Dragon Protectors: Shifter Romance Collection

by Lola Gabriel

  “Ash,” his brother muttered. “He’s going to need the help of the others. I don’t know exactly what you wanted me to do, but I assure you that he needs the midwives.”

  “Is there any way we can do that discreetly? I want as few people to know as possible.”

  “Well, Father—”

  “Especially Father.” Asher filled Sebastian in on the conversation that he’d had with his father the night he had gone to the estate. After he was done, Sebastian shook his head.

  “I understand your concern after that, but don’t you think Father would be more than pleased to find out the child was in our family? It would feed into his narrative that we are destined to reign.”

  “You didn’t see that maddening look in his eyes,” Asher said, shuddering at the memory. “He didn’t care who that child was, only that he wanted it dead—and dead by his very own hands.”

  “Are you sure that wasn’t your own fears projecting onto what he was saying?” Sebastian challenged. “I’m in no way defending him; I’m just saying that he doesn’t realize it is a possibility.”

  “It’s not something I’m willing to chance.”

  “Are you willing to chance your son dying because he didn’t get the care he needed?”

  The question was so blunt that it knocked the wind out of Olive. Her fingertip stroked Henry’s cheek. Would he really die if they didn’t return to the estate? It seemed so vicious how full circle this was becoming. The very people they were trying to protect Henry from were the only ones that could help him.

  Asher sat next to Olive once again, placing an arm around her. “What do you think?” he asked in a whisper.

  She shrugged. “All that I know is that I’m scared senseless… I don’t want anything to happen to him…”

  “I can arrange for there to be guards with the three of you—”

  “Four,” Esme chimed in.

  “Alright, four. Men that I trust well enough to do what they’re told. That way, it can give you some peace of mind. I think the best way to protect the child is to get word out of his existence. It’ll take the wind out of Father’s sails. How can he kill a child that everyone knows of? It’ll turn everyone against him.”

  What he was saying made sense to Olive, but she looked to Asher for confirmation. He knew better than she did about it all. Even though the last thing she wanted to do was return to the family estate, she knew that it could very well be Henry’s only chance to survive and become the healthy baby boy he needed to be.

  “Are you alright to travel?” Asher asked Olive.

  The answer was no. Her body was depleted, she was lightheaded and dizzy from blood loss, and never had she known exhaustion quite like this before. However, there was absolutely no way she was leaving Henry’s side. She nodded.

  Words didn’t begin to describe how anxious Olive felt about going back to Asher’s family estate with her son. The long travel time between the West Coast and the East Coast was nerve-racking, knowing that each minute counted when it came to getting the care Henry needed. While she knew babies slept a whole lot, he hadn’t seemed to stir since he had first drifted to sleep. The longer he slept, the more knotted Olive’s stomach became.

  They chartered a private jet, since it was the most feasible way to get there in the shortest amount of time. Olive and Asher were about to lose their minds. When they arrived, a town car was waiting for them as Asher had arranged for it ahead of time.

  It was rare for Olive to take her eyes away from her son. She was obsessed with watching the rise and fall of his chest, concerned that each one could be the last. They were riding on borrowed time. Even though Asher tried to calm her, there would be no chance of it until she knew that Henry was going to be okay.

  The car came to a stop, and Olive finally lifted her head to glance out the window. There they were, parked right outside of the estate. The stone mansion was intimidating to Olive, feeling as though the house itself could swallow her whole and never spit her out. Months and months of nightmares flashed before her eyes and sent a shiver down her spine. None of her dreams were coming to fruition, however. Henry was already born and in the security of his mother and father. Olive had to tell herself that Carlyle couldn’t hurt Henry, that he wouldn’t dare to, now that he was born and now that people would soon catch word of his birth.

  “Wait here, and I will text you when to come in,” Sebastian instructed Asher before climbing out of the car.

