Ayao
The chaos after a mating prospect drugged the queen—and apparently twice—was beyond insane. The castle was in lockdown and honestly I was impressed but also disappointed it wasn’t like that more often.
“We’ll change that once she’s our mate. Uncle has better security practices and we’ll implement them,” my dragon said firmly.
I mentally snorted. I’d fucked up so badly being honest that she still looked at me like I was shit on her shoes. I’d been too blunt maybe, but it was the reality for people like her. I would have expected she’d known that given how coldly she’d been raised.
She couldn’t really think any of these people would love her and not betray her… Could she? She seemed way too smart for that.
Or so I’d thought when I’d really gotten a chance to talk to her.
But then letting herself be drugged twice?
Actually not a bad plan. He could have weaseled his way out of the first time, but this was—no chance.
When radios had gone off while a bunch of us were checking out the castle’s facilities and guards had started moving fast, it was clear something big had gone on. I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t contain their curiosity and headed to the foyer.
Learning that the second son of Sunborough’s Alpha had drugged Sagan to try and start her heat about knocked me over. Yes, dragons could be attracted to each other like people could and yes, it was rather animalistic from what I’d heard, but it wasn’t like instant heat.
It was more like… I had no idea since I’d never experienced it, but from what I knew, it was when we were in dragon form! Our dragons were beasts and even they liked each other.
Horror filled me when I learned who it was and I immediately went to Princess Treena when she came in later.
She tried to brush me off, but I blocked her, holding my hands up in surrender.
“Please, I think I could be a witness to something, and while I don’t know if it’s smart to get involved, get me involved before someone tells me to keep out of it. ”
Her eyes flashed shock. My uncle.
Honestly, he was very honorable, but given the situation and we had a good alliance with Sunborough, I had a feeling he would want me to stay out of it. They had video from what I’d already overheard.
“Come with us,” her head of security, Davian, ordered as he nodded for me to follow them.
Two minutes later I was sitting with him, Princess Treena, Benson, and another tiger I didn’t know.
I shot a look at Benson. “Don’t be petty because I’m going to admit to breaking the law.”
“Depends on what law,” he admitted as he crossed his arms over his chest. He sighed when I didn’t budge. “My own guys go to the fights and other stuff, Ayao. If you’re buying drugs, we have a problem, but—”
“Cognac,” I sighed, scrubbing the back of my neck.
I focused on Princess Treena because she was definitely the most sensible.
“My mother’s—my birth mother’s death anniversary is in a few days.
She’s a dragon—obviously there are no half-breeds, but her mother wasn’t a dragon.
She grew up sneaking cognac in from her home country. ”
“And Thovudin has an embargo with them,” she muttered.
“So you went to a shady area of Nerthus to see if you could get some on the black market or at least figure out how.” She smiled when I nodded.
“That’s actually adorable. We’ll talk later.
There’s some wine I want…” She sighed when Davian cleared his throat.
“For Sagan. If anyone deserves wine, it’s her. ”
She liked imported wine? Nice.
“I found it and paid a lot, so please just let me toast my mom,” I mumbled before looking back to Benson.
I told him where. “I saw Lori. He came out of a shop three over across the street. I can show you. It was the shadiest-looking apothecary ever. I didn’t think—in what world would drugs be sold so blatantly in Nerthus? ”
I felt like an idiot when they all looked at me like they were worried about my intelligence.
“Yes, I just heard how stupid I sounded, thank you,” I drawled. “Of course, with the police chief and—fine. I didn’t think that blatant.”
“A lot can be hidden well in plain sight,” Benson muttered. “How did you get the booze?”
“Flowers.” I shrugged when they were confused. “It’s easy to hide a smuggled bottle of booze in a bouquet of flowers. Turn it upside down and—it’s something you normally carry with two hands anyways.”
“That’s pretty genius actually,” Davian noted. “Can you get a team for me to go with and sniff this out?”
“Immediately,” Benson agreed.
“He’s telling the truth, and it’s such a minor but helpful detail I don’t think he needs to be named,” the tiger said. “Just someone at the castle even—why say a candidate and have them all pointing fingers?”
“Agreed,” Benson said after a moment and then I was on my way.
Or I was sitting at the bar in the castle’s lounge on lockdown with most of the other candidates.
