When Matteo mentioned the name, a face popped into my head. Muzo was that omega jackal from season one. I remembered his wacky grin among the crowd at the closing ceremony, and how wildly he’d clapped and cheered for his friend Taylor. Hell, I recalled Poppy, Taylor’s arctic wolf friend, too. He had a baby face and clapped softly, like he was afraid of making too much noise and bothering somebody.

  Matteo was Taylor’s friend, too, wasn’t he? So why didn’t I remember him?

  “That was really nice of you,” I said.

  “Anybody would’ve done the same.”

  I snorted, thinking about Aurum’s willingness to fight me earlier. “No, they wouldn’t. Trust me.”

  Matteo was quiet as he regarded me for a moment. Dammit, I wished I could’ve seen his eyes better. Past the unfortunate swelling, they looked warm and kind.

  “In any case, thanks for coming to talk to me,” he said. “You’re a busy bachelor, and this has taken time out of your day.”

  “Don’t even mention it. I’m not as busy as you think. Until the show starts, all I do is sit around and look pretty.”

  He tilted his head. “And you do a fine job of that.”

  Heat prickled my cheeks. The sudden compliment caught me off guard. It didn’t feel forced, or like he was trying to get on my good side before the Games officially began. He really meant it.

  “Thanks,” I said, running a hand through my hair to distract from my blushing face. I decided to change the subject. “By the way, I apologize for my idiot brothers bothering you earlier. If I’d known about their scheme, I would’ve told the nurse to lock the door.”

  Matteo’s mouth curled in amusement. “Not at all. They were only here for a minute before she chased them away.”

  An unexpected laugh came out of me. “She did? They conveniently failed to mention that part.”

  “It was quite a scene,” Matteo agreed. “I’ve never seen a kobold roar at a pair of dragons like that.”

  “Wish I’d seen it. Maybe they should come bother you again,” I joked.

  He arched a handsome brow. “I’d much prefer you bother me instead.”

  The heat in my cheeks had barely settled, but now it flared again.

  As I gazed at him and laughed with him, a realization hit me.

  I liked Matteo.

  The Dragonfate Games hadn’t even started yet, and here I was falling for the first omega I spoke to. Was that normal? Did this happen to Crimson with Taylor?

  I tried to quiet the fluttering sensation in my chest. “The meet-and-greet is in an hour, so I’ll have plenty of chances to bother you more.”

  He flashed me a radiant smile. “Then I hope the nurse clears me in time.”

  “What?”

  “If she says I’m too injured to participate, I’ll have to stay here.”

  My stomach flipped. I hadn’t considered the possibility that Matteo would miss it because of his injuries.

  “Then I won’t go,” I stated flat-out.

  Surprise crossed Matteo’s face. “Why?”

  I shrugged and got comfortable in my seat. “There’s no point if you’re not there. I’ll hang out here with you instead.”

  For a few beats, Matteo was silent with astonishment. “Thystle, you can’t do that.”

  I smirked. “I’m the alpha dragon bachelor. I can do whatever I like. And if I want to spend all evening in the medical ward with you, nobody can stop me.”

  A rosy hue colored Matteo’s face—and it wasn’t from the inflammation.

  He parted his mouth. “Thystle—”

  The door burst open. An obnoxiously dressed Gaius flounced into the room. For a second, I saw the kobold nurse behind him. She looked smitten. I guessed Gaius had sweet-talked his way in.

  Unlike her, I wasn’t as pleased to see him.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, grumpy that my alone time with Matteo had been interrupted.

  Unlike my stupid brothers, Gaius was more perceptive than he let on. With a single glance, he understood what had transpired here.

  “Hello, Matteo! Sorry to hear about the incident. And I’m even sorrier to whisk you away like this, Thystle,” Gaius said, shooting both of us a sympathetic look, “but Duke screamed at me to fetch you for the meet-and-greet. His voice is still ringing in my ears...”

  “If Matteo’s not going, then I’m not, either,” I griped.

