Imani
She's not a property to own, Dragon. Look around you, in case you've forgotten, do you see any lizard of your kind?"
The copper-haired man – Rhaziel – didn't flinch at the insult. His amber eyes remained fixed on me. They were cold and assessing before shifting to the dark-haired man between us.
"You know me?" Rhaziel asked.
"Who doesn't?" the dark-haired man scoffed. "You show up with a dragon. The last of your kind were exterminated a hundred years ago. I heard my grandfather pardoned one of you because he was sickly and would die anyway."
Rhaziel nodded, a ghost smile appearing on his lips.
"Move," he said.
One word. No explanation. No courtesy. It seemed the only words in his dictionary were monosyllables.
The other man didn't budge. "You can come try and move me. Don't you think it's a better option?" His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Rhaziel's mouth curved into something too sharp to be a smile. "Even after a hundred years, you lot are still as barbaric and uncultured as before. What are you called?"
The dark-haired man scoffed and straightened, shoulders back, chin up. "Cassiel. I'm Alpha Cassiel Damaris."
"Your father is the Alpha King?" Rhaziel's tone made the title sound like a joke.
"Was," Cassiel said coldly. "I was coronated twelve moons ago. I am now the Alpha King."
I watched the exchange in stunned silence. My heart was still racing from nearly being executed. I know I am beautiful, and my beauty has been my strongest weapon for years, but no man has fought because of me. This was a first.
Though I didn't like that they were arguing over me like I was a car they both wanted to buy. Worse still, they sounded strange. They spoke in too formal words, and their clothing made it seem like I had walked into a historical film.
Was this all part of Vanessa's trick? Was I being hypnotised?
No! That's impossible. I was pushed off the building. Except I had somehow managed to survive, and this was a coma. It had to be.
My gaze strayed to the dark-haired man. He said his name was Cassiel.
"Cassiel," I muttered the name under my breath. Was it a Greek name? Rhaziel, too, sounded ancient—maybe Latin or Spanish.
I didn't know. I wasn't book smart.
Rhaziel took a step forward. "Hand me the girl, and I'll leave quietly."
"Leaving quietly is a better option, Dragon. Seeing the damage you've caused today, I'm not sure you have the means to pay for them. So, leave, now that the juice of mercy still flows in my heart."
"Give me the girl," Rhaziel said again.
"No!" Cassiel planted his feet wider, blocking me completely from Rhaziel's view. "Are you hard of hearing? She's a tribute to the Mother, and she belongs to me. You cannot take her."
"Tribute." Rhaziel's voice dropped several degrees. "You slaughter Omegas who don't manifest. You call them misfits and offer them to the so-called Moon Goddess. Why are you suddenly acting protective?"
That was the longest, I've heard him speak.
"We cull the weak," Cassiel's voice hardened. "A concept your kind never understood."
"Weak." Rhaziel's eyes flicked to me, then back to Cassiel. "She's a living thing. What gives you the right to call her weak? You don't know who she is."
"I know exactly who she is." Cassiel's hand moved slightly as if ready to draw a weapon. "An Omega of my pack who will stay with her pack."
I wanted to interrupt and tell them I wasn't anyone's property and certainly wasn't part of any 'pack,' but my survival instincts kept me silent. I don't think these men would understand the concept of women's rights, and it's better to understand the players before making a move.
The Dragon, puffed, exhaling a blast of hot air.
"Calm our beast," Cassiel nodded toward the massive Dragon. "This doesn't concern it."
"Her," Rhaziel corrected.
"What?"
"My Dragon. She's female."
The beast rumbled in agreement, exhaling another blast of heat through her nostrils.
Cassel's jaw tightened. "Whatever it is, tell it to back away from my Omega."
"No."
"Why?" Cassiel demanded. "What could you possibly want with a defective omega?"
"My dragon wants her."
"Your—" Cassiel's eyes widened. "Mind your words, Dragon, unless you want history to repeat itself."
The temperature around us dropped instantly. Despite the arena's heat, I could see my breath misting in the air.
