Good. Then stop being afraid of the future.
Looking up at Finn, she made a decision. While she would always love her brother, Melanie, and her niece and nephew, Arabella was ready to start her own family with Finn and the MacKenzies. They would protect her no matter what happened, and she finally needed to become the strong female who could watch their backs.
Her first step toward doing that was to go into the hall, face the clan, and use her own stubbornness to restrain her dragon. For the first time in a decade, Arabella was confident she could do anything she set her mind to.
Still, she would never let Finn off easy. After all, where was the fun in that?
Arabella tilted her head. “Well, whether I can restrain my dragon or not depends if you’re going to flirt with every female you see. Because if you do, between me and my dragon, I can’t guarantee what will happen next.”
A bit of the strain eased from Finn’s face. “As much as I’d like to see you take on all of the single females of the clan, I’ll try to hold back.”
Arabella nodded. “You’d better or you might wake up one day with your cock missing.”
Chuckling, he reached out a hand and then pulled back. The action made her sad; she never wanted Finn to hold back. His voice was stern when he replied, “Just remember, love, as possessive as you’re feeling right now, I’m ten times worse. Flirt with Fraser and Fergus, and to hell with what the clan will think of me, I will punch them both in the face.”
Sensing the steel underlying his tone, Arabella decided not to wake the beast. The gathering was important for her future here. Everything needed to go well. She raised her eyebrows. “Any other warnings I should know about?”
“Don’t let anyone peek down your dress.”
Staring down at her cleavage, Arabella shook her head. “There’s not a lot there.”
He growled. “It’s perfect and it’s mine.”
Worry gathered in the pit of her stomach. Maybe her dragon wasn’t the only one on edge. “Is your dragon under control, Finn?”
“Barely.”
Shit. “You should’ve told me.” She glanced toward the entrance to the main hall. “Then let’s hurry. The sooner we’re inside, the sooner your dragon should care more about the clan’s welfare than me.”
She looked back to Finn and his gaze burned into the depths of her heart. “Let’s hope that choice never comes to pass, because I’m not sure the clan would win.”
“Don’t say that. You barely know me.”
“But it’s true.”
Finn’s behavior warmed her heart. He truly wanted her.
Her dragon stated, Of course he does.
Do you ever have doubts?
Not anymore.
I wish I could be as confident.
Give it another week or two and you’ll be close.
She resisted the urge to smile. Arabella was starting to think she and her dragon were on their way to becoming great friends. Before much longer, Arabella might act like a real dragonwoman.
Arabella started walking. “Come on. We’re already late. We can talk some more later.”
Finn murmured, “Oh, I plan to do much more than talk, lass.”
Resisting a shiver, they walked the last stretch to the hall in silence. Her beast tried to speak up, but as they entered the hall, Arabella pushed her dragon back inside a mental cage and turned her attention to the packed room.
Long tables lined the sides of the large space, leaving an empty area in the middle for people to mingle. Quite a few were already sitting down at the tables and eating.
Everyone was dressed in the traditional style, although some were more decked out than others. Combining the array of colors with the material draping at intervals from the ceiling, Arabella felt as if she’d just walked into a fairy tale. She’d only been to a handful of gatherings back on Stonefire, which made this one all the more special, especially with her male at her side. Finn made her forget her past so she could tackle the present.
As they neared the raised dais at the front of the room, the chatter died down. Everyone’s eyes were on her.
For a second, Arabella’s heart pounded so fast she thought it might explode, but then Finn squeezed her side, giving her courage. Keeping her shoulders back and head high, Arabella forced herself to smile at some of the clan as they passed. Some of the return smiles were genuine, while others were forced. The eyes of the forced smiles ranged from pity to disgust to skepticism.
Her break down earlier, when she’d run naked through the clan, probably hadn’t helped things.
Her bloody dragon broke free again. Do you want to stay with Finn?
Of course, she stated without hesitation.
Then who cares if they pity you or not. It will be their loss.
We’re that great a catch then?
