“It’s over, Aaron. You’ve won. No need to remain in your scales,” Aiden managed to say.
Looking him over suspiciously, Aaron decided he was telling the truth. There was no way he was coming back from the massive wound in his center. Even a dragon’s increased healing powers weren’t enough to repair that kind of damage before it took its toll. There was no doubt he was done for. Despite the aches and pains that seemed to permeate from his own body, he felt an incredible sense of relief.
“It didn’t have to be this way,” he told Aiden, looking down at him solemnly.
“It was always going to be this way for me. It’s the price you pay. You will see for yourself someday,” Aiden managed to gasp, his eyes opening and closing in response to the pain that no doubt sang through his every nerve ending.
Aaron watched as the two McCord brothers stepped forward and looked over him, a smile on each of their faces. His eyes seemed to focus on them for a moment before he gasped and heaved mightily against the rocks beneath him, seizing as some incredible pain shook is frame.
“Do you realize where you are, Aiden? You lie in almost the very same spot where you left our father to die. How fitting that you should die where you took the life of someone you weren’t fit to serve, much less lead his people.”
Aiden’s lips moved as if to say something, but whatever it was would go with him to his final resting place as his body once again seized and collapsed onto the ground. He was gone. It was over. Aaron dropped to the ground, both mentally and physically exhausted. Josh stepped toward him, motioning for some of the other guards to assist.
“Let’s get you home, Aaron.”
“I can’t. Kate. I have to get word to her.”
“I’ll take care of that. For now, you need to rest. Your life just got a lot busier,” Josh told him, before turning to the other members of the Guard. “Get him secured to my back,” he told them, before shifting into dragon form.
Aaron was barely conscious as he lay against the mighty backbone of someone he knew would become one of his most trusted guards. He was dimly aware of his surroundings as they landed outside his family home, and he was carried inside by Josh and the McCord brothers. When he awoke hours later, it was dark outside, but all he could see was the light on a brand-new horizon for his village and his people.
CHAPTER 19
“You’re awake,” a voice said from a dark corner of the room.
Aaron startled at the unexpected intrusion, struggling to make out the woman who had spoken. When she stepped forward, he realized she was no one he had ever seen before.
“Hello. I’m Emily, Connor’s mate. There are several members of the Dragon Guard outside at your disposal if you were to need them for anything. I was asked to stay with you while Connor and Owen retrieve your family.”
“Kate?”
“Yes, of course. She will be elated to know you fought so bravely, even more so to know that you have won and are safe. You were incredible to watch out there today.”
“You saw the fight?”
“Yes. I was with Connor and Owen. My dragon is blue and silver.”
“Ah, of course. Yes. I caught a glimpse of you in the skies. The three of you warded off the Dragon Guard members who came to intimidate me.”
“I fear they would have done more than intimidate you if they had been given the opportunity. You took a huge chance by taking the fight out so far away from the watchful eyes of those who would have ensured a fair fight.”
“Yes, I know. It’s what I had to do if I was to win.”
“All is well that ends well, I suppose. Here, let me get you something to drink. You still have a lot of recuperating to do.”
“Thank you, Emily. You and the McCords. I will find a way to repay all of you somehow.”
“You already have. You took down Aiden and lifted the exile on our families and yours. It will be good to come home again.”
“I’m looking forward to that myself,” Aaron said, feeling lightheaded. He lay his head back down on the pillows and closed his eyes for a moment, except the moment was more than just that. He hadn’t even realized he had drifted away until he came to again, this time at the sound of Kate’s voice in his ears.
“I’m so glad you are okay,” she breathed against him, tears of joy falling across her cheek.
He reached for her, his hand stroking her hair softly as he kissed her forehead. She adjusted to look at him, realizing that he was awake again. A slow smile spread across her tear-stained face.
“You’re awake.”
“I am. I feel like I was run down by a dump truck.”
“I imagine you do.”
“Where am I, anyway?”
“You’re in the quarters set up for the dragon leader when he needs secure shelter.”
“Why would I need secure shelter? I took down my only enemy.”
“He has friends, Aaron, and you are still weak. You will be protected while you heal.”
“By the Dragon Guard that served him? They might as well have a pack of hyenas guarding an injured antelope.”
“Don’t worry about that. The men guarding you were handpicked by Josh and his brother, Thomas. Everyone else has been dismissed pending your review of them to decide if they are fit to continue their duties. It’s going to be a tricky job to sort out the good apples from the bad.”
“I suspect you’re right, but I also suspect that many of them will be glad to be under new management and willing to adhere to new policies.”
“Look at you sounding like a dragon leader already.”
“There’s a new sheriff in town, baby,” he joked, his words punctuated by a grimace as he attempted to raise himself up from the bed.
“Just lie down and rest. Emily went to get you some dinner.”
“Did the rest of the family come back with you?”
“Not all of them. I came back with a few of the others, but everyone else is going to take some time to get packed and get back here.”
