Page 94
My torn shoulder throbs at the thought of flying again. I find Aya with her lips pressed tight, but a tear still slides down her cheek. I reach up to wipe it away. “Stop, Aya.”
She sucks her teeth at me. I hope she’ll always be this feisty and never afraid to stay on my ass.
My mother finishes sewing up the worst of my wounds. My father helps me into the pants he brought. Across the room, Valek stirs and mumbles in his sleep. I take that as my cue to leave. I swing my legs off the bed and drop back against the pillow with my hand clamped over the fresh stitches burning in my side.
My mother marches over and wags a finger in my face. Her clothes are a bloody mess from patching me up.
“Yes, ma’am,” I mutter.
Dominic walks in and sizes up Valek’s bed, then mine. “I can help him get home,” he says. “Use one of the wagons. I’ll stay with him until I’m certain the alpha and his mate are safe in their cabin.”
My mother cuts her eyes at my father. He gets up from his chair. “I’ll go with them.”
Aya keeps her chin up and her mouth shut. I manage a nod for Dominic. “Thank you.”
I grunt when Dominic and my father haul me off the mattress. Aya follows us out of the medical building and wipes her face with the back of her hand. My mother stays behind to take care of her brother.
Dominic lowers me onto my bed at the cabin on the community lands while Aya sets a pitcher of water on the nightstand. Lying on sheets that smell like her eases some of the ache.
Her scent spikes. “How long will recovery take?” she asks him.
Dominic shrugs. “He’s already healing well, but it will be at least a week, two at most.”
She stares me down.
My mother catches up to us. She suggests she and my father stay in the cabin with me until I’ve made a full recovery. I cringe at the thought. How is Aya gonna be able to ride my dick while they’re here? This is a terrible idea.
“No, absolutely not,” I tell her.
She plants her hands on her hips to argue, but Aya steps forward. “Ezra’s right. We can’t get in the way of your duties with the clan. I’ll look after him.”
My mother tries again, but my father touches her arm. “That’s fair enough.”
She huffs smoke from her nose and ears. “Fine. But I’m coming over every day to check on you until I know you’re properly healed.”
That’s where I get my smoke from. I don’t fight her on it. “Fair enough, Mom.”
She presses a kiss to my cheek, then feels my neck for fever. “He’s running hotter than usual.”
“That’s a good sign,” Dominic says. “It means his body’s doing its job.”
She studies my face before she takes her hand back. “I’m proud of you for standing up for your father, for Stormscale.” She flicks my ear. “But I could kick your ass for scaring me like that.”
I rub where she got me. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
She sighs. “I will be back here in the morning. First thing before my shift.”
I nod. “Okay.”
Dominic waves goodbye and heads out. My father steers my mother toward the door. “Come on, Claudia. Let him rest with his mate.”
She grumbles but goes with him. At the bottom of the stairs, she yells back up. “I mean it, I’ll be back here first thing.” I chuckle at that, even though I pay for it in my side.
Aya lets out a long breath when the front door shuts. I pat the mattress beside me. “Come to bed.”
She glares at me with her chin wobbling. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
I manage to sit up. It doesn’t hurt as bad now, but it’s enough to make me swear. “You’ve never seen dragons fight. I’m fine, baby.” I reach out for her. “Come here.”
