Chapter Nineteen

Magnus

I walked to the edge of the bedroom door and stopped. Harbor and Ayelet were talking low. I leaned against the wall and listened.

Worry laced Ayelet’s voice. “Please don’t tell Magnus I’m not comfortable. We both know how much he loves it here.”

“He does. Plus, he provides everything we need.”

“True. But I also love my job. I wanted it to be in San Diego with the ocean and the boats and all that sunshine.”

“It drew you because that’s where you first met Magnus.”

“Yes. But I never really thought I’d find him. I’m so happy I did. We did. But San Diego itself called, too.”

“Me, too.” Harbor’s whisper was barely audible. “I’m just not a New York City type, I guess.”

I padded softly back down the hall and into the living room. I went to the big windows overlooking the city and Central Park. The view was priceless. But not what I wanted if my mates didn’t want it, too.

I’d lived here my whole life. My business was centered here. My clutch was here. And, though I rarely saw them, my family. It was as natural as breathing for me to live and grow my business here. But now I had my own family. If we had children, they’d need more. A yard. Their own rooms. Safety to shift. We, as a family, needed room to spread our wings, so to speak. Of course, the East Coast had that room. We didn’t have to live in the city itself. But it didn’t feel right here.

Maybe it was why San Diego had called me and my dragon, too?

The bond with my mates ran deeper every day. But it wasn’t just Ayelet who wanted his job back the way it was, or Harbor dreaming of open blue skies. It was me, too, who wished for a change. My new family called me to new beginnings. That yearning burned inside me, too.

I couldn’t hear my mates talking anymore, but through the bond, their emotions sang to me as they comforted and consoled each other about the huge decision I had sprung on them last minute regarding moving to New York.

It was very clear to me, now. They didn’t like the city. I hadn’t been fair about that to them, or to myself. Alone here, I had been fine. Satisfied, if not a bit empty. But with them in my life, all that was different. The city wasn’t as bright or exciting. I wasn’t lonely. I’d found my place. They were my bright lights now. My view. My everything.

Go back.

I nodded as if to answer my dragon.

San Diego was where we’d met, our souls colliding on a fated, wondrous ride. Our hearts had beaten strong there. Our eyes shone whether it was overcast or brightly sunny. Even the ocean called to us. We all loved to swim.

The buzz of emotions quieted in the bond. Their conversation was ending.

I went to my wet bar and poured three drinks, remembering the favorites of each of my mates. When they came into the living room, I was ready, the drinks lined up on the table in front of my couch.

I stood facing them. “Will you join me for a drink?”

Harbor jogged forward, picking his drink up from the table. “My favorite. What’s this all about?”

Ayelet followed, and I handed him his drink.

“Will you all please sit?”

Harbor bounced his ass down on the couch, balancing his drink so it didn’t spill, eager for everything, as always.

Ayelet was more graceful, my beautiful gazelle. He took his drink and balanced himself on the armrest.

I sat beside Harbor, who immediately leaned into my shoulder. I put my arm around him and crossed my legs.

“I want to talk to you both about something.”

“Sounds serious,” Harbor said.

“It is. I’ve come to a decision about my work.”

Ayelet sipped his drink. “Yeah?”

“Yes. I don’t want to work in this city anymore.”

Harbor nearly choked. “Huh? But we just got here.”

“It’s only been five weeks,” Ayelet said.

“I know. And for that I owe you two a big apology.”

“Why?” they both asked in unison.

“Because I made assumptions without a clear mind. Because I thought if this was my home, it could be your home, too.”

“You know we’ll go anywhere with you,” Ayelet said.

“I know. But the assumption I made was that this would be our home, when actually it was only my home.”

“Still, if that’s how you feel, then you should be here,” Ayelet said.

I held up my hand. “I’m not finished. That was what it felt like before I met you both. But not now. It isn’t right.”

“It’s a beautiful penthouse,” Harbor offered.

“And convenient. You have your offices only two blocks away,” Ayelet said.

I cleared my throat. “I’ll be closing them.”

“What?” Ayelet sat forward and placed his drink on the table. “Close them? They’re your life. Your everything.”

I leaned forward and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him until he slid off the armrest and nearly into my lap. “You’re my everything. You two. That’s what I need. And this big, loud city isn’t the place for our family, our future. I know it’s not what you want, either.”

“Were you listening to us while we were in the bedroom?” Harbor accused.

“Not every word,” I confessed.

Ayelet sputtered. I nuzzled him.

“I already knew how you two felt before today. And I have the same feelings. What I loved about this place is the past. Nostalgia. It isn’t about us. Not anymore. We have a different life to lead together.”

“Where?” Harbor asked.

“What if I asked you if we could go back to San Diego? It’s where we claimed each other. It holds that memory, that essence, and all of what we’ve become to each other. Would you both like that?”

Ayelet’s jaw dropped. Harbor started to bounce his knees up and down.

“You did listen in,” Ayelet said.

“I didn’t have to listen. I’d already been thinking about it. This is the right decision.”

“Yes!” Harbor nearly squealed the word. “I would love to go back. Can we get the same penthouse you had?”

“We can. Until we find property we want to buy.”

“Oh boy! I can get my van back out of storage. I can swim in the hotel pool. We can go to Shifter Beach together. And Animals!”

Ayelet lifted his head from my shoulder. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’ve never been more sure.”

“What about the money?” Ayelet asked.

“Screw the money. I have more saved up than I’ll ever need. Our kids can go to any college. We’ll be fine.”

“Kids?” Harbor asked.

I shrugged, grinning at him. “You never know.”

He shrugged. “Very true.”

I turned back to Ayelet. “And you can get your job back there, if you want.”

Ayelet blinked away the shine in his eyes. “Thank you, Magnus.”

I hugged him and Harbor to me, one at each side, and all the tension I’d been sensing the past few weeks vanished. My dragon huffed a bit, then said, San Diego .

We entered the two-story penthouse suite, dragging suitcases behind us. Harbor dropped his and ran all around the room like an excited little boy. He did three circles before coming to stand, breathless, in front of me and Ayelet.

“It still smells like us. Like the claiming.”

Ayelet sniffed the air. “Actually, it does.”

“It’s been waiting for us to come back,” Harbor said. “Now, here we are.”

I took a deep breath. We were home.