  Gaius stroked his chin. “Hm, that is a pickle, isn’t it? What do you say, nurse? Can you clear our buddy for an easygoing walk on the beach?”

  My annoyance at Gaius’s random appearance turned to gratitude when the nurse happily agreed while making googly eyes at him.

  Gaius clapped his hands. “Wonderful! Now, let’s make our way to the set before Duke plucks my feathers, shall we?”

  “We wouldn’t want that,” Matteo said as he pulled back the white sheet to hop out of bed.

  That was when I noticed that he was only wearing boxers under there. I gawked silently at the curve of his cock in his underwear and his toned, hairy legs before I wrenched my gaze away. I hurried out of the room before anyone saw my deeply flushed cheeks.

  And as I did so, I realized something else.

  During the whole time I spent with Matteo, I hadn’t thought about Aquila once.

  Seven

  Matteo

  Despite my vision being impeded by two black eyes, the beach was still gorgeous. The shimmering sunset turned the white sand golden, and the gentle ocean waves flowed back and forth on the shore in a comforting rhythm.

  It was all perfect... except for the unholy amount of omegas crowding Thystle. The black eyes ended up being helpful since I could glare at them without anybody knowing.

  When I regained consciousness after the brawl, I didn’t expect to see an identical pair of curious alphas wearing weird hats. They had introduced themselves as Aurum and Saffron—Thystle’s brothers. After the nurse chased them off, I figured I’d be alone until I got better... but then Thystle himself showed up at my door.

  My heart skipped remembering the way he looked at me. Even before he spoke, I could tell he felt awful about the whole thing, even though none of it was his fault. The staff was responsible for the overcrowding, not him.

  And then, when Thystle’s entire face lit up during our conversation...

  A pleasant shiver ran through me. His smile was so beautiful. It seared into my mind, a permanent memory of his joy.

  As I watched him mingle with dozens of contestants, that genuine smile was absent. I could tell he was faking it to varying degrees of success. It mostly resembled an awkward grimace. Poor guy. I’d suggested to Alaric that Thystle might be more social than he assumed, but I was wrong. I’d bet $100 Thystle would rather have a root canal than talk to one more stranger.

  But that didn’t stop strangers from wanting to talk to him. Omega after omega swarmed Thystle, boasting and showing off as they clamored for his attention. I thought Alaric was desperate in the first season, but compared to these guys, he possessed the patience of a saint.

  “This is ridiculous,” the cat shifter in question grumbled beside me. We stood by the bar—which was securely staffed after the lobby incident—since neither of us wanted to breach the chaotic crowd. “How is anybody supposed to have quality one-on-one time with Thystle when the frat crew mobs him?”

  I took a sip of my gin and tonic. It was a plain drink, just the way I liked it.

  “Claw your way in?” I suggested.

  “I seem to recall from a recent event that violence gets you kicked off the show,” Alaric said wryly.

  “Sure. But you’d make a killer impression,” I joked.

  Alaric heaved a dramatic sigh and asked the bartender for another shot of Baileys. After he threw it back, he huffed. “I told myself that after the first season, I’d take my time and play the long game. But at this rate, Thystle won’t even remember who the hell I am.”

  “I mean this in the least offensive way possible, but you’re hard to forget, Alaric.”

  He flashed a crooked grin. “And you’re the opposite, Matteo. In the least offensive way possible, of course.”

  “None taken,” I promised.

  That was the goal, after all. To blend seamlessly into the background, never to be the center of attention again.

  Though, I was starting to see a glitch in my strategy. In the short amount of time I’d known Thystle, I’d grown fond of him. And I was attracted to him—far, far more than I ever was to Crimson. A bud of hope whispered in my ear that maybe... he might be the one.

  But if I inched my way closer to his heart, and if the feeling was mutual, wouldn’t that thrust me directly into the limelight? The exact thing I was trying to avoid?

  My warring feelings nagged at me. I couldn’t shake the itchy, anxious feeling of standing out, yet I wanted to find my fated mate more than anything. In the end, my desire for love won out. That was why I accepted the invitation for season two.

