Amber's Fire, Book 3 Of Blood In The Dragon

focus 23

Chapter 23

Drago pov

The nursery was quiet now, lit only by the soft glow of enchanted candles that Levonna had placed around the room. Their light danced across the walls, casting flickering shadows that made the room feel alive, almost like it was watching us. I looked at the babies. Alpha and Amber were lying in their cribs, facing each other, their little eyes blinking curiously in the dim light. Despite their youth, they seemed to understand… to feel something stronger than themselves. The bond was already there, humming quietly beneath the surface.,Levonna whispered instructions from the scrolls one last time.

“Drago… remember, focus on their energy. Let the bond guide you, don’t force it.”

I nodded. I knelt between the cribs, placing my hands near the babies without touching them, just to feel the warmth of their life force. I could sense their dragons, their wolves… their spirits… all mingling together. My heart ached and swelled at the same time. This was rare. Once in a thousand centuries, the scroll had said, this happened, two souls bound at birth. Randy and Joy formed a circle with us, hands barely touching, energy flowing from one to another. I could feel the strength of our combined magic pushing outward, creating a protective shield, and guiding the babies toward the connection they were destined to have. The air around us seemed to thrum with power. A soft wind curled through the room, lifting Levonna’s hair and carrying the faint scent of jasmine and the forest. The babies stirred again, tiny hands reaching, almost as if they knew the other was there, even without words.

I began to chant, low and steady, the ancient words rolling off my tongue. The scroll had warned us, the magic was delicate. Too much force, and it could snap. Too little, and the bond would remain unstable. Amber stirred, her little face turning toward Alpha. Alpha’s eyes met hers, wide and curious, and then, something incredible happened. A shimmer of light, soft, golden, rose between them. It pulsed gently, and I could see the faint outline of a wolf and a dragon forming in the glow, intertwining, mirroring the bond that already existed in their souls. Levonna whispered,

“Steady… steady… don’t rush it.”

Time seemed to slow. Minutes passed, though it could have been hours. The room felt suspended, like we were floating in a moment outside of time. The babies’ tiny hands brushed, and I felt the bond solidify. Their dragons and wolves hummed in harmony with ours, a soft vibration that I could feel in my chest, resonating deep in my bones. Finally, the glow faded, leaving the room bathed in the soft candlelight once more. The babies were asleep again, peaceful and complete. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Joy and Randy smiled through exhausted eyes. Levonna’s hand found mine, gripping tightly, her relief mirrored in every line of her face.

“It’s done,” I whispered.

We all knew…Amber and Alpha were bound, their connection eternal, but it was gentle. It was theirs. And somehow, even in this rare magic, I knew… they would grow into it, into each other, and into the lives we were building around them. I finally allowed myself a small smile. For once, the world felt… right

Drago pov

Morning came slowly, soft and golden, spilling through the nursery window. The room smelled faintly of lavender and parchment, the remnants of last night’s ritual. I was the first to stir, careful not to wake the babies. But as I leaned over Amber’s crib, her tiny hand twitched toward the edge. Across the room, Alpha mirrored her movement, reaching almost instinctively toward her. I froze.

It was subtle, but undeniable. Even in sleep, they were drawn to each other. Their bond… it wasn’t just magical, it was alive, pulsing quietly like a heartbeat between them. Levonna appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide but soft with wonder. She held Amber, swaddled and sleepy, and carefully lowered her onto the floor in a soft blanket. Alpha, cradled by Joy and Randy, was alert but calm, watching Amber with what looked like recognition.

I stepped closer. “Look at them,” I whispered.

Levonna leaned beside me, barely breathing. “They… they know,” she said, awe in her voice. “Even this young… they know each other.”

Amber’s eyes fluttered open, and for the first time, she smiled, a tiny, pure, instinctive smile. Alpha’s lips curved in a mirror, reaching out with a hand that trembled just a little. And then it happened: their fingers brushed. It was electric, not dangerous, but alive. Warmth and energy pulsed from the touch, subtle but undeniable. I felt it in my chest, like the bond was reaching outward, touching everyone in the room.

Joy gasped softly. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said. Randy nodded, his hand hovering over Alpha’s tiny shoulder.Levonna knelt beside Amber, gently lifting her hand to Alpha’s.

“It’s… perfect,” she breathed.

The babies’ eyes locked, unblinking. Their dragons purred softly within them, wolves stirred quietly in response. Even at this age, there was understanding. Connection. Recognition. I swallowed hard, feeling a rare weight of both pride and awe. “They’re… bonded. Really bonded. Not just magically, they feel it.”

Levonna rested her head against my shoulder. “We did the right thing,” she murmured. “ In the next ten minutes they won't know the connection .”

