Chapter 17 - Draco

“Fuck!” I yell out in the confines of the elevator, hands curling into fists, ready to be thrown into the silver wall. I’m too frightened to look up at my own reflection, so the mirrors on every wall force me to keep my glare on the doors ahead.

When they finally open up on the ground floor, I storm out as if I’m resenting the elevator.

Meanwhile, it’s me I detest. I have never been a coward in my life. Yet, a measly human has evoked that feeling in me.

“Hello, Brother,” I’m greeted by Felix.

I look up to find solace in his voice—something I’m not used to. I quickly scan our surroundings in the lobby to ensure we don’t have company before grabbing his arm. I drag him down to the far west corner, where I practically kick down the door of this floor’s study.

Each floor has a study of its own. It was merely a coincidence that I’d stumbled on Felix on the fifth floor last night.

He’s the only one who knows of my dilemma. Which is why his presence is the only one I’m drawn to.

“Are you sure?” I ask abruptly when we’re safely in the study.

My younger brother frowns at me as if he views me as a madman. “Sure of what, Draco?”

I run a frustrated hand through my hair, ignoring that it’s longer than I usually keep it. But these past few weeks have changed my whole outlook on life.

Especially last night.

“Are you sure that she could be my fated mate?” I ask, raising my brows expectantly.

Felix sighs before turning around and spotting a seat he can plop onto. When he does, he kicks one leg over the couch, arms splayed out on either side of him. “Did we not establish this last night already?”

Glaring at my brother, it takes a moment of silence for my mind to go through everything we discussed last night. Everything we’d uncovered, all the information we had found on fated mates to the dragons.

Every creature known to Earth has one, a fated mate. One is in the entire tally of creations made specifically for them. Two halves of a whole.

And a dragon would only know that it’s met its other half when they touch physically. The electric feeling rushes through the pair, which would be too intense to ignore or pass up. Their matching energies would just create a sense of knowing.

Then there’s the unmistakable scent, which would be too addictingly sweet not to recognize one’s, fated mate.

Both of which I have experienced. And I’d ripped through every viable book and journal in the library to come up with the conclusion that it is quite possible, actually. A human may be a dragon’s fated mate.

Still unconvinced, I’d ensured Felix was there to cross-reference and double-check everything I found. To my surprise, the Cube of Knowledge not only found a suitable mate to carry dragonspirit offspring, but it also found my fated mate.

The one fated to me by destiny, or the Universe as we know it. The higher powers that we pray to have made this possible.

And yet, she still is just a human. My ego can’t accept that little fact.

“We did establish this last night,” I relent while shaking my head with confusion. “It’s just that—”

“You still don’t want to accept any of it,” Felix interjects with sarcasm as he leans forward, steepling his fingers on his lap. “Why, Draco? Because you’re superior?”

“You think this is because of my ego?” I bleat in disbelief, but Felix’s eyes narrow, telling me he sees right through the act.

I can’t pretend anymore. Not after last night. And especially not now, as I refuse to accept the truth, still searching for excuses.

I wouldn’t be this close to pulling my hair from its roots if it meant nothing to me.

Felix shakes his head, leaning back again. “I didn’t say it was, but you did. And maybe it’s time your ego realizes that this is far greater than just you, Draco. Stop being so fucking selfish, and see the bigger picture.”

“I don’t—” I shake my head, shoving away the intrusive thoughts brought on by my ego. It’s just there to warp my reality, make me selfish, and make me feel victimized for everything happening.

“This is a privilege,” Felix goes on to remind me. “A month ago, we had no hope of ever-expanding the dragon race. Now that we do, you need to get your head in the game. If you don’t make Lily pregnant, the rest of us can’t get mates picked with the help of the Cube.”

I take a deep breath, and I hang my head with shame when I exhale. I can’t believe I’d been so lost in my own head, that I couldn’t see the bigger picture.

“Forgive me, Felix,” I apologize earnestly.

When I feel his hand settling on my shoulder, I see my younger brother offering me a cajoling smile.

“There’s no need to apologize to me, Draco,” he assures me. “I can’t even fathom how big of a responsibility it is to be the Alpha of the Aurora Dragons.” He sighs. “But, you have all of us supporting your every move. Don’t forget that.”

“I guess I did forget,” I chuckle nervously, thinking about my behavior over these past few weeks. I’d shut everyone out, including Lily, who I shut behind the closed doors of her bedroom.

Straightening my spine and standing tall again, I feel my resolve strengthening as I shed the layer of being a victim. I have to make the most of what I have. And to be honest, what I have is almost perfect.

Almost.

If Lily’s DNA construct doesn’t accept the gift of immortality, I’m doomed.

But that’s a worry I’ll deal with when the time comes.

“So…” Felix steps back and regards me with a hand on his chin. “Did you do everything you said you would?”

For some strange reason, I feel myself recoiling internally. As if I’m bashful about the question. Feeling heat rise on my neck and tinge my ears with color, I scoff.

