Alpha Dragon's Jackal (The Dragonfate Games Book 3), page 14
Muzo gasped. “Blueberry! You killed him!”
“He’s full of stuffing. He’s fine,” I mumbled. “Go back to sleep.”
“It’s hard to sleep after witnessing plushie murder...”
I hauled myself out of bed, picked Blueberry off the floor, dusted him off, then plopped him back in Muzo’s waiting arms. My mate lit up as he hugged the abused plushie to his chest.
“Yay! Now we can go back to sleep,” he decided.
Just as I was about to crawl back into bed, the door clicked. I watched, flabbergasted, as it swung open to reveal Jade. He held up one finger, which sported a dragon claw at the end. He didn’t look pleased to see me.
The feeling was mutual. “Since when do you know how to pick locks?” I grumbled.
Jade’s claw shifted back and he crossed his arms. “I’m glad you asked. I read about it recently in one of the many books in my library, and this was a good opportunity to practice what I’d learned.”
“Oh, hey, Jade!” Muzo called from the bed, waving.
Jade smiled at him. “Good morning, Muzo.” The smile fell off his face when he turned back to me. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
I hesitated.
Jade provided the answer for me. “No, you don’t.” He checked his silver watch. “It is now 10 AM. You were supposed to be on the beach an hour ago. I reassured every member of staff and the contestants you would be present. I assumed you would be there, given our talk about responsibility.”
I grimaced as guilt slammed into me. Jade was right—again. When I agreed to be the bachelor of the Games, I took on certain duties. It embarrassed me that my younger brothers did a better job at this than I did.
“I’m sorry for skirting my responsibilities,” I said. “But I’m not sorry for spending the night with Muzo.”
“I didn’t say you had to be,” Jade pointed out.
“Oh, crap,” Muzo said, sounding down. “Is this my fault?”
“No,” I said instantly.
Jade nodded. “You’re fine, Muzo. Cobalt is the one who whisked you away to the castle and ravaged you,” he added with a smirk.
I shrugged. There was no point in denying it. If the two naked men caught in bed weren’t enough of an indication, then the lingering scent of sex in the air was the nail in the coffin.
“I’m happy for you two, truly,” Jade said, putting a hand on his chest. “Just try to remember that someone has to be in charge of running the Games, hm? And I can’t run them if the big bad bachelor himself can’t be bothered to show up.”
I hung my head. “Yes. You’re right.”
Jade sighed. “It’s fine. I should’ve seen this coming from a mile away since you barely paid attention during the challenge briefing.”
“The what?”
“Do you even remember the concepts we discussed?”
I balked. “Um...”
“I rest my case,” Jade said, amused despite himself. “At the time, you half-heartedly agreed to a quiz show about yourself, like Thystle did on his season. Although I doubt it would have been a success, given how little the contestants know you.”
I rubbed my temple. “I don’t even remember agreeing to that.”
Back then, I was so distracted by Muzo’s distant suffering that I couldn’t think of anything else. All I knew was that my fated mate was out there somewhere, going through hardships. I was glad to finally have him in my arms where he could be safe forever.
“So, what are they doing instead?” I asked.
At some point, Muzo had climbed out of bed to peer out the window. Apparently after so many nudity-related incidents, he no longer had any qualms about it. He stood naked with Blueberry clutched to his chest as he overlooked the distant beach. “Looks like Gaius is doing some kinda dance,” he told us. “Either that, or he’s seizing.”
When I raised a brow, Jade shrugged and said, “Somebody had to entertain people.”
“He just took his shirt off!” Muzo called.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I had to fix the situation before Gaius stripped on camera and scarred the contestants for life.
“Can’t we just go out there and tell the truth?” I suggested.
Jade paused thoughtfully. “I’m listening.”
“I’ll tell the contestants exactly what happened. That I couldn’t control my draconic urges, and I took Muzo to the castle because I knew he was my fated mate.”
“It’s true, he really couldn’t control his urges,” Muzo agreed.
