Even though Bram was being protective, she nodded. “Thanks, Bram.” The bagpipe music increased in volume. “You’d better go or who knows how loud they’ll be.”
“Right, then I’m off.”
Bram kissed her cheek and exited the room.
Standing tall, Sid took a deep breath. While she worked with people every day, she wasn’t used to being the center of attention. Hopefully she could keep her wits about her.
Her dragon spoke up again. Of course you can. Let’s hurry and claim our mate.
With her dragon’s encouragement, Sid opened the door and walked toward the dais at the front of the great hall.
~~~
Gregor stood to the side of the room in his kilt-like traditional outfit, waiting for Cassidy to make an appearance. Since the ceremony had been scheduled to start at noon and it was a few minutes past, he hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts.
His dragon sighed. Of course not. See Bram coming out of the room? It’s his fault.
Bram met Gregor’s eyes and nodded. Gregor reciprocated the gesture. The two men were coming to terms with each other, although Gregor was aware he’d never be as close with Bram as he was with Finn.
His beast chimed in. That’s fine. Even if Bram’s not a close friend, he’ll always protect us. He cares for Cassidy like a sister.
I know. It’s just different is all.
Before any other doubts could creep into his mind, Cassidy stepped out of the side room in her deep blue traditional dress and he stopped breathing.
The dark blue dress slung over one shoulder, leaving the shoulder of her tattooed arm bare. The color also made her pale skin glow. When she met his eyes, they were full of love and a touch of amusement. As the bagpipe music increased in volume, the corner of her mouth ticked up.
He walked up to her and tucked one of her arms under his as he murmured, “You look lovely, lass.”
“You’re not too bad yourself.”
They smiled at each other for another second before they walked down the aisle to the dais. Gregor barely noticed his friends and family in the seats. He was about to be mated for a second time.
Not that long ago, he would’ve doubted his decision or feared for his new mate’s life. However, Cassidy had wormed her way into his heart and knocked some sense into him as well. So far, everything was perfectly normal about her pregnancy and she had promised to be careful as it progressed.
Because of her encouragement, he looked forward to his future with his mate and child. He’d never forget his first mate, but he knew she’d want him to be happy.
After ascending the stairs, Gregor and Cassidy moved to the center of the dais, where there was a box open on top of the table. Inside were their silver engraved mating bands.
They faced one another with clasped hands and the bagpipe music died down. The room fell silent and Gregor cleared his throat. Projecting his voice, he said, “I never thought I would be lucky enough to find a second chance. Between walling up my emotions and dedicating my life to practicing medicine, I was determined to be alone for the rest of my days. But then a no-nonsense female came into my life and try as I might, I couldn’t resist her strength. She had a will few could only imagine and her own inner battles to deal with. Yet despite all of that, she was determined to help me. Soon, we were helping each other and I knew she would steal my heart. And it wasn’t long before I fell in love with the clever, dedicated, and caring female in front of me. I imagine a future where we work together in all areas of life—from practicing medicine, to forcing each other to take a break, to even trying to outdo each other with ridiculous contests.”
A few people chuckled in the audience, but Gregor barely noticed. “I love you, Dr. Cassidy Jackson. Would you do me the honor of accepting my claim and becoming my mate?” She nodded and joy raced through his body. Somehow he managed to pick up the silver arm cuff engraved with his name in the old dragon language and gently put it on the bicep of her tattoo-free arm.
Both man and beast liked seeing their name on their mate’s arm—Cassidy Jackson was theirs forever.
Cassidy stood tall as her voice boomed out. “To say I was a workaholic was an understatement. However, since I care deeply for my clan, I didn’t mind. I never expected to take a mate, let alone be a mother. I had long accepted that, but then one particular Scottish dragonman entered my life and I had a hard time forgetting him. He even came to help when I needed him most. He not only captured my heart, but my dragon’s as well. I wouldn’t be a whole dragonwoman today without Gregor Innes. I love that he works with me rather than try to take over my practice, and yet he isn’t afraid to tell me when I need to take a break. With him by my side, I enjoy life again. The thought of raising a child with him is one of my greatest gifts.”
