Chapter Ten

"It's so busy in here. There's nowhere to sit and talk," Clay said.

My mind was spinning. I was still trying to wrap my mind around finding my mates. Two of them. And definitely fated. One look, and I felt as if I'd known them my whole life.

"Should we leave?" I asked.

"What do you say to our first date being shifting together?" Armel asked. "It's safe here out back."

Clay clapped his hands. "I love that idea."

My dragon was already trying to kick down all the barriers inside me that held him in check. Shift with mates! "Yes. I love that idea, too."

"Fantastic. Me, too." Smiling, Armel led us through a back employee exit.

The stars were out, though dim from the bright lights of the city.

Behind Animals on the side of the building away from the beautiful San Diego city skyline was a forest that looked like it went on and on.

"It's entirely private property," Armel said.

"By private, do you mean shifter-owned?" I asked.

"Owned by Animals. Secured by Animals."

The sounds of crickets and nightbirds enticed my dragon. The trees whispered to each other of wild delights. I could barely sit down on the changing bench to get my shoes and clothes off. My dragon wanted to shift now, clothing be damned.

Clay kicked off his shoes. "I'm so happy right now. This is incredible that we all met tonight."

"It's amazing," Armel agreed.

"It's magic," I added, my hands shaking as I placed them on the collar of my shirt.

Clay let out a short laugh as he set his shoes aside. "Your dragon is eager."

We barely knew anything about each other, but Clay was already in tune with me.

"I've been neglecting my shifting duties with him."

"Poor guy. Let him know this is a safe space. He can fly over the treetops all he wants."

"No more denying him. Now that you're with us, now that we're mates, you can come here any time to shift," Armel said.

"Gods, I love the sound of that. Mates." Clay let out a loud whoop.

"It's still like a dream to me."

I unbuttoned my shirt and made sure to fold it neatly. I wanted to return it to Dez in good condition.

Armel was fast at stripping. I watched him as he stood, stretching, his lithe form rippling in the dim light of the patio behind us. For a bear shifter, he wasn't hairy at all. His toned skin beckoned to be stroked. His backside was rounded and firm. My cock hardened just to look at him.

Mate. Fly. Mate.

On my other side, Clay was just now unfastening his pants. His animal was small, but that didn't mean he lacked in strength himself. His shoulders were broad, his chest puffed out leading to a small waist and very slim hips, revealed as he pushed everything off and slung the discarded clothes over his shoes. He turned to me, grinning.

My pants were the last to go. I pushed them away and stood up, grinning back at him.

Go. Now. Shift. Mate.

Armel moved toward us. "You're both so beautiful. I don't know if I can contain myself."

Clay and I both laughed.

"Who's first?" Clay asked.

"We can shift at the same time," Armel replied.

"I want to see Rome's dragon," Clay said.

"That's perfect because he's practically going rogue inside me." I moved a few steps forward, my cock bobbing. I wasn't embarrassed. My mates were in the same condition. It felt fantastic to be naked and facing a forest again. This was like home for me but better because my flight was not around to annoy me. And better because I was with my true mates.

I'd not yet given my dragon permission, but the familiar gravity fluctuations had already begun. The shift, like a slide into dreaming while awake, took hold of me. There was a spirally feeling in my mind and a twist in my gut, and suddenly I was looking down at my human mates from over twelve feet high.

"He's a big one!" Clay spread his arms wide.

"Gorgeous," Armel shouted. "Just look at him."

Other shifters were often fascinated by we who were, by human myth-telling, more fantasy types of creatures. But really, I was a big blue lizard with wings and yellow eyes. Our distant legends told of ruling the skies and terrorizing the world. In reality, most dragons were gentle, peaceful beasts unless someone messed with our hoard. Then we got aggressive. For those who hoarded money, it made them quite aggressive and successful at business and investing.

"Go on, Rome! Fly for us! We want to see," Armel yelled.

I spread my wings, slowly moving them up and down. They made a sound like a ruffled sail on the wind. I took a few steps forward, preparing to lift but stumbled.

How shameful. It really had been too long, and I was sorry.

"It's okay, Rome. You can do it. It's just been a long time that you've been cooped up, love." That was Clay. So sweet and encouraging.

I took another few steps, this time getting off the ground a few feet before skidding into the dirt again, my claws flexing.

"Third time's the charm," Armel called out.

I overcame my chagrin and took off again. This time, a little breeze came along and wafted me up and up. I was flying. Finally!

I looked down to see Armel's body slide into bear form. Beside him was a little sugar glider standing on his hind legs. He was tiny, but my dragon vision could easily spot him. He could fly, too, but, for him, it was more of a glide from tree to tree. In other words, we would not be flying together.

I flew up and away from my mates and pumped my wings. Quickly, I was over the forest, my blood racing, my body and thoughts filled with joy. I swerved a lot, flying in an almost zigzag pattern, unwilling to stop. The wind rippled around me. My dragon gave out a loud, echoing cry of utter bliss.

Far behind me, my excellent dragon senses heard my mates running into the forest. They would never catch up.

About a mile out, I circled back to find them. They had both stopped in a beautiful clearing big enough for me to set my huge body down in.

As soon as I set down, I furled my wings. The sugar glider ran over to me, and I unfurled the left so it dragged the ground. He climbed right up and sat on my back. My dragon let out a cooing sound.

Omega. Mate.

The bear ambled toward me, stood on his hind legs, and leaned against my armored chest. He licked it then rubbed his head all over me.

Alpha. Mate.

My dragon actually wagged his tail.

It was all so amazing it had to be a dream. We three had just met, yet we fit together as if we'd known each other for years. Fate had made us pieces of each other's puzzle. We just had to find one another amid the vastness of the world. Easy? Not. Fate had to have intervened. It was the only thing that made sense.

What if I hadn't gone with Dez to Animals tonight? What if I hadn't gotten my night shift off? Sure, maybe there would have been other ways for me to eventually get to Animals. Some day. Some night. But then, would these two have been in the same place at the same time as well?

I didn't question the how. But the why was there at the surface of my thoughts, corny as it was. Love found a way. It was an energy that had intelligence. An entity unto itself. Or so I believed right now on this rare and magical evening.

I lowered my head to the ground as Armel awkwardly stepped back. I stretched out my neck until he finally saw what I wanted. He could use his claws; they would never harm my armor.

He scrambled up and onto my back. I lifted and turned my head to look at both of them. Clay had crawled onto Armel's shoulder. Now I had both Clay and Armel comfortably seated between my spine ridges.

I'd gotten my confidence back. This time, it only took me one graceful try to become airborne. I soared up, feeling my mates' wonder and awe as we went above the treetops, the wind rushing.

I let out a cheerful roar.

Mates. Family. Life. Love.