“Link!” Megan yelled as she opened the back door.“Megan? Megan!” Link yelled as he ran towards her and caught her in the air as they both cried and hugged.Link had been waiting for us on the porch. I didn’t stop to greet him as I raced behind Felix to the infirmary where I found Emily pacing up and down in the hall in front of the examination room.“Any news?” Felix asked Emily.“Not yet, they’ve been in there for a while now,” Emily said as she hugged me and looked at Felix frowning as she did.“He’s her bonded half Ems,” I said and her eyes widened slightly.“Wow, you two really do share everything,” she remarked.The door opened and Peter stepped outside looking grim and I could hear Ava crying inside. I smelled blood, a lot of it and it disappeared faintly as he closed the door behind him.“I’m so sorry Sire, I tried everything I could but she was already in premature labour by the time I got here,” Peter said.“Is she okay?” Felix asked.“Physically yes,” Peter said.“She doesn
“Motherfucker!” I yelled and slammed the laptop closed.I was alone in my office and I had just received an email from the Elders with regards to Sire Anthony Jacobs’ retribution claim. He was escalating the matter to the High Council. He was enraged to say the least.“Does your father know you call him that?” Felix asked me.“Not now Felix,” I said.“What’s wrong?”“I have to appear in front of the High Council,” I said.“On what charges?” he asked me.“Failure to uphold the Sire’s vow.”“For divorcing Ava?” he asked.“Oh he doesn’t even know that part yet, this is for marking Megan,” I said.“He’s pissed off about the alliance,” Felix said.“So what am I looking at Felix? Financial penalty, loss of my lair?”“It depends on what he’s asking for but yes financial penalty is an option, absorption of your lair or he can demand that the bond be broken and reestablished between you and Ava,” he said.“That’s what he wants,” I said.“I agree,” Felix said.“What I’m about to do is going to
Another week passed by and Link had bought out my personal shares in the lair businesses. He still wasn’t happy with my decision but he understood it better now. I had handed over everything to him and now this really was his lair and territory.I was standing outside the meeting hall where the High Council was currently questioning Anthony. I’d be called in soon enough but I wasn’t particularly worried. The Council always conducted their hearings behind closed doors, meaning that it wasn’t open to the public. The Council members, the Elders of the region and the affected parties were allowed inside.Lucas was standing next to Megan even though I’d told him not to come. When I told him that I’d given the lair to Link I was stunned into silence when he didn’t yell at me but actually agreed that it was the best thing I could’ve done.“It’ll be fine,” Lucas said.“I know Dad,” I said.“If things turn south we can always just kill everybody,” Felix said.“That’ll definitely score you some
“We’ll fight this,” Lucas said as he stood in my bedroom where I was busy packing my clothes.“No we won’t. Their decision is final,” I said.“Then we’ll all go into exile with you,” he said.“No. Chase just became a father, that’s why I gave up the lair in the first place, so everyone wouldn’t be punished with me. The best thing you all can do is go home, rule your lairs and be the best,” I said.“And you go into exile,” Lucas spat out.“Dad, it’s not as bad as you think. There are other ways to make a life,” I said.“It’s still bullshit,” he said.“I’m still not sorry. This is going to be an adventure,” I said.“Trust you to see the adventure in it,” he said.“Dad, I’m free from the bonds of dragonkin, I can follow my own rules, I can start over, the way I want to,” I said.“Fine. Let me know when you settle somewhere, we’ll come visit,” he said.“I love you Dad, stop worrying,” I said.Lucas left after another hour of goodbyes and tears and hugs. He even hugged Felix and told him t
We stopped for gas in Bushnell and found a diner that was already open. We took our time eating breakfast and drinking copious amounts of coffee before heading out again and walking through the town.By ten am Ava had found everything she needed and we headed back to the car. Megan had already called the realtor and we drove to the bed and breakfast where we had a reservation. I had barely put our suitcases down before jumping in the shower.“Don’t use all the hot water,” Megan said loudly from the doorway.“Then you’ll have to join me,” I said as I opened the door and looked at her.“You just want to get me naked,” she said as she took her shirt off.“When have I not wanted to?” I asked her.I opened the door wider to let her get in when my phone started to ring. Megan laughed at me as she handed me a towel and I got out. “Don’t hurry,” I said to her as I grabbed my phone from the bed.“Grey,” I answered.“You didn’t call to tell me Anthony took a shot at you! I had to hear it from t
It was a month later when Tank, Jack, Elio and Marlo arrived on our doorstep. Felix and I had several business interests and we had roped Tank in to do the digging for us. We didn’t expect him to bring the information himself although having them all there was great.“That’s a lot of suitcases,” I said as Felix and I got off the boat and numerous hugs were exchanged.“We sold the house,” Jack said.“In Oklahoma City?” I asked.“You said one cabin was empty, it’s ours now,” Tank said after crushing my ribs.“Just like that?” Felix asked him.“Just like that,” Jack said with a hand on his hip.“Welcome to Florida then,” Felix said with a chuckle.“Marlo, as beautiful as ever,” I said as I picked her up in a hug and kissed her cheek.“If you weren’t practically my brother Ryder, I swear …”“You’ll what Elio?” I asked him.“Never mind, how is the magnificent Megan doing?” Elio asked.“She’s great, we’re all great,” I said.“Come on, they’re all waiting back on the island,” Felix said as h
Two weeks later Marlo gave birth to a girl, Eloise Sherwood. She was an exact miniature replica of Marlo, minus the blue hair. We spent the morning after her birth with them as we helped Elio to assemble the crib and Megan, Ava and Rylee had gone on a massive shopping spree for the baby.“She’s beautiful Marlo,” I said as I held Eloise in my arms.“She’s perfect,” Elio said as he kissed the top of Marlo’s head.“Better buy that shotgun,” Lucas joked as he joined us with a cup of coffee in his hands.“Don’t you worry Lucas, I’ll sever the heads of anyone thinking of even looking at her,” Elio said.“She’s got enough people that’ll teach her how to look after herself,” Jack said as Tank held his arms out for her.“Nobody will ever hurt you precious angel,” Tank said in a surprisingly soft voice.Later that afternoon we took the boat back to the island and settled down for the day. Lucas was on his phone as he started walking the perimeter of the island. Megan and Rylee got started on di
“As discussed at our last informal meeting I’d like to introduce to you exiled Sire Ryder Grey,” Peyton said.“Thank you Peyton,” I said and looked at the group of people in front of me.“I can’t be your Sire here or officially claim this as my territory, but I can be your Chief,” I said.“It doesn’t matter what you’re called, as long as we can unify all of us,” Peyton said and a few men also nodded their heads.“You all make up your own clans, vampires, wolves and dragonkin. Clans that bind together is a tribe, the leader of a tribe is a chief. I’ve had numerous discussions about what you all want and I’ll do this on one condition only,” I said.“Which is?” another man asked.“To my left is Tank, he’s a born Alpha wolf. To my right is Felix, born with master’s blood. They will head up the wolf and vampire clan individually and I’ll head up the dragonkin clan and together we will be the Grey Tribe,” I said.“What makes them qualified to be our leaders?” a woman asked.“Felix and I tra