Page 6 of Her Enemy Dragon Captor (Dream Team Shifters #5)

CHAPTER 6

A lex locked the cabin door behind him, the heavy click echoing with a finality that did nothing to settle the war raging inside him. He stood there for a moment, hand still on the doorknob, listening to Jane moving around inside.

His dragon roared in protest as he forced himself to walk away, each step requiring more willpower than the last. The sensation was unlike anything he'd experienced before—a physical pull drawing him back to the cabin, back to her.

Focus, damn it. She's a federal agent. The humans would never understand – or even believe in – our mission. She’s a clear threat. And a distraction you can’t afford.

But even as he thought it, he couldn't reconcile the odd concern he had for her.

No, the fierce protectiveness. It practically surged through him.

He should be intent on neutralize her, yet his thoughts were betraying him.

I must protect her. Keep her from harm.

What is wrong with me?

It was shameful.

He ran a hand through his hair, berating himself for his colossal failure. How had he let her slip through? He was supposed to be screening recruits, not welcoming spies into their midst.

And to think he had dismissed the job as beneath him.

He was truly failing on all levels now.

First the entire alliance on the brink of falling apart – because of him – and now this. Being the champion from his home world had been his highest honor... now it was turning into his greatest calamity. It was little comfort to know that if this world were in fact, wiped out, no one would be around to speak of his shame.

Alex's stomach rumbled, reminding him he'd missed getting sustenance. Lunch, they called it here. He detoured to the compound's small cafeteria, hoping food might help clear his head. Normally eating was just something he had to do, but today he welcomed the opportunity to think. The prisoner, Jane , should be fine confined to the little cabin.

He spotted Jack, Dylan, and Brian at a table, deep in conversation, and reluctantly joined them. To have avoided them would have drawn unwanted suspicion.

"There you are," Jack said as Alex sat down.

Alex prepared himself for another tongue lashing about his failure to secure a mate, but mercifully, it did not come.

Not yet at least.

"We were just discussing the reinforcements."

"The first wave of our finest jaguar warriors are arriving tomorrow from Oncara." Dylan added. "About two hundred to start."

"That's... good," Alex managed, though he'd only half-registered what Dylan had said, his mind drifting back to Jane.

Is she comfortable? Is there enough food? Were there blankets?

He made a note to gather provisions for her.

"Alex?" Jack's voice broke through his thoughts. "Are you even listening?"

"What? Yeah, of course. Reinforcements coming. Two hundred jaguar warriors to start. Got it."

The three exchanged glances.

"What's going on with you?" Dylan asked, leaning forward. "You seem distracted."

“I know we’ve been pressing you hard on your lack of a mate,” Jason offered.

"No, I mean, yeah, I am on it, don’t worry," Alex said too quickly. "But right now, just thinking about the mission."

"Right," Jack said, clearly unconvinced. "Well, whether we are pressing you hard or not, you do need a mate. Do you at least have a plan?"

Alex nearly choked on his sandwich. If they only knew. "I said, I’m working on it."

"Working on it how, exactly?" Jack pressed. "We are down to the wire. How do I get some urgency into you?"

"I know, I know!" Alex snapped. "I get it okay? I'm doing my best here. Jezzuz."

"Are you?" Jack challenged. "Because from where I'm sitting?—"

"Can we not do this right now?" Alex interrupted, his patience wearing thin.

"We are all under pressure, Alex," Dylan pointed out. "But none of us has the luxury of ignoring our responsibilities."

Alex stood abruptly; appetite gone. "I'm not ignoring anything. I'll handle it."

He walked away, leaving his half-eaten sandwich behind.

What am I going to do?

He felt completely pinned in...

Even if these weird incomprehensibly nonsensical ...urges, were real. If this... Lucy/Jane were his mate... that presented more problems than he could even wrap his head around.

What if the remedy is worse than the disease?

First of all, the female is unbearably annoyingly bordering on downright insolent. Then there is the matter of her being a spy...and the shame that brings on him...not to mention the peril he has introduced to the whole mission. Even if he could somehow get past his own rather significant irritation with her infuriating ...everything, his brothers would surely want to execute her on the spot. On top of that even if all that somehow ceased to exist, it was clear she held him with the same, if not even greater contempt.

In other words, I am screwed.

He needed advice, but who could he turn to? His team would insist on bringing Jane in for questioning. The reinforcements would be even less understanding.

Almost without conscious decision, Alex found himself heading toward Lester's lab. There was something about the quirky old scientist that Alex gravitated to. Besides, he needed a fresh perspective – one at least a little removed from the pressures the Dream Team were facing.

He found Lester hunched over a monitor, muttering to himself as he adjusted settings on his equipment. The room glowed with the blue light of multiple screens displaying pulsing energy patterns.

"Alex," Lester said, glancing up briefly. "My favorite dragon warrior! What brings you here? Forgive me, I’m sure you understand. I'm rather busy tracking these anomalous readings."

Alex hesitated. "Of course, we all have our responsibilities. But, I need some advice, it’s a sort of, umm, hypothetical. Um, for a friend."

This seemed to catch Lester's attention as he swiveled around in his chair and straightened up, curiosity evident on his face. "A hypothetical you say? For a friend? Well, I'm flattered one of the Dream Team feels my advice is worth seeking."

