Chapter Three

“YOU what?” Avery shouted.

He grabbed the back of the chair in front of his father’s desk, his knees suddenly weak. What a perfect ending to an otherwise miserable birthday party. After their unexpected guest left, everyone else also cleared out and he’d been called to his father’s office.

“How many more times do I have to say it?”

“A couple more times, apparently, because I still can’t believe what I’m hearing, Father.” Avery heard the words—they just didn’t make sense. Okay, strike that. They made sense, but he didn’t want to believe them. Mated… to that dragon who was there last night—Warwick Ehecatl. He couldn’t fathom it.

Alpha Montgomery scowled at Avery. “Careful.”

Avery heard the warning, and those weak knees of his trembled, but why should he be careful when his father so obviously had not been? “So you’re telling me you took a loan out pretty much the same day I was born. Right? From a dragon who is basically a loan shark.” How messed-up was that?

“Yes.” Alpha Montgomery paced back and forth behind his desk.

“A really, really big loan.”

“That is correct.” Alpha Montgomery huffed.

“A loan you knew was going to come due in a hundred years. A loan”—Avery stressed—“you didn’t make any provisions to pay off.” It still boggled his mind.

Alpha Montgomery stopped pacing and stared at Avery. Nonchalantly he waved his hand. “I don’t expect you to understand all the ins and outs of such things.”

Avery crossed his arms. He was so tired of being treated like he didn’t have a brain in his head. “I understand enough to know you don’t have the money.”

Alpha Montgomery growled, displaying his enormous fangs. “Watch what you say to me. I will not tolerate disrespect from my own pup.”

Avery uncrossed his arms and quickly tilted his head to the side, displaying his throat in a sign of submission. He knew he’d been pushing and was surprised his father let him get away with as much as he had. Once his father was satisfied with his gesture, he quit growling. Avery relaxed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. A headache was brewing.

He wanted to point out he would’ve had enough sense to put money back to pay off the loan, but decided he’d pushed his luck enough for one day. His father never laid a hand on any of them—he really did love all his pups—and he didn’t want to start a new tradition now.

“I’m sorry, Father. Maybe I was being disrespectful, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m right.”

Alpha Montgomery bristled for a few more moments and then his shoulders drooped. “I-I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Without going into details, it’s sufficient to say I don’t have the money. You must understand, that dragon has me by the balls. If he doesn’t get you and my three most profitable businesses, he’ll kick the pack off our land and take everything we own. I can’t let that happen.”

“Of course not, Father.” Of course he couldn’t.

They had a lot of members—then add in all their homes. All those families left homeless. Plus they had stores they owned through the Alpha. Then factor in all the land those homes and property sat on. Altogether, they were talking millions and millions of dollars that could be lost. So compared to all of that, what was one pup and three businesses?

He was afraid he was going to be sick all over his father’s fancy Persian rug.

“I don’t have a choice. Surely you understand that. The mere thought of having to start completely over at my age is terrifying.” Alpha Montgomery sat in a chair behind his desk. “It’s not like it was a hundred years ago, even. So much land has already been claimed and, well… I simply can’t.”

Then you should’ve been saving money. Avery glanced around at all the wealth surrounding them—the expensive paintings and signed artwork. Had his father ever entertained the possibility of cutting back his expenditures or selling assets? Had he even tried to rein in his daughters and his wife? Hell, Avery was just as guilty. He ran his hand down his cashmere sweater. But he hadn’t known.

But then, that was only one problem on his plate. While he’d always known an arranged marriage might loom in his future, he’d never entertained the thought that his mate would be anything other than another werewolf. “If I do this—”

“If?” Alpha Montgomery snorted. “Do you really think you have a choice in the matter?”

Robbed speechless by his father’s arrogance, Avery debated walking out of his office. Fuck yes, he had a choice. It wasn’t much of one, but by all the gods, it was a choice. He also knew that wouldn’t solve anything.

“I’m of age. You can’t force me into a match, especially a match with a dragon.” Regardless of who I think he might be to me.

“Want to bet? Tell me, how do you suppose you’re going to survive without your pack around you?” Alpha Montgomery demanded.

