The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

"Under what law?" Dex asked, voice incredulous at the very suggestion.

"Dragon law," Tiberon answered flatly. "The Brotherhood predates Drakenfell, Dexmon."

"You will not confront Shadowclaw while he is here," he added, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Dex left his father’s study, fuming. A theme lately.

He’d been back for three days, and the wards were still not settled. Yesterday, Serena had been in Drakenfell while he was training with the Draken Forces. The only reason he found out was because Elara told Hale that Serena had been worrying over Dex, and went with her to Shadowclaw.

His mate has been upset over him, and he was hearing it secondhand. Again. And no one thought to tell him she was back so he couldn’t comfort her. Or reassure her he was fine. Or understand what was really wrong, though he already had an idea.

No, instead her feelings had been washing into him from across Skardos. All of this was wrong and made him feel sick.

Aegon:After this meeting, we pick mate up and hold her until she stops feeling bad.

Dex:Agreed.

"Light hearted, when you see her," Gav said, walking next to him.

"I know."

"Really? Because you look pretty pissed."

Dexmon shot Gavriel a Tiberon-level look.

Gav was unimpressed. "That’s the opposite of what we want."

Dexmon:Hyran, I will be made aware of Serena’s schedule moving forward.

Hyran:Understood. She is here now.

That’s news. He assumed she would have mindlinked him. Of course not. She didn’t yesterday. Why would she today?

Aegon: She’s never mindlinked us or anyone for that matter. We need to address that with her moving forward.

Dex: Lighthearted. Remember?

They rounded the corner almost to the war room, when he saw her. He smelled fresh tears, and his chest cracked open.

Aegon:We knew that already. Don’t react to it.

Then he noticed a baby dragon in her arms and that she was bottle feeding it.

"What the..." he said aloud.

Next him, Gav snorted. "Oh, get ready."

Serena looked up and noticed Dex from down the corridor.

To his relief, her face lit up when she saw him. But she swallowed it down. And Dex could tell she wasn’t sure if he would even want her to say anything.

Aegon:Fix that now.

He moved to her in a blur, pulling her into his arms.

She stiffened momentarily, but hugged him back with one arm, the other still holding Onyx.

Aegon: Mate wasn’t expecting you to touch or show her any affection. Interesting.

Dex:I feel her relief.

Aegon:Oh I knew she’d be relieved. I am commenting on the fact she didn’t know if you’d still want to.

Dex didn’t dignify that with a response.

"I missed you," she said in his ear. He didn’t say anything, but her words were exactly how he felt. He’d missed her. Above all else. He missed her and needed to hold her. He’d missed her so goddamn much that he hadn’t been able to sleep or think about anything else.

But if he opened his mouth, he wasn’t sure what would come out.

Aegon:No meeting. She wants to cuddle in the bath.

Dex:You mean you want to.

Aegon:Same thing. And so do you.

Dex:If she’s here, that means she’s in the meeting.

Aegon:Then we are in the meeting. Don’t let her out of your sight.

Dex: Really, I was planning on letting her take Velkaris around Skardos and not pay her any attention all day.

Aegon:Your track record of keeping track of mate is abysmal.

Dex kissed her on the lips, then pressed his forehead to hers.

He looked down at the black baby dragon. He’d seen Onyx before Shadowclaw left for Orosia. Onyx blinked up at him.

All dragons had an affinity towards Dex, even the babies, and even Fin Shadowclaw’s. He almost smirked at the idea that Fin’s dragon would listen to him better. Fin had no training. But then he remembered, Fin was another damn incarnate and the smirk forming fell.

"Why are you bottle feeding a dragon?"

"Because he’s hungry," Serena answered flatly, maybe a little more sharp than she intended.

His face cycled between disbelief and wanting to laugh at how ridiculous she was being. He’d never heard of a baby dragon being fed by a bottle. And that dragon was entirely too big to be carried like a baby.

Aegon: Mate is adorable.

They made their way to the war room, Gav and Elara chattering like normal. Serena and Dex were both silent.

Dex wanted to grab her hand and to touch her. He wanted to pick her up, but that baby dragon made that difficult.

Serena sighed when they reached the doors. It was clear she didn’t want to go in. Dreading it actually. Dex’s brows knit, clocking that.

Aegon:That wasn’t nothing.

Dex:Lighthearted today. Remember. I will ask when things settle in a few days.

