Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Mikah and Brian were staring at Alexa as she greedily devoured her food, concerned after the events from earlier. Raine’s powers were still unknown, and so were the effects.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Raine finally asked, looking at her cousin beside her.
“Of course. I promise, I’m perfectly fine. I was just thinking. I didn’t want to lose my thought.” Alexa didn’t want to say exactly what she was thinking about, because she didn’t want them alerted to her plans to draw Ken out.
“That makes sense then. I know how hard it is for you to think. I mean, you are blonde. It is harder for you to have an original idea.” Brian grinned, flashing his pearly whites at her.
“This coming from someone with a reptile brain. And you know what they say about that …” Alexa poked at her food and smirked at the dragon prince.
Brian chuckled and looked over at Mikah. “Well, what about the honey pot thief beside me? What do they say about his brains?”
“They say ‘don’t poke the bear.’ You know why they say that, Brian?” Mikah turned his head to look at the dragon next to him. “It’s because you don’t want to incur their wrath.” He waved his fork at Brian before returning his attention back to his plate.
“Where’s papa’s baby bear at? She eating her porridge?” Brody walked over to the table with a cheesy grin on his face.
“Dad, you are so lame.” Raine shook her head, trying to avoid contact with him. Brody’s hand landed on top of her head, and he jostled it around.
Brody grabbed a pancake off the table and took a seat next to his daughter. A moment later, his mate Chelsie walked in carrying a plate of fruit.
“You kids better be eating healthy foods too. Here, I want you each to take some fruit.” Chelsie sat the tray down in front of them and walked up to Raine, giving her a kiss on the head. “You guys have a good training session?”
“We sure did. It was intense.” Brian grinned and then cleared his throat when he noticed the glares from Alexa and Raine. “Lex and I destroyed another training ground. We’re going to have to come up with a better solution soon.”
“You need to show more restraint. Mikah here does a good job holding back enough so he doesn’t destroy the training grounds.” Brody grabbed an apple and smiled at Chelsie as he waved it at her, showing he was also eating the fruits.
“That’s because he takes it easy when he fights against an old-timer like you.” Brian chuckled as he looked at the fairy queen’s guardian.
“Well, this old timer has fought against several hellhounds in his lifetime and was also part of the big demon war. I may be older, but I am also wiser.”
Alexa smiled. This was how it always was here. There was playful banter and jokes. They were all close, and she loved it. Brody was her mother’s guardian, and it was odd not to see them together.
“Where are my parents at? It’s rare not to see you with them.” Alexa watched Brody tense ever so slightly.
“After they came back from healing the young dragon boy, they were summoned by the Great Sage.”
“Why aren’t you in there with them?” Brian asked. It wasn’t like anything would have been private from him.
“Well, I didn’t want to interrupt the meeting. And I was having breakfast.” He cleared his throat and finished his drink in front of him.
“You could have taken your breakfast in there with you.” Mikah shrugged and looked up as Brody let out a dry chuckle.
“It wasn’t the type of breakfast you have in public,” Brody smirked at the two men as Chelsie buried her head in her hands.
“Eeewww.” Raine pushed her plate away, shaking her head. “Gross, Dad!” She buried her head in her hands as well.
“Well, how do you know where they’re at?” Mikah asked, not embarrassed at all by the conversation.
“Reese told us where they were. When they left to take care of the dragon boy, I thought I would have a little more time for … other activities.” Brody shrugged, unbothered by the situation.
“DAD!” Raine groaned out.
“I could use some cold water.” Alexa smiled as she bit her bottom lip.
“Gerty, could you bring us some water?” Raine yelled out for the dragon in the adjoining kitchen.
A woman walked over with a pitcher in her hands. As she approached the table, she began to tremble. The pitcher dropped as she took quick, retreating steps backward.
“Gerty?” Raine rushed to the woman’s side. Her forehead was covered in perspiration, and there were red blotches on her skin. “She’s burning.”
Chelsie and Brody grabbed the woman and quickly took her away, back into the kitchen.
“It’s my aura. She was fine around me yesterday. Gerty has always been able to be around my dad,” Brian said sadly as he stared at the kitchen door.
Alexa reached over and grabbed his hand.
“Everything is going to be fine. I’ll go and cool her skin, okay?
” Alexa headed for the kitchen so she could check on the dragon’s condition.
The woman already looked much better. She wasn’t a weak dragon after all and already was healed.
It was surprising because Gerty came from upper-tiered dragons, which was why she could always be around Xander, so it was shocking to see Brian was now affecting her. “Gerty, how are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. I don’t know what happened. One minute everything was fine, and the next I felt like I was getting consumed,” Gerty said, her hands trembling. She was clearly shaken up from the experience. Raine held her hand while Brody brought her a glass of water.
Alexa could see the worry not only in the woman’s eyes but also in her aunt and uncle.
For the first time, she felt concerned. She hoped Grandpa Sage had found a solution to Brian’s aura, because it was getting stronger and stronger.
