But Crimson wasn’t the only alpha dragon on the island. That’s what brought me back. Deep down, I sensed my fated mate was there. Otherwise, I’d never risk appearing on TV again.
Thankfully, my plain persona didn’t attract much attention, and I planned to keep it that way.
With my brown bag clutched in hand, I headed down the street towards my apartment. Or, I tried to. The sidewalk was blocked by a huge crowd of excited, rowdy people.
I would’ve crossed the street to escape them, but I’d have to jaywalk through four lanes of traffic. Too bad I lived in a human-dominant city. If I didn’t, I could’ve simply shifted into my golden eagle form and flown.
I braced myself for the crowd and skirted the edge of it. Something had them all riled up. I didn’t care to learn what it was—until I heard a familiar phrase.
“...so apply now to the Dragonfate Games! Who knows? The next winner could beyou!”
I stopped in my tracks.
That voice...
Curiosity got the best of me and I peered into the crowd. They all gathered around a storefront’s glass window where huge high-definition TVs played familiar picturesque footage from Chromatimaeus Island.
But at the center of attention was an even more familiar sight—Gaius in the flesh, wearing one of his typical Hawaiian shirts. This time it was an eye-searing shade of cyan.
I nearly dropped my bag. What was he doing here?
Gaius didn’t notice me. He went on in his charismatic announcer voice, grabbing everyone’s attention. “All omega shifters between the ages of twenty-five and fifty are eligible to apply!”
That was odd. I didn’t recall there being a strict age range like that on the first application. I wondered about the reasoning behind it.
“So, what are you waiting for?” Gaius preached. “Who doesn’t want a chance to be an alpha dragon’s fated mate? Simply fill out the form and you’re golden!”
Swayed by Gaius’s pitch, everyone clamored to reach the table with the forms. I stood back so I didn’t get run over. There was a civil line when I first applied, nothing nearly as wild as this. Did people want to be fated mates with a dragon this badly?
Though, I supposed I wasn’t any different. I knew deep in my heart my fated mate was on that island. Who was to say these people applying didn’t feel the same way?
I side-stepped the commotion to speak to Gaius privately. When he saw me, his face lit up.
“Matteo!” He gave me a friendly hug. “Good to see you, my fellow feathered friend! What a coincidence. Didn’t imagine I’d run into a previous contestant today.”
“Same here. I can’t believe this crowd, either. Were the Games really that popular?”
“Can eagles fly?” He grinned. “And season two is going to be much bigger—bachelor’s orders.”
My brows rose, and my heart fluttered softly. “Oh? Who is it this time, if I may ask?”
“Sure, it’s no secret. He wants the whole world to know.”
Gaius pressed a button on his remote and gestured to the flat screen TV. The scene changed. The beautiful shots of the beach disappeared, and in their place was a model-worthy still of Thystle. His long, wispy purple hair flowed against the pillow he lay on, and his half-lidded eyes graced with black eyeliner gave the camera a confident, sultry look.
My heart skipped a beat. I’d only seen Thystle once in person during season one’s closing ceremony, but even then, he’d struck me as special. All of the dragon brothers were gorgeous, obviously, but there was a magnetic quality about the young alpha with the black-rimmed amethyst gaze.
A shudder went down my spine as I locked eyes with the Thystle on the screen. And apparently, I wasn’t the only one interested in him. Once Gaius flipped the switch, the crowd was drawn to him. They gathered around the TV, still clutching their application forms. Now that they’d actually seen the grand prize, they were even more eager to enter.
I found myself grinding my teeth, which I usually never did. I stopped.
It didn’t matter if all these people entered—or were even accepted. I’d already been offered a return ticket, so I had a guaranteed spot in the second season of the Games.
But if Thystle actually chose me... that was a different story.
There was no use worrying about it now. Besides, I’d never even spoken to the man. I couldn’t fantasize about being his fated mate without at least sharing a conversation.
“Thanks for chatting, Gaius,” I said. “I’d better be on my way.”
