Shifters of the Wellsprings: The Complete Paranormal Collection

by Leela Ash

  Ariel felt her cheeks grow warm as the other three Dragons startled. They hadn’t known. They assumed that she was his Mate. That she was something more than just a hired nanny.

  That cool, calculating expression never left Lorde’s face. “I had hoped one of the Hares would be your soul mate. Clearly, that didn’t work out,” he added drily. “The odds of you meeting anyone in this town are miniscule. I’ll see about re-assigning you to a large city. Preferably one that has a large contingent of Shifter women.”

  Shifter women. Ariel wrapped her arms around her chest and wished, with all her heart, that she could melt through the floor. Because what the Alpha really meant was ‘someone worthy of a Dragon’.

  Someone different from her.

  He didn’t come out and say it, but Ariel knew the truth. For one day, she’d let herself dream that this could work. Her rescue would prove her love. His Dragon would see the strength of her soul and Claim her.

  None of that had happened. She’d done her best and she was still just herself. Kin, not Shifter. Nanny, not Mate.

  Now grief filled her eyes with foolish tears. She was going to embarrass herself… embarrass Owen by weeping in front of his Flight like a jilted teenager. Dammit, where had he dropped her crutches? She needed to escape before she shamed herself. “Pardon me, it’s getting late and I should…”

  “Wait.” Owen’s tone, firm and quiet, held her. “I want you here for this. Mr. Lorde.” Suddenly formal, he set his bottle down on the table and faced his Alpha. “I want to remain here in Adeline.”

  The room had gone quiet. Hope, that treacherous emotion, stirred in Ariel’s heart.

  “I don’t care what you want. You have a mission and you need to complete it.”

  Owen’s chin rose. “I decline your ‘mission.’”

  She gasped. Around her, the Dragons froze in place, startled by this refusal.

  Lorde leaned forward, his eyes locking with Owen’s. “You ‘decline’ an order of your Alpha?”

  Unable to bear that piercing gaze, he winced and glanced away. “Please don’t order this.”

  “But I do. I order you to find your Mate.”

  “No.”

  Soft as that word was, it was still open rebellion. Fire stirred in Lorde’s eyes. “So, you defy your Alpha?”

  Dragons were proud, regal creatures. Yet, like Wolves, they followed the most powerful of their Kind. Owen squirmed at the accusation; his Dragon must be gnawing its own talons right now. But despite the natural urge to submit to an Alpha’s will, her lover held firm.

  “I will not look for a Mate. If you think that’s rebellion, so be it.”

  “And I will not trust a Dragon with half a soul!” Lorde countered.

  Her stomach tied in a knot. Owen would do this for her? Turn his back on his Flight? Abandon their cause, just as magic returned to the world?

  Love, pained and tender, welled up within her. He was glorious, proud… and she couldn’t let him sacrifice everything for her.

  “Owen, it’s all right. I don’t mind. I…” The word lodged in her throat, but she choked it out. “I want you to be happy.”

  “I am happy!”

  Why did he have to make this so hard? “Not as happy as you’d be with your Mate. Mr. Lorde is right. This woman, whoever she is… she’s your soul mate. Fate meant you to…”

  Owen bounded to his feet. “Screw Fate!” he snapped. “And screw you!” he added, with a venomous glare at Lorde.

  Ariel squeaked and clapped a hand over her mouth, sure that this insolence would summon the rage of the Alpha’s Dragon. Yet, he remained seated, the ghost of a smile playing around his lips.

  As his fellow Dragons tried to hush him, Owen rounded on his Alpha. “Okay, fine. I didn’t Claim Ariel. We didn’t have some stupid dream about cups and daggers. No mystical Dragon appeared and intoned the Rite of Claiming. And you know what? I don’t care! To hell with your idiotic rituals! I love her, and I’m going to marry her.”

  He was… what? The blood drained from her face as she struggled to understand what he’d said. He didn’t want a soul mate? She was good enough?

  He loved her?

  Full of righteous anger and defiance, Owen faced his Alpha, daring him to deny him.

