Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 117

Colby

Talking with Michael did help. It made me even more determined to protect Lia with every bone in my body.

When it was later that night, I decided to head outside. I needed some air and was sick of being in the stuffy hotel room. The cool air felt good. I walked over to one of our cars, taking in the night sky and the sound of the crickets.

There was one good thing about traveling away from the city; we were getting to see some beautiful sites. I loved it.

It was a shame that the pack decided to do this because we were trying to prevent a bunch of ancient, sleeping dragons from waking up.

The previous attack was still being talked about. Some of the dragons had been killed while others were apprehended by the various supernatural creature associations.

Frankly, I was just grateful there weren’t a lot of casualties from the attack

I leaned against the hood of the car, inhaling the cool night air. My ribs ached, my knuckles were raw, and frustration still simmered under my skin. We’d lost. Again.

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling. How the fuck had we lost?

We bested them last time, but I guess the difference we had taken our time, making sure that we would win. A plan had been created and we had back up.

The big difference this time was that we didn’t bother to plan. That we did instead was show up to the town, looking around desperately from the coven.

They were probably watching us the whole time and had been living here for god knows how long. The coven knew this area inside and out.

I don’t know why we rocked up here, thinking we could best them the way we did. It was cocky and entirely my fault.

As the leader of the Moonveil pack, it was up to me to protect everyone. If I couldn’t protect everyone then what kind of leader was I?

I wasn’t a very good one, I’ll tell you that right now. Suddenly I heard footsteps. I tensed but kept cool.

It was a hotel.

Anyone could be walking around.

I heard laughter from a few drunken patrons about an hour ago. They might be no one.

It was something I managed to convince myself of until they stopped a few feet away and spoke to me. “You look like someone who just got their ass kicked.”

I stiffened. The voice was unfamiliar-smooth, calm, but edged with something sharp. Dangerous.

Slowly, I turned.

A man stood just outside the glow of the parking lot lights, arms crossed, eyes flashing gold. Not human. I knew that in an instant.

He was a dragon. I didn’t need to see any more of him to know he was a dragon shifter. It was more than obvious from those bright gold eyes that all the dragons seemed to have.

I was on guard, but there was a reason why he was out here. He had purposely come all this way to find me. But why? That was the question I had to keep asking myself.

None of it made sense.

Why the fuck would a dragon shifter come out all the way here to “Who the hell are you?” I asked, keeping my stance loose, ready.

He stepped forward into the light. Tall and lean but coiled with power. His pupils were slit. A dragon shifter. “My name doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that I don’t want them to wake up.”

The words hit like a punch. I narrowed my eyes. “V. That did you just say?”

“I don’t want them to wake up,” he repeated. “And you don’t either. Which means we have a common enemy.”

I scoffed. “You expect me to just believe you? A dragon shifter-one of them-comes waltzing up to me in the middle of the night and suddenly wants to help?”

His lips curled into something resembling a smile. “You don’t trust me. That’s smart. You shouldn’t. But I can give you information.”

I crossed my arms. “And what do you want in return?”

“Protection.” His voice was steady, but there was something underneath. Tension. Maybe even fear. I raised an eyebrow. “From who?”

His jaw tightened. “My kind.”

I studied him. He didn’t look scared, but there was a sharpness in his posture, like he was always ready to run. Like he knew what would happen if he was caught.

“Why would they turn on you?” I asked.

His golden eyes met mine. “Because I’m betraying them.” A long silence stretched between us.

Finally, I exhaled. “I don’t know if I can trust you.”

He nodded, like he expected that. “I wouldn’t trust me either.” “Then why the hell should I take this deal?”

He tilted his head. “Because if you don’t, you’ll lose. And so will everyone else.” I clenched my jaw, torn between instinct and logic.

“Think about it,” he said, stepping back into the shadows. “But don’t take too long.”

“Aurelion. Is your werewolf brain unable to pronounce it?” I scowled. “Oh fuck off.”

The dragon grinned, flashing me a toothy grin that made me take a step back.

“I hate you.”

“Yes, but you made need my help so I’ll think about what you had to say.” Then he was gone.

Grumbling to myself, I leaned against the trunk.

How did I manage to have a conversation with a shifter who just appeared out of nowhere? I had to go up and tell my mates about this.

Swallowing, I looked around and then hurried upstairs. “Guys wake up!”

It didn’t go very well.

They were pissed off to be woken up, but then I explained everything. Lia was the first to rush forward, looking at me for any wounds.

“Lia, I’m fine,” I assured her, grabbing her shoulders to make sure I could gaze her in the eyes. She breathed out a sigh of relief. “Good. Tell us more about it.”

I explained everything that had happened.

Everyone listened intently. When I was done, Rain started repeating the dragon shifter’s name, much to my amusement and annoyance at the same time.

“Aurelion. Aurelion. Aurelion.”

Jesse stared. “Aurelion, Rain. It’s not that difficult.”

The two of then stared at each other for a while before Rain started repeating the name again. Finally, after several more tries, he was able to get it.

“I think we are missing the point here,” I muttered, giving them both a look.” We should focus on the fact that I just had a conversation with a shifter.”

There was a lot to think about.

I hoped that he was going to reach out to us after a while. If he could help us grab one of those coven members, then we would be set.

Ready to take them down and find out just what they were hiding.