Chapter 16 Poppy #2
But then I remembered that horrible day. Konrad didn’t allow the omegas to witness his cruelty, and so they didn’t see Viol’s true power, either. They only saw the aftermath of Viol going feral—the fire and the avalanche beneath the dark silhouette of his wings in the sky.
Tears fell from my eyes. I didn’t stop them, and I didn’t stop Sorrel. I felt awful, but what could I do? My brother had no respect for me, and he wouldn’t listen to anything I said. The only thing occupying his mind was revenge. He wouldn’t be satisfied until he killed Viol.
So, I sat there miserably and watched him try.
Sorrel glanced at Sheba and Knox for approval to charge into action.
As soon as Sheba nodded sternly, he bolted towards Viol with bared fangs.
My mate stood still as Sorrel leapt at his throat.
He let my brother sink his fangs into his scales, but it was useless.
His attack was too low on the neck, so his teeth couldn’t pierce Viol’s natural armor.
Viol allowed my brother to bite him for a few measured moments before he swatted him away. Sorrel landed on all fours, still growling. He looked crazed—like if he kept trying, he could really do it.
I noticed the alpha bears slinking back.
Did they really think Sorrel’s head-on attack would do anything?
They’d seen Viol’s raw power with their own eyes that day.
Surely they knew it would take more than a single omega wolf to harm Viol.
Maybe they were just as misguided as Sorrel, clinging to their hopeless dream of revenge.
I felt awful for everybody left behind here. Even the alphas.
I just wanted to rescue my brother and go home. But he didn’t want anything to do with me. We’d come all this way for nothing.
“Are you satisfied now?” Viol asked, tired and irritated. “You can’t hurt me. Not like this.”
Sorrel breathed hard. His gaze slowly slid to me. For a split second, I saw that look in his eyes—the brief idea of hurting me to get back at Viol.
“You won’t harm Poppy,” Viol growled. “You’re not that fucked up. I know you’re not, Sorrel. So stop this fucking bullshit already.”
I walked up to Sorrel. “Even if you won’t come home with us, there’s other places you can go,” I pleaded. “You don’t have to stay here. We can help you.”
Sorrel’s eyes swam with frustration and confusion. He backed away from me, but I caught up with him again, refusing to let him go.
“Why’d you come back?” Sorrel demanded.
“For you.”
His voice cracked as he cried, “What if the message was real, and the alphas were going to kill me? You wouldn’t even exchange my life for that dragon’s?”
Viol snorted. “Come on, give me a little credit. You don’t think I’d stop the alphas if they tried to murder you?”
The two alpha bears rapidly snapped their gazes to Viol, as if they hadn’t considered that outcome.
“Don’t act like I’m a total stranger,” Viol growled at Sorrel as he slowly walked closer. “You know I tried to help you before. And as fucking annoying as you’re being right now, I’m still here to help. Because Poppy loves you, and I love him.”
“No, you don’t,” Sorrel muttered through angry tears.
“Sorrel.”
My voice was crisp and sharp—the epitome of a stern older brother’s voice. And it still worked on him. His eyes widened as they met mine.
I took a deep breath. “I’m in love with Viol.
I’ve loved him since the day we met on the plains, all those years ago.
And now, finally, we call each other fated mates.
Every day, I feel safe and warm and protected.
I’m happier than I’ve ever been.” I pressed my snout into Sorrel’s neck fur.
His familiar scent made my chest ache. “Please stop clinging to your vengeance. There’s more to life, I promise.
There’s someone out there who will love you this deeply, too. ”
Sorrel hesitated. For a brief second, his gaze flickered over his shoulder before he forced it back on me.
Who was he looking at? I wondered.
“Hey. You two,” Viol shouted. “Alpha bears.”
Sheba and Knox started at his call. Sheba’s face was scrunched up in annoyance. I doubted this confrontation had gone the way she’d intended. But Knox’s shoulders slumped with fatigue. He almost seemed like he’d rather be somewhere else.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Viol stated. “And even if you do want to fight me, you both know there’s no fair fight here.”
Sheba leapt to all four paws, yellowed fangs bared in a snarl. “I’ll die before I let you walk away, dragon! This clan hasn’t been the same since you killed Konrad.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Viol snapped. “This is no way to live—for the omegas, or for you. Look around. This ‘clan’ is a miserable dump. You shackle omegas to shitty lives, and in doing so, you shackle yourselves. Get that through your thick fucking skulls already.”
Sheba glared at him viciously. “You murdered our brother.”
Viol grimaced. In a softer tone tinged with regret, he said, “I know. And for that, I’m sorry.”