  Face impassive, Lorde studied his Flightmate. Testing the strength of the other Dragon’s rebellion. And when Owen did not yield, his smile, half hidden all this time, finally broke free. “Miss McDunnah appears quite surprised by your intention to marry her. Did you plan on telling her before or after the wedding?”

  “What? Oh!” Ready for a fight, the sudden ‘surrender’ left Owen speechless. He turned to her, saw the shock on her face, and quickly dropped to one knee.

  “Ariel, will you marry me?”

  Marry him? Heart and head whirled in confusion. One moment, she had resigned herself to losing him, forever. Now, he offered to share his life, his family, with her?

  Of course, she wanted to marry him! But before she could even open her mouth to accept, he barreled onwards. “I love you. The kids love you. You’ve turned us into a true family.”

  “Owen…”

  “I mean it! Without you, we’d fall apart. Your kindness won Sydnee’s heart. Your love saved my life.”

  “Owen, I…”

  “I can’t live without you. And I can’t imagine that any love, even one blessed by a Dragon, could be deeper and more real than what I feel for you. You are my soul mate, whether my Dragon knows that or not. I…”

  She raised a finger and gently tapped his lips. “You have to let me say ‘yes.’”

  “Yes? You’ll marry me?”

  “Of course, I’ll marry you!” How could the silly man ever doubt that? “I’ve always loved you, even when I was sure it was all hopeless.”

  He kissed her then. Full of passion, full of promise of a glorious future. They would always be together. Man and wife, even if not Dragon and Mate.

  And that was good enough for both of them.

  Farrell, a red-haired Dragon, cleared his throat then mouthed the word ‘Ring?’

  Horror flashed across Owen’s face. “Oh hell. I’ve messed this up. I don’t…”

  “Perhaps this will do for now?” From a pocket, Brandon Lorde produced a small ring box. He flipped it open to reveal a gold band with a great diamond that glittered even in the room’s dim light.

  Dazed, Owen accepted it. “Why do you have an engagement ring in your pocket?”

  “Because I suspected something like this would happen,” his Alpha admitted. “Every time you checked in over the last month, you talked more about Miss McDunnah than the Warren.”

  Vexation began to burn away her love’s confusion. “Then why did you give me such a hard time and threaten to send me away from her?”

  “Because if you weren’t willing to fight me for her, you didn’t deserve her. I would know that you did not truly love her.”

  Owen’s nose wrinkled; clearly, his Dragon was growling about the trick. But he took the ring from its holder and slipped it on her finger.

  Ring… Dragon… a future together… she loved them, longed for them all. Yet, one doubt lingered.

  “Are you sure this is all right?” she asked Lorde. “I’m not his soul mate.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “The dream we shared wasn’t the Rite of Claiming.”

  “Perhaps not. Though I imagine the fault is Jackson’s.” Owen bristled, but kept his tongue. “Only a true Dragon can Claim a Mate. Jackson is as brave and honest as any Shifter. Yet, he’s been selfish and lacked self-control. Up until now,” he added, as her love scowled.

  “Now, he truly is a Dragon. A Protector. So who knows what the future will bring?” Lorde raised his bottle of beer in a toast. “To the new couple.”

  “To the new couple.” The rest of the Flight joined him in that salute.

  Ariel beamed and snuggled closer to her love. She couldn’t predict the future any more than Lorde could. Yet, she
knew that no matter what came, she and Owen would face it, side by side.

  Together.

  Postscript.

  Ariel stood on the beach once more. Wind in her hair, just as in the first dream. Same ethereal gown swirling about her.

  This time, however, she held a cup. A golden chalice emblazoned with a Dragon’s sinuous coils.

  Behind her, she heard a whoop of delight.

  Turning, she saw Owen bounding over the white sands. “Ariel! Ariel!” He waved a black handled knife in the air. “I found the dagger!”

  He was so excited he forgot the delicate little sash wrapped around his waist. As he charged toward her, it fluttered off.

