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

I'm sorry 9

chapter 9

Drago pov

I was so uncomfortable on this freaking couch, and with my mate not here, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I tried, my eyes popped right back open. I decided to risk going back to our room,if she’d locked the door, I could just open it with a claw. When I reached the door, I turned the knob, and it swung open. I pushed it wider and stepped inside. She was sitting up in bed, feet propped up, a baby book resting on her lap. She set it down and looked at me.

“Just because I shut the door in your face doesn’t mean you had to sleep on the couch. Go take a shower, then come to bed.”

Shit. I didn’t need to be told twice. I hurried into the shower, dried off, threw on a pair of boxers, and climbed into our comfortable bed. Damn, my back ached from that damn couch, I had to remember to get a new one, something actually comfortable for the both of us.I owed her an apology. So that’s what I did.

“Listen, I’m sorry for yelling at you the way I did. But you have to understand that shifting like that can harm the baby. I’m not trying to control you, baby. I’m just trying to protect you and the baby. Please don’t stay mad at me. I can feel Winter’s anger… and Kimmie’s. Your wolf keeps snarling at me.”.She didn’t speak at first. I could see her wolf tense beneath her skin, a low growl vibrating quietly, warning me to be careful. Her eyes, sharp and wary, softened just a fraction as she studied me. Slowly, she reached out, letting her hand hover near mine without touching, testing, I realized, whether I had really meant my words. I gave her a small, reassuring nod, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, curling a little closer under the blanket. “I forgive you, Drago.”

The moment she said she forgave me, something inside my chest finally loosened. The tight knot of anger and fear that had been sitting there all night slowly unraveled, replaced with something warmer… relief. I shifted closer to her, careful of her belly, my hand instinctively resting against it. Even through everything, even through the chaos of the night, feeling our baby there grounded me.

“I meant what I said,” I murmured softly, my voice quieter now, calmer. “I’m not trying to take anything from you. You’re strong… stronger than anyone I know. But that doesn’t mean you have to carry everything alone.”

She didn’t answer right away, but she didn’t pull away either. That alone told me enough. Her wolf wasn’t snarling anymore. Her Dragon Calm now, I could feel it, still watchful, still protective, but no longer ready to bite my head off. That was progress. I let out a slow breath and leaned back against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before turning my head toward her again.

“Tomorrow… we’ll handle everything together,” I added. “The houses, the damage… the pack. You don’t have to run into danger to prove anything. You already have.” This time, she shifted slightly closer, her shoulder brushing mine. That small contact hit harder than anything else. I reached over, pulling the blanket up over us both before pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “Get some sleep,” I whispered. And for the first time tonight… I actually could.

Ruby POV

I watched my son carefully, rocking him gently in my arms as the candlelight flickered across his tiny face. Court. Such a powerful name for someone so small. A soft smile played on my lips as I brushed my finger against his cheek. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake, just nuzzling deeper into the blanket.

“You’re going to be great,” I whispered to him. “You’re going to have everything… everything that was taken from us.”My expression darkened just slightly. “They think they can move on,” I continued quietly, my voice almost soothing despite the words. “They think they can rebuild… pretend nothing happened.” I shook my head faintly. “No… they don’t understand yet.” I adjusted him in my arms, standing slowly as I walked toward the window, looking out into the night. Somewhere out there… She was growing. The girl. The one meant for him. “I’ve seen her,” I murmured. “I know what she becomes…" What she is.” A dragon with gold. Rare. Powerful. Special. Perfect. My grip tightened just slightly on the blanket around Court. “You’ll be ready for her,” I said softly. “I’ll make sure of it.” I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “And when the time comes… no one will stand in your way.” My eyes flickered with quiet determination as I looked back out into the darkness.

“Not even them.”