A few people cooed in the audience, and Cassidy continued, “I love you, Dr. Gregor Innes. Will you accept my claim and become my mate?”
“Of course I do, love.”
Smiling, Cassidy slid the silver band engraved with her name in the old dragon language around his bicep. The second she was done, he pulled her close and kissed her. While he may not be the first male to do so, he would be the last one. He was never letting his doctor go.
~~~
Sid’s heart thundered in her ears as she slipped the mating band around Gregor’s bicep. She had no regrets, but standing in front of the clan was testing her nerves more than she would’ve thought.
However, as Gregor’s lips touched hers and he gently nibbled her bottom lip, her heart slowed. The crowd faded. Gregor Innes had her full attention.
As he pulled her closer to his body, she calmed even further. She didn’t think twice of his hand roaming down her back until he lightly cupped her arse cheek. She broke the kiss to whisper, “Stop it.”
He winked. “I couldn’t help it. I needed something to tide me over until later.”
Unable to resist a smile, she murmured, “Just don’t do the same thing in front of our leaders or your niece.”
At the mention of Gregor’s niece, Fiona, he nodded. “We should probably face the crowd again and make the rounds. The sooner we do, the sooner I can whisk you away.”
“Don’t even think of carrying me out of the great hall.”
He winked. “It’s hard to sneak when carrying another person. You’re safe this time.”
She snorted and her dragon spoke up. He always makes things fun.
Don’t encourage him too much.
Before her beast could reply, she and Gregor turned toward everyone gathered in the hall and cheers rose up.
Everything else was a blur as they descended the stairs and were instantly accosted by Bram and Finn. Finn spoke up first. “Glad to see you made it through without Sid running away.”
Gregor grunted. “A ‘congrats’ would’ve sufficed.”
Finn punched his arm. “Congratulations is boring.” He moved his gaze to Sid. “Although I will say congratulations to the lady.” He lowered his voice. “And keep watch over our doctor, okay? He needs to learn to loosen up every once in a while.”
She smiled. “Considering his fancy for scarfs and naked statues, I think he knows how to relax.”
Finn grinned at Gregor. “Oh, aye? This is the first I heard of it.”
Bram jumped in. “Given your penchant for teasing, I’m surprised anyone shares embarrassing things with you at all.”
Finn motioned toward Bram. “Don’t worry, Bram. I’m still working on you. Not that Arabella is any help in that department.”
Arabella had been forced to stay on Lochguard because of her advanced pregnancy, so Sid decided to keep a check on Finn in her place. “There are far more important things in life to worry about, such as you handling triplets whilst also running the clan.”
Finn sighed. “Of course you’d bring that up.”
Gregor wrapped his arm around Sid’s waist. “As much as I’d like to keep chatting, there are a lot of other people we need to talk to.”
Fin
n placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me, Gregor.” He winked. “But keeping Bram occupied will entertain me. Just make sure to see me again before you disappear with your mate. I’m going back to Lochguard in a few hours so I can keep watch over Arabella.”
“Don’t suffocate her, Finn,” Sid stated.
“I try not to, although I can’t completely control my nature.” Finn motioned toward the crowd. “Go. There are some special guests waiting to talk with you.”
Sid knew he meant Harry and Fiona Chisolm.
“We’ll see you later,” Gregor replied before guiding Sid away from Finn and Bram.
Sid looked around and spotted Evie with Melanie and Tristan MacLeod. All of their children, minus baby Eleanor in Evie’s arms, were playing at their feet.
As she watched Gregor scan the crowd from the corner of her eye, Sid decided she would catch up with Evie and Melanie later. Her mate wouldn’t be at ease until they talked with Harry and Fiona.
