He grinned. “Good observation. I’m not. I stepped in to protect one of the smaller omegas, Muzo. He got on the wrong side of a ‘boozed-up dickhead,’ as you so delightfully put it.”
When Matteo mentioned the name, a face popped into my head. Muzo was that omega jackal from season one. I remembered his wacky grin among the crowd at the closing ceremony, and how wildly he’d clapped and cheered for his friend Taylor. Hell, I recalled Poppy, Taylor’s arctic wolf friend, too. He had a baby face and clapped softly, like he was afraid of making too much noise and bothering somebody.
Matteo was Taylor’s friend, too, wasn’t he? So why didn’t I rememberhim?
“That was really nice of you,” I said.
“Anybody would’ve done the same.”
I snorted, thinking about Aurum’s willingness to fight me earlier. “No, they wouldn’t. Trust me.”
Matteo was quiet as he regarded me for a moment. Dammit, I wished I could’ve seen his eyes better. Past the unfortunate swelling, they looked warm and kind.
“In any case, thanks for coming to talk to me,” he said. “You’re a busy bachelor, and this has taken time out of your day.”
“Don’t even mention it. I’m not as busy as you think. Until the show starts, all I do is sit around and look pretty.”
He tilted his head. “And you do a fine job of that.”
Heat prickled my cheeks. The sudden compliment caught me off guard. It didn’t feel forced, or like he was trying to get on my good side before the Games officially began. He really meant it.
“Thanks,” I said, running a hand through my hair to distract from my blushing face. I decided to change the subject. “By the way, I apologize for my idiot brothers bothering you earlier. If I’d known about their scheme, I would’ve told the nurse to lock the door.”
Matteo’s mouth curled in amusement. “Not at all. They were only here for a minute before she chased them away.”
An unexpected laugh came out of me. “She did? They conveniently failed to mention that part.”
“It was quite a scene,” Matteo agreed. “I’ve never seen a kobold roar at a pair of dragons like that.”
“Wish I’d seen it. Maybe they should come bother you again,” I joked.
He arched a handsome brow. “I’d much preferyoubother me instead.”
The heat in my cheeks had barely settled, but now it flared again.
As I gazed at him and laughed with him, a realization hit me.
IlikedMatteo.
The Dragonfate Games hadn’t even started yet, and here I was falling for the first omega I spoke to. Was that normal? Did this happen to Crimson with Taylor?
I tried to quiet the fluttering sensation in my chest. “The meet-and-greet is in an hour, so I’ll have plenty of chances to bother you more.”
He flashed me a radiant smile. “Then I hope the nurse clears me in time.”
“What?”
“If she says I’m too injured to participate, I’ll have to stay here.”
My stomach flipped. I hadn’t considered the possibility that Matteo would miss it because of his injuries.
“Then I won’t go,” I stated flat-out.
Surprise crossed Matteo’s face. “Why?”
I shrugged and got comfortable in my seat. “There’s no point if you’re not there. I’ll hang out here with you instead.”
For a few beats, Matteo was silent with astonishment. “Thystle, you can’t do that.”
