The Dragon's Mate

The kitchen was buzzing, filled with the rich aroma of roasted meats, sweet pastries, and fresh bread. Luna Eleanor had made sure this wasn't just a quiet corner affair—she'd invited a good portion of the pack. Half the kitchen staff were mingling with drinks in hand, laughing over shared gossip, while a handful of teenagers milled around the long food tables, aggressively stacking their plates with mini pies and frosted treats. For the first time in his eighteen years, Kai actually felt light. He felt happy. Standing in the center of the warm room with a party hat tipped slightly askew on his head, Malakai—Kai to everyone who knew him—could barely keep the smile off his face. Martha stood right beside him, wiping a tear from her cheek before nudging him playfully, while Luna Eleanor handed him a slice of the multi-tiered cake they'd spent all morning baking. Sure, most of the pack adults still ignored him, and the teenagers were mostly there for the free food, but looking around at the glowing string lights, the loud laughter, and the genuine affection in Martha and Eleanor's eyes, Kai felt like he belonged somewhere. Just for tonight, the years of cold shoulders, mean whispers, and being the forgotten orphan faded into the background. "To Kai!" Martha cheered, raising her glass of punch. "To Kai," the kitchen crew echoed, clinking their glasses together as a few teenagers cheered between mouthfuls of food. Kai beamed, his chest tight with a warmth he wished he could bottle up forever. He took a breath, closing his eyes to make a wish over his glowing candles, hoping with everything in him that eighteen would bring a fresh start. Maybe even a mate—someone gentle who would love him and take him far away from the pack's cruelty. Right as he blew out the candles, the double doors of the hall slammed open with a loud, theatrical bang, cutting through the music and laughter instantly. "Well, well. Look at the little orphan's grand celebration," a sharp, arrogant voice sneered. The room went dead quiet. Cole strutted in, flanked by his usual entourage of heavy-set fighters and sycophants. As the Alpha's son—and the future Alpha the moment he secured a mate—Cole walked like he owned every inch of the floorboards. He smirked, eyeing the decorations with absolute disdain, clearly here to ruin the only good day Kai had experienced in years. Kai's happy bubble shattered instantly. He stepped back, his heart slamming against his ribs as he prepared for the inevitable humiliation. Cole took three lazy strides toward the center of the room, his eyes scanning the crowd before locking directly onto Kai. He froze mid-step. The air in the hall thinned so fast it made Kai's lungs ache. Deep within Kai's chest, a powerful spirit that had been dormant his whole life suddenly burst awake, roaring with absolute, terrifying authority. At the exact same second, Cole's eyes flashed a brilliant, blinding gold. An invisible force slammed between them, vibrating through the floorboards so intensely that a few glasses on the table shattered. "MATE!" The voice didn't just ring out in their minds—it tore from both of their throats simultaneously, raw, primal, and echoing off the walls for every single person in the room to hear. The silence that followed was suffocating. Kitchen staff dropped their towels, teenagers froze with food halfway to their mouths, and Luna Eleanor gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Cole stumbled back half a pace, his face pale, staring at Kai as if he'd just been struck by lightning. Kai locked eyes with his tormentor, his blood running completely ice-cold despite the heat of the room. Oh, s**t, Kai thought, panic clawing at his throat. Oh, absolute s**t.