Jade stroked his chin. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I’m sure the audience would appreciate your honesty. And everybody did see you shift and steal Muzo away. We’ve got the whole thing on film.”
I frowned at the villainous implication. “I didn’t steal him. He wanted to come.”
Muzo nodded. “Consent was involved!”
“Yes, that’s all good,” Jade said, sounding distracted. He was probably playing 3D chess in his mind as he tried to twist the situation to our advantage. “My point is, an alpha dragon’s passion is a powerful tool in our kit. It might not matter to the audience that Cobalt found his mate instantly if we focus on your love instead.” He snapped his fingers. “Muzo, throw on some clothes. Cobalt, bring him to the beach ASAP. Dragon form for added flair, please.”
He turned on his heel to leave, then raised a finger.
“And if you’re late this time, I’m going to slice up more than just a lock, if you catch my drift.”
We landed on the beach just as Gaius turned his bright pink button-up into a makeshift Hula skirt. He looked disappointed that we’d interrupted his drag show.
“Please put the shirt back on, Gaius,” I ordered.
He grinned. “Cobalt! Nice to see you. Are you sure? We were just getting to the good part!”
I raised a scaly eyebrow at him.
He pouted and put the shirt on.
Once Gaius was fully dressed, he took back the mic. That spontaneous intermission would be cut out of the final aired footage, so he launched back into his hosting duties as if it never happened. Jade took Gaius aside and quickly filled him in on what was happening.
While they spoke, I gazed out at the gathered contestants. Most stared at us in awe. I recognized Poppy, who looked as happy as a kid on his birthday. Beside him, Alaric looked bored.
But other contestants looked visibly disappointed. They must’ve realized at this point there was no hope of finding their mate this season.
I felt a pang of sympathy for those omegas. I knew firsthand the loneliness that came from being mateless.
I placed Muzo on the sand between my front paws, then nuzzled his temple with the tip of my snout. He grinned and patted my scales.
Gaius strutted out in front of us, mic in hand. “Wow, talk about a turn of events! After our alpha dragon bachelor was late to the party, we all wondered where he could be.”
I withheld a snort. I wondered if Jade made him say that as a light jab in my direction.
Gaius went on, gesturing to us in a sweeping motion. “But there’s no mistaking that he’s here with us now—with Muzo to boot! Can either of you two explain what exactly happened between yesterday and now?”
I’d been carefully preparing my words since Jade left this morning. I cleared my throat. “Well, Gaius—”
“We had sex,” Muzo declared happily.
Silence fell over the beach. Even Gaius was at a loss for words for a moment.
“Well, no one can say you aren’t honest,” he continued with a laugh. The easygoing way he went with the flow eased the crowd, as if his good mood allowed them to relax. “Cobalt, can you confirm or deny this statement?”
I mentally threw my speech out the window. There was no going back now.
I swept my long tail around Muzo. He giggled as the furry tip tickled him.
“I confirm it wholeheartedly,” I answered.
The camera crew edged closer from every angle, eagerly capturing shots of us together. Jade stood by them with a satisfied expression. Being late was a blessing in disguise. Rare footage of my dragon form combined with the unprecedented interruption to the Games must be a goldmine for a reality TV show.
At the back of the crowd, Jade made a subtle ‘go on’ hand gesture.
I cleared my throat. “I want to apologize to the other contestants that I missed the challenge. The fault is all mine. But I’ll be honest. The allure of my fated mate was too much to bear. I couldn’t be apart from him a second longer.”
The second I dropped the words ‘fated mate,’ the contestants broke into a clamor. It took Gaius a minute to quiet everyone down. I noticed Poppy and Alaric didn’t join in. Had they already suspected something?
“Does that mean the Dragonfate Games are already over?” an apprehensive omega asked Gaius.
“That’s not fair,” an angrier one butted in. “They barely started! How can Cobalt possibly know who his mate is?”
Fire sizzled in my heart. When I spoke, my dragon’s voice boomed, capturing everyone’s attention in an instant.
