The Mate (A Fire's Edge Short Story - Prequel)

Chapter 6

Fallon

Fallon flipped up the lid to his computer, checked the time, and dialed his brother via Skype. However, instead of Finn's familiar mug, several faces showed up on screen. Had the entire Huracán team decided to say hello?

He'd spent the last few hundred years with most of these guys, each handpicked by their respective king to serve as an enforcer within the colonies.

"Hey," Fallon said. "How're things without me there to keep you all in line."

A round of protests and good-natured ribbing sounded, mostly about how Fallon was as far from the one to keep them in line as anyone, given his penchant for pranks.

Levi, Finn's second-in-command, shoved his face closer to the screen. One golden-hued eyeball, an indicator of his dragon lineage, took up the corner of the screen, and his normal-sized nose suddenly appeared huge as it was the closest feature to the camera. "How's the mate thing going, kid? Did she run away screaming when she saw your ugly mug?"

Fallon grinned. "You're getting me mixed up with Drake. He's the frowner."

The red dragon shifter leaned against the back wall in what was supposed to be an intimidating silence, something the entire team had grown used to ignoring.

"All right you lot, clear out." Finn came on screen, forcing them out of the room.

"Good luck, kid," Levi called over Finn's shoulder.

Fallon lifted a hand in acknowledgment. Once the crew was gone, the door closed behind them, Finn took a seat in front of the computer. "How's it going?"

Fallon didn't feel like going into how he'd royally screwed up his time with Maddie. "The waiting sucks."

Finn's mouth kicked up in a half smile that, for once, didn't immediately morph into a bitter frown. "I remember. I hated knowing Phoebe was with other men."

"I had my time with her yesterday. Waiting all day today has been..." Fallon ran a hand round the back of his neck.

The other men he wasn't worried about, but Cole... Maddie'd obviously gotten to know the guy, had placed her trust in him.

"She came here assuming Cole is supposed to be her mate," he told Finn. "How do I fight that?"

Finn glanced away, expression shutting down. "I'm not the best person to tell you. I trusted the process, was sure Phoebe was it for me." He shrugged.

Finn rarely talked about his unsuccessful mating. All Fallon remembered was how his brother had come home and hadn't said a word for months. Being selected to come regulate dragon shifters in the American colonies had saved Finn's life, given him purpose and a family of brothers. Fallon knew that for sure. The missing piece of his soul was another matter.

"So, no advice?" Fallon asked. "At this point..."

Fallon waited, having a feeling he wouldn't love the answer.

"You get one last chance to address her before the drawing tomorrow."

"Yeah," Fallon agreed, drawing the word out. Sort of. It would be in front of everyone as they gathered for the narrowing.

Finn shrugged. "Beg."

"Beg?" That concept went against everything he was as a dragon shifter, a Huracán, and a man. Especially in front of witnesses.

Finn raised a single eyebrow. "If you're that sure she's yours, do you want her to die if she chooses wrong?"

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