Page 7 of Purple Protector (Eiloren Clan #3)

T HE CLAN WAS FASCINATING .

Aaron had been here a week, and he was still learning about the clan dragons.

He’d added dozens of questions to his list, and he couldn’t wait to talk to Hedley.

He wanted to get the impressions of a human who’d become the king’s consort.

Unfortunately for him, the interview that had been scheduled a week ago had been moved because something had come up for the king and Hedley.

Aaron was fine with that. It had given him more time to watch the dragons and learn more about them.

With that knowledge, he’d started worrying.

He’d known something was up when Pearl had confronted him in the dining hall, but he hadn’t realized just how fractured the clan was.

He hadn’t been able to dig in too deep because people didn’t trust him, but it was obvious that several factions were fighting.

There was Killian and his people. Killian not only had to lead the clan and keep it thriving, but he had to do that while fighting off the people who wanted his throne.

Those included Pearl. From everything Aaron had heard about her, she was the one pushing the hardest. There were a few more factions that followed other half-siblings of Killian, but Pearl was the one with the most support. She was the most dangerous of them all.

Aaron tapped his pen on his notebook. His job was to write articles about the clan, the life within it, and the humans who’d chosen to live there.

He could include the infighting and the dangers to Killian, but what would that achieve?

It would only make the humans who would read the articles worry that the clan, and dragons in general, were out of control, and that wasn’t true.

At the same time, Aaron didn’t want to hide something that big.

It didn’t feel right. He had to find a way to mention the different factions while putting Killian in a good light.

Focusing on that meant that he wasn’t obsessing over the fact that he was an easy target to take down Killian.

He was only human. He wouldn’t be able to defend himself against a dragon, not even one in their human form.

They would tear him apart and chow him down as breakfast, and there would be nothing he could do.

He checked the time and got to his feet. He was meeting Palmer for lunch, something he’d started doing after meeting Palmer and Taylor. Sometimes, he ate his meals with one or both of them, while other times, he had food delivered to his rooms.

Palmer and Taylor were as human as he was, but they’d been here longer, and they were useful to the clan.

Palmer was a doctor, while Taylor worked with the security team.

He’d been in the military, as Marlin had mentioned, and his knowledge was useful to modernize the security system in the palace and ensure that Killian was even safer.

He got to his feet, left his notebook, pen, and computer as they were, and hurried out of his suite.

He’d learned his way through the palace, so he didn’t hesitate anymore.

It felt good to know that he was settling down, but at the same time, he wondered why he was doing it.

He wouldn’t be staying. He was supposed to go back home eventually, even though there was nothing waiting for him there.

Maybe after the articles came out, things would change for him. He couldn’t help but think that they already had, though. In what world was he supposed to be here, staying with a dragon clan?

Palmer was at their usual table. Aaron waved at him as he got in line to get food, trying to ignore the stares.

Most of the dragons didn’t pay that much attention to him anymore, but he knew that the ones who did were either fascinated by him or wanted him dead.

It was impossible to say which one just by watching them, so he did his best to be invisible.

One would think it would be easy when surrounded by a bunch of enormous dragon shifters, but that wasn’t the case.

The clan had welcomed several humans, but humans were a minority, and it was obvious.

The fact that Aaron didn’t belong was even more obvious.

“They’re still watching me,” he said as he slid into his seat in front of Palmer.

“They’ll stop eventually. They’ll get used to seeing you around.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m not supposed to stay for much longer.”

Palmer blinked. “That’s right. You haven’t actually moved here.”

“Did you forget that?”

“Kind of. I guess I’ve gotten used to seeing you around.” He leaned forward. “Would it be so bad if you stayed?”

Aaron hadn’t expected that. “What would I even do here?”

“I don’t know. Whatever you’re already doing.”

“I don’t think that Killian would want me to stay so I can continue writing articles on him and his people.”

“I don’t know. He allowed me and Taylor to stay.”

“But you’re a doctor, and he’s helping the security team. What would I do? I wouldn’t be useful to the clan.”

“Would you have to be?”

“I don’t see why Killian would want me to stay if I weren’t.”

“Maybe because he wants one of his best friends to be happy?”

Aaron knew what Palmer was insinuating, but he refused to believe it.

“Birch doesn’t see me as anything but an annoying human who he has to keep an eye on.

I’ve talked to Marlin more.” And Aaron was sure that there was nothing there .

He liked Marlin, but that was all there was to it.

Birch, on the other hand? Aaron would beg for a chance with him.

He wanted to bite Birch’s biceps. He wanted to find out how hard his chest was.

