Wings of Destiny (Great Plains Dragon Feud Book 5)

by Emilia Hartley

  The night before, he’d tried to forget. He’d tried to drink Teagan off his mind. Then he’d tried to flirt her away. It’d felt like flirting with a wall. There’d been a barrier between him and the woman who’d approached him. Every time he looked at the woman, Teagan’s face flashed in his mind. More than once, he’d nearly called the woman by Teagan’s name.

  That’d been enough to make Reece head home early. He couldn’t bear the thought of bringing anyone with him, either. The idea that someone else might come in and replace Teagan’s scent on his furniture bothered him more than he’d like to admit.

  So, he’d slept alone with Teagan’s scent and all of his regret. Which had lent itself towards some fitful sleep. He could feel bags weighing down his eyes today. He’d thought dragons incapable of such things, but maybe that rule only applied to his mother.

  He let himself into the aviary and savored the soft silence around him. There was no one else around. He didn’t have to wear a mask around the birds. They didn’t care if he scowled or even if he cried, which he wouldn’t.

  He wouldn’t cry, damn it.

  When he stepped into the main room, filled with trees and birds, he noticed white feathers among the branches. He paused, glanced back at the doors that should have been locked all night.

  “Teagan? How did you get inside?” he asked slowly.

  The bird made no show of understanding him. Reece wondered, briefly, if he was losing his mind. He could go check the roster of current raptors to see if the aviary had a snowy owl listed, but he didn’t. He put his hands on his hips and marched closer to the owl in the trees.

  “Answer me, Teagan! You can’t pretend to be a bird all day. I’m not that dumb. You know?”

  Still, no answer.

  Reece really was starting to think that he was just that dumb. Before he could go back to check the raptor roster, a door creaked open. He expected one of his co-workers, but the bulky frame standing in the doorway brought Reece to a complete stop.

  He slowly nodded his head, acknowledging Callum without making any sudden movements.

  “Don’t treat me like a cornered animal, boy.” Callum shook his head, shoved his hands into his pockets, and strode forward.

  “Excuse me for treating you the way you deserve, sir.”

  Callum narrowed his eyes. “Listen here. I came with a peace offering, and you’re going to kindly accept it.”

  Reece rocked back on his heels, a little wary of where this conversation might go but willing to listen. “Alright, old man. What did you come here to tell me?”

  Callum strode forward, hands in his pockets as he took in the trees and birds around him. He got that kind of half-smile on his face that betrayed a bit of confusion. Reece wasn’t about to pry. He really didn’t want to figure out how Callum’s mind worked.

  “This is one hell of a job for a dragon man like yourself.” Callum scanned the canopy. He scratched the back of his head. “How do you keep from crushing them? I’ve never known a dragon man to have soft hands.”

  “It’s called control,” Reece said, daringly. “You should try it sometime.”

  The owl above ruffled its feathers before settling down. Reece watched it out of the corner of his eye, but he brushed off the owl’s timing as chance when the creature fell asleep.

  Callum’s laugh had a warning growl behind it. “You’re quite the bastard, but my daughter loves you. You really shouldn’t have gone to the bar her sister works at, for one. That was one hell of a dipshit move.”

  The statement caught Reece off guard. The world came to a sudden stop, shaking every part of Reece. He shook himself out of his stunned state and fixed Callum with an inquisitive stare.

  Teagan loves him? Reece couldn’t fathom the possibility. He thought he’d ruined all chances of forgiveness. Now that he knew Teagan had learned about his night at the bar, he figured his chances were even slimmer.

  Reece spoke carefully. “What makes you say that? Last time I saw Teagan, she yelled at me like I was you. I don’t think there’s any love in that.”

  Once again, Callum laughed with that underlying growl. Reece couldn’t help but keep firing jabs at Callum. The man deserved to know that he needed to shape up. Reece was coming to the same conclusion himself.

  Perhaps going to the bar to forget Teagan hadn’t been his best moment. He couldn’t keep telling himself that he didn’t know how to love because that was a lie. He loved Teagan with his whole body. He’d never felt anything like what he felt with her before.

  That feeling was love, and he really needed to get his shit together so that he could live up to it.

  “You came here to tell me all this?” Reece asked.

  Callum shrugged and shrewdly ran a hand over his beard. “What can I say? I made a lot of mistakes in the past and there isn’t a damn thing I can do to atone for them. The least I can do is set my girls up for a better life without me.”

  The last sentence alarmed Reece. He closed the distance between them and took Callum by the front of his shirt. “You better tell me you’re not looking to do something stupid any time soon, old man.”

  Callum gripped Reece’s wrist. The man’s bitter laugh held no growl this time, though. This close Reece could see the tired lines beneath Callum’s eyes.

  “Just because you’re an asshole doesn’t mean your daughters don’t want you in their lives. Of course, they’d prefer a better version of you, but you’ve got to become that person on your own.” Reece sighed. “I speak from experience.”

  Callum’s expression turned wry. “Are you speaking from experience on both parts?”

  Reece released Callum and stepped back. Fire flared hot in his chest before dying. The dragon writhed uncomfortably inside him, letting him know that he’d been walking the wrong path all along. The dragon huffed, annoyed that Reece had only now come to that conclusion.