Gregor pointed to the edge of the room, where Harry sat with his daughter, and murmured, “Let’s catch them before they try to escape. Even if they’re going to be living here, Harry will still find a way to hide.”
“Of course. I’m just happy they were able to come.”
“It took some convincing by Finn, but in the end, he managed it. For all his teasing nature, he really cares about the clan.”
She leaned against him. “Don’t worry, we’ll try to visit Lochguard as often as we can.”
He glanced down at her. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“A few minutes ago.” Sid grinned. “But you can say it as often as you like, within reason. If you start saying it nonstop, I will punch you. I know how to take down a grown male, after all.”
He raised his brows. “Oh, aye? Care to give me a hint so I can better prepare myself?”
“Not a chance. I need a secret weapon or two.”
Gregor kissed her cheek and whispered, “I really do love you, Cassidy,” before guiding her the last few feet to Harry and Fiona.
Harry stood up and nodded. “Hi, Gregor.”
“Is that the way to greet family?” Gregor released his hold on Sid to engulf the younger man in a hug.
The little girl standing next to Harry tugged on Gregor’s outfit. “What about me, Uncle Gregor? You promised me an extra big hug if I came.”
Gregor released Harry and crouched down. “Aye, I did. Come here.”
Watching Gregor hug his niece tightly, Sid couldn’t help but notice the girl was smiling in her uncle’s arms.
Moving to Stonefire would be good for them.
Her dragon spoke up. Of course it is. We’ll look out for them. They are family now, too.
Her beast was right—Sid had new members to her family. She would make an extra effort to help Harry and Fiona live through their grief and hopefully find happiness again.
Gregor let Fiona go and the girl looked up at Sid. “You’re my new auntie, right?”
She crouched down. “Yes, I am. You can call me Sid.”
“I’m Fiona,” the girl said before hugging Sid.
Squeezing the little one tightly, Sid finally released her. “Now, Fiona, would you like to meet some of the other children? There’s a group of kids about your age toward the back.”
Fiona stood on her tiptoes. “Are they all boys?”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing at Fiona’s disgusted tone. “Most, but not all.” She lowered her voice. “But just act in charge with the boys, and usually they’ll listen.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Really. Remember, you’re the new girl and everyone will want to chat with you. First impressions are everything, so don’t let any of the boys try to intimidate you.”
“Aye, I’ll try to remember that.” Fiona took her hand. “Will you take me there?”
Sid glanced at Gregor. With his eyes full of love and warmth, she knew he wouldn’t mind her taking a few minutes of their mating day to settle his niece. “I’ll be right back.”
“Aye, love. Just don’t be away too long.”
After one more loving look at her mate, Sid guided Fiona toward the children’s play area.
Between her mate’s love, Fiona’s faith, and Sid having her dragon once again, she was one of the luckiest dragonwomen in the world. Her battle had been hard fought and she would never take her happiness for granted. But she’d be damned to let it slip through her fingers again.
After all, her happily ever after had just begun.
Epilogue
A little less than eight months later
Sid tucked the blanket tighter around her newborn son and murmured, “We’re nearly home, Wyatt.”
Gregor rubbed her back. “He’s a braw lad and can handle a few minutes outside. If he catches a cold with that many layers of blanket around him, then it was bound to happen anyway.”
She managed to tear her gaze away from her son long enough to frown at her mate. “Considering how you pretty much kept me on bed rest for the last two weeks, I’m surprised you’re so laid back about Wyatt.”
Gregor brushed their son’s cheek. “You’re both alive and well. Besides, you’ve drilled into me how I worry too much. I’m trying to follow my doctor’s orders.”
“I sure hope this complacency doesn’t last long. It makes me uneasy.”
“So little faith, love.”
He pulled Sid tighter against his side and she sighed. “At least you didn’t bring up yet again how our son might one day become a gunslinger.”
“That was our deal—we’d name our son after your brother, but I have free license to tease you about it.”