It was happening suddenly too. One day his aura just started increasing, and it was now getting to a level where even stronger dragons were being affected by it.
She walked back out to see Brian resting his head in his hands, looking down at the table. He was clearly shaken by this as well. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, sending an icy layer over him where her arms rested.
“I don’t know what the problem is. You’re not that hot to me.
In all aspects.” She giggled and rested her head on top of his, messing his hair up slightly.
She smiled as she listened to his quiet laugh.
He was someone important to her, and she hated to see him down.
Luckily, she knew what to do to cheer him up.
“Now I know you’re lying. I mean, my face and body are gorgeous. Even Mikah wants a piece of this.” Brian raised his head, the familiar smile back on his face.
Mikah snorted in response but continued to eat his food. There weren’t a lot of things that would stop him from eating. It was like this with most of the bears in her family.
Brody, Chelsie, and Raine walked back out from the kitchen. Brody looked over at Brian and gave him a reassuring smile. “She’s fine. She was just in a bit of shock. But other than that, she’s fine.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
The doors behind them opened, and they all turned their heads to see Reiya, Levi, Xander, and Lila walk into the room.
“Dad, my aura is starting to burn Gerty now. What is going on?” Brian watched as his father closed his eyes, slowly taking a controlled breath.
“Brian. Alexa. We would like to speak to you two in private. Please come with us,” Reiya said, her tone soft and calm.
“Nuh-uh.” Mikah stood and positioned himself protectively near Alexa. He took a moment and wiped his mouth before pinning his eyes on the group at the far end of the room. “I go where she goes.”
“Mikah, she’ll be with us. This is a private matter.” Reiya watched as Mikah’s eyes grew dark.
“Alexa is my concern. If this is something that will affect her physically or mentally, I need to know about it.”
“For now you don’t need to be present,” Levi simply said. A quiet, low growl rose from Mikah. This guardian had a lot of gall. Levi chuckled and looked at the werebear. “Easy, little bear. She may be your charge, but she’s my daughter.”
“Mikah.” Alexa turned and placed her hand on his forearm. “It’s okay.” She looked at him curiously. Mikah had never reacted this way toward her parents before.
“No, it isn’t. I can feel the tension and concern from them.” Mikah growled lowly and pulled Alexa behind him.
“Okay. Okay. Just wait a minute.” Brody walked up, standing between Mikah and the others. “We all know there are no secrets here. Whatever this is, we’re all going to know about it, right? I think Mikah is right. Let him be with Alexa. You four are acting weird. You’re on edge.”
“This isn’t a secret from anyone. But—” Xander stopped talking as he looked at Brian and Alexa.
They wanted to give them a moment to hear the news without everyone around.
However, maybe it would be better to have others there too.
“If you are to come, we want you there silently only. We don’t want anyone else to voice their opinion on this matter besides Alexa and Brian. ”
“Shit. Brian, what did you do? Better let me know so I know how to cover for you,” Alexa teased as he chuckled quietly.
“I was about to ask you the same thing. I guess they finally found out we were the ones who stole the chocolate cake out of the kitchen ten years ago.” Brian looked up at the serious faces and felt a sense of dread. Whatever this was, it looked like it was serious. Maybe even a new war starting?
“Follow us to the conference room then.” Reiya turned and walked out of the room, Lee at her side, studying her curiously.
You’re hiding something from me. He arched his brow and watched a small smile reach her lips. You aren’t going to tell me, are you? My fairy, we don’t keep secrets between us.
But my love, you already know what’s on my mind … don’t you?
So I guess we’re both thinking the same thing. Lee placed his hand on her waist. You know this is extreme, right?
It’s how we do things. She shrugged and watched a cheeky smile reach his lips.
It’s how you do things, my fairy. And you have just corrupted me along the way.
Reiya leaned into Lee as they all filled up the conference room. Some things didn’t need to be said between them, and this was one of them. He knew her too well.
Brody closed the door and went to take his spot beside Chelsie and Raine.
“Brian.” Xander looked at his son with a small frown.
“We have information about the burning aura. Unfortunately, my son, it isn’t good news.
The aura will only get stronger.” Xander explained the situation with Shiva and the curse.
He watched his son’s face pale as the realization hit him.
“My son … you will not be able to be with your fated mate. In fact, there will be very few who can even be around you. And there isn’t anything we can do about it.
If there is a solution out there, we don’t know about it. ”
“Alexa,” Reiya finally said in a calm voice as she looked at her daughter. “There is only one female dragon that we know of who will be able to stand Brian’s touch. And that, of course, is you.”
“So what are you saying? You want me to take Brian as my mate?” Alexa laughed and her smile soon faded. She glanced over at Brian, whose eyes widened, then back to her parents. “That is what you’re saying, isn’t it?”
“For the dragon kingdom … for Brian … you need to become his mate.” Levi’s voice came through crisp and clear. The room echoed with silence, and all eyes were now on Brian and Alexa.