  Callum turned, like he was ready to leave. Reece realized that epiphany must have been all over his face. He started to guard his expression then gave up. He didn’t need to hide right now. There was no reason to keep pulling away from everything.

  Once more, Callum took in the aviary. Silence slipped between the trees, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the soft sounds of birds waking for the day.

  “This place could use a little love, huh?”

  Reece narrowed his eyes at Callum. “We don’t have the same investors as we used to.”

  “That’s alright. I think you’ll find that you have new investors. Maybe you can make this place a little better than…this.” Callum showed himself out.

  When Reece turned around to glare at the sleeping owl on the branch, it was gone. He paused and tried to remember if he’d heard any sounds of movement.

  Teagan sank deep into the soaking tub and exhaled. Though she wasn’t exhausted from the self-inflicted silver poisoning anymore, her shoulders ached something fierce. She hadn’t flown so much as she had in the past few days. Her body wouldn’t be so upset with her if she’d been true to herself, but she couldn’t go back and change the past.

  Just like how Reece couldn’t go back and change what he’d done. They both needed to be smarter moving forward. They needed to be careful of one another and not let their heightened emotions get the best of them. That would only lead to disaster again.

  She regarded the book sitting on the tiled side of the tub, a compendium of relationship advice. She’d reached for it and other books like it when she couldn’t get Reece out of her mind. Every time she thought of him, her heart would stutter and stumble. Both excited and heartbroken, she’d decided to get to the bottom of her feelings.

  What she’d discovered hadn’t really surprised her, but it had set her up for a long path.

  Neither of them really had the best examples to look to when it came to romantic love. If anyone regarded Alice Montoya or Callum Barnes as a role model, then Teagan would ask them to seek therapy. Hell, Alice and Callum needed therapy, too.

  This was a whole n
ew venture for each of them. Neither Teagan nor Reece knew how this should work. They could look to the other happy mated couples, but they were figuring things out as they went.

  Teagan made a mental list for herself:

  Don’t point fingers. Let him know how his actions make you feel.

  Listen so that he doesn’t feel alone.

  Remember that love takes effort, each and every day.

  It wasn’t the most comprehensive list, but it was a really good start. They could work on the list together. It would start with communication, like asking why he went to the bar that night.

  Teagan hadn’t completely forgiven Reece for that or for the fact that she’d had to learn about it through her sister. She didn’t expect a rational explanation, but she had hopes for an apology.

  Distantly, she heard the front door open. She dropped deeper into the tub, her heart pattering a nervous beat. Footsteps announced his arrival. She heard him pause, likely catching her scent on the air. Then, the footsteps rushed down the hall. The bathroom door flew open.

  Bravely rising from the safety of the water, she leaned her head all the way back to see him. The world upside down, she took in how his frame filled the doorway. His stunned expression was easy to read no matter what way she looked at the world.

  He took a step forward then hesitated. His gaze roved over her exposed chest. His beast greeted her, the light of the dragon reaching Reece’s eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  She put on a shy smile and dropped back into the water. Facing away from him, she was braver. “I wanted to talk things out.”

  She expected him to ask why she was in the tub or how she’d gotten into his house. Reece didn’t do any of those things. He prowled to the other end of the massive tub and pulled his shirt over his head. He had his pants around his ankles by the time the shirt hit the floor. He kicked both away and tossed his underwear into the pile.

  Reece locked eyes with her as he lowered himself into the water opposite her. He noticed the book at the tub’s edge, a slight smile reaching the corner of his mouth. When he turned his full attention back to her, her chest warmed, and her breath caught.

  “I’m not going to rush into anything like Ember or Raven,” Teagan said. She tapped her fingers along the cover of the book.

  Reece nodded.

  Both women had a long history with their mates. Ember had loved Cash from afar for years. Raven and her mate had dated once before rekindling their romance. Neither situation was comparable to what Teagan and Reece were trying to do.

  They had a lot to overcome if they were going to be a happy couple.

  She didn’t want to be their parents. Neither was very happy. She yearned for the glow that emanated from her sister. In the beginning, Teagan had thought that glow came from victory because Ember had been pining for so long. Now, Teagan knew that it was simple joy that made Ember like that now.

  “One day at a time?” Reece asked.

  “One day at a time,” she said.

  He grinned wide and began to crawl towards her side of the tub. She put a hand on his wet chest to stop him. He hesitated, perhaps noting the serious expression that had reached her eyes.

  There was still a lot to talk about before she could let him touch her. “I need an explanation.”

  For several heartbeats, Reece seemed confused. Then his lips formed a flat line. He nodded and returned to his seat on the other side of the tub. It was strange to have such a vulnerable conversation while naked and wet. It meant that they needed to meet each other half-way.

  When Reece pulled away from her, she ran her hand down his leg. The small touch had him pulling his shoulders away from his ears.

  “I’m a fool, that’s why.” He sighed.

  She thought she could hear his beast’s growl of agreement behind that sigh, as if the creature inside him had been upset by what he’d done, too.

