Elouan sat down across from Jules, two cups and Danishes already on the table. He took a sip of the coffee. Ah, just the way he liked. Jules remembered. Elouan always swore Curtis made the best coffee. The coffee shop came close.
“Your aunt let you out of the house, I see.”
Jules winced, face scrunching adorably. “She might be strict, but I believe she and Uncle Ray really do have my best interests at heart.”
“Are they your only family?”
“I have an older brother, Don. Much older.”
Don. Don Carter. He must be someone important if he took such drastic measures to keep his brother safe. Since Jules didn’t mention his parents, Elouan wouldn’t either. “What’s your brother like?”
Jules let out a long sigh. “I don’t actually know. I don’t remember him. He’s been gone a long time. Busy, gone. Notgone, gone,” he clarified. “My aunt and uncle are great people; they just need to relax and understand I can look out for myself.” Jules cast his eyes downward. “Well, except for the other night.”
“Accepting help doesn’t mean you can’t or didn’t take care of yourself. You made some good decisions.” Although Elouan still shuddered to think of what might have happened if he’d not stumbled upon the scene when he did. But on second thought, what would have happened if Elouan had waited a few more seconds before making his presence known? Jules wouldn’t have gone down without a fight, of that he was sure. And while thehuman attackers had only been the equivalent of betas, they didn’t seem to understand their place in the world. Betas were warriors by nature but were supposed to use their skills for the good of the court, not to harm others.
Especially not an omega, the lifeblood of the court. Elouan also tried not to think too hard about the compulsion that drove him to the alley in the first place.
“Maybe,” Jules said, something undefinable twinkling in his eyes.
What? Oh! Allowing Elouan to walk him home. A comment for Elouan to mull over later. “Where is this brother of yours? Don’t you ever see him?”
“No.” Jules paused for a moment, looking right and left. Passersby kept on going, not paying any attention to Jules and Elouan. He focused his blue-eyed gaze on Elouan. “Ready for more drama than any reality show, and to know too much about me?”
“All families bring drama, and you could never tell me too much about you.”
Jules gave a part grimace, part grin. “Remember, you asked for it. Anyway, my parents were involved in some…things, so my brother sent me here to live with Aunt Moira and Uncle Ray. My parents died, but I don’t really know how. Some kind of accident, I think. The last time she heard from him, Moira told me that someone had murdered Don’s wife, whom I never met, and Don struggled with her death. They didn’t have any kids. He was supposed to come back for me but hasn’t yet, and I’ve no way to get in touch with him.”
The circumstances sounded familiar. A tingling in his brain made Elouan send out his senses, probing Jules’s aura and mind. Nothing readable as a dragon, though not readable as a human either. Strange.Come back for me.What an odd choice of words. The same ones Elouan had for Sakaris.
What could Elouan say? “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“What’s so strange is I didn’t know them, so I’m kinda conflicted about losing them, you know?”
Actually, Elouan didn’t know. He’d lost people very dear to him, who’d left giant holes in his life with their absence.
They switched to lighter topics, like funny occurrences on the job and at school. Elouan introduced the joys of funny cat videos since Jules didn’t have a cellphone.
“I’ve always wanted a cat,” Jules said somewhat wistfully. “Or any pet, really.” He wrinkled his nose. “For some reason, cats don’t seem to like me.”
“From what I’ve heard, cats don’t like many people.” Especially those viewed as predators, like dragons. Elouan still bore scars on his hand from his first encounter with a cat he’d tried to feed at a construction site.
They finished their breakfast, and Elouan pushed back from their table. “Those pastries are outstanding. I think I could get used to this coffee shop.”
Jules brightened. “Didn’t I tell you? They’re the best, though they tried to get me to order pumpkin spice.” He wrinkled his nose.
Elouan would revisit this place for more than simply meeting Jules—though meeting with Jules now ranked high on the list of how to spend a Saturday. Elouan might have even stomached pumpkin spice for the honor.
“What do you want to do now?” Jules returned from taking away the trash with a hopeful look.
Elouan wanted to protest, even though it seemed like Jules wanted to take care of him. Look how easily he’d allowed Jules to clean up his mess. His brothers were right. Elouan really could be an alpha asshole.
Still, he and Jules might make the perfect alpha-omega couple if Jules were a dragon.Where had that thought come from?Elouan rose from the table, brushing off his close encounter with fantasies he’d best not entertain. “My bike’s parked around the corner. I thought we could go riding.” Jules had mentioned feeling the wind on his face.
Jules nearly bounced with excitement. “Can we really? Oh, that would be so awesome!”
For being kept isolated, Jules certainly talked like any other human his age. Curtis’s unkind words came back about Jules not being acquainted with modern culture. How could he be when he’d been so sheltered? He seemed to be doing all right now.
They strolled to the bike, and Elouan handed Jules a spare helmet from the tour pack on the back of his Harley. Elouan had fitted both helmets with half shields over the face to let him feel the wind while still protecting his eyes. Thank goodness Jules wore a warm jacket today. The sun promised additional warmth later, but October in Asheville could have cool days, especially mornings.
