by Lola Gabriel
“Draven, the whole point of taking the enchantment so early is so you can find your one true mate and learn to rule side by side,” his mom explained. “Your mate needs to practice running a pack too, and you need to practice coming to the right decisions together. It’s no good waiting and then finding a mate and having to have all of your teething problems further down the line. And believe me, no matter how long you run a pack for, there will always be decisions to be made. Waiting to find a mate won’t make being an alpha any easier. You just need to learn to balance leadership and family life for it to all work out. I promise you it’s not as hard as you imagine. And having your one true mate at your side for all of this—that’s not a distraction, it’s a weight off your shoulders. You have someone who gets you and who will always stand by your side.”
“But…” Draven started.
“No. No buts, Draven,” his father said. His tone sounded like he was just on the verge of getting angry and Draven knew he wasn’t going to be able to convince him this was something they could put off. “This is happening and it is happening today. I’m not going to throw away centuries of tradition because you think the rules don’t apply to you. Am I making myself clear?”
“Perfectly,” Draven said, his voice cold and emotionless although he was churning inside.
“Enough of this,” Draven’s mom said, clapping her hands together and smiling at Draven—a smile that looked forced. “You’re just having some last-minute nerves, that’s all, Draven. Let’s remember this is meant to be a happy occasion, a celebration. Once the enchantment is completed, you’ll realize it was nothing to be worried about.”
Draven gave her a halfhearted smile and nodded his head. He knew now the only way he could get out of taking the enchantment would be to turn his back on all of this. Turn his back on this life, on this pack, on his family. And he knew he couldn’t do it. It wouldn’t just be his own life he ruined. If he walked away and left his parents with no heir, they would be forced to step down as the ruling couple and have their beta and his mate take over. And then they would be banished, exiled from the pack, from the country. And Draven wouldn’t wish that on them. No way.
“I’m sorry,” Draven said. “I guess I am just nervous. I’m afraid that I’ll make a mistake or something and let you both down.”
His parents softened at his words, just like he had known that they would.
“Oh, Draven, you could never let us down,” his mom smiled.
“And don’t worry about making mistakes,” his father added. “Because you will make mistakes. Every alpha does at first. And you learn from them and you don’t make them again. That’s why we have you running the small pack now, and then a slightly bigger one, and then you’ll move on to a bigger one still. So that when you do take over the whole dragon pack, you’re ready for the challenge.”
A knock sounded on the door and Draven’s father stood up.
“That will be Simeon,” he said. “Now, you’re not going to say anything to Simeon about these doubts of yours, are you?”
Draven shook his head. He knew that if he did, the rumors would be flying around the country by the end of the day. He wasn’t about to bring that sort of scandal down on himself and his parents.
“Good,” his father said.
He moved toward Draven and squeezed his shoulder and then he left the room to let Simeon in. Draven debated trying to make his mom see reason while they were alone, but he knew it was useless. He had known going in that it was unlikely he would get his parents to change their minds about this. Now that it was confirmed, he was almost ready to just accept his fate. Almost.
Draven heard the door open and he glanced over his shoulder, smiling at Simeon. Draven’s father brought Simeon closer and Draven stood up and extended his hand.
“Draven, you remember Simeon?” his father said as Draven shook Simeon’s hand.
“Of course,” Draven said. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Simeon.”
“Lovely to see you, Draven,” Simeon smiled, releasing his hand.
“Would you like a drink or anything before we start, Simeon? Maybe a bit of lunch?” Draven’s mom offered.
“Actually, if it’s all the same to you, Mrs. Montgomery, I’d rather just get on with the enchantment. I have a meeting scheduled for this afternoon with a young witch who saw fit to use her powers in front of some humans. I have to try and make her see why she can’t just go around doing spells and then wiping memories,” Simeon said in a long-suffering voice.
“Oh, I feel for you,” Draven’s mom smiled. “I’m so glad young dragons can’t turn. Imagine what it would be like if they could turn before they were eighteen.”
A shudder went through her as she spoke and for a second, Draven imagined a world where children were running around as dragons. It would make keeping their secret from the humans almost impossible. Especially considering they didn’t have the luxury of a memory-wiping spell like the witches did.
Simeon nodded his head and grimaced as he dug in his black leather bag and pulled out a glass vial containing a purple liquid. He held the vial out to Draven, who took it a little reluctantly. What would they do if I smashed it on the ground? Draven wondered. He knew he would never find out because he could never bring himself to do that in front of his parents.
“Someone’s nervous,” Simeon smiled. “Just relax. Everything will be fine.”
Draven gave him a tight-lipped smile. He wasn’t in the least bit happy about any of this and he doubted very much everything would be fine, but he bit his tongue.
“Right,” Simeon said. “Whenever you’re ready, just uncap the vial and swallow down the potion.”
Draven knew if he didn’t do it straight away, he likely never would and so he pulled out the cap and poured the liquid into his mouth. It tasted sweet, like strawberries mixed with cotton candy. There was a slightly bitter aftertaste that Draven couldn’t identify. He swallowed and felt his chest warming as the potion made its way down to his stomach.
