Page 20 of No Potions Needed

“Not my ex. Just a guy I hooked up with while my mum was dying,” I shrugged. “Well, before that, I guess. When we still thought there were treatment options. I’m an ass, Othoni. He was hot and lifted his tail, if I’m honest. He knew what it was, though.”

“If he knew how does that make you an ass?” Othoni asked.

“I’m not sure but I feel like one,” I laughed, leaning back in the booth.

“Not that I have any serious exes but I think that’s a social thing. Someone’s ex comes around and either they’re the victim or they’re the asshole. You’ve never claimed to be a victim. Jacob isn’t either. Maybe we’re both bloody assholes.”

“Probably. Though, it sounds like you grew out of it, and he didn’t. Not with the way he talked to Dern and before you say anything. Dern shot you. You’re not his doctor. You don’t owe anyone anything.”

Across the restaurant Jacob rolled his eyes, and I fought off the urge to pull my mate across the table and tongue kiss him until the scent of our arousal filled the café. That’d show his furry ass. That’d show everyone. My dragon rose up on his haunches inside his inner sanctum and I let out a long breath. I wasn’t about to fight Jacob. He was trying to do his job even if he was a twit.

“You smell so annoyed with him, mate,” I whispered. “Stop it. My dragon is going to make broiled wolfshank if you don’t and I don’t want to eat him!”

Othoni laughed and the sound echoed around the dining area. Everyone in the café turned to look at us.

“They’re newly met, folks,” Jacob spoke up. “Most of us here know how it is.”

I opened my mouth to say we didn’t need his help, but the server came back and asked us if we had decided on a dessert.

“We’ll split a cake with them,” Othoni said, pointing at Jacob and his mate. “Put it on our bill of course. Chocolate with lemon buttercream.”

“How did you know Jacob’s favorite?” I whispered across the table when the smiling server left.

“How do you?” he shot the question back at me.

“I used to hook up with him. Did you read my mind, though?” I blinked.

“I wish! We’re not that far along yet. It’s my favorite too. Well, one of them. What can I say? Bears eat a lot of cake and I’m surrounded by them back in the Nightshade Territory.”

“Duly noted,” I grinned and reached across the table to take both of his hands in mind.

“Don’t eat him for being rude to Dern. That’s a good way to send mixed messages,” Othoni grinned at me.

“If he can’t speak dragon that’s on him,” I shrugged. “But for you, I’ll try to keep my hunger in check. Maybe I’ll just eat you later.”

Othoni blushed and I braced for him to kick me under the table. I’d have deserved it for bringing such talk to the table but instead he stuck his tongue out at me and lapped the air. Thankfully, his back was toward the majority of the restaurant. I was about to lean over and lick his tongue when the bell above the door chimed again. This time it was Mori and he looked more bemused than ever. He stopped by Jacob’s table and the pair of them had a whispered conversation before Mori spotted us and waved.

“Huh?” Othoni blinked, sucking his tongue back into his mouth as he turned to look over his shoulder and find out who I was waving at.

“Just Mori. He’s talking to Jacob,” I announced as if he couldn’t see it for himself.

“I hope Dern’s okay. That’s what I was going to tell you,” Othoni said, turning to face me again and lowering his voice to a barely audible whisper. I ran my thumbs over his palms. “What I was going to tell you when I ran off before the storm to find you. That old wolf has one paw through his door already. If you want to know what he has to say about your carrier, you better do it sooner rather than later. You can stay away out of spite all you want but if he dies before he can tell you, you’re the one who’s missing out.

“Well, no one’s going to find out anything about Lotus tonight,” Mori said, sliding into the booth next to Othoni. I scooted over with him because I wasn’t ready to let go of his hands yet. “Have you guys already eaten or are you waiting on your food?”

“We’re waiting on cake,” Othoni announced. “But order. We’ll hang out while you eat.”

Mori glanced to me and I nodded. As happy as I was to have found my true-mate I wasn’t about to leave Mori on his own in a strange town. He could take care of himself, no problem, but loneliness was a son-of-a-bitch. As much as he was the odd man out when it came to romance, I didn’t want him to feel like the third wheel or unwanted any time the three of us hung out together.

“Thanks, guys,” Mori grinned as the server appeared at the booth’s edge to hand him a menu and a water glass. After glancing at the menu he ordered the mashed potato pancakes and gravy. Once the server was gone, he filled us in on the little he learned about Dern while we rubbed off on each other.

“I’m worried about him, though. He was coughing a lot when I left,” he whispered. “That’s what I was telling Jacob. He might be assy but he is Dern’s doctor. His communication skills suck furry donkey balls, but he knows what he’s doing. He delivered Astral’s baby, right, Teddy?” Mori pointed out as if to remind me.

“I don’t hate Jacob. I have no patience left for him or anyone else. I had some but then I got shot, Mori. I’ll talk to Dern, if you think it will help, but he’s so senile that he brought a gun into a room with a baby he loved. He loves that pup. He loves Astral and the whole damn pack. Everyone knows it. If he’s that far gone, I don’t know if he’ll be able to tell us anything.”

“Maybe he won’t, but Ormund will. Ormund’s already dead and he doesn’t have any reason to lie to us. Plus, I think Dern’s mind is fine. I just think he has a different definition of what’s right and wrong. Besides, if that news,” he pointed under the booth at his stomach. “Was sprung on me and then someone tried to cut me up, I’d be shit bucket crazy too. Seriously. I’m going to have nightmares about it, Teddy. I don’t know if you can understand what that had to be like. I’m not saying you’re a cave-alpha but it’s not something you’d ever have to worry about and---”

“It’s okay,” Othoni said, dropping one of my hands to wrap his arm around Mori’s shoulders. “No one’s allowed to try that. I will disembowel them, and Teddy will eat them, and I think Teddy does get why it messes with your head. Hell, I didn’t even hear it from him and it’s messing with my head. Teddy’s going to talk to him one way or another because after someone goes through something like that of course they’re going to be a little fucking crazy.”

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