Chapter Seven

Henri hesitated to knock on Estelle Somerset’s sliding glass door because he saw Rocky inside.

Sometimes, he wished he could tell Rocky what had happened. If the consequences weren’t so severe, he would. Maybe Rocky could save him from his inevitable fate if he didn’t reject Henri first. His savviness would serve Henri well. But shouldn’t Henri save himself?

The trouble Henri had caused wouldn’t go away by itself.

They might very well be the new dandelions of current times. Dandelions weren’t native to North America. They’d appeared when the Europeans had first arrived on the continent. The invasive species had taken over to the point where people had forgotten they hadn’t always been there.

Change spun in a circle along with the earth as if it were always meant to until it was out of Henri’s control.

The chance of rejection was always there because Henri’s wrongdoings would always be between them. Unless he got brave, which had never happened before.

He wanted to be close to Rocky. His heart ached for the chance. Every time he thought about the possibility of not knowing Rocky as his mate, tears pricked his eyes. So he tried not to. It all came to the forefront of his mind, taking over his thoughts whenever Rocky was so close.

The second Henri saw Rocky, his body hummed.

Rocky had well-worn jeans on, with a hole in the back left pocket. He had a muscular ass. Seeing it made Henri want to feel the swell of each cheek. Rocky had a bandana covering the top of his head. The rest of his long blond hair hung past his shoulders to his flannel- covered back. Rocky had wide shoulders. Like all dragon shifters, he was strong, with muscles everywhere. But it was his thighs, even when he wore pants, that made Henri’s mouth water. He thought about how they’d feel to sit on. But it wasn’t all he wanted to do. He wanted to wrap his legs around Rocky’s waist and ride his…

Yeah, it wasn’t helping the situation. Stop thinking with your nether regions, Henri.

Rocky must have smelled him because his eyes shifted into his dragon and his fangs dropped as he turned toward the door. Their gazes met.

Henri bit his lip.

Rocky had been talking to the alpha. Deep in conversation and whatever they were discussing wasn’t over. But Rocky seemed to have forgotten everything except Henri.

As Rocky stalked to the door, the alpha raised his eyebrows and said, “Well, he just made it convenient.”

Henri rolled those words through his mind, coupling them with the conversation he’d overheard earlier. It seemed Rocky and the alpha had something planned and it somehow included him.

It meant the alpha suspected Henri’s involvement with the human enhancement situation. What other thing was there?

The alpha wasn’t an idiot. He had to know Henri had worked with Dr. Perkins at the college. It wasn’t a stretch to suspect Henri’s involvement.

Henri almost turned and ran for his car. But Rocky had already reached him. As soon as the door opened, Rocky’s scent assaulted him. Henri’s turtle vision was a lot better than his human eyes, to the point he had to take off his glasses to see Rocky.

Nine times out of ten, Rocky wore a stoic expression. But when he met Henri’s gaze, his expression softened. He even smiled.

Instead of letting Henri inside the house, Rocky came outside. Henri stepped back, giving Rocky room to exit. Rocky shut the door behind him and then took Henri’s arm, leading him away from the patio.

Rocky let his arm go when they were in the yard. He folded his arms over his chest and frowned. “Do you have a problem?”

Henri said the first thing to enter his mind as if he didn’t have a filter. “I have several.”

Rocky seemed to relax a little, although Henri didn’t know what he’d said to prompt it. He even seemed to find Henri amusing. “You’re safe?”

“I’m fine. Sully allowed me to come here. I wasn’t trying to escape.” And then Henri thought about the one-sided conversation he’d overheard earlier and Rocky’s aggressive response to whatever the other person had said. “Am I more unsafe now than before?”

“Yes.”

He hadn’t expected the answer. Even if it was true, most people wouldn’t have been so blunt. “You need to get better at sugarcoating stuff.”

“I’m not a donut-maker, mate.” Rocky was more clever than Henri had given him credit for.

Henri snorted and then covered his mouth.

Henri wanted a photograph of Rocky above his mantel.

“Why am I more unsafe?” Henri wasn’t a fighter, but he’d like to prepare himself for the possibility of danger.

Rocky’s expression went back to his softened stoicism. “A message. Sent to a scientist’s alpha in Wingspan.”

“Oh.” What did it have to do with Henri?

“What do you need help with, mate?”

Henri had almost forgotten why he’d come. He supposed he might as well get down to it. “I have a mouse in my house.”

“Do you need help trapping it?” The offer would have been sweet if it didn’t include killing an innocent creature whose objective was survival.

“I don’t want it dead.”

Rocky lifted his eyebrow.

Henri hesitated to show Rocky the book. He didn’t want Rocky to think he didn’t value it. But Henri had to tell the truth to get help.

