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“That is how we know about the mate bond,” Natalia explains, a bored expression on her face. “Dragon shifters have excellent noses.” She looks through more racks of baby clothes. “Since you and Stellan completed your bond, you smell like him. It’s to deter any other male dragon shifters from coming near you.”
That is probably a good thing considering how protective dragon shifters are of their mates. Stellan was pretty mad at his dad this morning when he insisted they go to the council meeting. And even though we’re across the island from where the council meeting is being held, I can feel that Stellan is still annoyed about the fact that he’s away from me.
“If we’re going to keep shopping, I want coffee,” I say.
Evander comes closer and puts his arm around my shoulder. “I’m with her.”
Natalia rolls her eyes. “You two go get coffee then—there is a good coffee bar across the street. I’m going to go pay.”
“Get me a latte,” Dove says to Evander.
Evander leads me from the store. About half of theguards come with us, and the other half stay with Natalia and Dove.
“You hate this as much as I do, huh?” Evander asks.
“Shopping?” I groan. “Yes. It’s the worst. I’d rather just order things online. And then I could spend my time on the beach.”
“Reading romance books?” Evander teases.
“Shut up.” I shove his shoulder slightly and he laughs.
“I am happy for you and Stellan.” The serious tone of Evander’s voice surprises me. “My brother pretends to be happy for the sake of my family, but he’s been miserable his whole life. It’s their fault—they’ve drilled it into Stellan’s head that he can’t ever love you. Now that he knows he can, he is free.”
“I understand not being free,” I say, but my chest is heavy at Evander’s words. Was Stellan really that miserable? If I had known, I would’ve told him the first day we met about the soulmate thing, but I assumed that he already knew.
“You’re good for him.” Evander opens the door for me, motioning for me to talk in first. “Actually, you’re good for the whole family.”
Yes, I imagine that everybody was worried about Stellan’s arranged marriage. And, knowing how Poppy is, I don’t imagine meeting Poppy helped calm their anxieties.
“Do you know what the council meeting was about?” I ask Evander as we get in line to order our drinks.
He shakes his head. “Not exactly, but I imagine they heard about you and Stellan.”
“Me and Stellan?” I raise an eyebrow.
“About your mate bond.”
My stomach churns. “Whyis it so important to them?”
Dragon shifters are so strange.
“I imagine they’re quite excited about getting hybrid elf heirs,” Evander teases.
I groan.
Everybody is way too invested in Stellan and my future children.
When we get to the front, Evander orders our drinks and we step to the side to wait. I’m sure my face is bright red, but I’m certain that can’t be avoided.
This entire day has been embarrassing.
“Cheer up,” Evander says to me, a smirk playing on his lips. “After you have a couple of kids, they’ll stop being so obsessed with you.”
“A couple?”
He just laughs.
The coffee machine makes a loud gurgling noise. I look over and see the steam from the machine. I’m so focused on it that the whooshing sound outside doesn’t register until it’s followed by the sound of glass shattering. I have just enough time to put a shield up around Evander and myself before the attack comes.
