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As gravity took its hold and I plummeted, my last sight before hitting the icy surface was Koa’s open wing lashing forward, and sending half the lake shallows in a massive wave, straight over my brothers.

I shrieked with laughter just as I hit the surface, swallowing half a bucket, but came up laughing and coughing, paddling until I could put my feet down, still laughing so hard my belly ached at the sight of all my brothers—except Voski, who I assumed had been warned by Kham, because he’d been smart enough to slip back from the lake edge as the others crowded forward.

I stumbled more than once on the way out of the water because I couldn’t stop laughing. My other five brothers and Bren all stood staring at themselves open-mouthed, drenched, hair saturated as if they’d been swimming, and lake water dripping from their leathers.

As I struggled in the heavy, wet leather and my boots, kicking through the shallows, giggling, Gil launched himself at Voski, who laughed so hard, he slipped when he turned to run. But Gil was wet, his leathers sticking to his skin, and Voski was too quick.

Moments later, Voski had evaded him, and made his way around to offer me a hand at the edge of the water—and a towel he’d thoughtfully brought—while taunting them.

I took the towel and leaned up on my toes. “Thank you,” I breathed.

He leaned back, grinning. “You’re welcome.”

As his lips brushed mine, I gripped his elbow and turned—not quite quick or strong enough to flip him, because he was so damn fast, but I hooked his ankle, and when he tripped, I let him fall, face-first into the water.

He caught his balance on his hands, spluttering, but his momentum was all forward, and the land sloped away from him. A little nudge on his butt with my boot sent him under.

The crows and jollity that rose from my squadmates at the sight of Voski, sitting in the shallows, swearing, water dripping off his hair and chin, gave me a whole new rush of laughter.

‘You’ll pay for that,’ he growled in my head, but the bond was alive with amusement and delight.

‘I count on it,’ I sent back, picking up the towel, and walking backward up the shore, toward the fire, using it to dry what I could from my leathers. But truly, as I dried my hair, I watched my squad… all of the men, and Bren, laughing and teasing each other and me, and my heart was full.

So full, the laughter brought tears. I didn’t feel the cold of the water at all. All of us laughed so we couldn’t fight anymore. And I was so warmed, so thrilled, that my tears of laughter became tears of humble joy.

Because all of this made it absolutely clear: I was one of them.

I would take the teasing. I’d take the blows. I’d stand in their defense, just as I knew they would stand in mine.

And Voski…

He slapped the water, then pushed to his feet and stomped up. The others shouted warnings to me, but I just smiled as he marched straight up to me and grabbed me, pulling me into an embrace and kissing me soundly.

“No one wants to see that!” Gil called, as the others laughed or groaned.

But I didn’t care, because my mate’s skin might be cold, but his heart was hot, and his gaze, when he broke the kiss, burned for me.

Voski broke the kiss, but held me into the embrace as he turned his head to smile wickedly at Gil. “Tough shit, brother. You can look away.”

They all groaned when he kissed me again, but I clung to his shoulders and tried not to sob with sheer happiness, because I finally belonged.

Thank you, I prayed. Thank you. For him. For all of them. Thank you.

Protect the Princess

~ VOSKI ~

I’d had more comfortable evenings than sitting outside in wet leather. But I wouldn’t have missed that night for anything. My mate glowed.

When everyone had stopped laughing, and I’d finally let Grace go, Harle and Bren started the meat over the fire, and we all sat around, huddling closer to the flames than usual to give our leathers some chance of drying.

I took more than one ribbing about being outwitted, but I just smiled at Grace. “She’ll always get the better of me, I think,” I said proudly, and meant it.

Grace blushed and smiled in a way that made my chest swell.

“Firebird is right,” Gil commented. “You’ve got your hands full there, Vos.”

I smirked. But Jhoare piped up. “What’s it mean? The dragon name?”