Chapter 58

Chapter 58
“Hydra!” The hair on the back of my neck stands up when I hear his voice behind me, and not in a good way either. I turn around, finding his hand raised like he was about to touch me, so I take one more step back, almost scoffing at the hurt that flashes in his eyes. “I won’t hurt you. I’m not a monster.” He’s so annoyingly good at playing the victim, if I didn’t have my head screwed on right, I’d almost fall for his act.
“What do you want?” The last person I wanted to run into day was him, but I figure he probably heard from Hayden that I was meeting up with them and chose to be here rather than leave me the hell alone. 
“I heard, about your clan being merged.” I turn my head to the side. 
“You heard wrong.” I mutter, turning around and walking away. He places his hand on my shoulder before I know it he’s flat on the ground, my knee on the small of his back holding the offended arm close to his body. 
“Fuck. Hydra!” He groans in pain as I squeeze his wrist harder. 
“Touch me again and you’ll lose this hand.” It’s a promise, we both know it. He nods and I release him, stepping away from him like he has a disease. 
“I’m sorry.” He huffs, getting off the ground. “I just wanted to tell you that if your clan merges you can come home.” I narrow my eyes at him. 
“If you come near me or touch me again, I am reporting you to the council and who knows, you may not even be able to return home.” His eyes widen and he takes a step back, knowing the council doesn’t react very lightly when it comes to harassment of any type, and since the agreement to stay away from me was made in the presence of two council members, he won’t be able to get around his punishment. With one last glare I walk away from him, making my way down the street where my brother and Erica are already waiting for me in one of the back booths of the café. 
“Hayden, if you can’t keep your prince in line, you’re not going to have a next King.” I warn him as I sit down. 
“What did he do?” I tell him about Rancor cornering me on the street and he gives an annoyed sigh. “He’s an idiot. I’ll talk to his father.” I roll my eyes at the mention of King Ragna. 
“What? So, he can tell his son he has the right to approach me, just like he told him he had a right to leave me to find a strong Queen? A proper Kin? No thanks, I’ll have the council deal with him.” We’ve only been here two weeks, and I’ve seen the council members more than I did in the last year. They must be as sick of my face as I am of theirs. 
“As you wish. I just want you to know that the clan was furious with him for denying you. A lot of them gave him the cold shoulder after you left, it took them years to get over it, and I still don’t think most of them are. They’re kind of glad he can’t manage to find himself a Queen.” I give Hayden a soft smile, refraining from telling him I’m also glad that Rancor can’t find a Queen. Any man who can only see a woman’s worth based on her ability to make him look good doesn’t deserve anyone by his side. 
“Cool, enough about the clan and Rancor. I want to know about you guys. Erica, where are you from and most importantly, how do you cope with this guy?” Hayden gives me a playful glare while his Kin just laughs. 
“Born in England but moved all over the place as I grew up. My parents are diplomats.” She explained and my eyes widen. 
“That’s why you’re a perfect match.” I marvel, looking between them. “Hayden could never be with someone who doesn’t understand his obsessive need to be right all the time. Are you very understanding naturally or is it all the years of watching your parents play peacekeeper?” She laughs and Hayden throws a sugar packet at my face. 
“Are you having fun joking about my flaws?” This time I’m actually shocked. 
“You can admit you’re flawed now? Erica, I love you forever. You’re my favorite sibling now.” I muse and Hayden looks shocked. 
“This doesn’t even make sense. How can she be your favorite sibling?” 
“Because she’s your Kin, making her my sister and thereby my favorite sibling.” I explain to him, speaking slowly and earning another sugar packet to the face. 
“Don’t let people hear you say that. They’ll think I have a child with my sister and that’s just gross.” I give him a sweet grin and Erica laughs, rubbing his back to soothe him as she leans in to give him a kiss on the cheek. 
“You two are perfect and it’s gross.” I mutter, picking up the menu. “If I’m going to have to sit here and watch you be sweet then you’re paying Hayden.” He rolls his eyes but doesn’t disagree. We lapse into conversation about the places Erica had been, how she met Hayden when he was also visiting one of the clans her parents were visiting. I tell some embarrassing stories of our childhood, and we tease Hayden mercilessly, but he gives back just as good as he receives. 
After hours of catching up we head into the forest and morph into our dragons. Erica’s dragon takes my breath away as she morphs. Her body a pale yellow that leads into wings that look like they’re on fire. She’s no doubt earned her elemental skill and she’s brilliant. Hayden morphs next, his giant blue grey dragon looks even bigger than the last time I saw it, with a new addition of a brilliant blue stripe crawling from between his eyes, down his back to the tip of his tail. I go next, my white dragon clear surprise in their eyes but it doesn’t last long as we scent each other, rubbing our necks together to solidify our family bond. We spend hours flying together, playing a game of catch with a tree stump and I tackle Hayden on more than one occasion and in true big-brother fashion, he surrenders every time. 
By the time the sun goes down I find myself curled in a ball between them, each of their wings covering me as they push close to me, much like parents would do protecting their newly morphed cub. I fall asleep that way, in the warmth of their wings, feeling complete in my heart and being thankful that I have my family with me again.