Cain is on the run. He’s about to lay his egg, which means handing it over to his king and never seeing it again. He’s wanted to be a father for too long, though, and he’s ready to do anything to keep his baby.
Hogan isn’t what people would call a friendly person. He’s growly and snappish, but only when it comes to those he doesn’t like—which is most of the Ogorth clan. When he punches yet another dragon, he’s sent off to patrol the forest around the palace, and he stumbles on Cain.
Cain had no idea he was in Ogorth clan territory, but he’s relieved he won’t have to lay his egg alone. He doesn’t expect to find a home with the Ogorth clan, or with Hogan.
Life is good as Cain and Hogan grow closer, but Cain’s old clan finds out where he is, and they demand him and his egg back. Will the queen keep her promise to keep him and his baby safe, or will the dangers to her clan be enough for her to give in? Will Cain lose everything he gained and never thought he would have, or does he have a chance to keep living his dreams?
Cain pressed his hand to his stomach and swallowed. He waited for the sound of voices to fade before peeking around the corner. The hallway was empty, and he hoped it would stay that way until he passed by. The last thing he needed was for someone to catch him while he tried to sneak out.
Taking the next step was terrifying. He had to do this, but he knew what would happen if he was caught. The clan wouldn’t take it well if they found out he was trying to steal one of their babies—as they said. Cain almost snorted, but he needed to stay silent. How could he steal a baby when he was still carrying the egg? This baby was his, not the clan’s, and he would make sure they would have a better life than he had, even though it meant leaving the Eiloren clan and everything he’d ever known behind.
He needed to move before someone came back. He was in his human form, hoping it would help him go unnoticed, but it would make it harder for him to run away once he was outside. He had no choice, though. His dragon form was too big, especially now that he was carrying the egg and was close to the time of the laying.
Taking one last deep breath, he snuck around the corner. The hallway was still empty, and he could see the door at the end of it. He was almost there, and with every breath he took, he expected someone to catch him.
No one did.
He reached the door, and with a trembling hand, he unlocked it and pushed it open. The lock was big, since it was meant to be opened by dragons, and he only had to push it a bit to pass through. He even managed to close it behind himself, although there was nothing he could do about the lock. He didn’t even care. He was out, and he was free, or he would be soon, anyway.
First, he had to put more distance between himself and the clan.
He ran like he’d never run before, and that wasn’t just a saying. He usually spent most of his time in his dragon form, just like every dragon shifter he knew. Tonight, though, he needed to stay in his human form. It would make it easier for him to hide, which he sorely needed. Eventually, the clan would realize he was gone, and they would come after him. He didn’t know how long it would take, but it would happen. The clan needed the baby he was carrying, and they would do everything they could to get their hands on the egg. They wouldn’t stop for anything, just like he wouldn’t let anything stop him from protecting it and keeping it with him.
He didn’t know how long he ran. He couldn’t hear anyone coming after him, but that didn’t stop him. He had to get out of clan territory, but he had no idea where he was going. He’d never been allowed to leave the clan before. He didn’t know what life looked like outside of it, not even the forest around it. Even when he was allowed to fly, he always had to stay close by. Now, he didn’t know where to go.
Anywhere was better than staying with the clan.
So Cain ran. He ran until he was out of breath and the back of his throat tasted like blood. He ran until he felt like he was going to throw up. His stomach hurt, and he tried to convince himself it was because of the running, but he knew better, even though this was the first egg he would be laying. He’d been taught what to expect when he’d found out he was pregnant, and he knew what his pain meant.
That scared him more than anything else. He couldn’t stop to lay the egg, not when he didn’t have a safe place to stay and the clan could find him at any moment. He didn’t know what he would do now that he had to survive on his own with his baby, but whatever his future would be like was better than giving the baby up as everyone expected him to, including the baby’s second father. The baby only had Cain, and Cain would make sure to live up to that. That meant he had to find a safe place where he could lay the egg without the clan finding him, and he hoped he would be able to. If they caught him, they wouldn’t hesitate to take the egg away, and he wouldn’t be able to do anything. His life and his baby’s depended on him being strong enough to make it on his own, and he would.
He had to.
People Also Bought:
