Home > Dragon Dad's Mate (Dragon Dads Love Chronicles)(4)

Dragon Dad's Mate (Dragon Dads Love Chronicles)(4)
Author: Amelia Wilson

We feel that absence everyday, and it is not toward Nora. Cain rubbed his hand along his arm absentmindedly where the heat had radiated and moved.

He remembered Ashton’s mother. She was sweet like homemade ice cream, and unfortunately her life melted away just as quickly. Cain didn’t like remembering her, yet somehow, as Nora’s stubborn, belief-infused words echoed through his thoughts, his dragon began making a list of how different she and Cain’s wife were.

Cain shook his head for what felt like the hundredth time. “Stop,” he said out loud.

Ashton’s mother had been a different breed of woman, but even after this short encounter with Nora he could tell that she was too. Nora was someone Ashton’s mother would approve of.

Cain couldn’t believe he was finding ways to compromise. There should be no debate or consideration on the matter.

“Is she gone,” Ashton’s voice came quietly behind him. He was leaning over the rail looking out the still open door, seeking Nora’s body and the too soon familiar swish of her skirt.

Cain was already labeling things as familiar. This was the last thing Cain had expected to happen, to find his life interrupted by a teacher. Or he didn’t mind.

Responding to Ashton, he said, “Yes, and you should be in bed already.”

“I wanted to say goodbye again.” Ashton’s face fell, and Cain wondered if this was what Nora felt like every time she looked at him. Ashton was a sweet boy, and deserved more than the growing pains of a shifter.

“Well, you can say hello to her in the morning.” That perked up Ashton’s tired eyes, and he ran to bed hoping the sooner he fell asleep the sooner he would wake up.

Cain was too late. She was gone, but she had already injected the hope of her presence into Ashton’s growing, dragon-borne world.

 

 

Chapter 3 – Nora

 

 

It was small comfort to Nora, to understand that Ashton wasn’t turning his homework in because he didn’t want to but because he didn’t understand how to do it. If Mr. Hollis was in the room more often he would have seen the help Ashton needed. It looked as if Mr. Hollis wasn’t purposely ignoring Ashton, but he just didn’t see the assistance Ashton required.

After what Nora had seen last night, she had more direction to the help the small family. It was a good distraction for herself as well. Not that she was doing this only for herself but her thoughts weren’t wrapped around the ominous letters; one of which she was staring at now.

Nothing about the letter hinted to its being from someone she might now. The handwriting was childish like a kindergartener’s, but the grammar was perfect. The letter explained in great detail what the writer wanted to do.

Whoever the writer was, they wanted to come into the school blazing fire and personally hunt down Nora to expose her to the school. Sins, blood, and all, it said. The image it produced in Nora’s mind was horrific.

She thought that if she could just get Principal Morrison to read one letter and imagine what she was imagining then he would help. But, that morning, he dismissed her without even inviting her into his office. He told her that if she was there to discuss her letters then she could go away.

She walked away, furious that he was so nonchalant about this problem. Or the could-be-problem. If the threats were real, then the whole school was in danger, but Principal Morrison couldn’t see past his own face in a mirror.

It irritated her how self-centered everyone that worked at the school was. How did they not remember the real reason they became teachers. She knew it wasn’t for the money.

Thinking back to her college days, she remembered answering that question. Why did she become a teacher? Because there was a world full of fresh minds eager to teach and in need of moral molding.

In her own school, growing up, she used to label people good and bad, or right and wrong, or just and evil. Her mind turned fantasy into reality more often then it should have, but it was her way of coping. As a teacher, she wanted to turn those evil labels into astounding students with a mind for the morally good aspects of life. She didn’t see that come about too often at her school.

Just as she was beginning to feel despondent, an eager face crept in front her desk. “Good morning Miss Nora,” Ashton said.

He looked well-rested and as if today wouldn’t be the worst one of his life. This was the first time she had seen his lips tilted anywhere near a smile. It was a face she wanted to see more often.

It comforted her to think that last night had already made such a difference in his life. She wanted to keep building on that. Today she would focus on that more than the impending threats.

“Good morning Ashton,” she returned a bright smile. “What are you looking forward to today?”

“Homework.” That was all the conformation Nora needed that Ashton’s past outbursts had come from lack of attention.

“Me too. I might even have a special treat for you, if you don’t get into any fights today.”

The promise brought forth the full bloom of his smile. “I promise I won’t.”

But he did. He was found fighting another boy, in the hallway, for a turn at the water fountain. Nora was astonished that he would break his promise to her; he didn’t seem like the kind of boy who would change his mind after committing to something.

“Ashton, can you explain to me what happened?” she asked once they were alone.

She wanted to understand Ashton and to help him as best as she could. Because she’s a teacher, she told herself. She would do this for any of her students.

“I don’t know,” Ashton said quietly. He kept his head ducked, and refused to look up from his desk.

Already she could see that he was hurt, himself, for having broken his promise. He clearly wanted to live up to Nora’s expectations of him. He was a people-pleaser, and Nora needed to comfort him in a way that assured him she wasn’t upset.

She sat down at the desk across from him and leaned over. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Ashton, I’m not mad, but I do want to understand why this has been happening everyday this semester.”

“I just wanted a drink of water.” Nora saw a tear plop on the table and stain the wood. “I was getting so hot, and my shoulders were hurting, I thought a drink of water would help, but nothing helps, until I just....”

His voice dipped low in shame as Nora picked up the last of his sentence. Until he could hit something. But, if it was a release to discomfort than maybe he needed to see a doctor not a counselor.

Clearly these were growing pains, but there weren’t any other symptoms that Nora had heard about. Needing such a violent physical relief, to stretch the tightness in the muscles, was unusual.

“Is this normal, Ashton? Have you talked to anyone about it?”

He nodded his head and glanced up to see if she was angry. When he found only Nora’s soft face, his eyes welled with more tears. “Yeah. Dad said it’s a normal thing for people like us.”

“People like you?” Somehow Nora was getting more questions than answers.

“Dad said it’s different for girls, and for each animal.”

Was he talking about puberty? Nora had had this talk with students before, but for some reason she felt a little uncomfortable having it with Ashton. This wasn’t her place, and she didn’t feel as if she was completely correct in her assumptions.

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