12. Drago

"You're a prick Galen," I practically seethe, allowing my anger to penetrate the thick tension between us. My brother rises from his seat at the dining table as I enter the hall. He stands with his hands up in surrender as he narrows his eyes. I want to fucking beat the shit out of him. I want to slam my fist into his face and take out all this anger on him, but there are only rare occasions when violence is needed and now is not one of them. Besides, we made a pact long ago not to fight one another. And it's worked well for us for this long, there's no reason to start a war over a little miscommunication.

Cyrus cocks a brow at me but doesn't move from his seat as I pull mine back, allowing the chair to scrape along the floor, the sound breaking the tension ever so slightly. Even though my dragon paces with worry and my muscles are still tense with irritation, I force myself to sit back. She's angry because I withheld. I know all too well her disappointment is my own doing. She'll forgive me though. I know she will. As I clear my throat, doubt twists my heart in pain, but I push it down. Galen's at the head of the table with me on his right and Cyrus on his left. I put my elbow on the table and flex my hand. I know she'll forgive me. A little white lie is certainly not going to keep her from me.

"You know I didn't mean it, Drago." Galen speaks with sincerity, and I nod in acknowledgment. I believe him. We'd never fuck each other over, but that doesn't change the fact that now my Kara, my treasure, is angry with me.

"She safeworded me because of it." I look Galen in the eyes so he knows how irritated I am.

He smirks at me with a wicked twinkle in his eyes and shrugs. "Not the first time."

A deep crease settles in my forehead as his comment sinks in. I sit forward in my chair with disbelief. "You were listening?"

With a shrug, he replies, "I couldn't help but to be curious." A different kind of possessiveness stirs in me. He better have left before she started moaning my name and coming for me.

"Don't worry, once she agreed to her punishment, I left."

A huff of an acknowledgment leaves me although the irritation stays. "Like I said, you're a prick, Galen." I smirk back and lean deeper into my seat now that my dick is raging hard again. Fuck I need her. I lick my lips remembering her sweet taste from this morning.

"Anyone want to fill me in?" Cyrus questions.

"Drago's pet is dismayed because he failed to mention she was in heat."

Cyrus looks at me like I'm mad, his expression of both shock and disapproval. "Drago. You attempted to breed her without her knowing?"

A pang of guilt hits me, but they fail to understand our needs. "No. It's not like that." I let my arm fall to the table and it lands with a heavy thud. "I intended to wait and see if she went into heat again next month." I frown at my brothers. "I wasn't planning on sleeping with her."

"You have more control than I do brother." Hearing Cyrus's confession has my eyes narrowing in on him. He throws his hands up. "You know I didn't touch her."

"So you have your mate and now I get mine from this deal." Galen says, clapping his hands with a firm grin on his face.

"I don't know that she'll let me bed her again." I run a hand down my face.

"You two have screwed yourselves." Cyrus looks between the two of us. "You take a woman without her knowing, who, sorry to say it Drago, may never heat again. And you," he turns his attention to Galen, "want to kidnap a woman and possibly start a war over someone who might be able to carry dragonlings." He shakes his head, his eyes worried. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"

I huff a laugh. "There's more to life than just fucking. Haven't you ever wished for a mate?"

"The idea is intriguing, but you know how this is going to end, don't you?" He stares at both of us with a grim expression. His pessimistic view is not contagious at this hour.

"When did you become such a depressing asshole, Cyrus?" I ask him from across the table.

"He's been doing that lately." Galen talks only to me as if Cyrus isn't in the room. It makes me grin. We used to do that when we were kids to piss Cyrus off. Years before that, when we were just children, we'd convince him he was invisible because we so often ignored him and talked about him like he wasn't there. I chuckle and keep my eyes on Galen.

"It's unfortunate he has no intention of finding a mate. I imagine it's his lack of confidence in the bed chambers that keeps him to himself."

"Fuck off." Cyrus shrugs and leans back in his seat like he's not affected. Which is a telltale sign that we're getting under his skin.

Galen talks right over Cyrus, "Poor women have no idea. I bet he leaves them all disappointed."

"You two are disgraceful. You know that?" Cyrus speaks but Galen speaks over him.

"Probably best that he doesn't procreate. We inherited the best of the genes after all." He continues, "Wouldn't want our future generations to be little Cyruses running around." I all out laugh at Galen's words, but it comes to an abrupt halt as Cyrus rises onto his feet.

