Chapter Nine
When he woke next morning, Elouan lay unmoving.
Should he confront Curtis about listening at the door the previous night, or pretend nothing happened?
Maybe Curtis was simply passing by Elouan’s room.
Only, Elouan’s room sat at the end of the hallway, eliminating any reason to be there.
Unless he wanted to talk, heard Elouan moan and fled.
Maybe Elouan shouldn’t say anything. If Curtis had a question, perhaps he’d ask over breakfast.
Elouan dressed in his normal Sunday outfit of sweatpants and a T-shirt and headed down the stairs.
No coffee or breakfast greeted him when he wandered into the kitchen, though sunlight streamed through the windows.
When had he begun expecting Curtis to wait on him, even while protesting against the attention?
He needed to do more around the apartment, like setting his alarm early so he could beat Curtis to the kitchen and have coffee and breakfast waiting. Had anyone other than Curtis’s parents ever done that for him?
Curtis had taken Elouan in, provided for him, helped him with a job, taught him to drive, and helped him with many other skills needed for the human realm. He hadn’t thought twice about bringing a stranger into his home.
A few days later, Leon had shown up with an envelope full of documents: bank records, a driver’s license, and a birth certificate in the name of Elouan Aaron. Don’t ask where it came from, he’d said. It showed up on my kitchen table.
The sinking feeling in Elouan’s chest had to be guilt. Curtis had done so much for him. Elouan needed to be more understanding. Teron was an alpha who took no shit from Elouan, easily telling him off when needed. Omegas like Curtis weren’t as forthcoming with criticism, constructive or otherwise.
It was past time to work on being a better friend.
How had Elouan shared a home with Curtis for three years without knowing of his deep-seated parental resentment?
He should’ve been there, offering a shoulder.
Instead, he had wrapped himself up too much in his own life to pay any attention to anyone else.
Did he ever ask about his coworkers’ issues instead of simply listening when they talked?
Had he ever asked about Earl’s two boys after he’d had custody for a few days?
Had Elouan ever questioned Leon about his weekend?
Ever said “Happy Birthday” before the cake arrived at lunchtime?
He hadn’t been a very good friend, seeing these people as temporary in his life. What if they were permanent?
He needed to do better. Somehow, Jules being in his life made Elouan want to be better. Sure, he cared about the court, but as one big entity, not individuals. Part of being king would be to know his people on a personal level, listen to them, and try to do his best for them.
How could he expect to be anywhere near as good a king as his father when he took so little interest in those around him? Not that he didn’t care about those people, he’d simply lived for a future existence for so long that he wasn’t living properly in the now.
Which brought him back to Curtis. It must be at least ten a.m. Had he pissed Curtis off? No, wait. He’d mentioned going with his parents to a cabin for some family and dragon time.
Curtis typically stayed cheerful, but sometimes returned from these trips a bit down, when once more, he’d tried and failed to take dragon form. While Elouan understood the need to test one’s limits, why did the poor guy keep torturing himself?
Because his father wanted him to. It was one thing to fail in an isolated warehouse with only Elouan witnessing it; it was another entirely to fail in front of family and who knew who else.
Curtis was a great guy, going to school to improve himself and find a job in a field he loved. Omegas made skilled healers and problem solvers. Betas were more warrior types, while alphas led. The way of the world. Or the dragon world.
The only ones Elouan knew of in Adrakus who couldn’t fly were the extremely old, the very young, or the injured, and he hadn’t known many young.
Had there been any human-dragon pairings in the dragon world?
As the matter had never concerned Elouan before, he’d never asked.
Logic said it had to have happened sometime.
Curtis’s human mother gave birth to a human child. Could half-dragons learn to shift if trained young?
Something else for the “Need to ask Sakaris” list.
Here Elouan was on a Sunday, with a full day of nothing to do. He could spend time looking for his brothers again, except he had a lot of nerve wondering why Curtis tortured himself when he did the same.
Yes, he definitely needed to be kinder to his roommate.
When had they last had a bros’ weekend? Gone to a movie, or dinner, or bowling.
Curtis didn’t like the motorcycle, so riding in the mountains wasn’t an option, but they’d have to arrange some time soon, just for the two of them.
Elouan needed friends, particularly if he wound up living in the human world permanently.
