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)
Rogan pulled him into his arms, hugging him tight. Thank you for being brave, Brooks.
Pressing his lips to Rogan’s, Brooks kissed him with all the emotions tumbling around inside him and froze, as he could sense how Rogan enjoyed the kiss as well.
It’s okay, Brooks. Our connection is stronger.
Rogan ran a caressing hand down Brooks’s side to squeeze his bottom. Instantly, his cock hardened in response. It was as if that open lock magnified everything. What would sex be like now? He kissed Rogan and clung to his shoulders as the sensations overwhelmed him. How would it feel when Rogan slid into him?
Better than you can imagine.
Rogan lifted his head. “You are not recovered enough for those activities, Adventurer. One more day of medicine should erase the last of the hives and then we will find out. Finish your milk.”
When Rogan placed the milk back at his lips, Brooks shot him an unhappy stare and drank. The chair glided underneath him, soothing his frustration. By the time he finished the last of the liquid inside, Brooks struggled to keep his eyes open. Rogan lifted him and placed him gently in bed, covering him with a fluffy comforter.
When soft fabric brushed his cheek, Brooks reached out an arm to loop around his cherished stuffie, pulling it close. His Daddy rubbed his back until he drifted to sleep.
Chapter 8
Holding his Little on his lap, Rogan could sense the mating bond was easing. His prediction had come true and the last of Brooks’s hives had disappeared overnight. Without the medicine to make him drowsy, his mate had recovered his energy.
To his delight, Brooks had chosen to play in his nursery today. After his last mate had passed, Rogan had gutted the previous nursery and turned it into a guest bedroom. This room would only be Brooks’s. The games and activities he’d gathered while he searched for a mate were a big hit.
“I like that this is my room,” Brooks said softly.
“I do, too.”
“Could you tell me about your other mates?”
“Of course. I’ve had five other mates—four female and one male.”
“Who was your first?”
“Ian McDougall. A strapping man of Scottish descent. I don’t know who was more surprised, his family or Ian. He struggled in having his life’s course totally upended. Dedicated to his family, he chose not to run away, but I’m sure he wanted to a million times. Until his heart wouldn’t allow him to hide our bond.”
“You said that almost all mates are Little?”
“I won’t reveal any living person’s secrets, Brooks, but I shared accurate statistics with you,” Rogan answered honestly.
“So, let’s go back to the past. All your other mates were women?”
“Yes. Three from other families and another from the MacDougall clan.”
“No other Battlefields?” Brooks asked.
“No, Adventurer. You are my first from that family.” Rogan loved Brooks’s proud smile. “They will carve your name in the risers of the steps on the square soon. We should go check out the other names there.”
“Is there a mate you’ve loved over the others?”
Rogan had expected a question like this. “Love is a wonderful thing. It is infinite, without limitations. I care deeply about each of my mates and miss them now that they are gone. After a mourning period each time, the hurt of losing them fades and only wonderful memories remain. That made me eager to experience the happiness a bond provides. And I looked forward to the uniqueness each mate brings to my life.”
“That makes sense. I think it would be sad to know you’ll outlive a mate,” Brooks suggested.
“It is. But the world has many surprises up its sleeves. While my dragon is a fierce beast who can vanquish foes, I am not eternal. At some point, old age, disease, or a lucky blow could end me.”
When Brooks appeared worried, Rogan added, “I do not plan for any of those to happen in the next few centuries. Dragons usually live for a long time.”
“Good. Would you take me for a flight?”
“Of course. Run back to our room and grab your sneakers,” Rogan directed. Brooks obviously needed a break from the serious conversation.
His mate ran out the door and disappeared before he could remind Brooks to stay close. To his relief, no shout of pain echoed down the hall. As Rogan suspected, their connection had matured, allowing the mate bond to allow Rogan more freedom. No longer did they need to stay in extremely close proximity.
“Hey, I had one shoe on when I realized that didn’t hurt!” Brooks burst into the room, holding one sneaker with the other untied on his foot.
“Come here, Brooks. Let me tie your laces and help with the other.”
Brooks climbed back on Rogan’s lap and allowed him to get Brooks straightened out. Rogan kissed the side of his neck. “I think our bond has decided you need some freedom. Don’t push it too hard. I always want to know where you are.”