Page 19

19

Rorik

Suddenly, arriving on the island without any personal belongings was a huge problem.

I had no clothes of my own, only borrowed outfits from Cobalt—who, despite his cold generosity during my interrogation, certainly despised me by now. Besides, I couldn’t show up to a date with Saffron wearing his older brother’s clothes.

But what choice did I have? My size wasn’t exactly common. I couldn’t borrow from anybody else, and I didn’t want to. I refused to be the helpless, ignorant outsider anymore.

These were the thoughts running through my mind as I arrived at the castle doorstep in bear form.

Hey, at least I wasn’t naked.

But as I stepped paw into the front hallway, a figure I’d never seen before stood waiting for me. He was tall, with relatively broad shoulders, a stern yet warm expression, and an expectant look on his face. He smelled vaguely like a cat, but stronger.

“Hey, Rorik,” he said. “I’m Taylor, the first omega winner of the Games. Crimson’s my mate.”

I winced internally. I’d only met Crimson once, and he was definitely not a fan of mine. Did Taylor hate me, too?

“Nice to meet you,” I said, dipping my head respectfully.

Taylor glanced me over. “Heard you have a bit of a fashion problem. Come with me.”

“What about my date?” I asked.

“Trust me. This won’t take long.”

I didn’t want to make Saffron wait, but Taylor was already walking upstairs. I loped ahead to catch up with him. As we ascended the staircase, he led me to a new room. It smelled like cat and dragon inside. No doubt it was Taylor and Crimson’s bedroom. I felt guilty for even being there.

“Shift, please,” Taylor instructed. As he spoke, he pulled a measuring tape out of his pocket and stretched it out.

Something about Taylor’s no-nonsense attitude felt comforting. Like me, he was an atypically large omega with a serious personality. I relaxed as I shifted into human form and let him take my measurements.

Trying to make conversation, I asked, “You made Saffron Jr, right?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t know much about sewing, but he was well-made.”

Taylor flashed me an appreciative smile. Then his brows knitted in concentration as he worked. He was clearly skilled in his craft. It suddenly struck me that hobbies or interests were something I never had the opportunity to indulge. It was all battle training, all the time.

And for what? Nothing except rapid reflexes and a quickness to fight that I didn’t even want. How much time had the tundra clan stolen from me?

“Taylor,” I said slowly.

“Hm?”

“Can you do whatever you want here?”

He penciled measurements in a small notebook. “How so?”

I felt embarrassed at my ignorance and stupid questions.

“What is your life like?” I asked. “Here, on the island, mated to a dragon. Can you do whatever you please, whenever you want?”

Taylor paused, looking at me with concern. “Yes, of course.” He measured my waist, then jotted more notes down. He seemed accepting of my large gut, which made me feel even more comfortable with him. “And when you live here, you can do the same.”

Embarrassed heat flooded my cheeks. “So, you know about me and Saffron?”

The corner of Taylor’s mouth curled up. “Everybody knows. It’s not rocket science. We can all see how you two look at each other.”

I recalled Poppy had said the same thing. “Is it that obvious?” I mumbled.

Taylor let out a laugh. “You sound like me when I first arrived here. The last thing I wanted to do was fall in love with a dragon. Now here I am.”

That surprised me. “Really? I thought I was the only person who was…” I trailed off, not knowing the right word.

“Stubborn? Emotionally stunted?” Taylor offered with a knowing grin. “You’re not alone, Rorik. Not anymore.” He walked over to his large crafting table and hauled out a roll of rustic blue fabric. “In fact, get used to never having alone time unless you ask. Dragons are clingy, even the ones you’re not mated to. Add the gaggle of kids, and there’s always a commotion.”

I blinked, taking in his statement. I was never really alone in the tundra clan—the crowded barracks made sure of that—but Taylor spoke of it in a positive way.

“Do you enjoy it?” I asked, wanting to make sure.

Taylor’s back was turned to me as he cut the fabric, but I heard the smile in his voice. “It took me a while to get used to, but yeah. The noise and footsteps and background laughter and group hugs… they grow on you.” He pinned the fabric together, then ran it through a loud metal machine with practiced ease. The process took about ten minutes. “There we go. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.”

I was stunned when Taylor stood up and revealed a completed jumpsuit. The fabric was a dark denim, complete with silver trim and buttons that reminded me of glinting ice. I didn’t know how Taylor sewed a garment so fast, or how he made a jumpsuit look so fashionable, but he did.

As Taylor handed it to me, I was at a loss for words. Did I deserve this kindness?

“I… I don’t know what to say,” I murmured. “Thank you.”

Taylor looked bashful. He cleared his throat. “Don’t worry about it. If I had more time, I could’ve whipped you up a pair of underwear, too. But it is what it is.”

