Page 1 of Dragon's Golden Mate
1
Maeve Wright inhaled deeplyand tried to focus on the gentle, pulsing music coming from her speakers. She made time for meditation every day and rarely had trouble relaxing her mind. Today, though, she felt a persistent pull, as though something was constantly bringing her back to the present moment.
“Ah, well,” she said, giving up and stubbing out her incense. “It’s probably just because it’s a busy day.”
She emerged from the peace of her altar room to find the covenstead in utter chaos. Chelsea, her oldest, was checking off a list on a clipboard. “Let’s see. We’ve got the balloons and the streamers. I picked up a few party hats, too. I know not everyone will want to wear one, but Corbin liked them.”
“I’ll wear one,” Tina volunteered.
“He’ll appreciate that. Do you think we need to worry about entertainment of some sort?” Chelsea tapped the end of her pen on her chin.
Kristy, Maeve’s middle child, picked up her ever-present tarot deck from the coffee table and gave it a quick, one-handed shuffle. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve if you’re really desperate.”
“Maybe. I’m not sure. I keep thinking I’m forgetting something.” Now, Chelsea was tapping the pen against her teeth.
“Cake?” the birthday boy asked.
Maeve swooped him up into her arms and kissed his little cheeks. “Don’t you worry about cake! Lilith is bringing over your favorite one.”
“Chocolate!” Corbin squirmed, and she set him back down so he could work off some of his excitement.
“Now, let’s see.” Maeve turned to her daughter. She stepped forward and took the clipboard out of Chelsea’s hands. “Ah, yes. I know what you forgot.”
“What?” Chelsea asked desperately.
“To havefun,” Maeve insisted. “I thought that was the whole point of this shindig. We’ll celebrate Corbin’s third birthday, and you were all excitedabout our coven and Beck’s clan officially being introduced to each other.”
“I know.” Chelsea sat down on the edge of a chair, hugging her arms around her waist. “Iwasexcited. I mean, this is the perfect opportunity. Corbin is the one thing all of us have in common. I’m just freaking out a little about making sure it all goes right.”
“It’s going to be fine, and I’m not just saying that,” she added quickly. “Some of us have already met, and we got along wonderfully enough to take down that evil jerk and keep both of our families safe. I think that’s saying something. Getting together for a party is merely a formality.”
“I guess,” Chelsea hedged.
“You’ve been living at the Alexander clanhouse for a while now,” Maeve pointed out. “Have they given you any reason to believe they’d be judgmental?”
Chelsea bobbed her head from side to side, making her bright red curls bounce. “No, I guess not.”
“All right, then.” Maeve patted her daughter’s knee. “I know you want things to be perfect, but sometimes you just have to trust that they’re going tobe good enough. Corbin will enjoy the party much more if you’re not stressing out.”
“I can’t argue with that.” Chelsea stiffened as the sound of car doors came in through the open windows. “They’re here!”
“Do what you need to do, and I’ll get the door.” Maeve had rarely seen Chelsea get this tense and would do everything she could to make it better. That included not telling her that she also had an odd feeling about the day. Maeve couldn’t quite explain it, but she’d been off ever since she’d woken up. That strange feeling had grown as she’d attempted her meditation. They’d all feel better when this was behind them.
She opened the door, expecting to see Chelsea's mate, Beck. Instead, she saw a tall man with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His hair was gray, shot through with finer traces of light silver. His dark eyes locked onto hers. “Am I too early?”
Maeve tried to respond, but her inner wolf was reacting so strongly that she almost forgot what he’d asked her. “Right on time,” she finally managed, thoroughly flustered. “Come in. You can put the gift right over there on the coffee table.”
“Thank you.” The red gift bag looked delicate in his large hands as he set it down and turned back toher. “I’m Kendrick Alexander, Beck’s uncle.” He held out his hand.
“I thought you might be. Beck told me a bit about you, but he never said you were so handsome.” She slipped her fingers through his, and her breath suddenly seemed to be too expansive for her lungs. Her wolf clamored inside her. Her eyes had to be shining as she looked up at him, but she had no clue how to control them.
Kendrick laughed, a deep, hearty sound that sent a frisson down her spine. “I highly doubt he sees an old man like me that way!”
Her lashes fluttered. “You can’t be that old.”
“Only eight hundred and forty years young,” he replied.
Eight hundred and forty! Maeve knew he was a dragon, but she hadn’t been thinking about their lifespan when she’d been wondering just how close in age the two of them might be. “I don’t believe it. You don’t look a day over six hundred.”
