Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 20835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 104(@200wpm)___ 83(@250wpm)___ 69(@300wpm)
“I recommend that you get on that sooner rather than later,” he suggested. “Your dragon won’t settle until she carries your mark for all shifters to see and recognize her as yours.”
I knew he was right, but I needed her sweet pussy to heal a little before she could take me again, and the mating mark couldn’t be given until she was filled with my come again. My inner beast would just have to understand that our mate’s comfort came before our needs.
10
MARIELLE
While I waited for Artemis on Keane’s porch, I spotted a familiar figure crossing through the backyard.
“Why am I not surprised to find you chomping on a pickle?”
Evette glanced toward me, and her eyes widened. “Marielle! You’re to blame for my current addiction. You don’t want to know how many of these darn things I’ve eaten since you gave me that snack pack at the gas station on Saturday. I swear, if I wasn’t a nurse and knew better, I’d think these two were going to come out pickled.”
“Two?” I echoed, eyeing her rounded belly. “You’re having twins?”
She nodded. “Yup, I’m surprised Leyton didn’t brag about it to you at the gas station since he’s quite proud of himself.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“What’re you doing here? Did you run into some trouble on your hike?” Her brows drew together as she shook her head. “Oops, that must’ve been the baby brain talking because you were headed out three days ago and don’t look as though you spent all that time in the wilderness. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I would’ve guessed that you just spent a week relaxing at a spa.”
“That’s because of Artemis.”
“Oh my gosh,” she squealed, clapping her hands. “Were you the reason Artemis flew off with a roar the other day?”
Evette pressed her fingers to her lips, her eyes going wide again as a woman came out of the cabin to join us. “Don’t worry, you didn’t spill the beans before Artemis had the chance to explain everything. She already knows he’s a dragon shifter and she’s his fated mate.”
“Thank goodness,” Evette breathed as she awkwardly dropped down onto one of the oversized patio chairs. “As soon as I said it, I realized you don’t have his claiming bite on your neck and was scrambling to come up with another way to explain what I meant. Unfortunately, the pregnancy hormones are wreaking havoc with my brain cells, so I didn’t come up with much.”
“Are you eating another pickle?” the woman asked.
“Yeah, but it’s Marielle’s fault,” Evette insisted.
“Marielle is such a pretty name.” The woman stretched her hand out to shake mine. “I’m Laina, Keane’s mate.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.” I laughed softly, shaking my head. “That’s an understatement. It’s great to know that I’m not the only woman here who had no clue shifters existed until she met a guy who claimed they were destined to be together. It makes me feel less alone, if that makes any sense when I somehow already know that Artemis would do just about anything for me. Assuming that’s what happened with you two…”
I trailed off once I realized I was babbling, a habit of mine when I was nervous.
Laina reached out to squeeze my hand. “We definitely understand. It’s a lot to wrap your head around at first.”
“Definitely,” Evette agreed with a nod. “But you need to know that Artemis wouldn’t do just about anything for you. There are no boundaries he wouldn’t cross for you.”
“Especially if it concerns your safety,” Laina added.
Evette rested her hand over her rounded belly. “Or your kids when you have them.”
How quickly things had changed for me. I couldn’t even imagine going on a date yesterday, but here I was, talking about being with Artemis forever and having his babies. As someone who usually took forever to make a decision, I was surprised by how easily I had accepted that we belonged together. Then again, seeing him shift into a giant dragon kind of blew any of my preconceived notions out of the water.
Tapping my shoulder, I mumbled, “We haven’t done the official claiming yet, let alone had the chance to talk about babies.”
“Just wait. Shifter males take over-the-top protectiveness to a whole new level,” Laina warned.
Evette giggled. “And not just the alphas.”
My parents’ style of child-rearing had been fairly hands-off, except for when it came to letting me know what I was doing wrong. So I had spent most of my life looking out for myself. Having someone who wanted to watch out for me sounded…nice. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“If it has to do with our relationship, you’d better.” Artemis stepped outside with another man directly behind him. “Because you’re never getting rid of me now that I’ve finally found you.”
He flung his arm around me, and I tilted my head back to grin up at him. “Right back at ya.”