Glacier, Alaska

Six Months Later

“Cooper, have you seen Falkor?” Raine asked her new husband.

“He is up at the entrance to the caves. I wonder if he’ll ever be comfortable amongst dragons other than the Phantom Fire.”

Raine punched him in the upper arm. “It’s your job to see that he finds some happiness and peace.”

“My job? How the hell did making Zafira’s brother happy become my job?”

“Because you and Tulok promised Zafira and I you would do whatever was necessary to make us happy. Seeing our brother unhappy makes us unhappy.”

Cooper shook his head. “You know what really worries me?” he asked not waiting for her to answer. “I actually understood what you meant and agreed with you.”

Wrapping both of her arms around his strong, muscular bicep, she snuggled close to him. “That’s because you love me.”

He chuckled. “Good god woman, are you just figuring that out now? I’ve known that since the first time I laid eyes on you.”

“You had an extremely weird way of letting me know that.”

“It’s not my fault if you and the warrior queen aren’t as perceptive as your fated mates.”

“You are obnoxious, and I don’t know why I love you, but I do.”

“Fated Mate? Eternal Flame? Not much you could do about it.”

“Be nice to our guests. I’m going to go check on Falkor,” she said as she drew away.

“Why not just shift and fly?”

“And ruin this dress? Are you nuts? Do you have any idea what it cost—even with all of Eden’s discounts? Besides, trust me, you’re going to want to be the dragon that gets me naked.”

Cooper’s hand reached and drew her back to him. “For the record, I always want to be the dragon that gets you naked.”

Raine shook her head. “Caveman.”

He chuckled as she took a couple of champagne glasses and a bottle of bubbly and began to make her way up to the caves above the village. It was a good distance away, but Raine had chosen a crepe chiffon gown that was feminine and yet playful. It had a ruched sweetheart bodice that bared a keyhole in the bodice both front and back. Held up by thin straps, it also had ruched off-the-shoulder sleeves and a small sweep train.

She’d endured the bridal shoes Eden had insisted she wore and stopped at their dwelling long enough to change into hiking boots. Eden would have a fit and Aria would laugh her ass off. Raine just didn’t want to twist an ankle to check on her brother. Technically, she supposed he was Zafira’s brother, but as Raine had never had one of her own, she’d claimed the famed warlord for hers as well.

Raine found Falkor sitting alone. He wasn’t looking at the celebration below, but at the southern horizon. His face showed neither peace nor contentment.

“A penny for your thoughts,” she said as she joined him and handed him the champagne bottle while she held the glasses.

“I doubt they’re worth that… to anybody,” he said with a sad smile as he poured the sparkling wine.

“Is there a specific anybody you’re brooding about?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“Because Sobek thinks there is.”

“Sobek needs to mind his own business.”

“I pity betas.” Falkor looked at her, sharply. “Really I do. They have to put up with all your alpha bullshit and you and Cooper snarl at them when all they’re trying to do is to ease your burden.”

“Now that you’re bonded to Cooper, I have no burden. Problem solved.”

Raine tipped the champagne bottle over his head, emptying its contents. A bit of it splashed on her gown.

“I’m sending you the cleaning bill,” she quipped before he could growl at her.

“Truth is truth.”

“What is it?” she asked. “If you want, Zafira can come forward to talk to you.”

He placed his hand on hers. “Not necessary. You are every bit as much my sister as she is.”

“Then tell me. I can’t stand to see you so unhappy when I’m just over-the-moon.” She waited for a moment and thought about what Sobek had revealed to her. Even in his cups, the beta to the Phantom Fire was a hard nut to crack. “What’s her name?”

“I am going to kill him,” Falkor said evenly.

“Don’t. He didn’t say anything specifically and I spent a fortune on vodka trying to get him to talk.”

Falkor laughed. “Ah, so that’s why he had such a nasty hangover. You are a very naughty drakaina.”

“So I’m told on a regular basis. What’s her name?”

He shook his head, chuckled and downed the champagne. “Her name, little sister, is Kessily.”