As the potion hit his stomach, the warmth seemed to spread out through his full body and he felt his dragon begin to stir, a rumbling sensation in the bottom of his stomach.
“How do you feel?” Simeon asked.
“Fine,” Draven said. “I can feel my dragon stirring, but other than that, I feel exactly the same as I did before I took the potion.”
“Perfect,” Simeon smiled.
He took the empty vial from Draven and put it back in his bag, zipping the bag back up.
“Wait. That’s it?” Draven said, surprised it had been so easy.
His parents smiled indulgently as Simeon nodded.
“Yes, that’s it. Let’s just say the rumors of this enchantment are greatly exaggerated and with good reason,” he said. “The fear is, if the average shifter knew how easy this was, they’d all want to try it. We’d have rogue shifters stealing potions and taking them. And if someone who isn’t a true heir to a pack takes the potion, it will kill them.”
“Well, I guess I passed the test, then,” Draven said.
“It wasn’t a test,” his mom said. “There was never any doubt you were our heir, Draven.”
“I was joking, Mom,” Draven said.
Simeon saved Draven from any further disapproval from his mom by standing up.
“Well, I really must go,” he said.
Draven stood up and shook his hand, thanking him, although he wasn’t entirely sure why he felt the need to thank him. Simeon had administered a potion he didn’t want. But he knew it wasn’t Simeon’s fault. If he had uttered his doubts to Simeon, he never would have given him the potion in the first place.
“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day, then, Draven?” his mom asked as his dad saw Simeon out.
“I’m meeting up with some friends later on,” he said.
It wasn’t true. Draven didn’t want to celebrate this moment, but he knew that was what his mom would want to hear and he just wanted to get out of there no
w that the enchantment was completed.
“You’ve got time for some lunch, though, right?” his mom said.
Draven really wanted to get away, but he didn’t want to upset her and cause another argument. He was afraid that if he did, she would work out that she hadn’t appeased his worries about the enchantment after all, and so he nodded his head and forced himself to smile at her.
“Of course I have,” he said.
After lunch, Draven had excused himself and he was now heading back to his apartment. As he walked, he considered how he felt. He honestly didn’t feel any different to how he had felt before the enchantment, and he was starting to wonder if maybe it hadn’t worked, but then he remembered his dragon responding when he swallowed the potion and he knew it had to have worked. Right?
Whether the enchantment had or hadn’t worked didn’t much matter to Draven right now. He had already made up his mind that even if the enchantment worked and led him to his true mate, he would resist the pull of it and just keep away from whoever the girl turned out to be. He had no intention of being mated, certainly not now, maybe not ever.
He knew he would have to do something to appease his parents, though, and indeed the pack as a whole. Now that he was twenty-nine, it was no secret that he would soon be finding his one true mate and every eye would be on him, watching and waiting for him to find her.
As he reached his apartment building, a plan started to form in his mind and he grinned to himself, sure it would work. All he had to do was buy himself some time while he found a way to break the enchantment. He could do that; he was almost certain of it. He just needed to find a warlock who was willing to go against the norm and help him.
2
Draven stepped into the elevator in his apartment building, but instead of heading up to the penthouse apartment, he hit the button for the fifth floor and got out there instead. He was smiling to himself as he made his way along the corridor toward Morgan’s apartment. Morgan was Draven’s best friend; they had known each other since they had started kindergarten, and she had begged him to come to her apartment and celebrate his birthday with her today after the enchantment had taken place. He had refused, telling her he didn’t want to celebrate his birthday, but he knew she would be pleased to see him now that he had changed his mind. Because now he had a plan, he had something to celebrate after all. And who better to understand this idea than his best friend?
Draven rang Morgan’s doorbell and waited for her to come to the door. He heard her footsteps approaching and then the door opened and she smiled out at him. He grinned at her, taking in her long blonde curls and her pretty green eyes. As he looked at Morgan, it occurred to him for the first time how gorgeous she was. He had always known she was pretty—he wasn’t blind—but it was only now that he realized she was actually beautiful.
“Hey,” she said, stepping back and letting Draven inside. “Happy birthday.”
“You could say that,” Draven said, going to Morgan’s couch and sitting down.
“Oh, stop being such a killjoy,” Morgan smiled. “Today is a big day. Turning twenty-nine is a big deal, especially for you. Did you receive the enchantment?”
Draven nodded, watching Morgan as she moved toward the kitchen area. Her apartment was open plan, like his own, although much smaller. He couldn’t help but notice the way Morgan’s hips swayed from side to side, a kind of rolling motion, as she walked and he shook his head, telling himself to stop this.
Morgan filled two glasses with ice and then she added big measures of vodka and topped them up with Coke. She came over to the couch and, handing a drink to Draven, sat down next to him.
“Cheers,” she said, raising her glass.
