13
Lorenzo
I had never been so furious. All-encompassing rage raced through my veins like pure fire. My dragon wanted to scream and rip something apart. Never in my life had I experienced anger like this.
But my anger wasn’t solely directed towards the poachers who were trying to abduct Raja.
No, the majority of my anger was aimed at Raja himself.
I didn’t know how he could be so utterly careless. I nearly watched him throw himself into the arms of poachers over something ridiculous, with no regard for his own safety or the safety of ourchild. A fresh burst of anger exploded inside me. Did he evencareabout our child? Was the reputation of his village worth more than our baby’s life?
A low growl escaped my throat, but nobody - not the poachers, or Raja - mentioned it. The adrenaline had cooled off, but the air was still tense and thick. I couldn’t wait to reach Skrofa clan so we could deal with these poachers and leave.
But what would I do after that? I didn’t know anymore. I didn’t know if Icouldbe with Raja anymore. I certainly didn’t even want to be in his presence right now.
We couldn’t arrive fast enough. When we finally touched down, I felt a vague relief knowing this would be over soon. Every moment I spent around the poachers was temptation to kill them and be done with it. They were lucky I didn’t rip them apart already.
Raja dismounted and shifted to human form, while I kept a firm grip on both of the poachers, who were visibly uncomfortable.
Good,I thought angrily.
“Chief Sotu should be inside the village,” Raja mumbled. “Stay back until I tell the guards what’s going on.”
I prickled at Raja ordering me around, but I stayed put.
Out of the bushes, a large animal stalked out and stared at us with intelligent eyes. A boar. Unlike the others, this one didn’t attack us. He shifted into human form and asked Raja, “Pardus clan omega, and the Silver Beast. What have you come here for?”
“Um… My friend and I found a couple of poachers that said they were kicked out of your clan,” Raja explained. “Could we speak to the chief?”
Anger and confusion and a mess of other emotions churned in my stomach at being called afriend. Is that all I was to him now? Just a friend, after everything we’d been through - and the fact that we had a baby on the way?
“Well, it’s late and he might be asleep... but I see you brought company,” the Skrofa guard muttered, shooting a dirty glance at the poachers. “Wait just a moment, please.”
He disappeared into the ferns, then returned a moment later with someone at his side. I recognized the older manas the Skrofa elder, Sotu, who had been present at our wedding.
Our fake wedding,I thought bitterly.
Sotu perked up when he recognized Raja and I, then frowned instantly when he saw the poachers in my arms.
“Raja Kesuma,” Sotu said, “and Lorenzo Drakinus. It’s good to see you again.” In a darker tone, he asked, “Now, what are you doing with those men?”
The poachers stiffened in my grip.
“They were trying to kidnap and traffic Raja,” I explained bluntly.
Sotu didn’t seem surprised to hear a dragon speak - as a clan chief, he must have been wise enough to recognize dragon magic. But his eyes widened in horror at what I told him. “They did what?”
“They said they were banished from your clan and needed a way to make money, so they wanted to sell Raja’s body,” I growled. Raja said nothing. He hung his head and stared at the ground. The furious part of me wanted to make him even more uncomfortable, so I added, “And notjustRaja’s body. He is pregnant with our child, so these poachers intended to make a profit on our baby, as well.”
Raja flinched.
Sotu was nearly shaking with anger. He approached me slowly, his ferocious glare on the poachers who trembled in my grip.
Good. I hope they get what’s coming to them.
“You two were already banished for your heinous crimes,” Sotu exclaimed, “and now I hear that you attempted to kidnap my old friend’s pregnant omega son!? Have you learned nothing from your banishment?”
Sotu gestured a signal to the guard, who silently obeyed. He ran off, and returned quickly with more guards.