Cyrus yells, "There won't be a next generation! We're fucked. We're all fucked!" He breathes heavily, his face red as his eyes flash reptilian. "Ever since the purge we've been screwed over." He takes a heavy seat and draws his dragon back in. "We're the last dragons; there will be no more."

"What the fuck Cyrus?" Galen voices exactly what I was thinking. My throat is tight with the notion that there is no hope.

"I've tired of this depressing version of you," I add on. We both look at him with a mix of irritation and concern. He's never been like this in his entire life.

He huffs as if he didn't just lose his mind. "Then stop bitching about mates so I can get back to the fun in life."

"We want mates, Cyrus," I stress. "I crave one more than anything."

He looks me dead in the eyes and answers, "Well then you want something you can't have."

"My mate is in my room right now and she will give me dragonlings." My voice holds no conviction; even as I say the words, I doubt them. Cyrus cocks an eyebrow at me as though I've proven his point for him. "She will."

"And when she doesn't?" Cyrus asks as if it's inevitable.

My heart sinks at his question. A beat passes before I tell him, "She's heated stronger than any woman ever has before."

"How many years did we spend trying to find appropriate companions?" Galen and I look at each other with our lips firmly pressed into a flat line. Cyrus continues without either of us answering him. "Too many fucking years. Courting women and waiting to see if their heat would hold." A black air of depression settles between us. "Why not try it my way? Huh? Least I'm having fun with it and there are no broken hearts or grief. Only enjoyment."

"Are you though?" Galen questions him and I'm honestly surprised. "You seem to be more and more passionate about mates recently." He cracks his neck and sighs. "Almost as if you actually want one."

"Of course I fucking want one. But they're all dead. They died with everyone else."

"I refuse to believe it." Galen's quick to answer.

"Same here," I say, strumming my fingers along the table. I can't help but to think of how quickly Kara's heat left her though. Doubt spreads through me more than my dragon cares for.

"I'd be fucking happy for you two to prove me wrong." Cyrus crosses his arms and sits back in his seat. The wooden legs of it creak.

"Well we'll find out soon enough with Drago's pet." Galen smirks at me with confidence, but I want to smack that look off his face.

"Don't call her that," I snap and then shake off my irritation. "She's more to me than a pet."

"Nothing wrong with your mate being your pet," Galen answers with a firm voice and Cyrus nods in agreement.

"I'd rather you simply not call her that."

"Then why tell us that's what she is?" Galen tilts his head and feigns ignorance. "Oh that's right, so that we stay away and you could have her—and her heat—all to yourself."

I smirk at him and reply, "It worked."

Cyrus smiles broadly in response. "And which one of us is the asshole?"

We all snort a laugh and the tight air between us seems to dissipate. Although some thoughts can never be forgotten and sink their claws into my consciousness.

"So you really think you may have bred her?" Cyrus asks.

"I would hope so."

"Then you'll be stuck with her," my brother states and Galen hints in his question.

"Yes, I'd be content with that." I smile at the thought of her being stuck with me. Mated as the stories have told.

"Good to hear since it's been a while since you've been happy with company," Galen says. "She seems as if she can handle you too."

"Yes, she has a little fire in her. You look good together," Cyrus adds.

"Thank you both." It fills me with pride that my brothers approve of her. Not that it's needed, but still it settles some concerns. "She is a little spitfire."

Galen laughs. "Is that your pet name for her? It seems fitting."

I shake my head. "No, it's treasure."

Galen's expression turns serious and his eyes dance with hope. "Also fitting."

"Do you two really think it's possible?" Cyrus looks up at us in a way he hasn't for years. More than anything, he appears wounded and vulnerable. "You think we really could find mates who aren't dragons? These humans could be our mates, real mates?"

"I do, Cyrus," Galen answers and I nod in agreement.

And then I speak words I didn't even know were true until they leave my lips. "Even if she can't bear my children, I still want her. I still want my mate." Fire blazes up my chest and my dragon bats his wings inside of me. He purrs with triumph and agreement. As he presses me for control, the pull to her is strong. I feel a need to go to her. To be with her.

"Even without young?" Galen's surprised, and I have to admit, I'm surprised as well.

I slowly nod my head as if coming to terms with what I've just admitted to myself. "She's more than worthy of being my mate." I look my brother in the eyes. "I would be honored to have her by my side. I want to be loved and it is undeniable that there's something between us that is more than I've ever had."

Galen sits back with a pout on his face. "Is that why you gave me Isabella? You know if you'd still like the chance to court her, I would understand."

