Chapter 32

CIAN

We’re all gathered around the table, digging into our meals. Dimitri had shown up earlier, but he didn’t stick around. Valkyrie is still missing, and I can’t help but wonder if she’ll show up. After our little incident, I’ve been feeling a pull towards her.

She’s the spitting image of the late queen. Every day, she looks more and more like her. I’m still waiting to hear back from my people. If all goes well, Valkyrie will be leaving with me. She won’t be staying here much longer.

“We should scout the area,” Leo suggests, catching Damian’s attention.

“Scout the area? Why?” Damian questions.

“We’ve got humans wandering our territory. We need to keep an eye on them. Plus, we still need to investigate those guys who attacked you,” Leo explains.

“Want to come with us?” Damian asks me. I glance up and nod. I’m not really in the mood to join them, but it seems like a good distraction.

The sound of the double doors opening makes us all turn. Dimitri walks in with Valkyrie. The three of us just stare at her. My heart skips a beat. She’s dressed like a queen.

I swallow my food quickly, then turn my gaze away and continue eating.

Leo coughs awkwardly as Damian keeps his eyes on her. I scoff lightly and keep eating. I know Damian is in love with Valkyrie. He hides it well, but I can see it in the way he looks at her.

He gives her this longing look that anyone in love would give to the person they desire. It bothers me when I see him looking at her like that. Dimitri seems to notice it too, but I can’t figure out why he lets it happen.

I glance back at them and freeze. My spoon clatters to the floor as I stand up in shock. What the hell am I seeing?

I stride over to Valkyrie, but Dimitri steps in my way. I push him aside and look down at Valkyrie. My eyes drop to her chest. Did he find the mark? I frown.

It can’t be. Dimitri couldn’t have found it. It’s impossible. I clench my fists and ask her about it, but Dimitri looks confused.

Valkyrie turns around and pulls her neckline down to show Dimitri. I hate the excitement on his face. My anger starts to boil over, and I punch him square in the face. How could he?

I transform into my dragon form, not caring who’s around, and attack Dimitri. Damian takes Valkyrie away, leaving me with one goal: kill Dimitri. I have to kill him.

I follow him outside and attack him. He doesn’t waste any time transforming into his black onyx dragon form. We fight, scratching and biting each other.

Everything is going fine until he scratches my face. His claws dig a deep wound into my eye. Just as I’m about to bite his paw, I hear a woman yell. I recognize the voice and stop.

My eyes snap to the entrance. Cursing in my mind, I watch the petite woman storming towards me. She’s huffing and looking at me with a threatening glare.

She smacks me with her small hand, and I roll my eyes. Irene. What the hell is she doing here?

I watch in awe as she snaps at Dimitri. He looks offended for a second but then leaves us alone. I growl at Irene.

“You dare to fucking growl at me?” Irene yells as Dimitri leaves us alone in the garden. “Transform back, you piece of shit!”

I huff and do as she says. As I lift my head, Irene slaps me in the face. Shocked, I hold my now-burning cheek.

“Why? Give me a reason I shouldn’t chop your balls off right now!” Irene hisses, her blue eyes meeting mine.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I hiss back angrily.

“Shut up and let’s go inside. And put some pants on, you piece of shit,” Irene says as she walks away, cursing under her breath.

***

After changing and still feeling grumpy, I listen as Irene introduces herself. Dimitri and everyone else are looking at us. I stay quiet as Irene explains why she’s here.

When she mentions that Uncle is here, I look at her in shock. So he came. I can’t help but smile as I watch Valkyrie’s reaction. She looks nervous. But why? Doesn’t she want to know more about her family?

Dimitri allows everyone to enter the palace and they leave.

“Follow me,” I say as Irene curses under her breath. I knock on Michael’s door and wait patiently for him to open up.

Finally, Michael opens the door and looks behind me. “Irene?” he breathes.

“Hi Mics,” Irene says, waving.

“Are you going to let us in?” I ask, annoyed. Michael nods and opens the door wider, and we walk in.

