Heat pounded through me. I swayed, grabbed by Hannon, and quickly shook him off. I did not need my brother touching me when this feeling was pumping straight to my core.
No, you disloyal cuntcicle, I thought, clenching my teeth, he will not do for now. We were claimed. We consented to a mate. I will not betray our mate because you’re horny and want to answer some sort of weird sex challenge. Nyfain is more than just sex. He’s more than a challenge.
But Micah doesn’t need to be more than sex, she thought. Soak up some of that big-dick energy right now, and when we go back, our mate can kill him for infringing on his claim. His rage will be so incredibly intense. Just think about all that rage when he dominates us and re-stakes his claim?
She shivered. So did I; I couldn’t help it. That did sound like a wild time.
Don’t worry, she went on, after he has re-staked his claim, he’ll forget all about it. Other than staying close to make sure no one touches us again. But that’ll be hot, too.
A fierce tingle crawled across my flesh and soaked into my core. That also sounded like a good time, yes. Something about Nyfain being protective and possessive lit a weird fire in me. He would stop any unwelcome advances like the one Micah had just given me. He’d cut out any threats from delusional fuckwits like Jedrek （I still hadn’t allowed myself more time to feel guilty about how that had played out）。 He’d be my incredibly hot, bad-tempered bodyguard, shoving away advances I had never wanted anyway.
He will do that regardless, I told her. He did that before he claimed me. He’s always acted like I was his. Because even though it took me a while to realize it, I always was. And will continue to be. Not to mention the fact that we are not going to set Micah up to die. What is wrong with you?
When two alphas fight over a claim, one usually dies. It’s logic.
I wanted to strangle her. Then I wanted to strangle all memory of my body’s stupid reactions to Micah. Then I wanted to stay far, far away from him so that it didn’t happen again.
Fucking Micah is out of the question. It is not going to happen. Do I make myself clear?
We’ll see…
I balled up my fists in anger and let out a shout of frustration. “I wish you were standing beside me so I could punch you in the stupid face!”
I started forward.
“Done arguing with your dragon?” Hannon asked, keeping pace.
“Only for now, since she is probably going to try to throw herself at Micah, the fuckface.”
We met the others inside the tavern, Hadriel and Leala giving us beaming smiles.
“Ready to train?” Tamara asked me, and Lucille stood from her chair.
“Ah, man, does that mean I have to keep watch over the demons?” Hadriel hooked a thumb toward the stairs. “The dragons are very rowdy now that they heard what was done to Micah and them. It’s going to be hard to get the demons some food.”
“I’ll help,” Leala said, shifting the whip coiled in her lap.
I grinned and shook my head, then checked on the demons. One of them always stayed in the room in case they were needed, but the others took turns taking walks and getting air. We had an understanding—try to get away, and we would find them and kill them. Stick around and keep a low profile, and they could have their freedom. I hadn’t realized the dragons were getting anxious about their presence, although it made sense.
Thankfully, they seemed to take the news in stride, and Leala really was a wonder with that whip.
In the days that followed, I spent more and more time keeping busy with Ami, Claudile, and Gunduin, while the others took a chilled-out break.
There was always a calm before the storm.
TWENTY-EIGHT
NYFAIN
I sat on the bed in the tower room, looking out at the bright sunlight, only a few clouds rolling through the sky. My attention was focused inward, though, on my bond with Finley. I’d been checking in more often since feeling her reaction to the other alpha, presumably the same one who’d tried to dominate her when she was in the demon dungeon. I knew what he was doing. I could feel it in her confusion, in her dragon’s rising interest.
It was forbidden, what he did. It was also unfair to her, given she didn’t understand what was happening and probably didn’t even know it was possible.
He was fucking toying with my mate.
Rage coiled in my gut. Desperation to get to her, to protect her and defend my claim, blotted out my reason for a moment. Before I knew it, I was up and pacing, my hands curled into fists.
You told her to leave, my dragon accused me, power pumping through us. You did this. You put the idea in her head, and now she has found exactly what you told her to—someone who can lay a claim over ours. Her dragon is responding to his magic and power as any dragon would, and it’s your fault.