Forget weak knees. They’d turned to water. As discreetly as he could, he dropped his butt in one of the chairs in front of his father’s desk. Surely he misunderstood. “Wh-what are you saying?”

“I thought it was fairly clear.” Alpha Montgomery’s doleful stare fixed on Avery. “If you force me into having to relocate and start over, I’ll be doing it minus one pup.”

Avery knew his father could be ruthless, but he never thought he’d be on the receiving end of it. No matter how he looked at it, it was a lose-lose situation… for him. “Would you really do that to me?”

Instead of answering, Alpha Montgomery glared at him. “Do you not understand what a privilege it is to be mated to a dragon? They’re the top predator in the paranormal community. No one fucks with them. Quite honestly, as his mate, your position would be equal to mine.”

Then you mate him. He, of course, didn’t say that. Nor did Avery point out that his position as a dragon’s mate would make him higher than his father in the paranormal hierarchy. But hey, why borrow trouble?

“Not only that, he’s rich. Incredibly rich,” Alpha Montgomery said.

Dammit, money wasn’t everything. “I would assume so, since he’s a dragon. Especially this one, since he’s basically nothing more than a modern-day moneylender.”

Everybody knew about dragons. Once a dragon got obsessed with something, there was no stopping them. They would do anything it took to possess whatever it was they wanted. Most dragons collected gold and precious gems. Granted, he’d heard rumors of other dragons who collected things like ribbons or rocks, so not all of them were preoccupied with pretty, sparkly things. But by the gods, he wasn’t a thing.

In the end, it didn’t matter what they collected. They were very possessive of their hoard.

“Avery, I know you feel like I betrayed—”

The office door slammed open and bounced-back. Mandy slapped her hand on the door, keeping it from hitting her. Her eyes blazed. “You’re giving him to a dragon? A dragon? Was it that bastard who was here last night?”

Giving. Ha! Just slap a bow on me and call it a day. Avery gazed at his sister in amazement, though. He didn’t know whether to shove her out of the room or hug her for her audacity. He sneaked a peek at his father, who also was looking on with an odd mixture of acquiescence and affection.

“Mandy—”

“No!” Mandy stormed into the office and smacked her hands on their father’s desk. She leaned over it. “Why? Why a dragon?”

Avery blinked in surprise. Fierceness rolled off Mandy. He’d seen her mad before, but nothing like this. The power surrounding her was impressive. Even he hadn’t known she was capable of this, and they were close.

Why didn’t his father see how perfect she would be as their Alpha? He glanced back at his father, who was now scowling. Oh man. Maybe he should try to defuse the situation before Mandy and their father ended up at each other’s throat.

Avery exhaled softly. “Because Father owes him a lot of money and can’t pay. He took out a loan, and it’s come due.”

“Still,” Mandy said. “There must be another way to—”

“The choices are mating or leaving. Do you want to get kicked off our pack lands?” Alpha Montgomery demanded. “We would be homeless… all of us. Including you. I’d either have to fight another Alpha in a bid to take over his pack or try to find territory that was unclaimed and start over.”

Mandy straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. “But surely you could—”

“You can’t possibly comprehend how difficult that would be.” Alpha Montgomery paused, then lowered his voice. “I’m not a young wolf anymore, Mandy. I’m not… I’m not sure I could win a challenge now.”

Avery’s mouth dropped open. Never in a million years had he dreamed he’d hear his father admit to such. He flashed a quick look at Mandy. She appeared to be as dumbstruck as he was. He had to stop this before it went any further. Besides, it wasn’t like he had much of a choice, especially after he had gotten a whiff of that dragon.

“I’ll do it.”

Both his father and Mandy turned to him in surprise. Quickly he continued while he had both of their attention on him.

“But, Father, if I do this, I want something in return from you.” Wasn’t there an old human saying about striking while the iron was hot?

Alpha Montgomery’s eyes narrowed. “That depends on what you want.”

“From where I’m sitting, it doesn’t look like you’re in position to bargain with me.” Avery knew he was taking a huge chance by saying that, but his father had to understand how serious he was about this.

His Alpha’s eyebrows rose up until they practically met his hairline. “Is that so?”

