Hannah

54

Caspian smiled, leaving lovers tangled together in bed. Leaving the bedroom to see Max and Aspen enjoying a hobby together at the workbench. Music playing as they talked and worked on their own individual projects. Seamlessly passing tools between them.

Aspen turned to smile at Max. Really smile. He was happy and relaxed. Caspian could sense that Aspen had done magic with Max. Charmed him in some way that Caspian couldn’t quite figure out. It was a subtle change whatever it was. It had Max standing taller. Looking more confident. Caspian would let them keep their own secrets as long as the dragon wasn’t worried, and right now, the dragon didn’t sense any danger or other issues. 

Caspian’s heart felt light. This was the first full day of their family being together. This was a home full of love, and trust and happiness. While Caspian felt true guilt and remorse when Hannah had started calling him and Holland out for playing a game without telling her the rules. For having her in the middle of the foolish bet. Having her put them both in their place had been so hot.

Hannah could stand against dragon thrall. It had been a dream to see Hannah yelling at his father like he was an idiot for just not listening to her. That she also resisted his thrall and calling even when mated to him was a sign of her own strength. She seemed to be only human, but maybe there was an errant Fae somewhere in her lineage. Her fire and passion burned strong.

Caspian knew he and Holland would play today's game again. Except the next time they would tell Hannah. She had been so practical and logical. So controlled against Holland and himself. She would be a fair judge over who justified spoiling her better. Creativity would certain;y be rewarded.

“Holland and Hannah are just going to rest a bit before dinner,” Caspian announced to Max and Aspen. Excusing their other family then looked at the clock. A little more than fifteen minutes wasn’t a long nap. But that was all they could spare for Hannah. “May I come look at what you are working on?” Caspian asked Max and Aspen. Curious to see what they were bringing to life from rough wood, while also wanting to be respectful of their designs and of course let each control when to share their art.

“You can come look.” Aspen was the first one to answer. Caspian and Max smiled at each other. Caspian prowled across the room with his smooth gait. Trying to dial it back some of the dragon Aura, a challenge when the dragon was quite pleased with everything right now. Caspian looked at the cute anime girl with a ponytail and eyepatch. It looked like she would be wearing a cape when Max was done.

Caspian smiled he saw what Aspen was carving. It was Hannah. His Hannah. Looking fierce and strong, and so divine. “Hannah looks beautiful Aspen, the likeness is very good.” Caspian turned, “I do not recognise your form Max, like all your others, the skill and attention to detail is obvious.” Caspian went to recline on a chair, that now had a nice throw cushion to pose with as Caspian alternated between checking the interworld news on his phone, and peeping on Max and Aspen as they returned to working on their art.

It was nice. They should have some kind of great room in their house, a space that was warm and for family. With room and space for their hobbies. At the very least, Aspen and Max would require some kind of studio space. They were both so content working on their carving. Fifteen minutes didn’t seem like long enough to enjoy this moment. This was the bliss Caspian had been seeking his entire life. His dragon would know the one for them, he had trusted that his entire life. The best stories in his family history always had a hero who mated according to the dragon’s desire. 

How Caspian’s family lived wasn’t how it should be. It wasn’t just that he felt the gap where his mother should have been. It was the kind of father he had. One that saw children has pawns and assets, to be trained and deployed like chess pieces on a game board only Magnus saw in his head. Caspian’s lamentation on his family, and Aspen and Max’s carving came to and end ahead of schedule as everyone turned to the bedroom door.

Hannah and Holland emerged from the room with two minutes to spare from when Caspian was going to go in and get them out of bed. They were going to eat with the pack again. Make their family part of the pack. Be seen, be the second in command that the pack needed. Hannah was wearing a new outfit. Her face freshly washed, Hair in a loose braided bun. She was radiant just as she was.  

Caspian had been doing his best to not pay attention to anything that was happening in the minds of the pack members. His dragon however, was not of the same mind. Rural and isolated did not make for enlightened people. Two fated mates would have been a scandal in this pack. 

On the way down to pack house dining hall, Caspian was considering all he knew now. If Max had caught up to Hannah when he first saw her. He would have told her everything right away. Been open and direct. Maybe she would have gone straight back to this pack with him that night. More likely, she would have been responsible and said she had to at least work the next days flights, not wanting to leave her teammates down a crewmember on less than a days notice. All the small little twists and choices that had brought Caspian’s flock together were a beautiful tapestry of chance.

It seemed like the young Alpha and Beta were not holding exactly to the traditional ways of this pack. Caspian had decided that Max was not joking as much as he had appeared when he said that the local human population stayed clear thinking that the rural wolf pack village was some kind of religious cult. The human rumors weren't far off bfrom the truth in Caspian's assessment.

Walking into the dinning hall. Knowing they were the biggest story on the pack. The Doing his best to not hear anything that wasn’t being said aloud. As always, his dragon did not share his morals. The general vibe from the older generations of the pack were not positive. The hate and bigotry thinned as the the generations trickled on.

That Hannah wore makeup last night, and none tonight was also a spark for gossip. Caspian might consider paying the toll needed to have a troll brigade build his home to get it done as quick as possible. He had more than enough treasure available to cover that if Holland could fund the materials.