The Alpha Dragon's Mate (Dragon Shifters of Kahului Book 2) Read online

  THE ALPHA DRAGON’S MATE

  DRAGON SHIFTERS OF KAHULUI (BOOK 2)

  Brittany White

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Also by Brittany White

  About the Author

  © Copyright 2019 by Brittany White

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters appearing in this work are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to events, businesses, companies, institutions, and real person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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  1

  Ella

  Ella stared at the boxes and recounted all the things she hated about moving. Going through all of your things, one at a time, felt masochistic almost. It was a stark reminder of how much stuff people accrued, even when they didn’t need it. She was on box number fifteen of books. There were more books than dishes or glasses or … anything else. Except for maybe computers and various accessories. Those were for work, though, so she didn’t think they should be counted. Or maybe they should, then the large number of books she possessed wouldn’t be so obvious.

  She stood outside on the curb, frowning at all of the things she had yet to unload. No one was here with her. Ella was regretting that, too. She never liked to ask for help because it felt like she was inconveniencing someone. However, Ella was beginning to realize moving was not a one-person job.

  This was the first time she’d ever allowed herself to have things. When she moved in with Sara several years ago, all she had was a carry-on sized suitcase, a laptop case, and a shoebox full of personal knick-knacks and letters. Now at twenty-seven years old, Ella had enough to fill half of an apartment. She would have to furniture shop soon, but it wasn’t a priority.

  Back at Sara’s, she’d paid a few of the local boys to help her load up a rental truck. Everyone else was out surfing that morning. She’d quietly driven away but regretted it as soon as she’d done it.

  "Ella Marie Masters," came a disapproving voice from behind her. "On what planet do you think it’s acceptable to leave all of your friends without saying goodbye?"

  She turned around only to see Sara, her mate and now husband, Daegal, the other dragons who were loyal to him, and her former roommates. All of them wore similar expressions of disapproval.

  Sara stood there, her eighteen-month-old on one hip, and her hand on the other. She was frowning at Ella, but her eyes had tears pooled in them. The separation hadn’t been easy on any of them, but it was especially hard on Sara. She’d been the glue that held them all together. When Daegal came into her life, it changed everything. Soon enough, the apartment was too small for all of them.

  Ella was the first to leave. She didn’t want to, but it was the best decision for everyone. Plus, her work was taking up her entire bedroom space and slowly spilling out into the living area. She needed more room, so she’d scoured the classifieds until she found a large apartment close to Sara and the beach. The man who sold it to her had more money than time and had just gotten hitched. He was moving out of the state and wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it. Ella wasn’t a materialistic person, but she did appreciate being able to have her own home and come and go as she pleased.

  Property in Kahului and pretty much anywhere in Hawaii was outrageous. Ella wasn’t hurting for money, but she had no desire to slap down close to a million bucks for a place. Fortunately, the guy had too much money and too little time and let it go for well under asking price. Ella didn’t even have to bargain that much. It still stung a little when she thought about how much extra money she’d be spending. Living with three other people had kept her bills way down and allowed her to save up a large nest egg.

  "Hey," Ella said sheepishly. "I’m sorry. I know I should have said something. I didn’t want to bother anyone."

  This was the most annoying thing about her. Or so she’d been told. She never had a relationship work out because she was too independent, unable to trust anyone as much as they needed to be trusted.

  Gregor, one of the dragons, stood in the back. A pull existed between them, something undefinable. Ella knew it. Gregor knew it.

  So Ella did what she always did. She ran.

  He was the main reason she hadn’t requested any help. She knew if she asked, Gregor would be at the forefront of it, kind and considerate. And not letting her do a thing for herself.

  Sara handed her son over to Daegal and rushed forward to envelop Ella in a hug.

  There were only a few people who could hug Ella without her shying away. Sara, her roommates, and a boy she attended high school with. That was it. Anyone else tried it and Ella shrank within her own skin.

  She returned Sara’s hug and sniffed away a tear. Her friend’s hair smelled like strawberries, and she’d regained all the lean muscle she’d lost before she’d given birth. No surprise there, really. As soon as she’d been able to, Sara had gotten back on the surfboard and into the water.

  Ella loved the water as much as Sara did, she just had things she preferred more than surfing. Like the fifteen boxes of books, she hoped someone else would carry in for her.

  "I’m going to miss you like crazy," Sara whispered as she pulled away. "Don’t be a stranger. We still need to eat dinner together at least once a week. Promise?"

  Ella nodded and made an X motion over her heart. "Cross my heart."

  Sara’s gaze wandered over to the truck. "Now, how do you suppose you were going to unload this without help?"

  Ella shrugged. "Divine intervention."

  "We are not divine, woman," Sara’s husband growled as he hopped onto the back of the truck with one lithe motion.