“Yes. You admitted something I never thought I’d hear you say, but that also made up my mind. We can’t start over, and I won’t allow the pack to be destroyed over your bad judgment.”

The instinctive need to bare his throat swept through Avery when his father growled again, but that growl was more one of displeasure than a warning.

“If I mate with this Warwick guy, our pack will be secure. But it still doesn’t answer the question of who will follow you as Alpha. You have the power to change our laws, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good. Then in return for me doing this, I want you to change the law so females can fight for the Alpha position.” Avery waved his hand at Mandy, who had dropped down in the chair next to his. “Tell me, is there anybody else in our pack who’d have the balls to storm in here and confront you? Before you answer that, we both know the answer is no.”

“You… you have no idea… absolutely no idea what you’re asking,” Alpha Montgomery declared, horrified.

“Actually, I do. This won’t be easy for you, but what you’re asking of me isn’t going to be easy either. You need to do this. You know as well as I do she’s more than capable of leading our pack.” Avery decided it was time to show a little submission to his father. “Please, Father?”

Avery sat quietly while he watched his father’s obvious struggle to come to terms with what he laid out. Mandy, bless all the gods, kept her mouth shut too. The last thing any of them needed was for her to further irritate their already aggravated father.

Finally his father spoke. “It’ll throw the pack into an uproar.”

Avery wanted to cheer, but he knew better. “So would having to move,” Avery pointed out, careful to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, although it was a fight.

Alpha Montgomery squinted at Avery, almost as if he knew of Avery’s struggle. Avery didn’t challenge his father by holding his gaze, but he did focus off to the right of his father’s shoulder instead of bowing his head. This was too important for him to back down.

Mandy crossed her legs and poked Avery with the tip of her shoe. “He’s the master of understatement.”

Avery shot a sheepish look at Mandy, thankful for the lightheartedness she was trying to inject into such a tense moment. “If you want to get a little, you got to give a little.”

His father chuckled softly, and the tension broke. “How have I missed this stubborn side of yours?”

“Oh, Avery keeps it well hidden, trust me.” Mandy smirked.

“Says the most stubborn of us all.” Avery rolled his eyes, then glanced back at his father. “Do we have a deal?”

His father’s sigh was long and loud. There was a wealth of aggravation, but also pride, in that sound. “Very well, son. I’ll make the announcement before the pack this afternoon about the change to who can hold the Alpha position. In return for that, I want your word that you’ll mate with Warwick Ehecatl.”

Avery took a deep breath of his own and released it. “You have my word.”

Alpha Montgomery nodded, pleased. “Very well, then. I’m proud of you. You mark my words, this mating will be a profitable one.”

Like that was his main concern. Regardless, Avery stood and bared his throat in a sign of submission. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Warwick will be here tomorrow afternoon at three to finalize the agreement. Are there any stipulations you want added?”

Avery paused by the chair he’d been sitting in. “Um, jeez, that sounds rather… I didn’t know… ugh, you’ve kind of caught me off guard. Make it clear to him, though, I want to be able to see my family.”

Alpha Montgomery had opened his laptop and was fiddling with it, but he looked up. “That goes without saying. After he and I settle things, I’ll call you to come in so you can officially meet Warwick.”

Oh goodie. Well, at least he was getting to meet him before they mated. That was worth something, right? Obviously he had been dismissed. “Thank you. Good night, Father.”

“Good night,” he said as he typed on the keyboard.

Avery walked out of his father’s office with Mandy hot on his heels. Before he could open his mouth, she put her finger up to her lips, shushing him. She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him toward the front door. Fortunately she stopped long enough to grab their coats and scarves on their way out of the house. Several blocks away there was a park their father had set up for pack members. Once they were there, Mandy dropped his hand, whirled, and bear-hugged him.

“Omph!” Avery braced himself as he suddenly found his arms full of his slightly distraught older sister.

“Oh gods, oh gods, please tell me he didn’t force you into this.” Mandy reared back. “You didn’t do this because of me, did you? I mean, you know how desperately I want to be Alpha, but please tell me you didn’t sacrifice yourself for me.” There were tears on Mandy’s cheeks.

