Dragon Protectors: Shifter Romance Collection

by Lola Gabriel

  Corey agreed, and they hung up the phone. Winter placed a hand on her forehead and let out a deep breath. She just needed a clear head, why couldn’t she clear her freaking head? How had a man affected her in such a deep way? Her mind reeled back to their conversation at the bar the night before, when Sebastian had held her hand and so tenderly explained that while their situation was weird and scary, he wanted to see where it went. Winter was going to have to be patient, but she honestly wasn’t sure if she would have the capacity to do so if just the thought of him had such an immense impact on her ability to stay focused and organized.

  Winter sat on the tabletop in the picnic area of the park. With the cold weather arriving, not many people lingered in the park, let alone have a cookout. She only had the time to take a quick survey of the park for no other reason than to take in the view before Corey was approaching her from the side. Glancing over to him, she could see the excitement all over his face. Then, when he was closing the distance between them with his arms outstretched for a hug, Corey abruptly recoiled.

  “Please tell me you’re on your way to work and those aren’t your clothes from your shift this morning.”

  “I left my clothes at home and left work late, so I had to wear this to class,” she informed him with a defensive edge to her voice. “It isn’t like I clean sewers for a living, you know.”

  “You might as well be with how disgusting paper money is,” he snorted. “You poor thing, though. Why didn’t you tell me? We could have met at your place so you could wash up.”

  Winter gave a modest shrug, “I actually forgot about my clothes.”

  Hoisting himself up onto the table next to her, Corey spoke. “I take it something is eating at you?”

  Winter’s face whipped in his direction, looking at him as if he were crazy, but not exactly selling the expression as genuine. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, come on, Winifred. I know you better than that.” He tried to leave it there and remain quiet, as though he were waiting for her to spill the beans. When Winter stuck firm to her bewildered look, Corey rolled his eyes ever-so-dramatically. “Where to begin? First, you never text me, so I’m suspicious right off the bat. Then, on top of that, you want to hang out? And in the same week that I already saw you? Now, don’t take this as any sort of dig like I think you’re not a good friend. I understand your situation, and I’m not upset about it. Then there’s the fact that I’ve known you for years and can just sense when you’ve got something bothering you. Your whole face and energy changes. It’s pretty adorable how expressive you are without even trying.”

  Winter began to put on a fake smile out of politeness and kindness to her friend, but her face fell. Her eyes were on her hands as she wrung them together, all the while trying to stop fidgeting. For what felt like the first time all day, Winter took a deep, calming breath. Her nerves smoothed a bit from their rigid shapes, and while they still remained, they subsided long enough for her to compose her thoughts. It was clear at that point with how scatterbrained she had been all day and noticeably upset, she had to talk about what was going on in her head. How could she explain it to Corey in a way that still kept hers and Sebastian’s privacy? Winter wasn’t the superstitious type, but it was like cursing the relationship for failure when you spoke about them so soon to someone. She needed to be able to reserve her own judgment while being able to test herself by having a sounding board.

  “Tell me, kiddo,” Corey urged gently with a friendly bump of his shoulder. Winter stared forward, taking another moment to compose her thoughts into a coherent point.

  “Okay, first, can I ask you to not freak out or squeal? I really am not in the mood.”

  “I can do my best not to,” Corey replied rather flatly for his usual tone. He joked so much that sometimes he had to take on another persona just to talk about more serious things.

  “After we had lunch the other day, I had to stop by the bookstore on my way home. I ran into this guy. I don’t quite know how it happened, but we hit it off. I feel like I have a connection with him, but it’s so soon, and all of this is so foreign to me that… I don’t know. I’m just having a hard time accepting any sort of feelings I have about it. How can anyone have genuine feelings for someone who is practically a stranger, you know? I don’t have time for this, and I don’t want to like him, but I do. The fact that I do like him makes me want to figure out why.” Winter had unleashed. At first it was slow, but then it built into an emotional ramble that was only a few notes away from yelling.

