First Female Dragon Alpha

6. You Shouldn't Be Here

Marina’s POV

“Happy birthday!” My oldest brother sang to me as he burst into my room. I pulled the pillow over my head, trying to suffocate the noise of his singing.

“Come on, birthday girl, you’ve been sleeping all day. Mom and dad want to have dinner with us before we go out tonight,” He pulled the covers off me, and I threw my pillow at him. I’ve been training super late at night, and it’s started to get to me. Now that I’m old enough to find my mate, I’ve spent all my time training.

The more I train, the less interaction I have with others. Though that won’t really be possible once I start school.

Still, it is my 18th birthday, so I agreed to go out with them and finally see the club life Adonis and Zaire love so much.

Adonis thinks 18 is a big year since we officially are old enough to drink and go to the clubs. I won’t say I’ve been avoiding public places since I turned 17, but I definitely haven’t gone out of my way to go out.

“Fine, let’s go,” I agreed, rolling out of bed. I got ready in record timing since the family was already waiting for me to eat.

I got downstairs to see my parents and brothers waiting for me.

“Happy birthday!” They cheered as they saw me. I walked over to Mihail and hugged him, telling him happy birthday. I sat down next to my father and immediately started eating.

“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” My mom asked, and I looked at Adonis since he had planned it.

“We’re going to Edge, that club downtown. I made VIP reservations,” He said, tossing a wink our way.

“And how are we getting home?” My dad asked, and this time, I turned to look at him.

“We’re going to call you when we’re done!” I teased, and he shook his head.

“We have Uber, dad,” Adonis answered, but my mom shook her head.

“No, no, no. Take the limo tonight. I’ll have a driver assigned,” She insisted, and I knew she wouldn’t budge.

“Thanks, mom,” Mihail smiled at her as she reached out and held his hand. He always appeases her. But, riding in the limo won’t be so bad. It’s just a little flashy, so I prefer to ride under the radar.

“Who all is going?” She asked, looking towards Adonis.

“All of Marina and Mihails friends are meeting us there. Then I’m bringing Zaire, so I have someone to hang out with. I rented the whole floor, so there’s enough room,” He explained.

“Where’s Shay?” I asked him, noticing she wasn’t at dinner with us for once.

“Here I am!” I heard her sing from across the room.

“Happy birthday!” Shayna yelled, “This is for you two,” She handed Mihail and me each a box.

I ripped the box open, and was somewhat surprised. In the box was a simple rock, with nothing else.

“So cool!” Mihail’s eyes lit up as he stood up to give her a hug, “Thank you,” He continued, holding the rock.

“See, this is why you’re my favorite twin,” Shay joked before looking back at me, “It’s an energy crystal! I made them myself. Whenever you need a jolt of energy, touch the rock! It’s better than a red bull and won’t make you jittery,” She explained, so I immediately picked the rock up.

“Woah!” I said as I felt it vibrating in my hand. I could feel the energy entering me, and I smiled up at her.

“You’re good. Thank you,” I told her before giving her a hug. She sat down next to me, and the servers immediately brought her a plate of food.

“I forgot to mention earlier,” Adonis started, “Damari will be here later. He’s going to meet us at the club,” As soon as he finished talking, my heart started racing. I haven’t seen Damari since turning 17. The day he turned 17, he started traveling the world to find his mate. He finished high school with online classes.

“Oh, that’ll be fun,” My mom said, putting her hand on mine, “You two used to hang out so much before his mate voyage. Do you know if he found her yet?” She asked me, and I shook my head.

“Pity,” She said, and I clarified.

“I didn’t mean to confuse you; I don’t know if he found his mate. We haven’t talked much in the last year,” I admitted. I may have been avoiding him, but it seems it won’t be possible tonight.

“He hasn’t,” My dad cut in. If anyone would know, it’s him.

“Tell him he’s staying here tonight. I’ll have a room made up for him,” Mom quickly said, and I nodded.

Zaire eventually made his way down as we finished eating.

“Alright, are we ready to go?” Adonis asked, standing up as soon as Zaire sat down.

