Page 17

17

Rorik

Although I’d confessed my past, and Saffron had confessed his love, the spectacle of the Games went on.

I arrived on time—at Saffron’s behest, since he’d muttered something about Jade tanning both our hides—and waited for the second challenge to start. Again.

I didn’t miss the way the other contestants gave me a wide berth. I winced inwardly. Rumors had spread. Since none of them were present at the scene, the situation was no doubt warped through a nasty game of telephone.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a single figure willing to stand closer to me than the rest—Poppy. He didn’t look in my direction. He was already upset with me after our argument, but he must’ve heard about the incident. I wouldn’t blame him for thinking even less of me than before.

Instead of falling into despair, I steeled my nerves. I wouldn’t let our friendship fall apart. I’d do whatever it took to repair it.

But I was never the best with words, and while I struggled to piece together a greeting, Gaius swept across the same rock he did yesterday. His flashy grin betrayed no evidence of yesterday’s mishap.

“Good morning, omegas! Are you ready for the second challenge?” he announced, just as excited as before.

Gaius wasn’t alone. The twins stood behind him, wearing caps that obscured their hair color. I flinched at the sight of bandages wrapped around Aurum’s throat, but with a confused start, I realized Saffron wore them, too. Had he matched on purpose to obscure their identities? Or maybe it was a display of solidarity with his injured brother.

Either way, it didn’t matter. I didn’t need the differentiation. I could tell them apart with my eyes closed—as humans and dragons now.

Saffron met my gaze. His eyes were unexpectedly warm. I’d assumed he’d put emotional distance between us in public, but he didn’t seem to care. It was like a signal to the world: he loved me, and he wanted everybody to know.

My heart swelled with fondness.

As Gaius recycled his speech, he didn’t mention yesterday’s incident at all. I didn’t understand how TV worked, but I wondered if the people in charge had trashed all the footage and pretended it never happened. It was easy enough to cut it and keep Aurum—and his injuries—out of the show. Being in Jade’s presence certainly gave the impression that he was a powerful man who could do whatever he wanted. This was the dragons’ program, after all.

I exhaled a sigh of relief under my breath. I was anxious Gaius might drag up the incident in front of everybody, alienating me from the other omegas even further.

But I realized curiously that I didn’t feel like an outsider anymore. Was it because Saffron loved me?

My heartbeat quickened. My warrior’s spirit ignited, but instead of being wielded for battle, it was for love. I would prove myself. I’d win this challenge for Saffron’s sake. With no history weighing me down, and no obstacles in my path, I’d seize victory.

“Ready, contestants?” Gaius called. “And… begin!”

Wasting no time, I shifted into bear form and loped into the forest. I knew exactly where to go. I forgot about the heat, the humidity, and all the other contestants. This challenge was personal.

As I raced towards the site of yesterday’s incident, doubts edged my mind like blood swirling in icy water. I ignored them and forged ahead. I wouldn’t fall prey to a lack of faith anymore. Saffron’s love was a shield protecting me from my anxieties.

But as I ran, I felt the presence of a white shadow following me.

I slowed, calling out, “I know you’re there, Poppy.”

Poppy didn’t hesitate. He caught up with me easily in wolf form. His ears were pricked forward and his brown eyes were clear. A mixed aura of unease and conviction surrounded him like a fog.

“Hi, Rorik,” he said hesitantly.

I didn’t stop moving as I spoke. “You must’ve heard what happened.”

Poppy fell in step beside me. I didn’t know if he realized he was doing it, but he matched my pace exactly like in old training drills. It was so ingrained in both of us we did it automatically, and the familiarity made me chuckle.

“W-what’s funny?” Poppy asked, flattening his wolf ears.

“Look at our paws,” I pointed out.

Poppy watched our gaits moving in perfect tandem. Then he stopped abruptly, letting out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sigh.

“This is foolish,” he mumbled. “Why do I still…?”

I paused beside him. The earring wasn’t going anywhere, and I doubted the other contestants knew where it was hidden. We had plenty of time to talk. Despite that, we sat in silence for a while.

Finally, I said, “I had sex with Saffron again.”

Poppy’s eyes widened. Before he could stop himself, his tail wagged. “You did? I mean—wait, no. I’m angry at you.” He pinned his tail in place with his paw to prevent it from wagging again. “I can smell the blood soaked into the forest floor from miles away. It’s on you, too.”

I frowned, glancing down at my white furry chest. I’d scrubbed it clean in human form, but the particles must’ve lingered.

“No fooling a wolf’s nose, is there?” I asked.

“You lied to me,” Poppy said. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt any of the dragons. I know you didn’t kill anyone—I saw Aurum standing there beside Saffron, thank gods. He’s okay. But he… he didn’t deserve that.”

“No,” I agreed. “He did not.”

