My heart raced faster.For whatever reason, he’d already singled me out as someone I could depend on. Someone he could trust. I waited, literally, on the edge of my seat for his reply.
Thepantherprince:well… This is gonna be a weird question but
Thepantherprince: its really important to me. Like, extremely important
Thepantherprince: but if you said no, I’d understand too.
Chest tightening,I leaned forward and typed quickly.
Mrsilverdragon:It’s okay. I’m listening. Go ahead.
Thepantherprince: Um…
Thepantherprince: Okay
Thepantherprince: Would you be okay with coming over to my village?
My initial racing heart slowed.If all he wanted was to meet in person, that was simple enough. Maybe he was just shy. I supposed meeting somebody in real life for the first time after speaking online was a pretty big step.
Mrsilverdragon:Sure.
Thepantherprince: And would you pretend to get married to me?
I stared at the screen.Did I read that properly? I blinked, found my eyes sore from the darkness, then went to flick the lights on. But when I returned, the same words greeted me.
Raja wanted tofakea marriage?
For a moment, I felt a hot flash of hurt and betrayal. Then I realized I onlyjustmet Raja. We barely knew each other. Maybe he was just joking. Maybe he wasn’t. Either way, all I had to do was close the conversation and log off the site. Then I could just pretend this night never happened.
But the thought of abandoning Raja without another word felt cold and cruel. I couldn’t do that to him, even though we only just met. His plea seemed genuine. The only problem was if I could even entertain the thought of it.
I glanced back at the screen. A new message flashed.
Thepantherprince:Are you still there?
After a quick inner debate,I resumed my spot on the chair and replied.
Mrsilverdragon:Yes.
Thepantherprince: I know it’s a weird thing to ask.
Thepantherprince: It’s ok if you say no.
Thepantherprince: I’ll just find someone else.
To my own surprise,I was instantly filled with possessive irritation. I didn’twantRaja to find someone else, especially not on this site. Judging by everyone else I’d run into, the site wasn’t exactly filled with trustworthy people. All sorts of creeps existed online.
WhydidI feel so protective of Raja already? He was just someone behind a screen - someone I only just met hours prior. Someone whose voice I’d never heard.
Still, I couldn’t deny that an attraction existed. Even if he was just words on a screen and a picture on a profile, he was a real person behind the computer.
The possibilities whirled in my mind. Everything Raja told me could have been a lie. Assuming hypothetically that it was, me arriving in his village could be dangerous. But I was an alpha dragon shifter with powerful magic abilities. Even in the worst case scenario I could imagine, I doubted he would pose much of a threat.
Thepantherprince:Lorenzo?
Mrsilverdragon: Sorry. I’m here. I’m just thinking.
Thepantherprince: Oh really?
Thepantherprince: I’m surprised. I thought you’d say no
I thoughtI’d say no, too. But despite all the reasons I should turn his offer down, I was quickly changing my mind.
If everything Raja said was true, I would be experiencing a beautiful rainforest, a new culture, and the chance to meet a friend. And for whatever reason, Raja was urgently seeking someone to pretend to be his mate. This was obviously very important to him.
What did I have to lose by agreeing?
Mrsilverdragon:I’ll do it.
Mrsilverdragon: Where should I meet you?