She traced the shapes on the blanket around Wyatt. “The Wild West print on the blanket is a tad much.”
“Oh, that’s just easing you in. I have a surprise for you at home.”
“What did you do, Gregor?”
He winked. “Just wait and see.”
Her dragon spoke up. I like surprises. Gregor has the most unusual ones.
And that’s what worries me.
However, they arrived at the door to their cottage before Sid could question her mate further. He opened the door, but as she peered inside, the hall hadn’t changed from when she’d gone into labor. “Where’s this surprise of yours?”
Gregor chuckled. “Someone’s impatient.” He guided her toward the stairs. “Come.”
As they ascended the stairs, Sid murmured to her son, “Welcome home, Wyatt.”
Her baby was fast asleep, but Sid vowed right then and there that their son would always have a loving home. No matter how annoying Gregor could be at times, he was her best friend and true mate. Together, they could do anything.
Gregor stopped in front of Wyatt’s room. “The surprise is in here.”
Since they’d both been busy and unable to decorate Wyatt’s room, it should have been empty. “If you managed to decorate that whilst I was in labor, I might just be impressed.”
He placed a hand on her lower back. “Of course I’m impressive. Sometimes it just takes you a little while to realize that.”
She shook her head, but couldn’t stop smiling. “Just open the door.”
“As my lady wishes.”
Gregor complied and Sid blinked at what was inside.
A mural painted on the wall depicted what she assumed was the Arizona desert, complete with cacti and horses running wild in the distance. A few cowboys rode hard near the front of the picture, but unlike most human depictions of the old west, dragons also flew in the sky.
After taking in the mural, she noticed the furniture and a few of Gregor’s animal carvings posted around the room. However, when she saw what was on the dresser, she stopped to study Gregor’s newest carving. It had three dragons posing for a family photo and each of them had on a little cowboy hat.
Her beast huffed. A dragon would never wear a hat. And most certainly not a cowboy hat.
That’s what makes it so special.
&nb
sp; If you say so.
She looked up at Gregor and he raised his brows. “So, what do you think? I had to call in a lot of favors, but I think it turned out brilliantly.”
“It may not have been my first choice, but knowing you went to all this trouble, I love it.”
Her mate beamed. “Harry told me I was crazy, but I knew you’d grow to like it.” He motioned toward the dragons in cowboy hats. “Fiona suggested the hats. I thought it was a great idea.”
She chuckled. “Fiona would suggest that.” The little girl had started to come out of her shell a few months ago and nearly had the run of Stonefire’s younger children. “But as much as I enjoy your surprise, I want Wyatt to sleep in our room for a little while. While I know it’s irrational, I don’t want to let him out of my sight just yet.”
Gregor cupped the top of their son’s head. “I couldn’t agree more. Besides, he needs time to get to know us, too.”
As they stood together and stared at their son, Sid blinked back her tears. Even though they were tears of joy, it would upset her mate.
Besides, despite her exhaustion and soreness, Sid wanted to enjoy this moment as long as she could. Standing in a room full of dragons and cowboys with her son in her arms and her mate at her side was more than she ever could’ve hoped for. This memory would stay with her for the rest of her life.
However, it was just the beginning. Between coordinating with other dragon-shifter doctors and taking care of Stonefire as well as their son, Sid and Gregor had many more memories to make.
*~*~*
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The next dragon-shifter story will be Faye MacKenzie and Grant McFarland’s book, The Dragon Warrior (Lochguard Highland Dragons #4), out in February 2017. However, I will release a sci-fi romance in January called The Conquest that you might want to check out. I’ll share both the blurb for The Conquest as well as an excerpt from the first book in my Asylums for Magical Threats series, Blaze of Secrets. To keep up-to-date on new releases and information, make sure to sign-up for my newsletter on my website. Turn the page for glimpses of my other works.
Cured by the Dragon (Stonefire British Dragons Book 8) Page 22