  They all waited with baited breath, eyes peeled for anyone lurking nearby. It was going to take some time for Olive to adjust back into a life where she didn’t feel the need to hide and watch her back. Then again, with the attention that would be on Henry, she doubted that the need to stay alert would ever fully go away.

  A great deal of time passed before Asher’s phone finally buzzed in his pocket. Letting out a shaky breath, Asher announced, “It’s time.”

  Lifting Henry from the car seat, they all stepped out of the car and headed reluctantly into the mansion. Olive’s heart was in her throat, and she was choking on her own racing heart rate. Her arms clutched Henry to her chest while still being mindful of how delicate he was. Asher led the way through the massive foyer and down a hall. She was positive that, without guidance, she would have been lost in there in no time.

  The realization that she was about to come face to face with Carlyle Tallant was beginning to sink in. Olive couldn’t get his face out of her head from the nightmare where he had carved her to get the baby. How pleased he had looked. Going to meet him didn’t seem like a good idea, but she forced herself to stay focused on Henry. He was all that mattered.

  When they approached an open door, Asher locked an arm about Olive’s waist as they entered the room together. It was a vast parlor with five people, excluding Sebastian, sitting in attendance. Right in the middle of everyone, in a chair of his own, was Carlyle Tallant.

  The room was rocked by so many gasps, Olive was surprised there was any air left in there at all. Sebastian had thought this through. Even Carlyle finding out about Henry was brought into the public’s eye by others being in attendance. She wondered if that meant there would be repercussions for him later. If so, Olive was that much more grateful, knowing Sebastian had taken on that risk to protect his nephew.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Carlyle murmured, staring at them with a flat expression.

  “I thought you would like to meet your grandson,” Asher called over to him.

  “Grandson?”

  Asher only nodded. Carlyle gawked for a while, and the others whispered amongst themselves.

  “Come closer,” he beckoned. Olive shot Asher a nervous glance before they both paced forward cautiously. Carlyle leaned forward and lifted his chin to get a better look. “How long have you known about this, Asher?”

  “Only about a week,” Asher informed him. “I think you and I both know why I hadn’t come to you sooner about this.”

  Carlyle’s eyes narrowed at his son, as if he was offended that he would bring such a thing up. “He’s rather tiny, isn’t he?”

  “He’s eight weeks premature. That’s why we’ve returned. To get the help he needs from the midwives. And only for that.”

  The tension between the two men was palpable, and all the others were picking up on it. Who were they? Random people that Sebastian had gathered, or were they noble as well?

  Carlyle’s jaw twitched just as Asher’s did when he was consumed with emotion. When Carlyle closed his eyes and then reopened them, he had flushed away all his resentment and anger, replaced with a look of mock sincerity.

  “Surely you don’t plan to leave so soon, Asher. After all, this is tremendous news! We have to celebrate and understand how this came to be. Not to mention, he should be around his family. What is life without it?”

  “Actually, we’ve come to understand how his conception happened,” Asher announced. “I don’t think it will exactly happen for others, unfortunately. We discovered that Olive’s biolog
ical parents were of witch descent. Her friend Esme here helped us realize that the curse only affected breeding among dragons, as well as humans. So, unless other dragons are going to seek out witches, which I don’t think is likely, Henry may be the only new dragon for the next five hundred years.”

  The relief on Carlyle’s face was genuine then, relaxing in his seat. “This is quite the revelation… Does it not speak volumes of our bloodline? Why, it must be written in the stars for the two of you to have met and gifted me with my first grandchild,” Carlyle oozed. Even though Olive could tell he was only thankful for the peace of mind it brought him—knowing that Henry’s existence would more than likely play in his favor— she too felt more at ease.

  “Sebastian, send for Tallulah and Meredith. They will be able to assess Henry and know what kind of care he needs.” Carlyle stood from his chair and closed the gap between Asher and himself. Opening his arms, he produced a smile and hugged Asher. “Welcome home, son.”