  I felt like I stood on the edge of a yawning chasm with everything I ever wanted beyond the terrifying pit. I couldn’t live my whole life dodging the things that scared me. I had to take the leap of faith and fly.

  Just as that thought entered my mind, I heard a loud voice addressing Thystle. I looked over to see a tall, jock-like omega looming over him, clearly trapping him in a conversation he didn’t want to be in.

  I was appalled at that man’s behavior. In the first season of the Games, the omegas were polite and civil, waiting for Crimson to address them first. But many of the contestants here now were rowdy and downright rude.

  I thrust my drink at Alaric, who took it with a confused frown.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  I almost said to protect what’s mine. But I stopped myself at the last second before the words left my tongue.

  Thystle wasn’t mine. We’d only spoken once. Why was I so defensive over him? I dismissed the thought, blaming it on my compassionate nature. This was just like earlier, when I protected Muzo from that bully. I disliked it when people imposed their will on others. Nothing more.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” I said under my breath before storming off.

  Thystle wasn’t a huge alpha—he was an average height, toned, yet lithe and wiry. The jock omega was larger than him and used his size to his advantage, cutting off Thystle’s escape route.

  “You haven’t spent any time with me yet,” the omega complained. “Let’s share a drink.”

  Thystle looked like a haggard substitute teacher dealing with too many obnoxious teenagers.

  “I’m fine, thanks,” he said curtly. He stepped around the omega, obviously trying to escape the crowd, but the man got in his way and raised his cup.

  “C’mon, man, don’t be like that. I came all this way to meet you,” the omega said.

  Poor Thystle. I could tell from his expression that he deeply regretted inviting so many people now.

  “Sorry, I just need a second,” Thystle mumbled, dodging the man in the other direction.

  When the omega blocked his path a second time, I grew enraged.

  Thanks to my ability to blend into the background, nobody noticed when I slipped next to the offending omega. By the time he did notice me, it was too late. I’d thrust myself between them like a brick wall.

  “Matteo!” Thystle said.

  The raw relief in his voice told me I’d done the right thing. I was glad I trusted my instincts, even if they consistently got me into trouble with meatheads.

  “Hey, dick,” the omega barked. “I’m having a conversation here.”

  I held up a hand to show him I wasn’t looking for a fight. “My apologies. I’ve got an urgent message for Thystle.”

  The man crossed his arms. He clenched his cup so hard the plastic started to crumple. “So tell him already.”

  “Private message,” I amended. “Thystle, shall we?”

  He nodded and played along. “Oh, yes. An urgent, private message. This must be important. Excuse me.” We scurried away from the crowd and hid beneath a beach umbrella. When we were alone, Thystle let out an exhausted sigh.

  “Holy Drake, I never want to do that again,” he grumbled, then casually leaned against my shoulder. “How do extroverts exist?”

  I blinked, pleasantly surprised he used me for support. Literally.

  “Even an extrovert would get tired in that crowd,” I remarked.

  “Thanks for saving my life. I was actually about to walk out into the ocean if one more stranger talked to me.”

  “You’re welcome. I was going to escort that man into the ocean if he didn’t stop bothering you.”

  Thystle smirked. “Wow, you’re darker than I thought. I like that in a man.”

  A cottony sensation fluttered in my chest. I didn’t expect Thystle’s flirty compliments. Did he do that with everybody, or only me?

  I shrugged. “I couldn’t stand around and do nothing while that man missed all your distress signals.” Thystle tilted his head, glancing at my swollen eyes. “That’s a running theme with you, huh? Can’t ignore people in need?”

  I grinned. “I suppose it is.”

  “Wow. Are you secretly some kind of hero? Or superstar?”

  The ridge of my back went straight. He didn’t know how close to the truth his words cut. I didn’t let my surprise show on my face, instead giving him a soft laugh.

  “Not at all. I’m just a regular person,” I said.

  My body felt shivery as Thystle continued to stare. He kept searching my face, almost as if looking for something specific. I tensed under his scrutiny.

  He couldn’t know, could he?