  She wasn’t sure why it had come out so emotional—she didn’t feel necessarily upset with Sebastian or the fact that they had met. Winter didn’t like that it was only a few days into knowing him, and she was already so enveloped by whatever they had that she was dreaming of him and obsessively analyzing herself, Sebastian, and her feelings for him.

  “That was a lot,” Corey began slowly. “Let me unpack some things, okay? First of all, I told you so. Second of all, you know why you’re having a bad day and making big mistakes? You’re stressing about it. You’re not just enjoying the moment while still meeting your responsibilities, you’re trying to find this and that in it. You’re the one stressing over a stranger. So what if you have feelings ‘too early’? Every relationship has its timeline, no matter how long or short.”

  Winter sat in reflection, really trying to think on what it was that her friend was trying to tell her. In a lot of ways, she could see that Corey was right. She was thinking too much on what was between her and Sebastian when she should focus on the moment, but that was hard to do when the way she felt about Sebastian was so tangible and powerful. That thought would never be expressed to Corey, however, knowing that he would assume that she had finally cracked under all of the stress.

  “I get what you’re saying, but it’s more than not being sure that I have time for him. It’s how strongly I feel for him… I’m not sure he’s good for my health. I don’t want to be obsessed with a relationship.”

  Corey placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. “I mean this in the least demeaning or condescending way imaginable, but it’s because you’re new to dating. Yeah, sure, you might feel a little crazy for a while, but as long as you keep those thoughts to yourself for the time being, you’ll be okay. Even if you let it show every once in a while, I promise you it won’t be anything he hasn’t handled before. If he likes you, then he’ll be patient and recognize that you need time to adjust to having a relationship.”

  The way Corey broke it down, he made it seem so obviously simple. Winter had never had an official relationship and was just then experiencing the desire to have one. It was totally new to her, and perhaps at her age and level of emotional and sexual awareness, it was more intense for her. Once she grew used to liking someone and the complexities that came with that, things would be okay.

  Giving herself a couple minutes to think everything he had said over, she eventually gave a confirming nod. “Thank you for always putting things into perspective.”

  “Anytime. Giving advice is easier than posting bail,” Corey teased. “Keeping things like obsessive thoughts to yourself, mixed with love and men, is harmful. So harmful. One moment you’ll be normal, calm, cool, and quiet, and in the next, you’ll be devastated and out for blood. The summation of everything I have said would be this: enjoy it, try to find some emotional balance within yourself, and be patient; with yourself and this mystery man. I’m so excited for you! I told you that you needed some balance. Now, can we stop being so serious so you can tell me about this man?”

  Winter was jealous of how well Corey could articulate himself and just how much he had blossomed into a levelheaded, mature adult. She was usually about the same speed, she liked to think, but everything the past few days had had her questioning herself. Despite her earlier reservations about talking to anyone about Sebastian, Winter leaped at the opportunity to spill her guts. She gushed about him in her subtle way, talking a little faster than normal,
blushing a rosy pink, and giggling when she repeated a couple of his jokes. Nothing she shared about Sebastian was personal information, though. She still didn’t want to give away who he was, knowing it would be impossible to believe that a guy Winter had just so happened to stumble into in the bookstore was a billionaire, and that it had been love at first sight. Not even Winter could wrap her head around it.

  The conversation naturally shifted to talking about Corey’s love life and the throes of passion with Gregory. As more and more time passed, Winter felt herself relax and her head clear of the daze she had been in all day. It had been a bad day, and that was all it was. Freshly inspired to tackle issues with a different mindset, Winter tried her best to let go of the stresses hanging over her head and enjoy a trip to the park with her best friend.

  She and Corey walked around the trails of the park, talking as lively as they had in high school. Of course, the conversation was focused on more real-world matters and ideals, but it was just as enjoyable. Winter had struggled for a long time to be able to take a step back and see around the obstacle of stress. In a way, she had to thank Sebastian for giving her a dose of shock therapy in terms of taking time away from life and spend time selfishly.