“Mom?”
“She’s here. It was a tiring trip for her, and she went home to lie down. She was happy that you had already gotten in there and tidied up a bit. I think she was beyond thrilled to be back in her own bed. It was like seeing the weight of the world lift from her shoulders right in front of me.”
“That makes me feel so much better. Thank you, Kate. This will all get better now.”
“Yes, it will. You’ve done what you set out to do, and everyone will be better off for it. I’m sorry I wasn’t more supportive.”
“You were supportive, just afraid for me. I understand that, Kate.”
“I love you, Aaron.”
“I love you, too,” he replied, cupping her face with his hand thoughtfully.
“Oh, get a room!” Emily laughed as she came in with a tray of food.
“I think we have this one already,” Kate said, blushing a bit.
“Good point. I brought you both some food, prepared under close supervision to prevent anyone deciding to overturn recent events,” Emily told them.
“Do you really think someone would try to poison him?” Kate replied.
“I don’t know, but it’s possible. As awful as Aiden was, he had some supporters just as heinous as himself. It’s much better to be safe than sorry.”
“I suppose so.”
“Alright, well I’m going to get out of here and let you guys enjoy your food and have some alone time. It’s been a tough day. Josh has people stationed outside, people he trusts. All you have to do is ask if you need anything.”
“Thanks for everything, Emily. Please tell Connor and Owen how much I appreciate all they’ve done as well. I will be seeing them soon,” Aaron told her.
“Absolutely. We will all see you both soon,” Emily replied as she left the room.
“How are you really doing?” Kate asked once she was gone.
“What do you mean? I’m fine,” he said softly.
“You’re hardly fine. You grimace every
time you move, and you’re bruised all over. Are there any injuries I need to know about?”
“Don’t worry. All the important stuff is right where you left it,” he said with a naughty laugh.
“Oh! You’re bad! You know what I meant!” she said, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.
“I’m fine, Kate. I promise. Just banged up and bruised mostly. I’m incredibly sore all over, but nothing is broken, so I will be fine once I’ve had a bit of rest. I have every intention of being up and about before morning. People will want to see that I’m okay, that I can lead them. As bad as Aiden was, having no leader will seem worse for many of them.”
“Are you sure, Aaron? You should take a few days to heal up.”
“I’m sure. It’s not like they will be surprised I’m a bit banged up. It was a hard fight, and many of them ventured out to watch parts of it. The hard part is over, Kate. It’s all downhill from here.”
“Okay, Aaron. I trust you know what’s best. You wouldn’t have taken this on without weighing the consequences of what would be expected once you had taken Aiden out of the picture.”
“All I need now is for you to be by my side, all the way.”
“I will be. I promise.”
“Then, that’s all I need to hear. Come on, let’s eat before this food gets cold. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!”
“I imagine you are. You’ve worked up quite an appetite today, I’m guessing.”
“That I have,” he laughed, reaching for one of the plates Emily had brought in for them.
Kate opened a bottle of water and took a sip before sitting down on the bed beside him and retrieving the other plate. They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts it seemed. When they finished, Kate took the plates to the door and set them outside to be retrieved by staff before returning to the bed to kiss him on the cheek.
“I’ll sleep in one of the chairs,” she told him.
“Don’t be ridiculous. This is a king size bed. There’s plenty of room for both of us.”
“I don’t want to jostle you around in my sleep. You seem so sore.”
“I don’t think you’ll do any more damage than what’s been done today, babe. Come on, climb in,” he said, patting his hand on the bed beside him.
Kate climbed in and snuggled against him. He was grateful to have her with him. Things were only going to get better from here on out. They would be better for him, better for her, and better for everyone in the village. He tried to think of what he would say to the village tomorrow when he could make a public address, but his thoughts were clouded by his need for rest, and instead, he found himself drifting off into a peaceful sleep like he hadn’t had for quite a while.
CHAPTER 20
The morning sun cast new light through the windows of the bunker-like structure where Aaron had been brought after the fight. He could now see that it was underground, probably the basement of the Council building, he was guessing. The light spilled in through tiny slits at the very tops of the walls nearby. His body ached as he turned over to look at Kate, still curled up peacefully asleep beside him. He kissed her and climbed out of bed, padding across the cold floor to the bathroom nearby. When he emerged, she was already up, looking positively radiant in the bit of sunlight that flowed across her pale, smooth skin.
“Good morning,” she said, smiling at him sleepily.
“Good morning. There’s no need for you to get up so early. Sleep in for a while,” he told her.
“I can’t sleep anymore. I’m excited. It’s going to be an interesting day,” she replied.
“Yes, it is. I guess we best get dressed,” he said.
“I suppose so. I brought you some clothes. Your mother sent them from the house,” she told him, pulling a casual blue suit and tie from a nearby closet. “Your shoes are under the bed.”
