Page 19 of Destined Paranormals: Volume One

I growled, low in my chest. If Feiedrich was not already dead, I would go back and kill him again.

“You are all omegas,” I stated. They froze, looking at me. This was not a secret. Any shifter would be able to scent what they were. “I am just trying to figure out why he would have taken you specifically. Were you together when you were kidnapped?”

“Not exactly. We were all in our village, but I was at Elias’s house, sleeping,” Konrad told me.

That could mean anything. But if there were others in their homes, why were they not taken as well? Perhaps they were, and these four just did not know it.

“You said your village did not have a name, that you were farmers who raised animals. Do you stay in one place, or do you move around?”

Realization hit at once. If their village moved around to remain hidden after several of them went missing, it would be expected that the rest of the village moved in order to ensure the safety of the others.

“Can we start looking where they last were?” Elias asked. He seemed to be the youngest. If not, he seemed to be the most sheltered.

“We will. I will stay with you until I have you back safely with your families. If we cannot find the village, you are welcome to come with me across the ocean to the mountain my parents have claimed. It is beautiful there, and we do not have to worry about being seen in our scales.” I thought about it for a moment. “Sadly, it is just the three of us there. That is the extent of our thunder at the moment.”

There was a quiet gasp to my right, and I met my mate’s gaze and wondered.

“You are my mate, Konrad. I desire to claim you, but I understand if you do not wish to accept my claim. I would like to return across the ocean and will ask that you join me. That will take you away from your family. They, too, are welcome if they want.”

“He’s not denying your claim,” Lukas said, pushing Konrad’s shoulder, causing my mate to fall toward me. I caught him, grinning down at those icy-blue eyes.

“Hello, mate,” I said quietly.

“Umm…hi. I want that.”

I smiled. I was tempted to lean in and get a taste of my adorable mate, but I would wait. Now was still not the time or the place to take such liberties.

“I want that as well. We will discuss it after we locate your village. But now, you need to eat and regain your strength.”

“Can I ask you a question, Aleric?” Wilhelm asked.

“You can.”

“Your dragon is larger. Bigger than even the alphas in our village.”

I stared at Wilhelm once I was sure Konrad had gone back to eating his fish. As he scooped the flaky meat out and ate it, my dragon and I were both satisfied we had provided for our mate. Wilhelm, though, still had not asked his question. I realized that he actually was not going to. It was more of an observation than an actual question.

“Dragons come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. I am a blue dragon like my alpha father. My omega father is red in color, and although still large, he is smaller than my alpha father.”

“What about your grandparents?” Konrad asked quietly.

“I do not have grandparents as you are probably thinking. My fathers were both once human and were changed into dragons by the goddess,” I shared with them. There was a collective gasp from the group, but I noticed Konrad’s scent had changed to one of sorrow. I could not understand why though.

I looked around, listening for any noise, but still heard nothing, and my dragon relaxed.

“Eat so we can rest and then carry on,” I told them. The others went back to enthusiastically eating, but I noticed Konrad was much slower to eat his meal. He was just finishing up his first when the others were well on to their second, and I, too, had moved on to my second fish.

“Is it not to your liking?” I asked. “I realize it is plain, but it is what we have available.”

“What?” Konrad said, then looked down at his fish. “No, no, it is perfect. I am hungry, Alpha, and I appreciate the gift of the meal. Thank you.”

I narrowed my eyes at my mate. I did not care for the indifferent tone nor for the proper politeness that he was suddenly regarding me with.

“Please finish. I wish to discuss some things with you before we rest,” I told him. I finished my second fish, tossing the bones and leftover skin and scales into the fire. I reached for the satchel, pulling out the water canister. There was enough for us to all have a drink, but I would need to refill it at the river. That would be a perfect time to have a talk with my mate, who had moved even farther away from me.

Did he no longer wish to accept my claim? What had changed? I took a healthy drink, and when I noticed Lukas staring at me, I handed the canister to him. He eagerly reached for it, but I pulled it slightly back.

“Be sure to take only a drink and save enough for the others,” I said. Lukas nodded. I handed him the canister. “I will refill it once you all have a drink. We will head to the river when we are finished eating.”