  Again. Just like in the last dream. He seemed destined never to wear that thing for longer than five seconds.

  She started laughing and waggled her cup at him. That won her another cheer.

  Above them, the ghostly outline of a Dragon appeared in the sky. “No Claim without Truth,” it rumbled, in tones of thunder. “Show her your soul.”

  Her heart felt ready to burst with joy. This was it. The Rite of Claiming. She wasn’t ‘just’ Owen’s love – she truly was his Mate!

  Still chuckling, he kissed her once more.

  “Let’s do it right this time, shall we?”

  The End

  Dragon’s Redemption

  Dragon Dreams Book 4

  A Wellspring Chronicles Tale

  Leela Ash

  Tabitha St. George

  Copyright ©2018 by Leela Ash. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter 1

  Lafferty’s, the hottest restaurant in Jackson, Wyoming, boasted signature cocktails, aged steaks, and a Michelin star rating. Today, the entire establishment had been reserved for one purpose only.

  To honor her.

  Bree Williams surveyed the tables packed with tycoons and millionaires, the elite of one of the wealthiest cities in the US. They had come, decked out in their tuxedos and designer evening gowns, to toast her.

  She deserved it. She’d made them all a hell of a lot of money.

  Luxe Estates had just sold its last plot. Seventy-eight multi-million-dollar homes were about to be built. Elegant mansions with breathtaking views of the Grand Tetons.

  How many challenges had she defeated? Well, to start with, six crotchety old ranchers, none of whom wanted to part with their land. Three zoning ordinances that had to be overturned. Four town meetings spent calming irate citizens who feared Luxe would be a glorified housing development. And scores of title problems, each one a legal landmine that could sour the entire deal.

  But she’d beaten those challenges, each and every one. Now she sat, surrounded by splendor, celebrated by the most powerful people in the state, on the verge of earning a seven-figure commission herself.

  So why, she asked herself as she swirled her pisco sour, wasn’t she happy?

  The steak was perfect, the drink sharp and strong. The people were, well, a little tedious. Diamond-drowned elites trying to impress each other. Yet, the man at her side made up for that.

  Daven Kane was her partner, the yang to her yin. A high-powered lawyer, the big gun she could always count on when negotiations failed. She sweet-talked the ranchers and smoothed the fur of the upset locals. He followed behind her. Slaying the legal problems she found. Making sure the contracts were tight and ironclad. And bringing out the knives whenever anyone tried to back out.

  On top of that, he was good in bed. Lean, athletic, and willing to try anything once. Bree stole a sideways glance and admired his sharp cheek bones, the sweep of his dark hair, the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed. They were a great pair – both in bed and in the office.

  So, why the melancholy?

  She sipped her pisco, savoring the froth of egg whites that topped it. This always happened. She closed a deal, admirers laid the world at her feet… and instead of celebrating, she found herself like this. Staring into an expensive drink, wondering where her happiness fled.

  “Don’t like the drink?” Daven leaned close, surrounding her with the scent of his aftershave.

  “Hmm? Oh, it’s fine.” Bree drew a deep breath, savoring the musky, masculine scent.

  “Then why the long face? I hope it’s not the company.”

  “No, no.” She laughed and brushed his cheek with a light kiss. He waited, patient as always, until she shrugged. “I guess I’m just wondering what’s next. What do I do now? Life seems empty without a project.”

  “Let me get this straight.” His whisper was soft and warm against her ear. “Less than twenty-four hours after you close an enormous deal, and you’re bored?”

  “Not bored, no,” she protested. “More like…”

  “Hungry. Eager. Ready for the next challenge. That’s what I love about you,” he murmured as he nuzzled her hair. “I’ve never met a woman as ambitious as you. You’re a natural born wolf.”

  High praise coming from him. Wasn’t that what she’d always wanted? To be rich and powerful? To be a predator, not prey?

  So, why this hollowness? This emptiness?

  “Do you know what I need right now?” Bree slipped her foot out of her shoe and slid her stockinged foot along his leg.

  Daven’s smile sharpened, ravenous. “Right now…?”