I got the hint: Don’t get horny at dinner.

When I was around Saffron, that was easier said than done.

Taylor led me downstairs to the restaurant, which turned out to be the same room Cobalt and Jade interrogated me in. As if I wasn’t anxious enough. But the room looked different from that awful afternoon. Now it was decorated with candles, adding a warm glow to the newly placed tables, chairs, and food.

My nerves were frayed. I didn’t do dinners. I shoveled supper into my mouth with an old spoon, or ate it raw with my bear muzzle. What if I totally fucked this up?

“Here it is. I’ll leave you to it,” Taylor said, patting my arm as he turned to leave. “Good luck.”

Why did he wish me luck? Was it that obvious I was totally out of my element?

But as I steeled myself and stepped into the room, my blood froze. I realized why Taylor said that.

Saffron was already seated at the table, waving at me with a bright smile.

But he wasn’t alone. All six of his alpha brothers were present, too. Their gazes pinned onto me like daggers.

My empty stomach—which had, admittedly, been eager to eat—turned inside out with anxiety.

“Rorik! Come sit with me,” Saffron called, gesturing to the empty chair beside him.

I ducked my head and swept across the room, trying not to make eye contact with anybody as I slipped into my seat. While my blood ran cold, my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

“Yo,” Aurum greeted. “You good, buddy?”

His voice startled me. I hadn’t noticed until now that he flanked my other side. My large size must’ve stuck out like a sore thumb as I sat between the twins.

I cleared my throat. “Yup. Just fine.”

Then, in the ensuing five seconds of silence, my stomach growled loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room. I sank into my seat as my cheeks flushed even hotter.

Saffron laughed. “Why don’t you eat something first? C’mon, let’s go together.”

When I met his gaze, it calmed me. Slightly. “All right.”

I picked up my wide ceramic plate and followed Saffron to the buffet. The rows of hot, delicious-smelling food made me salivate. I’d never seen so much food in one place—especially not when it was mine to partake in.

Saffron noticed me staring and winked. “Eat as much as you want. Don’t hold back.”

I swallowed, nodding. If I had to endure a round table get-together with his brothers, I could at least enjoy sating my appetite. I piled a bit of everything onto my plate—sizzling meat, grilled vegetables, fluffy rice, and a bunch of things I didn’t even recognize. Bears weren’t picky eaters. If it fit in our mouths, we’d eat it.

With a twinge of guilt, I noticed Saffron’s brothers sat in front of empty plates.

“Is, uh, everybody else going to eat, too?” I asked, praying the answer was yes.

Saffron quirked a brow. “They’d better. Hey, all of you! Eat something, okay?”

I flushed. I hadn’t expected him to put it so bluntly, but it worked—everybody got up from their seats to peruse the buffet. That gave me a breath of relief as I sat back down.

“Don’t wait,” Saffron urged, nudging my elbow with his.

I frowned. “Are you sure?”

He narrowed his gaze. “You’re not waiting because the alphas haven’t sat down to eat, are you?”

The sharp look in his eyes made me reconsider my answer. “Uh… no?”

“Great!” He beamed. “Then dig in.”

Overcoming years of ingrained behavior, I took a bite of flank steak.

It was fucking heavenly.

I closed my eyes, nearly moaning as the flavor exploded on my tongue. Damn, that was good.

The floodgates were opened. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I sampled everything on my plate in huge, greedy bites. Half the food was gone by the time Saffron’s brothers returned. By then, I had the mental awareness to slow down.

“Big eater, huh?” Aurum asked, grinning warmly.

At first I thought he was making fun of my weight, but then I remembered his mate, Mylo, was chubby, too. The words were fond, not teasing.

I shrugged and gulped down a buttery spoonful of mashed potatoes. “Hard for a bear to be anything else.”

“Good on ya. Just be yourself and you’ll fit right in.”

“Yes, Aurum is right,” Jade said. He smiled at me across the table, primly holding his cutlery in his long fingers. “We’re all eager to learn more about our new family member.”

His words made me blush.

Family member? Were they really so willing to accept me?

Besides the twins and Jade, nobody else could possibly hold a positive opinion of me, and I understood why. But I glanced hesitantly around the table, I saw less ire and more curiosity. Unlike my interrogation earlier, the atmosphere wasn’t so oppressive. Some of the tension coiled in my muscles eased up, and I tried not to feel like a criminal under scrutiny.

“I… I’m eager to learn more about you all, too,” I said, flashing a nervous smile.

Crimson’s neutral expression was the first to break. He chuckled, leaning his elbow on the table. “Aw, he’s cuter when he smiles. Did Taylor put you in that getup?”

