Bad Boy Alphas

by Alexis Davie

  She nodded, conveying that she liked that option and continued to look out the window at the trees as they made their way up the impossibly long driveway.

  “My mom is going to be happy that we are local again.”

  Daisy laughed quietly to herself, making one of Nyle’s eyebrows twitch in confusion. “What is it?”

  “Nothing, nothing…” Daisy chuckled, shaking her head. “I just never pictured my life going in a direction where I’d live in a real palace. Everything is so surreal.”

  His smile grew, glad to see that she wasn’t panicking, or at least she wasn’t panicking yet. Daisy always found a way to look at the bright side of things, even if it was microscopic. It was certainly an admirable trait and kept Nyle grounded, seeing as though he usually tended to be a pessimist when things were awry. Sometimes he did forget that his entire life would read like a work of fiction to someone who was raised in the human world.

  Daisy’s life was twisted with fantasy long before Nyle came along, even though she just recently discovered her heritage. Her father, whom she didn’t remember, was an Elemental dragon. Nyle was merely a catalyst to her uncovering her true heritage.

  When the car came to a stop outside of the palace, Nyle’s phone buzzed. It was Demian, informing Nyle that his surprise was ready. His paced instantly quickened from the excitement. Getting out of the car, he rounded it quickly and opened Daisy’s door before she had the opportunity. Taking her hand in his, he led her directly into the grass.

  “Where are we going?” Daisy asked.

  “No questions,” Nyle stated simply, looking at her and giving her a wink. When they rounded to the other side of the house, his eye caught the backpack he had asked Demian to get ready for him, sitting on the ground. He began stripping his clothes away and tucked them away into the backpack. Daisy was watching him with extreme confusion. Nyle picked up the pack and put it on her back. Pacing away from her, Nyle closed his eyes began to shift into his dragon form.

  The bones that were hidden inside his human skeleton slid into place. His face elongated, and his broad wings poked out from his back. As he grew in size, Nyle’s skin started to transform into scales, his markings still visible. Once he was completely shifted, Nyle towered over Daisy. Nyle huffed at her, moving his head to gesture for her to get onto his back. A small smile spread across her face, and she leaned forward, petting Nyle’s snout before moving to get onto his back. She held on tightly, lying down on him and hugging his neck.

  As soon as he knew she was secure, Nyle launched himself into the air and spread his wings to catch the wind. During their time in Virginia, Nyle had taken her flying many times. He was glad it no longer frightened her, though it had taken several flights to get her to that point. They soared over his family’s property, the expansive palace getting smaller and smaller as he flew higher. They hovered over the dense forest, Nyle’s eyes scanning the tree tops in search of a familiar clearing from his youth.

  His eyes noticed a light coming through the trees, practically acting as a beacon. He dove toward it, being mindful of Daisy on his back. They descended gradually, passing through the treetops before carefully landing amongst the trees, away from the lights. Once his feet touched the soil, Daisy climbed off his back. Nyle immediately transformed back into his human self, his wings cracking back underneath his skeleton and his skin smoothing out.

  “What are we doing out here?” Daisy asked him, looking around at the tall pines.

  Nyle moved over to her, poking the tip of her nose playfully. “Didn’t I say no questions?” he asked with a smirk on his face.

  He then rounded to her other side and grabbed his clothes back out of the pack, as well as a small box and slipped it into his pocket before she could see. Once he was clothed, Nyle took her hand in his and gently guided her through the trees.

  “I used to come here all the time as a kid,” he told her. “There’s access to the river just up ahead. I used to build forts and swim. When I got a little older, I practiced my fire-bending up here and burned the hell out of the trees. Then, when I was a teenager, I would simply come here to be alone. I made it a point to never bring anyone up here because I wanted one place in the world where I could escape and just be by myself no matter what. I broke that rule today,” Nyle admitted, “but for a good cause.”