Once the door is closed, Michael looks at Irene, surprised.

“Please tell me you didn’t come alone,” Michael says, pinching his nose.

“Of course not, dear mate,” Irene says as she kisses his lips. I sigh and sit down on the bed.

Irene is both Michael’s and my mate. No one knew that we were actually twins, since we look so different, and also since Michael left our kingdom long ago.

Irene is a petite dragon from a neighboring kingdom. She’s a simple woman but has a lot of attitude. We’ve been mated for ten years.

I’ve been with her more times than Michael, but we don’t really care. Instead, we enjoy sharing her.

Irene loves it when we both fuck her. After all, we’re beasts, so sharing the same mate is normal. Not everyone knows that dragons can share mates.

It’s unusual, but it doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

“I’ve missed you, Michael,” Irene whispers. Michael clenches his fists. I smirk, lie down, and start thinking about what I should do next.

I hear some rustling and lower my gaze to find Irene undressing. Her mark is visible as she stands with her back to me.

Irene has two half-moons on her shoulder blade. They’re my and Michael’s marks. I remember when they appeared.

It was our second time fucking her. I was banging her from behind while Michael fucked her mouth. We both kissed her back, and the marks appeared the next day.

Remembering something about the mark, I sit up abruptly in bed. I hear a moan and look at Michael and Irene.

Michael has Irene backed up against the door. I roll my eyes, my mind drifting back to the earlier events. Valkyrie had a mark on her breast. The exact spot where my lips had been just hours before.

“Holy fuck,” I blurt out, causing Irene and Michael to whip their heads around in surprise.

I start pacing the room, my mind racing. Irene and Michael remain silent, watching me.

“Cian?” Michael finally breaks the silence.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, letting out another curse. I swear, I’m going to drop dead from all this cursing.

“What’s going on?” Michael asks, adjusting his shirt.

“What ~isn’t~ going on with him?” Irene retorts, a scoff in her voice. “He’s been messing up left and right. Did you know he got into a fight?” Irene adds, earning a glare from me.

“What?” Michael exclaims. “With who?”

“Who else? King Dimitri,” Irene replies, causing Michael to shoot me a glare.

“Why now?” Michael questions, running a hand through his hair. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Enough! I did it because Valkyrie has her mark,” I snap, huffing out a breath, “and I don’t think it’s Dimitri’s mark.”

“Hold on, not his? Her mark?” Michael stammers, confusion etched on his face.

“Yes, Valkyrie’s mark appeared,” I confirm, letting out a sigh.

“So why do you think it’s not the king’s?” Irene asks, taking a seat on the bed.

“Because…,” I trail off, debating whether to tell the truth or not.

“Because what? What did you do, you asshole?” Irene snaps, smacking the back of my head.

I growl at her, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

“Enough!” I roar.

“Cian!” Michael shouts, stepping in. “Let her go!”

I release her hand and step away from the bed.

“Are you going to explain or not?” Michael asks, standing next to me. I glance at Irene, who’s shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

“I accidentally… How do I put this?” I start, ruffling my hair. “I found Valkyrie asleep in the library. She hugged me in her sleep. My face ended up right where her mark is.”

The room falls into a stunned silence. Irene and Michael are staring at me like I’ve sprouted a second head. Suddenly, Irene bursts into laughter. She’s clutching her stomach, her laughter echoing throughout the room.

It’s been a while since I’ve heard her laugh like that. I glance at Michael, watching his reaction. His lips are pressed into a thin line. As Irene walks past me, she catches sight of Michael and her laughter dies.

Her smile fades. Panicking, she jumps up from the bed and rushes over to Michael.

“Wait… You’re not suggesting ~that~, are you?” Irene asks, gripping Michael’s shirt. Michael looks at her and gives her a sad smile. “Michael?”

Irene’s voice shakes. She turns to look at me.

“It can’t be true,” Irene whispers. I reach out and pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“It could be,” I whisper back. “There’s a chance that Valkyrie is my mate too.”