“Yes. It was very kind of him.”

Crimson sighed wistfully. “He’s wonderful. And so talented with his hands…”

Thystle snorted. “Quick, someone change the subject.” Crimson shot the lilac-haired alpha a pouty look, which he ignored. “So, Rorik. What kinda music do you listen to?”

“We weren’t allowed to listen to music, besides whatever played on the local radio,” I replied. “But I always liked the birdsong in the spring.”

Thystle’s gaze softened. “Oh. That’s… actually really sweet.”

I resisted the urge to squirm in my seat. Was that a weird thing to say? It seemed to take Thystle off guard.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Saffron smiling brightly at me. He reached a hand beneath the table and placed it on top of mine, quietly supportive. A surge of emotion ran through me.

This was all real. His love was real—and his family’s acceptance was real, too.

I took a sip of water to dislodge the sudden tightness in my throat. I couldn’t cry, dammit.

“Yup. No music, no video games, and no movies,” Saffron said, patting my hand. “And yet, fate finds a way.”

My heart flickered.

Cobalt slowly cracked a gentle smile. “Love works in mysterious ways. Although I’m surprised you fell for someone who’d never watched a film before.”

Saffron huffed. “Guys, c’mon. We know that your fated mate doesn’t have to share 100 percent of your interests.”

“Yeah, some of us are just lucky,” Aurum gloated.

Saffron ignored his twin. “Anyway, Rorik’s gonna catch up on that backlog. Trust me,” he added with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

The way he said it somehow felt naughty. It sent a shiver down my spine. At the same time, Saffron ran his thumb in rhythmic circles across the back of my hand, as if hypnotizing me. It worked. The gentle motions soothed me and I relaxed deeper in my seat. The calming effect made me remember I still had food on my plate, so I took another bite.

Jade smiled and raised a steaming cup of tea to his lips. “So, Rorik and Saffron. Should we assume a baby is on the way?”

I almost choked to death. Saffron and Aurum both patted my back as my coughing fit passed.

“No?” I said, strangled. “Was there supposed to be?”

At that, a few of the dragons laughed out loud. I glanced at Saffron, totally confused.

He grinned casually. “Don’t worry. It’s kind of an inside joke at this point.”

“Yeah, most of us horny alphas have knocked up our fated mates by this point in the Games,” Aurum continued. The matching grin on his face told me he spoke from experience.

The thought of Saffron impregnating me made my cheeks flush profusely. “I… was not aware of that.”

A warm feeling persisted in my chest. What if Saffron and I did have a baby together? He kept calling me his mate, so surely it wasn’t out of the question. But the idea was so far removed from everything I’d known in my past life. Fated mates, real love, a baby… Could it all be possible for me?

Back in the tundra clan, I never wanted to be impregnated. The idea of bearing children for Knox repulsed me. It wasn’t until now that I realized why. Maybe I wanted children after all—I just didn’t want kids with him .

Saffron, however...

I caught his gaze in my peripheral vision. His expression was reassuring, as always. His thumb still glided across my hand.

Then, before I could string two words together, Saffron asked point-blank: “Is that something you’d want, Rorik?”

My heart raced. My throat went dry, but my eyes suddenly felt wet.

“I’ve never thought about it before,” I admitted. Not with you.

Saffron smiled. “But?” he encouraged, hearing my unspoken words.

I swallowed. “I would like that.”

Coos and congratulatory murmurs went up around the table. Nothing had even happened yet, and the dragons were still celebrating.

Like a brick to the head, it finally sunk in how accepting they were. I wasn’t Aurum’s assailant. I was Saffron’s mate, a new family member, and potential parent of a baby. They’d moved on from who I’d been in the past, and welcomed the new Rorik in his place.

But there was one alpha dragon who hadn’t said a word. The unsmiling leather-clad figure on the far end of the table—Viol. He’d barely moved. His plate was barren, and his glass was half empty. His gaze never crossed mine, either. He just stared at the white tablecloth like a statue.

Saffron noticed me examining his older brother and gently squeezed my hand. He gave the slightest shake of his head . From the subtleties of his expression, I gleaned his meaning was not don’t bring him up, but rather this ain’t about him. In Saffron’s words, of course.

Still, it was hard not to feel a little awkward when somebody at the table was fully ignoring my existence.

Jade cleared his throat, distracting me. Did he do that on purpose?

“So, Rorik,” he said. “Tell us your favorite thing about Saffron.”

Saffron sat up straighter, angling closer and watching me with rapt attention. “Oh, this is gonna be fun,” he said playfully.

I blushed as everyone’s attention fell onto me. “Where do I start…”

The rest of dinner went well. Chatter and laughter filled the air. I felt like I understood everyone better. I had to admit, dragons were growing on me.

