Page 7 of Midnight of Ashes
Maddox studied me for a moment. “Your animal half needs to spread her wings at some point. She’s been pushed down for so long that if you keep her locked away, she may fight you for dominance.”
A shiver ran through me. “Like she won’t let me turn back into a human?”
“Yes,” he answered matter-of-factly.
Panic flared hot and fast, and my gaze jerked around the room as if my dragon were about to jump out and take me hostage.
Cillian squeezed the back of my neck again. “Breathe, Little Flame. I’ll help you.”
“How?” I demanded.
“He’s the alpha,” Knox explained. “Your dragon will recognize his authority.”
“Unless she goes feral,” Cáel muttered.
“Feral?” I squeaked.
“Not helping,” Cillian growled. He turned to me. “An animal going feral is extremely rare. We’re going to welcome your dragon when she comes out, make her feel safe and cherished. The fact that she’ll have her mates around her will help.”
My head swirled as I lay back on the pillows. “This is a lot to take in.”
The room went quiet. Too quiet.
I glared at them all. “What else is there?”
My focus shifted to Maddox, whose mouth had pressed into a hard line. “Tell me.”
He would say whatever it was scientifically. Straight facts.
Maddox shifted uncomfortably. “Now that all of us have touched you, there’s something else to consider.”
“What?” I demanded.
“Just like the presence and touch of your mates can bring about your shift, it can also bring your heat.”
I blinked a few times. “Heat? Like my ability to breathe fire?”
The panic was back. What if I hurt someone?
“No,” Knox assured me. “That comes with the shift.”
“Great,” I muttered. “So, what the hell is my heat?”
Everyone was quiet.
“Someone start talking!” I yelled.
“It means your time of being fertile,” Maddox finally said.
“I’m sorry, did you say fertile? Like I could get knocked up with a bunch of dragon babies?”
Maddox winced. “Yes. It means that you could get pregnant. But it, um, also means that, uh?—”
“Spit it out already,” I demanded.
Cillian squeezed the back of my neck again. “You’ll have touch hunger. You’ll need sexual contact often and for great lengths of time. It will be painful and can reach points of agony if you don’t have it.”
My jaw went completely slack.
