Page 62 of Smoke and Moon

“I could make excuses for why I lied.Tell you that I was scared or didn’t want Morlie being far away with a man or wolf-shifter I didn’t know.”

“What’s the truth you want to tell me?”

She bit down on the side of her lip and felt an ease to her tension when she saw the soft moss color of Aodh’s markings.He didn’t appear angry at her.“Morlie had a birthday right before she woke in the healing chamber.She turned nineteen.”

Aodh stood there for a moment, gazing down at her.

Kai waited for his rage or crimson flames to leap into his eyes.Neither happened.

He pulled her into his arms but kept his gaze on hers.“Thank you, mate, for telling me.You never need to hide anything from me.No matter what it is, we will face it and choose together.”

Her heart swelled with gratitude.She wrapped her arms around Aodh’s waist and hugged him tight as she took in the warmth of his scent.

“Yeongi.”

“Yes, Mckenna?”

Kai drew back and glanced at the door.Aodh’s assistant’s voice surprised her at how close it sounded.She spotted Yeongi framed in the doorway and felt the heat infuse her face.How long had he been there?

Yeongi would not have been outside the door while we were intimate.However, I am sure he heard you crying out in pleasure.

She smacked Aodh’s arm.Thankfully, Yeongi kept a straight face, even though the dragon-shifter probably knew she and Aodh spoke through their bond.

Aodh chuckled.“Yeongi, go down and have Edjer radio his team and remove the shadows from Morlie.”

“I’ll take care of that now, Mckenna.”Yeongi nodded at them before leaving the office.

“Anything else, mate?”

“No.I’ll leave you to your work.”She headed toward the door.

Aodh stepped up beside her and journeyed down the steps with her.“I’ll see you tonight for dinner to finish what we started in the office.”

She didn’t respond to his salacious taunting.They were now too close to the meeting room where all the leaders had waited for Aodh.Kai could hear talking and laughing but refused to glance in that direction.“See you later.”

“Make sure you rest.I have a surprise I want to show you when I get to the suite.”

At the door, she let her gaze travel along his body and recalled his hard length pressing into her just moments ago.When she looked up at him, she arched a brow.

Yes, that, too, little flame.But something else.

“Okay.Enjoy the rest of your day.”She waved and exited the building.

~YH~

“Leaders, we have a situation before us.”Aodh strolled into the meeting room after Kai left the building.

“Before we discuss the issue you are bringing, Mckenna.”Admani, the leader who handled all their territory livestock, rose from her seat.

“Which is?”Aodh claimed his chair at the head of the table.

“I believe I speak for all the leaders and the Thunder when I state it has been a while since we have had hope.”Admani glanced around the room to see if anyone would contradict her.She continued when everyone remained silent, “Now that you have claimed your mate and many others will conceive now, too, it’s as if life was restored.”

Anala, the textile leader, beat a fist on her chest.“A people are only as strong as the next generation that follows.Ours shall be mighty.”

The others joined in thumping their chests, and the heavy beats caused a thunderous rumble in the room.

Edjer chanted in their Drahk tongue, calling out, “Dreki-ey!Dreki-ey!”

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