Questions swirled in my mind. If Alaric and Taylor hadn’t invited me, would Viol ask me to go back? Was their request the only reason he let me stay?

  I sighed. I wished we could talk without me spiralling into doubt...

  Suddenly, I felt a brief, warm touch on my shoulder. Viol gave me a quick pat, then withdrew his hand as quickly as he’d made contact.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. “You just surprised me, is all. It’s fine for you to be here, okay?”

  His words were choppy and rough around the edges, but his intent was genuine. He wouldn’t go out of his way to reassure me if he didn’t mean it.

  “Okay,” I said, a small smile tugging at my mouth.

  Viol blinked, then angled his head towards the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s go eat whatever the fuck Crimson’s cooking up.”

  I pulled myself off the couch and followed him. The ice-cold tension that had sealed my heart since last night slowly dissolved like spring meltwater. I could finally take a real breath.

  In the few seconds it took us to reach the kitchen, I drew my gaze down Viol’s back. His hair was long again, flowing down in dark purple tendrils that brushed his collarbones. The old leather jacket that hugged his broad shoulders continued to age gracefully, worn but well-loved. Even the saunter of his hips was familiar. Like we’d never been apart.

  I caught myself before I got too emotional.

  Taylor and Alaric brightened when they saw me walk in. I smiled and sat between them again, comforted by their combined presence. Nobody commented on Viol’s return, probably because he’d hate the attention. He wordlessly hopped onto a bar stool across from me and propped his elbows on the counter, fidgeting with his mug. He still hadn’t taken a single sip of coffee.

  “Nice to see you back, Poppy,” Taylor remarked.

  “You must be hungry,” Alaric stated, then called over his shoulder, “Where are those pancakes we were promised?”

  Taylor snorted. “It’s always pancakes in this house.”

  As Crimson slid over with a plate full of food, he playfully scolded his mate. “Excuse you. I’m also capable of making omelettes.”

  Alaric nodded as he snuck a pancake onto his plate. “Yes, some protein would be nice, so our breakfast isn’t pure carbs.”

  Crimson raised a brow at the odd-eyed omega. “Don’t complain about my food while demanding more.”

  I chuckled at their antics. The Chromatimaeus house was so lively and fun. Even when they butted heads, it was lighthearted and merry.

  “I’m glad we can entertain you,” Alaric said, neatly cutting a square out of his pancake and popping it into his mouth. “Now, eat.”

  Now that my anxiety had dissipated, my appetite returned. The delectable scent of food filled the air. Crimson leaned over my shoulder and deposited three fat pancakes onto my plate, then asked Viol, “And you?”

  Viol scoffed. “What? Of course I want some.”

  Flashing a smirk, Crimson said, “Ask nicely, and you may receive.”

  Viol’s mouth drew into a scowl. He radiated an insulting aura, like he wanted to sling barbs at Crimson, but held his tongue because a guest was present. I didn’t want him to feel stifled, or go hungry, so I intervened.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “Three is too many for me. I’ll share with Viol.”

  The dark veil lifted from Viol’s face. He blinked at me, surprised and grateful, then returned to a neutral expression. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  He inched his plate forward and I dropped two pancakes on it.

  “This is too many,” Viol complained. “You gave me two, and you only have one.”

  “It’s all right,” I told him.

  “Take one back.”

  “Really, it’s okay, I can’t eat that much.”

  “Neither can I,” he lied.

  He stabbed a fork through the top pancake, readying to drop it on my plate, so I pulled it closer to my chest, safely out of his reach. He looked baffled.

  Alaric let out a one-note laugh. “You two bicker like an old married couple.”

  Viol’s face flushed. Instead of arguing, he cut the fork-stabbed pancake aggressively into four giant slices, then stuffed one in his mouth. He spent the next minute chewing in sullen silence.

  He was so cute.

  Everyone else began to eat, so I joined in, too. The soft, buttery flavor melted on my tongue. The food was so delicious, and the household so generous, that I was almost moved to tears again.

  “Crimson, this is wonderful,” I said. “Thank you.”

