I made a noncommittal noise.
Dante crossed his arms - or at least, as much as he could while holding his son. “Let me ask you something, Lorenzo. When was the last time you met someone new? And an omega at that?”
Embarrassingly, I answered, “Well, the last new omega I met was Gabriel. And before him… I don’t even remember.”
“See? That’s what I mean,” Dante continued. “How are you supposed to find love if you aren’t actively meeting new people?”
As much sense as he made, I didn’t want to admit that he was right. “I always assumed I’d fall in love with somebody I’d already known for a while.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that’s clearly not happening,” Dante said with brutal honesty. “No offense, bro. You know I love you.”
I sighed. “None taken. You’re not wrong.”
“Say,” Gabriel said suddenly, a twinkle in his eyes, “have you heard of that new shifter dating site?”
“Oh, no,” I said instantly. “Anything but a dating site.”
“What?” Dante cried. “Why not?”
I shook my head. “It’s only for people wanting a hookup. Nobody on those sites wants a meaningful long-term relationship. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but… It’s just not whatIwant.”
“Oh, come on, you don’t know that for sure,” Dante argued. “I’m sure that for all the one-night stands out there, there must besomepeople seeking a real relationship. Maybe there’s even a nice omega who got bullied into making a profile by his family, just like you.” He grinned.
“Unlikely,” I muttered.
“I think it’s worth a try,” Gabriel offered with a gentle smile. “If you don’t like it, you can always delete your profile. No harm done.”
Both of them watched me, nearly bursting with curiosity and excitement. They seemed like two little kids, and I suddenly felt very old.
But what did I have to lose? Gabriel was right. Deleting my profile was always an option if I didn’t enjoy the outcome, and I couldn’t deny that Dante was right about me never meeting any new people. To be honest, I was starting to feel left behind compared to all the new couples around me. If they could all find their fated mate - or hell, even just a single date - why couldn’t I?
With hesitation, I sighed and said, “Okay. I agree to your scheme, Dante.”
My brother’s face lit up. “Yes! Oh, man, can we set up a profile right now? This is so exciting!”
Blushing at his enthusiasm, I said, “I can create a dating profile without my annoying younger brother’s help, thank you.”
My remark didn’t deter Dante’s grin. “Fine, fine, I believe you. Just don’t make yourself sound boring, okay? None of thatlong walks on the beachstuff.”
I frowned. “Idolike long walks on the beach.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Gabriel said, waving his mate off. “Just put yourself out there, Lorenzo. You’re an amazing guy and a great alpha. I’m sure you’ll find the omega that’s right for you.”
I smiled at Gabriel’s warm encouragement. With him on my side, this whole idea seemed less ridiculous. “Thanks.”
Dante scooted towards me and pulled up his phone, showing me a colorful site. “Here, listen. There’s a new site that Ryu told me about that apparentlyallthe single shifters are using. It’s calledPanthr.Ooh, make sure to mention you’re a sexy alpha dragon,” Dante said, flashing a grin at Gabriel. “Omegas love that stuff.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes and elbowed his mate. “Oh, shut up.”
We said our goodbyes, including a big wet kiss from baby Noah, and parted ways. As soon as they left, I slunk back into my home and leaned on a white pillar with a sigh.
A dating site... Was I really contemplating this? The Lorenzo from a few months ago would have absolutely refused, but now, after watching my younger brother find the love of his lifeandstart a family, I wasn’t so sure. Despite my dragon immortality, I still felt like I was running out of time. I didn’t want to be passive in my search any longer. Dante was right. If I wanted a mate, I needed to put myself out there and justfindone.
I cracked my knuckles, grabbed a sparkling water, and openedPanthr.
Name:Lorenzo Drakinus
Species: Other (Dragon)
