6. Alaric

6

Alaric

I fumed as I marched out of the dragons' castle. Jade was impossible. He was so infuriatingly charming. Every time I wanted to spit in his face, he disarmed me with his clever words and attentive gaze, like he had magical conflict-resolving powers.

Actually, I shouldn't spit in his face. He would probably enjoy that.

I shook my head. How did I let myself get roped into this mess? If only I hadn't vowed to get my revenge on Jade that first night...

But at the thought, an unpleasant twinge curled around my heart. In reality, I didn't regret my first contact with Jade. Or any other contact after that. The depraved bastard was starting to grow on me like slime mold—harmless, but annoying.

My cat's eyes helped me navigate out of the castle. I'd taken this path with Jade before, but it felt lonelier by myself. The silence was somehow worse than his incessant banter.

"Alaric?"

The sudden voice in the darkness startled me. I yowled, jumping a foot in the air as all the hairs on my arms and neck bristled.

Then my brain caught up with my body. I recognized that voice. As I whipped towards the source of it, I saw a pair of reflective amber eyes in the darkness. A familiar tall, broad-shouldered figure stood in the kitchen, staring at me.

"Taylor?" I spat.

The tiger shifter snorted. "Why do you sound so offended? This is my house."

"Yes, but you didn't have to scare me half to death," I growled.

He opened the fridge door. A beam of light illuminated the kitchen as he grabbed a midnight snack. "Couldn't help it. I'd recognize that powdered baby-butt smell anywhere."

I wrinkled my nose and subtly smelled my shirt. Was it that strong? If so, I didn't want Jade to be put off by it...

Taylor unwrapped a piece of beef jerky and took a bite. "So, are you going to explain why you're here, or do you just randomly manifest in my home now?"

I crossed my arms. "If you must know, I was here to—"

Oh, hell. How could I possibly explain the situation I was mired in?

Taylor chuckled at my failure mid-sentence. He pulled out a second chair at the counter. "Come on, sit down. We might as well chat while you're here."

I hesitated, then accepted his offer. We'd come a long way from our initial rivalry, and despite giving me a heart attack, Taylor's invitation eased my mood.

I hopped onto the chair, then noticed we weren't alone. A third chair next to me was occupied by a chubby orange baby dragon with stripes. He blinked curious, reflective eyes at me.

Instant affection welled up in my chest. Nothing warmed my cold heart faster than a cute baby.

"Good evening, Ruby. What are you doing up so late?" I asked.

Ruby babbled as if replying and smacked his tiny claws on the counter.

I nodded. "I see. How fascinating."

Taylor smiled as he brought extra jerky for Ruby. "Here you go."

Ruby snatched the jerky and stuffed it into his face with unbridled joy. Meanwhile, Taylor sat down and handed me a glass of warm milk.

"What is this?" I asked, wrinkling my nose.

Taylor grinned. "Don't house cats like milk?"

I glared at him while reaching for the glass. "That's a blatant stereotype, you big striped oaf." I took a sip of the warm milk, then sighed contentedly. "Regardless, I appreciate it."

"You seem stressed," Taylor pointed out, taking another bite of jerky. "And you still haven't told me why you're here."

I didn't want anybody to know about my situation—at least, not the full truth of it—but if anyone could understand my entanglement with a maddening alpha dragon, it was Taylor.

I brought the glass to my lips. "I've become... acquainted with a particular dragon who lives here."

Taylor waited for me to elaborate, and I did not.

"And?" he prompted.

I took a sip. "That's all I wish to say on the matter."

"All right, let's see." Taylor counted on his fingers. "It can't be anybody with a mate already, so that leaves Saffron, Viol, and Jade."

Hearing Jade's name made my shoulders stiffen. Unfortunately, that was enough of a reaction for the fellow apex predator to notice.

"So, you're friends with Jade?" Taylor asked, a teasing note in his voice.

Damn my physiology. I scowled. "I wouldn't call us friends."

A smirk curved Taylor's mouth. "Just like you wouldn't call us friends?"

"It's been an arduous process, but I do consider you my friend," I said dryly. "Jade, on the other hand..."

"Is something more?"

"Absolutely not!"

Taylor didn't balk. In fact, his expression grew even more smug. "Sure, I believe you, Alaric. But if that's the case, can you explain why you've been here two nights in a row?"

Heat flooded my cheeks. "How do you know that?" I demanded.

"The baby powder smell follows you, remember?"

I narrowed my eyes at the pompous tiger. "All right, fine. I've visited Jade twice—and both times were to discuss important matters. That's all."

