We both showered before getting ready for bed. Despite my fear that Fox would leave, he and I had slept together every night since I got back from Arlington. I snuggled close to Fox as we cuddled in bed. I fell asleep to the soothing sound of my mate’s strong heartbeat.
Niamh woke me up around seven thirty, and I nuzzled the crook of Fox’s neck in an effort to wake him. He groaned, but it quickly turned to moans when I started sucking on the spot I would mark. “Just a few more minutes,” he grumbled.
“Not today. We have to get ready and get to the field.”
He flopped over onto his back with another groan. I took a moment to admire his tan, muscular torso, which had gained so much more muscle since we started. I climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Fox was sitting up in bed watching as I walked out of the bathroom. I tossed the kilt he was to wear as tradition at him and he caught it easily. “Why a kilt?”
“The majority of my ancestors came from Ireland and Scotland, and the kilts came with them when they immigrated. The majority of clans have picked it up because of the ease of removal when shifting.”
He pulled off his pajama pants and slipped into the kilt. I walked over and helped him buckle it so it stayed up, “That makes sense,” I stepped back and assessed him, “How do I look?”
I took in a breath, “Stunning,” I said barely above a whisper.
He reached forward, grabbing onto my waist and pulling me to him. He placed a finger under my chin, lifting my lips to his. He kissed me slowly at first but it soon built into a passionate and heated kiss. “Amaya, where are you and Fox? We need to get started.” Daniel’s voice rang in my head, causing me to break the kiss with a groan.
Fox gave me a confused look, “Daniel. He just linked me. We need to go to the glacadh field,” he nodded and took my hand. We headed outside to the field Kachina and I set up yesterday.
As we looked out on the crowd surrounding the field, my eyes landed on Daniel. I barely stopped myself from flinching. He rarely allowed his scarred body to be seen, so it was almost always a shock. “That’s from-” Fox started quietly. I nodded, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Fox and I walked hand in hand onto the field. Daniel turned from his conversation with Edward, “Are you ready, Fox?”
He nodded, “As ready as I can be.”
Daniel turned to me, “Niamh knows to behave herself?”
“Yep. She’s actually very excited.”
Daniel gave me a curt nod, and I took a seat in between Edward and Jace. “For those of you too young to remember, glacadh is our tradition of accepting new members to the clan. Storm dragons are the strongest dragons and the hardest to control, which is why new members must fight to prove themselves worthy of entering the clan,” Daniel said in a booming voice. He looked at Fox, “Are you ready?”
Fox nodded and Daniel stuck out his arm for Fox to grasp in a forearm shake before they began. They slowly began to circle one another, sizing each other up before either of them made a move. Fox struck first with a low kick and a left fake followed by a right hook which Daniel barely avoided. Daniel recovered quickly and attempted to force Fox down with a krav maga grapple move, but Fox easily got out of it. Fox did a counter move which caused him and Daniel to land on the ground. From there he tried to force Daniel into submission, but Daniel got out of it. They both stood and traded several more blows before Daniel got in a good hit and capitalized on Fox’s momentarily dazed state and took him back down to the ground. I sat slightly forward worried Fox wouldn’t be able to recover. However Fox quickly reversed the move and pinned Daniel, holding him until he submitted. Fox was the first one to his feet, pulling Daniel to his feet.
They did another forearm shake but this time they pressed foreheads. Releasing Fox, Daniel stepped back, “I present to you all, Nicholas Grey Prince Consort to the Queen of Dragons and Prince of the Storm Dragon Clan,” Daniel placed a fist on his heart, went to one knee, and bowed his head. The clan stood from where they were seated and did the same.
I jumped up and threw myself at Fox as he stood dumbfounded at the clan’s reaction. “You did it.”
He looked down at me and let out a breath he was holding, “I did it,” he let out a breathy chuckle, “I did it!”
I kissed him gently on the lips and pulled back to stroke his face, “I’m so proud of you, my king.”
We spent the next several hours chatting with our clanmates as they came up to welcome Fox into the clan. Connie, my uncles and their mates, and grandparents had spent the day cooking for the feast that followed the glacadh.
Fox and I were dancing when he looked down at me like he was seeing me for the first time, “I’m ready.” He said so quietly I could barely hear him.
I pulled back completely, “Are you sure?”
Author: Kailan Counahan 