Page 22 of Brutal Alpha Dragon

I read out the instructions for the dragons to follow before giving them the go-ahead to shift into dragon form. Skarlett is obviously the first volunteer to shift—the only female dragon who insists on being a warrior in the clan.

Ignoring her earnest attempt to be the center of attention, I wait for the others to shift before doing so.

Raising my arms on either side of me, I lift my head to the sky and invoke the spirit of the dragon. It comes to me like an invisible flash of lightning, igniting the fire deep within my soul. My wings sprout first, lifting my human feet off the ground to become the dragon's paws.

I let out a thunderous roar into the air as I flap my wings, carrying my large dragon frame up into the sky. The clan has already gathered flight over the ocean, and I’m about to join them when I feel a tug in my heart.

Like my heartstrings have just been strummed, it pulls my attention back to the castle.

That’s when I witnessed Lily falling off the side of the balcony.

Without giving the clan a warning, I flutter my wings with enough power to send me toward the ledge. Just as Lily’s feet leave the safety of the floor beneath them. There’s nothing inside me except the need to protect her screaming at me mentally. Chastizing me for ever leaving her side and allowing such danger to befall her.

Nothing even matters right now, as I flap my wings to send me higher. Within a split second, I fly underneath, deftly catching Lily in my arms.

The sigh of relief that escapes my lips then is a breath that fans her face. Appearing so tiny and fragile in the arms of a dragon, Lily’s eyelids flutter open. When her eyes meet the serpent-like eyes of the dragon, her lips lift in a faint smile.

She curls up further in the sanctity of my arms, a lilting sigh falling from her lips. Without even a single glance behind me, I whisk Lily back to the fifteenth floor.

When I'm above the balcony outside my bedroom, I drop the shield of the dragon and land softly on human feet.

Lily remains in my arms, the gentle glow of the moonlight kissing her cheeks. It's so perfect, it takes me a moment to appreciate how creamy her skin appears. The urge to lift my hand to her face is intense.

A strong urge I have to fight to remain sane. At least, momentarily. Long enough to carry her through the sliding doors toward the bed.

The warm rays of silver light filtering into the bedroom remain on Lily like a spotlight. The color of her hair lightens, as if illuminated by the natural light. When her body is safely on the bed, and her head touches the pillow, my hand hovers over her face.

I cannot take her back to her bedroom. The regret of not keeping her close washes over me like a torturous shiver. It's why I remain hesitant to touch her.

Yet, I throw caution to the wind as I stroke a few stray strands from her face. Tucking them behind her ear, I realized how wrong I'd been.

About everything.

It's a challenging feat—admitting defeat as the Alpha dragon of a clan that has stood the test of time. An Alpha of my caliber, from a bloodline of dragonspirits who have never accepted being subjugated.

But even with the Alpha dragonspirit raging through my veins, I know I've done a great disservice to myself.

The human girl, Lily Turner, may be weak. But her feisty spirit is what led her to the ledge on the fifteenth floor.

God only knows what she was hoping to achieve, especially with two left feet. Still, she persisted. Seeking the truth, perhaps. Seeking knowledge.

Her spirit can't be ignored.

Neither can I ignore the intense pull I feel toward her. Towering over her, my shadow covers half her face. The moonlight illuminated the other half, prompting me to lean in. As if beckoning me with her innocence, I kneel at the side of the bed.

Her lips were mere inches from her face, and my eyes traced every detail I could find. Like the freckles on either side of her nose, strategically placed as if painted there with a brush. Her lips part on every exhale, inviting me with the sweet scent of her breath.

I'm only ashamed because I hadn't noticed it before. I'd been so resentful of my fate; I'd been a fool not to see how beautiful she was. How innocent she is, needing my protection as much as she needs the air in her lungs.

Without thinking, I move in closer. Closing the little distance left between us. Her breath draws me in until I feel the heat of her lips on mine.

When I look up, her eyelids flutter like the wings of a young butterfly. Newly emerged from its cocoon. With a fresh pair of eyes that naively question my motives.

Chapter 10 - Lily

Falling…

I can feel myself falling, but I cannot see further than the dark sheath of blacked-out vision behind my eyelids.

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