Page 16 of Her Enemy Dragon Captor (Dream Team Shifters #5)

CHAPTER 16

A lex watched Jane sleeping peacefully beside him, her face finally relaxed after the emotional storm of yesterday. Sunlight filtered through the cabin's thin curtains, bathing her in a soft golden glow. His dragon hummed with contentment, proud they had protected their mate, comforted her when she needed it most.

The memory of their lovemaking sent a pleasant warmth through his body. Twice they had joined in as many nights, each time different yet equally powerful. The first, wild and claiming, satisfying their thirst for one another finally; the second, healing and tender, and perhaps had its primal side as well. But they were both perfect. Both had left him feeling more complete than he'd ever thought possible.

The urge to stay, to simply watch her breathe and marvel at their connection, was almost overwhelming. But duty called—always, relentlessly. And he understood full well what he must do. It could not be put off any longer.

With careful movements that belied his size, Alex slipped from the bed and padded to the door. He glanced back once more at Jane before stepping outside into the cool morning air, closing the door softly behind him. Pulling out his phone he dialed Dylan. He would need his help to make this work. Hopefully Dylan would agree to his plan.

"Finally," Dylan answered on the second ring. "So how did it go? I can’t wait until we can just lock up this alliance. Do you know the position you are putting me in, expecting me to keep Jane’s existence a secret? Cindy too. She’s had to fudge the records... did you know that?"

Alex winced at the gentle rebuke. "I'm sorry for putting you both in that position. It's not ideal, I know."

"Not ideal?" Dylan's voice rose slightly. "So, you told her, right? Everything? Finally?"

Alex hesitated, watching a bird hop from branch to branch in a nearby tree. "I've told her what she needed to know."

He heard Dylan let out a frustrated sigh. "Meaning what, exactly?" Dylan's tone sharpened a bit.

"She knows about shifters, about the alliance?—"

“Okay...and what does she not know?”

"Um...she doesn’t know about the portals, or the planets-“

A loud groan reached him through the phone.

“Which means she obviously has no idea about the invasion...or what the alliance is for in the first place. Is that right?” Dylan huffed.

“That pretty much covers it,” Alex said, as he held the phone a little way from his ear, anticipating some yelling on Dylan’s part.

Thankfully it didn’t come. “I don’t know how you can be so relaxed about all this. You do understand that the fate of our galaxy ‘pretty much’ relies on you getting it on with Jane?” his teammate said instead.

“No need to be crass.”

“That was on purpose. You are impossible.”

"Look, at least I made progress," Alex growled. "She was emotional – very emotional -vulnerable. It wasn't the right time.”

Dylan made a noise that somehow conveyed and even more intense level of frustrated disbelief than his earlier sigh. "Alex, the high council isn't interested in your relationship timeline. They need confirmation that your mate is secure. Maybe I should come over with one of their polaroid cameras?"

"Very funny,” he said deadpan before quickly adding with a low growl, “If you make reference to my mate again in a less than respectful way, I will be forced to crush you into the dirt. Are we clear?”

“Okay, okay... jeez, it was just a joke.” But Dylan took a step back just the same.

“Joke about something else. I don’t want to have to smite you.” It was apparent that his teammate got the message. Releasing any growl from his voice he continued, returning to the bigger topic at hand. “Look I have an idea – hopefully it will satisfy them... for now, and ensure I don’t run Jane off... or even upset her.”

“Upset her?”

“Shut it! What did I just say? Are all jaguars as dense as you?” Alex growled.

“Touchy, touchy.” But Dylan raised his hands in a gesture of ‘surrender.’

Alex continued, “And call an informal gathering. Nothing official. Something social. I'll bring Jane, introduce her to everyone. The council will get word from Jack —and I get a little more time to ease her into the rest. But you need to explain the situation to them."

The silence that followed told him Dylan was considering it.

"Why couldn’t you have just found a mate a few months ago?" Dylan said finally, in a tone that conveyed he was on board with the plan.

"Fate operates on its own time,” Alex offered, taking a moment to look around and be sure he was still alone in the early morning. “But look, tell them... no talk of home worlds, no portals, and absolutely no mention of the Krita. None of it. We are just an alliance of shifters. Got it?”

“Fine. But the invasion part is okay, right?”

"Very funny," Alex replied, rubbing his neck.

"They won’t be happy, but I will sell it. But you will need to tell her everything soon. This is getting ridiculous.”

“I know. I know. Just a day or so....”

“You keep saying that...” Dylan said.

"Just set it up for later today. That should settle things down and keep the alliance on track."

“Until she finds out the truth and goes nuts...”

“She won’t. She is my mate. I just need another day to fill her in on the details...”

“Details?” Dylan barked a laugh.

“Just set it up. And do not doubt the bond I share with her again.”

"Okay, okay. I'll handle it," Dylan sighed, backpedaling a little. "You better know what you're doing."

"I do," Alex said, with more confidence than he felt. "And Dylan? Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," Dylan replied before hanging up.

Alex pocketed his phone and stared into the forest for a long moment, gathering himself. The weight of his responsibilities—to his planet, to the alliance, to Jane—pressed down on him like a physical burden. But his new connection with his mate was somehow giving him a renewed strength and resolve. And it didn’t hurt that he was finally making some tangible progress.

