Page 31 of Ancient Promises
“I had a very distressing visit from a dragon female, who accused my brother of saying he had a mate when he wasn’t mated. I came to see for myself.” Zihndyr sniffed and looked at her. “This is her?”
Eivross’s arm tightened around her.
“What’s he talking about?” Diem asked.
“One of the females must have gone to him after I sent them away.”
Zihndyr leveled a very serious look at Diem, which made her skin crawl. “I suppose she’s lovely, for a non-dragon. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t pick one of the females who came for you when your dragon called instead of this one, who appears to be far more breakable than a dragon female.”
Diem’s wolf didnotlike being called breakable.
She leaned forward, wanting to give him a couple swipes with her claws, but Eivross leaned back against her and prevented her from moving.
“Plus,” his brother continued, “she’s clearly a half-breed, which is definitely beyond the brother of a king.”
“Oh, fuck you and the wings that brought you here,” Diem said.
The other dragons snarled and a few spewed fire, which made Diem immediately want to take a step back, but she held her ground. Wasn’t she a kickass female?
Hell yes, she was.
Zihndyr hummed, the creepy look in his eyes intensifying. “Maybe sheisworthwhile as a mate. I’ve tired of mine, and the new one is causing a ruckus in the house.” He moved so fast that Diem couldn’t even track him. One moment he was a few yards from them, the next he was right in her personal space and lifting her hand to kiss it.
She tried to pull from his grasp as Eivross put his hands on his brother and shoved, but Zihndyr had a tight grip and her knuckles cracked. She let out a gasp as a frisson of pain wove up her arm.
“I think I’ll throw my hat in the ring.”
“Hat? What hat? And what ring are you talking about?” Diem demanded. Eivross finally managed to push his brother away, then cupped her hand and looked at her.
“Are you okay?”
Before she could answer, Zihndyr said, “I think I’ll take you for a mate. My brother doesn’t have the balls to take you for a proper mate, so I will.”
“The hell you will!”
Rehlik moved between them and let out a deep growl. “You will not threaten my pack members. You have overstayed your welcome. Leave now, or we’ll make you leave.”
“You can try,” Zihndyr said, crossing his arms and planting his feet.
Trace strode forward, purple lighting crackling over his fingers as he tapped into his warlock power. “You heard our alpha.”
The power emanating from Trace made the hair on Diem’s arms rise.
Zihndyr looked like he was going to argue, but instead he bowed toward Diem. “Be prepared, female. One way or another, you’ll be mine.”
He rose into the sky with a few powerful flaps of his wings, his males following.
The light from Trace’s power ebbed swiftly.
Diem pushed from Eivross’s arms.
“What the hell?” she demanded.
He faced her slowly. “What?”
“You didn’t mate me properly so your brother thinks I’m fair game? Why didn’t you?”
He pointed upward. “Did you not see what just happened? My brother is crazy. He’s a dangerous, murderous lunatic who’s now set his sights on you.”