The boy nodded eagerly.
Jared leaned forward to whisper into his ear, although Chiara could still hear his words.
“My mate can’t shift at all, but she still defeated a dragon. So no matter what your sister says, you just keep going to school and learning all you can.”
“And then I’ll go and hunt dragons together with the sheriff when I grow up,” t
he boy declared, staring up at Chiara with delight.
“That’s right,” she said, smiling helplessly.
It seemed that there were problems even in a shifter town—like being the only child in a family of shifters who couldn’t shift.
It was reassuring to realize that families here worked the same way as they did everywhere.
But even if the boy grew up unable to shift, he’d be just as welcome in this town. She could see it in the way Jared took care to reassure him.
And Jared was right—they had defeated a dragon together, griffin shifter and human woman. This little boy could be anything he wanted when he grew up.
Maybe he wouldn’t be able to turn into a literal spider—but she didn’t doubt that Sheriff Banner would gladly welcome a local non-shifter’s assistance.
“Jared!”
From behind, a male voice called out for them. Instinct made Chiara turn around.
There was something in that voice which sounded familiar. She could hear a strange undercurrent of power. It wasn’t unlike the way the chimera’s voice had boomed, echoing through the cave.
The man who made his way towards them now looked neither grumpy nor annoyed. His voice didn’t echo eerily. But it carried through the square, and people happily made space to let him pass.
“Gregory!” Jared grinned, getting back up. “Where’s your mate?”
Chiara watched as Jared hugged the newcomer.
She’d heard that name before. This had to be Gregory, the storm dragon, who commanded the element of air.
“She sent me out to come and fetch you. She’s eager for all sorts of news—and company, of course.”
Gregory gave Chiara a curious look. With broad shoulders and light brown, windswept hair, he looked just how she’d imagined him. Where Zane had looked powerful but scary, he looked powerful but friendly, his eyes warm as he sized her up.
And then his eyes moved on to Jared’s parents, and he froze. Wide-eyed, he stared at them for a second.
“Jared,” he then said softly, “is that—”
Jared came forward, grasping his shoulder. His joy was so infectious that Chiara found herself laughing softly as she watched the encounter.
“I have so much to tell you,” Jared said, his voice full of emotion. “So much. Let’s go.”
***
Chiara settled back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. Gregory’s mate looked as if she was due any day now, which must have been why she was so eager for company.
“I’m going crazy, just waiting day after day,” Naomi said and laughed as she rested a hand on the curve of her belly. “I was so excited to hear that Jared had found his mate and was bringing her home. With Braeden and Alyx leaving, I was afraid I’d end up really bored. But I didn’t think...”
Her voice trailed off as she looked across the table to where Jared’s parents were seated. Awed, she shook her head.
“This is more than I’d ever dared to hope for.”
Marianne nodded, giving her son a look full of overwhelmed joy. “I still can’t believe it. For us, it feels like it was yesterday when we were forced to send him away and seal the caves—and us inside them. But here we are.”