  They stepped through the trees and came into the clearing. It was a small meadow area that stretched down to the river bed, with tall grass and flowers. The sun reflected off the water flashing vibrant gold hues, reminding Nyle of the gorgeous sunset they saw in Florida. In low-hanging branches of the trees, twinkle lights were strung all around. A stereo hidden somewhere in the trees was playing soft indie music, which Nyle knew Daisy loved. A hammock was strung up right next to the river, flowy white curtains surrounding it. A metal bucket sat right next to it, with a bottle of champagne chilling in a pile of ice and a basket of fresh berries directly beside it.

  “What is all this?” Daisy breathed, looking all around with doe-like eyes.

  Nyle pulled her into him, his hand resting on her lower back and taking one of her hands in his. He chose to ignore her question and instead asked, “May I have this dance?”

  Daisy gave him a strange look, a quiet giggle sounding from her as she nodded. He swayed with her, moving to the beat of the song. Nyle twirled her around and spun her out before pulling her back in. Daisy was smiling ear-to-ear as he led the dance.

  Daisy was such a wonderful part of his life. Actually, she was the best part. He believed it truly was fate that brought them together and at the right time, too. He only wished he could give her a normal life, one where he could spoil her, but instead he unwittingly pulled her into a life where she was constantly in danger and putting her life at risk to stay with him. Daisy was strong, though, stronger than anyone gave her credit for—even herself.

  As the song came to an end, Nyle twirled her one last time before drawing her into him. Lifting her chin with his index finger, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. His heart thumped loudly in his chest. He felt he didn’t deserve someone as awe-inspiring and kind as Daisy, asking her to marry him felt almost blasphemous. Nyle couldn’t be without her, though, and knew she felt the same about him.

  He looked into the depths of her stormy eyes, noticing the shimmering silver being caught by the warm sunlight. How could anyone ever think a creature so remarkable was an abomination? Nyle was ridiculously biased, but still, he couldn’t comprehend why other dragons might look down on her. Daisy was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. He still couldn’t understand how a human male hadn’t married her before he came along. There wasn’t doubt in his mind that it was destiny at work.

  Nyle’s thumb gingerly traced her bottom lip as he finally worked up the courage to speak aloud.

  “Before I met you, I was nothing more than a spoiled prince, skating by in life with my family’s money and the unlimited freedom that being a dragon-shifter gave me. I was jaded, and selfish, a possibly even narcissistic. Then, even within just days of knowing you, I was no longer my own top priority. For the first time in my life, I cared about someone more than myself. All of the legends I had heard about soulmates and the emotions attached to it suddenly came to life and made perfect sense.”

  Daisy smiled at his words.

  Nyle continued. “You’ve changed me to be a better man, one I could have only ever dreamed of being before we met. You have been so remarkably accepting and understanding, even when logic told you to run away. What we have… I’m sure everyone with a soulmate feels this way, but it’s special. There’s a reason the universe chose you for me and me for you. Maybe we’ll never figure out exactly why, but I know that it doesn’t matter. I don’t want to know what a day feels like without you.”

  Taking a deep breath, a light blush coloring his cheeks, Nyle kneeled. Daisy’s eyes widened, her hand covering her mouth as emotions flooded her.

  “I know the staff made it seem like there was no choice
in the matter, but there always is. I’d never make you do something you didn’t want to, especially something so life-changing.”

  The words were flowing from Nyle, and he no longer felt nervous. He was just speaking his true feelings. “We’ll face trials, but I know each and every one will be worth it as long as it means I get to spend our days on this earth together. Daisy Ophelia Maddow… will you marry me?” he asked, his eyes locked onto hers as he opened the small velvet box.

  A large, round yellow diamond sat on top of a golden band, with two thin lines of sapphires wrapped about the stone.

  Tears beaded down Daisy’s apple cheeks. At a complete loss for words, all Daisy could do was nod her head. Nyle grinned, tears threatening to pour from his eyes as he slipped the ring onto her finger. He then stood, taking her in his arms and swinging her around out of pure joy. It felt almost ecstatic to know that she was choosing to be with him. When he set her back down on the ground, he gave her a big kiss on the lips.

