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along with him. “I can’t help but wonder if your brothers were simply lucky, or if the fact their
mates all produced clutches was a fluke. Disgraces are a disappointment, sir. They have been
for longer than any of us have been alive. Why would the ancient dragons have discarded
them if they were the ones who laid their eggs? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Hugh had never thought of it like that. Harrison’s research had been the glimmer of hope he’d
needed after being eggless for so long, and he’d been so excited by the prospect that he hadn’t
thought to check if his reasoning was flawed. It had been enough proof for him to see so many
of his brothers mated and raising whelps, but five dragons out of hundreds did not a rule make.
And what of Bertram, who’d shown up one day out of the blue with a clutch of his own and no
mate to speak of? His success had been the driving force behind Hugh’s own attempts to start
a family. Surely his brother wouldn’t have bedded with a Disgrace.
The uncertainty gave Hugh a headache.
No wonder Finch hadn’t been so forthcoming about his identity—fastidious as always, he’d
seen the faults in Harrison’s proposal while Hugh had bought it without a second thought.
“Do you see now why I couldn’t tell you?” Finch attempted a smile, but didn’t quite make it. “If
you’d found out I was a Disgrace and took my heat expecting eggs, you’d be disappointed
when I failed.”
Hugh laughed. “Fail? You? Finch, you could never. Even if you never bore me a single egg, I
would die a happy man to have lived with you by my side. Did you honestly think I’d throw you
away over something like that?”
Finch lowered his gaze. “Any dragon would.”
“I’m not any dragon, sweet.” Hugh stroked his cheek. “And you aren’t any omega. You’re mine.
My treasure. My Finch. The only man in all of history special enough to make a dragon want
to keep a living creature in his hoard. I didn’t offer myself to you tonight thinking you’d bear me
a clutch. Whether you do or not is inconsequential. I want you for you, not for what you can
give me… and if that means we’ll never have a family, so be it. You’re more important to me
than that. I could never say goodbye over something you have no control over. Not to you. Not
ever.”
This time the smile did make it to Finch’s face, and it was such a rare and special thing that
Hugh couldn’t help but smile back. He kissed Finch soundly, wanting to feel the curve of his
