Page 23 of Omega Captive of the Golden Dragon (Alpha Dragons #3)

Kahlio

My name is Kahlio, pronounced Ka-lee-o.

I live in a big, beautiful home in the middle of a mountain range that has snow every month of the year except July.

My parents’ names are Varik and Caylen, and they love me and spoil me.

But not too much. I’m not a brat. Uncle Val and my friends in school assure me of this.

I’m turning fifteen today. My dragon says he’s ready to show my grown-up scales. Kahliokan is as excited as I am.

“There are snow flurries outside,” Dad says. “Shift fast so you don’t catch cold.” He’s my omega parent and always worries about my health.

Since shifting requires me to be naked, maybe he has a point.

Father is a little more practical. He brings out his heaviest robe for me to wear, along with waterproof slippers. Outside in the snow, I can shed it fast, shift and not feel the cold at all.

Later, I’ll get to have my party. Father will disappear into his studio as he always does when my friends come over, but Dad will be there to bring out the cake and watch me open my presents.

Upstairs, I take off all my clothes and put on the thick, white robe. The slippers fit my big feet easily. I’m all set.

My parents are waiting at the front door when I come downstairs.

They’re smiling but can’t hide the worry in their eyes.

I know why. If my dragon is golden like Father’s, I’ll need round the clock protection for the rest of my life from bad men and thieves who, if they find out I’m golden, will kidnap me and steal my scales.

They know this because it happened to Father.

I’ve never heard all the details of that story, but it’s still very scary.

I’ve never told a soul about Father’s golden scales. I’m trusted with his secret. For me, it’s an easy confidence to keep. Father could die if it was ever publicly revealed.

My heart is in my throat as I walk through the open front door, my parents trailing after me.

A familiar sight greets me: Heavily fenced property.

A long driveway. The flickering green laser grid above us.

Though security is a big deal around here, I’m allowed to go to a safe private school outside the perimeter.

Every day a heavily guarded limo picks me up.

My friends think my life of bodyguards and fancy drivers is because I’m from a super-rich family.

I let them believe it because, well, half of that is true.

The white slippers I’m wearing are like quilted ankle boots. They protect my feet from the frost. The robe is completely warm.

My parents follow me down the porch steps and into soft, fresh snow and flurries. The breeze makes them spin and whirl. I hold out my hands, palms up, and grin as I try to catch them. The little dance helps calm me.

But now is the time. I can’t delay any longer. People will be here for my party in a couple of hours. They aren’t allowed to see my first shift. Just in case.

“Is Kahliokan ready?” Father asks.

I turn to face them where they stand at the foot of the stairs. “Yes.”

“All right, then. Any time.”

I’m a little embarrassed to be naked in front of my parents. After all, I’m fifteen now. I’m not a little kid anymore. Any kid my age would be nervous.

I shove my shyness aside and push back the robe. It drops with a gentle shush into the snow. Stepping out of the slippers, I turn as Kahliokan quickly emerges in a tingling of powerful energy.

He’s grown in the short time since my last shift. Through his eyes, I can almost see over the second story of the house.

Kahliokan stomps down the snow with his four feet and lifts his big wings.

He bends his long neck to take a look at his hide.

But I already know what I’ll see because my parents are clapping and laughing, leaning against each other as if they just found out I don’t have a death sentence hanging over my head.

My scales glimmer in the afternoon light. I blink, unsure at first what I’m seeing. They aren’t just one color, or a blend of two. They are iridescent, flashing rainbows onto the white landscape.

I think I look pretty, my dragon says.

Kahliokan gives a roar, and a tiny fireball hurls up toward the laser grid, then falls, dying to ash before it hits the snow. His wings flutter and we’re lifted up several feet from the ground. He flies in a short circle, snorts steamily, then lands facing my parents.

They are both talking at once.

“You’re gorgeous.”

“Perfect.”

“Happy Birthday, son.”

“Welcome to adulthood.”

Officially, I’m not an adult yet. I can’t drive until next year. I can’t vote. But my dragon is of age, and he knows it. He shows off, spinning for them again and again as they put their arms around each other and admire him.

When it’s time to go back in and get ready for the party, I’m standing naked again in the snow and searching for my robe. When I finally make it back inside, Father and Dad give me big hugs and kisses.

“You did well,” Father says.

“You called me perfect but was there a chance you wouldn’t think so?”

Dad cups my cheek. “No chance at all.”

Father echoes his response. “You’re our son and our love for you has no conditions.”

“Does that mean you’d still love me the same if I had been golden?”

“Of course, baby,” Dad says, patting my shoulder.

Father shrugs and gets a mischievous look. “Maybe even more.” He wiggles his eyebrows at Dad. “Right, beautiful?”

He’s always calling Dad that. It’s his pet name for him.

Dad turns, frowning, and flicks him on the arm. “That’s not true. Tell him that’s not true. We wouldn’t love him any less or more.”

“No?” Father shrugs. He turns back to me. “You’re our baby. Our love for you can’t be measured by words. One day you’ll have kids. You’ll see.”

My eyes burn a little. My parents are so silly and so wonderful at the same time. It’s a puzzle.

“I’m not going to think about kids for years. Right now, I just want my party.”

Father clicks his fingers. “One party. Coming up.”

Dad grins. “You’re going to love your cake.”

“Can I see it now?” I ask. They’ve been guarding the fridge like it contains their hoard. I haven’t been allowed to open the door for two days, not even for a snack.

“Nope. It’s a surprise.” Dad gestures at my robe. “Now run upstairs and put on your new clothes.”

My party is a blast. Seven of my best friends from school attend. Some have never been to the house before and are in awe.

Father retreats to his studio, as expected. But when the meal is over and it’s time for the cake, he reappears. Together, he and Dad bring it out on a huge platter.

At first, I see only the flames of fifteen candles. As they lower it to the table, all of it is revealed. My friends gasp and point.

The cake is a large rectangle with a white base of frosting.

On top of that is a house that looks like ours, with a front porch made of chocolate sticks, all frosted to match the white walls and brown trim.

There’s a fence around the perimeter. I’m not sure what that’s made of.

It looks like our real property fence, complete with a little gate that I can see will actually open and close.

Behind the house are pine trees, their bases made of more chocolate, their branches frosted green and white.

In front of the house is a dragon. He takes up almost all the space. His wings are slightly lifted, and every scale is carved in perfect detail with icing and sprayed with rainbow glitter to make the dragon’s color iridescent. It’s Kahliokan.

I know Father made the cake. He’s a professional sculptor.

But how did he know what color my scales would be before two hours ago?

I look at both of them, mouth open. “H—how?”

Dad leans down and whispers in my ear. “Your father bought every color of spray glitter on the spectrum. We added it while you were upstairs changing.” His voice drops softer. “If you had been gold, we had already chosen the pink glitter for you and your friends.”

It’s official. My parents spoil me. But not too much. I’m not a brat. I swear.

It’s just that I have the best parents. It’s true. I’m the luckiest fifteen-year-old in the whole wide world.

THE END