Yes, we are bloody brilliant.
Arabella smiled at her beast’s confidence. Taking a deep breath, she channeled her dragon and tried to exude the same amount of confidence. She was Arabella MacLeod and she’d survived being tortured by a gang of dragon hunters. Dealing with a few skeptical, Scottish dragon-shifters should be easy.
Chapter Three
Finn had nearly made it to the stage when Duncan stepped into his path. The older dragonman’s eyes were hard, but unreadable as they took in Finn and then moved to Arabella. It took every ounce of control Finn possessed to force a smile and keep his tone neutral. “Duncan.”
Duncan looked back to him. “I’ve heard the rumors. Is it true you’re going to mate the hideous female? That will reflect poorly on the clan.”
Finn took a deep breath to calm both man and beast. Before he could reply, Arabella did. “The hideous female, as you put it, is standing right here. Although, I do have a name. I’m Arabella. Who the bloody hell are you?”
Duncan blinked and Finn wanted to cheer. Then his rival’s eyes turned assessing before he answered, “Duncan Campbell, and you should watch your mouth, English dragonwoman. You may stand strong next to Finlay, but I saw you earlier. I could squash you with one hand tied behind my back.”
Finn narrowed his eyes. “That’s enough. If you can’t be civil, you can leave, Duncan. A gathering is no place for your petty bullshit.”
Duncan answered, “I’m not going anywhere. But if you mate the English and fuck up, I’ll call you out on it. We don’t need the alliance with Stonefire, nor do we need the humans coming and going on our land. Dragon-shifters need to shrug off humans and band together. Despite being English, at least Clan Skyhunter understands that.”
Clan Skyhunter was the dragon-shifter clan south of London. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not in charge then, isn’t it?” Finn looked to the side and back, signaling he was done. “You’re in the way.”
Duncan stared for a few seconds before moving aside. As Finn walked past, Arabella said to Duncan, “And just to let you know, if you fuck with me, you’ll need both hands to survive.”
The older dragonman remained silent. As they walked away, the tension eased from the crowd. Finn lowered his voice and whispered, “You were bloody fantastic, Ara.”
She raised an eyebrow. “He’s just an arsehole. I’ve faced real monsters and survived. He, on the other hand, would run the other way at the sight of them.”
The corner of his mouth ticked up. “I feel the same way.” He lowered his voice further. “Fear only goes so far.”
She smiled. “Oh, and charm goes much further?”
“Aye, it does.” Putting out a hand, he bowed his head. “May I hold your hand, lovely?”
For a second, he thought she’d decline. He knew full well her dragon was on edge, but so was his.
His beast grunted. Too many males are looking at her, especially after telling off Duncan. We need to make the claim.
She’s already ours, dragon. Don’t fret.
Someone has to worry, or another male will steal her away.
Before he could think of a different way to convince Arabella
to touch him, she placed her hand in his. Squeezing it, he pulled her toward the stage. “Come. The sooner I introduce you, the sooner we can dance.”
“I never said I would dance.”
“Oh, come on. If you’re to be the clan leader’s mate, you have to do things you don’t like occasionally.”
“Remember our conversation about asking me things? Dancing is definitely included in the list of things to ask me about first.”
“You’re resisting me on purpose, you bloody woman.”
She battled a smile. “Maybe.”
Laughing, Finn gently tugged her arm. “As much as I wish we could banter for hours, we both need to do our duty.” He leaned toward her ear. “But I look forward to convincing you of the merits of dancing.”
Arabella blinked. As they took the steps up the dais, Finn couldn’t help but grin. Not only because he would soon tell his clan that Arabella was his, but also because having the comfort of Arabella’s own brand of wit and charm helped eased his own tension. Sometimes, carrying the weight of a clan could weigh a dragonman down. With Arabella, the weight was barely noticeable.
~~~
Despite Arabella’s cool exterior, her heart was beating a million times a minute. Her stomach was also twisting and turning in knots.