  The alpha grinned. “Glad you like it, Poppy. I’ll make them for you anytime.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Viol freeze. He paused for a few beats, then slowly chewed again, focused and deliberate.

  He couldn’t possibly be jealous, could he?

  Jade and Crimson casually slid into the seats flanking Viol. The purple-haired alpha looked cramped and uncomfortable, but he kept eating in flustered silence.

  “Ah. Lovely, isn’t it?” Jade remarked, taking a sip of his drink. “A nice quiet morning.”

  Alaric frowned, glancing at Crimson. “What happened to that omelette I was promised?”

  Crimson raised a brow. “I don’t recall promising anything. If you want it that badly, why don’t you ask your mate to make it?”

  Alaric sighed dramatically. “No, it’s all right. I’d rather him sit where I can see him.”

  Jade’s reply was a sly smile.

  Their love was beautiful. I could practically see a tangible connection between them, vibrating in the air. They were obviously meant for each other. I felt grateful that fate had brought them together.

  Thinking back, I remembered Alaric’s distress on his winning season, and each season leading up to it. He was frazzled and stressed he’d never find his fated mate. When it finally happened, it was a huge relief for both of us. I was so happy for him.

  I felt the same way with Taylor on the very first season. Although I was nervous when Muzo signed us up for the show, it ended up being for the best. Taylor found his mate in Crimson, and a whole new world opened up for all of us. Muzo eventually matched with Cobalt, whose calm demeanour was a great match for his sprightly energy.

  One by one, I’d watched my friends—new and old—discover their fated mates. I watched their love blossom in real time, and supported them every step of the way. I didn’t do it out of any obligation, or secret purpose. I really did just want them to be happy.

  I’d always insisted that one day, I’d find my fated mate, too. That was the reason I kept returning to the island, season after season. But the truth was more complicated than that.

  My gaze drifted to Viol, sitting across from me. He felt at once so familiar, and so distant. He was close enough that I could reach out and touch him—but if I did, would he pull away? I couldn’t gauge his feelings, and that frightened me. I stood at the precipice of our relationship, frozen with uncertainty, terrified of being rejected.

  “Here.”

  Viol’s curt comment pulled me out of my thoughts. Before I could refuse, he’d plopped half an uneaten pancake on my plate. It was cut down the middle.

  “Now we’re even,” he said.

  Something wavered in his eyes. It was cautiously optimistic. Almost warm. A compromise.

  He didn’t return half the pancake because he was rejecting it. He returned it because he wanted to share with me. A perfect fifty-fifty split.

  I smiled at Viol. Even in his crankiest moments, he was kind. I’d always admired that about him.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  His eyes flashed before he stared down into his mug. The forgotten coffee must’ve been lukewarm by now. “It’s nothing,” he muttered.

  We all continued to eat until not a single crumb or drop of syrup remained on our plates. The atmosphere in the kitchen was uplifting. It was a far cry from my mornings spent alone in my apartment, chewing on plain toast while raucous street noise floated up to my window. Even though I was technically surrounded by people, it was always lonely.

  But here, in a kitchen full of familiar shifters, my heart swelled with gratitude and peace. They’d welcomed me into their home, fed me, and most importantly, gave me an opportunity to connect with Viol. They had no idea how much that meant to me.

  “Oh man, what smells amazing?”

  I perked up at the sound of Muzo’s voice. He bounced into the kitchen like a wound-up toy, followed by his huge mate Cobalt. Their daughter Lazuli was balanced on Cobalt’s shoulder in dragonet form.

  “You guys ate already?” Muzo complained. “Are there any leftover—POPPY!”

  He gasped and launched himself at me, nearly knocking me off the bar stool. I laughed at my fellow canine’s over-the-top display of affection. I imagined his jackal tail wagging a mile a minute.

  “What are you doing here?” Muzo asked. After I explained that Taylor and Alaric invited me for breakfast, he grinned. “That’s an awesome idea. Heck, I didn’t even know you were on the island!” He stopped abruptly, then tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Wait a sec. Does that mean the Dragonfate Games are back on?”

  “No,” Viol stated bluntly.

