The Platinum Dragon's Mate - Zoe Chant Page 0,8

the same degree. I had a mentor, when I was in residency, another shifter doctor, who taught me about the differences, but most of the skills I learned in school do still apply. Besides,” he added with a smile, “I do treat humans, too. Not everyone in Oak Ridge is a shifter.”

That was the real head-scratcher. Sage had no idea how that could even work out, humans and shifters living together. But she was afraid that asking about it would bring up more of the conflict between their clans, so instead she said, “What’s doctor school like?”

He smiled, and it really—transformed his face. Unsmiling, he looked almost severe, like he’d been carved out of stone, a wise statue of an ancient sage. But when he smiled, his eyes crinkled, his face softened, and he looked...kind.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare, actually,” he said, and she had to take a second to remember what her question had been.

Doctor school, right. A nightmare? “Because of all the—” humans, but she shouldn’t say that, not to someone from Oak Ridge. “—reading?” she substituted, hoping it wasn’t too obvious. She had a vague idea that people had to read huge stacks of books in order to become doctors.

“That’s part of it,” he said. “Mostly, it’s just an enormous amount of work, for years and years and years. Memorizing everything, and taking horribly difficult tests on it all, and then getting to your internship and realizing that all that memorization didn’t really teach you anything about what it’s actually like to treat someone...twenty-four-hour shifts at a hospital...and then, of course, you have to learn how to do your job while people are suffering around you. Even if someone’s bleeding and screaming, you have to be calm and professional and efficient, or you might not be able to save them.”

Sage thought about that. “I don’t know about all the reading,” she said finally, “but twenty-four-hour shifts and staying calm while people are bleeding and screaming sounds a lot like parenting.”

There was a tiny pause, and then Reid burst out laughing. “I suppose so,” he said, shaking his head. “I haven’t had the pleasure, so I can’t say for certain, but I take your point.”

Sage wondered why this man, who was handsome and intelligent and a doctor, didn’t have any kids. Did Oak Ridge have the same problem their clan did, with too many men and too few women? Sage had been ducking advances for years before it finally settled in that she didn’t want another man just yet.

Soon, she was going to have to find someone, she knew. It wasn’t right that she wasn’t having more children, making sure the clan grew. The thought clawed uncomfortably at her stomach, and she forced it away. That wasn’t today’s problem.

No, today’s problem was right here in front of her: her daughter’s sleeping form, and the enemy who’d helped her, and was still smiling, the remnants of laughter lingering in his eyes.

And Sage had no idea what she was going to do about that.

Chapter 5: Reid

Reid had to admit it: he’d made some assumptions about this clan.

Assumptions that weren’t based on nothing. From what he’d seen and heard of Shiloh and Jeremiah’s behavior, neither of them were reasonable people. Both defaulted to violence as a solution to problems. The young red dragon who’d shown up in Oak Ridge to challenge Malachi had likewise been completely incapable of backing down from a fight.

Even Athena, whom Reid genuinely liked, was clearly used to a more...combative environment.

So he’d been expecting a group of—half-feral shifters. Maybe living fully shifted, even, as dragons in caves somewhere. Very little empathy or reason.

Sage wasn’t like that.

They’d only spoken for a few minutes before Sage had suggested they move Rhiannon to her bed, and then disappeared to do something out of sight, leaving Reid to watch the little girl. But Sage had shown a quiet thoughtfulness, a careful attempt at empathy and understanding, that Reid was ashamed to realize he hadn’t expected from a person living in this environment.

Which was ridiculous. Ronan had left this place for Oak Ridge three years ago, and had been living harmoniously—well, out in the forest, not in the town, but he had a human mate now. Clearly this upbringing didn’t doom someone to a life of unrestrained feral fury.

Reid looked down at the seven-year-old girl breathing peacefully in bed beside him. What was it like for her, living here? Was she thoughtful and curious, like her mother? Or fiery and confrontational,