I immediately knew I’d made a tactical error.
“Bear spray?” Atlas’s voice rose an octave. “What bear spray? Why were you bear-sprayed? When? And why am I just hearing about this?”
Before I could respond with something that wouldn’t lead to even more questions, Kade and Reese returned to the table, their fingers interlaced. He sat down and tugged her onto his lap.
“Kade, I can sit on the bench,” she protested, though her arms looped around his neck.
“You could, but then you’d be too far away.” Kade’s arm circled her waist possessively.
Atlas made a sound like a deflating balloon. “I can’t handle this. It’s too much. My poor romantic heart may not survive.”
“Shut up and eat your burrito,” Zarek advised him dryly.
Reese rolled her eyes at all of us but settled comfortably against Kade’s chest. “You guys are ridiculous.”
Atlas propped a cheek on his fist and smiled wistfully. “It’s beautiful, truly. It gives me hope.”
My dragon rumbled in agreement, the yearning growing stronger by the second. I wanted that. Needed it. The casual touches, the comfort of having someone who was mine. The weight of a mate on my lap, the scent of her in my lungs, the certainty of belonging.
We’d all gone so long thinking we’d never find mates. I could hardly believe it was finally happening for us.
I swallowed hard, trying to focus on my burrito while ignoring the pull in my chest. If I could make it through breakfast without further mention of bear spray or mates, maybe I could actually come up with a plan that didn’t involve terrifying mine again.
Kade rubbed his hand along Reese’s back in small circles. “How was your morning?” He softened his voice, using a tone he saved only for her.
Reese lit up. “Actually, I found someone to rent my trailer!”
“You did?” Kade’s brows furrowed slightly. “Who?”
“A woman I met at the diner in town. She should be here shortly. She had to run an errand.”
The furrow in Kade’s brow deepened. “How much are you charging her? Did you get a deposit? Run a credit check?”
Reese patted Kade’s cheek affectionately. “I have it handled. She seems nice.”
Kade’s expression told me he wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but before he could press further, Reese reached for her phone.
“Actually, I wanted to show you guys something.” She placed her phone in the center of the table. “Any of you interested in buying a knife?”
The world seemed to freeze for a heartbeat as I stared at the image on her screen.
The knife I’d given toher.
Zarek snatched the phone before I could react, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “Where did you get this photo?”
My dragon surged forward, and heat flooded through my chest, a possessive growl building in the back of my throat.
Reese blinked, clearly taken aback by his intensity. “Whoa, calm down. It’s just the woman renting my trailer. She found it camping.”
She’s renting Reese’s trailer. She’ll be here. At Wings End.
My mate would be here, living on our property, where I could see her and protect her.
“Let me see.” Atlas plucked the phone from Zarek’s white-knuckled grip and whistled low. “Holy shit, that’s definitely from the hoard.” He glanced up at Kade. “When was the last time we inventoried?”
Zarek was on his feet before Atlas finished speaking, his eyes flashing darker blue. “She touched our treasure.” His voice had gone deadly quiet.
The possessiveness in his tone snapped something in me. Without conscious thought, I launched myself across the picnic table, tackling Zarek to the ground with enough force to knock the air from his lungs.