  But then he sighed and lounged against me like a cat curling up on a sofa. “Well, anyway, I appreciate it. You’re the only person here who seems to care about my feelings.”

  That fluttery sensation happened again. I did care about him. I was glad it came across.

  “Can I ask you something?” I began.

  “Sure.”

  “If you’re so introverted, why’d you invite all these contestants?”

  Thystle groaned and buried his face in my shoulder. The warmth of his breath against my skin sent a shiver down my spine.

  “I can’t tell you,” he grumbled.

  “Why not?”

  “You’re gonna think I’m really stupid.”

  “I would never think that.”

  Thystle glanced up at me for a long moment. His pale purple eyes were gorgeous up close, like the first lilac blossoms of spring.

  “You know, when you say that, Matteo, I want to believe it.”

  I smiled slowly at him. “Good. I hope you do.”

  A tinge of pink bloomed on his pale cheeks. He cleared his throat and turned his face so I couldn’t see it.

  “Do you think any of them notice I’m missing?” he asked, nodding at the rambunctious crowd of omegas. They’d apparently grown bored and were now chanting something about “chugging”. A couple security kobolds stood on standby, ready to defuse any drunken conduct. Since the bar staff were packing up, it was safe to assume the alcohol supply was officially cut off.

  “No,” I said. “Now answer my question.”

  “Can’t a guy evade interrogation in peace?”

  “Not after I saved your life,” I teased.

  He huffed. “Wow, blackmail much? You are dark. Is that why you dress like you’re in the mafia?”

  The comment blindsided me, making me choke into laughter. “What? I do not!”

  “Yes, you do,” Thystle argued flatly. “White shirt. Black pants. You’re dressed like you’ve got something to hide.”

  I gawked at him. How could he be so right, yet so hilariously wrong? “I can assure you I’m not in the mafia,” I said wryly. “And Taylor wore something similar back on season one. Well, before Crimson spilled soda all over his white shirt and stained it forever.”

  “My brother spilled a drink on Taylor?” Thystle blurted with a laugh. “Wow, he conveniently left that out in all his stories.”

  “You didn’t watch the first show?” I asked.

  “It’s not my thing.” He shuffled his feet. “But now I kind of wish I had. So I could see more of you.”

  Warmth suffused my chest.

  “There wasn’t much to see,” I admitted. “I didn’t perform particularly well in the challenges, and I didn’t do anything memorable. Alaric was my fellow contestant, and he didn’t even recall my name.”

  Thystle scowled. “Whatever. I’m gonna watch the episodes you’re in. I’ll fast-forward through all the other crap.”

  I was genuinely shocked. Why would he offer to do that? Was he just being nice? “You don’t have to—”

  Thystle sharply glanced at me. “I will. And that’s the end of it.”

  The sudden twist of ferocity reminded me of who I was dealing with—an alpha dragon. A creature of supposed myth.

  One who’d taken such a liking to me that he’d watch a full season of TV in which I was a mere background character just to see glimpses of me.

  Something glinted in the corner of my eye. It was a reflection of light from the camera lens. I’d completely forgotten the Dragonfate Games were being filmed. Did the crew get our whole conversation?

  Was I now a person of interest?

  Paranoia surged through me. My muscles tensed. Because I was so comfortable around Thystle, I’d let my guard down. I hoped I hadn’t said anything on film I’d regret later.

  “Hey.” Thystle’s quiet voice pulled me out of my racing thoughts. “Don’t worry about the cameras. Focus on me.”

  To drive his point home, he glared at the camera crew until they backed off. They’d have to be content with filming from afar.

  Some of the tension left my shoulders. Thystle noticed my discomfort and acted instantly. It felt good that he’d looked out for me, the same way I did for him.

  Did he share the way I felt about him, too? Judging by the way he continued to lean on my shoulder, I wondered if that was the case...

  The fluttering feeling in my chest could no longer be contained. It seeped throughout my limbs, making them tingly where Thystle touched me. I didn’t want him to move. I wanted him to stay there, resting on me forever.