Wish (Scales 'n' Spells 3)

They wouldn’t be formally bonded until that summer when they could gather at the mountaintop without standing in several feet of snow.

The ceremony could be done just as easily at the castle, but North was determined to be bonded the same way as Cameron and so many of the other mages—in the mountains where all the dragons could fly freely around them.

Not that Warin could blame him. It was a breathtaking moment.

Of course, North was already breathtaking.

He had found the very best mate. No offense, naturally, to Cameron, Tori, and all the other mage mates. They were wonderful too. But no one was as wonderful as his North. He’d fallen for him so quickly, but in the past year, Warin had been utterly lost in the man as he watched North come out of his shell in the warm, supportive home he’d found in Burkhard Castle. North belonged in Burkhard, and he belonged with Warin.

“If you puff out your chest anymore, you’re going to hurt your back,” Gunter observed dryly.

Wrapping an arm around Gunter’s shoulders, Warin pulled the dragon closer, earning a soft grunt as Gunter stumbled into him. “My good mood cannot be ruined by your grumpiness, librarian.”

“If you wish for me to be less grumpy, maybe you should consider stealing your mate away from Cassie for a dance.” Gunter nodded his head toward the other side of the room where North was listening to Cassie, her arms flying all over the place as she told some story. Gunter added in a low voice, “I heard about the confetti bomb.”

That was a wise idea. He didn’t want to be picking confetti out of his mate later, and he was always happy to have North in his arms.

Giving Gunter’s shoulder one last squeeze, Warin weaved his way across the crowded floor as people danced and laughed. A giant Christmas tree had been erected in one corner and glowed with thousands of twinkling lights. Ornaments of carved wood and blown glass hung from the heavy boughs. Around them, there was more greenery, red ribbons, and sparkling lights to celebrate the holiday season. It was all so beautiful, but none of it compared to his lovely North. His mate was dressed in a sharply tailored, cranberry red suit that perfectly accentuated his lean form. The vest was black with red dragons in flight embroidered across it. His style was always North and it was exquisite.

He snatched up one of North’s empty hands and pulled his mate against him, earning a slightly muffled squeak.

“Would you forgive me, Cassie, if I were to steal my North away? I have been missing him,” Warin politely inquired.

The young woman graced him with a dreamy smile while her eyes darted away, searching the room. Warin had no doubt the mage was suddenly thinking of her own dragon mate, the fierce warrior Sasha.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Cassie murmured. She tapped her index finger on her bottom lip and wandered off in search of her missing dragon.

Before North could speak, Warin twirled him out onto the dance floor and pulled him close as they started to slowly sway to the music played by a quartet—three talented dragons and a lovely mage.

“Did you truly miss me, or did you suddenly worry about another confetti explosion?” North asked.

“I will always miss you. Every second you are not in my arms, every breath when you are not in my eyesight, is too long and torturous for me. I need you more than a dragon needs his hoard,” Warin easily replied, but he might have cleared his throat when North lifted one questioning brow at him. “But Gunter might have reminded me of the confetti bomb. You are safer in my arms.”

North’s wonderful laughter rang out over their heads and waltzed around the room. “There is no place I’m safer than in your arms.” North slid his hand behind Warin’s neck and snuggled even closer. He tilted his head up, and Warin didn’t hesitate to capture those offered lips in a sweet kiss.

“I love you, my mate,” Warin murmured against North’s mouth.

“Shouldn’t that be ‘my mate-to-be?’”

“No. Even if we never bonded, you would still be my mate. I’d always be able to find you no matter where you were in the world. You hold a piece of my heart. You are half of my soul. You are the greatest treasure in my hoard.”

“God, I love when you get all poetic,” North growled before kissing him again. His tongue slipped inside Warin’s mouth, tangling with his, and stoking a fire that never seemed to go out. He couldn’t imagine ever not wanting this man. One hand tightened on North’s back while the other slid down to cup one ass cheek through his trousers.

North moaned into his mouth and pulled away. “We need to behave. We’re surrounded by the clan.” His words were nearly a whimper of need.