  All of the men here, no … dragons, were gorgeous. So pretty they were hard to look at. Daegal was massive, blonde, and spoke like he’d stepped off the set of Game of Thrones.

  If she had to peg one for being the most traditionally handsome, it would have to be Sebastian. He had jet black hair and startling emerald colored eyes. From everything Ella could tell, though, Sebastian was an unapologetic man-whore. The new world was puzzling to him, especially the fact that he couldn’t just walk up to a woman and act like a caveman anymore.

  Ella genuinely liked Edvard, a massive blond man with eyes the color of azure. He had a calm manner about him. He was good-humored and eloquent when he spoke. Edvard didn’t seem to take a lot too seriously. She appreciated this about him.

  Gregor was the one who sent chills down her spine. The one who made her words stumble over each other.

  The one she ran from.

  He was a hair taller than everyone else. And that was saying something because all of the dragons topped at least six foot four. When Gregor stood close, he towered over her. She was five foot two on a lucky day. When the dragon was close, she had to crane her head up just to see his
face.

  It was annoying, really. Especially when she realized how much she liked his face.

  He said nothing and only stood quietly.

  Judging her, probably.

  His hair was a chestnut color and sparked a hint of red-gold when the sun hit it just so. Ella had never seen him smile, and it rankled her that she wanted to. His chest was wide and firm, his arms finely sculpted. Despite how wide his upper half was, his waist tapered down to lean hips and long legs. He was the only one of them who seemed like running wouldn’t wind him. Not that any of them looked out of shape, not by a long shot. But she knew Gregor worked on his form every single night.

  In spite of everything that was beautiful about Gregor, this wasn’t what appealed to Ella.

  No. It was his stoicism. How he allowed himself to look haunted when he thought no one was watching. How Ella knew he kept books in his leather satchel and only took them out late at night. She’d caught him reading once. He’d tucked it away before she could tell what it was. Ella wanted to ask, but she got so nervous around him that she rushed over to the kitchen, got her water, and rushed back to her bed. His eyes were on her every movement.

  Also, the color of his eyes. A stormy gray like a wind-tossed sea. They reflected everything he was feeling, even if he didn’t say it. Because he wouldn’t. She’d never met a more stoic man.

  Their gazes caught and held. Gregor acknowledged her with a slight nod which she returned, but he said nothing about her leaving.

  He wouldn’t. Gregor wasn’t the kind of man who would do that. At least, not in front of everyone. He would hold his tongue until they were in private.

  Over the last six months, Ella had been vigilant about ensuring she was never caught alone with him. He was too much for her to take. Her gaze slid away and back to the truck. A sheepish smile appeared on her face. "So ... I’ll buy pizza and beer for anyone who wants to help."

  Sara snorted. "You don’t have to buy me dinner, but no take backsies." She glanced at her mate. "Want me to take Keanu?" she asked.

  Daegal kissed the top of his son’s head and handed him over. Sara plucked him out of Daegal’s arms and strapped him into the chest contraption she was wearing. "I can handle small things," she said. "Throw ‘em at me."

  Just like that, it was decided. Carrie brushed past her to jump onto the truck and she squeezed her arm as she passed by. Ella wasn’t sure what had happened to Carrie, but her friend had the same look in her eyes Ella sometimes did when she thought about her past. If anyone understood what she was going through, it was her.

  Sebastian hopped into the back of the truck and handed down a box. She took it from him, surprised to find it so light. The dragon leered at her. "I require more than pizza and beer for my assistance."

  "Perv," Ella said affectionately. "I’ll save an extra slice for you."

  A laugh boomed from Sebastian. He winked at her. "I’ll hold you to it."

  He realized long ago she was immune to his not inconsiderable charm. Sebastian still flirted with her, quite wickedly, but she allowed it because they both knew it wasn’t going anywhere.

  Ella turned to carry the box inside only to find Jillian staring at Sebastian, annoyance written all over her face. She cringed a little. Jillian and Sebastian had a weird love/hate thing going on right now.

  She didn’t know where the cards were going to fall, but she’d put money on Jillian. Her friend would either tame him or kill him. Right now, Ella was leaning toward murder. Few withstood Jillian’s wrath when it rose. She brushed past the men and took the stairs up to her apartment. Thank goodness she had no plans to move again soon because trying to carry every single thing you owned up stairs was not for the faint of heart.

  Her friends and the dragons made quick work of the truck. Within a couple of hours, they were able to move the truck into a proper parking spot. Ella took the protective plastic off of a few of the chairs she'd swiped from Sara's, and they were occupied with bodies soon after.

  Sara sat in a chair holding a sleeping Keanu. Daegal sprawled on the floor next to her, his hand on her knee. Those two never stopped touching each other. Ella thought it was adorable but also unnerving.

  Sebastian lay flat on his back on Ella's wooden floors. Edvard had a little more decorum. He sat in a high back chair, his head tilted toward the ceiling.

