A One Night Stand With The Alpha Kings

Chapter 5

Kai

I'm happy when I come home. I found her, the girl who named me all those years ago and thus saved me from my curse—Eliza!

I mean, sure... she ditched me as soon as she showed me to the cafeteria and seemed really uncomfortable around me, but there is always tomorrow, right? She was assigned to be my "buddy" or something for a week, which means we will spend A LOT of time together—I can hardly wait!

With a smile on my face, I walk back to my mansion, my mind spinning with thoughts of Eliza. I've been head-over-heels for her since the moment she found me in the pet store.

You see, it's tradition for a family of dragons not to name their son and release him in the ocean. This way he won't grow big, and will learn to survive on his own until a female one day will find him and name him, thus giving the dragon male permission to claim her.

I know werewolves don't share our traditions. They are very different from us with predestined mates, and my mother has asked me to pick my mate from the same species. But that thought fills me with dread.

I'm certain Eliza is the one for me, for every moment in her presence I feel a spark like no other. But my mother has made it clear that my family wants me to find a dragon to mate with, and it might be stupid not to oblige.

Upon entering my home, I'm greeted by the sight of my butler, Elias. He is tall and thin and dressed in a crisp black suit. Like always, he is wearing a smile.

“Good afternoon, your Majesty. Your mother, the queen of the country of Atlantis, is calling on the crystal ball upstairs. I advise you not to make her majesty wait.”

I sigh, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I've been through so much today and I'm still trying to process it all—talking to my mother is the last thing I want.

“Alright... please, show me to the chamber where she is waiting for me.”

“Of course, your Majesty. Right this way.”

My butler leads me down a long hallway, the walls lined with portraits of the various dragon kings and queens of the past generations. They all look so strong, so certain of who they are and what they were destined to do.

I feel a pang of nostalgia when a king with orange eyes and a mane of brown hair looks back at me. My father had been proud of our lineage, and before he died, he promised me that I would be a great king. He was always so positive, and was more interested than angry when I told him about the werewolf girl that gifted me my name.

Instead of being disappointed, my father said, "You like a werewolf? How interesting... I wonder if the two of you could reproduce? And how would your children turn out? Would they be dragons or werewolves?"

I really miss him...

"This is where I will leave you."

My butler bows his head, and I give him a small smile before pushing open the large door in front of me. The room is filled with crystals, each one glowing with a faint blue light. In the middle of the room is a large crystal ball that is illuminated with a brilliant yellow light.

I step forward, feeling a sudden rush of excitement. This mansion is very old. My ancestors used to live here before they decided to live as merfolk, but I've heard how they used this chamber to contact each other from far away places, and now I'm about to experience such magic myself.

I walk closer to the crystal ball and gaze into its depths, searching for the flickering image of my mother.

And there she is, a figure of serene beauty: orange hair, white eyes that glow like the stars, flawless skin, and jewelry glimmering around her strong neck. Her face is illuminated by a gentle smile, and I smile back.

"Hello, mother."

“Kai, my son, it's so good to see you." She says, her voice like a soft breeze.

My heart swells. Dragons are very affectionate beings, at least to our loved ones."Likewise."

My mother smiles some more, and then she seems to remember she called me for a reason. "You must be wondering why I'm contacting you."

"Yes."

"Well, I'm simply wondering how your mate hunting is going. You know what I think about chasing a werewolf girl instead of accepting the love of a dragon one."

I sigh. "I know... I just... I don't want a dragon for a mate. My heart has chosen Eliza."

My mother’s smile fades away, replaced with a look of concern.

“Kai, you understand that as the dragon Alpha king, it would be much safer to mate with a dragon girl. Werewolves are different from us. They don’t pick their mate, it’s predetermined for them. This Eliza probably has a mate that her dearest moon goddess already has chosen for her."

That dumb moon goddess. I feel a wave of anger wash over me as I think of her.

How can the werewolves think it's romantic to have their partner picked for them? There is nothing romantic about that! There is no true love if you let the moon goddess choose your partner, and there is no tension or flirting and wooing the girl until she likes you.

The mate bond is cheap and boring. You mate to someone and then what? Gah, it really irritates me!

Swallowing down my irritation, I manage to talk to my mother in the same calm tone. “But I want her, mother. I don’t care about tradition, I'm really interested in her."

My mother is silent for a moment, considering my words. Eventually, she lets out a deep sigh.

“Kai, sometimes we must make sacrifices in order to keep our family’s legacy alive. I understand your feelings, and I sympathize, but you must do what is best for your kingdom.”

Realizing my mother won't change her opinion, I bow my head in understanding even if my heart is still heavy. I know my mother is right, but giving up on Eliza feels like giving up on a part of myself.

"Anyway, thank you for picking up the call. It was nice to hear from my one and only son, but I have to go. You should know that all your big sisters miss you."

I have seven big sisters. I love them all very much, and they are all very protective of me. It doesn't matter that I'm a grown man—I'm still their little brother, and they all remember how tiny I was as a koi.

Jessica, the older sister that I’m the closest to, actually fought my mother and father when they decided not to name me. She said following the tradition was reckless. “What if he will die? What if he won’t find a girl to name him! What then? He will stay as a koi forever!”

Her words really touched my heart. I love Erika the most, and I’m surprised she hasn’t shown up in this world yet. It's unlike her to let me live my life without sticking her curious nose in it, especially since she is my future Beta.

"I miss all of my sisters too," I say. "And I miss you, mother."

"I miss you too."

We throw a kiss at each other, and then, after the call ends, I feel a suddening burning sensation across my lower body.

No-no-no, don't tell me!!

I quickly shuck off my pants and look down in shock. What I see makes my heart sink. My human legs are slowly disappearing and being replaced with white and orange dragon scales. I've heard stories of dragons who had gone too long without a mate, and had become entirely dragon. It's not a fate I want and I know I must find a mate before it's too late.

I have to win Eliza's heart before she turns eighteen and realizes that Brandon is her fated mate. Because I know he belongs to her—I can feel it in my veins. And it hurts because I’m painfully drawn to Eliza. It's like my very soul is calling out to hers.

Eliza is the only reason why I'm attending classes in another country. She holds my interest, and she amuses me. Werewolves don't communicate telepathically like us dragons, but by reading her mind, I can tell that I'm not entirely unattractive in her eyes.

The image of my toned arms flashed in her mind more than once, and everything inside of me ached; a phantom hole in my chest that is still present.

Gah.

Why am I so drawn to her? I don't like not seeing her and not knowing how she is doing or where she is. It's not fair how Brandon is her fated mate!

Frowning, I walk out of the crystal room. I should join the football team or something to get rid of some of the frustrations in my body. Brandon is a quarterback, isn't he? Maybe I could steal his position...