Page 50 of The Dragons' Healing Mate

Orsen’s face paled. “We can’t let that happen… Wait, you told him that?”

“Yeah. He needed to hear it. With him being high, I could actually get the sentence out before he could storm off.” I raiseda brow, though, focusing on the more important part. “It doesn’t matter how close we’re getting to her, as long as he’s being a jerk, the situation won’t improve. I know he still has feelings for her, given the fact he was just declaring his love while I was plopping his potato-sack ass in bed. We just need to get him to realize that—or accept it, at least.”

“Make Bastian do something he doesn’t want to?” Orsen snorted through an exaggerated laugh as he threw his head back. “Yeah, becausethat’seasy. I’m pretty sure we’d have an easier time changing the fucking weather.”

“Easy or not, you know I’m right.” Silence fell between us, and we both just stared at each other. “We need to think of something. And I, for one, don’t think Bastian should be granted much of a choice. She’sourmate. He has more than just himself to worry about. It’ll causeusmore pain if his behavior forces her to leave.”

“You’re not wrong, Grey.” Orsen bobbed his head. “I guess that has to wait until he’s sobered up. How long did Rowan say it would last?”

I shrugged. “She wasn’t sure because of his size and how much he took, but I wouldn’t get our hopes up for any time in the next forty-eight hours.”

“Uhh, guys?” Nix asked as he hurried into the room.

I cocked my head, gut tightening. “Yeah?”

Nix threw his arm out behind him, pointing. “What the fuck is up with Bastian?”

I grimaced, pinching the bridge of my nose. “He’s sleeping off a little too much medication.”

Nix shook his head. “He’s not sleeping. He’s flying around outside and breaking half the forest as he flails around with the coordination of a kid after their first shift!”

Orsen and I glanced at each other, wearing matching panicked expressions. Our clanmate was indragon formandhighly medicated, flying outside with no idea when the meds would wear off. What could possibly go wrong?

Shit.

Rowan

“Ugh!” Nina huffed from the reception area. “Stupid fricking printer.”

I looked up to see her pulling out a piece of paper that’d clearly gotten jammed and using her hand to flatten it on the desk. After shoving it into the folder in her other hand, she stomped over toward my office.

“Whoa, Nina. What’s gotten into you today?” I asked as she slammed yet another file onto my desk. It’d been a morning of short fuses, which was so unlike her. Maybe Bastian had rubbed off on her by waltzing his grumpy ass into my office earlier.

She paused for a moment before she stopped and sagged. “Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s just been one of those days.”

That was hardly an answer, and considering Nina barely ever had “one of those days,” I had a feeling there was more to this than just an off day. The clinic was quiet, thanks to some careful reshuffling of appointments for the rest of the day. I wanted to be on hand in case Bastian was still unwell.

Gesturing to the chair in front of my desk, I set aside the paperwork I was doing. “Care to explain?”

Nina threw her hands up, sitting in the chair with an exasperated sigh. “Men are idiots. Isthatenough of an explanation?” she offered, looking at me with a grumpy expression.

I paused for a moment. That, indeed, was a pretty good explanation. Men were a troublesome topic in my own life, but I still wanted a little more information.

“Can I ask what made you think that today in particular?” I raised my brows at her. “I don’t have a patient, so sit with me and let me be a sounding board.”

Nina looked torn. “There is tonsof paperwork that needs to be done. You need me to work.”

“Paperwork can wait.And…I have chocolate in my desk.” I smiled. If there was one thing a dragon could not resist, it was a sweet treat. I mean, I could hardly resist one, either.

“Fine, you’ve twisted my arm,” Nina said, sinking deeper into the chair, a small smile starting to tug at the corner of her lips.

From my desk, I pulled out the tin of fancy chocolate that I had picked up in town. After placing it down and taking the lid off, we both dove in.

“This is from that nice place on Main Street, isn’t it?” she asked, taking a bite.

“It is. Nix insisted on getting me some last time we were there. He can beverywise.”

“He can. I think everyone’s just excited to see you getting along with the Alphas,” she said around a mouthful of chocolate. “When you got here, you were so against them. It’s nice to see you warming up to the guys.”