Rowan
Leah is coming to the den to shower and change. Make sure she rests and eats, please. She needs it.
Ma
Trust me, she will be FED. Thank you for the heads-up.
While she was off getting fed and hopefully taking a bath, I filled my time organizing the small collection of fresh herbs I had picked. Between the supplies I had brought with me, what I had been able to pick from the garden, and what had been procured from the health store in town, I now had a decent supply.
Eventually, I would need to get my hands on a few more specialty herbs, but I had set up gardens and greenhouses for several hordes. I would contact one of them and ask for help.
After a good chunk of time, when I had managed to label and organize everything while checking on Rory, I heard footsteps outside the door. In came Leah, looking so much fresher.
“Hey, Rowan.” Leah smiled as she shuffled into the room, wearing a fresh sweatshirt and pants. Her face was pinker, her hair clean and brushed into a smooth braid.
“Well, you look like a new dragon!” I smiled.
She grinned, shaking her head before glancing up at Rory. “How’s he been?”
“Sleeping mostly,” I assured her. “He woke up and wanted some water, but he fell back asleep before I could convince him to have anything else.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. Sleep is the way the body heals.”
Leah stared at her son with that particularmomlook. “He’s improving… I know he is, but I feel so…”
“Lost?” She nodded back at me. “I think anyone would in your situation. But I can assure you that you’re doing everything that you should be.”
Leah bobbled her head again. “You know, if what they’re saying about you is true, then the Alphas are really lucky. The whole horde is really lucky.”
My face flushed at the praise, not to mention the proof that word about me being their mate was spreading.
“Thank you. Everything is still… being sorted out. I’m here until Rory is back to full health, though, no matter what.”
“I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you’ve done.” Leah stepped up to me, took my hands, and squeezed. “This horde would do well with you, but you should always trust that gut of yours. It’s what helped my Rory.”
My mouth dropped open slightly. I wasn’t used to truth bombs being dropped so effortlessly, so early in the morning. But Leah had a point. I needed to trust my gut. It didn’t often steer me wrong.
So that’s what I was going to do.
As I left the doctor’s office, I paused at the sight of Bastian leaning against a nearby tree, hands in his pockets, looking as casual as ever, except for the steely expression on his face. When he noticed my approach, he pushed off the tree with one foot.
His dark hair was tucked behind his ears in messy waves as he stared at me with those eyes that were such a deep brown, they were almost black. Everything about this dragon screamed shadowed and closed off. Any sane person would have avoided him, but all I wanted to do was run my hands through his hair and stick my face into his neck and just breathe in that rich scent that followed him everywhere.
Again, my brain and my instincts were of two very differing opinions.
“Come with me,” he said, jerking his head in the direction of the trees.
I eyed him withextremesuspicion. “Asking me to follow you into the woods. Am I about to be chopped into itty bits?”
I was joking—kind of.
He laughed dryly, shaking his head. “I’m a dragon, remember? No need for itty bits when there would be nothing left but ash.”
I cocked my head to the side, swallowing hard. “Fair point.”
“Come on.” His expression softened. “I promise, no maiming.”
