My cheeks felt warm, and I put a cool hand to my face, willing away what might be the start of a hot flash. “I don’t want to rush things, but I also kind of do.”
Lucan had been patient. Unreasonably patient, really, given that I was his mate, and he’d known that before he’d even officially met me. It was really a crazy concept, but every day I could feel my connection with him growing stronger.
“We’ve been taking it one day at a time.” His fingers traced a path from my ear to my neck, lingering on the spot where hismark rested. “And I’ll keep doing that for as long as you need. You can even have your own bedroom.”
I leaned into his touch. “I don’t want to wait anymore, and I definitely don’t want or need my own bedroom.”
His eyes darkened slightly. “Good.”
The weight of the moment settled between us. This wasn’t just some ritual. It was acceptance from his quad.
We stood there for a moment, his thumb brushing against my skin in slow, hypnotic circles that sent pleasant tingles up my spine.
How had I found something so unexpected? Just weeks ago, I'd been hiding from myself in a tent, and now here I was, ready to bond with a man who made my world tilt on its axis whenever he looked at me.
The universe had a strange sense of humor by dropping Lucan into my life when I’d convinced myself I was content with my solitude. Yet somehow, this felt more right than anything else ever had.
My heart felt like it had found its steady rhythm, finally beating in a way that made sense. “I’m ready for this. For us.”
He took my hand and led me toward the door.
I took a deep breath and squeezed Lucan’s hand. He squeezed back, a silent reassurance that I wasn’t alone. That I would never be alone again.
We landed just outside the entrance to the hoard, and Lucan’s dragon form shifted and contracted in the now-familiar blur of motion until he stood before me, gloriously naked in the moonlight.
He pulled out a pair of black athletic shorts from the clothing bin and stepped into them.
“Very romantic,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Nothing says sacred dragon bonding ceremony like basketball shorts.”
His lips quirked up as he closed the distance between us, taking my hands in his. “If it were just us, I’d be naked. But I figured you’d appreciate not having the others see everything.”
“Thoughtful of you.” My body betrayed me with a flush of heat that had nothing to do with my hormones and everything to do with the way his thumbs traced circles on my palms.
We moved toward the entrance, and once we stepped inside, I noticed the torches lighting the path.
“Nice touch with the mood lighting,” I whispered, suddenly feeling the weight of what we were about to do.
“Atlas set these up last time. It’s a nice romantic touch.”
My nerves jangled as we walked the torch-lit path. The quad had been accepting of me, but Zarek still left me uncertain. He’d warmed up, sure, but this was different. This was permanent. What if he changed his mind about accepting me when it came down to it?
Lucan must have sensed my anxiety. “They’re here because they accept you.”
“Even Zarek?”
“Especially Zarek. He doesn’t do anything halfway.”
We approached the main cavern, and a golden glow spilled out around the giant boulder hiding it from view. This was it, the moment I’d officially become part of something I hadn’t even known existed a month ago.
I kept hold of Lucan’s hand as we slipped past the rock. The cavern opened around us, firelight painting the rocky walls in shades of amber and gold. The warmth from the central fire washed over me immediately, and torches along the walls cast long shadows that danced across the piles of treasure.
The hole I’d discovered during my last visit was now filled. I couldn’t tell exactly how it had been closed, but there was no way anyone was getting through without a jackhammer.
Kade, Zarek, and Atlas stood in a semicircle, their faces serious but not unwelcoming. The sight of them waiting made this feel suddenly very real.
“Nervous?” Lucan’s breath was warm against my ear.
“A little. What if I do something wrong?”
