Page 120 of Alpha Dragon's Mating Contract
Hassel shifted into a squirrel and leaped out of his suit. The next instant, he was a huge pterodactyl, sticking his leg out so Raptor could grab on.
Even before they landed on the sidewalk, Raptor’s stomach sank.
Instead of an expanse of green, someone had gouged out a circular section of the hedge. Too close to one of the cornerstones that anchored the protective barriers around Raptor’s territory.
“They shouldn’t have known that was there,” Raptor muttered, already pulling out his phone. He had gone to great lengths to hide the presence of the cornerstones because they were a weakness of barrier spells.
Like all things, magic had its limitations.
Raptor pinched the bridge of his nose, tapping out a quick message to Uriel.
Raptor
Hey, I have a spell emergency. Not critical, but it’s very time sensitive. Could you stop by?
Uriel
Will do. It’ll cost extra.
Raptor
It’s my lair. I’ll throw so much money at you just to keep Walren safe.
Uriel
I’ll be there in a bit
PLEASE make sure there are no alphas poking their noses where they don’t belong.
Raptor stared. And cackled.
Hassel stuck his head around Raptor’s arm, peering at his phone. Then he cackled too. “Bruiser can show his grumpy mug nearby, can’t he? When Uriel’s about to leave.”
Raptor grinned. “Make sure he’s far enough from here that Uriel doesn’t suspect you.”
29
BAD LUCK FOR URIEL
Uriel rolled his scarred,aching shoulders. “There. Done.”
Before them, the hole in the hedge had been perfectly regrown. A regular person would not be able to tell where the old leaves were, and the new ones began.
He hadn’t just fixed the hedge, though. The process to regrowagedleaves took a while, to ensure that their colors and textures matched the rest of the hedge. To hide that vulnerable, regrowing spot, Uriel had cast an illusion over the hedge to make it look normal. Then he had gone around to every cornerstone on Ace and Raptor’s properties, and hidden their presence with some of Raptor’s blood.
These new spells would need refreshing every few years, but it meant that the territory’s defenses were now more difficult to take down.
“Thanks,” Raptor said, thumbing his phone. “I’ve sent along the payment plus a tip.”
“Thanks,” Uriel replied when his phone pinged. He pulled it out and glanced at the notification—and did a double take. “Did your finger slip? That isn’t...”
Raptor had tripled his payment, and that was after he had turned down the friends and family discount.
The dragon shifter shrugged. “Not a finger slip. I’m just really grateful that you came down immediately to help. I feel so much better about Walry being here.”
Raptor looked so genuinely relieved, so happy, that a strange feeling struck Uriel’s chest.
Envy? Pity? Uriel pretended to be an alpha for a reason, but sometimes...