  “Yup. Right now, I need… another drink.” Bree downed the rest of the pisco and waved her glass at the attentive waiter.

  “Tease,” he laughed.

  “Well, I’ll need other things later,” she promised. “Just not in front of a crowd!”

  The drink arrived. Then another. Then dessert (which, of course, had to be accompanied by a snifter of sherry). Then one more pisco for the road. As the speeches and toasts died out, Bree finally relaxed.

  See? Enough alcohol always does the trick. Toss some good love-making on top of that, and everything will be fine.

  Ting, ting!

  Beside her, Daven rapped a knife against his wineglass, silencing the room with a bright, clear ring. “Ladies and gentlemen! I have one last announcement to make.”

  Pleasantly buzzed, Bree beamed at him as he rose to his feet. He gave her a quick nod then turned a radiant smile on the other diners. “We’ve spent the evening piling accolades on this magnificent woman. Now, with her consent, of course, I’d like to add one more.”

  Daven drew something out of his pocket and held it out before the crowd. Startled ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ swept across the room. She couldn’t quite make out what this thing was, but clearly, people were impressed.

  With a flourish, he turned and held out a tiny box. Nestled in its velvet-lined heart was a ring.

  A ring with an enormous pea-sized diamond.

  “I plan to make this lady Mrs. Bree Kane.” Applause and cheers met his words.

  People surged to their feet, clapping wildly. Only Bree remained seated, struggling to understand what was happening. Was Daven proposing? Normally, proposals involved questions not statements. But that was Daven for you. Questions gave people an opportunity to say ‘no.’ Better to stick to statements, right?

  Could this be a joke? Bree swallowed and gazed up at him, trying to catch the glint of laughter in her lover’s eyes. Unfortunately, she couldn’t. Daven wasn’t looking at her. His eyes swept the audience, drinking in their admiration and approval.

  The diamond glittered, catching the table’s candlelight and scattering it in a thousand gleams. Something that size must have set him back $100,000. It held her, dazed, like a deer in headlights. She couldn’t bring herself to take it, though, and after a moment, the cheers wavered.

  Only then did Daven look down at her, and his pleased expression dimmed. “Bree? You’ll marry me, won’t you?”

  Would she? The urge to chug her pisco slammed her, ha
rd.

  Well, why shouldn’t they marry? Daven was rich, handsome, and great in bed. He had ambition to match hers. What more could she ask for?

  There was one obvious problem: love. Did she love Daven?

  Honestly, it was kind of a stupid question. What was ‘love’ anyways? She liked him. A lot. They had fun together. Sure, idiots and hormone-crazed teenagers dreamed of something ‘deeper.’ Some eternal passion that would sweep them off their feet and dump them in a life-long paradise.

  Adults knew no such thing existed. What she had with Daven was as good as it got. They’d be great together. A true power couple.

  Besides, Bree thought, as she looked out over the sea of expectant faces, how could she reject him in front of Jackson’s elite? It would be mortifying – for both her and him. And Daven wasn’t the sort of man to let insults slide. If she publicly humiliated him, she’d turn her biggest ally into a life-long enemy.

  Not the best reason for getting married, but hey! It’s true. Might as well be realistic about this.

  Even Daven had noticed her hesitation, and his bright, cheery smile drooped. Until she raised her glass.

  “Sure! I mean, uh, yes. I do. I will. Or… whatever.”

  Laughter erupted around them and the applause rose once more. Grinning in triumph, Daven slipped the ring onto her finger.

  “That is one impressive rock,” she had to admit.

  “Only the best for you!” He sank into his chair, nodding thanks to his admirers. “You had me worried there for a minute.”

  “You surprised me.” She twisted her hand back and forth in the candlelight. Half delighted, half embarrassed by the size of the diamond. This was not a subtle ring!

  “Sorry about that. I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”

  Huh. She hadn’t.

  Not that Bree wanted to confess that.

  “I thought we could aim for an October wedding,” he continued.

  Four months from now? “That’s a little fast, isn’t it?”