Corbin nodded and leaned into his side. “I’m very excited. Evander and I both are.”
“Does that mean you’ll be coming back home to stay, to take your place?” Gregor asked, tension in his voice, and he shook his head.
“No, my place is at the portal with my mate, protecting all of our lands.”
Gregor relaxed somewhat, his shoulders lowering from being up about his ears. Yes, he thought his brother rather liked havingtaken over the mantle of the heir to the hunt. That was very well with Evander. He had a whole new purpose in his life, and now that Corbin was going to have a baby, he knew exactly where he needed to stay.
Calla looked devastated. He thought her lips quivered and her face went a pale, almost shell pink color. “Corbin, are you sure this is what you want?”
“That depends on what you mean, Mom. I mean, yes on both counts—being with Evander and having his baby. But if you mean the baby, it’s a little bit late now to stop it.” Corbin stared at her, his brows lowering over his beautiful green eyes, and Evander reached out to put a hand on his leg.
“I know there are those on both sides of our families who are worried or who disapprove of our union,” Evander said. “But I would hope that no one will take that out on our baby. They are innocent of any sort of disappointment or choice in this.”
“I would never mistreat a child because of their appearance. And I love my son, and I am proud of him.” Calla sighed. “I simply worry. I mean you no offense, Evander. I really don’t, but you were harmed by vampires and that leaves a stain on a fae’s soul.”
“But he was healed by unicorn blood, Mom.” Corbin shook his head, his other hand clenching, the one holding Evander is also tightening down. “He’s fine.”
“But…”
“I said he was fine.” Corbin’s voice was serious, low. “He went out to do what none of you did. Now you’re going to fuss because he’s a hero. You’re going to complain because he managed something that none of you did. I will not have my mate disrespected.”
Evander couldn’t be prouder of his mate. No one had ever loved him so well.
Father smiled, nodded once as if he were well satisfied. “I like him, Evander. I like him a lot. He’s a warrior like we are.”
“He is not. He’s a—he grows things!”
Cullen blinked at his mother. “Mom, what do you think the three of us did out in the human world? We fought vampires, we rescued people. All the time. That’s all we did. Literally, that’s what we do now. We go out, the three of us, sometimes just two of us. And we rescue people and dragons from vampires. He’s not a goddamn gardener!”
Cosmo nodded, and then the pink dragon’s eyes turned white.
“Oh no, not now,” Corbin said. “Damn it, Cosmo, stop it!”
“Take care, someone here is infected. A stranger. Who’s the stranger here? Someone who is a stranger to you is infected and trying to further his kind.”
All eyes turned to Evander, Corbin’s agonized, and he shook his head. “It’s not me. I am no stranger to the Land of Summer or to anyone but the group you brought with you, Lady Calla.”
“None of my party are strangers,” Father growled. “They’re my sons.”
Bron frowned, the scowl deep. “Love? Your people?”
“They were all sent to me.” Lady Calla’s expression was stunned, and she searched her party, frown deepening.
Suddenly, Bron was a dragon, huge, green, pointed on all ends, eyes blazing. “Get away from them, children!” he roared.
Cullen and Corbin also immediately shifted, and the grasses began to grow, creating a barrier between Cosmo and the children and the fae, an illusory fire popping up.
We have to get the children to safety.Corbin’s voice was deadly, quiet.
The problem was that Tisi and Elliot were still with his father on the other side.
Evander went Wild Hunt form, and he ran, leaping over fake flames, antlers ready to gore anyone who was trying to hurt the little ones.
He bugled, and his father answered, herding the flying children back toward Cullen, who was throwing every illusion he could at the party of fae envoys.
Bron had Calla and was moving her toward Cosmo and Cullen.
Cosmo was on the ground, writhing, and he could see Cullen just slap the shit out of his brother. “I need you to cope, man. I need you to cope now.”
