A dragon shifter novel Chapter 54

No Secrets Between Friends

Allison

I pull back from him, heart hammering, and ook him dead in the eyes. “Do you really want all of this?” My voice comes out low and serious, no teasing, no armour, just me, bare and bracing for the answer. He doesn’t even blink. “Every dark, depraved, and fucked–up thing about you, Ally,” he says, voice like a vow. “It’s mine, and I’ll love every part of it.” Something in my chest twists painfully at his words, a mix of relief and terror, and before I can reply, he’s already moving. “Now come on,” he murmurs, softer now. “You’ve had a big day. You need rest.” After we take turns using the shower, he leads me toward the bed, his hand warm at the small of my back. I don’t even protest when he pulls back the covers, waiting for me to climb in. The moment I sink into the mattress, exhaustion hits me like a wave. In one smooth motion, he slides in beside me, the heat of his body immediately cocooning mine. His arm snakes around my waist, pulling me against his chest like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Sleep, little pet,” he whispers into my hair, and the steady beat

of his heart under my ear is the last thing I remember before the dark takes me.

2

Morning comes like a hammer to the skull with loud banging on my door and Kael’s voice ricocheting through the attic. “Rivers! Open up!” I barely have

time to pry one eye open before Evander is already out of bed. The sheets fall from his torso, his hair a glorious, ruffled mess, his bare shoulders catching the light filtering through the skylight. He looks like sin and fire and every dangerous thing wrapped into one, and all I can do is croak, “Wait!” But it’s too late. He swings the door open. Kael practically bounces inside, filled with chaotic energy and no boundaries. “Well, well,” he drawls, grinning at Evander. “I

thought you were dead.” His eyes flick over Evander, shirtless, rumpled, very obviously in my room, and one eyebrow rises like a damn exclamation point. “Didn’t feel like telling your best friend you were skipping half a class and then not coming back to your room last night, or…?” Evander doesn’t even flinch

under the scrutiny, but the look he throws Kael is lethal enough to quiet him for half a heartbeat. The air grows heavy with unspoken things, secrets, half-

truths, and Kael’s curiosity buzzing like a live wire. I groan into my pillow. This is about to be a lot of fun. Evander’s golden eyes flick to me, teeth catching

his bottom lip in that nervous habit of his. “He knows…” he says, voice low and edged with something like guilt. “I told him when I suspected you were my

mate.” I blink at him. “You told him?” Kael’s head snaps between us like he’s at a tennis match. “Wait, you told her?” Evander drags a hand down his face.

“Well… yeah. Some stuff happened.” Kael’s gaze sweeps the room, over my bed, Evander standing shirtless, and me sitting here in a tangle of hair and

blankets. He gives a low whistle, eyebrows climbing. “Clearly,” he mutters. I roll my eyes so hard it’s a miracle they don’t fall out. “Not that stuff,” I snap,

grabbing the nearest pillow and throwing it at his head. It hits him square in the face with a satisfying thud. Kael grabs it, smirking. “Uh–huh. Sure.”

Evander exhales through his nose, somewhere between exasperated and trying not to laugh. “Right,” I mutter, grabbing the nearest pile of clean clothes and

clutching them to my chest. “I’m having a shower. You two can… discuss whatever it is you pillow–talk about.”

Kael’s grin spreads slowly and wickedly. “Great idea.” Before I can even make/it halfway to the bathroom, he flops back onto my bed, arms stretched wide,

groaning dramatically. “Fuck, this is a nice bed.” He gives the mattress an appreciative swat, then pats the space beside him like an idiot. “C’mon, Ev, we can

make this a real bonding moment.” Evander shakes his head, fighting a smile that’s all teeth and trouble. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet you love me,” Kael fires back, already kicking his boots off and sinking deeper into the covers. I sigh, half–amused, half–done with both of them.

“Unbelievable.” Evander shrugs at me, helpless in that way that says this is just how he is, and I roll my eyes before disappearing into the bathroom. The door clicks shut behind me, and I barely make it two steps before it opens again. “Ally.” I turn, heart, jumping straight into my throat. Evander stands just inside the doorway, one hand braced on the frame like he’s blocking himself as much as me. He closes the door carefully behind him, the noise of Kael

instantly muted, replaced by the quiet hum of running water and steam creeping into the air. “What?” I ask, wary despite myself. He exhales slowly, eyes

flicking once to the door before coming back to me. “I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me.” fold my arms, damp air already

warming my skin. “Okay.” He hesitates for a moment. “You know Kael is my best friend.” I don’t interrupt. “I can’t exactly keep things from him,” Evander

continues, voice low. “I mean… I will if that’s what you want. I’ll lock it down and never say a word.” His jaw–tightens. “But underneath all that playfulness,

he’s the most loyal person in my life. Anything said to him, he would take to his grave. He would never put you in danger. Not ever.” I study him for a

second. The way he’s holding himself, waiting for permission instead of assuming it. “And you want to tell him about me,” I say. “I want you to decide,” he

corrects quietly. The shower hisses behind me, steam fogging the mirror, softening the edges of the room. I swallow, fingers curling into the fabric of my

clothes. “It’s okay,” I say finally. “You can tell him.” Relief flashes across his face, fast and unguarded, but I’m not done. “As long as he doesn’t judge me,” 1

add, voice firm now. “I don’t need him to understand everything, I need him not to look at me like I’m broken… Or dangerous.” Evander steps closer. “He

won’t,” he says without hesitation. “I swear to you. If he even thinks about making you feel like that-”

“I believe you,” I cut in. His shoulders ease at that, the tension draining out of him. “Thank you,” he murmurs. I nod once. “Now go. Before he starts

assuming things,” A corner of his mouth lifts. “He already is.” I snort despite myself, and he turns to leave, hand pausing on the handle. “For what it’s

worth,” he adds softly, not looking back, “he’s going to be on your side faster than you expect.” The door opens and closes. I turn back to the sho