Page 31 of Silent Jay

My gaze trailed to Ogden again. Having a friend outside my elemental clan would have been priceless, but it was much, much too late. Our isolation and my complacence in it hurt.

I scanned the clearing once more. It rippled with scales, cocktail dresses, and shifters sporting their elemental colors. One massive party providing poorly matched women a second chance and everyone else a reason to cut loose.

I rolled my blue sleeves up another level, accenting my thick biceps, and straightened my ponytail. I’d never been this nervous in my life.

Tyson’s dark red wings cast a shadow over the gathered as he circled the clearing, my mate pressed to his human chest. I suppressed an angry growl. The fire prince landed hard, jarring her, and I seethed moments from darting forward. Giggles virtually jumped out of his grip. She crossed her arms, accentingthe cleavage her little black dress exposed. She glared at Tyson, who gritted his teeth and pulled his shoulder back.

They weren’t getting along. My cheeks pulled in an inappropriately wide grin. I puffed out my chest, my heart soaring and my nerves calming.

My mate. Smokey makeup brought out her big green eyes. Her black hair was artfully piled on her head, with curls hanging down to kiss her long neck. Although I loved it, she looked like a fish out of water. My mate wasn’t meant for dresses and heels. She needed the sun to kiss her skin and flats, which left her free to move however she pleased.

Tyson wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her past the bar before stopping at a small group of human women with white roses tucked behind their ears. He released my mate's waist, only to find her hand and hold it. The two gazed into each other's eyes, and my heart stopped. Something had happened between them.

What if he didn’t let her go?

Tyson’s eyes flashed with fire. He dropped her hand and shoved a white rose into her hair.

The tension knotting my stomach eased. A white rose meant her mating hadn’t taken. I’d already guessed it based on my security officer's flow of information, but I hadn’t been sure until this very moment.

Tyson leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. I growled, low in my throat. Waiting for him to get thrown back, but if my mate mark even hurt him, he didn’t show it.

He stood and looked straight at me.

I wanted to smash his face in.

“Relax,” Tukaqu said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I hadn’t even noticed my grandad come to my side.

“Don’t be too eager,” Tukaqu continued.

I clenched my fist and looked away from Tyson’s smirking face. I would find out if he touched her, and I’d come for him after the social. Hitting Tyson would get me thrown out of the party, guaranteeing my mate left with someone else. Releasing my breath, I turned and gave Tukaqu a reassuring smile before stepping forward to watch and wait for the perfect moment.

The women with white roses in their hair congregated on the far side of the clearing, my mate with them. She glowed compared to the others. With her strong build and fierce eyes, it didn’t take long for an earth dragon to slide up to her.

I said I would watch and let her enjoy the party. If I made it look like I was playing the field, it would make it easier to claim I’d not cheated during The Hunt.

I said a lot of things.

When the earth dragon touched her, I sprinted forward and wrapped her waist in my arms, pulling her into my chest.

I growled. “Taken.”

The earth dragon, who I didn’t recognize, sucked in his round cheeks and narrowed his thick eyebrows. He looked me up and down before bowing his head and backing away. I had almost a foot on him and at least fifty pounds of pure muscle. He knew he wouldn’t win.

I puffed out my chest, pulling my mate further into me before terror seized my heart.

We hadn’t even spoken to each other yet. Now, I’d invaded her space and claimed her. What if she didn’t feel the same heat I did? Had she spent the last three days pining for me as I had her? What if she rejected me?

I schooled my face. Instead of giving in to my fears, I held her more firmly.

The girls around us went silent and leaned forward in anticipation. I’d hunted this woman for an entire day, thelongest hunt in our history. She’d pulled two princes to her, and I had no doubt she was the talk of the party.

I finally looked down at the woman trapped in my arms. She didn’t struggle but gave me a solemn nod and tugged me toward the far side of the clearing.

My heart plummeted. I didn’t know what I expected. Maybe the same excitement as me. At least acknowledgment of our connection. Instead, her lips set into a line, and her posture shrank like she led me to my grave. Nervous sweat ran down my back, soaking into my shirt. I itched to take it off. I hated shirts, but this wasn’t a shirtless event.

When we had space between the other dragons and us, she patted at my pockets. My view went straight down her low top, and I fought to keep my hands away from the hem of the short skirt outlining her butt. Even though her touches weren’t sexual, my dick rose to attention.

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