Her dragon sounded amused. You just stood up to that bastard Duncan. Why be nervous now?
After this, my future will be decided.
Her beast paused a few seconds before stating, You want Finn. Everything else is secondary. Problems will arise, but we’ll solve them. With me, you will always have an ally. I’m also pretty good at kicking arse.
Arabella bit her lip to keep from laughing. Modesty isn’t in your vocabulary, is it?
No. Modesty is a human idea that wastes too much time.
Biting her lip harder, Finn looked at her. “Are you plotting with your dragon against me?”
Shushing her dragon, she answered, “No. She was telling me her feelings about Duncan.”
Finn grinned. “I can’t wait to hear about that later, lass. The more I hear of your dragon, the more I like her.” He stopped them in the middle of the stage. “Unfortunately, reality intrudes for now. Ready to face the clan, heather?”
Between Finn’s teasing and her dragon’s confidence, Arabella nodded, albeit with a quick glare to Finn for the ridiculous nickname. “As long as you don’t call me that in front of everyone.”
He winked. “And damage my alpha reputation? I think not.”
“We can debate your alpha reputation later. Just get on with it already.”
Her dragonman squeezed her hand and then turned them toward the crowd. After raising his free hand, the room fell mostly silent; only the clatter of a few knives and forks echoed in the great hall.
Finn’s voice boomed. “Thanks for coming on such short notice. My dragon is impatient to claim what’s his, and as you all know, ignoring your dragon for too long will result in a man walking about with a hard cock for days, unable to think straight.” A few chuckles went through the room and Arabella used the pause to dig her nails into Finn’s palms. If he felt it, he didn’t show it as he continued, “But in all seriousness, I wanted to give the clan an opportunity to know Arabella MacLeod. Not only as our first foster from Clan Stonefire, but also as my future mate.”
Murmurs rose up. Most of the looks thrown her way were full of curiosity. There were a few glares coming mostly from the older dragon-shifters. Those were the ones she’d need to watch carefully.
Finn raised his hand and the noise died down. His deep voice boomed again. “Even if my dragon didn’t crave her, I would still choose Arabella MacLeod. She is strong, clever, and will be a great asset to our clan.” He gave a stern look as he scanned the crowd. “Anyone who hurts her will be ousted. Normally, I would promise a fair hearing, but when it comes to mates and dragons, things are never handled civilly. My beast’s instinct will take over, and I have no guarantees of what will happen. Exile might just save your life.”
Most of the murmuring died down. Arabella was so used to Finn’s charming and teasing persona that watching him act as clan leader threw her off a little.
Her dragon chimed in. I like his alpha side. I can’t wait until he shows it to us in bed.
Mentally sighing at her dragon’s one-track mind, Arabella’s thoughts were cut off by Finn’s voice. “Now I’ve gotten that out of the way and the other males have been warned, tonight is a time to celebrate and get to know the soon-to-be newest member of the clan. The First Kiss ceremony will happen in about an hour. Until then, we’ll make our way around the hall before gracing everyone with the gift of our marvelous dancing skills.” As some of the crowd cheered, Arabella bit the inside of her lip to keep from scowling. She would give the bastard an earful as soon as she could for volunteering her. Then Finn pointed to a dragonwoman standing amongst a lot of equipment. “Let’s get this party started.”
As the latest human pop music blared, Arabella turned her face to the side and rolled her eyes. Keeping her voice low, she muttered, “You are a lot less hip than you think you are.”
He leaned close, but was careful not to touch her apart from the hand in his. How they were going to dance without even more touching, Arabella had no idea. Finn whispered, “The half-arse jokes help everyone to relax.” He winked. “You might find it irritating, but my clan loves it.”
“So you’re not alpha all the time and they accept that?”
“They don’t have a choice. Besides, if they cross my path and act like dicks, then they have to deal with me. After a year, they know what to expect—I’m firm but fair.”
Looking to make sure no one was close enough to hear, Arabella whispered, “Then why hasn’t it worked with Duncan?”
