Page 21 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

A ARON DIDN’T EXPECT the attack when it happened. Maybe he should have since it wasn’t the first time someone tried to intimidate him, but in his defense, he’d been distracted since he and Birch had gotten together—actually, he’d been distracted since he’d met Birch.

How could he not be distracted? Aaron had a bright future that he hadn’t expected he’d find when he’d moved in with the clan.

He had Birch, and he didn’t mind waiting for him in the evening or not seeing him nearly enough because he had to protect the king.

It might be different if Killian were just the king, but he was one of Birch’s closest friends.

Aaron would never berate Birch for wanting to protect his family.

Killian was probably the reason Aaron was stuck in a corner of the palace between two cool stone walls, staring at a dragon shifter who looked like they wanted to pound him into the floor.

This dragon wasn’t burnt orange like the first one who’d attacked Aaron, but they were orange. Were they related to the first attacker? Was hurting Aaron a family business? Aaron didn’t know, and frankly, he didn’t care.

He was pissed.

The dragon leaned forward, probably to intimidate Aaron. It worked. The dragon was much taller than him, and they had fangs and claws. They could hurt him even without shifting into their dragon form.

“You better leave the palace as soon as this conversation is over,” the dragon said with a growl.

Aaron was pretty sure they were a male, but he wasn’t about to ask. He didn’t think the dragon would answer, anyway.

“If I see you around the palace again, you won’t be breathing when you leave it,” the dragon added. “You don’t have a place with the clan, human. You don’t belong, and we don’t want you here.”