Page 13 of Dragon Unhinged

I take another bite of cookie before I answer her. “It’s delicious. It’s hard to tell right now, but I’m positive, this is the best cookie I’ve ever had.”

She grins proudly, but I notice her eyes keep falling down to my mouth. I quickly swipe my hand over my mouth.

She just grins. “I can try to bring more down tomorrow. You probably don’t get much that’s fresh. Maybe some fruit or something?”

“You don’t have to bring anything.” I crawl onto the platform next to her, careful not to jostle her neat piles. “I’m just glad you actually came.”

She lets out a breath, like she’s been worried I wouldn’t accept her. “Can I go give these to the other guys, and then come back? If they’re also eating that slop, I’m sure they could use some cookies too.” She stands, carefully picking up two of the piles.

“Of course.” I give her a smile, even though the idea of her being out of sight again, the idea that she might decide to stay with one of them instead, makes my stomach churn and makes my dragon’s hackles rise again.

“I’ll be right back.”

I watch as she leaves, wishing I could lean out of the door and keep an eye on her while she talks to the others. I know I can’t, though, not without severe pain.

At least she left the door open, and I can hear her.

She knocks on another cell door.

“Hello? I think you talked to me a little last night? I brought some things for you.” She almost sounds nervous, and the primal part of me is glad.

I don’t like that she’s talking to another shifter.

“Slide them through the slot, love.” Ewan responds quickly, a bit of a laugh in his tone.

“Oh, okay.”

Gods, why do I care so much what tone she uses with them? Why do I care whether she’s interested in talking with either the wolf or the bear? It’s not like she’s mine.

Thinking about Marcel, I can’t help but believe it’s better if I don’t have a mate at all.

“I’m Brianna, by the way.”

“I heard your name last night, love.” He lets out a chuckle—an actual chuckle—and adds, “Ewan. But I doubt Declan wants you getting too friendly with me.”

My dragon bristles, and I feel a snarl start to build in the back of my throat.

She can talk to whoever she wants.

I repeat it in my head over and over.

No need to shout, Dragon. Or stake a claim. I already know where your head is. Keep it there.

Fuck. He can hear me? It’s been so long since I’d connected to anyone, before Marcel in the ring, and now I’m just shouting at Ewan?

Tell your little mate to keep her trinkets. I want none of them.The bear’s voice in my head feels like he’s perpetually hoarse, or like there’s some damage to his vocal cords that somehow translated to his telepathy as well.

She’s not my mate.

A low growl echoes in my head before he continues,Where I come from, a shifter doesn’t deny their mate easily. Do not deny what not every shifter gets.

My mate? There’s no way. She couldn’t be.

“Declan?” Brianna’s voice startles me, and I lift my eyes to hers quickly.

“The bear says he doesn’t want your gifts.” I blink a couple times, trying to reconcile what the bear said.

You don’t have to be rude about it. You could take the cookies at least. It was nice of her to think of all of us.Ewan’s voice sounds full of mirth in my head too, making me even more irritable at the two of them.

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