Only the shuddering of the walls could bring them to a halt. They held their breaths and waited for it to happen again, as if the danger outside might go away if they waited. Unfortunately, the walls shook, and a frame crashed to the floor.
Adrien groaned and stood. He didn’t go outside to face the intruder. His first concern was his mate. Whoever was outside could wait while Adrien went to fetch his mate some clothes. He came back with a shirt and a pair of sweatpants, which she quickly donned before following him outside.
The black-scaled dragon stood on Adrien’s lawn again. The sight of Bastien almost brought a tired sigh out of Adrien.
“Really?” he asked. “I’m pretty sure she left you, dude!”
Raven stepped out from behind Adrien. “He’s right, Bastien. I don’t want anything to do with your or the marriage proposal that my mother drafted. I’m done. I’m not going to be her puppet or your broodmare.”
The word broodmare struck a chord in Adrien. His beast filled his throat with fire. If Adrien had to show Bastien who was stronger, then he would do it. He would chase the awful man back to his own territory if that was what it took to be free of him forever.
But as Adrien approached the dragon, Raven pulled him back. Confused, he glanced over his shoulder at his mate. He expected her to be nervous or afraid, but Raven wasn’t either of those things. Her expression was stony.
Jaw clenched and head raised, she faced Bastien. “Leave. If you don’t walk away now, I’ll fight you.”
The dragon seemed to laugh at her. Smoke curled from his nose in what should have been a show of intimidation. Neither Adrien nor Raven flinched. They stared Bastien down and waited for him to leave.
Bastien lowered his head and issued a warning growl. His focus flicked between Raven and Adrien. Raven sighed and pulled her shirt over her head. Stunned, Adrien reflexively caught the shirt out of the air when she tossed it at him.
Raven’s shift was smooth and over in an instant. Where once there was a woman was now a dragon who matched Bastien’s size. The other dragon stared at her in amazement, as if he hadn’t quite remembered how large Raven’s beast was. Bastien took a step back, perhaps instinctually, then remembered himself and leaned forward.
Raven didn’t wait for him to strike first. She slashed at his head and caught him along the temple. When Bastien’s head snapped to the side, Adrien tossed the shirt aside and shifted. He leapt into the fight and pinned Bastien to the ground while he was still staggered from Raven’s blow.
Bastien bucked, but that wasn’t enough to throw Adrien off. Adrien shifted his weight onto his front claws. Bastien’s face sank deeper into the snow. The temptation to end this man’s life flitted through Adrien’s mind. It was a savage part of him that thought only of protecting what was his. Adrien wasn’t a man who gave in to those urges, though, no matter how insistent they grew.
Raven gave her mate look. Adrien interpreted it as stop interfering in my fight. He sighed, a sound that turned into a growl, and jumped back off Bastien. The man should have realized by now that Adrien would beat his ass every time.
Bastien’s wings snapped open. He beat at the air, sending snow in every direction. It blinded Adrien, but a flash of fire turned the snow into steam that billowed outward in every direction. Through the haze of steam, Adrien heard another thud. He heard the gut-wrenching tear of wings. The sound nearly made him brave the steam.
But Raven wasn’t the one whose wings had been forcibly clipped. The steam cleared and left Bastien trapped on the ground. He looked around helplessly while his wings hung in ribbons. Raven stood over him, smoke pouring out of her nostrils and creeping out of her maw.
There she was, the woman that he’d known she had in her all along. She’d finally shrugged off everyone else’s expectations and stepped into her own. His mate was strong and capable. She didn’t need him; she wanted him. That made their love all the more sweet to him.
For the second time today, Raven shifted back to her human form. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You overstepped every boundary a few times over. For your offenses, I’ve clipped your wings. You brought this upon yourself, Bastien.”
Adrien wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was turned on by his mate. He hunkered down into the snow and set his head on his claws like a cat because this scene was far too entertaining.
Bastien looked as though he might argue, but caught himself. Maybe the man hadn’t learned anything about humility, but he would think twice about messing with them again. He must have thought he would guilt Raven into leaving. Had the man paid no attention to Raven’s mother?