“I did,” I admit as I shove my hands into my pockets. “Did the whole shebang and ended up walking out before—before she could thank me for all of it.”

Felix shakes his head in disappointment. It’s been his bright idea to sweep Lily off her feet instead of using fear to drive our relationship. Of course, it’d been my idea to run the bath for her and cater to her needs for the day.

“Was she willing to thank you?” he asks, to which I nod.

“She sure was. But I was a coward. And she probably thinks the same.”

“So make up for it,” Felix shrugs as if it’s common knowledge.

Though I’d spent more time amongst the humans, I didn’t really pay attention to what made women tick. Besides, I never had to get any of them to fall for me. All I had to do was dress the part, and they would fall at my feet.

Lily, on the other hand, is a different creature altogether. She might be a weak human, but she’s determined to be fearless. Even if it’s a mask she wears.

In some ways, I find it endearing. So when Felix offers a solution to make up for fleeing this morning, I consider it.

***

The solution is the flowers I’m holding in a bunch as I knock on Lily’s bedroom door. Handpicked from the gardens on the east side of Aurora Mountains, it’s the colors she’d been gazing at this morning.

Cobalt blue daisies and berry daffodils from the berry plants on the mountain. Along with the bouquet of flowers, I’d picked some berries, too.

When the knock on the door isn’t immediately answered, I call out her name. Gently, it’s the first time “Lily” rolls off my tongue with benevolent intent.

“Y-yes?” she stammers, her voice sounding very far away. She’s probably on the balcony, I realize.

She wasn’t ignoring me.

I keep the bouquet behind me when the door opens as I step over the threshold. I’d been so accustomed to keeping the door locked; it feels rather odd that she has control now.

Control that she doesn’t seem to care about much. After all, I’d used the surveillance cameras in the hallway. She hadn’t come out of her room.

I clear my throat when she closes the door behind her. “This is for you…” I announce with pride as I hold out the brightly colored flowers.

Lily takes a look at them, then seemingly scoffs under her breath. “Thanks,” she says, walking away without taking the flowers from me.

Confused, I stand frozen for a few seconds as I try to discern what just happened. Lily strolls off toward the balcony, leaving me in the room as if my presence means nothing.

“Lily?” I call out, frowning with confusion as I follow her to the balcony. She leaned over the rails, gazing out at the flowers below, even though I’d brought them up for her.

“Lily?” I call again, this time right beside her, so there’s no way she can’t hear me. Still, I’m ignored. And the irritation I feel begins to simmer to the surface.

“I don’t understand what’s going on right now. But you can’t just ignore me, Lily.”

She sighs discontentedly before turning her face to me. “What do you expect me to say, Draco?” Lily scoffs as her eyes flit to the bouquet in my hand. “Thanks for bringing me flowers. Are you going to be hot or cold this time?”

“What do you mean?” I ask as I shake my head, and the frown deepens.

“Oh, please!” she chuckles sardonically, rolling her eyes as she turns back to the scenery ahead. “One moment, you’re nice, and the next, you’re awful. I can’t deal with that.”

I open my mouth to retaliate, but nothing comes out. I’m too stunned to say anything and realize the depth of what she just said.

She can’t deal with my hot and cold behavior. It could only mean one thing. If she didn’t care at all, she wouldn’t have said that.

Just like if I didn’t care, I wouldn’t even be here.

“You’re impossible to please, you know that?” I deride as I take a look at the flowers in my hand. With the sudden urge to throw them down, I’m surprised when Lily grabs it from me.

“I’m impossible to please?!” Lily sneers, glaring at me with contempt. She turns her attention to the flowers and scoffs. “You’re the one who has a problem with me being human, right? That’s not something I can change!”

With that remark, Lily takes the bouquet and throws it over the balcony. Startled by her actions, I do a double-take. It gives her enough time to walk back into the room.

But she’s not in the clear yet when I grab her by the wrist. Yanking her back, she almost loses her footing when she crashes into me. I grab her by the shoulders to steady her, but also as a means to shake her if I must.

“I don’t wish to change you,” I grate through gritted teeth. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t vex me for being who you are.”

Lily stares at me through narrowed eyes of contempt. “If you hate me so much, then let. Me. Leave.”

Though what she just said infuriates me, I can’t help but keep her in my clutches. Like she’s meant to be here, pressed to me like a second skin.

I’d been wrestling with my better judgment, at war with what my heart truly wanted. And even if logic warns me that this whole thing is a bad idea, my heart seems stronger now.

It wins the fight against my head. A head that reminds me—as a last-ditch attempt—that Lily’s life is in danger as long as she is here. As long as I entertain the idea of her being my mate, she’s in danger.

Glowering at her, I try to fuel my anger enough to let me walk away. But it doesn’t happen.

Instead, the longer I stare into her face, the deeper I fall into the rabbit hole.

Until there’s no liberation for me. No coming back from what happens when I crush my lips to hers.