Page 9 of Overbooked at Dragon's Landing

Ralph

I had never made a move like that before, inviting a total stranger to stay in the hotel room with me…and with Craig. Who I’d always protected from harm, even if he didn’t realize it. But I’d never been in a situation so clearly set up by Fate before.

Craig had been obsessed with dragons since we met and probably long before that. He had a box of dragon toys in his dresser drawer that were anything but collectibles. He’d shown them to me once, and they all showed signs of wear and love. I’d always thought it was just one of those human things, they were always collecting stamps or coins or bobbleheads, silly things that either appealed to them for some reason or that they thought would be “worth something one day.”

But the moment I realized that my bestie and I shared a dragon mate, it all made sense. Fate has her own ways about her, and we are her subjects. Free will was always an option even in a fated mating, but only a fool would walk away from one carefully crafted by the goddess. Some said she was a trio of goddesses, and as I joined my two mates in climbing the stairs toward our shared room, the idea of Fate being three appealed to me.

Maybe she or they had put the idea of being a dragon’s mate in his little-boy mind? But not a wolf? Confusing.

Everything about the circumstances that brought us here was so perfect that I questioned them. My dads told me when I met my mate, I would know, and there would be no going back or wanting to, but nothing prepared me for the sheer intensity of feeling that happen when Trace entered the B&B and his scent mingled with Craig’s.

Every inch of this B&B was beautiful, but I couldn’t give it the attention it deserved because my wolf was clamoring loudlyinside me about marking his mates immediately. As if they were trying to get away or something. Nothing could be further from the truth. They led the way up the stairs, already talking and getting to know one another while I followed, enjoying watching and listening and trying to absorb my life’s changes.

An hour ago, I was still thinking I wouldn’t ever have a mate, and now…I had two, and as long as they were in agreement, we had a lot to think about. I had no idea where Trace lived or what he did for work. Was he also picking up on the mating vibe and did he like that idea.

We reached the landing and turned down the hallway toward our room.Ourroom.

Dragons…I had never met one in person before, and now I had met two. One of whom was my mate. I couldn’t say it often enough, although that was all the information I had.

And Craig! We were friends always. Maybe that was why he didn’t need a wolf obsession. He had me there all the time. But he’d never said he wanted to be more than friends. Even in college when a lot of people were sleeping with their friends just for the heck of it, we had not. Not so much as a kiss on the lips.

Wow.

Shifters expected mates. Trace most likely would at least be willing to try us on for size, but humans? Craig and I grew up as friends, and he had other shifter acquaintances, but he’d probably never considered the possibility that someone out there was assigning him a person—two people—to walk through life with. How would he feel about that?

“Hey, Ralph.” Craig was standing by the door. “You’ve got the keys right?”

Trace lifted an aristocratic eyebrow but said nothing. Shit, how long had I been standing here lost in thought. I had a feeling the dragon knew at least some of what had been going throughmy mind. We hadn’t sealed the deal yet, but he would know we were fated.

“Sorry.” I unlocked the door and held it open for them. “I didn’t mean to keep you both waiting.” I could have said more but I’d known Trace about ten minutes, and I’d have to explain a bunch of things to Craig. Better to get in and get settled before we had “the talk.”

The room had two queens. And the host had said a cot would be up later. But if Craig and I had to share, it wouldn’t be the first time. It would be the first time since we figured out that we were mates. Well, since I did. The cot would be good if things didn’t go smoothly.

I set my bag down and turned around, taking the room in. “It’s nice.” I peeked in the bathroom, which was also very well appointed. “You two like it okay?”

“Yes, and thank you for taking me in,” the dragon said. “I—”

“Okay,” Craig cut in. “I know something is going on but I don’t understand what it is.”

“I know.” I took his hand and led him to sit on the edge of the bed. “You’re right, but before we begin, I want you to know that everything is entirely up to you. If you are not interested, if you as a human don’t get it or want to, nobody is forcing anything.”

“Holy…now I’m scared. You’d better start talking, friend.”

Trace sat on the other side of him, a few inches away, and the scent of the two of them made it hard to think. He didn’t touch Craig, but I could see my friend reacting, a flush rising into his cheeks. How this talk went could affect our whole life, and I had already done a not great job getting started.

“All right. Remember how I was telling you about my brother and his true mate?”

“Yes.” Craig nodded slowly. “Shifters have mates, right. You explained and I’ve seen some couples at the club, too. I’ve always been jealous of that. We humans have to make our best guess,which, judging from a lot of people I know, maybe even most, doesn’t work out.”

I leaned past him and met Trace’s eyes. “You’re doing fine,” he encouraged.

“Thanks.” I faced Craig again, and this time I took his hand. “Well, it’s good that you like the idea about Fate stepping in because the guy sitting next to you?”

“The dragon?” He swallowed hard. “My gods, I’m sitting on a bed next to a dragon and…and you.” For some reason, his voice cracked a little on that last word. He’d loved dragons his whole life, but I was probably his security at this moment. As he said, something was going on and he wasn’t understanding.

“Craig, this dragon is yours.”

“But”—he started to cry—“what does that mean? Ralph, I never said anything because I knew you were only wanting to be my friend and of course you would be getting a mate from Fate like your brother. But I thought only shifters had those. And if they don’t, then why aren’t you…I mean, I just met Trace but I’m so drawn to him. But you, Ralph…I don’t even know what to think.”

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