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“It’s not a good idea for us to show our faces there. We’re fugitives in their eyes since we were framed for the death of the same man that hurt you.” My eyes widened, fear clenching at me. He noticed and gave me a weak smile. “He’ll be okay. Some of your brood is going with him. He’d risk everything for you, Farren. We all would.”
The urge to touch him was back, but I offered a smile instead.
“Is the man who did this still in town?” I asked. “It feels like someone is watching me all the time, even when I’m alone, and I can’t shake it.”
“We think so. He wouldn’t have gone far. He’s the kind of person to create chaos and watch it unfold from the sidelines. He’s killed so many on his quest for power, and he nearly took you from us too. I’d bet he’s waiting to strike again, engineering small meticulous attacks to pay us back for escaping him the first time.” The hate in his tone matched what I felt inside. Rage bubbled furiously in my chest, but it wasn’t about me; it was about the hell he’d put them through—including ripping their mate away. That was a hell I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Even if I didn’t remember them, these men didn’t deserve that.
It wasn’t like I had come out of this unscathed either. I was living in the nightmare of the unknown surrounded by people who knew everything I couldn’t remember. Hell, we were having babies together, but I couldn’t even name their favorite food or color. Despite being tied together indefinitely, we had been reduced to strangers.
Another knock sounded before Kane and Levi peeked in on us. They walked in before Kane realized they’d barged in, freezing and giving me an apologetic smile.
“Fuck, sorry, baby. I mean, Farren.” He stumbled over the words, looking lost and unsure. I could tell he was worried about how the endearment had made me feel, and I hated to see such a big alpha seem so disoriented.
“It’s okay,” I promised.
“We brought you a treat if that helps?” Levi said as he held out a small white bag and coffee cup. The smell of fresh coffee hit me, and I just said fuck it to stranger danger. There was no waiting when it came to coffee. I grabbed the cup and took a long sip. “We got decaf just in case the baby wasn’t supposed to have caffeine. All I had to go on was human information.”
The fact that he looked it up told me that at least my mates were thoughtful.
“Decaf is great, thanks. I don’t know anything about dragon babies either,” I admitted. “Other than gestation being fast and I’ll lay eggs, which I’m not looking forward to.”
“It doesn’t sound comfortable,” Avi agreed. “We’ll look into it and see what we can do to help you through it. If you’ll have us.”
“Even if I don’t remember you, I won’t keep your babies from you,” I promised. “You know they’ll be actual dragons first, right? And that’s once they hatch. It’ll be weeks before we have their human forms.”
“Yeah, I remembered that much.” Levi grinned. “How badass is that?”
The idea of having two tiny flying dragons was pretty mind blowing. Aside from the whole laying eggs thing being strange, I was excited about meeting my babies. If fate kept me alive through all this, then surely I’d be around to see them grow. But I wouldn’t be naming these fears out loud for the guys. Seeing me like this was enough for them, and I didn’t have it in keep up a brave face through any more bad news. I was starting to lose my battle with forced cheerfulness.
“I’m getting really tired,” I admitted. “I think I need to lay down.” The guys didn’t call me out on the sudden change in mood; they just nodded and stood up.
“Our numbers and a group chat is on your phone,” Avi said as he slid an unfamiliar phone my way. “Yours was destroyed, so we got a new one. Don’t hesitate to call if you need us.”
The moment the suite was quiet, I got up and started to move around. There was no real purpose to my footsteps. I just had to get some of this nervous energy out, and pacing and panicking was about all I had now.
It was so surreal to walk around my place and see everything that had changed. Apparently, in the last five years, I’d moved every piece of furniture and item I owned. Hell, even my closet was a mess.
Another knock on my door had me biting back a sigh. Seeing these men was unnerving.
“Open up,” West called out. He knew damn well what I was doing. Chuckling to myself, I went to the door and pulled it open, unable to deny him like I could the others.
“You know me better than I know myself,” I joked. “Especially now.” He smiled sadly and walked in.
“I just wanted to check in on you. It’s got to be overwhelming,” he explained as he walked over and flopped down on my couch. From the look on his face, I just knew a lecture was coming my way. If I’d told myself years ago that I’d look forward to a lecture, I’d have thought I was losing my mind, but for once, I wasn’t mad about it. At least that routine was familiar.
“This is the point where I come in and tell you that you aren’t on your own anymore. Even if you don’t remember them, those men have changed you for the better. You trust now, you’ve got a brood behind you, and they’ve dedicated their every waking moment to making sure you’re safe.”
“Except I wasn’t safe.”
His frown deepened. “No, you weren’t,” he agreed. “But when facing a monster as well practiced as him, it’s impossible to predict how he’ll attack. Youshouldhave been safe in the skies.”
They’d mentioned I was attacked during a flight, but I just couldn’t make sense of how. The flashes I got were so indecipherable that I was more confused after than I was before they hit.
“I just don’t know what to do or think or feel.” My voice sounded feeble, making me even more angry.
He chuckled softly. “Do we ever?”
“No.” I laughed humorlessly. “They’re good guys?” My hands went to my stomach. To say I was terrified was an understatement. I had woken up thinking it was five years ago, and now I was pregnant and tied to four mates who were strangers. I knew they were out for blood, but if I ever saw the man who did this to me, I’d want first dibs.