Hell, that wasn’t the only hard thing he wanted to experience when it came to Birch.

In theory, Aaron knew how everything under the belt worked for dragons, but he would die if he was given a chance to experience it for himself.

That wasn’t why he was here. He wasn’t supposed to get a crush on anyone, let alone a dragon so close to the king. He was already giving Killian enough problems. He wouldn’t make things worse.

Palmer sighed. “I can see your brain going. Just think about it, all right?”

“There’s no way Birch is interested in me.”

“Keep telling yourself that. Eventually, Birch will make his move, and I can’t wait to see what happens.”

Aaron wanted Palmer to be right, but he couldn’t let himself hope. The clan wasn’t his home, and Birch wasn’t his boyfriend. By the end of this, he’d be going home alone.

So very alone.

* * * *

B IRCH HAD NOTICED AARON walking into the dining hall. He didn’t think Aaron had seen him, probably because Birch usually ate lunch with Killian and Marlin in Killian’s office. Today, though, he was sitting with his brother.

“I feel I lost you,” Curran said.

Birch turned his attention back to him. “You didn’t. You were complaining about our moms, which I’ve already heard time and time again. There’s nothing new there, so why should I pay attention?”

Curran slapped Birch’s arm. “You’re not funny. You don’t know what it’s like to live with them.”

Birch grinned. “And I’m thankful for that.”

“But I can find a way to get them off my back. Maybe I’ll tell them that you’ve been making eyes at that human, and they’ll leave me alone.”

“Do that, and I’ll kill you.”

“Oh, I’m so scared.” Curran’s tone made it obvious that he wasn’t, but Birch wasn’t trying to scare him, anyway. He’d never hurt his brother, and Curran knew it.

Or maybe he would give it a thought if Curran actually told their mothers about Aaron.

“Seriously, though,” Curran added. “There’s nothing bad about you having a crush on anyone, even the new human.”

“I don’t have a crush on him. That would be you with Marlin.”

Curran’s skin was a lighter tone of purple than Birch’s, so when he blushed, it was obvious.

Birch’s smile widened when he saw that his brother was doing just that.

It might be cruel of him to tease Curran about his crush on Marlin, but Curran had had it for years, and he’d never made a move.

Birch wasn’t even sure that Marlin knew how Curran felt about him.

“Shut up,” Curran muttered.

“I’m just saying that you should probably talk to Marlin. Don’t you think it’s time you tell him how you feel?”

“I don’t feel anything. He’s your annoying best friend. That’s all.”

“Maybe, but he’s my annoying best friend you have feelings for.”

“We were talking about you, not me and Marlin. You like the human, don’t you?”

“Aaron,” Birch answered without thinking about it. “That’s his name.”

Curran wiggled his eyebrows. “You like Aaron .”

“He’s a nice person, but I barely know him. Besides, even if I did like him, I wouldn’t do anything about it.”

“Why not? If you like him and he likes you, I don’t see what the problem is.”

Birch tapped his fingertips on the table.

“How can you not? I don’t have time for a relationship, especially one with a human who doesn’t understand our ways.

You know how much time I spend with Killian and Hedley.

Do you really think Aaron would be okay with being second best in my life? He doesn’t deserve that. No one does.”

“It sounds to me like you’re making excuses. Killian would give you time off if you asked for it. Besides, you don’t know what Aaron wants or doesn’t want. Did you talk to him about it?”

“Of course not.”

“Then maybe you should.”

Birch narrowed his eyes. “You’re starting to sound more and more like Alayna.”

“Why do you have to offend me like that?”

They were both smiling. As annoying as their mothers were, Birch and Curran loved them.

Birch hoped that Alayna was done playing matchmaker, although even though she’d promised she was, he wouldn’t be surprised if she found another way to throw single dragons at him.

He was sure that if Curran mentioned that Birch liked Aaron, Alayna would find a way to talk to him and convince him to give Birch a chance.

Birch wanted to die at the thought. He couldn’t have his mother stick her nose into his love life, no matter how nonexistent it was.

“Okay, I’ll talk to Aaron the day you talk to Marlin,” Birch offered.

Curran glared at him. “That’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be. You want me to talk to Aaron? I’ll do it, but only with that condition.”

Birch doubted that his brother would ever talk to Marlin.

For some reason, he found Marlin intimidating, and he got flustered every time Marlin was around.

It was sweet, but since their relationship was none of Birch’s business, he’d never intervened.

He hoped that threatening Curran to do just that would keep Curran away from his life and from Aaron.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t swear to it.