Page 15 of Dragon Untamed

Blaze looked at Arlo with a look that made Kaida take a step back. Arlo remained calm and looked at Blaze with compassion. Kaida wasn't sure what changed in Arlo, but she could sense, with that look, that he had changed sides.

"I think you need to drop this, Blaze. Esen and I have been talking. It is not worth losing Beck over. She is his mate. There is nothing we can do about that. Kaida is not here to destroy us like you think she is. The Great Dragon chose her for Beckett. We need to respect that."

"WHAT?!"

Arlo stood his ground with Esen at his back. The air sizzled with tension as Blaze's face turned red again. Kaida looked over at Beckett; his face did not look as worried as she thought it should have. Kaida took a step closer to him as fear rose inside of her. With how red Blaze looked, she was waiting for him to shift.

"This does not seem like the hill to die on. If we do continue with this, we could lose Beck. He is not going to choose us over his mate. If you were thinking with your head and not your dick, you would see it that way too."

"You are way out of line!" Blaze yelled while pointing his finger at Arlo. "I am not thinking with my dick!"

"Really, dude? It seems that way. When you are thinking with that thing, you tend to go off half-cocked," Esen said and then added, “Pun intended.”

Blaze practically roared and slammed his fist down onto the table. When it cracked in half, and the pieces fell onto the floor, everyone jumped back as the billiard balls flew in every direction.

"Calm down!" Beckett yelled at Blaze.

"No! You three are now on the same side? Since when? What the fuck changed?" Blaze pointed at Arlo and Esen.

Kaida sneaked over to stand next to Beckett. He tucked her into his side, and Kaida leaned into him to feel more secure about being in this room with an angry, overgrown lizard willing to spew fire at anything that upset him.

Arlo glanced in Kaida's direction, and she could feel something spark inside her. This look was so different from the usual one she got from Arlo. It wasn't a look of pity either. It was something more. It was almost like he wished he could be alone with her. The moment was brief before he looked back at Blaze, but Kaida knew he held her stare long enough that she didn't make it up. He looked at her, and something was going through his mind.

"Her dragon emerged, Blaze. You thought she wasn't good enough for Beck because she was dragonless. That isn't the case anymore. I'm done fighting. There is something greater than us at work here. The Great Dragon spoke by making them soulmates. To go against them," Arlo glanced at both of them with a smile that didn't quite make it to a full one, "is to go against The Great Dragon. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a fight we will lose."

"I agree with Arlo. This isn't the right thing to do anymore. Kaida belongs to Beckett. I'm not fighting this, either. She belongs here. With him," Esen added.

Flames erupted from Blaze's palms and grew with intensity as his face contorted with anger. Kaida wasn't sure what to do and looked to Beckett for an answer.

"Blaze... we are in our house. Do not let go of your magic!" Beckett yelled, but it was the worst thing he could have done.

Blaze turned his attention to Beckett, and his eyes fell on Kaida. The flames were no longer just in his hands but climbedup his arms and chest. Kaida felt her dragon come to the surface, but Beckett grabbed her hand, which seemed to allow a flood of calmness to rush through her. Her dragon immediately relaxed, and the feeling went away.

Then, a fireball was thrown at her.

Thankfully, Beckett shot a stream of water at the same time, making the fire burst into mist.

Yikes! I need to go!

Kaida looked at the door only a few feet away, whereas Blaze was further back into the room. There was no questioning what she should do anymore as Kaida quickly darted toward the door.

She heard a commotion behind her, but Beckett's voice was louder.

"Keep going! We can handle this!"

Once outside, Kaida was able to breathe again. There was still a ruckus inside, but she knew she didn't have to worry about anything unless Blaze emerged from the house or his dragon did. Kaida continued walking down to the gazebo Beckett had taken her to that day just to give herself distance from the house.

What was all that about?

Clearly, we get under the Ember Dragon's skin.

I don't even know why.

You may not ever know if he continues this way. Next time, I will step in.

Kaida's mind went to the look Arlo had given her. There was so much in just that one look. Kaida only wished she could ask him about it. Then there was the fact that he and Esen defended her against Blaze.

Something is going on. I need to talk to them...but how do I do that without looking like I am betraying Beckett?

---