Cyrus speaks before I can, "If he wants his pet, let him keep her for fuck's sake."

"Don't call her that, Cyrus," I warn.

"Ooh. Look who's getting all worked up." Cyrus smiles as he teases me.

"That's if she wants you," says Galen. "I didn't mean to cause tensions there, Drago." Galen's reminder that my treasure is angry with me isn't welcomed.

"She'll be all right; she just needs to cool down." They both look at me with doubt and neither speaks a word. "What?" I ask.

"Women are…emotional, Drago." Cyrus mumbles under his breath. "And humans untrusting in general."

"What the hell does that even mean, Cyrus?" He shrugs and Galen holds his stomach while he laughs.

"He means you're in deep shit, Drago," Galen answers.

"She's a good girl. She'll understand. She only needs time."

"All right then, let us know how that goes," Cyrus says as if he knows something I don't.

"I will." I furrow my brows, not liking their confidence that she's going to stay mad at me forever. She can't stay angry that long. "I didn't come here to talk about Kara, let's get on with it."

"Right, right. I'd like to leave as soon as possible to acquire my potential mate."

I cut Galen off. "I don't want to leave her while she's angry."

Galen looks to Cyrus, eager to leave and begin his adventure with or without me. "Do you think just the two of us can handle it?"

"How would I know? I've never been to their estate, have you?"

"No"—Galen purses his lips—"but with so many people on the inside, I'm sure we could sneak in."

Cyrus nods his head. "It's not like many have ever seen us before."

"Eh, I don't want to risk trying to just walk in." He opens his laptop and types in his password. "We could get in through a window. We just need to know where she usually is within the estate."

"In and out as quickly as possible." He turns the computer to face us, and I recognize the same picture as before.

"Is that the only picture you have of her?" I add my concern. "What if she's aged or her appearance has changed?"

Galen purses his lips. "It's the only picture."

"How old is that picture?" I ask.

"A few years." I raise my eyebrows in concern. "I know, but it's the best we can do at the moment. I asked for an image, but my intel has informed me that Alec has become a little possessive of her."

"Possessive? I don't like the sound of that."

Galen clenches his fists. "I know. I don't like it either. That's why I want to leave tonight."

"The more I think about the Authority, the more I don't like any of this," I say, gathering the attention of both my brothers.

"I find it hard to believe that he's truly keeping mates away from us," Cyrus says.

"Mates?" Galen asks.

Cyrus shrugs. "I don't know. Mate…mates? Who knows?"

"Well he has her. So he obviously is." Galen's dragon seems to rise at the thought, and I can see him warring to keep his beast down.

"Is it really intentional though, or is there some other reason?" Cyrus's curiosity surfaces and I smile seeing my brother in his usual state. The distress from the talk of mates seems to have waned.

"What other reason could there be?" Galen asks.

"That's not what I'm talking about brothers." Again, both of them give me their complete attention.

"What do you mean then?" Cyrus questions.

"They don't seem to have control of much. What with towns being prey to supernaturals and wolves fighting each other for territory. What good are they really?"

"They seem to keep the humans and supernaturals separated for the most part."

"Not my Kara. She said she expected to die." Both of my brothers seem saddened and shocked, just as I was. "What is the Authority doing for them? What kind of justice comes from that?"

Galen answers grimly, "They were offered a choice, Drago. If humans don't want protection, that's their choice to make."

"Kara didn't get that choice; she was born into these circumstances." Knowing the injustices she faced makes my dragon push me to check on her, to make sure she's all right.

"I'm sure we could present this issue to the Authority. But at the moment we are planning to steal from them." Galen instantly rages at Cyrus's condemnation.

"We aren't stealing from them!" he yells. "She's rightfully mine!"

"Calm down Galen," I speak calmly. "First off, we don't have fated mates and her abilities are merely speculation." He tilts his head in anger and opens his mouth to argue with me, but I cut him off. "I understand where you're coming from though. They're keeping a potential mate captive to prevent your bonding. I agree that's unlawful of them."

"Don't worry Galen, I'll accompany you." Cyrus stands from his seat and walks over to Galen. "Are you ready brother?"

"Yes." Galen rises as well and puts his hand on Cyrus's shoulder, looking him in the eyes with gratitude. "We'll figure out what to do about the Authority. But first I want my mate."

I nod my head and lean back in the seat, knowing I must go to my mate now. I hope she's over our little spat.

"Good luck with your mate, Drago," Galen says as they leave the room.

Cyrus chuckles before adding, "Yes, you're going to need it."