Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Wyverns had returned to their celebration of the dragons who guarded their city. Brooks had experienced life outside the protected city. He’d also heard the stories of new arrivals. As supplies grew scarce, the worst of people appeared.
Think happy thoughts, mate. Want to enter through the fire ring or the front lawn?
The memory of that scary plunge through the waterfall and into a fiery ring ricocheted into his mind. Brooks shook his head to rid himself of that visual image.
Front lawn, it is.
Chapter 5
With each moment he spent with Rogan, Brooks felt more at ease. It was almost as if threads of connection stitched themselves between the dragon shifter and Brooks over time. Unable to be far away from each other, Rogan was a genius in coming up with activities for them to do together.
Today, they walked around his mountain exploring. It helped burn off pent up energy and tension. Brooks loved Rogan, but being with anyone this much was a challenge. He was used to being alone.
“How long does the mate bond last?” Brooks asked as he thought about it.
“The mate bond will last until one of us passes. Why?” Rogan looked at him in concern.
“Just wondering. It’s new to me, of course. I figured I could learn more about it.”
“You can ask me any question you have, Brooks. Are you uncomfortable here with me?”
Hearing the worry in his mate’s voice, Brooks rushed to explain. “No. Not really. I mean… It’s a big change for me. I’m used to being out in the world—going different places.”
“Have you always enjoyed being away from home?” Rogan asked, as he extended a hand to help Brooks climb over a fence into the livestock field.
“I liked being at home as a kid with my parents. I guess that’s normal. But when I got out of school, I explored outside of Wyvern.”
“Didn’t your parents worry about you?”
“Oh, they were gone by then.”
“Gone?” Rogan echoed.
“Yes. I’m sorry. I thought I’d told you. My folks were killed in a car accident when I was fifteen.”
“That’s awful. I didn’t realize that happened when you were so young. You went to live with your grandmother after they died?”
“Yes. She was awesome. I’m sure having a teenager eat her out of house and home wasn’t what she would have chosen.” Brooks laughed. It sounded hollow even to his ears.
“I’m sure losing your parents was quite a blow. I don’t know Elenore well, but she’s a very strong woman who seems to value family.”
“Yes. It was tough on her. I tried to make it easier for both of us. You know, find lots to keep myself busy, so I wasn’t moping around, cluttering her space.”
“I noticed you look a lot like your father.”
“Grandma calls us twins. I knew I reminded her of him as a kid. I caught her staring at me sometimes with a sad expression. She shook it off when she saw me notice. It was easier on her if I was out of the house.”
Brooks noticed the sheep shied away from them—Rogan especially—as they walked through the field. They weren’t dumb. Animals could sense a predator close to them.
“Maybe having you in her life made the pain more bearable. She hadn’t really lost all of her son with you around,” Rogan suggested.
“Maybe.” Brooks hadn’t thought of it like that.
“So, starting after the death of your folks, you always stayed away from home?”
“Don’t make it sound like something psychological. I always enjoyed exploring new areas. My folks loved visiting new places and finding spots off the beaten path,” Brooks said defensively.
“Of course, it’s nothing weird. We all have things we like and dislike. It sounds like being an adventurer is hard-wired into your DNA.”
“Yeah. That’s true. Look.” Brooks pointed to a small opening in the mountainside. “Is that a cave? Have you ever been inside?”
“You’ve got a good eye. It’s a passage that leads to an underground pool. Icy cold water straight from the mountaintop.”
“Can we go check it out? Get out of the sun for a while?”
“Of course. It’s dark in there, but I can give us some light if you don’t mind my eyes glowing red.”
“That’s handy. I don’t need a flashlight when I’m with you,” Brooks suggested.
“Come on then. Let’s go spelunking. Stay close. I’ll guide you through.”
Brooks loved how easily they worked together. Of course, Rogan’s brute strength meant every physical challenge was much easier, but somehow his mate anticipated any problem he might have. “Have you been in here with others?” He didn’t ask about another mate specifically, but that’s what Brooks wondered.
“Good lord, no. Most of my female mates weren’t into spiders or other creepy crawlers that might exist in here,” Rogan told him with a chuckle.
Peering through the darkness, Brooks hoped he was kidding. “There are insects in here?”
“Not too many since the bats moved in.”