Alpha Island: The Dragon's Mate

Chapter 3

SKYLAR

I couldn’t believe that damn dragon! So arrogant! He was just hitting on me one minute, then, with his equally annoying friend, pursuing Deidra because she was a siren another and some fairy right next after that. I saw him three times in one hour and now he was my number one on the “Whom to avoid” list. A womaniser like him would only bring trouble!

  “It’s not what it looks like,” he said to me as I passed him and the fairy who was practically ready to jump him then and there.

  “Of course, it’s not!” I rolled my eyes and kept walking, trying to ignore his piercing green eyes staring at me in disbelief and those long fingers that he brushed through his brown hair with blonde strands. Who really cared about all that when a guy couldn’t keep it in his pants for longer than five seconds?!

  I had a map with me and two destinations – the dining hall and the library. I had just a sandwich with me on my way here and was practically starving. Luckily, the food was included within my scholarship and I could have as many helpings of everything as I wanted. I knew that I couldn’t eat too much in one go though, otherwise, I’d get sick. So, I chose the safest options – a light chicken salad and yoghurt – and went to take an empty table. I savoured every piece, enjoying it greatly and thinking that a little slice of one of their delicious looking cakes could fit in me as well… I was eyeing the dessert stand from afar when I noticed two guys fighting at a distance. A tray was dropped and from what I saw, it seemed like werewolves were trying to find out who was the strongest. I noticed the two girls from before in that group and an incredibly tall and muscly guy stepping forward to prove that he was the biggest and baddest Alpha. Wolves were always like that. Wolves and dragons. And now I would have to spend a few years in their company.

  Luckily, at least this company left fast enough.

  “Did you enjoy the show of the muscles and no brains?” someone pushed a small plate with a piece of chocolate cake in my direction and a guy with dark hair reaching his shoulders and light green eyes landed next to me.

  “Not really,” I stated plainly and looked questioningly at the cake, “What is this?”

  “For you,” he smirked, “You ate with such…let’s call it appetite that I would like to watch it more. And when I noticed you eyeing the deserts – I decided to be your knight in shining armour.”

  Oh, God. He didn’t think that he would get something for a piece of cake that was free for everybody, did he?

  “No damsels in distress here,” I chuckled and pushed the plate back to him, “I take my own cake. And also, I am full.”

    “Really?” he looked disappointed and then just took the little fork and dug it into the cake, “Well, more for me, I guess. I am Loki, by the way. A transfer student.”

  “Skylar,” I introduced myself hesitantly, “Freshman. See you around, Loki.”

  I stood up and it only made him chuckle strangely, “You know, a transfer student and a freshman… we could form a team so that werewolves and dragons do not bully us!”

  He winked at me and I felt that all of this was some kind of joke that I didn’t get. He didn't have too many muscles but didn't seem weak at all. If anything, I could feel the power coming from him in waves that he could control as he liked. 

  “No need,” I raised my brow at him, wishing only to leave faster, “I am a dragon myself.”

  His face changed in an instant and now I had a very bad feeling about it. 

  “You? A dragon?” he was eyeing me as if he was scanning my aura but I felt absolutely nothing. Yet I knew the time to run when I faced it and this was it. The guy was too strange.

  “Shocking, I know,” I chuckled and stood up, “See you around, Loki.”

  “Can’t wait, Skylar the dragon,” he grinned widely, “Starts to seem that this was a good idea, after all, to come and study here.”

  Funny, I was thinking exactly the opposite now. Was it a good idea to come here after all? The barrier was amazing and the Reaper would not find me here of all the places. But I was locked up with too many supernaturals… What if one of them could uncover my secret? Then no one would help me!

  On my way out I passed a group of people, each of which was standing around a pretty girl with golden hair who was simply too perfect to look at. She emitted a fairy aura and looked like she enjoyed the admiration of others. However, she glanced at Loki with interest for about a second or two and then our gazes met. But this was about it. She looked at me briefly, as if I was a speck of dust under her expensive high heels.

  Not that I cared.

