Resurrecting Her Dragon (Dragon Guard Series Book 13) by Julia Mills

They shook their heads so furiously Rory wondered if they were dizzy and all the while, each man adamantly denied he would ever find his mate.
    “Trust me guys, if it can happen to me, it can happen to you,” Rory said before turning to Rian. “We need to leave now. I’m tired of waiting.”
    Nodding and still grinning, Rian said, “I understand what an utter pain in the ass waiting can be better than most.” He hugged Audrey, who’d appeared at the Dragon Leader’s side while his brethren were singing, closer to his side before continuing. “But we need to run through the plan again.” The oldest O’Reilly brother held up his hand to stop Rory’s argument. “I know you heard everything we were saying but you need to see it and I need to know you won’t go off halfcocked and get yourself killed. Once is enough, little brother.”
    Rian opened his mouth to say something else but Roy beat him to the punch. “And besides, if anyone is kicking your ass it’s gonna be me, got it?”
    Everyone argued that they should be the one to beat him up but Rory knew they were only saying it because they loved him. He could feel it even they’d never admit it. They’d all been through too much for too many years not to love one another like the brethren they were.
    Heading back into the house to go over the plans of their attack on the griffins and rescue of his mate, the youngest O’Reilly brother touched the mind of his mate one more time. She was sleeping soundly, not fighting the herbs any longer, and dreaming of him.
    Thata girl, you just keep dreaming. I’ll be there to wake you with a kiss before you know it, my fiery princess...

Chapter Six
    T ime seemed to slow to a crawl. Every second seemed like an hour. The longer it took Rian and Max—who’d shown up with his werepanthers just in time to finish up the rest of the food and beer and add their two cents to the plan—to get done explaining their plan of attack, the more it made Rory feel like pulling out every single hair on his head. Even the jokes about Lenn blowing everything up had gotten old. All Rory wanted to do was get to Claire; nothing else mattered.
    “Enough!” Rory roared. On his feet and heading for the door before even he knew what he was doing, he shouted over his shoulder, “You ladies can stand around here discussing who’s holding who’s hand but I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to get my mate with or without you lot.” He punctuated his statement by slamming the door.
    Throwing his leg over his Fat Boy, he’d just grabbed the throttle when Kellan yelled, “You’re gonna get yourself killed.”
    Looking over his shoulder, Rory saw his best friend standing on his porch, staring at him like he had three heads and couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, well I’m getting good at it.”
    Taking a step off the porch, Kell asked, “You think this is the best way to play it?”
    “Only one I’ve got. I’m sick of waiting. Claire...”
    “She needs you. Yeah, I get that,” his scarred friend cut in. Turning his face to the side, Kell took a deep breath and shook his head. The glare from the streetlights highlighted the scars covering his cheeks and brought the details of the accident that caused those marks rushing back to the youngest O’Reilly brother.
    Feeling like he’d just been kicked in the gut, Rory’s head fell forward as he sighed, “Sorry man. I’m a dick. I should’ve...”
    “Not your problem. Not your fault. But I sure as hell thought you’d learned something from that night.”
    Nothing like a reality check to make a guy feel like the ass end of a slug...
    Blowing out a long breath and not sure what to say, Rory did the only thing he could; he apologized. “Dammit, Kell, I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ve got no excuses. Lost my head.”
    “And you’re in love. I get it. She’s your mate and the world is different now. But getting yourself killed isn’t gonna do Claire any good.”
    “You’re right.”