“What was that about?”

Cammie let out a curse, nearly cutting her fingers off instead of slicing the carrot. “Dammit, give me a little warning when I’m chopping stuff with a knife, would ya?”

Ian snorted, pushing off the doorframe and wandering into the kitchen. “Your instincts are slipping, Cam. None of us could ever get the drop on you, but you didn’t even hear me come in the house, did you?”

Frowning, she looked away from him and concentrated on what she was making for dinner. “I’ve had a lot on my mind. You know that.”

“And I have a sneaking suspicion the lot on your mind is a man named Alex, not the guys from last night,” he replied, coming to a stop beside her and casually resting his hip on the counter.

“Is there a point to this? I’m trying to get dinner in the oven,” she said, scowling at her hands as they chopped.

“Yeah, and we still have three hours until dinner time. Looks more like busy work to me. I told you last night I was going to come back to why you didn’t want to be near him. And the way you ran from the barn this morning has me even more curious. What’s going on?”

Blowing out a breath, she stopped chopping and locked her arms against the counter. She was unable to do more than shake her head as she bowed it. She didn’t want to talk to anyone about this. Didn’t want to say the words out loud. They’d make it even more real if she did.

“Cammie, talk to me,” Ian said in a voice softer than she’d ever heard it before, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Putting down the knife, she picked up a rag and wiped her hands off as she turned around and leaned against the counter. She didn’t even know where to begin, but she supposed she did need to talk to someone, and she was closest to Ian.

“I’ve been attracted to Alex from the beginning,” she started softly, twisting the rag in her hands. “I’ve been trying to avoid him, because what could come of it? We still don’t know anything about him. Why he’s here, why he was looking for us. Whether…” she trailed off for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Whether he has anyone waiting on him at home.”

“A wife and family, you mean,” he answered in understanding.

“Yes. And even if there’s no one, it still can’t go anywhere. My life isn’t normal, or stable. So I was trying to stay away from him, because the more time I spend with him, the more drawn to him I am. That’s why I didn’t want to stay close to him last night.”

“And this morning? What happened then?”

Pausing, she exhaled heavily. “We… well, we kissed. And then my dragon said… my dragon called him my mate.”

Silence filled the room, and she nervously twisted the rag around her hand as she waited on his reaction.

“You found your mate?” he replied as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “Congratulations, Cammie.”

Shrugging his arm off, she turned to face him, placing her hands on her hips. “Did you not hear anything I just said, Ian?”

He nodded calmly. “I did. I also know how precious a mate is. A true mate. We don’t always find them, you know. Don’t take it so lightly.”

“Does it look like I’m taking it lightly?” she said, throwing her hands up in frustration.

“Wrong choice of words, maybe, but the sentiment is the same. Don’t blow this off. We only get one shot at a mate in our lifetime.”

“I know that. Believe me, I do. But how can I bring an innocent into the mess my life is? And a human at that. Being what I am, I could get him killed.”

“Or he could be strong enough to handle what your life is, and willing to take the risk. You’re right, we don’t know much about Alex, but he doesn’t strike me as a coward.”

“Strong on the inside doesn’t equal strong on the outside. He wouldn’t stand a chance if he went up against a dragon, and you and I both know my kind wouldn’t respect the rules about mated pairs when the mate is a human.”

“I can’t tell you what to do here, Cammie,” he said as he pushed off the counter. “But living your life in what ifs is no way to live. And even if it were, think of the other side of the coin. What if the dragons never find you? What if you and Alex can live out a long and happy life together? Don’t make any rash decisions. Really think about it.”

She watched in silence as he walked out of the kitchen, still feeling as conflicted as she did when she started talking to him. Even if she wanted to live her life on the happier side of the what if coin, she couldn’t do that to Alex. She could risk herself like that, but not him.

Shaking her head, feeling sick at the thought of denying Alex, and depriving her dragon of her mate, she turned around to finish chopping vegetables. Such a mundane thing to do when it felt like her life was crashing down around her ears like a house of cards. But nothing had changed. She might be drowning in sorrow at the knowledge that she was losing her mate before she ever really had him, but life went on, and all she could do was go along with it.

Alex threw himself down on his bed after his shower, his body exhausted, but his mind going around in circles. Cammie was still avoiding him. She’d made herself scarce all day, only showing up for dinner, and leaving the table before anyone else finished eating. He was going to wait for her, but she never came back downstairs, and the guys had quietly cleaned up the dishes and put the leftovers away.

He didn’t know what to do next. He couldn’t force her to talk to him, and it was clear she wasn’t going to give him the chance to try. If only he knew what was making her hesitate. If he could figure that out, he could start making a plan, take some action. But without knowing what was going on, he was helpless to make any headway with her.

Maybe not completely helpless. He thought back to the kiss they shared this morning, his dick immediately hardening at the memory. His body felt like it was coming apart as they kissed, desire overwhelming him, and there was no way she hadn’t felt it, too.

Sitting up, he ran his fingers through his hair, thinking on that for a moment. Maybe that was it. Play up on the attraction she had for him. He wanted to know her, all of her and not just her body, but he’d use that if he had to, to get what he ultimately wanted. He just had to get her alone. No small feat, if the way she avoided him all day was any indication, but he was determined. He wasn’t just giving up on her.

His body stiffened and his hands started trembling moments before the room around him faded out of view, and a new scene took its place.

“Hey, baby,” he said, walking up behind Cammie. “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful,” she said softly, leaning back against his chest. “I hate to admit Seth is ever good at anything, but the house he built us is perfect. I can’t wait to start our lives in there.”

“It’s a good place to start our new family,” he agreed, wrapping his arms around her and resting his hands on her growing belly as he looked at their new home over her shoulder.

“It’s still hard to believe,” she said softly, resting her hands over his. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel real. Like I’m dreaming. I get to keep you, forever, and now we have a little fire breather on the way. I never thought I’d get so lucky.”

He reached down and placed a soft kiss on her neck, smiling when she shivered in reaction. “Believe it, sweetheart. This is real, and we get to keep this forever. I love you, Camilla.”

She turned around, pressing as close to him as her pregnant belly would allow. “And I love you, mate.”

Alex heaved for breath as the scene faded and the room was abruptly back in focus. Fuck, he was losing his mind. He stood up from the bed, stumbling as vertigo slammed into him for a moment. Steadying himself, he paced around the room, mind racing.

Maybe he was having intense daydreams. Because that’s all that could be. Nothing else made sense. But that still didn’t explain the one before this, because why the hell he’d daydream about that, he’d never know. He didn’t know what else it could be, though.

His racing heart slowly calmed down as he worked on taking steadying breaths. He thought back over the daydream and felt his lips curl up. It was basically wish fulfillment to a T, but it was a beautiful dream. Him and Cammie, moving into their own home, in love with a baby on the way. Nothing would make him happier than what his mind had dreamed up.

The smile slowly faded from his face and a frown took its place as he replayed the dream over. Some parts of it made no sense. He called her Camilla, and he didn’t think anyone had ever called her that in front of him. He didn’t even know if it was her real name or not. And the bits about her calling their baby a fire breather, and calling him mate. He had no idea where to begin figuring those out, or why his mind would place stuff like that in his dream.

If it even was a dream. But it had to be, right?

Exhaling heavily, he sat on the edge of the bed, slumped over with his elbows planted on his knees. Nothing was making sense, and he rubbed his temples with his fingers as he thought through it all again. It was useless, though. Both times this happened were out of the blue and filled with unrecognizable nonsense.

Except the part about him getting to be with Cammie forever. That wasn’t nonsense. That was everything he could ever dream and hope for come true.