The two of them waited for Bastien to slink away. Adrien didn’t know if Bastien walked all the way back to the Montoya territory with his wings in tatters or if he shifted back at some point. Honestly, Adrien didn’t care.
Once Bastien was gone and Raven’s shoulders slumped with relief, Adrien shifted back and carried her inside. Two shifts in one day would leave her exhausted. They had plenty of time ahead of them for other things. For now, he set her on the couch and cuddled up behind her. When she shivered, he pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and covered them both.
After all this time, Raven had chosen him.
16
Raven walked out of the dress boutique with the dress. The salesclerks had been surprised to see her back again. They asked about the previous dress, but Raven had skirted their questions. She didn’t want to play the explanation game. They didn’t need to know that she’d walked away from a man she didn’t love for the man that she did.
That was her story.
Adrien caught up and touched her lower back. “Did you get it?”
She grinned from ear to ear as she triumphantly lifted the bag. Their wedding was scheduled for early spring, but they had already gone to the courthouse and made the union official. That way, Alice Montoya could do nothing about Raven’s relationship.
He growled hungrily. His gaze dropped to her lips. “Do you want to get something to eat? I am famished.”
She gave him a quizzical look, but he said nothing. He took her free hand and led her down the street. At first, the sight of the restaurant made her stomach turn sour. She glanced at her mate to see if they’d gone in the wrong direction. He seemed sure of himself, though.
“Adrien, I don’t think we should go back to this place after what happened here last time. Besides, I’m not dressed for it.”
The restaurant had witnessed the debacle that had been the rehearsal dinner. Her face turned hot when she thought about stepping through those doors again. But Adrien told her to be patient. He didn’t lead her inside. The narrow alley to the side brought them to a windowless door that Adrien knocked on once.
When the door opened, the chef’s excited face appeared. She welcomed them inside and brought them to a small room away from the main dining room. The private space allowed Raven to breathe easy.
Farah gave them a wink before slipping away.
Adrien pulled out Raven’s seat for her. After a moment of hesitation, she took it.
“I didn’t bring you back here to make a point. I’ll be honest and admit that I reserved this table because I have connections here.” Adrien scratched the back of his head.
The sudden shyness made Raven laugh. Adrien smiled and reached across the table to take her hand. The past few days with him had been the happiest she’d ever known. Only one thing had been bothering her. She didn’t know how to bring it up yet, though.
Adrien squeezed her hand. “I booked the chef’s table because I knew that would give us privacy to talk about something.”
Raven stilled. Her breath shuddered out of her, leaving her empty and scared. This was it. Adrien was going to be mad with her. He was going to…
No. Adrien wasn’t like that. He didn’t make demands of her. He wasn’t going to accuse of her doing anything wrong. Everything she’d learned from dealing with her mother was wrong in this situation.
Raven inhaled and rem
embered that this was her mate. Adrien loved her.
When she met his gaze and saw the joy on his face, a shaky laugh filled with relief escaped her.
“I saw the test,” he said, leaning closer. “Why did you hide it from me?”
She thought for a long moment. Gathering her words was harder than she expected. Her cheeks burned with shame when she spoke. “I was afraid. There are a lot of reactions that I have to unlearn after living with my family for so long. The adjustment won’t be as smooth for me as it was for River.”
“You hid the test because that’s what you would have done while living at home?” He seemed confused.
“I panicked and fell back on behaviors that I don’t need when I’m with you.”
He nodded. She wasn’t sure he fully understood, but it seemed that he could see she was working on things. He gave her the softest smile, a gesture that warmed her through and through. She tightened her grip on his hand.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
His smile broke into a dimpled grin. He did that a lot the past few days.
“I’ve always wanted to be a father,” he admitted.
She licked her lips. Her own excitement suddenly boiled over. Everything that she’d been pushing down over the past few days spilled out. She nearly bounced in her seat.
“I’m so glad!”
Farah the chef entered with their appetizer. The plates were so small, but every bite was packed with more flavor that Raven could have ever imagined.
“Don’t worry,” Adrien whispered conspiratorially. “We’re going back to the Roadhouse with everyone tonight. We’ll eat our fill of garbage there.”
