Page 4 of Emerald Waves
“You’re not my dragon. I’ve never met my dragon because I never shifted.” I didn’t dare say my dragon had stirred, wishing to be freed of me because they already thought I was insane and who knows, maybe I was.
“I am your dragon. Your…” he paused as though it pained him to say whatever came next. “Mate.”
“Fate wouldn’t be that cruel to you.”
“We’ll be working on your self-esteem. I’ll not allow you to talk negatively about my bestie.”
Dare I believe that Alex considered me his friend and a best one at that? I’d never had a friend before. These dragons were far too nice. Soon, I’d heal and return to the role as the weird town outcast, with his nose buried in piles of books.
Back to my sad, lonely existence.
Death would’ve been much easier but I somehow managed to fuck that up too.
“Caro, you know what you must do.” Ionus wasn’t happy but Caro’s responding snarl said the brothers were warring about something. Whatever it was, I felt sorry for the loser of that rift.
“Emerson,” Raven patted my good arm. “I’ll be back in the morning to check on you. Caro, if anything changes get ahold of me right away.”
“Aye. Thank you Raven, for everything.”
Wait, Caro was staying?
“You don’t need to stay, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving you, Emerson.”
“Why? Why would you stay when you don’t even like me? Guilt? No thanks. I’m better off alone.” I refused to be anyone’s pet project just to appease whatever demons they fought. No thanks, I had enough of my own to battle. Just leave me to lick my wounds and slowly disappear.
“Ugh, you’re so frustrating.” Caro paced in front of me, grinding his teeth. “Don’t you hear it or are you too far gone?”
Just like the others. They all believed I belonged in a padded cell.
“I don’t need you.” The tears hit and I wanted to scream. “I’m not crazy.” Well, that was debatable on the best of days, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of being correct.
“I’m fucking this up.” Caro stopped and dropped to his knees in front of my bed. “You’re my mate. We’re mates. Don’t you feel it? When you got hurt it was like I couldn’t breathe until I got to you. There was no thought, no wondering what to do. It was aget to Emerson nowkind of eruption that consumed me. My dragon had never flown so fast in our life.”
“Well, that may be because you’re a protector. I’ll look through the notes as soon as I’m back in the archive room. I remember something, though not too in depth. But I do believe the five protectors can feel the weights and worries of those they protect.” Which book was that in. “Ouch!” Everything hurt and evidently moving wasn’t happening, let alone walking down a flight of stairs.
“Emerson. Focus.”
Blink-blink.
“Um, I was. I wanted to find the scroll where I’d read that. It’s actually quite interesting. The way you five can…”
My words were cut off by his lips.
On mine.
Like, in a kiss sort of way.
Oh my.
“Now, is it my turn to talk?”
Every inch of my body tingled but I managed to nod. Words? For someone who spoke multiple languages and was well versed in them, I had none.
“Thank you. As I was saying, when you got hurt I knew something was wrong. My dragon was restless and determined to get to you and we were nowhere near you nor this building. He wasn’t soothed until we were by your side. Honestly, neither of us were until you finally came to.”
“Oh.” The fall must’ve broken my brain. Or else that kiss did.