“Cheers,” Draven repeated and they both drank.
Draven grimaced as the strong measure of vodka hit the back of his throat. Morgan laughed as she watched his face.
“So, what do you want to do, then? Hit the town later on?” she asked.
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I thought we would just stay here. I have a favor to ask you, Morgan. A big favor,” Draven said.
“Okay,” Morgan said, eyeing him a little suspiciously. “What do you need?”
Draven took a long gulp of his drink and then he took a deep breath and turned to face Morgan, looking her in the eye as he spoke. This was it. The moment he learned if Morgan really was willing to put herself on the line for him, if she really was his best friend or not. Would he do this for her? He liked to think he would, but it was really hard to say if you hadn’t been in this situation before.
“I need you to pretend to my parents that you’re going to be my mate,” he said.
“I…what?” Morgan said, looking at Draven in surprise.
“It’ll only be for a few weeks,” Draven rushed on, not wanting her to say no before he got it all out. “Just to keep my parents off my case while I work out how to break this enchantment.”
“Why do you want to break the enchantment?” Morgan asked.
“Because if I can break it without my parents finding out, then they’ll have to accept that I am meant to be a lone ruler. They’re rare, but they do exist. And if my parents believe that I am still enchanted and I don’t find my forever mate, then they will have no choice but to accept that,” Draven explained.
He paused to give Morgan a chance to respond, but she just looked down into her glass and he knew he had to find the right words to convince her to do this for him.
“Like I said, it’ll only be for a few weeks. Once I find out how to break the enchantment, we can split up. I’ll come up with some sort of story about how I thought you were the one but then you weren’t or something. They’ll believe that. They’ll think I just tried to take the easy way out and end up with my best friend. But don’t worry. I won’t let it go too far, I promise. And if, at any point, you are uncomfortable with it, then I promise I’ll end the whole thing and come clean with my parents.”
“I don’t get it, Draven. Why don’t you want to find your one true mate? You’ve been given a chance to find what so many of us crave so desperately,” Morgan said.
“I guess I’m just happy being single,” Draven shrugged.
It sounded lame even to his own ears and Morgan shook her head.
“No, you’re not. You’re not a loner, Draven. If you want me to do this, at least have the decency to be honest with me about why you feel it’s necessary,” she said.
“Okay, you want the truth? Fine. There’s an uprising brewing,” Draven said. “My parents are handling it, but there’s a pack that has broken away from their rule. This happened decades ago. Do you know about it?”
“Of course,” Morgan said. “They taught us all about it at our afterschool club, remember? The dragon one, obviously.”
“Yes. I remember. But what they don’t teach at the club, and what I am not supposed to be telling anyone, is that pack is interested in trying to overthrow the ruling couple. They believe all packs should be free to have their own rules. Like I said, my parents are handling it, but it’s a problem.”
“Okay,” Morgan said. “I get that. But what does that have to do with you finding your one true mate?”
“If I were to find my one true mate, there would eventually be a mating ceremony and everyone would know who she was. How long do you think it would take for the rogue pack to try to use her against us? She would be a target. And I’m not confident I could protect her.”
“Of course you could protect her, Draven,” Morgan said. “I’ve seen you fight. She would be fine with you.”
“But what if they take her when I’m not around? Anything could happen to her.” Draven paused, unsure if he should go on. He decided to tell Morgan the whole truth. She was the person he trusted most in the world and he knew she would never repeat anything he told her in confidence. “They would then use my mate to get my parents to relinquish their power. And I could never say this to them, which is why I went along with the enchantment in the first place, but
I know my parents. They wouldn’t give up their power. They would sacrifice my mate to keep the pack running their way.”
“You don’t really think they would just let the pack kill your mate, do you?” Morgan asked, a look of shock on her face.
“I think they would try to rescue her. Send in soldiers,” Draven said. “But if that didn’t work, then yes, I do.”
“Shit,” Morgan said.
She took a long drink of her vodka and shook her head.
“I guess now I understand why you don’t want to find your one true mate just yet,” she said. “You want to wait until your parents deal with the threat first.”
“Pretty much, yeah. So? Will you help me?” Draven asked. He gave Morgan a nervous smile. “Morgan Peck, will you be my fake one true mate?”
3
Morgan sat back against the couch and thought about what Draven was asking of her. It was a lot to take in. All of the talk of uprisings and learning how his parents would sacrifice Draven’s mate for the good of the pack. It worried her greatly, but at the same time, she understood it. The pack always had to come first to the ruling couple, and the good of one or two members could never come above the good of the whole pack’s needs. It must be a hell of a horrible position to find yourself in, Morgan thought to herself.
She could understand why Draven didn’t want to find his one true mate at this point, and she was inclined to agree that the best way around it was to find a way to break the enchantment and then just act like he was meant to be a lone ruler. She could even understand why he wanted her to play the part of his future mate. It would keep his parents from getting on his case all the time, always trying to force him into situations where he might end up meeting his one true mate.