Page 7 of The Alliance

Luckily, a lot of them came in, introduced themselves and then retreated back to the otherside of the room. I wasn’t sure if they were doing that so as not to crowd us or because their own instincts were to gather close and press together for protection.

I was sweating. I had been starting to think I’d actually be a good elder, but that had been in my own castle and with my own clan. This was my first test and I was already failing. I couldn’t even meet a bunch of people without wanting to flip out.

There were so many of them, though. How many more were going to come through that door?

One of the men who’d been introduced to me came sidling up closer. I noticed him but tried not to snap at him. He was human and, besides, he was a Hoskins and Morgan had specifically told me that they were all good people and we’d be safe.

Why was he getting closer, though?

He was a tall, handsome Black man and he had his eyes fixed on my mate. My dragon rumbled inside me, filling my head. I couldn’t hear what anyone around me was saying because my dragon was so loud.

That man kept inching closer and closer to my mate and, sure, he was sitting in my lap and therefore I could protect him but I really needed to be infront of Blaze to do that properly and it would be best if I was in my dragon form. My dragon liked that idea. It wanted me to shift so I could protect my mate properly.

I felt my scales start to break out over my skin, my dragon pushing up to protect my mate.

The man got right to our side and he hadn’t taken his eyes off Blaze. It was like I wasn’t even there. He wanted Blaze. He wanted my mate, and I was right here and he was trying to take Blaze away from me.

His voice was low and intimate, and I didn’t hear the words because my dragon roared inside me.

Blaze turned his head to the man, met his eyes, and spoke.

The man reached out his hand. He was going to touch my mate.

Instinct took over me. I smacked his hand away from my mate, batting it aside and snarling. I stood, hauling Blaze back against me as I surged out of the armchair and stood, ready to face the threat.

Two men were instantly beside the offender. I recognised their stance. It was the same one I had with Blaze, my arms around him protectively, buttwisting him behind me so I was between him and the threat. One of the men had the tall man in his arms and was dragging him away and the other was glaring and pushing in front of him, protecting him.

The tension in the air suddenly skyrocketed. Everyone leapt out of their seats.

Low growls filled the air, coming from both clans, and each dragon with a protective instinct tried to stand in front of the people it most wanted to defend.

The growls got louder.

My dragon began to fill me, feeling the tension and the threat. It knew it could protect my clan, if I let it. If I let it out.

A sudden, sharp voice snapped through the room.

“Everybodystop.”

It was Edith, and her voice held so much sudden command that we alldidstop. Even me.

I have no idea why having another dragon elder so close made me revert to being, well, me, but I blurted out, “Wow, that was impressive, you even got me to stop. Wait, are you allowed to do that? Was I meant to stop?”

Edith’s eyes turned to me and I saw the glimmer of her dragon inside them. It made my own dragon start to rise up again. The challenge in those eyes.

“You are in my territory and I am powerful in my way, even though I am not a golden dragon. I have a lot of experience being around other clans and other elders.”

I blinked at her.

My dragon stopped trying to push out of me.

Had she justansweredmy question?

That had never happened before. I was so surprised that she’d taken the time to answer my stupid questions that I did nothing. I said nothing. I just stood there with Blaze tucked behind me and my clan behind me and beside me, waiting to see what she did next.

Edith turned to the tall man and asked, “Anthony, are you hurt?”

A wave of shame washed over me as I turned my attention back to him. He was standing with his shoulders hunched, and I couldn’t tell whether he was trying to make himself smaller or whether he was trying to shield his arm, which he was holding tightly to his chest.

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