  When Corey had pulled his phone out to answer a text from Gregory, Winter caught sight of the time and groaned.

  “I hate to dip, but I have to work on some homework before my date,” she announced apologetically.

  “It’s fine, hon. Just know that I want status updates regularly! Got me?”

  Winter laughed lightly. “Sure thing, Corey. See ya.”

  With a lighter heart and a better outlook on the rest of the day to come, she headed home to her apartment to study.

  9

  There was no time for Sebastian to sleep, apparently. As soon as he pulled into the estate’s garage, he was rushed off past the grounds and into a short hike through the woods. There was a massive clearing beyond a thin patch of trees, and in the middle of it was a training arena for the warriors. As he and Osric approached the scene, Sebastian did his best to pay attention to how the men were sparring.

  Back in his day of being a Roman soldier, they had trained in quite similar ways, usually pairing off and sparring for real, or the army followed the instructions of a captain to do exact techniques. As far as Sebastian could tell, they were sparring just to spar, not at all a formal training session. He inwardly rolled his eyes, thinking about how much his entire family had been talking up the warriors to him; that it would give him purpose and a role, as well as a routine and social network. There were times in Sebastian’s life where he could have been persuaded to join them if he knew they had the brotherhood and obedience that the Roman soldiers had had. In comparison, the Kingdom’s warriors were a high school football team with a dangerous title. They were all goons, willing to follow Carlyle’s every order without a single question.

  Sebastian cut his own thoughts off, not wanting to go into a situation where he would be at their mercy, since they outnumbered him so immensely. Back in his hay day, he would not have flinched at the thought of taking on so many. Being out of practice for so long caused him to hold on tight to his reservations.

  When Theo tackled the man he was sparring with to the ground and rubbed his knuckles into his head, he caught a glimpse of Sebastian out of the corner of his eye. As if he were pulled by marionette strings, Theo was on his feet in one fluid movement.

  “Well, what brings you around, Sebs?” Theo called over. He moved closer, his hands on his hips and his bare chest smudged in dirt and sweat.

  Sebastian’s stomach tightened, having a bad feeling of what was to come. There was a certain layer of respect that he held because he was the eldest sibling, as well as the largest, tallest, and the one with the most impressive track record in battle—even having been out of the scene for fifteen hundred years. Those weren’t things Sebastian boasted about anymore, and his family couldn’t seem to accept his more emotionally aware way of thinking. Especially Theo.

  “I’ve decided to give training a try,” Sebastian replied, his tone lacking any emotion at all.

  Theo laughed, and Sebastian forced his face to stay flat. He loved all of his siblings dearly, but Theo was a particularly hard pill to swallow from time to time. There was never a worse time than when you caught him in his element with his friends. He so desperately wanted to be an alpha over Sebastian, and it ate him alive that Sebastian didn’t care about it.

  “You? Train? Maybe you should go to the YMCA first. Build up some cardio, maybe even take some water aerobics classes. I think that’s more your speed.”

  Sebastian heard the men snickering amongst themselves, but he was unphased. “It will take time for me to adjust again, I understand. I’m willing to try.”

  “Trying will get you killed, doing is what saves lives.”

  His patience with Theo was at an all-time low. Sebastian had to begin counting in his head while he tried to remind himself that he hadn’t slept and did not want to start an actual fight with his brother. The whole routine of acting higher and mightier than Sebastian, and all those around him, was getting old very quickly. Theo wasn’t even an official warrior. All he did was train with them.

  Sebastian held his hands up ins surrender. “Okay, I will do the training.”

  “You cannot join practice as simple as that. There are steps to take, and—” Theo broke off and was silent before a smug smirk conquered his face. “Tell you what, you can join the warriors’ training if you spar with me and win.”

  Sebastian’s shoulders squared instinctually, his chin lifting. “Is that all?”