My heart hurt for my mate. He was too kind. Even knowing all the cruelty Konrad had wrought, Viol felt guilty for taking his life. There were alphas who wouldn’t blink at such violence. Alphas who would’ve relished enacting their idea of justice. But Viol was different. He had a truly gentle soul.
I could never forgive Konrad for what he’d done—especially not when I discovered his horrible thoughts towards Sorrel.
In the depths of my heart, I was glad Viol did what he did.
But it wasn’t fair that my gentle dragon was pushed to his breaking point all those years ago.
His tender nature was his downfall, causing him to drown in guilt and suffer needlessly for so long. ..
I shook my head, pulling myself back to the present.
“I’m not the only one fated to a dragon,” I went on. “Rorik is, too. He’s mated to Viol’s brother, and he has two beautiful twin boys.”
Sorrel had been frowning until I mentioned Rorik’s name. “What? Rorik is alive?”
I blinked. “Of course he is.”
Sorrel’s brow furrowed in doubt and bewilderment. “No, he can’t be. The alphas told us he was dead.”
Slow comprehension washed over me. Viol and I both stared at the alpha bears. Sheba growled defensively while Knox had no expression.
“Don’t believe this traitor over your alpha superior,” she snapped. “He’s obviously lying!”
“You’re a fucking moron,” Viol grumbled. “You’re lucky I told them to stay behind, or else—”
A distant roar split the sky.
Then a second.
And a third.
Soon the gray heavens were alive with a symphony of roars, all mingling together in a triumphant cry.
Every hair on my pelt tingled with awe. When I raised my head to the sky, my heart skipped a beat.
Six dragons of vivid colors flew towards us. Crimson, Jade, Cobalt, Thystle, Aurum, and Saffron... Like a dream, all of them were present. And they weren’t alone. A majestic golden eagle flew beside Thystle; the rest carried their mates in their claws or safely around their necks.
I was so overwhelmed that my legs gave out. I sat down, staring up in wonder and disbelief. Our entire family had come to join us.
“W-what’s going on?” Sorrel gasped, his hackles rising.
He wasn’t alone in his panic. Sheba snarled in fear, her frightened, beady eyes ready to pop out of her head. Even Knox, who’d acted subdued the entire time, was spooked by the sudden appearance of six more dragons.
“It’s all right,” I comforted, loud enough for all the present tundra clan members to hear. “That’s our family. They won’t hurt anybody.”
Viol snorted, but beneath his nasty words, he sounded relieved. “Those assholes... I told them not to follow us. That bastard Jade must’ve been crossing his fingers.”
The dragons touched down. They sparkled like surreal gemstones among the barren gray landscape.
Sheba and Knox were stunned into silence. If they harbored any lingering desire to attack Viol, it must’ve shriveled up and vanished.
Rorik was the only one in human form. As Saffron released him, he stepped forward and shifted into the familiar shape of his polar bear. Beside me, Sorrel sucked in a breath and stiffened.
“Rorik?” Sorrel mumbled. “You are alive...”
Rorik didn’t pause at his statement. He just loped up to Sorrel and pulled him into a one-armed hug. Their white fur mixed together—Rorik’s dense and thick, Sorrel’s fluffy and thin.
“Foolish pup. You think a dragon could kill me?” Rorik mumbled teasingly.
Sorrel’s round eyes darted back and forth between us. He looked like he’d seen a ghost—which was probably how Rorik felt when he found out I was alive.
“I don’t understand,” Sorrel whispered, shaking his head. “The clan alphas told us you died on your mission...”
“They lied,” Rorik said bluntly. “They’ve lied to us for a very long time.”
The surrounding omegas moved closer to Rorik, as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.
Their bond with him was strong. Seeing Rorik not only alive and well, but happier and healthier than ever, awakened a seed of doubt in them.
When they glanced back at the clan alphas, they did so with wary eyes.
For the first time since arriving, the knot of dread twisting in my chest slowly began to unravel.
Behind the crowd, Sheba growled under her breath, but Knox remained silent.
“Well, Sorrel?” Viol prompted. “Believe Poppy now?”
My brother’s fur fell flat. He resembled a pup caught out in the rain, drenched and tired. “I... I don’t know,” he admitted weakly. “I’m confused. And scared.”
I pressed up against him. My heart filled with hope when he didn’t flinch or pull away. “It’s okay. I’m here to help you, remember? We all are.”
“The dragons make me nervous,” Sorrel whispered in my ear. With the surface layer of anger stripped away, he sounded more like the brother I remembered.
“I know. But I promise they’re good people.”
Since Rorik stood nearby, he couldn’t help but overhear. “Would you like to meet my mate?” he asked.
Sorrel’s eyes flashed with unease, but then he nodded.