“Oh, great. I was afraid I’d be greeting everyone looking like this,” he laughed.
“I can’t have that. I’d have to beat all the other women off you,” she told him with a wink.
Aaron pulled her to him, kissing her deeply before pulling away to look down at her. He was always astounded by her beauty, and he had been since they were kids. Her bright blue eyes and raven hair shimmered against the sunlight beaming in. The only thing that even came close to her good looks was her intelligence. She was the total package, and she was his. He knew that finding her again was something that was meant to be. Right now, he had things he must address, but soon he would make sure she knew just how much she meant to him.
An hour later, he found himself standing in front of a gathering of his clan, people looking anxious as they waited for him to speak. He smiled out over them, no doubt looking a mess with his bruises and scratches sustained during the fight. They were mostly healed thanks to his accelerated immune system, but there was still plenty of them visible on his face and neck. He looked a bit like a scrapper whose mother had put him in a suit to visit the headmaster’s office. The thought made him chuckle a little as he scanned the crowd and spotted his mother sitting on a chair the Dragon Guard had fetched for her.
“Well, everyone. It looks like this is the dawn of a new day here in our little village. As many of you know and some of you witnessed yesterday, I was successful in my challenge of our previous dragon leader, Aiden. It is not a proud day that a dragon has to take the life of another, but it is sometimes a necessity for the betterment of everyone. I feel that what I did yesterday was very important for this village and to allow its people to be free, to grow, to prosper.”
His words were met with a loud cheer, though he could see faces in the crowd that did not join in the excitement. Perhaps it was because they supported Aiden or benefited from his tyranny in some way. Then again, maybe they were just uncertain of what a new leader would bring to the table and held their thoughts in reserve for now. Either way, he made a mental note of the ones he could see for further scrutiny, if necessary.
“I have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn, I’m afraid. What I want each and every one of you to know is that my doors are open to you. I want to know your concerns, your suggestions. This village will no longer just exist, but thrive, with all of us doing what we can to make it the incredible place we all know that it can be. For now, I want each of you to contact any friends, relatives, or loved ones that have been exiled by Aiden and let them know that they are free to return here – to their home and to their clan.”
Another cheer went up through the crowd, many of the people smiling happily at the thought of bringing the many people in their life that Aiden had deemed a threat to the far reaches of the Earth. Some of them had been forbidden to return or even contact their families. There was a long way to go with repairing the damage Aiden had done to the people of this clan, but bringing everyone home was the first step. Of that, he was certain.
“So, for now, I’m going to go home and spend the day with my own family, who has just returned from where they were forced to flee due to Aiden’s wrath,” he said, waving his arm toward his family members that were already present in the village. “In the days to come, other family members and friends will also be returning, mine and yours. If you look toward the back of the crowd, you will also see Connor McCord and his mate, Emily. Connor’s brother, Owen, has left the village to retrieve their mother and his own mate, Amy. I don’t know what I would have done without their help in preparing me for the challenge I faced yesterday.”
Connor and Emily nodded at the members of the clan around them as they cheered their return before returning their focus to Aaron, standing on the small portable podium that had been brought out for his community address.
“In a few days, we will have a grand celebration to officially mark this momentous occasion. I hope to see each of you and your loved ones in attendance. Together, we’re going to do great things!”
Enthusiastic applause and cheers followed him as he stepped away from the podium, grabbing Emily by the hand and walking over to his mo
ther. She stood and threw her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek and holding him close to her for a moment before letting him go.
“Your father would have been so proud of what you’ve done here, Aaron. Putting yourself in jeopardy for the good of everyone around you. You have done what he couldn’t, what he was too old and sick to do.”
“Thank you, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you too, son. Now, let’s go home,” she told him. “I’ve baked you a cake.”
“Ah, here I am the new dragon leader and still being led back home with the promise of cake!” he laughed.
“Some things never change,” his Mom said with a smile that melted him.
It had been a long time since he had seen a genuine smile on her face. That alone was worth every ache and pain he currently felt after yesterday’s fight. He put his arm around the waists of this two best women and walked through the crowd that surrounded them. His mother wasn’t the only one with a smile. He could see the relief and hope on so many faces as they bid him well on his way home. It felt almost surreal to be in a position of such great power at the mere age of twenty-two, but he was ready for the next challenge, the one of being a good leader to these people who would now come to look up to him, he hoped.
Walking into this family home again a short time later, he was quickly amazed at what all his mother had accomplished in the short time since she had arrived. Though he had done a little bit of cleaning when he was here earlier, she had finished the job. It was most likely nervous energy after arriving the night before and waiting for his address this morning. That had always been her way of coping when she was anxious or worried.
“The place looks beautiful, Mom. Everything is going to be okay now. I promise,” he told her, kissing her on the forehead.
“I know it will, son. I know. Now, let’s see about some cake, shall we?”
Loved by a Dragon: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Exiled Dragons Book 2) Page 9
