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But he would always be in their lives, even if it were solely for the sake of their child. That was the truth.
Daisy stared a second before nodding. "I believe you. Which is good because if you leave, then I'll also be stuck with all the babysitting."
He chuckled. "There are plenty of people here to help your mother any way she needs it. I know it's been just you and her for a long time, but it doesn't have to be that way anymore."
Unusual for her, Daisy remained quiet a few beats, merely staring at him. She finally nodded. "I believe you, Blake."
His dragon spoke up. She will be a good older sister to our child. Everyone dismisses her as flighty and hyperactive, but she can be serious and pensive at times, too.
I agree. I think even I misjudged her a little.
Daisy stared at him as she wiggled in her seat, no doubt itching to ask him about his dragon. She really did want to know everything.
Then Blake noticed the time and decided their serious conversation would need to be put on hold. He stood. "We'll have to talk some more later. Right now, we both need to change clothes and head toward the great hall."
He half expected Daisy to resist, but she was out of her chair and running up the stairs in the blink of an eye. "Hurry, Blake! I want to see everyone dressed up. Because of the outfits, I can stare—er, look at—all the tattoos!"
Shaking his head, he smiled as Daisy's bedroom door slammed shut.
He hurried up the stairs to his room, wanting to ensure he was ready before Daisy.
And as he changed clothes for his mating ceremony, he thought maybe, just maybe, he would get the hang of being a father to an older child. While there was a lot of ground to still cover, he'd survived his first test.
But within minutes, Daisy banged on the door, asking for him to hurry up, and he pushed aside all the serious thoughts to finish getting ready for his own mating ceremony.
Which was something he never thought he'd have, and he'd never take for granted.
Dawn stood in a room off the main floor of the great hall, Sasha plucking at a few bits of Dawn's hair. Her friend finally stepped back and nodded. "There you go. Now Blake will want to do the frenzy all over again."
Damn her cheeks, they heated. "Since Daisy is staying with us now, we can't be that, er, loud."
Sasha laughed. "Oh, I'm sure you'll get creative. Just because I had kids didn't mean I gave up my kinky bed play."
As her friend winked, Dawn lightly hit her arm. "Stop it, Sasha. What if Daisy walked in right now?"
She motioned toward the door with her head. "She's out in the hall with Freddie, Alfie, and Evie. If anyone can distract Daisy and keep her in the great hall, Evie can."
Dawn raised her brows. "Just because she's the clan leader's mate doesn't guarantee that."
"All she has to do is promise a tour of the Protector's building, and I'm sure Daisy will do anything."
She sighed. "Everyone making deals is going to backfire on me someday, I'm sure of it."
"It won't last forever. For now, it's just a way to try and help Daisy feel welcome. And besides, she arrived dressed and ready, which means Blake passed the first parent test. I wonder if he made a deal, too, or tried something else?"
Since Dawn could barely contain Daisy's wild, curly hair, she hadn't frowned at the slightly wilder look Daisy had arrived with. "Yes, he got her here on time and ready. Although I hate to think of it as a series of tests. Because that makes it seem as if Daisy isn't so much a person as an obstacle. And that isn't the way to start a family."
Sasha took a step closer. "Don't worry, Dawn. It's clear Blake adores you. He won't give up on Daisy. He's far more honorable than your ex."
She searched her friend's gaze. "I know that, but it's still hard for me to believe sometimes. I hope this uncertain feeling wears off eventually."
Sasha patted her arm. "It will, I just know it. You deserve some happiness, Dawn. Stop trying to find excuses as to why you don't."
As she stared in the brown eyes of her friend—her best friend, really—she didn't hold back. "I know. Although once her paternal aunt finds out about what's happened, my happy ending may be not quite perfect. I'm almost positive she'll voice her distrust of dragons much louder than normal, maybe even to Daisy herself. However, since she's the only family Daisy knows on her father's side, I don't want to just cut her out of Daisy's life. I'm not sure what to do."
Sasha waved a hand in dismissal. "If she's afraid of dragon-shifters, that's her problem. Besides, if Daisy can't convince her aunt to change her mind, no one could. It'll be the aunt's loss, not Daisy's." She motioned toward the door. "But enough about a distant relative in a city somewhere. I hear Bram telling everyone to get into place, which is our cue. Are you ready to go?"
With a deep breath, she nodded, and they walked out of the room toward the side entrance of the great hall. It was time to make her second chance at a family official.