"And you couldn't discuss these important matters during the Games."

"No, because they were private."

"And surely you couldn't pull Jade aside for a one-on-one conversation."

If I was in cat form, my tail would've lashed hard enough to smack my glass off the counter. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yes." Taylor set the jerky down. "Listen, Alaric. If you like Jade, why bother hiding it?"

I huffed. "I don't like him. He's an aggravating, pretentious know-it-all."

"Sounds familiar," Taylor teased.

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't anything like Jade. For one, my sexual proclivities were more tame... or at least, that's what I'd thought until I stumbled into his den of sin. Since I was in polite company, I shoved those thoughts out of my mind.

"He's not my type," I stated. Part of me figured I'd believe the words more if I spoke them into existence. It didn't work.

"Describe your type, then," Taylor said. "Since the rest of the alphas on the Dragonfate Games haven't been to your taste."

Despite my best efforts to worm my way into any alpha's heart, it always ended in failure. But Taylor was right. In all honesty, the previous four alphas—Crimson, Thystle, Cobalt and Aurum—weren't to my taste. Yet my inner desperation for a mate drove me to madness. I'd thrown myself at them like a moth to a flame, hoping to be chosen as their fated mate, and I was burned every time.

Could things be different with Jade?

I sighed, taking another sip of milk. "My type, hm? To start, he would be rich. That's mandatory."

Taylor snorted.

"What, do you want me to lie?" I asked.

His amber eyes glinted with amusement. "No. Keep going."

"Besides wealth, he would be intelligent, of course. I don't care for wilful ignorance. Or crass behavior. Oh, and he would have status, too. He would be respectable. Elegant. Classy. Someone I would be proud to stand beside."

Taylor arched a brow, clearly wanting to make a smart-ass comment.

"If you wish to speak, then spit it out," I ordered.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "No, nothing. It just sounds like you're describing a certain green-haired alpha dragon I know."

Flustered, I glared at him. "I am not describing Jade! If Jade was my type, I would have said so!"

As my yowled words echoed in the silent kitchen, my cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. I hadn't meant to speak so loudly. Gods, I hoped nobody else heard that.

Ruby giggled and took my sudden volume as an invitation to join in. He roared a tiny dragonet roar that sounded more like a tiger cub squeaking. The kid's cuteness distracted me from my shameful display.

"You said it, Ruby," I agreed.

Taylor watched me interact with his son, then asked, "You want one, don't you?"

I shot him a look. "What gave it away?"

He smiled. "No need to be sarcastic about it. We're both omegas here."

I stopped bristling. He was right. Taylor was my ally in my search for a mate and children, but it was hard not to lash out when he had everything I wanted. I tried to temper my attitude.

I let out a long breath through my nose. "I've been waiting a long time."

"You can't be that much older than me," Taylor pointed out.

"I'm thirty-one. I wear sunscreen and moisturize religiously," I explained in a grumble.

Taylor blinked. "Oh. Well, you look very youthful."

I groaned, putting my forehead on the counter. I never wanted to admit my age, but Taylor had squeezed it out of me.

He scratched his head. "I guess I understand why you chased the alphas so aggressively now."

I grimaced. My age was only part of it. I couldn't tell Taylor the whole truth—that I'd wanted a mate since I turned 18 because my heart couldn't bear the idea of ending up like my dad. I shoved those murky thoughts aside, forcing myself to stay in the moment.

"I don't want your pity," I said. "I just want my alpha."

"I get it." Taylor put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll find him, Alaric. I have a hunch that he's closer than you realize."

My chest twinged with dull hope. Was Taylor right? Could Jade be my fated mate?

Or would I go home alone for a fifth time?

The thought of that killed me. I couldn't handle that much rejection. It was too much. If I didn't connect with Jade during this season, I vowed never to return to the Dragonfate Games.

"By the way, I've been wondering about it this whole time," Taylor said, glancing sidelong at my neck. "What's with the collar?"

Searing heat filled my cheeks. Fuck. I kept forgetting about that stupid thing.

I stood abruptly. "It's a fashion statement. Anyways, it's late. I'm going back to the hotel. Goodnight, Taylor. And Ruby."

Ruby sneezed, snorting out a tiny flame.

Taylor waved the smoke from the air and wiped his child's nose. "Good luck on the first challenge tomorrow," he called after me.

My stomach flipped with a mix of anticipation and unease. The Dragonfate Games were officially starting—and it was my last chance to make it work.