Dragon Alpha's Special Mate

15. The Celebration

Maxson

I stand in front of the crowd, my palms sweaty as they prepare me to tell everyone who my dragon is. I’m standing to the side as everyone starts to take their spots. Milo, Mark, and Mack all stand to the side since they can’t fly yet.

Rina’s standing to the side, talking to her father and surely complaining that her party wasn’t this big. She wishes she could be in my position, readying herself to take over as Alpha. She almost would have been, too. But Uncle Mihail didn’t take over. They made Mom do it, and now I’ll take over.

Sometimes I, too, wish Uncle Mihail would have taken over and that Rina would be the next Alpha. I turn my attention back to the crowd, staring at the empty seats I forced Mom to keep despite Ryder's insistence that they wouldn’t be attending.

Where is she? We had a plan for her to come here anyway, even if she was alone.

“Honey, we can’t wait any longer.”

I nod as I look into the crowd and step forward to the middle of the cleared area. Mom hands me the microphone, and I take a deep breath before addressing the crowd.

“My dragon’s name is Avian.”

I jump into the air, drop the microphone, and shift into my powerful beast, releasing a stream of pure fire into the sky. Mom told me to let everyone believe I’m a fire dragon only.

You know, for someone who truly changed the course of history, she sure is worried about telling anyone the truth about me.

I continue to fly in front of my family, glancing back for a moment to see Syry and Orion’s white scales glisten in the sunlight. I look to the side and see Rina’s dragon, Evi, spreads her dark purple wings as she twirls in the sky.

“Are you really going to make me pay you for being right, Grandpa?”

Rina’s voice comes into my mind, and I know she’s linking everyone as Grandpa’s laugh echoes through our ears.

“You bet I am.”

The family banters as we fly through the sky, and I turn, looking down and still trying to see Sophia. She said she’d be here. At least somewhere I can see her. I can’t blame her, though. Her parents made it clear she wasn’t coming. I just thought she’d still find a way.

I take another turn when I look down at the street where her mom's coffee shop is. I see a small figure waving frantically.

Is that… Sapphire? Sophia’s friend? She starts to run when she sees she has my attention, and despite the route my mom wanted us to fly, I turn. I can feel her try to push into my mind, but I block her out, turning and seeing Sophia standing on a tall rock waving at me.

“Sorry, I couldn’t make it. Dad’s being a total d**k. You look beautiful up there.”

“Not as beautiful as you do down there.”

I turn to continue on the original path, feeling happier and lighter since she did find a way to see me.

“Come on, we have to get over Kinia at some point, lover boy.”

I can’t find it in myself to be embarrassed as Damari links me. Fine, call me a lover boy. I’m loved, and I’m in love. I couldn’t go through a day like today without at least acknowledging my mate, even in my own way.

We reach the edge of the city and start flying out over the water toward Kinia. The city turned out beautifully, and it grows every single year. It’s one of the most visited tourist spots but still has its humble and homey feeling.

The streets are lined with all types of creatures waving as we fly over them. I release a stream of fire, feeling giddy at the cheers I hear from them. I wonder how they’d feel if they truly knew what I was.

Scared.

They’d definitely be scared.

But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going to be the Alpha, with Sophia by my side, for the rest of my life. No matter what happens, I can be happy knowing I’m hers, and she’s mine. We may be young, but we were always destined to be together, so why wait to be together?

Sophia

“His dragon is huge! No wonder he’s the alpha. I still can’t believe Maxson f*****g Shaw is your mate. You lucky, lucky brat.”

I laugh as Sapphire, and I walk back to the coffee shop. Dad may have not let me come, but Mom isn’t a monster. I’ve been doing shifts at the shop, and just as the ceremony begins, she needs me to run out and pick up more napkins.

I’d thank her, but she’d deny any knowledge.

Sapphire’s been working with us, too, and it was her idea to run out and get his attention. I’m glad it worked because seeing him in his full glory, with his family around him, was beautiful.

I tried linking with him earlier, but it’s harder to do over longer distances. We both have to be paying attention for it to work really well.

Sapphire and I make it back to the store with the napkins mom requested. Ax should probably already be over Kinia.

I know they’re having a party tonight at the castle, but he promised he’d make his way out and see me. He doesn’t have to, but I appreciate him coming over. His parents don’t have him on lockdown like Dad does for me.

While we promised to keep our relationship a secret, I couldn’t keep that from Sapphire. She had to know the truth, she’s my best friend.

“When are you done being grounded?”

“Whenever my dad gets the stick out of his ass.”

“That sucks. You finally get a boyfriend, and you don’t even get to see him.”

“Ax isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my mate. We’re more than boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

I laugh at her. I know she doesn’t get it. She’s a fae. They don’t have mates. They choose who to end up with. They choose who to love. I’m given my love, it’s wonderful.

Sapphire’s right about one thing: I’m a lucky, lucky girl to have the dragon that’s Ax’s mate.