Evie wrapped her arm around Bram’s shoulders. “I told you.” She met Gregor’s eyes. “What will help the most, Dr. Innes?”
Gregor tightened a tourniquet around Bram’s bicep and took out a blood draw kit from his bag. “Reducing your workload and therefore your stress is what will help most. And if you’re like any clan leader I’ve met before, you probably don’t exercise as much as you should.”
Bram grunted. “I don’t have the bloody time to do that. My clan’s safety is the most important thing. Going for a swim in a lake comes somewhere toward the bottom of the list.”
Gregor raised his brows as he removed the protective plastic from the needle and blood collection tube. “I would hope your clan’s safety is first, given you’re clan leader and all.” Bram glared and Gregor stopped teasing. “Learn to delegate, then. You can maybe take on an understudy.”
Evie asked, “Is that done? A clan leader taking a deputy leader? I truly don’t know.”
“Aye, it’s been done in the past,” Bram answered. “But as our numbers decreased over the centuries, the practice stopped.”
Gregor found the vein and stuck in the needle before attaching the tube. To his credit, Bram didn’t so much as grunt. “Those born from the early years of the sacrifice system are more than old enough to help. You should start looking there.”
Evie answered before Bram could. “Oh, he will. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Evie…”
“No, Bram. You don’t need to prove how hard you work. Everyone knows it. A little help would do you good. You could also spend more time with the children.”
“Aye, to change their nappies, I suspect,” Bram answered dryly.
As the pair continued to banter, jealousy tugged at Gregor’s heart. He and Bridget had once had similar arguments. The only difference was that they had never had the chance to actually see their plans through. Gregor would’ve changed all of the nappies if it had meant Bridget and their son were still alive.
His beast chimed in. We will always love Bridget and the bairn. But even she would’ve wanted you to be happy. After more than a decade, don’t you think it’s time? Cassidy might be our last chance.
You’re being a bit dramatic.
Stop with the drawling and focus. Finding two true mates in a lifetime is a gift. Don’t be a stubborn arse and hide behind something you can’t control.
For a few seconds, Gregor’s reasons for staying away from Cassidy slipped and an image of her leaning against him, their entwined hands over her protruding belly flashed inside his mind.
His dragon hummed. If you want it, then you need to go after it.
Then an image of Cassidy in childbirth, screaming in agony as complications sapped away her life replaced the image and restored his resolve. No, dragon. Until there is a guarantee or way to ensure a female doesn’t have complications, I won’t risk another life.
His beast sighed. Then our second chance will soon slip through our fingers.
So be it.
As his dragon fell quiet, Gregor knew it wasn’t the end of it.
He removed the tube and needle before applying a bandage. Clearing his throat, he garnered Evie and Bram’s attention. “I’ll come back tomorrow to check up on you and to hear about your plans to reduce your stress load.”
“I’ll wear him down by then, Dr. Innes,” Evie answered.
Rather than stay to hear the couple argue, Gregor picked up his bag and exited without another word. He headed back to the surgery to check on Cassidy.
The happy image from before, with her leaning against him, returned and Gregor savored it the whole way back because it was the closest thing he would ever have to a mate again.
Chapter Four
Sid was half asleep when she felt something brush her temple. Opening her eyes, she saw Gregor looming over her with something clutched in his palm. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”
“Making sure your brain activity is normal,” he said innocently.
Narrowing her eyes, she stared at his clutched fingers. “Show me what you have.”
“No.”