Before she could say anything in response, the dragonwoman was gone.
She instinctively put a hand over her belly. Liam had picked up Mel’s “scent of pregnancy” yesterday within seconds of entering his and Samira’s home. While she had yet to take any official pregnancy test, two dragon-shifters scenting it had made the whole thing a lot more real to her. Now that she had something to protect, she really needed to get to know the people of this community and weed out the threats from the allies.
She may not be a dragon, but she’d do anything to protect her family.
But since she couldn’t even go around Stonefire’s community without Bram’s say-so, she picked up her pace. She needed to convince Stonefire’s leader that she wasn’t a threat. Well, as long as no one threatened her, of course. She wasn’t about to take people’s crap just to keep the peace. Even if the asshole who’d knocked her up wasn’t going to protect her, Liam and his brothers and sister would. Liam was an actual nice guy, and for a second, Melanie had been jealous of Samira.
Then the jealousy had passed. Nice was a little too boring for her taste.
She nearly faltered at that thought. What? Did she prefer a broody, asshole of a sex god instead?
She shook her head and sprinted the last few feet to Bram’s office. She needed a distraction.
When she knocked, she was told to enter. Inside, Bram was at his desk. He gestured toward the chair. After she sat down, he took a deep inhalation and said, “It’s true, then, about the baby. You’re well, I take it?”
She resisted being snarky since this man was the key to any sort of freedom she might have here. “As well as anyone in my situation could be.”
He nodded. “Good. While I wanted to see how you’re doing, the real reason I asked to see you is because I have a job for you.”
“A job?”
“Yes. Two, in fact. The first is more of a personal favor than anything, but I’m hoping you can help me out.”
Doing a favor might help her in the long run. “What do you need?”
“It’s about Cait.”
She leaned forward in her chair. “What happened? Is she okay? I wanted to check on her, but I was told I had to come here first.”
Bram stared at her for a second then said, “Before Tristan’s mate frenzy came on, you met with Cait. You know she’s had a tough time here, and it’s mostly my fault.” When she didn’t countermand him, he gave a sardonic smile. “Okay, it’s ninety-nine percent my fault she’s miserable. I never should have made Neil take a sacrifice. But it’s done and can’t be changed.” He leaned back in his chair. “You know she’s depressed and unhappy. What you might not know is that after talking with you the first day before the welcoming ceremony, she actually started venturing outside her cottage. Only short trips, mostly to watch some of the young play in the designated safe area, but she hasn’t done more than visit the healer for months now.”
Now, more than ever, she wanted to check on Cait. The woman sounded lonely. But Bram had yet to ask her for the favor. “And what does this have to do with me?”
“She has about three months before she’s due to give birth. I want you to be friends with her and see if she can be even marginally happy. She doesn’t like Samira because Samira has a dragon male who loves her. And even though I have moved her into a cottage next to mine and have tried to take care of her ever since Neil left, she’s afraid of all dragon-shifters, except maybe the children. Even though she intends to leave as soon as the child is born, I’d really like her to go back to her people as unbroken as possible.”
“Why? To protect your reputation?”
“No, because it breaks my heart that she’s been hurt because of me.”
Bram’s expression and tone made it seem as if he truly cared for Cait, but she didn’t know him well enough to know if it was all an act or not. And while she’d planned on trying to befriend Cait anyway, her gut told her that this was her chance to ask for what she wanted. “I’ll say yes on one condition.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You want to bargain with me?” She nodded. “Not many here would try to do that. There’s hope for you yet.”
She didn’t know how to interpret that, so she pushed on. “I want the ability to roam Stonefire’s land without needing your or some other dragon-shifter’s permission every time I go out.”
“Do you think that wise? While no one in the clan will physically harm you, especially now that you’re carrying Tristan’s child, I can’t control their likes or dislikes. Some of them will outright hate you for your intrusion here, and won’t be afraid to show it.”
Mel thought of the dragonwoman she’d encountered on the way here. “I’d rather take my chances. A few harsh words I can handle, but endless months of boredom I cannot.”