Lester removed his glasses, cleaning them thoughtfully. "You know, when I first got to know the members of the earth born shifters, the Shifter League, everyone thought I was just some crazy old conspiracy theorist.” He barked out a little joyful cackle of laughter. “I never imagined we'd discover our origins on other planets. Now look at us—bear shifters reunited with Ursaline, jaguars with Oncara, wolves with Lupinari... helping them find those first portals changed everything. And instead of being considered crazy, seems I am more like the Oracle of Delphi!" He let out another little chuckle as he replaced his glasses with a small smile. "So, what's this hypothetical problem?”

Oracle of what?

But it didn’t matter. He did need advice.

In the worst way.

"Suppose someone discovered a potential threat to their alliance," Alex began carefully. "A human who might expose everything they’re doing."

"That would be concerning, to say the least.” He skooched a little more forward on his chair. “They would have to be dealt with accordingly." Lester said, removing his glasses. "But what kind of human? What’s the circumstance? Hypothetically speaking, of course. I am curious as to why it might be such a riddle for you."

"A... law enforcement type. From their FBI."

Lester's eyebrows rose slightly. "Oh, I see. That is serious. And in this hypothetical scenario, is there any immediate danger from this human?"

“Oh yes... they are quite dangerous.”

“Might this dangerous human be of the female persuasion perhaps?”

“Um, yes... That is, that is what my friend says...”

“Yes of course, your friend. And has your friend taken any action to mitigate this dangerous human female? Surely, they must act, no?”

"Well, that’s the thing, in the scenario -it’s a classroom problem you see...”

“Oh, so this is for a friend in a class. Our hypothetical scenario...?”

“Yes, that’s right. So far, they have decided they must contain the threat... For safety reasons."

"Contain," Lester repeated, his tone neutral. "This seems wise. Females can be quite dangerous, after all."

Did he just catch a twinkle in the old man’s eye?

"Well, you see," Alex shifted uncomfortably, "suppose that this friend was to suspect that this dangerous human female might be of... um... special significance to him."

Lester's eyebrows shot up, and the twinkle transformed into something closer to a gleam of understanding. "Special significance? Like a potential mate, perhaps?"

"Something like that," Alex mumbled, studying the floor tiles with sudden fascination.

"Ah," Lester leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Now we get to the real hypothetical question. This does complicate matters. For your friend."

"Yes, he is most, um...perplexed."

"I imagine so." Lester steepled his fingers. "Well, in my experience—limited as it may be in matters of the heart—holding someone captive rarely endears you to them."

Alex ran a hand through his hair. "It's not about endearment. It's about security. The mission."

"Is it?" Lester's voice was gentle. "Because if this female truly is your—I mean your friend's—mate, then the mission and this person's welfare are in fact inseparable concerns, are they not?"

It wasn’t like Lester was telling him something he didn’t know, but he was saying it in a way that seemed to create a little more space around the problem.

He'd been viewing Jane as a threat to be managed, and opponent to overcome. But the strange feelings he had around her could not be ignored. No matter how inconvenient.

Is there any other way to look at things?

If there was, he couldn’t see it.

"So, what exactly would you suggest?" Alex asked, crossing his arms defensively. "To tell my friend, I mean? That he let her go so she can expose us all? I mean ...oh you know what I mean. Maybe bring her flowers while she's plotting against us? You haven’t...i mean... this is a very dangerous, and obstinate female."

Lester chuckled. "No, no. I'm not suggesting anything so drastic. But perhaps a different approach might yield better results." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "You know, we humans have a saying: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

"She's not a fly," Alex growled.

She’s a gecko.

"I understand... your friend’s assignment..." Lester's eyes twinkled again mischievously. "It sounds very complicated indeed. Just tell him to be open to the possibility that the situation could work itself out."

Alex felt his face heating up. "What? This isn't helping. I need, my friend needs an actionable plan. And soon."

"Undoubtably," Lester said, his tone softening, "Just tell your friend to meditate on what I said. If this human is indeed a “special friend” to your friend, then perhaps they have overlooked other possibilities. Building trust might be more effective than building walls.”

This is going nowhere. I might as well ask a houseplant for advice.

Meditate?

"Thanks," Alex said flatly, pushing himself away from the desk. "I'll... pass your thoughts along to my friend."

"I'm sure you will," Lester replied, his knowing smile only adding to Alex's annoyance as he turned back to his monitors. "And tell your friend I have confidence he will navigate his assignment well. Perhaps he will even get top marks?”

At least someone’s optimistic.

“If you say so.” Alex nodded curtly, though he wasn't sure if Lester even saw the gesture as the scientist had already re-immersed himself in his work.

As he walked back toward the cabin, being careful to check that no one was about, his mind was more tangled than before he'd gone seeking advice.

Build trust? Find common ground?

How do I do that that with a spy?

Why would I do that?

Even if he had answers to these pressing questions, he hardly had time for such indulgences. Or interest for that matter.

You sure about that buddy?

Oh, shut up.

His dragon rumbled restlessly inside him as he thought of going to check on her. He had left her alone hours ago now.

I need to see that she is okay.

Right. To make sure she is still secured.

And that’s the only reason.

Then why can’t you stop thinking about her?

What is this insane pull?

Towards her. Jane Donovan. FBI agent. Threat to everything they were fighting to protect.

And possibly my mate.

Possibly?

Yes, just possibly.

But he already knew the truth. And was running out of time. And here he was, even more confused and conflicted than he had been in the first place.

Dammit.

But one thing was clear. All thoughts, all roads...everything led back to her...

Problem was he didn’t know how much longer he could resist...