Recklessness would be my downfall. I’d bide my time, learn their schedules, their strengths and weaknesses. Only then, armed with information, would I attack.
As I walked behind the two identical blond men, a slow smirk spread across my lips. They were leading me straight into the heart of their lair. How foolish could they be?
When I glimpsed their lair—thecastle, they called it—I stopped breathing for a second. It was the biggest building I’d ever seen, grander and more imposing than the hotel. Sharp spires jutted against the sky like dragon horns. If I was a weaker bear, I might’ve been intimidated.
The twins led me into the mouth of the castle, then up a treacherous spiral staircase. Finally, Saffron pushed open a door, revealing a spacious unit.
My nose twitched as their combined scents flooded my nostrils. I was still learning dragon scent, but it reeked of young, virile alpha. The spicy, musky odor was unmistakable. Yet there were undercurrents of a different animal scent here, too. Was it… ermine? Pine marten? I couldn’t tell.
“Here we are! Our living room,” Saffron announced. He pointed to two doors on the opposite end of the room. “That’s Aurum’s bedroom, and that’s mine.”
I absorbed this knowledge and its implications.
“Understood,” I said. “I am not to set foot on Aurum’s side.”
Aurum raised a brow. “Uh, nobody said that. I mean, it’d be weird if you did since you just got here, but it’s not off limits.”
His tone confused me. Both he and Saffron spoke to me so casually. I didn’t understand it. I was an omega; they were both alphas. They had the right to give me orders, and enforce strict boundaries. Why did they act like our statuses were equal?
“I’m sorry,” I said, truly not knowing how else to respond.
Saffron snorted. “Don’t apologize. C’mon, sit on the couch with me.”
I lingered in the doorway, still taking in the sights and smells, then trudged after Saffron. He’d already sunk into the worn leather couch. He patted the seat invitingly.
Again, I hesitated. Did he really want me to sit beside him? I’d never been so close to an alpha—not unless I was being disciplined.
Saffron flashed a smile. “Don’t be shy.”
That smile… it did something to me. It made my chest tingle.
A suspicious thought crossed my mind: was this a trap? Was Saffron setting me up to make mistakes on purpose so he could punish me for them?
I searched Saffron’s face. His amber eyes glittered like sunlight reflecting off ice. He was almost too bright to look at.
Don’t dawdle. Make a decision.
I couldn’t refuse forever. Finally, I gave in. I lumbered onto the couch, trying not to gouge the leather with my claws. As I sat down, the cushion deflated beneath my weight, releasing an embarrassing high-pitched whine. Clearly, it wasn’t designed to support a thousand pounds of bear.
Saffron laughed at the sound. “Don’t sweat it. It’s an old couch. Me and Aurum have spent plenty of nights with our butts glued to the seat, watching movies or playing video games.”
Aurum popped his head over the back of the couch, almost cheek to cheek with Saffron. “Youhaveplayed a video game before, right?” he asked me.
I could tell the answer was supposed to be ‘yes’, but there was no point in lying.
“No,” I said.
Aurum mimed a choking sound, like he was about to keel over and die.
If he really is a dragon, that would save me a lot of trouble,I thought.
“You are so weird, dude,” Aurum said. His criticism was mild. “Anyway, I’m off to bed. Gotta catch up on my mate-loving time.”
Saffron snorted, then playfully shoved his twin away. “Get outta here.”
Before Aurum disappeared into the other room, he shot me a pointed look. “By the way, Rorik, here’s a piece of advice: don’t let Saffron trick you into watchingTitanic. He did that to me once and I’ll never forgive him.”
Instantly, Saffron bristled with defiance. “I didn’t trick you, and even if I did, it’s an amazing film that everybody should watch at least once—”
