Alpha Dragon's Eagle (The Dragonfate Games Book 2) by Hawke Oakley

Author:Hawke Oakley [Oakley, Hawke]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-06T16:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

Matteo

My initial dread at Talon taking my place on stage evaporated the second he started making a fool of himself. By the end of his run, I was biting my lip so I didn’t wheeze with laughter. Though, if it were me answering that last question, I would’ve gotten hard remembering the sight of Thystle’s bare ass the night before. Maybe it was a good thing I was hidden among the crowd for that one.

As Talon trudged back to his seat, I tried to keep the shit-eating grin off my face. No need to rub salt in his wounds—even if he did try to commit identity theft in front of everybody.

Gaius swept across the stage and gestured to me. “All right, next contestant, please! Matteo, you’re up!” My heart tripped over itself as I stood. Muzo put his thumbs up, Poppy smiled, and Alaric gave me a knowing nod. Their encouragement overrode the nasty glare I felt on the back of my head, no doubt coming from Talon.

But I forgot all about him as I reached the top of the stairs. As my gaze met Thystle’s, warmth bloomed in my body, seeping through my limbs. There was something different in his eyes. A sharp, predatory knowing, like he’d stabbed his sword into the truth of who I was. My heart fluttered with a twisted mix of anxiety and relief. How much did Thystle know? How did he feel about it? Was he upset I hadn’t confessed earlier?

Meeting his hot gaze, I doubted that. They blazed with desire, the kind that would never be satisfied. A shiver ran down my spine. To be wanted by a dragon was thrilling. I felt like a butterfly pinned to a board, stared at adoringly by a collector for all time.

Biting down the urge to run to Thystle, I stepped behind the podium. Thystle’s mouth curved into a grin across from me. He stood in front of the throne, still holding the mic.

Gaius let out a playful laugh and stepped aside. “Well, it looks like I’ve been usurped as the host of this challenge, so take it away, Thystle. These questions are about you, after all.”

Thystle nodded at his friend. “Thanks, Gaius.” Then his glittering amethyst eyes stabbed into me like fishhooks. “Matteo. First question.”

I shuddered at the sultry way he said my name.

“How long is the first track on Wings of the Sun?” Thystle asked, staring directly at me.

I was keenly aware of the crowd’s gaze. Did they expect me to fail this niche question, or did they think I’d nail it like Talon did the first few times?

But the crowd didn’t know what Thystle did—that I was Aquila. I saw it in the way his hungry alpha gaze blazed with feral want, yet also shone with the brilliance of a die-hard fan. The only thing stopping Thystle from jumping me was the cameras. Stupid reality TV.

I nodded at Thystle across the stage. “Five minutes even.”

He sucked in a breath, his fingers curling tighter around the mic.

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