The ten minutes was up, there was no more connection, When Levonna put Amber close to Alpha, it didn’t seem to bother him one bit, he didn't react at all, Now we just have to wait and see and watch to see what happens,

chapter 25 age three

Levonna pov

I didn't know it, I just didn't know what motherhood was all about when they hit the age of three years old. Amber has this teddy bear she loves that Drago had given to her. She plays with it all the time,bites on the ears and rips off its eyes. I have no idea how many times I have sewn the ears and eyes back onto that poor thing. The stitching is uneven now, different colors of thread from all the times I had to fix it, but to her… it’s perfect. If I try to take it away, she throws a fit so badly that I have to cover my ears. If I wash it, she will sit by the dryer with me until it’s done, her little legs crossed, eyes glued to the door as it spins. And the moment it stops, she’s right there, tiny hands reaching, waiting. I have to give it to her right away, or she looks at me like I’ve broken her heart.Today, I’m going to try to give her a new bear. It looks just like the one she has… only the ears and eyes haven’t been ripped out yet.

I watched her play with the old bear. She talked to it, loved on it, and pretended to feed it. It was the most adoring thing I have ever seen, her soft little voice whispering to it like it understood every word, like it was alive. Kneeling down beside her with the new bear in my hands, I smiled gently.

“Amber, sweetheart, I have a new bear for you. Would you like to play with it? You can give me the old one and have the new one.”

I heard her giggle. She turned to look at me, then looked at the new bear… then back at her old one. Her small fingers tightened around it. Slowly, she shook her head.

“No…” Then she looked up at me, her big eyes shimmering.

“Ma’ma… da’da gave meeee the bear… pwease don’t throw it away.”

Her bottom lip trembled, and my heart cracked right in my chest.

“Okay, okay, sweetheart,” I said quickly, my voice soft as I reached out to brush her hair back. “I’ll just put this one in your room, okay?”

I sighed as I stood up and sat in the chair, the new bear resting quietly in my lap. Watching her, I couldn’t help but smile a little.

She looked so much like her father… but there were pieces of me in her too, in the way she loved, in the way she held onto things so tightly. Time was moving too fast.,When Alpha comes over for a playdate, they don’t feel the connection like they did when they were babies. Not anymore. They laugh, they play, they chase each other like normal children… nothing more. But I know it will grow again when they get older. I just hope… it doesn’t grow too soon.

Because right now, she’s still my little girl, sitting on the floor, holding a broken teddy bear like it’s the most precious thing in the world.

And maybe… to her, it is.

The door creaked open softly, pulling me from my thoughts.

I didn’t have to look to know it was him.

“Something smells like… burnt fur and desperation in here,” Drago’s deep voice rumbled with amusement.

I glanced over, raising a brow. “That would be your daughter’s beloved teddy bear. I just stitched it again.”

He stepped further into the room, his eyes immediately landing on Amber. His expression softened in an instant, the hardened Alpha gone, replaced by a father.

Amber looked up at him, her face lighting up. “Da’da!”

She scrambled to her feet, clutching the poor, half-destroyed bear, and ran to him. He barely had time to brace himself before she crashed into his legs. Drago chuckled, bending down to scoop her up with ease. “There’s my little warrior,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her head. I watched as she proudly shoved the bear into his face.

“Look! Him okay now!”

Drago froze for a brief second, staring at the bear… one ear barely hanging on by a thread, one eye clearly a different button than the other.,He slowly looked up at me. I gave him a look. Don’t you dare.

His lips twitched.

“This…” he said carefully, turning the bear slightly, “…is a very strong bear.”

Amber nodded seriously. “He fights.”

That did it, I had to look away to keep from laughing.Drago cleared his throat, clearly trying to stay composed.

“I can see that. He must have fought many battles.”

“He win!” Amber said proudly, hugging the bear again.

“Of course he does,” Drago replied, his voice warm now, completely serious for her sake.

He walked over and sat beside me, settling Amber on his lap. His arm brushed against mine, grounding, familiar.

“So,” he said quietly to me, “I take it the new bear didn’t stand a chance?”

I sighed, glancing at the untouched, perfect bear sitting in the chair.

“Not even a little. Apparently, this one holds a higher rank.”

Drago huffed a quiet laugh. “Naturally. I gave it to her.”

I nudged him lightly. “Don’t sound so proud. Your gift is falling apart.”

He looked down at Amber, who was now gently patting the bear’s head, whispering to it again.

“It’s not falling apart,” he said after a moment, softer now. “She’s loving it.” That made my chest tighten. He wasn’t wrong.

Amber suddenly looked up at him. “Da’da… fix him?”

Drago blinked. “Fix him?”

She nodded, holding the bear up again. “He hurt.”

Drago glanced at me, then back at the bear like he was being handed a serious responsibility. “…I suppose I can try,” he said.

I couldn’t help the small smile that spread across my face as he carefully took the bear, holding it like it might actually feel pain.

An Alpha… feared by many… now inspecting a torn teddy bear like it was a matter of life and death. Amber watched him with wide, trusting eyes.

“Be careful,” she whispered.

Drago nodded solemnly. “I will.”

I leaned back in my chair, watching the two of them, my heart full in a way I didn’t quite have words for. Moments like this… This was what motherhood was. Not the perfect things.But the messy, stitched-together, well-loved ones. And as I watched Drago struggle to “fix” a bear that had been repaired more times than I could count, I realized something, Amber didn’t love it despite its flaws. She loved it because of them. And maybe… that was something we could all learn from.