Rhaziel let out a short, humorless laugh. "I've never seen anyone so proud that they murdered an entire race. But then again, you're a werewolf."
The insult hit its mark. Cassiel's face darkened with rage. "We did what was necessary."
"Necessary." Rhaziel's voice was flat. "Slaughtering hatchlings in their nests was necessary?"
My eyes darted between them. What the hell had happened between these two people? Did Cassiel's people steal Rhaziel's chicken eggs or something?
"Your kind was breeding too quickly," Cassiel growled. "Taking territory that wasn't yours."
"Territory." Rhaziel's expression didn't change, but something in his eyes did. "Is that what you call our homeland?"
Cassiel didn't answer.
"Three days," Rhaziel said, abruptly turning toward his Dragon.
"What?" Cassiel called after him.
"Three days, and I'll come back for the girl." Rhaziel didn't look back; he kept walking. "After that, I won't be responsible for what happens."
The massive Dragon uncurled from me, her amber eyes meeting mine for one last moment before she stretched her wings. I stumbled back, pressing against the arena wall as the beast rose to her full height.
"This won't be the first time we killed a lizard," Cassiel shouted. "But it will definitely be the last."
Rhaziel paused, one hand on his Dragon's foreleg. He didn't turn around. "You've been warned."
In one fluid motion, he climbed onto the Dragon's back. The beast's muscles bunched beneath copper scales, and then she was airborne, her mighty wings driving them upward with a gust of wind that nearly knocked me off my feet.
I watched them shrink against the blue sky, my mind racing.
What the actual hell was happening? Dragons? Werewolves? Omegas?
Cassiel watched it until it vanished behind the mountains, then turned to me.
"Are you hurt?" his voice softened. The rage he'd shown Rhaziel disappeared and was replaced with concern.
I checked myself. Rope marks circled my wrists, and my bare feet were scratched from running across the arena. Nothing serious.
"I'm alive." That seemed like the most important point.
He nodded, scanning me from head to toe. "Imani, we need to leave before…"
My eyes widened. I'm sure I hadn't said my name. "How do you know my name?" I stepped back, pointing at my chest. "How do you know who I am?"
Cassiel's brow furrowed. He looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "You told me."
"I never told you anything." My voice rose. I was sure we'd never spoken before this moment.
"Yes, you did." He stepped closer, studying my face. "That was three moons ago at the night inn at Shadowbrood Pack when you came to serve me wine and take me to my lodging…" he trailed off, watching my blank expression. "You truly don't remember?"
I shook my head. Last week, I was in Manhattan. Andrew and I were at a polo game, betting on horses. I had won, and later that night, I strip-teased for Andrew. I was not talking to "werewolves at a night inn."
Before I could respond, footsteps sounded behind, and Cassiel's posture changed instantly. He looked even more regal now.
Six men in dark leather armour surrounded us. Leading them was a tall man with dark hair and hard eyes. A jagged scar ran from his left temple to his jaw.
"Alpha." he bowed his head slightly, but his tone held an informality that showed he was close to Cassiel. "The arena is in chaos."
"Eamon," Cassiel acknowledged him with a nod. "Perfect timing."
"The Dragon left?" Eamon's eyes flickered to me, but he didn't try to hide his contempt.
"For now."
"Bold of him to come to our territory." Eamon scoffed. "Even bolder to challenge you directly."
"He didn't challenge me," Cassiel said. "He threatened me."
"Same difference to a Dragon." Eamon stopped in front of me. "The hour for the Omegas to be given as tributes has passed. We've taken the remaining back to the holding cells. We'll repeat the cleansing in three days. The Elders will want an explanation."
His words hit me like cold water. These people had gathered to watch me die. And apparently, they still wanted me dead.
I opened my mouth to protest when a wave of desire crashed through my body, pooling at my lower abdomen again. It wasn't normal; this felt like fire and ice simultaneously. I doubled over, gasping.
The pain vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by a strange tingling across my skin. A sweet, heavy scent filled my nostrils—like caramel, cinnamon, and something wild I couldn't name.
It was coming from me.