“Besides wealth, he would be intelligent, of course. I don’t care for wilful ignorance. Or crass behavior. Oh, and he would have status, too. He would be respectable. Elegant. Classy. Someone I would be proud to stand beside.”
Taylor arched a brow, clearly wanting to make a smart-ass comment.
“If you wish to speak, then spit it out,” I ordered.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “No, nothing. It just sounds like you’re describing a certain green-haired alpha dragon I know.”
Flustered, I glared at him. “I amnotdescribing Jade! If Jade was my type, I would have said so!”
As my yowled words echoed in the silent kitchen, my cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. I hadn’t meant to speak so loudly. Gods, I hoped nobody else heard that.
Ruby giggled and took my sudden volume as an invitation to join in. He roared a tiny dragonet roar that sounded more like a tiger cub squeaking. The kid’s cuteness distracted me from my shameful display.
“You said it, Ruby,” I agreed.
Taylor watched me interact with his son, then asked, “You want one, don’t you?”
I shot him a look. “What gave it away?”
He smiled. “No need to be sarcastic about it. We’re both omegas here.”
I stopped bristling. He was right. Taylor was my ally in my search for a mate and children, but it was hard not to lash out when he had everything I wanted. I tried to temper my attitude.
I let out a long breath through my nose. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”
“You can’t be that much older than me,” Taylor pointed out.
“I’m thirty-one. I wear sunscreen and moisturize religiously,” I explained in a grumble.
Taylor blinked. “Oh. Well, you look very youthful.”
I groaned, putting my forehead on the counter. I never wanted to admit my age, but Taylor had squeezed it out of me.
He scratched his head. “I guess I understand why you chased the alphas so aggressively now.”
I grimaced. My age was only part of it. I couldn’t tell Taylor the whole truth—that I’d wanted a mate since I turned 18 because my heart couldn’t bear the idea of ending up like my dad. I shoved those murky thoughts aside, forcing myself to stay in the moment.
“I don’t want your pity,” I said. “I just want my alpha.”
“I get it.” Taylor put a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll find him, Alaric. I have a hunch that he’s closer than you realize.”
My chest twinged with dull hope. Was Taylor right? Could Jade be my fated mate?
Or would I go home alone for a fifth time?
The thought of that killed me. I couldn’t handle that much rejection. It was too much. If I didn’t connect with Jade during this season, I vowed never to return to the Dragonfate Games.
“By the way, I’ve been wondering about it this whole time,” Taylor said, glancing sidelong at my neck. “What’s with the collar?”
Searing heat filled my cheeks. Fuck. I kept forgetting about that stupid thing.
I stood abruptly. “It’s a fashion statement. Anyways, it’s late. I’m going back to the hotel. Goodnight, Taylor. And Ruby.”
Ruby sneezed, snorting out a tiny flame.
Taylor waved the smoke from the air and wiped his child’s nose. “Good luck on the first challenge tomorrow,” he called after me.
My stomach flipped with a mix of anticipation and unease. The Dragonfate Games were officially starting—and it was my last chance to make it work.
