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)
“I’ll take care of that,” Khadar volunteered. “I’ll botch blending in with the green trees, so they see me. They’ll think I’m hiding.”
“Everyone, come to my estate for dinner tonight. The mates will be happy together and we can talk about what Argenis and Khadar find. We can make a plan that we’ll all follow,” Oldrik suggested with a pointed glance at Keres.
“Hey, it was my risk to take,” Keres pointed out. The horde considered that and then agreed.
With their plans made, all the shifters divided up, eager to contact their mates. Rogan suspected their humans would be almost as anxious as Brooks was now. He glanced meaningfully at Keres. No vigilante action tonight by yourself, hmmm?
Keres answered by the same individual connection. Going insane, remember? I’ll try to coordinate with the horde next time.
Rogan knew the odds of that happening were slim. He shook his head and shifted. Time to get back to Brooks.
“And he went in without telling anyone? What if he’d gotten trapped like you did?” Brooks demanded.
“It’s possible we could have tracked him there,” Rogan said with a shrug.
“And then been in danger from all the traps he set off in his fancy suit!”
He needed to distract Brooks. Seizing on his mate’s words, Rogan created an image in his mind of Keres, dressed in a black velvet tuxedo with white fur around the lapels and cuffs. Rogan added a fuzzy hat as an extra embellishment and snorted. Brooks rolled his eyes at his mate, but a good portion of his anger at the black dragon dissipated.
“I think Keres is giving up. He was trying to help in his own way,” Rogan said gently.
“I know.”
A wave of sadness spread through Brooks. Rogan could have faced the same fate as Keres. Had Brooks not met Drake and then Skye, he might have abandoned his trek to Wyvern. Or someone could have killed him along the way. People outside of Wyvern had lost their minds when nothing worked, and the authorities had lost control.
Warm arms wrapped around Brooks and pulled him close. “Don’t think about what might have happened, Brooks. We found each other,” Rogan reminded him.
“That makes everything better,” Brooks agreed with a smile.
“It does. Now, I have something important to take care of,” Rogan reminded him.
“What?”
“Your spanking.”
“You’re not scaring me. You’ve threatened that before and nothing,” Brooks said with a laugh. The serious expression on Rogan’s face that followed that statement skyrocketed his concern.
“My apologies, Brooks. I’ve misled you to think I wouldn’t follow through. Obviously, I’ve allowed outside events to interfere with our relationship and your adjustment to your new life. I will spank you today and promise there will be more in the future.”
Rogan stalked forward with unmistakable determination written on his face. Brooks froze, considering whether to flee or fight. Rogan reached him before he could decide and threw him over his broad shoulder. The air gusted out of Brooks’s lungs, preventing him from speaking as Rogan headed for the nursery.
Stop it! Brooks frantically told his body as his cock twitched in excitement. This isn’t good. You don’t want this.
By the time he regained his breath, Rogan had set him back on his feet in front of the large rocking chair. His Daddy unfastened the button at the top of his jeans and pulled the zipper down as Brooks twisted helplessly. “Wait! Why are you spanking me?”
“I told you to get out of my mind after I found May.” Rogan pushed his jeans and knit boxers to his calves.
“But without me, you wouldn’t have escaped. You said that yourself,” Brooks pointed out, as cool air swirled over his exposed skin. Brooks pushed futilely against the dragon shifter’s powerful chest, hoping to get away before his response was too apparent.
“That doesn’t make what you did less dangerous. Nor does it erase the fact that you did not follow my directions. What if we hadn’t escaped together?”
“That was my choice to make!”
Rogan lifted him effortlessly and draped Brooks over his rock-hard thighs. “Your choice ended the moment I told you to flee. You need to follow my directions without question from now on. This punishment will reinforce that lesson.”
Before Brooks could argue, Rogan’s heavy hand landed on his butt. Hard. “Ouch! Stop that!” Brooks howled as the swats continued. He knew it was a miniscule amount of Rogan’s strength, but the heat and sting built on his skin. Brooks kicked his legs, trying to free himself. Rogan simply anchored them with his leg, holding him solidly in place.
Brooks tried hitting Rogan’s leg in front of his face, but that hurt his hand more than it probably did Rogan. He was as solid as stone. Out of escape options, Brooks started to tear up. Brooks never cried. He didn’t show weakness.
“Stop! Fuck you,” Brooks rallied, upset by his emotions. The next swat on his bottom set his skin on fire. Unable to stop them, tears poured down his cheeks. Sobs poured from his mouth, and he drooped unresisting over Rogan’s lap.