  “I love you so much, Daisy Doll,” he breathed to her.

  “I love you too, Nyle Narwhal,” Daisy replied with a smile on her lips.

  Nyle chuckled musically, having forgotten about that atrocious nickname. She truly was his forever.

  7

  Daisy couldn’t stop staring at the ring, moving her fingers slightly to watch the sun light up every prism within the gems. She replayed the entire evening in her head over and over, savoring every word he had said and the look on his face as he nervously proposed. She couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect engagement. She was anticipating sharing the news with her mother.

  Nyle’s car came to a stop outside of her mom’s house. Daisy noticed a strange car parked in the driveway.

  “Do you know who she has over?” Nyle asked.

  “I have no idea. Probably just a friend,” Daisy hypothesized.

  “Well, I’m sure she was going to tell all of her friends anyway,” he chuckled, stepping out of the car and rounding it to open her door.

  “True,” Daisy commented with a smile.

  They had planned to have a small ceremony that Cassie could attend, along with other close friends and family. Her mother wouldn’t be able to attend the grand celebration at the palace because she was not privy to the fact that her daughter was marrying a dragon.

  They walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. There was the sound of chatter and footsteps inside before the door opened. Cassie opened the door; she looked surprised.

  “Oh, Daisy… What are you doing here?” she asked.

  Daisy gave her mother a strange look. Cassie was usually overjoyed to see the two of them.

  “Well, hello to you, too,” she commented sarcastically.

  Cassie let out an uneasy sigh. “Sorry, sweetie. It just took me by surprise to see you.”

  “Uh… okay,” Daisy muttered. It wasn’t exactly the warm welcoming she had anticipated. “Can we come in?” she asked.

  “Oh, well,” her mother looked over her shoulder and into the living room. “I have a guest.”

  “So, we can’t come in?” Daisy questioned, crossing her arms over her chest; being careful to make sure the engagement ring was hidden.

  Cassie hedged, her eyes continuously going back to the living room.

  “I… I guess you can,” she said, opening the door up all the way.

  “You’re acting really weird. Are you just tired from the trip back?” Daisy asked, knowing she had flown in from Florida that morning. Before Cassie could answer, Daisy stepped into the living room to see a man sitting on her mother’s couch.

  Her knees nearly buckled from underneath her. Even though she had never seen him before, she knew exactly who it was. Curly black hair, olive skin, piercing silver eyes, and navy blue tribal markings peeking out from his shirt sleeve. What was her dad doing sitting in Cassie’s living room? Nyle’s arm tightened around Daisy, keeping her from falling.

  “Wha… what…” Daisy stammered, unable to stop herself from staring at the man.

  “Daisy, sweetie… This is your father, Forrest,” Cassie said calmly.

  Forrest gave a pleasant, warm smile to his daughter. “Hello, Daisy. I’ve wanted to meet you for quite some time.”

  “Then why didn’t you?” Nyle barked.

  “Nyle, please,” Cassie urged. “Let’s remain civil.”

  The two men locked eyes as Daisy and Nyle sat in an adjacent couch. Daisy’s mind was running so fast that she couldn’t pinpoint a single thought. Her eyes fixated on her father, taking in every detail of him. She wondered all her life what he was like, and nothing she had imagined was like the man in front of her. Forrest was handsome, with chiseled bone structure, scruffy facial hair, and slight wrinkles giving his face a matured, distinguished look. He looked to be around her mother’s age, making Daisy wonder just how old he was. Nyle had explained to her that at thirty years old, dragons’ age progression slows dramatically. Thalydias had been one-hundred-and-two but appeared to be around forty. How old could Forrest be?

  A thick silence hung in the air as Daisy stared at him. Forrest and Nyle stared down one another.

  “Well, this is awkward,” Cassie grumbled.

  “It’s all right, Cass. I know it will take some time,” Forrest said, patting Cassie’s knee.

  Daisy couldn’t remain silent. “What in the hell is going on here? Why is he calling you Cass and touching you, and most importantly why is he here?”