“I didn’t know you were the kind of man who could appreciate fine dining and bar food.” She smirked.
He tipped his head toward her stomach. “Soon, I’ll have to be the kind of guy who appreciates pickles and ice-cream.”
“I’m pretty sure that will be my dish of choice. Not yours.”
Raven didn’t worry about what her mother would say or how the others might react to her news. While in this small room with her mate, she could see the future as bright as day. She and Adrien would make room for their new addition to their family. She would, of course, have to get her gold lace dress altered according to her baby’s growth.
That didn’t matter. She knew she would look radiant no matter her size, because her beauty would be reflected in the eyes of the man standing at the altar. Adrien would watch her. He would glow with anticipation.
Raven knew she’d made the right choice. She’d done what she never thought possible and taken her life back. Now it burst with possibility. Would they have one child? Two? Three?
“Oh no,” she muttered. Her blood chilled.
Adrien jumped to his feet. “What? What is it?”
She almost didn’t want to say it out of fear of speaking it into being, but Adrien was afraid now. She had to tell him.
“What if I have triplets, too?”
His face blanched. He collapsed into his seat, looking stricken. After a long stretch of silence, he said:
“Don’t get me wrong. I love children.” He looked her in the eye. “I’m not sure I can withstand knowing how dangerous it could be for you, though.”
“We won’t know until we get there,” she said softly.
He nodded. “No matter what, we can make it through this together.”
Raven had so much more help than her mother had. While Alice had dealt with her pregnancy on her own, Raven had her siblings and all of Logan’s clan by her. Where Raven had felt alone and separated from the world before, she now had people she could rely on.
Adrien thought he hid his mix of excitement and fear pretty well. He held his mate’s hand on the way into the bar. Inside, he was acutely aware of all the threats that surrounded them. The biker that had stopped Raven at the bathrooms a while back was present. The man saw Adrien and made a quick U-turn, though.
Adrien still growled threateningly. He didn’t know how he was going to make it through the next nine months. He was an expert at taking care of people, but this seemed like a task greater than any he’d ever faced before. It would be wrought with worry over his mate.
He’d only just gotten her. He couldn’t lose her to childbirth. It just wasn’t an option.
But this wasn’t just any woman. She was a Montoya shifter, daughter of Alice Montoya. Both Raven and her sister had ferocious beasts inside them. They were larger than most female shifters and were easily two thirds larger than the Barnes women.
This wasn’t going to kill her. If anything, Raven seemed to glow. The joy that had been on her face since she’d shown up on his doorstep had never faded. It seemed written into her skin now. He didn’t know he could love her any more than he already had, but it seemed as though he fell further in love with her with each passing day.
They took their seats at the table. The sounds of the other members of Logan’s clan filled the air. They laughed and teased one another. Someone threw a piece of popcorn chicken down the table. Jensen’s hand darted out and caught it. The man quickly popped it into his mouth.
“You’re nasty!” Ember shouted. “That was on the floor a minute ago.”
Jensen shrugged. “Okay, and? I eat ass. Do you really think a few floor germs bug me?”
River quickly cuffed her mate upside the head.
“What?” Jensen asked, offended. He turned to Adrien. “Is it so wrong that I eat ass?”
Adrien shook his head. “I don’t think you’re supposed to brag about it in front of your family when your mate is standing right behind you.”
Raven nodded. “What happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors…or what happens on the kitchen table stays on the kitchen…table. You know what, forget I said anything.”
Everyone laughed.
“Remind me to never eat dinner at your place,” River said, pulling out a chair beside her mate and falling into it.
Adrien had always felt apart from his family. Yet, these strange mate bonds that defied a century old family feud had somehow brought them all back together. He wasn’t going to knock it. Adrien sat back and enjoyed the rambunctious evening with his family.
These nights wouldn’t last forever. Soon, his definition of family would change. His nights would involve less beer and more kid-friendly options.
He couldn’t wait.
What’s Next In the Great Plains Dragon Feud Series?
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A Star Crossed Fate (Great Plains Dragon Feud Book 4) Page 14
