They both loved his clan, but they were looking forward to spending time with other groups of shifters. And Ava wanted to show off her baby bump in person. “I talked to Nora,” she said. “She’s invited Owen, and he’s agreed to come, too.”
“That’s great. I knew she’d be able to get through to him.”
In the months since the alien attack, Eli had reached out to Owen several times. Owen had been taciturn, to say the least. He had rejected all offers to come visit them, or for them to come visit him. He wouldn’t even tell them where he lived or where he was most of the time. Ava had begun to suspect he had no home but lived out of hotels.
“I think it will do him some good to be with other clans. Maybe he’ll be able to find a home with them,” Eli said.
Ava agreed. She understood that a big, happy clan like Eli’s might be hard to settle into, but the other shifters they knew had formed their own small clans and they were very adept at picking up strays.
“I hope so,” she said, putting the invitation up on the refrigerator.
The next month passed quickly. Ava was busy getting ready for the baby and working hard at the lab. The clan was beside themselves with excitement over the new baby.
All the moments Ava had spent worrying about the clan accepting her had been wasted time. Because even after the wedding, the clan had continued to welcome her with open arms and then some. Because Ava was the only human that lived on the clan’s land, they all wanted to spoil her. That had intensified about a thousand times over once she’d announced that she was pregnant.
Each and every one of them was thrilled for her and Eli.
After a long plane ride, which was much more comfortable thanks to a shifter named Kellan sending them a private jet, they were in Ireland at a castle that the Irish shifters had rented.
As they pulled up, Niall and Nora were waiting for them. Ava hadn’t told them that she was pregnant, wanting to surprise them in person.
Nora jumped up and down and rushed toward her. “This is the best news!” She hugged Ava while the guys shook hands.
“I think we’re going to have to expand soon,” Niall said, looking out over the lake that stretched beyond the castle and the field beside it, where they’d set up large tents for the older kids to sleep in. “Every year, we get a little bigger.” He clapped Eli on the back. “Which is exactly the way we want it.”
Another woman came forward with a bright smile. “Hi, I’m Clara. I’m one of the humans, so if you need anything at all, let me know.”
Ava immediately felt just as at home with this group as she did with her own clan in Oregon.
Ava and Eli spent the next thirty minutes meeting all the couples and all of their many children. Clara gave them a tour of the old castle and showed them around the grounds.
In the back, multiple picnic tables were set up with twinkling fairy lights hanging over them, and large pumpkins sat in the middle of every table.
Once they were done exploring, Clara stood up on a picnic table and clapped her hands. “Time to eat!” She hopped down. “That will get them every time,” she said to Ava. Sure enough, they all came running.
Halfway through the traditional Irish meal, Ava nudged Eli. “Is Owen here?”
“No, I haven’t heard from him.”
At that moment, a figure stepped out of the shadows by the lake. “I’m here,” he said.
“Owen!” Ava got up and went straight to him. After she’d heard his story from Eli, she’d formed a soft spot for the loner dragon. She wasn’t the most nurturing of the clan, but as somewhat of an outsider herself, it was clear to her how much the bonds of a clan meant to a dragon. And Owen had none.
She and Eli were both more determined than ever to get him to join a clan. Any clan. It didn’t matter to them. Owen was a good guy; he just didn’t know it himself.
Eli came to stand beside her. He rarely let her out of his sight now that she was pregnant. “Owen, it’s good to see you,” he said.
Owen dropped his backpack on the ground. “I figured I’d check it out.” He pointed to Ava’s stomach. “Congratulations.”
Ava rubbed her belly. “Thank you.” She reached out and patted his arm. “We’re glad you came.”
Owen shrugged. “I thought I’d be alone forever. But after meeting you guys…well, now I’m not so sure.”
Ava squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn’t going to cry. She’d never been a crier, but since she’d become pregnant, she sobbed at the drop of a hat.
Eli turned and started walking, pulling her with him. “Come on,” he said to Owen. “Let’s go eat.”
Owen grabbed his bag and lifted his shoulders, walking in front of them toward the crowd of people with determination.
Ava shuddered. She’d been so close to giving up on the life she now had. If Eli hadn’t pushed forward, asking her out and then proposing, she’d be alone now, too, off in a faraway city without friends or family. She leaned up to whisper in her mate’s ear. “I love you. I’m so lucky to have you.”
Eli responded as he always did. “I love you, too, sweetheart. You’ve made me the happiest shifter on this planet.” He winked. “And all the other ones, too.”
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