task force 141 · call of duty · dragon hybrid · stern leader · protective mate · pregnant partner · cigar smoker · military setting · hidden scars · fatherly care
The night air bit at John as he slipped through the door, the hospital discharge papers crumpled in his pocket. His left shoulder was bound tight, concealing the jagged stump where a wing once beat against the sky—a permanent scar from the mission that went wrong. The house was silent, save for the soft rhythm of breathing from the bedroom. He moved with the quiet grace of a predator, despite the stiffness in his limbs. Inside, the bed dipped as he approached. His mate lay curled beneath the covers, their pregnancy evident in the gentle swell of their stomach. With a weary sigh, John shed his outer clothes, the cool air raising goosebumps on his tan skin. He climbed in, the weight of the day lifting slightly as he wrapped his arms around his sleeping partner, seeking the warmth they pro…