Page 24

Things between Radley and me had been going extremely well. I still didn’t love not being marked, but I understood that it wasn’t because of me. That made a difference. It was more an impatience than a feeling of being less than.

We spent pretty much every night together. He’d bring dinner more often than not because I wasn’t great at cooking. I had about three recipes that were passable. Whereas Radley? He could cook. My favorite days were the ones where we’d cook together, but it was mostly him telling me what to do or me getting spinach ready for my best dish, which was a pasta one-pan meal.

Pierogi loved Radley, and that did surprise me. He was great with everybody, but I kinda thought the whole dragon thing might scare him, you know, because dragons could easily just eat him in one bite. But he didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he might’ve loved Radley more than he loved me.

Our relationship was pretty normal despite me being human and my mate being, well, scaly and wingy. We’d watch TV together, eat together, go on dates, all the typical stuff. We’d fall asleep on the couch and wake up with our necks stiff. We were like every old married couple I knew.

My favorite nights were Sundays because we’d go have dinner with our neighbors. They didn’t treat me like an other, like I wasn’t as real a part of Radley’s life because I wasn’t marked. They knew where we stood, half marked. They could see it, unlike when we went out with my friends one night who still were unsure how serious my “new boyfriend” was.

Our neighbors noticed the single mark and understood what it meant. They never asked about it, but it was always there. Still, I kept my word, and I didn’t keep asking him about it. I wanted to, but I understood why he made his decision and respected that.

It was worth it to have Radley no longer avoiding me. From what comments I overheard when we were at Moonridge dinner, he was happier than they’d ever seen him. This was good enough for me. At least that was what I kept telling myself.

Tonight at dinner, Radley was acting weird, like he was distracted. I tried not to read too much into it. Tried and failed.

He was helping me clean the dishes when he stopped cold and marched into the living room.

“You know you’re not supposed to chew on that.” He came back with Pierogi in his arms.

“I didn’t even hear him getting into trouble,” I admitted.

Radley tapped his ear. “Dragon ears.” It was one of the only reasons Pierogi was allowed out with more freedom than I usually gave. Back in my old place, I always kept him in his hutch or where I could see him. But here, the second he started doing something wrong, my mate noticed, and that allowed him more freedom.

“It’s time to go take a nap.” He went and put the rabbit away, which surprised me. Usually, if there were rabbit cuddles to be had, he was there for it. A big, tough dragon caving to the cuteness was the sweetest thing ever.

I put the last dish in the drip tray. They could air-dry. I went over and wrapped my arms around Radley from behind, resting my cheek on his shoulder blade. “Are you okay today? Something seems off.”

“I’m fine,” he said. He turned in my arms and held me close. His assurance wasn’t very reassuring. But this time, I wasn’t thinking it was something wrong, more like something he was hiding.

“I think you might be a bad secret keeper.” I hadn’t meant to say it aloud.

When he responded, “Fair,” I was glad I did.

He stepped back, reached in his pocket. “I bought you something.” Why was he nervous about buying me something?

“Are you going to give it to me, or am I supposed to guess what it is?” He pulled out a ring. It was silver. Old, by my guess. Not in a box, just in his hand. There was a dragon carved into the band, its tail in its mouth, turning into a complete circle. It was absolutely stunning. I’d have liked it even if it wasn’t my dragon mate giving it to me. He placed it in my hand.

“Where’d you get this?”

He told me the story of the secondhand shop and how the woman had told him it was good luck. I loved it. But more than that, I loved that he saw it and thought of me. I went to put it on my finger and wasn’t sure which one to put it on. We’d been dating for weeks, not years, so it couldn’t be an engagement. Right? Except we were mates. And from what I learned about them, usually, they committed long before now.

“Are you proposing to me?”

He squinted at me despite having perfect eyes.

“Because if you are, yes.” Of course it was.

He stared at me, his mouth not moving.

“To getting married,” I clarified, and the look of shock on his face told me I’d really messed up. “Oh, you didn’t mean it to be an engagement ring.”

Please let the ground swallow me up. How freaking embarrassing.

“No. No. Of course, you didn’t because... because dragon. I love it.” I put it on my right hand.

“Hey.” He cupped my cheeks. At least he was talking. “Dragons don’t get married.”

“Right. I know. They bite. You bought this because it reminded you of me. It’s fine.”