  Theo laughed with more heart than Sebastian had heard come from his brother in a long time. “I think it will do.”

  With no further warning, Theo launched himself in his brother’s direction. Quick on his feet, Sebastian sidestepped and very slowly moved sideways, wanting to circle around Theo to figure out the best advantage point.

  A brief game of cat and mouse ensued, both lunging at the other while dodging attacks. Sebastian was trying to buy time. He had gotten sucked up into the trash talking his brother had enticed him with, and now that it had begun, Sebastian wanted nothing more than to leave. Then, out of nowhere, Theo latched onto Sebastian’s back and held most of his weight on Sebastian’s upper half, causing him to lose balance and fall. They rolled across the dirt floor, Theo punching and grabbing at his brother to try and get him in a hold. Sebastian only blocked and tried to keep Theo from gaining a position of power over him.

  Theo’s persistence surprised Sebastian, having a moment of pride in his little brother, even in the middle of a brawl. Theo had been the first one to give up on everything for centuries. There he was, hundreds of years into a commitment to fighting. It wasn’t something that Sebastian found palatable, but he knew that it gave his brother a sense of purpose. Besides, it wasn’t like they had exactly seen more than the occasional incident since they had run the witches out of their domain.

  There is something on the horizon, Sebastian reminded himself. He didn’t want to fight his brother, or anyone at all, but he knew that he had to try so he could be prepared in case anything happened.

  Just as Sebastian decided to actively participate in sparring, Theo landed a lucky hit to his chest that was so packed full of power, he went flying back into the stone wall of the arena. The back of his head smacked against the solid rock with an audible thump. Sebastian blinked rapidly, his vision dancing about in triples. As the world began to snap back into a single copy, he only had time to recognize his brother’s face before he was yanked up by his short black hair. Still dizzy, it was a struggle for Sebastian to regain his balance. Theo being one to fight smart, not fair, spun around with Sebastian’s hair still in his grasp and launched him into the center of the arena. When Sebastian’s body went limp, needing to rest as he tried to get his head right, the crowd of men went wild. They chanted Theo’s name.

  Swallowing hard so as not to throw up before
looking around, Sebastian could make out the shapes of men clapping and Theo taking a theatrical bow. When Theo’s top half bent forward, there was a distant figure that Sebastian’s vision wasn’t crisp enough to make out the exact details of—but he didn’t have to. Carlyle Tallant carried an energy about him which was hard, if not impossible, to miss. What was harder to miss was his stare. Sebastian could feel the heat of it, as intense as a thousand suns.

  He was a small child again, embarrassed for not having impressed his father with his prey from the hunt. Carlyle had fed the first rabbit Sebastian had captured to their dogs. It was a great insult at the time, and he was shamed in front of their entire clan. In the most literal sense, Sebastian was the first one that Carlyle used to establish a sense of dominance. When Sebastian had reached his full size, Carlyle made a constant example out of his son to show everyone who was really in charge. His father was so obsessed with his image of power and dominance, he always reminded Sebastian of a rooster strutting across the barnyard. Carlyle wasn’t inserting dominance then, but rather radiating judgment.

  Sebastian’s thoughts ran together in one mesh of embarrassment, shame, frustration, and anger. They were always trying to lure him into training, and when he had finally agreed, they made a mockery of him. They were going to make sure that no one held Sebastian’s opinion in any high regard, telling everyone they passed about the time his little brother beat him up while his father watched.

  They wanted a fight? They were going to get a fight.

  Adrenaline pumped through Sebastian’s veins, numbing the pain in his head and giving him the strength to stand up. Before Theo turned around, Sebastian was standing just inches from him. One grabbed the collar of Theo’s shirt and lifted him from the ground and high into the air effortlessly. As he watched the look in his little brother’s victorious eyes fade to horror and humiliation, Sebastian found himself grinning. He was taking such great pleasure from giving Theo a taste of his own medicine.