“We can wait for Zaire to eat,” I pointed to his full plate of food.

“Oh yeah, my bad,” He said, sitting back down.

“It’s okay; take your time. Mar, you know I love you, but you need to change. Mihail, you too. Let’s go,” Shay said, dragging us from the kitchen.

Shay and I picked out Mihails outfit then went to my room so he could get dressed.

We got to my closet, and she pulled out two dresses, one hot pink and the other was all black with flashy sequins.

“I’ll take the black one,” I told her, getting ready to grab it from her when she shoved the pink dress into my hand.

“I was going to let you choose, but you didn’t pick right!” She laughed as she rifled through my closet and pulled out a pair of black heels.

“Fine,” I agreed, putting on my new outfit and stepping out of the bathroom.

“Damn, you’re hot,” She said before pulling on the black sequins dress I was going to wear.

“Really?” I asked her, watching her smile.

“Yeah, you look better in pink; I look better in black!” She laughed loudly as she touched up her makeup in the mirror.

“Let’s go!” She finally said, and we left my room.

“Have fun tonight!” My parents told us as we left the castle and got into the limo.

Adonis told the driver to take us to the Edge, and we were on our way.

“Here’s a toast to the birthday twins!” Adonis said, handing out shots to each of us.

I gladly took it, downing the shot quickly.

“Ew!” Shay called out, making a sour face, “Is this rum?” She asked, shaking her head.

“Yeah!” Zaire answered, smiling wide.

“Nasty! Where’s the tequila?” She said, and Mihail agreed.

“For real!”

“You shouldn’t know the difference between alcohol yet,” Adonis stared at us. We all burst out laughing.

“I don’t need to know the difference to know that was nasty,” Mihail griped, reaching for the tequila and pouring shots.

After a bit longer, the car stopped, and our driver opened the door.

“I’ll be here all night; just come out when you’re ready, and happy birthday,” He told us with a smile.

“Thank you!” I responded as I walked into the club.

“Come on, this way,” Adonis quickly walked in front of me, leading the way through the loud and crowded dancefloor and up the stairs.

“Happy Birthday!” Everyone said as we entered the private floor. It was covered with balloons, and decorations were everywhere. There was a private bar, and I saw two servers walking over with a cake in each of their hands. Everyone started singing as Mihail and I sat there awkwardly.

It was finally done, so we blew out the candles; I wished I wouldn’t find my mate until I became the Alpha. The same wish I have made every year since turning 15. As soon as they were put out, Shay turned around with a tray full of sugar cookies, just for me.

“I know they’re your favorite,” She said as she set them down, “I made them just for you!” She excitedly told me. I gladly picked one up and took a bite. I had to hide my sour face because she did not do a great job.

“How are they?” I heard a familiar voice say as I turned around and looked up at Damari.

My heart sunk seeing him as I swallowed down the nasty cookies.

“Not great,” I laughed, putting it back on the tray and hugging him. He squeezed me tight, and I was waiting to see if Syry would announce him as my mate. It never happened; I didn’t feel anything for him as our skin made contact.

“Anything?” I linked him, and he smiled at me.

“We’re in the clear,” He confirmed, and I sighed in relief. Don’t get me wrong, Damari is a great guy. One day, he’ll have an amazing Czarina, and I’m thankful it’s not me.

“I think I forgot the egg,” Shay said when she took a bite of the cookie. I couldn’t help but laugh as she admitted it.

“It’s okay; I really appreciate you trying,” I gave her a hug then turned back to Damari.

“How’s traveling?” I asked, watching him shrug, “It’s alright, I guess,” He sighed as he leaned on the bar we were next to.

“Marina! Come do a shot with us!” One of my friends yelled from down the bar, and I smiled at Damari.

“Go, have fun; we’ll catch up later,” He said, waving me on.

“Thanks. Mom said there’s a room for you at the castle. You can take the limo back with us,” I told him after reaching up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled at me as I walked toward my friends.