  Muzo wasn’t fazed by his sour reaction. “Really? Then why’s Pops here?”

  “I asked him to come,” Jade explained, stirring a silver spoon into a fresh mug of tea.

  “Just Poppy? Nobody else?”

  “That’s right. There will be no Games, so there’s no need for contestants.”

  Muzo tilted his head at me. “Then Poppy’s the only contestant?”

  “If you want to think of it that way, yes,” Jade confirmed. “Although he won’t be competing in any challenges.”

  “So, he’s just here for fun?”

  Jade sipped his tea. He deliberately avoided the glare Viol shot in his direction. “In a manner of speaking.”

  “Huh. Okay.” Muzo scratched his curly hair. “Seriously, there’s no leftover pancakes?”

  After Crimson whipped up a second round of pancakes for Muzo and other late-rising stragglers, I moved across the kitchen to the ‘babysitting zone’. That was the name for the spacious area behind the breakfast bar full of couches and toys. Apparently, those who weren’t actively cooking or eating gathered there to watch the kids so their parents could prepare food or dine in peace. It was noisy, but fun. I’d never seen so many adorable little ones at once.

  Ruby, Heather, Lazuli, Kiara, and Desiree—who weren’t dragonets, but ferret kits with wings—then Mint. It was a lot of new faces and names to learn, but I did my best to memorize them. The only two missing were Rorik’s twin boys, but my friend hadn’t come downstairs for breakfast yet. I imagined he was still curled up with Saffron in bed.

  “Yo, Poppy,” Aurum called from the breakfast bar. Mylo sat beside him, close enough for their thighs to touch. “Are you sure you’re okay watching the horde?”

  I smiled. “Don’t worry about me. Enjoy your meal.”

  “All right, suit yourself,” Aurum said with a shrug before diving back into his shared stack of pancakes.

  “Oh, Poppy’s fine, he loves kids,” Muzo declared. He paused as Cobalt wiped a trickle of syrup from his cheek, then continued, “Besides, he’s not alone, Viol’s watching, too.”

  Viol’s eyebrow twitched at the mention of his name. He sat on the opposite couch, never taking his watchful gaze off the kids as they played. I got the sense he didn’t want to be mentioned at all. He just wanted to do his duty in peace. I wondered if the crowd and noise of the busy kitchen overwhelmed him.

  I glanced at the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door that led to the garden. The fresh air and grass beneath our feet would do us good, and the kids would probably enjoy it more than the boring kitchen floor.

  “Hey,” I said to Viol, “why don’t we take them outside for a while?”

  His brows rose slightly, then he nodded. “Good idea.” When he leapt off the couch, it commanded all the kids’ attention. It was obvious how much they all adored and respected him. “All right, kiddos. We’re going outside.”

  A symphony of “YAY” followed. The colorful horde streamed behind Viol as he pushed the door open. He led the kids in front, while I capped the rear.

  When we reached the garden, I gasped in wonder. It was so beautiful and well-maintained. Exotic flowers bloomed everywhere, their petals bright and vivid. A clean, sweet scent tickled my nose, and I inhaled a deep breath of it. Compared to the car exhaust and odor of garbage in the city, this was paradise.

  “You coming?” Viol asked.

  I realized I’d been zoning out. I shook my head to clear it and followed Viol as he led our little group through the garden. The pathway was lined with whimsical cobblestones. Kiara and Desiree made a game out of skipping to each one without touching the soil in between. Their tiny wings flapped as they jumped.

  “Nice job,” I praised.

  The girls beamed. “Thanks, mistew.”

  “Not mister,” Viol corrected. “That’s Uncle Poppy.”

  A surprised flutter ran through me. “Uncle?”

  Viol shrugged. “You’re close with the omegas, right? That makes you an uncle.”

  A warm feeling surged across my skin. That was far more familiar than I would’ve dared to assume. I knew about the kids from what their parents told me, but this was my first time meeting all of them individually.

  “I—I couldn’t possibly overstep like that,” I blurted.

  Viol snorted. “Don’t be so modest.”

  “I’m not!”

  “Hey kids,” Viol announced. “Who wants to play with Uncle Poppy?”