  He lifted his gaze and looked her in the eye when he spoke. “I made a stupid decision while dealing with my emotions. I…thought I’d feel more or feel different. When I didn’t feel magically changed, I was afraid I’d never feel love. Love isn’t…it’s not something I have any practice with, so it took me a long time to recognize what I feel for you. I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry I’ve caused you pain.”

  Teagan exhaled, the tension rushing out of her. Oddly enough, the words made her spirit feel lighter. She knew they were only words and that anybody could say anything, but when she looked into his eyes, she could see the intention behind them. He meant what he said.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  She pulled her knees under her. Reece’s face fell until she started to crawl toward him. The water shifted around her, making way for her as she put herself into his arms. Head pressed to his chest, she listened to the steady beat of his heart and the constant growl of his beast.

  “I appreciate you hearing my father out, today.”

  Reece stiffened then laughed, a bellowing sound filled with humor. “So, that was you!”

  She grinned. “I snuck in because I wanted to see you but didn’t know what to say at the time so I shifted and took a perch. I left the same way I entered. Your employer really needs to lock the side doors.”

  “You didn’t sneak in to eavesdrop on your dad after you sent him to talk to me?” Reece teased, gently shaking her shoulder while he held her.

  She laughed softly. “I didn’t ask him to do that at all. He visited you of his own accord.”

  “Huh,” Reece said.

  They lingered in the tub for a while, until the water lost its heat. She thought Reece would suggest getting a pizza or going for a trip across the sky. Instead, he gave her a crooked smile as they drained the tub.

  His gaze devoured her hungrily, pausing at her breasts for so long that her cheeks warmed. “I guess I can’t suggest strip poker as a way to pass the time tonight.”

  She fought the urge to bite her lip. “I can think of better ways to spend our time. Do you have any more condoms hidden in convenient spots around your apartment?”

  There it was, that genuine smile that she searched for every day. It put her at ease. It warmed her through and through. It gave her hope for their future.

  “I am woefully out of condoms, but we can make a trip to town. If you like, I’ll buy dinner on the way, too.”

  She dropped her gaze to his groin. Her beast flapped it’s wings excitedly in her chest. “I can think of something else I can have for dinner.”

  He chuckled, low and rumbling. “Get dressed, you heathen. You can have a taste on the way, because I’d like to be inside you in more than one way tonight and that requires protection.”

  She let him pull her out of the tub. She got dressed in a hurry, excited for the night to come. And every day to come after, too.

  She’d never had hope like this before. She wasn’t going to let it go to waste.

  15

  Teagan and Ember shared a nervous look. Their Montoya mates stood a few paces back, both equally nervous for the family dinner that was to come.

  When Callum called his daughters to invite them and their mates to dinner, they’d been rightfully wary. They’d never known their father to be a rational man. He’d also never been a scheming kind of man.

  After talking to one another, they came to the conclusion that this wasn’t a trap. They still warned their mates to be on their best behavior. Both men had showed great restraint around Callum Barnes, but it didn’t hurt to push the point a little.

  Teagan smoothed the front of her dress. She’d let Reece pick her outfit. He’d settled on a black skater dress that showed off her pale legs. She’d added a leather jacket and a pair of boots to it. He’d asked her if her punk style was compensating for lack of scales. The truth of his joke had hit her so hard she’d nearly left the jacket behind.

  Reece had to convince her that the jacket was not only a good look for her, but pretty necessary when it was this cold out.


  Ember hadn’t bothered to dress up. She wore a pair of ripped jeans, a shirt with Cash’s logo over her breasts, and a pale brown suede jacket. The fringe on her sleeves swayed gently as Ember lifted her hand to rap on the door.

  Callum’s heavy footsteps announced his approach. Teagan held her breath only to let it out in a laugh when she saw her father in an apron that had Kiss the Cook across his chest.

  Reece pushed past Teagan, cupped the back of Callum’s head, and placed a kiss on the end of Callum’s nose. Stunned, Callum tensed. Both Ember and Teagan opened their mouths, ready to call off a fight. But the tension slipped away, and Callum laughed.

  “You’re a bold bastard,” Callum said to Teagan’s mate. He pointed a set of tongs at Reece. “But don’t do that ever again.”

  The smell of barbeque reached their noses, interrupting this strange interaction. Teagan’s stomach growled. She’d forgotten that her father knew how to cook. Ember groaned.

  “Why couldn’t you make food like this when we were kids?” Ember asked, barely trying to hide the barbed tone of her voice.

  Callum’s jaw clenched for the briefest moment. Teagan stepped back, into the waiting chest of her mate. But Callum didn’t yell.

  Teagan was surprised. She and her sister spared no excuse to tease Callum all night. He kept his cool at every turn. It seemed that their father had dedicated himself to turning over a new leaf, even if he did cast shrewd glares at the Montoya boys from time to time.

  At one point, while the Montoya men were talking amongst one another, Ember leaned into her sister and asked:

  “So, are the two of you…you know, mates?”

  Teagan still hadn’t figured that out yet. She wanted to think that they were, that fate would come in and fix every bump in their relationship. It hadn’t seemed like that. More than once, Teagan had wondered if she’d expected more than was reasonable from their mate bond.