  Gregor had chosen her favorite chair, a well-loved, oversized reading chair. It was a light gray with an oversized back and the cushion of it was large enough to accommodate two of her. Gregor was so large it made the chair look a normal size.

  The dragons were slowly acclimating to human life, though they still had a long way to go. First, their clothing changed to make them look more modern. Gregor had the most difficult time with it. He still looked like he'd rolled out of a Renaissance Faire, though his footwear was a little less ancient than it used to be.

  Today, he wore a pair of what seemed to be leather pants, a tight white t-shirt with an obscure band name on it, and a pair of sturdy leather boots. On anyone else, it would have looked either super emo or just plain ridiculous. On Gregor, it just looked mouthwatering. It would take them all a while to figure out their personal style.

  Ella dragged her gaze away from the handsome dragon and pulled out her cell. "Pizza?"

  Roars of encouragement rang out through the room. "Great," she said. Ella dialed the number and placed an order for eight large pizzas, five of them with extra meat. A year and a half ago, Ella would have laughed at that amount of food.

  That was before four dragons showed up on their doorstep. All of them ate like garbage disposals—in, destroyed, then gone.

  Fortunately for her, she'd already stocked her fridge the day before. It was full of beer and soft drinks because she knew she wouldn't be without company for long.

  By the time she'd gotten off the phone, Carrie was already rummaging through it. She pulled out beers for everyone except for Gregor. He declined with a quick shake of his head.

  "He wants a root beer," Ella said. Color flushed her cheeks when silence fell and everyone looked at her.

  Gregor's heated stare felt like it was burning a hole through her. "Aye," he said quietly. "I do."

  One of Carrie's eyebrows went up and a smile she was trying to hide quirked one side of her lips up. "Coming right up," she said. She bent down and grabbed one of the bottles. It was his favorite brand. Ella bought it with him in mind, but watching Carrie give it to him made her want the Earth to open up and swallow her whole.

  She'd watched Gregor. A lot. So much that she knew which foods he didn't like, what his favorites were, what kind of shows he liked, and a lot of other things only skilled stalkers knew.

  Ella liked to tell herself that it was only because they lived in close quarters and not because she was fascinated with him. But she knew it was a lie.

  Gregor popped the lid off the bottle with a quick jerk of his hand. His gaze caught hers. It glittered with appreciation and ... something more. Something she didn't want to examine with a room full of people.

  "Thank you," he said to Carrie, but he didn't stop looking at Ella.

  "Welcome," Carrie said in a sing-song voice. She scooped up the other beers and started handing them to everyone else.

  Ella could feel Sara's gaze upon her, and she made every effort not to look at her. She didn't want to answer questions she had no answer to.

  "The pizza will take about an hour." Ella frowned. "It's the weekend, so it's always busier."

  "Do you have anything you want set up?" Daegal asked. He had been uncharacteristically quiet since he arrived, but this tended to happen when his son or Sara was around. He was consumed by both of them.

  Ella's gaze skimmed over the living room scattered with dozens of boxes. She was in the process of putting together her bookshelves but hadn't finished before the official moving day had come. The landlord gave her the keys two days early, so she'd moved in the shelves, food, some pillows and blankets, and a few other things. Most people
wouldn't have moved a bookshelf in first, but it was one of the most important things she owned.

  The shelving system was at least eight feet long and took up the entire back wall of the living room. She had it custom designed several years ago. Only after it arrived did she realize was a pain it was to set up.

  Gregor saw her eyes go to her shelves. Amusement darkened his gaze. Everyone knew about her book obsession.

  Jillian spoke, her voice filled with laughter. "It's the bookshelves. She wants those first."

  When Ella opened her mouth to protest, Jillian put a hand up. "Please, girl, you don't even have a bed in here and your shelves are already half set up. We know what's most important to you."

  The dragons were staring at the shelving dubiously. Ella had no idea if they were handy or not. They were dragons from another place and time. She highly doubted they knew how to understand an instruction manual and a piece of furniture with about a thousand pieces left.

  "It's really okay," she protested, just as Gregor began to unfold himself out of his seat.

  "I will look at it," he said. "Just to see if I can help. Okay?"

  She liked that he asked her permission. He was never forceful or dominant, even if she could sense that dominance lurking in him like a banked wildfire. Perhaps he sensed something in her would recoil. She didn't know. But Gregor asked her permission for almost everything. No one in her life ever had.

  "Please," Ella said and nodded. "Thank you."

  A hint of relief showed in his eyes before he hid it away. Gregor stood and marveled at what was already put together. "This is quite something." He ran a large hand down the smooth mahogany wood.

  Ella watched as Gregor studied the shelving and picked up the instructions. He read for a few seconds before he frowned. "I do not think I should touch this right now. Perhaps when I learn more?" His brow knit together. Gregor didn't look pleased by his admission. If anything, he looked grumpy about it.