The Arena novel Chapter 63

Cedric makes a point of showing me around his pack lands the next day. He walks me to the perimeter and even carries me on his back after he shifts into his Lycan form.

“See, you’re a Lycan rider,” he says again, making me laugh.

“Do you always walk around with no shirt on?” I had noticed that he seems to only wear shorts.

He stops and looks at me. “I’m showing off my mate mark, Tana. I’m proud to be your mate, to wear your mark. It’s hard to see if I’m wearing a shirt, so I don’t bother. But this way, everyone knows that I’m yours, that I’m a dragon rider.”

I don’t know why it surprises me. I guess I still have a lingering doubt that he sees me as a possession, but he doesn’t seem to see it that way at all. He’s proud to wear my mark, not just to wear the mark of a dragon rider.

I pull him to me and kiss him deeply. His arms wrap around me, holding me against his strong body. “I said something, right?”

“Yes, you did,” I say, smiling at him.

The rest of the weekend is really good, better than I expected. Well, in truth, I didn’t know what to expect, but Cedric was great. He was loving, understanding, and while I am going through a lot of change, he’s doing his best to make it as easy for me as possible.

He showed me a space that he offered to turn into an office for me. I love it. He put it on the top floor, near our bedroom, and made sure it had lots of windows overlooking the forest. He had all his company’s financial information brought in for me, and the next time I visit, I’ll organize it like I want it.

After looking at Kenna’s room and spending some time in there, I decided that I also want a mural in our bedroom. I haven’t decided on the nursery yet, but we have time. I made sure that Cedric didn’t care what I did to our room, and then I worked with his pack members, our pack members, that are artistic. I can’t wait to see it when I return.

Cedric decides to come back to the penthouse with me. He doesn’t like the idea of me being alone, or mostly alone, and he doesn’t like me being too far away from him, especially while I’m pregnant. I understand this, as I also don’t want to be too far away from him. My dragon’s desire to be with him is only amplified by my pregnancy.

So, he collects his work and computer for the next week. Kenna is perfectly content to stay in the pack, loving the freedom that being away from humans allows her.

Right before we leave, Palila emerges. Her airy, bird scent is now coated with a more earthy wolf scent, and she’s wearing her mate mark proudly.

“Tana!” she exclaims, rushing to me and hugging me.

I smile at her. “I hear things are good here.”

She turns and looks at Galen behind her as he smiles at her adoringly.

“They are so good.”

“I’m glad. I won’t be here permanently for another month, but when I get here, we’ll all be a family again.” I look at her and Jena. “I’m hoping I can count on both of you to help me raise this little one,” I say, rubbing my stomach.

“Of course!” they both say.

“Safe travels,” Jena calls out.

“We’ll see you soon,” Palila says.

Cedric scoops me up again as he walks onto Kenna’s back. He had shown me the area that he’s creating for the two of us to fly in and out of his pack lands, our pack lands. He settles me in front of him and lets Kenna know we’re ready.

“We should have a big party for Kenna when she turns five,” he says in my ear as we fly.

“It’s only a month away. She’ll be an adult dragon. I hope you understand what that means.”

“You know I have no clue, Tana. Let’s not pretend I’m suddenly going to be more observant than I have been,” he says, nipping at my neck and sending shivers down my spine.

I snicker at that. He really is extremely unobservant for an Alpha, well, about some things. When it comes to running a pack or sniffing out danger, he’s right on point. Recognizing his mate is a dragon? Not so much.

“Let’s just say that a young adult dragon is a lot like a teenage human.”

“Wait, we’re going to have to go through her teenage years twice?”

“I don’t know about the human stage, but the dragon stage, definitely. I hope you’re not terribly fond of all those trees in your surrounding forest. I burned down lots of trees in my youth.”

“She won’t hurt the pack, will she?”

“No, it’s more wanting to show her frustration. I didn’t have the option of slamming doors since we lived outside, so I burned down trees.”

“Maybe I can set aside a place where she can burn as many as she wants and make it off-limits to the pack. I’ll think about it.”

When we arrive at the penthouse, Cedric once again carries me off Kenna’s wing.