“Do not doubt fate,” I growled. “The legendary bond between an alpha and omega fated to be together is something that cannot be faked. I know Muzo is my mate. That is final.”
The crowd went dead silent.
Oops. I’d forgotten I was in my dragon form—and thus, every word out of my mouth was terrifying. I hoped my speech didn’t frighten the rest of the contestants.
Thankfully, Gaius dispelled the tension just by being himself. He clapped enthusiastically like I’d given a rehearsed performance. “Beautiful words from our alpha dragon bachelor. Although it seems he’s not quite a bachelor anymore!” He wagged a finger. “But not to worry, contestants. The Dragonfate Games aren’t quite over yet. In our third and final challenge, you won’t be fighting for the dragon’s affections.”
Gaius paused purposefully, letting the anticipation sink in. The crowd murmured in confusion. Hell, I was confused, too. What would they compete for in his place?
Gaius finally broke his silence. “Instead, you’ll have the chance to win a cash prize of one million dollars!”
The contestants erupted into ecstatic, frenzied chaos. It was almost comical. Compared to a million bucks, I was nothing. They acted like I didn’t even exist anymore.
That was fine by me. This was a win-win situation for everybody.
Except my wallet.
Jade instructed the contestants to return to the hotel to prepare for the final challenge. After the contestants left, I remained on the beach with Muzo, Gaius, Jade and some straggling staff members. One of them handed me a spare outfit after I shifted back to human form.
“One million?” I asked Jade, raising a brow.
He shamelessly arched a brow right back at me. “You got yourself into this mess, Cobalt. Now you’re getting yourself out of it.”
“Sure. But you couldn’t have settled for five hundred thousand?”
“I’m charging you extra for emotional damages,” he said wryly.
I sighed. “Fair enough.”
Gaius ignored our brotherly spat. “Aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes,” he said, grinning at me and Muzo. “Look what a cute couple you are! Your size difference is to die for.”
Out of nowhere, a pair of golden dragons swooped in, shifted in mid-air, then landed on the sand next to us. The remaining staff had already left so there was nobody around to save our eyes from the twins’ casual nudity.
“Yeah, it’s like the difference between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua,” Aurum said with a snort.
“Hey, they can still breed, y’know,” Saffron pointed out.
Cutting off their conversation before it devolved into obscenity, I asked, “What are you two doing here?”
“Snooping,” Aurum admitted. “Jade said we’re not allowed to be on set during filming. Because of the ‘sanctity of the Games,’” he added with heavy air quotes and a roll of his eyes. He thrust a thumb at Jade. “But he is, for some reason?”
Jade smiled primly. “I’m different. Also, I don’t wear disguises and leak information to contestants, like I recall a certain pair of dragons doing last season.”
Aurum stuck his tongue out at Jade. Meanwhile, his twin was busy making googly eyes at us.
“I can’t believe you guys disrupted the Games and caused such a big scene.” Saffron said it like it was a good thing. He sighed, clasping his hands together. “It was so romantic.”
Muzo grinned, nodding along with him. “It really was, wasn’t it?”
Aurum made a silent gagging gesture.
“It was reckless,” Jade corrected mildly. “But it all worked out in the end.”
“Sorry for the trouble,” I said.
Jade smirked. “It’s all right. You’re paying for your crime. Literally.”
He looked way too pleased with himself for that dig.
“But if this is going to be an ongoing trend, perhaps I need to do some thinking about the next season,” Jade murmured, shooting a strange look at Aurum.
My golden-haired brother didn’t notice. He was too busy prying Saffron away from Muzo.
“Cut it out, bro,” Aurum said. “The guy almost drowned once already, he doesn’t need you gushing over him.”
“I’m okay with gushing,” Muzo said with a nod. He gasped suddenly. “I just realized something. If me and Cobalt are fated mates, does that mean we’re all family now?”
“Dude!” Saffron said excitedly.
Muzo grabbed his hands. “Dude.”