Dex headed to his seat, assuming Serena was right behind him, and going to sit next to him in her spot. When he turned around, she wasn’t there. Instead she was frozen, and Tiberon was giving her a look. The one Dex had been on the receiving end of too many times.

"Oh. Right. Apologies."

She went out in the hallway. The door closed.

Dex didn’t sit, not wanting her out of his sight and not pleased with his father for that level of sternness with her. He could feel her through the matebond and she forgot or didn’t know. His father looked at her like it was on purpose and she was a repeat offender.

Everyone could hear from the inside of the war room the absolute commotion that occurred.

Tiberon pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Onyx, go to Aunt Elara."

Onyx let out a scream that roughly translated to, Absolute the fuck not. Don’t you dare put me down, woman.

Dex got up, brows furrowed, having never heard a baby dragon scream. Or any creature, for that matter, make a noise that sounded anything like that.

He walked to the door, the entire room watching.

When he opened the door, the sight he saw was Onyx holding onto Serena’s hair, tail wrapped around her waist. This went on for a minute.

Dex watched in utter disbelief. He glanced at his father, who seemed to be waiting for his reaction.

Dex gave a resigned sigh. His father had warned him that Onyx needed training in the Draken Forces and Dex brushed it off. How bad could a baby dragon possibly be? And Shadowclaw was the last person he wanted to see in the Draken Forces.

Dex looked away from his father, back at Onyx.

"Hey Onyx, I have your bottle." Elara moved it to the right, then left. His eyes followed.

"Do you want to fly to her?" Serena asked.

He reluctantly let go of Serena’s hair.

Elara took two steps away. They were maybe three feet apart and there was no flying that occurred. In fact Serena didn’t let go of him at all, but his wings flapped, and to Onyx, he soared over the castle.

"Good job Onyx!" Serena clapped after she handed him to Elara. She gave his head a pat and he basked in it.

Dex glanced back at his father, who was still watching him. Clearly, he was waiting for him to see this exact thing.

"What?" Elara said, noticing Dex was watching.

"You both realize that’s exactly not how you’re supposed to train a dragon?"

"He’s not just a dragon. He’s our son," Elara snapped.

Dexmon nodded, clearly holding back a million and one things he wanted to say.

He grabbed Serena’s hand and pulled her into the war room, ignoring the stares they got. He was always mindful to not touch her in meetings like this. But at this point, he gave zero fucks. Everyone needed reminding who she belonged to.

Aegon:Mate is surprised we are touching her again. And blushing. I feel it.

Dex:She’ll need to get used to it. I’m not stopping.

Aegon:It’s settled. We mate her and mark her right now. In this war room.

Dexmon: Absolutely the fuck not.

Tiberon spoke as soon as they were seated.

"Valegrave is reclaimed. Bloodmoon and Ironreach have secured the southern corridor. Portal denial on all three fronts is holding."

His eyes landed on Serena in acknowledgement. "The plan worked."

The pause after was the problem.

"However, the plan did not account for Rathmore flipping. We just received intelligence that he stepped aside, and Viremont reclaimed his throne. All of his vassal lords fell back in line within hours."

"His portals are his, and no pack is going to start a war with Viremont over that. It’s a waste of resources."

Serena’s brows knitted for a split second. Dexmon felt it through their matebond, and Tiberon saw it.

"Serena. What am I missing?"

There were some chuckles from the table.

"Does that timeline seem too clean?" Serena asked. "Rathmore backed by Nightspire suddenly stepping aside. All of his vassal lords fall in line within hours. From a deposed king with no resources."

There was something else she wanted to say, but she didn’t want to do it in here. She glanced at Hyran, who was watching her, seeming to be running similar calculations in his mind.

When she looked back at Tiberon, he was also watching her with an expression she couldn’t read.

Unbeknownst to her, that was a rare moment where Tiberon Drakenfell was impressed and would never admit to it. Because she’d arrived at the conclusion faster than half his officers, and the conclusion pointed somewhere he didn’t have a map for yet.

"Yes," he said. "That is the correct instinct. A king who lost everything doesn’t walk back into his own throne room unless someone holds the door open for him."

"You’re suggesting he had help then." Captain Halvek spoke from down the table.

Tiberon looked at Serena, and it took her a moment to understand he wanted her to answer the question. A surprise.

"Yes," she said. "These vassal lords carved territory hours after Viremont’s arrest. Returning it to the person they took it from wouldn’t be done voluntarily. They did because someone with more leverage than Viremont told them to."

Tiberon leaned back in his chair. "The question is who opened the door. And what it cost."