Page 27 of The Dragon Warlord

Yeah, he’s a real peach.

He snaps his fingers. “Stand.” My arse pain pounds into my chest as I stand before him. “Open your neck for me.”

“What the fuck?”

“Now.”

I do reluctantly, my eyes never leaving him. His mouth goes to my neck, to the bite. There’s a tiny pinprick and then his teeth sink in. I brace for the pain, but it never comes. Instead, pure ecstasy envelops me, and I’m flying high. The throbbing in my arse doesn’t leave me, but I’m relaxed.

I feel like … fuck. I feel like a million gold coins. It’s as if none of what happened tonight, happened. Well, except for my throbbing arse, but all that does to someone like me is soothe whether I like it or not. My dragon’s blood is cool.

“All right, pet. You’re dismissed. Get some rest. You have long and busy days ahead of you.”

“Yes, Alpha,” I say in a daze.

What the fuck just happened? Whatever it is I’m calmer than a dead sea. I’m in a bubble bath of floatiness.

“What did he do to me?” I ask River as we exit, the door closing with a firm jolt behind us, locking the dragon lord away with an angry and irritated Rayne. I open the laces of my tunic and pull at the cotton to air out. My blood may be cool in terms of fieriness, but the rest of me is drenched in sweat.

“Discipline.”

“This is what discipline does?”

“Yes, Warlord.”

I like it and hate it at the same time. I know enough about myself to know that Imightneed this. This is the worst.

At the entrance, the three wizards we left are still there. I don’t know who is who.

When River lights up again, I confirm—for myself—that the man with the long tawny-brown hair is his someone special.

I don’t get introduced, but I’m the Warlord, aren’t I? It’s time I take up that mantle if I’m to be disciplined as one and even if I must look a sight after that little bout of discipline. There’s also the hard fact that I might as well admit to—because the alternative is proving to be madness—that I don’t like anyone having any claim to my omega. I guess I can understand why that ridiculous rule exists about giving an omega their name and taking their previous titles. I’m still going to give everything I can back to River if the fucking bond ever lets me.

But, huh. The dragon lord hasn’t taken any titles from me, only given me more titles. At this point, just an interesting bit of information. There could be many reasons for his doing so and I can’t begin to imagine his machinations. He’s like a fucking onion of manipulative schemes with too many layers to unravel.

“River. Is this your other parent?”

River's expression shifts from sunshine to rain. “My apologies, Alpha. I should have thought to introduce you.”

The need to stake a claim is a burning ache through every cell. How do I do so without being a complete arsehole?

Instinct guides me. I place a heavy hand on my omega’s neck and my thumb rests near my bite without touching it. The gesture says a lot. River sinks into my hand and for some reason, River’s parent smiles.

“Alpha, this is Wizard Simone, Wizard Lux, and the other is Wizard Phari. They are all my other parents.”

Ah. Okay. They’re all his parents, but he’s clearly closest with Wizard Simone. We’re going to have a chat about that. I want him to continue to be close with Simone.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Warlord,” Phari says on behalf of the others. No one extends a hand for a handshake though that may not be a dragon custom. It could also be that they sense I’m a hair away from violence.

“I’m sorry, gentlemen. We have to leave. Perhaps I could make your acquaintance some other time.”

“Understandable, Warlord Kanes. You are proving a good alpha for our boy,” Lux says. “River is much beloved by all.”

“Lux,” Simone chides as I growl and steer River away from all the people.

“What?” Lux says, his voice fading into the distance as we stroll away. “He should know that…”

I don’t let go of River’s neck until we reach my chambers. “Sit there,” I say, pointing to a chair.