When it ended, I felt lighter and more relaxed than I had in ages. But there was one more thing I wanted to clear up.

As everyone stood to leave, I noticed Viol was the first to make a break for it. I moved without thinking, fueled by some instinct buried deep within me.

In the lingering chatter, nobody noticed us slipping away. Except—

“Rorik,” Saffron called with a note of urgency. I didn’t stop, but I let him catch up. “What are you doing?”

“What I should’ve done a long time ago,” I said.

A flicker of unease crossed Saffron’s face. He loud-whispered, “Listen, you can’t kill my brother right after family dinner. That’s just rude.”

I shot him a wry glance. “I’m not going to kill anyone. I mean it this time.”

Saffron squinted at me, then sighed. “Okay, but I’m coming with you. For moral support. And possibly bodyguarding. I’m not sure for who yet.”

His antics made me smile. “Thanks.”

We tracked Viol down as he turned to stalk down the hallway. He knew we were following him. As I sped up to match his stride, he walked faster.

“Viol, wait,” Saffron called.

Viol didn’t stop.

I sighed. I didn’t want to run or chase him down. I’d hunted enough to know that being chased only made things flee faster.

“I just want to talk,” I added.

Saffron snorted. “Oh, you shouldn’t have said that. He hates talking, unless it’s swearing at something. Or if he’s talking to a kid. Then he really opens up.”

That comment combined with Jade’s talk at dinner gave me an idea.

“Viol,” I called, “it’s about our baby.”

He halted.

Beside me, Saffron’s eyes rounded as wide as full moons. But he didn’t have time to question me as I caught up with Viol, who stood frozen in the hallway. Saffron and I stood cutting off his path so he couldn’t squeeze past us. Still, I tried to appear non-threatening. I didn’t want him to bolt.

When I finally came face to face with Viol, I found myself at a loss. Besides the black leather outfit and the permanent scowl, he looked so… normal. There was even a family resemblance echoed on his features. It drove home that I really was facing Saffron’s older brother.

Was he truly the dark dragon I’d held a grudge against for so long?

A few beats passed in awkward silence until Viol rasped, “Well? What about your baby?”

I took a breath.

“I’m going to have one with Saffron eventually,” I said, “so we’d better talk it out before then.”

Saffron’s jaw dropped silently. Meanwhile, emotions clashed on Viol’s face. He looked more nervous than I felt. Hells, up close, he wasn’t that scary at all.

“The dragon that attacked the tundra clan. Was it you?” I asked point-blank.

Viol clenched his jaw hard enough to hear it creak. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“What’s the point of telling you? It won’t change anything.”

“Because otherwise it was senseless violence that got my clan mates killed.”

Saffron’s gaze darted back and forth between us. He stood close to me, ready to jump to my defense, but I didn’t need defending. I felt calm. Solid. For the first time in my life, I felt like a real person with my own thoughts and feelings.

Viol sneered. “You’re welcome to keep thinking that. I ain’t telling you shit.”

Saffron crossed his arms. “C’mon, Viol. Don’t beef with Rorik when he’s about to be the daddy of a new dragonet. You want to be involved, don’t you?”

Viol paused, clenching his fists. He ground his teeth as an internal war raged visibly within him. Apparently, that was a serious threat.

“I had to help somebody,” Viol finally spat. “That enough for you?”

I frowned. Who could his destruction have possibly helped?

Before I could unravel the thread, Viol exhaled deeply, like all the fight had evacuated his body. While I felt solid, Viol felt hollow. Part of him was gone.

“I don’t want trouble with you, Rorik,” he muttered. “You can hate me all you want.”

“I don’t hate you. Not anymore.”

Viol scoffed. “You should. I fucked up your life.”

His words sank in. For a long time, I believed that. But now…

I shrugged. “You altered my fate. That’s true. If you never attacked my village, then I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have met Saffron, or the rest of your family.”

My alpha’s amber eyes flashed with emotion. He smiled and looped his arm around my waist.

I went on counting my blessings. “And if I hadn’t come to this island, I wouldn’t have known that my friend Poppy is still alive.”

Viol froze. His face was suddenly pale.

Was he going to faint? I opened my mouth to ask if he was okay when Jade’s voice rang out clear as a bell in the hall.

“Rorik and Saffron, do you have a moment? I’d like to discuss the final challenge together.”

Saffron nodded. “That’s a good idea. Let’s make sure he doesn’t come up with something wacky again. Like volleyball, ” he spat the word like a curse.

I nodded, moving to follow Saffron, then turned to say a final word to Viol. But when I glanced over my shoulder, he had already left.