We hauled our belongings to our respective hotel rooms, which were painfully familiar at this point. At first, the luxury of the hotel rooms were a blissful dream from which I’d never wanted to wake. They greeted us with pristine cleanliness, the highest thread count sheets, and cute little touches like clean towels folded to resemble kissing swans.
But I was disillusioned with it all. I growled at the swans’ PDA and shoved them off the bed. Even the stupid towels found their fated mates before I did.
The Dragonfate Games stopped feeling like a vacation brimming with possibilities a couple seasons ago; now, it felt like a prison cell from which I could only sit and watch as other people fell in love.
I sat on the edge of my king-sized bed, staring at my scuffed bag and rubbing my temples. What was the point of unpacking? I’d have to pack all over again when some random nobody inevitably won the dragon’s heart.
As if my frustration couldn’t get worse, the contestants weren’t told the bachelor’s identity this time around. The mystery would do wonders for the show’s ratings, sure, but it was hell on my nerves. There were only so many alpha dragons left—and if I didn’t find my fated mate soon...
I shuddered in discomfort.
Being a single omega was not acceptable. It only led to disaster.
Ihadto find my mate. I couldn’t keep watching unworthy omegas find their perfect match while I sat behind, lonely and unwanted.
A stab of terror sank between my ribs, but I tried not to let it linger. I strode to the window and took a deep breath of fresh air to shake the unsettled feeling.
A gentle knock at the door yanked me back from the edge of my spiral. The hopeful part of me fantasized about it being my fated alpha, here to claim what was his by tearing off my clothes and ravishing me on the hotel room floor.
My hopes were dashed when Poppy stood there instead.
“Hi, Alaric,” he murmured, staring at the floor. “Um. I just wanted to say sorry again for your suitcase...”
I groaned. “You’re impossible, wolf. Stop apologizing.”
“But you were so upset,” he insisted, rubbing his arm.
I waved a hand. “I’m dramatic. I’ll be fine. Don’t throw yourself on the sword for my sake.”
He nodded, then awkwardly turned to leave.
My sudden pang of fear and loneliness struck a nerve. I didn’t want to be alone right now.
I called out, “Where are you going? You came all the way here. You might as well stay.”
Poppy blinked, then shuffled meekly into my room. He continued staring at the floor, as if worried he’d break something just by looking at it.
“So, er,” Poppy began. “Who do you think the bachelor’s going to be this time?”
I scoffed at the mere mention of bachelors. Like they were so important.
“Hell if I know,” I grumbled. “There’s only three left.”
You’re running out of time,the nagging voice in my head reminded me.
Silence,I retorted.
But the annoying voice was right, and it stirred up the layer of negative thoughts again. Whipping towards Poppy, I snapped, “We should’ve both found our mates by now. It’s been four seasons already! What’s taking so long?”
Poppy was taken aback by my outrage. Clearly he didn’t feel as strongly—or didn’t show it.
“Each dragon so far found their fated mate,” he pointed out gently. “We just weren’t the right omegas.”
I steamed, but I knew Poppy was correct. Regardless of my righteous fury, I hadn’t felt the magical pull towards any of the past alpha dragons, no matter how hard I’d tried to force it.
Then again, I’d never hada fated mate before. How was I supposed to know what it felt like? Was it possible Ididfeel it and simply didn’t realize? That some other omega had snatched my true mate out from under me? The idea was horrifying.
“There has to be something going on,” I growled, pacing in front of the window. The beautiful ocean view did nothing to soothe my bristling nerves.