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later

  As usual, it took more time to get Yvette to let Henry go than it did to pack up the countless toys and supplies they came with. His pale face was covered in pink lipstick, but he was all smiles and giggles.

  “You guys must come again. Maybe Wednesday?” Yvette cooed as she followed them to the car.

  Olive let out a musical laugh. “Mom, today’s Tuesday.”

  “I know, I know. I just can’t get enough of him. I could just bite those fat little cheeks!”

  “Please don’t bite my son,” Asher called over with a chuckle of his own. “I’ll have to bite back.”

  “Careful, Oli, I think your man is hitting on me.”

  “Bye, Mom,” Olive said, still in a fit of laughter as she hugged her mother goodbye and climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV. Henry played happily with the toys dangling from the handlebar of his car seat as Asher pulled onto the road. “Maybe it’s time to force a little distance between her and Henry. She’s going to take him one of these days and never give him back.”

  “I’d take on the entire Kingdom before I fought your mother,” Asher joked. “At least Henry would be in good hands.”

  It warmed her heart to know how much love Henry was surrounded by. Every time they turned around, it was as though someone had their arms open, their eyes pleading for their turn to hold and play with him. All of Asher’s siblings were fantastic with him, and Henry particularly had a soft spot for Eden. Everyone liked to joke that he was a ladies’ man. Of course, it took a while for the couple to trust anyone to hold him. He had been so sick for the first couple of months, needing breathing treatments and medications to get him to where he needed to be.

  He was still small, the size of a typical three-month-old, but Asher had explained it was because of how slow dragons aged. Of course, Olive didn’t mind it one bit, knowing that many mothers wished for their children to stay little forever. However, she wasn’t quite ready for the questions she knew were coming from her parents. They had started to make comments about how small Henry still was. For the time being, Henry being born prematurely acted as an excuse, though some very difficult conversations were going to have to happen, ones that neither Asher nor Olive were ready for.

  They headed back to their townhouse in the city. Once inside, Olive busied herself with making dinner for herself and Asher. When it came to living together, it wasn’t even a topic of discussion, just an understanding they had reached without needing to vocalize it. The townhouse itself was perfect: three bedrooms with an office, full dining room, and two and a half baths. Esme frequently came by to visit, as well as to babysit when Olive and Asher would go out on rare dates, though they always had one of his siblings come by as a form of security.

  As the ziti she threw together baked, Olive made her way down the hall and into the living room. Her heart melted at the sight of Asher lying on the couch with Henry on his chest. Henry was struggling to hold onto consciousness while Asher whispered to him what was going on in a movie that played on the television. It had been Asher’s own little trick to get Henry to go to sleep, his son always lulled by the sound of his father’s voice.

  Olive leaned against the archway and watched them for a few minutes before Asher noticed her and gestured for her to join them. She happily obliged, going over and nestling into Asher’s side. From that position, she was face to face with her son. His big hazel eyes were hardly open, rolling lazily and slowly blinking. His hair was starting to curl, which made Olive absolutely melt. He was going to be the spitting image of his father, and she wasn’t sure her heart could bear the cuteness. They relaxed together as a family, all of them dozing off into a light slumber, though Olive stayed alert enough to listen out for the timer on the oven.

  When Henry was born, no one could have convinced her things would turn out so normal for them—or as normal as they could be. Olive wasn’t naïve enough to think it would last, but she certainly wasn’t stupid enough to take what they had for granted, either. She savored every day being filled with playtime, feedings, diaper changes, bath time, and family visits. All leading to moments like those, where they could just be by themselves, their own little family.

  Eventually, the oven timer did go off, and Olive sat up, placing a kiss on each of her boys’ heads before retreating to the kitchen. Pulling the pasta out of the oven, she began preparing a couple of salads, yawning as she tried to shake off the grip the nap had on her. Then, two arms snaked around her.

  “It smells fantastic,” Asher purred, trailing kisses all down her neck.

