Dracon (1st book of the Draconon Series)

Chapter 13

The smell of bacon frying filled my senses while I woke up, still feeling groggy and tired from the whole ordeal early this morning.

I peeked my head from underneath my blanket cocoon and blinked sleepily before turning my head until I was looking where the smell was coming from and saw Miguel cooking.

"Buenos días, (Good morning,)" Miguel said, noticing that I was awake. "How did you sleep?"

I closed my eyes and laid my head back down, feeling exhausted. "Tired," I grunted before I opened my eyes and looked back at him.

"What time did you get to sleep?" Miguel asked. "Don't tell me that you stayed up all night."

I didn't reply and sadly got out of my cocoon of blankets before I stretched my protesting muscles because they hated how I had slept.

"Clover," Miguel warned. "Did you?"

"And what if I did?" I asked, standing. I rubbed at a crick in my neck and grimaced at the tender feeling underneath my fingertips.

"Why? I thought you said it worked."

"It did work." I looked at Antonio, making sure that he was still alive before I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter opposite he was working.

"Then why didn't you sleep?"

I shrugged but didn't reply. I didn't sleep because I had been nervous that it wouldn't work. I hadn't used it on a Werewolf before Antonio and didn't know if there would have been any side effects, which was why I stayed up until Ghost took over for me.

Miguel scowled and studied me before he went back to cooking. "Did Frederick come by?" he asked, and I nodded my head in confirmation when he glanced at me. "When? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because you needed sleep, and he came around three in the morning. Ghost is back, which is why I fell asleep."

He nodded. "What did he have to say?"

"He wants you back at the pack by noon, or whenever you two wake up." I glanced at the clock and pursed my lips when I saw that it was one in the afternoon. "I guess you will be leaving whenever Antonio wakes up?"

Miguel nodded. "I had also called Frederick when I had woken up. He knows that Antonio is still asleep and knows that we are still here." He gestured to the food he was making. "I just thought I would cook you breakfast, even though it is lunch."

"What about me?" a groggy voice asked from the living room. There was some movement while Antonio stood and made his way to the sill. He leaned against it and stared at the both of us looking like shit. Groggily, he blinked and rubbed his eyes before he yawned. "Did you make anything for me?"

"I made enough for the three of us. How do you feel?" Miguel asked.

"Like a tow truck hit me before it ran me over," he replied, and I snorted. He glanced at me with a sleepy look in his eyes. "I saw the blankets. Did you watch over me?"

"Before Ghost took over," I replied, nodding in confirmation. "However, yes, I did look after you."

"Awwwww, so sweet," Antonio said, putting a hand on his heart and fluttered his eyelashes, and I rolled my eyes at him and scowled. He grew serious and sighed, moving a hand through his hair. "So, are we going to tell him about these Diablos?" he asked, and I shrugged because I knew that he was talking about Frederick.

"Ghost took care of them, I think," I glanced where I felt the ghost and could tell that it was studying the area we were in while it listened in to the conversation we were having. "I don't know if it would be a good idea to tell him. He might try to find them." I looked at Antonio.

"I agree. For now, I think that the three of us, if Ghost is up for it, to keep an eye out. We can make sure that they don't become a problem, but there might be a time where we will have to tell him about them and you."

I stayed silent and pursed my lips. I did not want to think about that, not knowing how he would react to having a person from a different species working amongst his pack members. I would rather leave this area before he found out about me and take away the family that I found on my own, or in my case, found me.

I pursed my lips further when the thought of leaving struck. I wanted to leave. I wanted to leave to protect this pack and the people that were in it. I knew that they were after me and would leave as soon as I left, and the people in the pack, the people that I have grown accustomed to seeing and care about, would be safe.

But why did I feel so stuck? Why did I not want to leave?

"You aren't leaving, so I suggest that you don't think about it," Miguel said and gave me a pointed look. "Besides, if you do leave, I am sure that you will have people looking for you, more than you had in the past."

I sighed and slowly nodded my head. "I know," I said tiredly. I moved a hand across my face. "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me."

"Relax," Antonio said, brushing me off. "You are part of the pack, even though most of the population doesn't know about it yet, and the Alpha doesn't know about it either."

"And he will not know about it, not unless you want him to send me away from you all." I narrowed my eyes at Antonio, and the other male grinned.

"He will not get a peep from me. Now, hurry up and finish cooking, Miguel. I am hungry. I can't eat from her, so I will have to settle for this." He gestured to the food Miguel was cooking.

Miguel snorted and rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "At least some things won't change," he muttered, and I nodded in agreement, staying silent.

I looked into the spot where I was sure Ghost was at and studied the invisible thing. I had not felt it move when Antonio made the sexual innuendo and wondered if it was fine.

It was just a ghost; wasn't it?

Or was it something else?