She searched his eyes. "What do you want?"
"Nothing." He nuzzled her cheek with his. "I just don't say it enough."
Before she could question him further, he kissed her. As he tasted and stroked the inside of his mate's mouth, Finn temporarily forgot about the rest of his problems. No matter what happened, he would always have Arabella and his children. And at the end of the day, that was the greatest prize of all.
Chapter Two
The next evening, Arabella MacLeod walked into her dining room and quietly took her seat. As the MacKenzies often did when in the home of a family member, they ignored everyone around them to argue and bicker with one another.
Faye, the youngest one with wild, curly brown hair, pointed a finger at her brother Fraser. "Just leave Holly alone, brother. Why you think breathing will break every bone in her body, I'll never understand."
Fraser stopped fussing with his mate Holly to look at his younger sister and narrow his blue eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. She needs to breathe to stay alive. These chairs are bloody uncomfortable, and Holly's having a hard enough time as it is."
Holly opened her mouth, but Faye cut her off. "The chairs are fine, and you know it. Keep it up, and she'll leave you the first chance she gets."
Holly mumbled, "If I haven't left yet, I'm not going anywhere." However, neither MacKenzie heard her.
Fraser growled at his sister. "When you're nearly nine months pregnant, then you can tell me how bloody comfortable these chairs are, sister. Until then, you have no say."
"And you do? Did you grow a uterus I was unaware of and magically become nine months pregnant? Because if so, then you must be having gnomes for children with a flat belly like that."
Holly glanced at Arabella and rolled her eyes. Arabella smiled back in understanding. Fraser and Finn were the most alike between the cousins, and much like how Arabella helped to steady Finn at times, Holly did the same with Fraser.
Her dragon spoke up. The difference is that Fraser acts like a teenager most of the time.
Now, now, that's unfair. He's done a bit of maturing since meeting Holly.
He'll never compare to our Finn.
I'll agree with that much, dragon.
The last remaining MacKenzie sibling, Fergus, stood and paced the length of the room and back again. His mate, Gina, sighed. "Sit down, Fergus. Pacing only makes your dragon more anxious."
She reached up to touch him, but Fergus moved away. "I'm sorry, lass. I want to sit down and put my arm around you, but my beast is walking a fine line."
Faye jumped in. "Have the blasted frenzy, Fergus. Gina's said that she's ready more times than I can count."
Fergus shook his head. "Wee Jamie isn't even a year old. That's not enough time."
Gina stood. "Fergus, shouldn't I have the final say when I'm ready? Your caring for others and my needs is one of the reasons I love you, but you need to listen to me on this. If you don't do something soon, you could end up losing your job, not to mention me, too."
He frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Seeing you suffer like this, day in and day out, is killing me, Fergus. I need my steadfast mate at my side. Either let the frenzy take place, or I'm going to move in with my sister."
Fergus's brows furrowed, and Arabella sensed he was about to be overly dutiful and ruin everything. She'd wanted to wait until Finn brought in the food before she said anything, but it could be too late by then.
Arabella put every bit of dominance into her voice she could muster. "Listen to your mate, Fergus. Because if you don't, you're a fool."
Six pairs of eyes turned toward her. At one point in her life, Arabella would've run away from such scrutiny. But the MacKenzies were her family now. And she wasn't about to shirk from healing and helping them any way she could. She continued, "Go on, stare at me. Glower, even. But Gina is all but throwing herself at you, Fergus. If you don't take her, then you don't deserve her."
Fergus growled. "Watch it, Ara."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because it's the truth and it hurts? I'm not afraid of you, Fergus. And if you think I'm going to sit and say nothing, then you don't know me at all." She switched her gaze to Gina. "Am I right? You want the frenzy?" Gina nodded, and Arabella looked back at Fergus. "Then go. Tonight."
Gina shook he
r head. "As much as I want to, we can't. There's no one to watch Jamie."