What if Sakaris never came back? Elouan would continue working, maybe move into one of the houses he wanted to renovate, and settle into a mundane human existence with a mundane human mate.
Jules came to mind once again. Would life as a human be so bad?
Leon had confessed his true nature to his human spouse.
If Elouan and Jules became something more, Elouan would have to confess as well, because he refused to lie or sneak off to indulge in a shift.
He hadn’t pushed the limits of maintaining human form yet, but he’d heard stories of dragons who didn’t voluntarily shift, and at some point, their dragon chose the time and place, sometimes with disastrous results.
Not happy thoughts. Best to distract himself.
Curtis always insisted Elouan could use his laptop, so he settled on the couch and booted the computer to peruse the local news channel. The password of “Firebreather” further underscored Curtis’s desire to be fully dragon. An instant message popped up.
I think we found them.
Found who? Well, whoever they were, they weren’t Elouan’s concern. What kind of friend would he be to pry into Curtis’s personal messages when he’d been gifted access to the laptop simply because Elouan hoped not to be in the human world long enough to warrant buying one of his own?
Each step he took to show he might stay created one more tie to this place. No, Elouan couldn’t settle. He needed home. Home needed him. Somehow, someway, he’d find his way back, with or without Sakaris’ help.
Another message popped up: Are you there?
Elouan must have activated the messaging app when he turned on the computer. He was about to tell the person Curtis wasn’t there when another message appeared. We’ll check it out and let you know. If it’s true, they must be stopped.
Odd, but then some of Curtis’s friends tended to be.
His own phone chimed with a message: Hey, there!
Elouan gave his phone number to very few people, and he’d added them all to his contacts.
Another line of text appeared: It’s me. Jules. I finally got a cellphone!
Warmth spread throughout Elouan’s chest, and a smile graced his lips. Jules. He added the number to his contacts, adding the picture he’d taken of Jules on the blanket. Welcome to whatever century this is.
LOL. A photo appeared of Jules, eyes crossed, sticking out his tongue. My first selfie!
The guy was a fast learner. Where are you?
I just left the mall.
Lunch? Breakfast, lunch, whatever.
Three little dots appeared on the phone for a long time before the message finally came through. Sure. Where?
The phone’s tiny keypad wasn’t easy to type on. Elouan activated the speech option. Where would you like to go?
Do you like pizza? Please say you like pizza. It would be weird if you didn’t.
I do. Where can I meet you?
An address flashed on Elouan’s screen. The human world might have its drawbacks, but Elouan loved Harley-Davidsons and GPS. In the dragon world he’d have no need of either, though he’d have to teach the castle cooks about the wonders of pizza.
He rode across town to a strip mall. A striped awning declared on the storefront, “Luigi’s Pizza.” Jules sat at a table by a window, his face lighting up when he spotted Elouan parking.
Elouan hopped off the bike, attached his helmet to the seat, then strode past a carved pumpkin to go inside. Only a few tables held patrons despite a line of people crowding the pickup area. He grinned as he slid into the booth across from Jules. “So, you got a phone.”
“Aunt Moira said she was worried when I came home late, and I mentioned how she could have called if I had a phone. I eventually wore her down. She’s usually against technology.” His expression turned bashful. “You’re the first person I’ve given my number to besides Moira.”
Elouan slapped his hand over his chest, faking shock. “I feel so honored.”
Jules cocked an eyebrow, remarking very tongue-in-cheek, “You should be. We both know how many thousands of friends I have. Though I did consider the housekeeper first.”
“Their loss. And if someone’s a really good friend, you only need one.”
“Very true. Know what you’d like?” Jules nodded toward the menu.
Pizza. Who needed a menu? “Meat pizza, sweet tea, and I better not see any vegetables.”
“I was gonna order the same. Wanna split a large?”
“Works for me.”
A server approached their table. With a nod from Elouan, Jules placed the order.
Elouan wouldn’t have been able to identify the server later since his gaze never strayed from Jules. By scent, maybe, but then again, with so much tomato sauce and pepperoni in the air, who could tell where the guy's scent ended and the food began?
The server took their menus and retreated.
“I’m glad you texted,” Elouan began. “My roommate just left for the week. I’m home all by my lonesome.” Maybe Jules would understand the unspoken I don’t want to be.