Poppy tilted his head, observing my expression. His accusatory edge softened. He must’ve sensed the guilt weighing me down.

“I met Mylo,” I told him. “He nearly bit my face off. I’d never seen an omega so fiercely protective over their alpha. I didn’t know it was possible.”

Poppy smiled softly. “I told you. It’s because they’re fated mates.”

The memory of Mylo clinging to Aurum flashed in my mind. Then, the image of Saffron beaming at me, staring into my eyes like I was the only man in the world. I had no doubts anymore.

“I believe you now,” I murmured.

Poppy leapt to all four paws. “You do?”

“There’s something else.” Somehow, I got the words out through my pounding heart. “Saffron said he loved me.”

He gasped. “Oh, Rorik!” Then he stopped and asked in a pleading voice, “Do you love him, too?”

He looked like he’d fall apart if the answer was no. Poppy had always been softhearted, but when did he become so invested in love?

I smiled down at him. “If this is what love feels like… then yes.”

Poppy threw himself at me, nuzzling my chest and wagging his tail so hard it thumped against his own haunches. I draped my large paw across his back to return the hug.

My heart swelled. It was the first time since our reunion that Poppy didn’t seem nervous around me, and for that, I was deeply grateful.

“Okay,” Poppy said, invigorated. “I’m going to help you win this challenge.”

His enthusiasm surprised me. “All right. I know where one earring is hidden. Can you find the other?”

Poppy nodded. “I’ll do it.”

He wasted no time darting off into the opposite end of the forest.

As Poppy left, I ran ahead to the clearing. It was quiet. The soil still reeked of dragon’s blood. I bit back my disgust and focused on my task. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.

I remembered the exact place Aurum touched down, and where his talons scraped the earth. He’d been searching for something. Only too late did I understand what and why—he was trying to help me win by finding the buried earring.

I grimaced, but quickly shook off my guilt. It wouldn’t help me now.

Lowering my nose to the soil, I sniffed past the blood and searched for something else. It didn’t take long to find it. That familiar scent was all over the twins’ shared living space. This earring belonged to Aurum—the brother who’d forgiven me for my colossal fuck up. I would never forget his generosity. From now on, I’d use my fangs to protect him and the rest of the family.

I plowed through the dirt with my claws until the golden earring gleamed. I snatched it delicately with my teeth, pride swelling in my chest, then turned on my heel to find Poppy again. His scent was ingrained in my mind, so it wasn’t difficult to hunt him down.

After ten minutes of scenting his trail, I saw him above on the edge of a hillock, digging into the loose earth. My heart flipped with excitement. He must’ve found the other earring, which meant I was moments away from winning the challenge. All I had to do was climb the slope, get the earring, and present it to Gaius.

But as I loped upwards, a large figure emerged from the thicket and strode between me and Poppy.

A grizzly bear.

Kaskian? I thought, shocked to see him. Didn’t he voluntarily leave the Games? I didn’t see him among the remaining contestants...

I stopped, trying to be silent. Kaskian’s back was turned, and he didn’t see me yet. My battle training kicked in. I had the advantage. I’d gauge his angle before I revealed myself. For his own sake, I hoped he’d turn tail and walk away.

“Good job there, little wolf,” Kaskian said, casually striding towards Poppy.

Poppy yelped, his fur standing on end. He was so engrossed in digging that he didn’t hear anyone approach.

“Oh, um, hi,” he said. In a strategic move, he sat directly on the hole he’d dug to block its view. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.

“I’m not that stupid,” Kaskian said, smug and condescending. “I know you found the earring.”

“I—I didn’t,” Poppy insisted.

I grimaced. He was a horrible liar.

“Hand it over,” Kaskian ordered.

Poppy’s ears flattened in fear, then courageously pricked forward.

“No,” he stated.

I wished Poppy’s defiance would be enough to discourage Kaskian, but I dug my claws into the ground and braced myself for a fight.

A deep growl vibrated in Kaskian’s huge barrel-shaped chest. “I’m not asking, wolf. Give it to me.”

Poppy’s fur bristled. He stood squarely on his paws, planting one on top of the hole in a protective gesture.

“I said no,” he barked. “This is for Rorik. I won’t give it to you. Now, please stop bothering me.”

With another deep growl, Kaskian rose onto his hind legs. He was enormous. The grizzly towered over Poppy, who looked like a runty pet dog in his shadow. His bulk was enough to crush Poppy, never mind what a swipe from his huge claws would do.

“Last chance,” Kaskian warned. “Drop the earring.”

I dug my heels into the ground, ready to lunge.

“W-why do you want it, anyway?” Poppy asked. His frame shook, but he held steady. “You don’t love Saffron the way Rorik does!”

Kaskian belted out a nasty laugh. “Okay, little wolf.”

Anger sizzled in my chest. It dawned on me that Kaskian didn’t care about Saffron at all. The challenge, the Games—it was all meaningless to him. He just wanted revenge on me.

