The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate novel Chapter 424

Chapter 424: That Seems Dishonest (Bellatrix Said DAMN RIGHT)

Tomas raised his hand again. "What are you going to do about your husband?"

"I have an eight-step plan."

"What’s step one?"

"Fainting in public."

"That seems dishonest," Maren said.

"It is. Dishonesty in service of survival is a skill you will need, Maren. Write that down."

"I don’t have parchment."

"Petra, give the girl parchment. She is going to need it."

By the end of the second hour, Bellatrix had funded the following: a full roof replacement, window resealing, structural reinforcement of the eastern wall, a new fireplace flue, quarterly clothing donations, a tailored formal outfit for every child, weekly food deliveries, a salary increase for Matron Helda and her two assistants, and new curtains.

The curtains were first on the priority list. They would arrive before the roof materials.

The orphanage was about to receive the most comprehensive renovation in its twenty-two-year history because a queen was following a divorce strategy from The Knotty Omega.

She stood. Adjusted her dress. Finished her wine.

"We are leaving. Both of you."

Neither dragon moved. Onyx had three children asleep on him. Avalon had two children asleep against him and one small girl whose hand was still on his scales.

"Onyx. Avalon. We are going."

Onyx chirped. Low. Reluctant. The chirp of a dragon who heard the command, understood the command, and was filing a formal objection to the command.

Avalon did not chirp. His tail tightened around a girl by a fraction, and the tightening was the dragon equivalent of a man crossing his arms and saying "make me," except the saying was silent and the crossing was a tail and the defiance was wrapped around a sleeping orphan.

"Avalon, I am speaking to you."

Silver eyes. Unblinking. The dragon who had been too shy to leave Petra’s side at the beginning of this trip was now refusing a direct order from the queen because a five-year-old had shown him her palm and the palm had rewritten his priorities.

"I will bring you both back," Bellatrix said, and the sentence left her mouth before the strategy behind it had fully formed, which meant the sentence was partially genuine, which meant the orphanage visit that was supposed to be a one-time image opportunity had just become a recurring commitment negotiated by two baby dragons.

"Next week," she added, because the commitment required a timeline and timelines were how Bellatrix maintained control over situations that were slipping from her grasp.

Onyx chirped. Acceptance.

Both dragons extracted themselves from the sleeping children with a gentleness that was remarkable for creatures their size.

Onyx walked to Bellatrix. She picked him up. Avalon walked to Petra. Petra picked him up. The dragon settled against Petra’s chest with his chin on her shoulder, his silver eyes fixed on the corner where an orphan girl was still sleeping, watching her until the angle of the doorway made watching impossible.

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