Henri bit his lip as he opened the flap of his bag and pulled out the book. He handed it to Rocky. “My mouse ate it.”

Rocky examined it, but Henri could see the humor in his expression.

“In the mouse’s defense, it fell under my couch. And it wasn’t so much eating as breaking it down to use for bedding. Still, I fear it’s ruined.”

“Did you read it?”

Henri nodded.

Rocky shrugged and shook his head, as if asking what the problem was. “You can toss it out.”

Henri sucked in a breath and snatched the book from Rocky, holding it to his chest. “I absolutely will not.”

“I’ll buy you another copy.”

“The one I have is fine.”

“It ended up under the couch.”

“Because I ran out of shelf space.”

“I’ll make a bookshelf for you.” Rocky’s offer made Henri’s chest ache, as if his heart had filled. Henri wanted to accept, but he wasn’t sure if he should. It would mean trusting Rocky not to judge him.

When faced with Rocky’s impressive pectoral muscles and his intoxicating scent, it was difficult to turn him down. Mostly because he’d get to see Rocky flex at some point. “Really? You’d do that for me?”

Rocky stepped closer and cupped Henri’s cheek. “I’d do anything to make you happy, mate.”

Was Rocky a witch, too? Or maybe a warlock. Did he have potent pheromones on his fingertips? A concentrated dose. Or maybe there was something in the air. Because Henri forgot about the secret and stopped caring about the sorry state of his house. None of it seemed big enough to worry about in the face of Rocky’s touch.

And then there were his words. I’d do anything.

“Anything?”

“I’ll protect you, mate.” They weren’t talking about unwanted mousy houseguests or bookshelves anymore.

“From the mouse?” Henri knew Rocky had meant protection from whatever he’d been talking about with the alpha. Maybe Rocky didn’t know everything, but he knew something. Whatever it was didn’t keep him from touching Henri.

Rocky’s scowl would have scared Henri if it weren’t for the gentle way Rocky still cupped his cheek. “Don’t make light of my protection, mate.”

“I’m sorry, but no one has ever said or done for me what you have.”

“You can trust me.”

“I don’t trust easily.” It was the understatement of the century, but something about the moment made Henri want to try.

“I know.” Rocky glanced at the book. “Let’s see if we can fix it.”

Henri welcomed the subject change. “I was hoping Estelle would know how.”

“It’s why you came?”

Henri nodded.

Rocky opened the door for him.

The alpha was still inside. He glanced at the book in Henri’s hand and then nodded toward the kitchen table. “Sit. We need to talk.”

Henri stopped just inside the door. He stiffened.

“I’m here about a book.” He snapped out the words, making it clear he didn’t want to talk about whatever the alpha had in mind. If he talked about it, then he’d have to admit more than he wanted to. And in front of Rocky.

But the wheels had been spinning in that direction for a while now, threatening to spill all of Henri’s secrets. He’d never been a good liar. And he wasn’t stupid enough to think the alpha wanted to talk about anything else.

No. This was it. This was where it would all come out. This was where his life fell apart.

The alpha didn’t say a word. He stared Henri down as if his gaze were a net.

“It was a mistake coming here.” Henri tried to head back out, but Rocky blocked the door. His expression said he wouldn’t let Henri run away.

“It was an order, Henri.” The alpha might have said it, but Rocky was the one enforcing it. That much was clear in his expression.

Rocky held out his hand, palm up. “I’ll sit with you, mate.”

“Why do you suddenly feel like my jailer?” Henri didn’t like being closed in. He wasn’t claustrophobic, but he was about to be called out and it put him on the defense.

Rocky’s scowl deepened. “I’m your mate.”

Did it mean they were in it together?

Henri should feel safe, but he didn’t know if he could trust the promise. Not when they’d have to follow the alpha’s orders, regardless of what they thought about it. Being in a clan wasn’t a democracy, even when the country they were in was. Henri knew Ladon Somerset came from a good family. One who had led the clan for years. Sometimes it hadn’t been easy. But the alpha had a lot of power. What would he do to Henri?

Rocky was losing control of himself, and Henri was to blame. The acidic scent of Henri’s fear filled the room. It floated around the house, affecting everyone. He confirmed it when Ramsey and Garridan came into the kitchen half-shifted. They were ready to fight for whoever needed them.

Henri didn’t seem to notice them. He stared at Rocky’s outstretched hand as if gauging his sincerity.

Ramsey and Garridan assessed the situation and relaxed, but they didn’t leave, which would have pissed Rocky off if they were there watching Rocky make a mess of his mating. But they stayed to show support.

The next few minutes would make or break Rocky. It all hinged on Henri. Henri could reject him. He’d kept his distance. Rocky had let it go on for far too long. Rocky might have a lot to prove, but he’d always had patience. He’d had plenty with Henri so far. But it was time for Henri to trust him.