Jane was just stirring when he slipped back inside. She blinked up at him sleepily, her hair tousled in a way that made his heart do strange things in his chest. For an instant he felt his sex stir again.

Down. No. Well... maybe later...

Things were finally coming together. He just needed to concentrate. Just a few more pieces had to fall into place.

"Morning," she murmured, stretching. "Where'd you go?"

"Just making some calls," he said, sitting beside her on the bed. He brushed a strand of hair from her face, unable to resist touching her.

"You sleep okay?" he asked, his voice softer than usual. The fierce protectiveness he felt toward her still surprised him in its intensity.

She nodded, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Best sleep I've had in days, actually." Her eyes met his, and something passed between them. Their connection, it was strengthening by the day.

By the hour.

“Amazing how not being held hostage improves it,” she added.

"You were never held hostage. Let’s not exaggerate.” He absently smoothed the sheets.

“Oh right, sorry. I was only kidnapped,” she replied in a flirtatious tone.

“I prefer to think of it as “Under my protection... Anyhow, Listen," Alex said after a moment, "there's something I'd like us to do today."

"Oh?" Jane's eyebrows rose slightly, a curious glint in her eyes. “You want to have more sex?”

"Um...” he laughed, still getting used to how well they were suited for one another. “Aside from that.”

“Oh.” She made a pouting face. “The Dream Team is having a small gathering this afternoon. I thought maybe you'd like to come. Meet everyone properly." He watched her carefully, gauging her reaction.

Almost instantly her face lit up and she jumped up to give him a hug. But almost as quickly she pulled back, cocking her head and eyeing him with a mock side-eyed look of suspicion. “So, wait, Mr. Secretive is going to suddenly pull back the curtain? What’s the catch?”

“No catch, I think it’s obvious things have changed between us. That is, I hope they have.

“Yeah, sex has a way of doing that,” she deadpanned with a little smile.

“That’s not what I meant, “he smiled back at her. You’re my mate and I want you to meet the rest of my team... We are kind of the core of the alliance I have been telling you about.”

"Meet them? Like, formally? As your mate?"

The word sent a surge of warmth through him. "Yes. That’s what I said. As my mate."

Jane sat up, the sheet falling away to reveal her bare shoulders. Alex's dragon immediately began agitating again for a replay of last night's activities, but he forced himself to focus.

Her smile was brighter than the morning sun. "When?"

"Today," Alex said. "Probably this afternoon, actually. Nothing too formal, just a small gathering. I still need to set it up, but that should be no problem."

"Today?" Jane's eyes widened. "But I don't have anything to wear. And my hair?—"

Alex laughed, relief flooding through him at her enthusiastic response. "You look perfect exactly as you are."

"Thinks no woman ever before meeting her boyfriend's friends for the first time," Jane retorted, but she was smiling.

Three hours later, Alex watched nervously as Jane charmed her way through the small gathering in the main lodge. She wore a simple sundress borrowed from Cindy, her hair pulled back in a casual style that somehow managed to look elegant. Every time she laughed, his dragon preened with pride.

"Congratulations. I have to tell you, we were all getting more than a little nervous.” Jack observed quietly, appearing at Alex's elbow with two drinks in hand. He offered one to Alex, who accepted it gratefully.

“Really? I didn’t notice, Alex said dryly.

Jack let out a little chuckle. “Can you blame us? Anyhow well done. So, she was one of the recruits huh? What are the odds?”

“No ‘odds,’ just part of fate’s plan I would say,” Alex replied as he watched his beautiful mate move amongst the small gathering.

“Maybe so. I’m not going to argue. “Can I assume you will tell her everything in short order?”

"I will," Alex said, watching Jane now chatting animatedly with Cindy and Jessa. "Soon."

Jack's expression was skeptical. "The council will want more than just visuals, you know. They'll expect a formal ceremony per tradition."

"One step at a time," Alex replied. "Look, now you can confirm what they’ve been wanting to hear. The dragon champion has a mate. The old ways have been honored and the alliance is secure."

"For now," Jack said, but his tone had softened as he watched Jane win over another group with her easy laughter.

Jane caught his eye from across the room and smiled, a private expression meant only for him. His dragon rumbled with satisfaction.

The gathering went better than Alex had dared hope. He could see that his brothers weren’t one hundred percent convinced, but they were going along with it. Still, he found he needed to encourage them, more than once, to “just act natural.”

As opposed to acting like aliens, here to defend the earth against invasion?

Right.

They were not to act like that.

But despite their reservations with the less than orthodox situation, by the time he and Jane were preparing to leave, she had somehow managed to befriend nearly everyone.

Before Alex could formulate a response, his phone buzzed with an urgent message.

Lester had texted the teams group chat:

Portal activity spiking. Multiple locations. Meeting NOW.

Guy’s a broken record.

One that cannot be ignored.

"Everything okay?" Jane asked, noticing his expression.

"Fine," Alex lied, pocketing his phone. "Looks like things are wrapping up just in time. We have another meeting. Nothing to worry about."

His dragon roared in protest at the deception, but Alex silenced it firmly. He would tell her everything—soon. But not at this very moment. Today had been a victory, however small.

And now, for the most part at least, he could finally turn his attention to his real mission.

Protecting them all from the vile creatures that threatened not just this world, but all worlds.

The Krita.