It wasn’t like we were going to just sit in our rooms when there was nothing to do…
Because the castle was on lockdown. Internet was cut.
No cell service. They weren’t risking one of us calling our families or the media.
Which was smart with the group I was among. Several were clearly pissed they couldn’t spill the tea first.
Gross.
Thorn Blount and Onyx Conley seemed pissed for a different reason… And pissed at each other. I didn’t really get what was going on there, but I could about smell the jealousy. So they both wanted Sagan.
Another reason not to fight for her heart. They could have it. I just wanted a better option for an alliance mating.
And she couldn’t be foolish enough to think she was going to end up with only one of seventeen of us.
Well, sixteen now. Wow, one was already out.
Uncle Dray came walking towards me with purpose later and it was hard not to swear. “What do you know?”
“Not much,” I admitted, debating how much to tell them.
“What have you learned from the others?” he pushed.
I gave him the look he deserved. “Do you think this is summer camp? We braid each other’s hair and trade secrets about our crushes?” I gestured over to Onyx and Thorn who were glaring at each other so hard that I was waiting for one to crack. “It’s a title fight or worse here, Uncle.”
He snorted, understanding I meant for the title of “prince” but yes, people would do much worse than take a cheap shot to the face.
“Fair, but I also know when you’re hiding something.”
I threw back the rest of my drink and gestured for him to follow me. I waited until we were in the courtyard and lowered my voice. “Could you not be a bull in a china shop always and stop assuming I’m the enemy? I wasn’t going to hide anything from you, but those people in there aren’t my friends.”
He searched my face for a minute but then narrowed his eyes. “Don’t play me, Ayao. You always have your own agenda too.”
“Yeah, everyone does in this family, Uncle,” I threw right back.
“That doesn’t ever mean I’m working against you.
It means my life is my fucking own and you don’t own us all as Alpha.
” I went on when he opened his mouth. “Should I call Aunt and tell her you were being a dick about this contest and—”
“Fine, fine,” he growled. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, but if I find out you threw it for—”
“I’m not here to throw it,” I said firmly, not caring I interrupted him.
I chuffed when he opened his mouth. “I’m not here to throw the competition.
I want to see if it’s a real mating chance.
I’m not going to play games and be—I want to see if it can be a real life for me.
Accept that or fuck off and leave me alone. ”
He grabbed my arm when I went to turn away. Rage was all over his face, but then something filled his eyes.
Kindness.
“I forgot the date,” he said quietly. “You okay?”
This was why I couldn’t actually hate Dray. He was a decent man. Being Alpha and dealing with all of that responsibility just made him hard and conniving in a way that was part of the job.
Which was why I never wanted it.
I pulled my arm away and rubbed my neck. “I saw something when I went to sneak to find cognac. I reported it because it was the right thing to do.” I backed up and started over.
Dray listened and bobbed his head. He let out a slow breath when I was done and patted my shoulder.
“Good man. Really. I might hate picking sides and that family is our ally, but we lost a lot fighting with Rhys too. Sagan is… She’s different.
She’s just a kid. Good of you to protect her and—I’m proud of you. ”
“Thanks,” I mumbled, shocked.
He smirked at me. “Especially because you hurried to do it even though you knew it might have pissed me off. Huge balls, Ayao. Don’t get in the habit of it, but this time I’m proud.”
Of course he had to ruin it with a warning, but… It was better than what my own dad would say.
The next morning, every prospective candidate was called to the ballroom for a call with all the Alphas and they were to attend.
Or the contest was being called off for security reasons.
Needless to say, they all attended. Some were already there because of the elder cases—or had been in Nerthus checking out the elders’ residences that were now Sagan’s.
The amount of migraines she had was actually ridiculous and I didn’t envy her either.
Her Uncle Darren had flown in early just for this and was clearly on a warpath. Prince Fraser and Princess Maple were already at the castle and were so close to Sagan that one of them was touching her at all times.
Was something going on with her dragon? An aftereffect of the drug?
I hoped not. I hoped these bastards really didn’t break her.
“Yesterday, one of the prospective mating candidates drugged the queen during the introduction meal,” Darren started with a bang. Three of the Alphas on camera immediately stood and had a lot to say.
Because they were the three who had family with introductions yesterday.