Treasured by the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #10) - Jessie Donovan Page 0,38

if Daisy isn't so much a person as an obstacle. And that isn't the way to start a family."

Sasha took a step closer. "Don't worry, Dawn. It's clear Blake adores you. He won't give up on Daisy. He's far more honorable than your ex."

She searched her friend's gaze. "I know that, but it's still hard for me to believe sometimes. I hope this uncertain feeling wears off eventually."

Sasha patted her arm. "It will, I just know it. You deserve some happiness, Dawn. Stop trying to find excuses as to why you don't."

As she stared in the brown eyes of her friend—her best friend, really—she didn't hold back. "I know. Although once her paternal aunt finds out about what's happened, my happy ending may be not quite perfect. I'm almost positive she'll voice her distrust of dragons much louder than normal, maybe even to Daisy herself. However, since she's the only family Daisy knows on her father's side, I don't want to just cut her out of Daisy's life. I'm not sure what to do."

Sasha waved a hand in dismissal. "If she's afraid of dragon-shifters, that's her problem. Besides, if Daisy can't convince her aunt to change her mind, no one could. It'll be the aunt's loss, not Daisy's." She motioned toward the door. "But enough about a distant relative in a city somewhere. I hear Bram telling everyone to get into place, which is our cue. Are you ready to go?"

With a deep breath, she nodded, and they walked out of the room toward the side entrance of the great hall. It was time to make her second chance at a family official.

Blake stood inside the doorway off the left side of the dais in the great hall, waiting for his signal to go on stage.

His gaze kept checking to make sure Daisy was still in the room, but she hadn't left Freddie's side since they'd arrived.

His dragon spoke up. She wouldn't miss this. It's her first dragon mating ceremony.

I want to believe that, but she has a reputation for sneaking out when no one is watching.

Well, she now has us and Dawn—not to mention most of the clan—watching her. Before she was merely a visitor, but no longer. Stonefire won't let anything happen to her.

He was about to say that might not be enough when Dawn emerged from the opposite side of the dais, and any thoughts unrelated to his human fled his mind.

She wore the dark red color of Stonefire, her dress fastened over one shoulder and flowing down her body. Even though it wasn't form-fitting, both man and beast mentally growled at how revealing it could be, showing off the curves of her body.

Then Dawn caught his gaze, smiled, and his feet moved of their own accord toward her. They met in the middle of the dais, right in front of a tall table with a box holding their mating bands, and he took her hand. He murmured, "You look beautiful."

While not as deep a blush as she'd had many times during the frenzy, they tinged pink. "You aren't too bad yourself."

He resisted adjusting the sash across his bare chest. His dragon whispered, Remember, humans don't walk around mostly bare-chested that often this far north.

Ignoring his dragon, he kissed the back of Dawn's hand right before Bram's voice boomed inside the large hall. Everyone quieted down as he said, "Today is truly a special event. After all, it's been such a long time since Stonefire welcomed a mother and daughter pair to the clan. I hope that everyone will help Dawn and Daisy adjust and remember that from today, they will be part of our clan, too."

There were a few claps and a whistle from somewhere. Regardless, Blake never looked away from Dawn's eyes.

Usually, mating ceremonies were only done between two people, but everyone had thought it a good idea to have Bram help in this case. That way, the clan would understand that Daisy may be a human child, but she was now part of Stonefire, with the complete backing of the clan leader.

Bram gestured toward Blake and Dawn. "And now we'll have our ceremony. Given how many we've had in recent years, I hope you can enjoy yet another one without getting too bored."

There were a few chuckles from the crowd because it was true. Blake had lost count of how many mating ceremonies he'd been forced to attend in the last two or three years.

His dragon huffed. That doesn't matter right now. Start the