Page 61 of Her Silent Knight

“She was.”

“We need to prepare for whoever they send. The villagers are the ones who will be attacked first.”

“Rhen is talking to Sil about that now.”

“Rhen is a good guy.”

“He used to flirt with my mate.”

“Used to?”

“He’s been warned.”

“Do we need to kill him?”

“I thought you said he was a good guy.”

Takeo shrugged. “Good guys die too.”

When they reached the second gate, Kaede stared up at Malcolm and Deacon who were posted at the gate’s entrance.

Malcolm called down, “Cooper just radioed me saying you can speak. I told him if you could really speak, I would shit bricks.”

“Tell Cooper to stop spreading rumors.”

Huge grins spread across Malcolm and Deacon’s faces.

“I guess I need to make me some brick stew so I can shit that shit out,” Malcolm joked.

“Fuck, Kaede, you’ve found her. Is that her?” Deacon asked.

Kaede nodded, chest swelling with pride. “Let us in.”

Deacon pressed the button. The gates opened. Kaede and Takeo entered the second square of the compound. There weren’t as many people walking about. Most were in their quarters or at work.

The few that were out and about did gawk his way as he walked along the gravel path that led to the front doors of the main building. Some said the main building looked like a rundown prison.

Maybe it did. He’d never seen a real prison before. In his village, a place like this wouldn’t have been able to hold a dragon who was being kept as a prisoner. Depending on your crime, you were either put to death or put to sleep.

Forced hibernation was the usual punishment. You were placed in a cave, chained to something sturdy and you simply slept until your prison sentence ended. One of two things happened when your sentence was up.

Depending on your crime, you were either banished from the village or allowed to start over in the village. Start over meaning all of your assets had been taken by the current alpha and kept by him and his family.

If the alpha was wealthy, he wouldn’t keep the assets. Instead, he’d distribute them amongst those in the pack who were less fortunate. The notion of locking prisoners away and feeding them three meals a day and providing them a bed had been foreign to him when he arrived here.

Though he’d lived in the Mortal Plane, he hadn’t mingled with Mortals. He was the son of an alpha. In order to keep his mind guarded from the influence of human culture, he was forced to only be with his kind.

Though, his friends did keep him up to date on what was going on in the mortal world. He just wasn’t allowed to experience it for himself. Arriving here had been a culture shock to him. He’d made a ton of enemies when he first came.

Simply because he didn’t understand anything outside of his own culture. The more he learned, the more he came to value other’s opinions, cultures, values, and beliefs. That had been the one good thing he’d experienced while being here.

Until today. Kaede stared down at his mate again. She’d been out for too long. Maybe he’d have the medic come examine her.

“You going in or not?”

Kaede looked up. They’d made it to the front entrance and Takeo was holding the door open for him. He’d been so caught up in his own thoughts that he hadn’t realized they’d arrived.

“I have to be understanding of her culture and values,” Kaede told his friend.

Takeo nodded. “You will. Having a mate isn’t easy. Or so, I’m told. It’s hard work. Just because the Fates deemed you compatible, doesn’t mean you will make each other happy. It just means the two of you have the potential to be amazing together. It’s up to you two to achieve that potential. It’s not automatic.”

Kaede nodded. He’d assumed it was automatic. His parents had made it look so easy, so effortless. He’d never seen them argue, fight, fuss. Yet, he did recall them telling him and his siblings to go outside so they could talk. Maybe that was when they handled whatever issues they’d been having, if they had any.

“You’ll figure it out. Go on into your quarters. I’ll have the team set you up a cabin. You’re mated now. No need for you to live in the main building with us. You need your own place.”

His own place. He’d forgotten that rule. He had a mate now. They needed privacy. They would get their own space. A cabin to call their own. He would be able to replace the one he burned down. Maybe that would make her a little less angry when she awakened. Smiling, Kaede carried his mate into the main building.

This place was finally starting to feel like home.