“I’ll keep an eye on her for you.”
An angry snarl flew from Kingston’s mouth at the thought of any other man keeping an eye on his mate. Even if the man was his brother.
“Relax, asshole. I already found my fate. Tell ya what, I’ll call Malia and see if she can help out.”
“Fine! I have to go!” Kingston could feel the bones in his face shifting. “I’ll be back when I get myself under control.”
Jace nodded. “Don’t worry, brother. We will keep her safe.”
“You damn well better.”
Kingston hated snapping at his brother, but his mind was a mess. His beast was moments from taking over, and he didn’t have the strength to keep him in check. Not when it came to this. Kingston would lose every fucking time. He knew it. His beast knew it.
Heat tore through his body. His internal fight with his beast was over before it even started. Every bone in his body seemed to snap at the exact same time. The pain from such a forceful shift brought him to his knees. An agonizing scream tore from his mouth as he felt his wings push through the skin of his back.
When his transformation was complete, he stood and unfurled his thick webbed wings. Tendrils of gray smoke poured from his snout. The smell of sulfur hung thick around him. Pushing farther down on the ground, Kingston sprang into the air and flapped his large wings, feeling the air rush past him. It had been so long since his dragon had made an appearance that he had forgotten how freeing it was to fly high above the building, getting lost in the clouds.
He flew on autopilot to a place he’d not visited in ages … to the very top of Ka’ala. Situated on the west side of the island, it was the tallest mountain on Oahu. One of the main tourist attractions in the area, especially when it came to helicopter flyovers. Little did the tourists know, it was the seat of power for the Pacific Dragos Clan.
The entrance was hidden from prying eyes by a shroud of trees towering high on the peak of the mountain. It appeared as nothing more than a break in the rocks. But to those in the know, stepping between the towering stones was like stepping back into another time. A time when kings ruled and clans thrived.
As his clawed feet clicked across the ancient stone floor, Kingston felt something he never had before when entering the clan’s seat of power. A surge of energy raced through his body. Just when he thought it was going to stop, more energy poured into him. It was the magical energy of all the kings who had come before him. Their energy was now his.
He tossed his head back, his eye focusing on the stalactites hanging high above his head. A violent roar sprang from his mouth and echoed through the chambers of the cave, calling on his clan to join him for this historic event.
Every move he made, every roar was driven solely by instinct. It was a position he had never expected to find himself in, even though it was his destiny. He couldn’t have fought it if he had tried. Meeting Emmy had changed his life and sealed his fate in more ways than one.
Even now, he heard the flapping of wings. Dragos from the pacific region answering a summons that hadn’t been made in decades. A new time had come for all.
Kingston paced back and forth in front of the throne, unable to believe how much his life had changed within the last hour.
“Brother! Why have you summoned us?” Stryker demanded, quickly shifting from dragon to human.
Of all the clan, the one who had to show up first was the brother he’d had the most tumultuous relationship with. Stryker was just ten months younger than him and had often acted like an entitled brat during their youth. They had been estranged since the death of their father.
As the eldest of the former king’s children, the line of succession was set in stone. The sole purpose of Kingston’s birth was for his father to have an heir. Stryker despised him for it for as long as he could remember. His loathing became even more clear as he realized he would always come second to Kingston. Though their parents never treated the brothers differently, it was crystal clear that the brothers would walk very different paths in life. Paths that were predetermined by birth order.
He ignored his brother and turned to the dais. Sucking in a deep breath, he quickly inhaled then exhaled a long stream of flames, lighting the torches that lined the steps to the throne.
“It can’t be!” Stryker gasped, anger rolling off him in waves.
“It’s about damn time!” Jace said as he transformed from dragon to human.
“Of course, you’d say that. You were always the kiss ass,” Stryker seethed.
“Fuck off! You’re just mad because you aren’t the firstborn. Deal with it, man. Go see a damn shrink to get over your issues. We’re all tired of hearing about it,” Jace growled.
“Where is she?” Kingston’s voice was deeper than normal and came out as more of a growl than his normal human voice.
“She’s safe, brother. As you and I discussed.”
Kingston nodded, acknowledging Jace’s statement. If there was anyone he would trust to make sure his mate was safe, it was Jace and Malia.
“Is he still bitching about not being the firstborn?” Ryder asked as he landed and shifted.
“Please. I’m not bitching. I was just enjoying a life of freedom from an oppressive king. Now, we’re supposed to go back to the old ways? All because our brother found a whore to dip his dick in and call her queen?” Stryker growled at his brothers.
The words his brother spoke sent a boiling rage through him the second they reached his ears. He launched into the air, swooping down and grabbing Stryker with his talons. Carrying his brother to the peak of the ceiling, he tossed him against the side of the cave.