Page 3 of Saving Her Dragon

Flashing her hazel eyes his way, she teased, a smile breaking through her reserve. "You do know that you're radiating enough positive energy to power a small city, right?" When he nodded, she added with a snicker, "Try to breathe, Grey. I don’t want your brother mad at me because you passed out before we even got to the front door."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. I can't help it," Grey admitted, glancing over at her. "I just keep thinking about how much I have to catch him up on. All those years, then to find him in an old pumphouse at the back of your Pack’s land, only to lose him again.”

“And it doesn’t help that all you knew before today was the brutal baseline: Garrett had been rescued from Leviathan, the Demon Lord of Envy. Come as soon as you want.”

“For sure.” He nodded. "So, I'm going to have to ease him into things.” He gripped the wheel a little tighter. “Garrett always took everything so damn seriously."

"Did he?" Star asked, turning in her seat, eager for the stories she’d only ever heard fragments of.

"Oh, absolutely. The guy organized his toy swords by length and weight. He was the most disciplined kid you'd ever see. Reliable to a fault. Loyal above everything." Grey laughed, the memory warming his chest. "He only ever tattled on me exactly once in our entire childhood."

"Let me guess. You broke something expensive?"

"Worse," Grey grinned. "I accidentally set the barn on fire. He walked straight to our parents, completely calm, and said, 'Grey has compromised the structural integrity of the agricultural storage.' That was Garrett. Rigid. Methodical."

“I can’t even imagine.” Words coming between her laughter, Star went on, “Did he really say those exact words?”

“Well,” Grey put on his best shy-boy look. “That’s how I remember it.”

“Whatcha wanna bet that Garrett remembers just a little differently?”

Shrugging, trying to look as innocent as possible, he smirked, “Two different perspectives?”

“Yeah,” his Mate scoffed playfully. “We’ll just see about that.” Nodding slowly, she teased, “And you can bet that I’ll be gettin’ all the details about that barn fire.”

“I’m sure you will.” Grey snickered as he brought the SUV to a stop in front of the main house.

Before the dust could even settle, the front door swung open and out walked Carrick and who could only be the renowned Guardsman’s Mate, Ginnie. Walking hand in hand down the steps from the front porch, the couple made it to the gate just as Grey opened the door.

The moment he stepped out of the vehicle, Carrick enveloped him in a powerful, bone-crushing hug. The Head Elder was so relaxed, so at home, so at… peace that Grey could feel it flowing between them.

And his Mate was in perfect sync. The second Star had stepped up beside him, Ginnie wrapped her arms around her, and then also pulled Grey into the warm embrace. The atmosphere was thick with healing and comforting Magic.

It felt like a true homecoming. The weight of the world had lifted. There were no clouds in the sky. It was truly amazing.

Then, the sound of boot heels striking patio stones tickled Grey’s hearing.

There was no dramatic music. There was no sudden gust of wind. Garrett simply walked around the corner of the house like it was any other day.

Wearing a plain T-shirt, faded jeans, and holding a ceramic coffee mug, he looked good– really good. In the next breath, Sydney stepped out and stood right beside Garrett.

Grey would have known her anywhere. It didn’t matter that she’d matured triple time over the last thirteen years; she still had those blond curls, bright blue eyes, and a smile that lit up the world.

It also didn’t hurt that his brother’s hand automatically wrapped around hers, and the air filled with the scent of roses in bloom. Love, the whole homestead smelled like love, and it was pretty damn great.

But still…

Grey’s nerves got to him. He froze. His breath caught in his throat.

Across the yard, Garrett froze too.

For precisely one half of one second, everything stood still.

And that was exactly how long Grey waited.

Closing the distance between him and his brother in four giant, ground-eating strides, he threw his arms around Garrett and pulled him into the biggest, fiercest brother hug imaginable.

And Garrett hugged him back just as ferociously.