Emerging from the bush, I growled, “Leave Poppy out of this.”

Kaskian spun around. His face lit up with twisted joy. “If it isn’t the liar who promised to let me win the Games,” he spat.

I held my ground with a snort. I wanted to draw Kaskian away from Poppy. “Yeah, well, things changed.”

Kaskian’s grin deformed into a snarl. He dropped to all fours and lumbered towards me. “You couldn’t just stay out of my way, could you?”

Polar bears were larger than grizzlies, but at nearly a thousand pounds, Kaskian was no pushover. If he wanted a real fight, it would get ugly fast.

Kaskian’s voice dropped to an angry mutter. “I could’ve had everything I ever wanted.”

“Which is what?” I shot back. “Wealth? Fame?”

“Exactly.”

I curled my lip disdainfully. “And what about Saffron?”

“What about him?”

A searing flash of anger nearly made me swipe Kaskian across his smug face, but I restrained myself.

“You don’t deserve him,” I said.

“And you do?” Kaskian barked a laugh. He muttered under his breath, “I heard what you did the other day. It won’t air, but we all know. You nearly killed the bachelor’s twin.”

I didn’t flinch, but I came close.

“You’re delusional if you think Saffron could love you after that,” Kaskian declared.

The jab stung—because in the back of my mind, I believed him. Saffron told me otherwise, but what I’d done was terrible. Kaskian’s words dug out my doubts and put them on a pedestal.

He smirked when I didn’t respond. “You think so, too. You just won’t admit it.”

“You’re wrong!” Poppy cried.

We both faced him in shock. The wolf stood firm. His fur bristled, and his tail rose high like a white flag.

“Saffron loves Rorik,” Poppy insisted. “I can see it in the way he looks at him.”

His words were so sincere they hurt. Poppy’s belief in Saffron’s love scattered my doubts.

Kaskian rolled his eyes. “For fuck’s sake. It’s a game show. Get over yourself.”

But Poppy refused to back down. “It’s not just a show. It’s helped so many people find their fated mates. If you approach it with honesty, you’ll get something real out of it.”

I watched irritation spread over Kaskian’s face the longer Poppy talked. I saw him lift off the ground with one paw, and the muscles in his other shoulder tensed.

Cold fear seeped through me as I recognized that subtle motion. Kaskian was about to strike Poppy to silence him.

I flung myself at the grizzly and sank my fangs into his forearm. Kaskian roared. He didn’t pull his punches; he swatted me across the face with his full strength.

My eyes welled from the pain, but I bit down through it. I threw my weight into my attack, dragging Kaskian away from Poppy. I could take the hits. The little wolf couldn’t.

Jerking my head, I swung Kaskian downslope, but it wasn’t easy. He dug his claws into the ground and dropped his center of gravity to resist me. As I slowly dragged him away, Kaskian had enough reach to box the side of my head.

My ears rang and my muzzle smarted. Blood trickled down my brow. Still, I didn’t let go of Kaskian’s forearm. I’d hold onto him as long as it took for Poppy to escape.

But when I glanced at the top of the hillock, Poppy hadn’t moved. His belly was pressed to the ground, and his previously bristling fur was flat. He stared out at nothing with wide, distant eyes.

Kaskian snarled, then sank his own thick fangs into my scruff. I dropped sideways to the ground, trying to dislodge him, but he held tight as we slid down the hillock into the brush.

Poppy was still frozen at the crest. Even from my distance, I saw him trembling.

Why isn’t he running away?

A sudden heavy blow to the face caught me off guard. I grunted as I fell awkwardly beneath Kaskian, who held the high ground. He reared up on his hind legs, casting a shadow over me. His smug grin was gone. He was pissed.

“You should’ve stayed out of my way when you had the chance,” Kaskian bit out.

My gaze flicked to Poppy. He hadn’t budged an inch, but that was fine. I was Kaskian’s real target, and he finally got what he wanted: a bear fight. As long as Poppy stayed out of the way, he’d be safe from the grizzly’s wrath.

Kaskian raised a huge paw armed with five black blades.

I resisted the urge to laugh. If he thought that was threatening, he’d never last a day under the tundra clan’s alpha leadership.

There was time to react, but instead of fighting back, I spent it watching Poppy—wondering and worrying about my friend’s strange behavior.

Then I clenched my eyes shut and braced myself, ready to swallow the incoming pain.

An aerial shriek pierced the sky, like the air-splitting dive of a peregrine falcon but a hundred times louder. The ground shook as if struck by a meteor, and a powerful gust of air buffeted me. I grunted, clawing the ground to avoid being bowled over by the hurricane-force wind.

When my eyes snapped open, a golden-yellow dragon stood before me—wings unfurled, spines fanned, tail lashing—and amber eyes blazing with righteous fury.