After some drinks and great conversations, I had to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the only thing the VIP area didn’t have was its own bathroom. So I had to go downstairs.

I drunkenly looked at myself in the mirror, fixing my hair and cleaning some of the makeup that melted before stepping out to go back upstairs. As soon as I stepped out, I could feel tingles shoot through my body.

Uh oh. That was weird. It must be the alcohol; I’ll definitely get water when I get upstairs.

I took a deep breath to steady myself when the scent of sugar cookies filled my senses. Maybe Shay threw them away down here. I took a deep breath and felt compelled to follow the scent, but it wasn’t leading me toward the bar.

Oh no. Is Damari my mate, and it’s just coming on late?

I walked through the crowded area of the main club, weaving through groups of partiers, when I saw Damari talking to Kai in the corner. They must have come together. Are they friends now?

I was about to walk over to them when I stopped.

“Mate!” Syry screamed in my head. s**t s**t s**t! He is my mate!

I watched them both stop talking, and turn towards me.

I didn’t even realize I walked over to them until Damari’s words pulled my attention to the situation at hand.

“Are you okay?” Damari asked as I reached out and was about to touch his arm. I pulled back quickly, not ready to feel the mate spark. Maybe we can ignore it, and it’ll go away.

Before I could do anything else, Damari put his hands on my shoulders and shook me. I closed my eyes tightly, and when I didn’t feel the mate sparks, I opened them quickly.

I glanced at Kai while Damari kept his hands on my shoulder, “You?” I asked, my voice trembling as his bright white hair fell into his face. We met eyes, and Syry pushed me forward to him. I stumbled forward into his arms as shocks filled every fiber of my being.

No!!

Kai is my mate.

“Marina?” My name on his lips was sending me over the edge.

“Malakai,” I whispered, staring into his beautiful blue eyes. He wrapped his arms around me as I leaned into his embrace. I inhaled deeply, the scent of sugar cookies sending me back to my 15th birthday. Back to when Damari and I thought we might be mates. Was he there then? Have I always had this connection with him?

“What’s going on?” Damari asked and I immediately stepped away from Kai.

“Sorry, I was just super lightheaded,” I lied, forcing myself to look at Damari and ignore Kai.

“Here, let me help you,” Kai offered and Damari stepped between us.

“I got her, thanks. There’s a VIP party upstairs, you should come up and join us. I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Damari pulled me away from Kai. The further we got, the harder it was to keep walking.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I stopped, running away from Damari and into the handicapped bathroom. I could feel my fire pushing itself to the surface, begging to be released, when I heard a knock on the door.

“It’s Kai, please open,” As soon as I heard his voice, Syry pushed me to the door and opened it.

He stepped in and looked down at me before locking the door.

“I knew it,” He wrapped his arms around me, and I couldn’t help but lean into it. I rested my head on his hard chest; the beating of his heart filled my ears as I relaxed into our embrace.

Suddenly my senses came back to me, and I pushed him off me.

“What are you doing here?” I shook my head, stepping back quickly.

“I had a feeling you were my mate. I can’t explain it, but ever since we were young, I’ve felt an attraction towards you I’ve never felt with anyone else. Then, at your Alpha party, I felt our bond. But you were only 15, I couldn’t be sure if it was real or not. Now I know it’s true. It’s you,” He said to me, lifting my chin and leaning down to kiss me. I pulled away, slamming my fists on the counter in frustration. He thought I was his mate and came back now?!

“What the f**k is wrong with you?” I screamed at him, my anger getting the best of me. Doesn’t he know what happens when I find my mate?!

“I felt something when we touched at your party. And the rage I felt when I saw Sage attack you was nothing compared to what I wanted to do when Damari kissed you. You were too young to feel the mate bond with me, so I waited to say anything. I waited until you graduated from school. Now you’re 18 without a mate. I had to see if it was me, and it is. This is incredible,” He smiled at me, gently holding my hands in his, “My mate is the Alpha.”

I felt a surge of ecstasy fill my body at our connection, and I had to fight the urge to wrap my arms around his strong shoulders.

