“I haven’t met many alphas,” Curtis said with the sycophantic reverence Elouan had tired of seasons ago.
Seasons. Years? The thoughts rearranging inside his brain to convert Adrakus culture and language to Terran left him dizzy. “You smell like an omega, sort of.”
“Sort of.” Curtis snorted. “Yeah, that’s me.” He loaded a whole lot of disgust into a few words.
“I mean no disrespect.” What had he said wrong?
“Why not? All the other dragons here disrespect me.”
Elouan cocked his head to the side, studying Curtis closely. “Why?”
“I’m half dragon. Dad is an omega, but Mom is as alpha as a human can get.”
Oh. That explained the strange scent. “I’ve never met a half-dragon before.” Or not that Elouan was aware of. Humans in Adrakus kept to themselves.
“I’m the only one I know of.”
“What are you doing out here alone?” Elouan didn’t mean to stereotype the guy, but omegas back home were seldom alone, except for Anrai, who valued his privacy.
“My dad thinks one day I might shift if I practice enough.”
A dragon who couldn’t shift? Elouan failed to keep the horror from his face.
“I know!” Curtis shouted, rising and kicking a rock into the fire. “I’m a freak.”
Think, Elouan, think! You’ve hurt him. Make this right!“I’m sorry.The portal left me disoriented, so I’m not myself right now. Are you having any luck?”
“No.” Never had anyone sounded so dejected in Elouan’s experience.
“I could help you try if you like.”
Curtis gave some pretty serious side-eye. “Why would you do that? No one does anything for nothing, and I’ve nothing to give.”
Poor guy really needed help with his self-esteem. “I’ve been in this world for less than an hour. I’m not without resources, but I don’t know how long I’ll be here. I’ll need a home, work, help to navigate a strange world.” He’d been here before, but as a tourist, not a resident.
Curtis regarded Elouan for a few moments. “My apartment ain’t much, but it’s got two bedrooms. I’m in college but work at a pizza restaurant.” He wrinkled his heavily freckled nose. “Pizza Kingdom don’t pay much, but my dad works in construction. They’re always hiring. Think you’d like to build things?” Curtis’shopeful expression tugged at Elouan’s heartstrings. Was the guy so desperate for friends?
Friendship Elouan could give, and he needed friends too. He let out a huge, relieved breath. He felt lost a few moments ago, but now, someone who considered themselves an outcast was offering to help. “I think I’d like that if your dad can teach me.”
Suddenly memories filled Elouan’s head of a life he’d never lived, where he’d built houses for a living—likely the result of Sakaris’s spell.
Curtis grinned. “I think we’re going to be good friends.”
Elouan hoped so.
Chapter One—Three Years Later
The scent of gas, oil, and car exhaust lingered, though the space hadn't served as a garage for over twenty years. Even to an omega dragon, it might have housed cars yesterday. Jules had lived in the adjoining house for almost all of his twenty-one years, and to him, the acrid tang simply smelled of home.
He’d no idea what the previous owners had kept on the walls in their time here, but now they bore padding, both as insulation for sound and for protection. Weights occupied space in one corner, treadmills another, and the center remained open for sparring.
Sweat trickled down Jules’s face and back, but he stayed on his guard, waiting for the evaluation of his latest attack.
“Good, Jules. Again.” Radomir crooked his fingers in a beckoning gesture.
Jules gripped the staff in both hands, flaunting the weapon as he’d been taught. While his opponent’s attention focusedon the staff, Jules whirled, stopping his bare foot inches from Radomir’s midsection.
“You don’t have to pamper me,” Radomir scoffed. “You can make contact.”
