Aurum grumbled as he pushed himself back into a sitting position. “Was it worth giving me a concussion?”
“Sorry,” I said.
My heart pounded. Just the sight of Muzo on screen ignited my passion for him. I cursed Jade’s restrictive rules. I should’ve been there to cheer on my mate, not stuck in this office.
The live stream showed Muzo in human form speaking to his friend Poppy as a wolf. The feed was synced up with their mics, but Poppy spoke so meekly it was difficult to hear him.
“See? That wolf’s pretty cute. Why not go for him instead?” Aurum suggested.
“Be quiet,” Saffron and I snapped at the same time.
Aurum scoffed. “Bro, now you’re twinning with Cobalt instead of me? Not cool.”
My patience ground down to a single molecule. I whipped my gaze to Aurum.
“I am trying to hear my mate speak,” I growled. “If you’re going to talk over him, then you can leave. Is that clear?”
I must have looked terrifying because fear flashed across Aurum’s face before he snorted and got up.
“Fine,” he muttered. “You two watch by yourselves since you’re so close. I’m out of here.”
Saffron frowned. “Wait, Aurum—”
But his twin had left already, slamming the door behind him. In any other circumstances, I would’ve chased after him to make sure he was okay, but I couldn’t tear my attention from Muzo.
Something was happening on-screen. It looked like the friends were having a disagreement. But over what? Poppy was submissive and gentle, and Muzo always went with the flow. Neither omega argued easily.
I had a bad feeling about it. I held my breath, leaning closer to the screen.
Then, Poppy said the word that stopped my heart.
Homeless.
Time slowed around me. I forgot how to breathe.
At first, I didn’t know what to think. It couldn’t be true, could it?
But Muzo didn’t deny it.
Something grabbed my wrist. It snapped me out of my daze.
Saffron stared at me in disbelief. “Cobalt, did you hear that?” he asked hurriedly. “Are they serious?”
A cold feeling shimmied down my spine, then froze in the pit of my stomach. I recalled the unexplained sharp, stabbing pains in my chest—the ones that stopped when I finally came face-to-face with Muzo.
My dragon rumbled within me, encroaching on my consciousness.
I had to go to my mate.
As soon as I stood, I lurched to one side. My dragon’s weight was too much for my current body. I pushed against the wall with my hand to stop myself from falling. I gritted my teeth with a sharp hiss. My dragon raged against the barrier separating us.
This revelation was too much to take. He wanted out.
“Cobalt?” Saffron asked. “You okay?”
His voice sounded distant, like it was coming from a different room.
I had to maintain control. If I lost it and shifted now, I’d crush Saffron and destroy the entire hotel.
