Chapter 33

“I’m nervous,” Dallas whispered, clenching Rhys’s fingers in hers. Her other hand was stretched out, holding on to Willow for support.

“I’m nervous too,” he whispered back, squeezing her hand. She shot him a look that said he was crazy. And maybe he was.

They’d just transported to his brother’s castle in Scotland via demigod transportation. Which was basically the most terrifying thing he’d ever done—not that he’d admit it out loud. It had been like being in a tornado and hurricane at the same time.

Weeks ago, Dallas had mentioned to Cynara that they planned to go to Scotland to visit Rhys’s family but were waiting until they felt comfortable leaving Willow. Or until she was strong enough to make the entire flight with them.

Cynara had told them that her sister-in-law was a demigod who specialized in transportation. He’d never even heard of such a thing before but here they were. It was hard to believe that five minutes ago they’d been in New Orleans and now they were in the Highlands, an icy wind whipping around them. The trip itself had been a cacophony of noise and wind. And now the rich scent of heather filled his senses.

He hadn’t seen his family in thousands of years and he’d been an angry, raging dragon constantly on the warpath back then. He’d hated everything, everyone. Hated the whole world for taking his baby sister. He’d let that consume him to the point that he’d pushed his whole family away. So yeah, he actually was nervous to see them even if he’d spoken to his brothers on the phone in the last few weeks.

Now they were standing in a large, colorful garden and just waiting outside Lachlan’s castle. It was a mammoth stone structure with multiple turrets jutting up into the sky, as if it had always been part of the landscape. Nyx—the demigod—and her mate, Bo, had walked off into the huge hedge of yew mazes and told them they’d return later.

Suddenly two heavy doors burst open from the back of the castle and Lachlan and Cody raced across the thick, lush lawn to greet them.

Dallas squeezed his hand once and then let go, pushing him forward not so gently.

Heart in his throat, he raced for his brothers, colliding with both of them, wrapping his arms around their necks as they embraced him in turn, gripping tight. They were as large as him, cut from the same cloth.

Rhys wasn’t ashamed as tears welled up in his eyes, as emotion clogged his throat to the point that he couldn’t speak.

“My brother has come home,” Lachlan rasped out, tears in his eyes as well as he slightly loosened his grip. “I have missed you so much,” he said as he pulled Rhys back in for another bone-crunching hug.

“I’ve missed you too, brother.” He gripped the back of Lachlan’s neck and did the same to Cody, looking fully at his brothers, memorizing their faces again. Gods, it had been too long. “Eilidh has finally been avenged.”

“Aye,” Lachlan rasped out.

Cody broke away first, wiping at his own cheeks. “Let’s meet the lass who is likely too good for you.”

Laughing, he turned to find Willow hiding behind Dallas, her big head peeking around Dallas’s long, lithe body. He shook with laughter as he strode toward his waiting mate and their Willow. “This is Dallas Kinley, my much too good for me mate,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “And this is Willow.”

He’d told his brothers that he had a pet dragon, but he wasn’t sure they’d actually believed him until now.

They both stared, smiles on their faces as they approached. Then Lachlan pulled Dallas into a big hug, lifting her off her feet.

Rhys only snarled a little, which made Cody howl with laughter and mutter about possessive mates before Cody picked her up into a tight hug as well.

“Welcome to the family,” Cody said.

Then Star, who he only recognized from TV, raced out. “I couldn’t wait any longer, I’m sorry,” she said as she joined them. “I wanted to give you guys a brother moment but… You have a real dragon!”

Lachlan looked adoringly at his mate and it warmed Rhys to see his big brother so completely smitten. “Star, this is Rhys, Dallas and Willow.”

She rushed Rhys, pulling him into a tight embrace before she hugged Dallas as well, who let out a yelp of surprise at the intense hold.

“I’m going to say this probably more than once, but I’m a huge fan,” Dallas said as she stepped back, her smile brilliant.

Star gave her a genuine smile. “Well I’m a fan of your pet. She’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

As the two women talked, Lachlan grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him close. He wrapped his fingers around the back of Rhys’s neck and pressed his forehead to Rhys’s. “Brother mine,” he murmured, emotion clogging his throat.

Rhys swallowed hard once. “Your Star has the faint scent of…” He cleared his throat, not wanting to say the name of Lachlan’s long-dead human love. He never wanted to remind his brother of his loss, his pain, but that scent was there, lingering, and the familiarity startled Rhys.

Lachlan grinned once as he stepped back, though he didn’t give him much room. “She does smell like her. And it seems we have much to talk about.” He cleared his throat once, his expression turning serious again. “I know your home is with your mate now. I’m just so damn happy that you’ve found peace.”

“More than peace. Happiness and love.”

And he had. With the incredible female who had stolen his heart from practically the beginning. Even if he hadn’t realized it at the time.

It was always going to be Dallas for him. Always.