  “You can thank my mother for the recipe.”

  “Or I can thank you instead,” he grinned, playfully nibbling her ear.

  Excitement and arousal stirred in her core. “Quit it you,” she pouted, though by no means meant it.

  “Or else what?” he challenged.

  Olive turned to say something smart, but he planted a kiss on her lips, stealing away any thought she may have had. She dissolved in his hold, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. He soon pulled back and gave a smirk that indicated he was awaiting her response. “I’ve seemed to have lost my train of thought.”

  Asher laughed and nuzzled her neck, bringing her into his chest. “Oh, Olive, you make me so damn happy.”

  “You’re pretty great yourself.”

  “I mean it,” he insisted, standing straight. “I can’t even begin to remember how I ever felt joy in life before finding you. You complete me in ways that I never thought possible. The way I feel for you is just how other couples in the Kingdom expressed their love, and I used to roll my eyes. Now, I think that if I were to vocalize how I felt about you, no one could hold down their dinners,” he chuckled. “You have not only blessed me with a son, but with a love that is earth-shattering and life-altering.”

  “I feel the same about you.” Olive blushed, biting her lip excitedly. Asher brought a hand to her face, gently pulling on her chin so that her teeth had to release the lip.

  “There’s been a conversation on the backburner for far too long.” Olive’s brows pushed together, becoming puzzled with what he meant. “That night on the beach, before you went into labor?”

  That night had been such a blur to look back on that Olive didn’t fully realize what he was hinting at until he was sinking down in front of her on one knee.

  “Olive Marie Eriksson, will you marry me?” Asher asked breathlessly. His hand reached into his pocket and produced a small black velvet box. When the lid opened, Olive’s breath was taken away. A teardrop-shaped emerald was surrounded by diamonds, which lined the entire band.

  “Oh, my god,” she exhaled, her hands covering her mouth. “Of course, I will. Of course.”

  Asher was on his feet in an instant, swooping her off her feet and spinning her around in a circle. Her hands cradled his face and showered him with kisses. He chuckled softly and kissed her back as he sat her down, simultaneously sliding the ring on her finger. Did anyone at all know hap
piness quite as Olive was feeling it just then? She didn’t think it to be possible, since she had the perfect man and the perfect son. No one else had them to call their own.

  They kissed passionately, which led them to abandon their dinner plans and steal away to their room while Henry napped. They were caught in the throes of passion, making slow, sweet love. They kissed every square inch of one another’s bodies and held onto one another like it was their last moment on earth.

  After, they lay together, flushed and content. Olive scratched Asher’s chest and couldn’t help but stare at the ring on her finger. The thought of becoming a Tallant was overwhelming, yet exciting. At that point, considering they had a child together, marriage was just a sentimental gesture. It was one that meant the world to her, however.

  “I love you, Olive,” Asher purred at her, brushing the tip of his nose along the length of hers.

  “I love you, too. More than you can ever know.”

  They remained like that, surrounded by silence and the warmth of love. It gave Olive immense solace to know that days like this were plentiful to come. Never again would she have to feel lonely or uncertain. No longer did she have to wait for better days when each day she experienced held no regrets.

  When Henry began to whine from his room, the couple finally forced themselves from the bed. Olive slipped on her robe and headed downstairs to once again tend to their dinner while Asher tended to Henry. Soon enough, Olive was plating their dinners, and Asher emerged in a pair of boxers with a sleepy-faced Henry in his arms. They sat at the table, Olive taking Henry to hold in her lap. He was starting to try to babble, but he mostly just made an “ahh” noise.

  “Da-da,” Asher cooed to him.

  “Or Ma-ma,” Olive butted in, sticking her tongue out at Asher. He laughed at her and rolled his eyes.

  “So jealous. Guess we’ll just have to have another one so we can share appropriately, hm?”

  Olive nearly choked on her food and looked at him. “Can’t we get this one out of diapers before discussing adding more?”