Page 22 of Ancient Promises
“Me too.”
“I’ll be home soon, and we can go do something and get out of town.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Diem, it’ll be okay. You’re a strong and independent female. Don’t get down about this.”
“Talk to me when your truemate doesn’t want you.”
Arely grunted. “You’re right, that was a shitty thing for me to say.”
“No, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You’re allowed to be pissed. I’ll be home in a little bit. Be strong.”
“See you,” Diem said.
The call ended, and she stared at the ceiling. She heard a rush of wind outside, the trees rustling loudly. Two dragon calls sounded, one a little higher than the other, and her heart clenched.
One of those females was going to get Diem’s happily ever after.
Life wasnotfair.
* * *
This was so fucking not happening right now. He had not just shared an amazing kiss with his mate, even though it was honestly the very last thing he should have done, and then been interrupted by not just one dragon calling for a mate, but two.
He’d shifted into his dragon form days earlier, and he hadn’t realized the call would go out like that.
His dragon wasn’t calling for just any mate when he’d shifted, he’d been calling for Diem. He’d known it at the time, but he realized the call could have sounded like he was seeking a mate, not that he’d found one.
“Who the hell are those dragons?” Rehlik demanded as he joined him in the street, along with Trace and Novak.
“I don’t know. I don’t recognize their calls.”
“Did you bring them here?” Trace asked.
“No. Well, yes, apparently, but not intentionally.”
When the males pressed him for more details, he explained what he thought had happened.
“So you found your truemate and your dragon let out a call that those females interpreted as youneedinga truemate, not finding one?” Rehlik asked.
“I believe so. I didn’t know it was possible, and I certainly didn’t do it intentionally.”
“So send them on their way,” Rehlik said. He leveled a long look at Eivross. “Unless you’re planning to take one of them as a mate. In which case, you can pack your shit up and vacate Cider Falls. I won’t put Diem through that.”
Eivross shook his head. How the hell had things gone sideways so fast?
“I don’t want those females. I’ll send them away.”
“You need to fix this mess,” Rehlik said.
“I will.”
“No, I mean with Diem. I can hear her crying.”
Eivross rubbed the space over his heart, his dragon letting out a sad trill. “I can too. I’ll fix it, I swear.”