Chapter Two

Broderick

I slung the jackhammer over my shoulder and walked it back to where we kept the tools. The day was hot, but the job was done, the only thing that stood between me and a cold beer was a hell of a long drive.

“Hey, Brody. You off on vacation now?”

“Yep,” I said and wiped the sweat off my forehead. I slipped off the orange safety vest that was necessary for my construction job and tossed it in the back of the truck. “Taking some time off for some R and R,” I said. I wasn't sure if I would be back to this particular job. It was hard to tell these days just how much time I would spend at Dragon Headquarters. Since that bitch Molpe decided to wreak havoc on our lives, we made sure to have at least three of us there at all times.

“Gonna get some fishing in?”

“Hell yeah,” I said. I didn’t know if I would actually do any fishing in human form, but my dragon loved to fish.

“Take it easy, man.”

“Thanks,” I said. I hopped in the truck. I'd been avoiding headquarters for the past two months because when I was there, I spent way too much time thinking about him. My mate. Mason.

I'd only seen him the one time, but his face would forever be etched in my brain. He was the timid sort, careful how he walked in the room. Eyeing everyone and taking stock of who was around. His dark brown eyes matched well with his dark brown hair that he kept slightly long. It curled around his collar. He had a slimmer build than me, though I suppose everybody did. I had the build of an individual who spent four hours a day lifting weights. I barely did anything to maintain my muscle mass, it simply came naturally being a stone dragon. The brutes of the dragon species.

Our size had served us well when dragons had been plentiful, but it had been used as a weapon during the war. I didn't like to think about that time. It was a toss-up between what was more painful to think about: the war two thousand years ago or having a mate in present day.

I stepped into my truck and began the long trek back to headquarters. I suppose I could put the truck in the garage at my house and fly, but I might as well have my truck with me. Besides, being in my dragon form meant that I'd be that much closer to my natural instincts, which meant I'd have a harder time denying the attraction I felt toward Mason.

I let out a sigh, knowing that I wasn't going to be able to block the vision of him in my mind for much longer. Sooner or later I was going to cave and go to him.

I clenched my jaw.

No. I could fight this pull.

I'd seen Leonidas and Gale find their mates and witnessed the aftermath of dealing with Flint being kidnapped, and Gale being captured by Molpe. All of it resulting in unnecessary heartache. I didn't need to be reminded what loss felt like. I relived it in my dreams every night. Two thousand years had not diluted the pain at all. Having a mate meant opening myself up to heartache and pain. I’d seen it firsthand with my brother and with my friends, and I didn’t want it. I was perfectly content living a regular middle-class life, working construction jobs around the country, operating heavy machinery, destroying things and building them back up again. I’d long since learned to ignore my desire to build a family.

A family with Mason. The vision came out of nowhere. Brown hair, curly, dark brown eyes, long eye lashes, chubby baby cheeks. Mason would make a cute baby, that's for sure. I couldn't help but smile. I wanted to kick myself. I wasn't supposed to be thinking about that. I needed to think about the fact that Mason was human. Weak. Breakable. Fragile.

If Molpe got her hands on him, he'd be toast in an instant. If that vampire got near him… It would just take one bite and Mason would be gone, drained of blood and life. Taken from me before I could even do anything about it.

So why the hell did you leave him unprotected for the past two months?

I blew out a breath. It had been hard for me to come to terms with the fact that my mate was being protected by someone other than myself. He was my mate. My responsibility. But then again, if we were the only ones who knew that Mason was a dragon's mate, then Molpe would have no reason to go after him.

If I stayed away, he would be safe. Molpe had no idea that he was my mate. How could she?

Plus, he lived with a wolf pack. They would keep him safe.

I'd heard from Gale and Frost that Jericho had increased the security around their compound. Merek had even given them additional surveillance supplies; cameras, motion detectors. Mason was safe with them. I knew he and Frost talked every day.

Once I got to the house, I put my tools away in the garage. I wouldn't be needing them for a while since I would be here for at least a month. I tossed my duffel bag in my room, not bothering to put anything away. I didn’t have many clothes or things to keep around. At my age, you’d think I would have collected a few more belongings, but I was a simple dragon. I liked my simple life and thank God for the invention of jeans and white t-shirts that came in packs of five.

I went down to the kitchen and found Armant there, staring into the fridge.

“Any good food?” I asked.

“No,” he said. “Leonidas and Flint went out to get groceries. Frost has both kids in the library.”

“Seems like a legit place for them to hang out.”

“We call it a library, but it seems to have been overtaken by baby things,” Armant said with a bit of distaste in his voice.

“Maybe we should set up a playroom for the kids. We could take out the east wall and have the sitting room be a little play area for all the dragon babies that are running around this place.”

“All two of them?” Armant raised an eyebrow. “Or are we making plans for when your dragon baby comes in the picture?”

“Don't start with me,” I said.

Merek came in the room. “Oh, good, you're here. Broderick, I need to talk to you about Mason.”

“Not you, too,” I said. “Can you guys just give me a break? I don't want to talk about Mason.” Just saying his name out loud sent a shiver down my spine. His name sounded sexy on my lips. I kind of wondered what my name would sound like on his. Late at night. Moaned in pleasure.

I rolled my eyes. Goddess bless. I was going soft. I’d spent too much time around the mated dragons.

Gale came in. “Broderick, I thought I heard your voice. I was just about to—”

“Stop right there.” I held up my hand and faced all three of them, my closest friends. “If you're going to say something about Mason, I don't want to hear it. How many times do I have to tell you all, I do not want a mate. Especially not some human who grew up with a wolf pack. Mason is scrawny, weak, and breakable. The dude would break under me. I might as well put a ‘fragile’ stamp on his forehead. I don't know what the hell the Fates were thinking when they decided that he was right for me. They must have made a mistake. He can't possibly be my mate. I don't want a mate. I have no need for one. And if I was going to pick out a mate, he would be way different than Mason. Mason is….” I stopped cold when my eyes locked on the narrow gaze of the only man in the world who could get my pulse racing—Mason.

“Walking into the room right now,” Merek said.

Oh, fuck. My stomach dropped like a stone. Oh fuck. I'd gone too far. Never mind the fact that I didn't mean anything that I’d said. The look on Mason's face told me that he’d heard it. The tan glow that he usually had faded away. He’d gone completely pale, and his eyes narrowed to thin slits.

He walked over to me and lifted his chin. I didn't even see the hand come up until I felt the sting on my face from the slap.

“You’re no prize either,” he bit out, then ran from the room.

I touched a hand to my cheek, feeling a welt there already. It burned, but I deserved every bit of it. I met the eyes of Merek, Armant, and Gale all of them staring at me, wide eyed.

“All right then,” I said, and I left the room.