“After we’re done talking with the alpha, I’ll help you fix your book. And we’ll figure out what to do about your mouse.” Rocky kept his hand extended.

“I don’t want to kill it.” Henri hesitated to even put down his bag, but he stowed the book away again and set it on the floor next to the door and where Rocky stood. Rocky took it as a good sign when Henri grew closer.

“We’ll figure something more humane out.”

“I don’t want to make it leave. It needs somewhere warm to live.” Henri put his hand in Rocky’s.

He sighed in relief.

“We’ll go to the pet store then.” Rocky was acutely aware of Ladon, Ramsey, and Garridan watching them.

Henri met his gaze. “You’re going to help me?”

“Every step of the way.”

“You might change your mind after.”

“After what, mate?”

“After the alpha makes me tell him what I’ve done.” Henri wouldn’t meet his gaze, but he drew close to Rocky as if seeking comfort.

Rocky nodded to Garridan and Ramsey, asking them to leave the room. When they complied, Rocky lifted Henri’s chin. “What is it you think you’ve done?”

Henri opened his mouth and then shut it again. His chin wobbled. “You already know, don’t you?”

Rocky squeezed Henri’s hand, trying to make him understand nothing bad was going to happen to him. It didn’t matter what he’d done. As far as Rocky knew, he’d let his curiosity run wild. In Rocky’s estimation, it was a good thing.

Rocky saw the exact moment Henri understood, and it hadn’t been when he’d taken Rocky’s hand. No, it was when his shoulders slumped. “It’s you and me. I promise, sweetheart.”

Rocky drew Henri into his arms. When Henri clung to him, he lifted Henri off his feet. “I’ll fill you in, alpha.”

Ladon nodded and left the room.

Even though they were alone, the Somerset kitchen was the hub of the house. Anyone could come in, so Rocky carried Henri into the office, which was off the kitchen. It worked well for wanting privacy with his mate.

Rocky sat on the couch and held Henri.

It was the first time Henri had let Rocky get so close.

Henri pressed against him. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, sweetheart.” Rocky grabbed a tissue from the box sitting on the end table next to him and handed it to Henri.

“Thank you.” Henri took his glasses off before wiping his face and nose. “Can I have another?”

Rocky gave one to him. He wiped his glasses on his shirt, all while glancing at Rocky. He held his glasses up to the light and then sighed, continuing to clean the lenses.

Rocky held out his hand.

Henri gave them to Rocky.

Rocky cleaned them with the hem of his shirt before handing them back.

Henri put them on and then huffed. “Why did your shirt work better than mine?”

Rocky smiled. He didn’t often, but Henri’s irritation at being one-upped amused him. “You’re the scientist. You tell me.”

“I’m a historian.”

“You have a biology and physics degree.” Rocky wouldn’t have been a good investigator without knowing everything there was to know about Henri.

Henri shook his head. “An undergrad. And I think it’s unfair how much you know about me, but I know nothing about you even after all this time together.”

“Are you going to ask how I know about your notebook?”

Henri met Rocky’s gaze. “I’d appreciate knowing what you know. How isn’t much of a mystery?”

“I know you figured out how to enhance humans. And I know Perkins stole something from you. He called it a notebook.”

Henri’s gaze snaps to Rocky. “You know he stole it?”

“Yeah. I have proof. The alpha’s seen it.”

“How is there proof?”

“Perkins liked to brag.”

Henri nodded. “He was a pompous ass.”

He was. It might have been the thing that had killed him in the end. That and stuff on the internet never goes away.

Henri averted his gaze. “I figured out the basic science. I’m assuming Dr. Perkins filled in the gaps.”

“It was another geneticist. His name was Piernos. He’s dead now. Same with Perkins. And the labs are all shut down.”

Henri bit his lip. The worry was clear in his expression. “Is there anyone left who can enhance humans?”

Rocky held onto Henri’s waist, wanting to make him feel secure on his lap. While Rocky would love nothing more than to draw him closer, he couldn’t read Henri’s signals. He wanted Henri to know he was there without making him feel penned in. “You and a human from Wingspan.”

“You were discussing my safety. Not how to punish me. Weren’t you?”

Rocky growled. Instinct made him pull Henri to his chest. “I would never punish you. Even if I were the type of person who would, you did nothing wrong. Not one thing. Now, I want you to stop blaming yourself.”

Henri leaned against him, hugging Rocky. It was more than Rocky expected. “You can’t demand I stop feeling guilty.”

“Well, I just did.”

“While I heard you, it’s not something I can shut off at your say so.”

“It’s your only job.”

Henri chuckled. “And what’s your job?”

“I already told you. I’m going to keep you safe.” And Rocky would do his best to make sure Henri always stayed that way.