kylie. I’m sorry I was shutting youout.”

“I get it,” Kylie said gently. “Just don’t do it again, youhear?”

When I let her go, we stepped to the end of the room. Kylie’s gaze drifted over the wreckage. “So... we don’t have to worry about any more of those jerks showing up, dowe?”

“I don’t think so. From what we heard, this was their last-ditch effort, all-in to take us down. Otherwise Phillipe wouldn’t have shown hishand.”

And we’d defeated them. The rogues were decimated now—the ones who’d wanted me and my alphas dead, atleast.

My legs wobbled under me. I might have tipped back against the wall if a large hand hadn’t caught myarm.

“Hey,” Nate said, bending to kiss my temple. “The shift and the fighting took a lot out of you.” He glanced at Kylie. “Do you mind if I borrow her and make her get somerest?”

“Please do,” Kylie said with a sweeping gesture. She shot me a grin and a wink as the bear shifter ushered meaway.

The other alphas were waiting in the hall. “What about the rest of your kin?” I said toMarco.

“Ah, they’re pretty good at looking after themselves,” he said in his usual languid tone. “I gave a nice little speech and passed out some orders. That should hold them over for at least a few hours.” His expression turned more serious. “We’ll have the funeralstomorrow.”

“And luck willing, no more for a long time after that,” Aaron remarked. He took my hand as we headed to my guestsuite.

When we reached the door, the four guys followed me in. I crawled onto the bed, and they piled on around me. The morning’s exhaustion was already catching up with me. I yawned and set my head on the pillow, surrounded by their warmth, and just like that, I wasout.

* * *

Iwoke up,a little groggy and achy but feeling a lot more alive than before, to a streak of late afternoon sun drifting through the window. I stretched on the bed, and my mates stirred. Looking down at myself, Igrimaced.

“Okay, I think a bath is in order beforedinner.”

Marco slid off the bed with a chuckle. “As much as I’d like to join you for that, I think I’d better touch base with my kin. But Iwillsee you at dinner... andafter?”

The lilt of his tone sent a flutter of desire through me. I pushed myself up to meet him, pulling him into a kiss. “Of course ‘andafter.’”

---