Page 31 of Red and Her Dragons (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 4)

So, Marcus suspected the same thing I had. That didn’t bode well. From what I could gather, Bryson was always up to no good. If he was going to start a war with the shifters, it was for something big.

“And I’m just now finding out about this?” I asked, growing angrier by the second. I clutched the spatula in my fist. “Why would you keep this from me?”

“I’m just finding out about this too,” Bret said. “I highly doubt it was being kept from you out of spite.”

“Well, whatever the reason,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest and putting my foot down, “I’m helping.”

“Not this again,” Bret mumbled.

I glared at him.

“No, you’re not,” Marcus said.

“Didn’t we go over this last night?” Bret asked. “I thought you understood where we were coming from?”

“Is that what this breakfast was for?” Jax asked. “I’m confused.”

I shook my head. “Unbelievable.”

“None of us want to see you be put in harm’s way,” Jax said. “We all want you safe.”

“Oh, I understand everything now,” I said, voice rising an octave. “So, you get to put yourselves in danger for me, but I can’t do the same thing for you. You want to protect me, but I can’t do the same for you?”

“Come on now,” Bret said. “You know it isn’t like that.”

“Don’t look at it as a double standard,” Marcus started. “Because for us, it’s not. We’re just doing what we’re supposed to do, and that’s doing everything in our power to keep you safe.”

I glared at him and his gorgeous face. “Well, then how am I supposed to see it? Because, from where I’m standing, what’s going on is the definition of a double standard.”

“We’re trying to protect you, for starters,” he said. His brown eyes pleaded for me to stop. He seemed exhausted and like he hadn’t slept in a few days. Much more than just last night.This whole wolf, human, killing shifters thing has got him so deeply, he was losing sleep.

But that didn’t mean I wasn’t angry.

“I don’t need protecting,” I said, nearly shouting. I slammed the spatula onto the counter and faced the men. “You have another thing coming if you think I’m really some pathetic damsel in distress. Look, I found this whole thing cute for a while, but now I’m annoyed. I can fight. I can use magic. I can help.”

“You’re not coming,” Bret said, firmly. I wasn’t sure what bothered me more. The fact that he had spoken so calmly, or what he had said.

“I second that,” Jax said.

Marcus met my gaze and shrugged. “I agree with them.”

“This wasn’t up for a vote,” I snapped.

“Regardless, we all agree everything is too dangerous for you to come,” Jax said.

I looked between the three of them. Meeting each of them in the eyes. My anger was starting to get the best of me, but I couldn’t back down now. I refused to sit back and watch everything from the sidelines. Not when I could do something to help.

“All right, look, the three of you,” I started. “I’m not weak, fragile, or incapable. I can handle myself, and I can help.”

“No one is arguing your strength here,” Jax said.

I held up my hand to stop him. “I’m not finished.”

He nodded, holding his hands up in surrender.

“Either I help with your blessing, or I’m helping without it. Regardless, I’m helping,” I said.

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