Skylar stared up in horror at her parents, both sets of them. Her lips still tingled from Orion's kisses, the ones her whole family witnessed, and she was currently prone on the floor. She'd never been so embarrassed in her entire life.
"Father," she gasped up at Hal, and her eyes slid over to Violet. "Mother."
Hal appeared immensely displeased, his gaze moving up to glare at Orion. The man in question knelt down to help her to her feet, his big calloused hand was gentle on her arm as he pulled her up.
"Skylar," Hal answered.
"We-- I-- um," she wiped her hands on her pants. Her palms were suddenly slick with nervous sweat, and she found it difficult to meet her parents' eyes, "I didn't realize you had arrived."
"Clearly," Olly chuckled from his spot on the couch to Skylar's left.
Orion growled sharply at his brother, but Olly just smirked with twinkling eyes.
Skylar looked between the brothers before facing her parents again. "Mother, I didn't realize you were coming as well."
"Well, I wanted to see you, to make sure you returned safely," Violet smiled at her with a glance at Orion. "Besides, I wanted to meet the people who kept you safe these last few weeks."
Skylar looked over at the Alpha family, who were all watching her with her parents with curious eyes. She loved them all so much, even the ornery Leo. As she swept over them, she met the eye of Jonathan. Disappointment resided there, and she wondered where he got the nerve to look at her in such a way. He was her friend, he was supposed to support her.
He wants to be more than friends, a little voice in her head whispered. Skylar shoved that thought down. Besides, it was unimportant. Orion was her future, and if Jonathan wanted to be a part of it as well, he needed to accept that fact. She knew her behavior was considered vulgar and inappropriate in the royal court, but she was among the dragons. They didn't shy away from physical affection, and she had found she liked the freedom. She liked that she could touch Orion when she wanted, could kiss him and know that none of the dragons would think anything of it. Romance was more exciting here than back in Trael, where a woman could be labeled something unsavory because she looked at her suitor a certain way. She remembered standing on the balcony with Jonathan, mortified that someone might find her kissing him. That was no way to live.
"How long have you been here?" she asked, swinging her eyes away from Jonathan, back to her parents.
"We just arrived. The second in command--both of them-- are settling our army as we speak. I'm surprised you didn't see them on the way in." Skylar realized he was referring to Zachariah and Percy, both of whom were missing from the meeting.
"I think they were a little distracted," Kellan said sharply. Skylar glanced up at him. She wondered where Cassie was. She hadn't seen the girl since her arrival back, and no one had talked about her. Perhaps they'd all gotten lucky and she'd disappeared from their lives.
"Mother, Father, you've met Kellan and Penelope?" she asked, gesturing to her birth parents. Penelope looked incredibly sad, staring at the king and queen. The monarchs looked incredibly out of place in the Big House. The decorations were rustic and old, very woodsy and natural. Not like the bright colors and expensive materials and decorations in the castle. Even their attire was out of place, even if it was their travel dress.
"We have," Hal stated, but from his lack of reaction, she guessed no one had told them who the other Alpha pair was to Skylar.
When she looked over at Leo, he met her eye and shook his head ever so slightly. But, she could tell he wanted to do it soon. It wouldn't take her parents, two intelligent people, very long to figure out that she resembled Penelope and Kellan. She wasn't sure what the reactions would be, on either side. She guessed that the Alpha pair didn't care much for her parents, and a large part of that would be because she called them "Mother" and "Father" when she refused to address them as such.
YOU ARE READING
Dragon Blood
Fantasy"Do you remember calling me 'mate?'" he asked softly, pushing her wild curls away from her face. She blushed deeply, but he wouldn't let her look away. "You heard that?" He nodded with a smile. "It was the first thought she ever shared with me." Sky...