  I would probably have to go to the cafeteria one of the last ones if I wanted to stay invisible here. Maybe Deidra would agree to bring me my meals? Or would it be too weird this way and people would start thinking about it and ask questions? 

  I would probably need to think about it some more.

  But for now, I was about to explore the place that I was eager to visit here the most. The library!

  I had a few books already on my list that I needed for my classes. But I also almost forgot now how it felt to read for fun! While on the run, reading was a luxury that I couldn’t afford. Now I had at least three years here, four if I was lucky enough. And I could finally read to my heart’s content. Because… "Reading completes me," I sighed with a smile.

  I picked a few books for my free time and now was going to look for what I needed for my personal research when I crashed into someone.

  “Oh, sorry,” I mumbled and lifted up my eyes to see Darren the lustful dragon guy grinning at me. “It’s you,” I sighed, “Again.”

  His smile faded slightly but he managed to keep it up. At the same time my gaze went down to the books in his hands and I blushed slightly.

  “Wow!” I gasped, looking at the titles, “Female Anatomy of Different Magical Species, The Evolution of the Mating Process, Fae Rituals of Courting and Dragon’s Mental Abilities: Hundreds of Ways to Use Them To Your Advantage.”

  As I read those his mouth parted as if he was shocked by the choice of his own books and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. What a creep!

  “It’s not…” he started.

  “What it looks like?” I snorted, not being able to hold myself back, “It seems like everything is not how it looks like when you are around, right Darren?”

  His face softened at the mention of his own name. What a narcissist he was!

  “Happy that you remember, Sky,” he smiled, and something prickled my heart when he did it. The damn dragon was too good looking to resist.

  “I have a good memory,” I mumbled, lowering my gaze to my own books for distraction, “I am busy, so go get more… books for yourself. It looks like you are an avid reader!”

  “These are for my friend Griffin!” he confessed way too rapidly and made me roll my eyes.

  “Of course, they are! And you visited Deidra also because he pulled you behind him!” I let out a little laugh, “And that fairy…”

  “I was looking for you!” he interrupted me suddenly and I lost my train of thought completely. He couldn’t be serious!

  “Yeah, right!” I shook my shoulders, “I need to go.”

 But he quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me in between the bookshelves.

  “Sky,” he started and I hated to admit how good my name sounded in his husky voice, “I am starting to think that you have a very wrong idea about me!”

  “Alright,” I decided to be done with it quick, “You are right, and I am wrong. Now, can you let go of me already?”

  “No,” he said simply and now I looked at him with amusement.

  “No?” this made me almost choked on air, “And what now? You are going to keep me hostage in a library?”

  “No,” he hesitated and then added, “Well, maybe. Probably.”

  “Seriously?” I snorted loudly, “This is your first day here and judging by your book choice you are really into fairies and creatures that are rear! What do you want to do with me, a regular dragon?!”

  “Oh, I want to do a lot of things with you,” he threw his books away and now pinned me with his hands at both sides of me to the bookshelf, making me blush harder, “But we'll start with making you less judgemental.”

  “Judgemental? Me?!” I felt insulted.

  “Yes, you,” he sneered and then mimicked my tone from a few seconds ago, “This is your first day here and you know me for a couple of hours but already judge me on the few fractions of a second that you spared me your attention. That’s not fair at all!”

  I hated to admit it, but he was right. Besides, it seemed important to him. And last, but not least, I wasn’t here to make friends, but I definitely wasn’t here to make enemies. I needed to fix this.

  “Fine,” I sighed heavily, “You have a point and I am sorry. Happy now?”

  “No,” he leaned lower so that our noses almost touched and I could feel his fresh minty breath on my lips, “You know the dragon code, right? If you insult someone, you pay with your blood or you owe this person.”

  “You want my blood?” I gasped and he burst out laughing, tucking his head in my shoulder for a few seconds as he tried to take this fit of laugher under control.

  “Of course, not,” he said when he calmed down, “But now you owe me.”

  “I don’t want to owe you!” I tried to push him away, but he only pressed me closer. 

 “Neither do I,” he smirked, “So how about you make one wish of mine come true? And then – you are free…”