She shrugged. “I’m a hugger.”
He cocked his head and studied her, seeming to be as confused by the words as by her simple act of reaching out. “Most are afraid of me. Or disgusted.”
“They don’t know you.”
He slipped his hand out of hers. “You do not know me.”
Angelika sighed as he stepped back, putting more space between them. “I would offer to be friends, but I don’t think hanging out with a wolf shifter will help you integrate into dragon society any better.”
“This is true.”
Disappointment shot through her, but that was nothing new in Angelika’s world. As always, she shook it off. She had sort of been hoping he would ignore that truth and want to be friends. Because the fact was, she found this man fascinating. Gorgeous. Distant. Lonely.
And she was drawn to him in a way she’d never felt drawn to another.
He gestured to the door she’d come out. “Allow me to escort you to your chambers.”
As much as she would like to stay out here with him, even if they simply sat in silence, she could tell by the tightness in his jaw that Airk would prefer things this way.
Maybe next time he’d be inclined to linger.
Together, they walked through the human-sized tunnels, which were rarely accessed in the daytime and abandoned at night. The wolf pack had been given suites that had clearly not been used in years and were a good distance into the mountain and up.
About halfway there, Angelika couldn’t help herself. “Tell me, Airk Azdajah, what do you want?”
Hands clasped behind his back, he leveled her with a look. “You have much to say.”
Angelika almost laughed at the irritation that flickered in his eyes. Clearly, he was ready to hand her off to the wolves. “I mean, for a long time, I’m guessing you’ve only had two goals in mind. Survival and escape.”
After a second, he gave a jerking nod.
“Well then…now that you’ve accomplished both, what is next for you?”
“Next?”
“You had to have pictured in your mind what you would do once you got out, right?”
Wariness stared back at her from a harshly beautiful face. “Why do you ask me this?”
She tried not to take offense at the suspicion in that question. “Because I get the impression that you’re…floundering a bit. I know what that’s like.”
Boy did she ever. Running her entire life, never feeling as though she had roots, no matter how long they’d spent in any one location. Now she was the only sister with no powers. She’d hadn’t figured out how, exactly, but she wasn’t going to let that stand in the way of her being part of taking Pytheios down.
“Floundering.” Airk stopped and frowned, mouthing the word as if tasting it. Then he scowled so harshly, a lesser person might’ve backed off. He reminded her of a wild thing in pain, bunching its muscles to lash out, even if it meant striking the person who had come to help.
He jerked his gaze to her, mouth open as if to tell her off, then paused, seeming to search her expression. Such guardedness. If she thought he would have let her, Angelika would’ve hugged him, penetrating that icy outer shell with the warmth of kindness. He was a dragon shifter, damn it. Ice shouldn’t be part of his makeup.
Slowly, he closed his mouth. “If you were me, what would you do?”
She didn’t even have to think about it. “I would find a way to kill the monster who did that to me.”
After a beat of shock, Airk’s gaze intensified, and his presence filled the space around them, power and purpose clotting the air.
Alpha. The word whispered through her mind.
Not that she should be surprised. His father had been her own father’s Beta once upon a time. Airk had more claim to the throne of the White Clan than anyone except her and her sisters. A king destined by the fates. A king that, maybe, might have been destined for her.
If things had been different.
Her body heated at the thought.
“I shall consider your words,” he said.
Then he waved her to continue on. Again, they walked side by side in silence. Only this time, the vibes that continued to pulse from him filled the space, surrounding her, penetrating her. Angelika practically wanted to crawl out of her skin. But to do what? Help him? Hug him? Fuck him?
Oh, Gods, do not think about fucking the hot, lonely, dangerous dragon shifter.
Finally, they reached her door, and she paused. “This is me.”
He gazed at her, unspeaking.
Not wanting to close a door between them yet, she looked back. “Do you think you’ll ever try to shift?”
He gave an almost negligent shrug, though she got the impression that he cared about this a thousand times more than he wanted to let on. “The bonds with loved ones that I would need to tether me to my humanity died with my parents the same day you lost your father.”
Airk had been there. A child witnessing Pytheios’s coup by murder. Part of her wanted to ask him for those memories. A part she didn’t indulge.
Angelika just nodded. “I guess you’d better make friends faster, then.”
Airk ducked his head, but not before she caught a hint of a smile that fairly knocked the breath from her lungs. The man was attractive in a harsh sort of way, but when he smiled… Oh. My.
“Perhaps I have made one tonight.”
Angelika stilled. Well, knock me over with a feather.
Given the course of their conversation, she’d been under the impression that he would rather get rid of her than consider her a friend.
“I would like that.” She swallowed because the truth of those words struck her harder than expected. “But I suggest you start with dragon shifter friends.” Because, for all he knew, she was a wolf shifter.
Gaze trained on her face, he gave a sharp nod. “Allies.”
“Friends,” she corrected. “Particularly the kings mated to the phoenixes.”
That sounded odd to say, since those phoenixes were her sisters and those kings her brothers-by-blood. But no one else was supposed to know that.
“I will consider your suggestion.” He clasped his hands behind his back, as though he had to contain himself, then pivoted on his heel and walked away without another word.
“I hope you’ll try it eventually,” she called after his retreating form. “Shifting, I mean. A dragon in captivity is a true shame.”
Airk paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Perhaps one day. Though not even your sister can see what lies ahead for me.”