Sid tilted her head. “I didn’t think you’d launched your videocast yet.”
“No, not yet. Maybe someday there won’t be an attack, a mating, or some other major event taking precedence and keeping me from doing a proper launch with Gina MacDonald’s help. Still, I write stories about dragon-shifters under a pseudonym and post them occasionally. I like to think it helps,” Jane replied. “But enough about me. How’s Trahern working out?”
Kai grunted. “Jane, they’re clearly busy and Sid needs her rest. We can ask later.”
Jane frowned. “You just don’t want to hear bad things about your stepcousin, if it’s not going well.”
Not wanting them to argue, Sid stepped in. “He’s been quite helpful, actually. And Bram should be contacting you shortly about something, Kai.”
“Oooh, a new secret,” Jane stated. “I can hardly wait. Even if I can’t share them all, I like knowing them all.”
Kai ignored his mate and answered Sid, “Whatever it is, I’ll make it my top priority. Anything for you, Sid.”
She half expected Gregor to challenge Kai, but her dragonman merely caressed the back of her hand with his thumb as he said, “Good. There’s our food. You can talk with Cassidy more later. Right now, she needs to eat.”
Jane nodded. “Of course. Congrats, Sid. I’m glad to see you happy.”
Rather than darken the moment with uncertainties and all the scenarios that could still go wrong, she merely smiled. “Thanks.”
Gregor picked up their takeaway and guided them out of the restaurant. The smell of curry wafted up to her nose and her stomach rumbled. She wanted nothing more than to curl up at her mate’s side and enjoy a meal together.
Sid blinked but managed to keep walking. She’d never thought of Gregor as her mate before, but the thought of never seeing him again made her stomach flip. In a short time, he’d become an integral part of her life.
For the first time in her life, Sid wished for her own happily ever after.
But all of that could wait until she ate something. Clearly, carrying a large, Scottish doctor’s child meant eating the equivalent of three people’s worth of food on a regular basis.
A child. Yes, the dragonwoman without a dragon had found her true mate, her dragon, and carried a baby. The trick would be in balancing all three while she continued as Stonefire’s doctor. They were her family and had stood with her even when she hadn’t had a dragon. Trahern may do a good enough job, but Sid wouldn’t abandon her patients.
Looking up at Gregor, she realized she’d never asked him what he wanted. “Are you sure you want to stay on Stonefire forever? Won’t you miss your clan?”
“Aye, I will. But once Lewis is settled, we can visit Lochguard every once in a while.”
“What about your brother-in-law and niece?”
He shrugged. “Who knows, having them come down here might be good for them. Lochguard is full of memories of my sister and other niece. A fresh start could be the perfect recommendation. I’ll just have to think of a way to convince Finn without making it seem as if Bram is stealing away clan members.”
“That will be quite the feat.”
He winked. “Aye, but I’ve known Finn his whole life, which gives me a leg up on how to persuade him.” Gregor searched her eyes and added, “I want to stay with you, Cassidy. Don’t doubt it for a second. Even if your dragon goes crazy and takes time to tame, I’ll still be at your side. Whatever happens, we can face it together.”
After he leaned down to kiss her, something stirred in the back of her mind. Careful to keep any fear from her voice
, she murmured, “We need to hurry. It’s my dragon.”
With a nod, Gregor tugged Sid along. Because she trusted him, she barely paid attention to where they were going so she could focus on the cage around her beast. While there was no way Sid could spend her whole life building cages, she needed some time to win over her dragon. Her beast had once trusted Sid and she just needed to think of how to build that trust again.
She was vaguely aware of arriving at her cottage and Gregor sitting her down in the kitchen. Only when she had everything reinforced and ready to go did she search out his gaze. The determination shining in her mate’s eyes gave her strength.
Gregor nodded toward the table. “Eat, love. You won’t be able to do anything if you don’t take care of yourself.”
Since she’d given the same advice many times over to her patients in the past, Sid focused on eating one bite of curry and then another. Before her next bite, she said, “If things become too out of control, then do whatever it takes to keep me in human form and on the ground. If my dragon makes it into the air…”
He picked up where she trailed off. “I know, the DDA might go after you.” He cupped her cheek. “Just promise me you’ll fight with everything you have, love. If there’s anything I can do to win over your dragon, just say the word, and I will. Even if it requires me to dance naked with scarves, I’ll do it to help you.”
She smiled. “I don’t think that will help my dragon, but I’m curious to see such a dance.”
“Aye, well, work with your dragon and I might indulge your scarf fancy.”