Aurum groaned loudly, turning to Gaius. “Give me your pink shirt. I need something to hurl into.”
As usual, Gaius was completely unfazed. “You’ll never snag yourself an omega with an attitude like that, young man,” he said chipperly, patting Aurum on the back.
Aurum slunk out of his reach. “Welp, I’m going home before I die from cringe. You coming, bro?”
There were technically three brothers present he could’ve been referring to, but we all knew he meant his twin.
“In a sec,” Saffron said. “I wanna talk to Muzo.”
The mix of annoyance and heartbreak on Aurum’s face was almost painful to look at. Without another word, he shifted aggressively and flew off. What was worse was that Saffron didn’t even seem to notice.
I frowned, worried about my younger brothers’ ongoing tiff, but Muzo’s tug on my arm caught my attention.
“Hey, I know we spent all last night and this morning together, but...” He grinned shyly. “Is it okay if we go back to your room again tonight?”
Warmth bloomed in my chest. I loved knowing he wanted to spend as much time with me as I did with him.
I smiled, pulling him into my grasp. “You don’t even have to ask.”
Nineteen
Muzo
I sat on the edge of Cobalt’s bed, kicking my legs impatiently. After the third challenge was postponed, he took me back to the castle just like I’d asked.
Correction: he took me back home.
A tingly mix of hope and relief filled my chest. I flopped down on the bed with a content sigh.
This still didn’t feel real. Everything happened so fast. I expected the third season of the Dragonfate Games to be like the first two—fun, but ultimately, I’d go home alone.
Not this time.
It wasn’t because I no longer had a home to go back to but because this was my home now.
And Cobalt—the biggest, eldest, most adorably sweet dragon alpha—was my fated mate.
I grinned like an idiot. Just thinking about him made my heart skate around in circles. I loved him so much.
So, where the hell was he?
I sat upright on the bed and stared at the door harder, as if that’d make him manifest. Once we returned to his room, he told me to wait here for a few minutes, then he skedaddled. It was the first time we’d been separated since before the second challenge yesterday, and it felt weird. I liked being by his side.
I sighed, grabbed Blueberry to my chest, and limply fell onto the bed again. As cute as the plushie was, he was a poor substitute for my real giant squishy marshmallow alpha.
When the door opened, I bolted upright in excitement. It was only slightly dulled by seeing a different dragon, but I was happy all the same.
“Oh, hey Saffron,” I greeted.
The blond twin scampered into the room and leapt on the bed beside me. We’d become fast friends since the snooping session on the beach. Unlike his twin, Saffron was keenly interested in my relationship with Cobalt.
Saffron grinned, lounging on the bed like he belonged there. “Hey, Muzo.”
“Do you know where Cobalt is? He told me to stay put, then wandered off,” I said with a pout.
Saffron snorted with laughter. “He’s in Crimson’s room getting schooled by the fashion police.”
“Why?”
“Guess when he wanted advice, he went crawling back to Crimson after all.” Saffron nodded at the blue dragon clutched in my arms. “Hey, you really like that plushie, huh?”
“I don’t like him. I love him.” I rubbed my cheek against Blueberry’s face. “Before I knew I was staying here on the island, I seriously considered abandoning half my wardrobe so I could take him back with me.”
Saffron took out his phone and typed something quickly.
“What’cha doing?” I asked.
“Taking notes,” he answered, pocketing the phone.
“For what?”
“How to be a good alpha.”
I tilted my head. “Huh. I thought that came naturally.”
Saffron shrugged. “I want to be prepared for my turn. I don’t want to blow it because I don’t know how to act.” He poked Blueberry’s chest, then asked, “Do you think I could commission Taylor to make one of these for me, too?”
I grinned. “I’m sure he’d love any excuse to show off his awesome sewing skills.”
Saffron perked up, encouraged at the idea. “Okay, cool. I’m gonna tell him to make it twice as big. No, three times.”
A familiar dry voice came from the door. “What kind of abomination am I being forced to create?” Taylor asked.