  Forrest spoke, “I’m sure this is overwhelming for you, Daisy. I can’t imagine being in your shoes right now. This may seem sudden, but I want to get to know you. I’ve messed up by not being around during your childhood and adolescence, and I know that. I’m not expecting you to welcome me with open arms, or even call me dad. I should have grown up long, long ago, but recently I have thought more about my life, and I have a lot of regrets. My biggest regret is not seeing you grow up. There’s nothing in this world I want more than to know my daughter.” An earnest look gleamed in his silver eyes, a hopeful smile curling his lips.

  “Are you sure there is nothing you want more?” Nyle asked, his tone venomous.

  Forrest’s eyes flashed to Nyle, glaring at him. “Nothing at all.”

  Cassie moved over to Daisy. She sat on the arm of the couch and put an arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know this may seem like a lot to put on you. It shocked me at first too, and I wanted nothing to do with him. We’ve been talking for hours now, and he seems genuine. He knows he has made mistakes and there’s no way to fix them. There’s always time for a new beginning, though. You’ve always wanted to know your father. And while you may feel angry and confused right now, just think about your life in the long run. You don’t want to make a snap decision and live to regret it.”

  Daisy’s breathing was shallow, utterly overwhelmed. Cassie didn’t know that Forrest was a dragon, and she also didn’t know that he was an enemy of Nyle. Twenty years of wondering and pining to know her father weighed heavily on her, but she certainly had her reservations. Her mind urged to react to her fight-or-flight instinct to run away and not deal with the situation in front of her. So much had happened recently. She felt almost faint, leaning more into Nyle’s side for comfort.

  Cassie was still perched right next to her, soothing Daisy’s long mocha hair in hopes of comforting her. “You don’t need to decide anything right this moment. Take some time, okay? Now, what is it you came over for?”

  Daisy blinked rapidly, honestly having forgotten the original intent of the visit. Shaking her head as though to loosen the thoughts cluttering her mind, she refocused. Without saying a word, Daisy simply held her left hand out to her mother to show her the ring.

  A jubilant squeal sounded from Cassie.

  “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

  Daisy smiled sheepishly as she allowed her mother to pull her to her feet. Cassie’s arms wrapped around Daisy in a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you, angel. This is so
amazing! I figured you two would tie the knot soon,” Cassie grinned. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you, Mom,” Daisy beamed.

  She was happy her mother approved. Cassie had grown really fond of Nyle, but Daisy knew her mom still wasn’t the biggest fan of marriage.

  “You get in here too,” Cassie called to Nyle, waving him over.

  With a smug look on his face, Nyle stood from the couch and paced over to them and hugged them both. For a moment, all the confusion and anxiety melted away. Daisy was completely surrounded by love, and she embraced it.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to overstep… But isn’t this moving a little quickly?” Forrest chimed in, completely shattering the moment of joy Daisy experienced.

  “Excuse me?” Nyle snapped, peeling back from the hug. “How would you know anything? Last I checked you haven’t been around for more than twenty years.”

  Forrest put his hands up in a surrendering motion. “I’m just going off what Cassie has told me. I know I haven’t been around, but I still want the best for my daughter.”

  “Forrest, please just keep out of it, okay?” Cassie urged him.

  “I just don’t want Daisy to make a lifelong commitment to something she doesn’t fully understand. The repercussions could be fatal,” Forrest explained, staring directly into Daisy’s eyes.

  Daisy’s eyes widened, knowing he was hinting that he knew what would happen if she married Nyle. Her throat went dry, wondering what exactly he meant by fatal repercussions.

  Nyle stepped toward Forrest. “Is that a threat?”

  Forrest was on his feet in a flash. “It’s a warning. One that you know all too well.”

  The two men sized each other up.

  Nyle’s lip snarled. “Maybe you should just go back to ignoring your daughter. You appear to do that very well.”

  “If you really loved her, you would leave her alone for her own good. Instead of being selfish and giving her a life where she’s in constant danger,” Forrest fired back.