I bite my lip, wincing at the hint of irritation in his tone.
Of course he doesn’t like me.
I’m a mutt.
A nomad Omega of mixed origin.
Unworthy.
Unwelcome.
Sectorless.
“Obsidian Sector,” my father interjects before I can speak. “She’s my daughter.”
“And you are?” The boredom underscoring the masculine tone makes me shiver. He’s obviously unimpressed. But I suppose that’s better than being annoyed or angry.
“Alpha Keegan, Drakon origin.” That last part is uttered with reverence, suggesting pride in his Drakon soul. If only I’d inherited his Drakonian traits.
Instead, I’m more like my mother.
A mix of Omega genetics.
An experiment.
An abomination.
“Hmm, I see. So your daughter has Drakon blood inside her.” The voice sounds slightly more intrigued now. But I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
The hairs along my arms dance as the air shifts, a slithering sound whispering across the cobblestone. I fight the urge to close my eyes as it nears, the overwhelming scent of a raging campfire tickling my nostrils with every inhale.
Remember the rules,I repeat to myself.Don’t move. Don’t react. Don’t. Look. Up.
Clawed feet step onto the star, the golden scales nearlyblending into the pattern below it. Only, the shimmer is too alluring to be mere metal. It’s glittering. Magical.A Drakon Alpha in his dragon form.
So rare. So beautiful. So utterly majestic.
His warmth overwhelms me as he steps closer, his breath stirring the loose hairs framing my face. He’s big.Huge, even. I don’t need to look up to know that. It’s evident in the way he’s encompassed all my light, cascading me into this perpetual shadow as he inches closer.
Flames and burning wood are all I can smell now, his scent so intense I begin to feel faint.
Breathe,I coach myself.Just… just breathe.
Except every inhale makes my knees shake that much more. I want to bow. To kneel. Tosupplicate.
His presence is too overbearing. Too overwhelming. Tooconsuming.
I stop breathing as he presses his snout to my head and inhales.
Oh, Gods…
My father warned me that the Alphas would circle me. Touch me. Maybe eventasteme. But his vocal preparations paled in comparison to experiencing a dragon’s nearness.
It takes considerable effort not to flinch. To remain utterly still. To let this beast evaluate my presence.
“And what is it that you hope to accomplish today, Alpha Keegan? Why did you request this meeting?” The voice uttering the questions matches the one from earlier, confusing my senses.
I originally assumed the owner of the voice had shifted into the dragon before me. But it seems this Alpha is someone else entirely.