Avery’s shoulders slumped. He could count on one hand how many times he’d seen his oldest sister cry. “Not just for you, no.”

“Avery—”

“Look, I had a choice to make, and I made it. Father said if I didn’t mate with that dragon, he’d kick me out of the pack.” He hurried through his speech when he saw Mandy clench her fists. “But that’s not the reason why.”

Mandy growled. “Then why?”

“You were in there. You must have seen what I saw. I love our father dearly, even though he can be an arrogant ass, but I can’t remember ever seeing him look—”

“Afraid,” Mandy said softly. “Truly afraid.”

Avery nodded. “Yes. Afraid. I’ve never thought about how hard it would be to not only uproot a pack of our size, but then search for unclaimed territory. And why would I? We’ve never been in a situation like this. I can’t imagine how overwhelming that would be, not to mention disruptive. Stressful. Even frightening.”

“Or challenging another Alpha for his territory.”

“Which would come with a headache of its own if our father won. He’d have to combine that pack with ours. Those kinds of transitions are never easy, or so I’ve heard.”

“No, I don’t imagine it would be,” Mandy said. “There would be a lot of resentment. Come on. Let’s go sit down.” She walked over to a bench and sat. “Still, are you sure you want to do this?”

Avery sat next to her, and the chill of the wood promptly soaked through his pants. “It really doesn’t matter what I want, does it? It’s done.”

Mandy hugged him again, just as fiercely as she did the first time. “Thank you. Thank you for stipulating the change in pack law. I almost swallowed my tongue when you started bargaining with our father.”

Avery looped his arm around Mandy’s shoulders, chuckling softly in remembrance of the look on his father’s face. “He did look kind of surprised, didn’t he?”

Mandy laughed softly, then sat up, shoving her hair out of her face. “I’ll say. It was almost worth all this to see the shock on his face. Seriously, maybe if he spent more time with us, he would know us better.”

“Honestly, though, we can’t really complain. He’s never mistreated any of us,” Avery said. Well, short of selling me off, but hey, that’s what arranged marriages are all about.

“No, he hasn’t.” Mandy stared across the park. “But status is too important to him also. I wish he’d join this century and get with modern times.”

Personally, Avery agreed. He also looked out across the park. He’d been one of the wolves to help build the play equipment. That had been a good day. “Hey, I got him to promise he’d change pack law. I would say that’s a huge step.”

“You’re right, he did do that.” A slight smile crossed Mandy’s face. “I about fell out of my chair when he said he would.”

“Now that would’ve been worth seeing.”

Mandy snickered but then got serious again. “Are you going to be okay?”

Avery shrugged. “Aren’t I always?”

They talked for a little while, until finally Mandy decided to return home. Avery wasn’t quite ready to go back, so he stayed behind—he needed some time alone. What he hadn’t told Mandy, and what he’d struggled to hide, was his fear of this mating. The dragon was his mate, but still.

He couldn’t remember the last time a werewolf paired with anything other than another werewolf or a human, though. This was unprecedented, and if that wasn’t bad enough, his father was right in the respect that dragons were the top predators. Often said to be unyielding, harsh, and cold, they were basically Alpha werewolves times ten.

Avery didn’t want such as a mate. Hell, he didn’t want any mate, but especially not a dragon. He dreamed of someone who would sweep him off his feet, give him the romance he so desperately wanted. Was it too much to ask to be wined and dined? He wanted flowers, sweet words, soft music, and rose petals on silken sheets. Then he blushed as he thought about that last request.

While werewolves were sexually active—and didn’t have the hang-ups about sexuality the humans did—Omegas were kept virgins until they mated. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but it had to do with some silly belief stemming back to the Middle Ages. Supposedly their virginity increased their value as a mate, or some silly nonsense.

Avery rolled his eyes as he stood and walked home. That was so yesterday. He’d chafed at the restrictions set by his parents, but he’d honored their wishes. Oh, he’d snuck out and played around some, experimenting with blow jobs and hand jobs, but that was all. He was gay and an anal virgin. Which was why, when he dreamed, he dreamed of romance and a knight in shining armor.

Never once did it cross his mind that he’d be getting the dragon instead of the knight.