Finn shook his head. “That male is a special kind of arsehole. Dying doesn’t scare him, nor does exile. He’d use the exile to start his own clan of followers and dying would only turn him into a martyr amongst his followers. I don’t want either option to come true.”
Arabella put it all together. “That’s why he’s still here, then. You’re keeping your enemy close.”
“Aye, lass. Although after that warning, I may have to deal with him sooner than I wish, unless I can think of a way to discredit his ideas first.” Finn nodded toward the stairs. “But enough about Duncan for now. The clan is waiting to meet you, Arabella. Let’s not keep them waiting.”
As Finn tugged her toward the stairs, Arabella took a few deep breaths. Some of the clan were bound to ask questions about her past. So far, whenever Finn was near, she’d been able to remain in control. She only hoped that held true for the rest of the evening because if she had a breakdown in front of the clan, it would tarnish Finn’s reputation. And she couldn’t allow that to happen. While there were many details she didn’t know about Duncan or his followers, Arabella knew she could be used as a weakness against her male.
Remember to be the dragonwoman you can be. You are to be a clan leader’s mate; act like it.
I’ll try, she answered her dragon.
Don’t try. Do it.
With one last deep breath, Arabella straightened her shoulders and raised her chin a fraction. It was time to show both Finn and Clan Lochguard what she was capable of and erase the image of her being a timid lamb who ran at the first sign of humans.
~~~
Finn usually didn’t mind public events, but after discussing Duncan and seeing a bit more of his female’s cleverness, he wanted to discuss other clan issues with her. Maybe Arabella could think of new ways to tackle some long-standing issues on Lochguard.
His dragon grunted. It can wait. Show her off, dance, and then we can kiss her.
Usually, you drag your feet when it comes to dancing.
It brings me one step closer to fucking our mate, so I want to dance this time.
Sensing his beast was barely keeping his mating need in check, Finn pushed him to the back of his mind and focused on the Boyd family at the foot of the stairs. They
were one of the families who would welcome whomever he chose as a mate; his father and Meg Boyd had been cousins. Smiling at the middle-aged dragonwoman, Finn bowed his head. “If I didn’t already have a beauty at my side, I would whisk you away to dance, Meg.”
The gray-haired dragonwoman clicked her tongue. “Stop with the flirting, Finlay, or your lass might get jealous.” Meg gave Arabella a once-over and nodded. “Aye, you’ll do.” She put out her hand. “The name is Meg Boyd, hen. Humor an old lady and give me a proper introduction.”
When Arabella took Meg’s hand without hesitation, Finn wanted to cheer. Arabella answered, “I’m Arabella MacLeod, Mrs. Boyd. Nice to meet you.”
Meg leaned closer toward Arabella, but Finn knew the woman wasn’t a threat, so he allowed it. Meg replied, “You’re all but family, now. Call me Meg.” Leaning back, Meg released Arabella’s hand and motioned to her sons. “These are my sons, Hamish and Graham. I have another son, Alistair, but he’s unmated and didn’t want to stir Finn’s dragon, so he’s off in some corner reading a book.”
Sensing Arabella didn’t know how to reply to that, Finn jumped in. “At least the lad has developed some sense. Two years ago, he would’ve tried kissing Arabella just to rile me up.”
Meg nodded. “Aye, but he’s a changed dragonman these days. If only he’d focus on something besides his work.”
Arabella frowned, “Why? What does he do?”
Meg answered, “Some sort of scientist. I don’t ask him that many questions.”
One of her sons, Hamish, said dryly, “Except if he’s found a female yet.”
Meg swatted her grown son. “Shush. I can never have too many grandbabies. Eventually, someone has to have a girl.”
Concerned the talk of bairns might scare Arabella, Finn stole a quick glance only to find her smiling. His dragon spoke up. She will carry our young soon.
Pushing aside the warmth around his heart at the idea of Arabella growing round with his child, he kept his voice stern. We’re not talking about that right now.
Healed by the Dragon: Part Three Page 4