I pulled away and looked at myself in the mirror as reality continued to set in.

“Why did you come back now? Why couldn’t you stay away and wait,” I asked him, making eye contact in the mirror.

“What do you mean? Aren’t you happy? You can be the Alpha now!”

“No, I can’t! And you should know that!” I yelled at him, watching as he tilted his head.

“But you graduated, you’re eligible to be the Alpha,” He continued. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“And they think you’d be a better Alpha than me. I have to graduate college, dumbass. I have at least three years of college to complete before becoming the Alpha. But now that I found you, you will become the Alpha.”

I glared at him, watching as he tried to piece everything together, “But maybe that was your plan the whole time,” I accused him, frustration building in every one of my bones.

“Oh, Marina. I am so sorry,” He apologized, putting his hand on my shoulder. I aggressively shoved it off as I squared my shoulders, looking toward him.

“Don’t do that; it will make this harder,” I explained as I tossed my hair off my shoulder, looking into his deep blue eyes. Syry pushed forward, and I could see his Dragon do the same as they made eye contact. I shut my eyes quickly and spoke fast.

“I, Marina Shaw, the to-be Alpha of the Fire Court, re-”

“No!” He yelled, putting his hand over my mouth, “Don’t reject me; we can make this work,” He continued. “If I let go, are you going to reject me?” He asked, and I nodded my head.

It’s the only option. No one will know, even if he tried to say we’re mates; once it’s disconnected, it’s done.

“Don’t do this! Hear him out, please!” Syry cried in my mind. I sighed, looking back at him, my body trembling with fear and surprisingly, excitement. He let go, and I immediately spoke up.

“I won’t reject you now because my Dragon won’t let me. But you can’t be here. We can’t be together!” I told him, walking circles in the small bathroom, trying to think.

“I have an idea if you want to hear it,” He offered, looking up at me. I nodded, waiting to see what this genius could conjure up.

“My parents sent me out to find my mate this summer; I heard Damari was coming here, so I decided to try this area. It was to see if it was you,” I rolled my eyes, not wanting to let him finish, but I did. For Syry’s sake.

“But, I'd love to keep traveling. I’m not going to college, I’m going to training, and voyaging for my mate over the summers. Don't reject me, and I'll leave. I won't ever come back here; no one will know. I’ll finish training at the Air court and stay away forever," I thought about his proposal; it’s not a bad idea.

This way, I won’t get another mate assigned, and I won’t be so worried about who my mate is.

"Fine. But, if you come back here before I become the Alpha, I will reject you," I told him when I heard someone knocking on the door.

“Marina, are you okay?” I could hear Adonis on the other side of the door.

Shit.

I opened the door, and Adonis looked at me, then Kai.

"What's going on? What’s he doing in there?" He asked, and I didn’t quite appreciate his tone of voice.

“I wasn’t feeling the best, and he was just helping me. I’m fine now,” I told him, pushing him out of the way and back to my party.

The rest of the night, I didn't feel much like celebrating. Meeting my mate should have meant I could become the Alpha the second I graduate. I used to look forward to this moment. But thanks to crusty old men, all the joy is taken away.

Plus, I can't stop thinking about Kai. He's so... attractive. His muscles have developed a lot since I last saw him. His jawline is more chiseled, and the way he pushed his light hair off his face sent goosebumps over my skin.

Each time he lifted his arms, his shirt rode up, showing off his impressive abs. And the v-line that leads to his -

“Marina! What’s wrong with you?” Shay complained, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as she pulled my attention away from Kai.

I sighed and looked over at the bar where Adonis, Zaire, Damari, and Kai were chatting. I kept making eye contact with him but quickly looked away. I can’t let myself get caught up with him.

Shay gave up, walking away and leaving me at the bar.

It looked like Kai was saying his goodbyes, and I couldn’t look away. He glanced at me once more before heading towards the stairs, and I let my instincts take over. I stood up, ignoring anyone who called after me.

Kai and I need to finish our conversation. That’s all we’re going to do. I’m just making sure we’re both on the same page.