  Cries of “ME!” smothered any weak argument I’d prepared. I sighed, defeated. When it came to an excited gaggle of kids clamoring for my attention, I couldn’t refuse.

  “Let’s race!” Ruby cried, shifting into human form. As the oldest, his speech was the most advanced. The longer I looked at him, the more I saw little glimpses of Taylor, and my heart felt full of affection.

  “Okay, but we gotta make it fair,” Viol said. “It won’t work if some of you are dragons and ferrets. Let’s try it on two legs.”

  The kids all excitedly shifted to human form. The sight of the youngsters melted my heart. It was easy to forget how young they were as animals, when they looked so noble and confident, but as toddlers, they were plump-faced and ready to topple over. They were so cute I could hardly stand it.

  Viol swung around to stand beside me, creating an impromptu starting line. I was taken aback by his sudden proximity. When he announced “go”, I was still staring at him. But as the kids took off, so did he. I was so busy watching him that I forgot to move. Viol lagged behind on purpose to let the kids forge ahead. His face lit up at their joy, and he flashed an unfiltered smile. It was an expression I hadn’t seen touch his face in a long time. I was so mesmerized by it that I stood motionless, content simply to observe.

  Viol used to smile like that constantly. It felt like I was seeing a version of him from the past, unclouded and undamaged. My chest tightened, wrapped up in a bittersweet sensation.

  Not for the first time, I wondered what our lives could’ve been...

  Suddenly, I felt a jarring shiver down my spine. My gaze wrenched ahead. I saw it before it happened—Ruby tripped, his foot catching on the edge of a cobblestone. He was going to fall.

  My body burst ahead instinctively, but I wasn’t fast enough. Ruby hit the ground. In the second it took me to reach him, he went dreadfully silent, then began to cry. It was a gut-wrenching sound.

  I skidded to my knees, picking up Ruby and cradling him. He’d scraped his palms, and dirt was smeared on his cheek despite his streaming tears.

  Viol stormed towards us in a panic. His face, which moments ago had been so peaceful, was now twisted with guilt.

  “Ruby,” he cried. “Are you okay?”

  The boy was too flustered to reply. He hiccupped through the tears.

  I pulled him into a hug and rocked him back and forth. “You’re all right, Ruby,” I murmured. “It hurts now, but it’ll stop soon. I promise.”

  Viol kneeled, his expression still wild with alarm. His shoulders trembled, and his skin was pale. He looked like he needed comforting almost as badly as Ruby.

  I stroked Ruby’s hair and continued to hold him. Soon his wails died down into sniffles, and I knew he was coherent enough to speak again.

  “It’s okay,” I repeated gently. “You’re safe, right?”

  Ruby’s sniffles paused as he considered my question. “Yeah,” he mumbled.

  “Does it hurt less?”

  He thought it over again. When he replied, his voice was steadier. “Uh-huh.”

  “That’s good. Should we go inside and take a break, or would you prefer to keep playing?”

  Ruby contemplated his options. “Um... keep playing.”

  I smiled. “Okay. Maybe we can race on all fours this time so it’s not as scary if you fall. Right?”

  “Uh-huh,” he agreed, smiling back.

  I was relieved to see how quickly he bounced back. In a couple minutes, he went from sobbing to wiping his tears and eagerly shifting into dragon form to resume playing. His resilience impressed me. I wished I was that brave.

  After instructing the rest of the kids about our updated rules, they shifted and took off running as if nothing bad happened. The critters gambolled to the end of the pathway, steady on all four paws this time, giggling and encouraging each other all the while.

  When I stood up, I noticed Viol was still pale.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  He ducked his head. Dark locks of hair fell across his face, obscuring his eyes. “It’s my fault Ruby got hurt,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have suggested a stupid race.”

  “It’s not your fault at all,” I countered. “Accidents happen. Kids bounce back.”

  Viol angled his head away from me, but I still caught his grimace. “No, I should’ve known better,” he spat. “I babysit all the time. I don’t make mistakes like this.”

  I blinked, not understanding what he was getting at.

  He blew out a frustrated breath. “I just... got distracted.”