I shrugged and gulped down a buttery spoonful of mashed potatoes. “Hard for a bear to be anything else.”
“Good on ya. Just be yourself and you’ll fit right in.”
“Yes, Aurum is right,” Jade said. He smiled at me across the table, primly holding his cutlery in his long fingers. “We’re all eager to learn more about our new family member.”
His words made me blush.
Family member? Were they really so willing to accept me?
Besides the twins and Jade, nobody else could possibly hold a positive opinion of me, and I understood why. But I glanced hesitantly around the table, I saw less ire and more curiosity. Unlike my interrogation earlier, the atmosphere wasn’t so oppressive. Some of the tension coiled in my muscles eased up, and I tried not to feel like a criminal under scrutiny.
“I… I’m eager to learn more about you all, too,” I said, flashing a nervous smile.
Crimson’s neutral expression was the first to break. He chuckled, leaning his elbow on the table. “Aw, he’s cuter when he smiles. Did Taylor put you in that getup?”
“Yes. It was very kind of him.”
Crimson sighed wistfully. “He’s wonderful. And so talented with his hands…”
Thystle snorted. “Quick, someone change the subject.” Crimson shot the lilac-haired alpha a pouty look, which he ignored. “So, Rorik. What kinda music do you listen to?”
“We weren’t allowed to listen to music, besides whatever played on the local radio,” I replied. “But I always liked the birdsong in the spring.”
Thystle’s gaze softened. “Oh. That’s… actually really sweet.”
I resisted the urge to squirm in my seat. Was that a weird thing to say? It seemed to take Thystle off guard.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Saffron smiling brightly at me. He reached a hand beneath the table and placed it on top of mine, quietly supportive. A surge of emotion ran through me.
This was all real. His love was real—and his family’s acceptance was real, too.
I took a sip of water to dislodge the sudden tightness in my throat. I couldn’t cry, dammit.
“Yup. No music, no video games, and no movies,” Saffron said, patting my hand. “And yet, fate finds a way.”
My heart flickered.
Cobalt slowly cracked a gentle smile. “Love works in mysterious ways. Although I’m surprised you fell for someone who’d never watched a film before.”
Saffron huffed. “Guys, c’mon. We know that your fated mate doesn’t have to share 100 percent of your interests.”
“Yeah, some of us are just lucky,” Aurum gloated.
Saffron ignored his twin. “Anyway, Rorik’s gonna catch up on that backlog. Trust me,” he added with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
The way he said it somehow felt naughty. It sent a shiver down my spine. At the same time, Saffron ran his thumb in rhythmic circles across the back of my hand, as if hypnotizing me. It worked. The gentle motions soothed me and I relaxed deeper in my seat. The calming effect made me remember I still had food on my plate, so I took another bite.
Jade smiled and raised a steaming cup of tea to his lips. “So, Rorik and Saffron. Should we assume a baby is on the way?”
I almost choked to death. Saffron and Aurum both patted my back as my coughing fit passed.
“No?” I said, strangled. “Was there supposed to be?”
At that, a few of the dragons laughed out loud. I glanced at Saffron, totally confused.
He grinned casually. “Don’t worry. It’s kind of an inside joke at this point.”
“Yeah, most of us horny alphas have knocked up our fated mates by this point in the Games,” Aurum continued. The matching grin on his face told me he spoke from experience.
