Page 76 of Dragon Me Through Space

Preston had immediately begun pacing after his statement, while Wayne had moved to sit beside me and pet my hair, and Gage and Zeke looked somewhere between terrified and pissed off.

“Why are you all so upset about me participating in the Games?” I asked.

“We’ll discuss that later. We have to be at breakfast in twenty minutes and you need a shower,” Preston said.

“You can’t just leave me in the dark, what if he asks about them during breakfast?” I said quickly.

Preston sighed and quickly summarized. “The Games are tests of strength, endurance, and intelligence. They open once every ten years and all females over the age of thirteen participate in them until they find a mate or mates and some males volunteer to participate as well to try to earn prestige to convince a female to become their mate. You’ll have to participate because you haven’t participated in any of them and even though you are our mate, we haven’t held our ceremony yet and they won’t let us hold it until after the Games now, so they view you as technically unmated.”

“Wait, so I’m not officially your mate until a ceremony is held?” I asked, worry coursing through me at the thought that they might be taken from me.

Preston waved his hand dismissively. “The ceremony is merely a formality, you are our mate and we are yours, but since we haven’t yet held the ceremony, it means you will have to participate.”

“What happens if I lose in the Games?”

“There can only be one winner in the Games, so it’s not a huge deal if you lose,” Gage said.

“However, if I want to prove I am capable of being High Queen, then I need to win,” I guessed.

Preston smiled, but it held no warmth. “Precisely.”

“Okay, later you’re going to tell me all about the Games, what types of events there are, and I’m going to come up with a plan.”

Wayne slid one arm beneath my legs and the other behind my back and picked me up. “Come on, mate. Let’s get you showered.”

“I don’t have any clothes,” I said, suddenly realizing Preston had shredded what had remained of my clothes last night and everything else had been destroyed along with the ship.

“I’ll get you some clothes,” Gage said and quickly left the room.

Wayne carried me into the attached bathroom and set me down on top of the counter while he turned on the water.

I shrieked softly as soon as my butt touched the counter and Zeke rushed inside. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

My face heated and both of my arms crossed over my bare chest. “The counter is cold.”

He smirked and shut the door behind him, joining Wayne and I in the bathroom. “Cold butt?”

“Sorry,” Wayne said as he continued to adjust the temperature. “I didn’t think about it when I set you down.”

“It’s fine, my butt will survive a chilly countertop.”

Zeke picked me up and his large hands immediately warmed my butt. “Better?” he asked.

Wrapping my legs around his waist and my hands around his neck, I nodded.

“Where did you guys get clothes?” I asked, realizing they both wore new attire.

“They delivered them to us last night,” Wayne said.

“You and Preston were probably busy when they tried to deliver them,” Zeke said and his eyes darkened a bit, the pupils dilating.

“Are you jealous, Giant?” I teased.

He growled softly before nodding. “Yes.”

My eyes widened. “Why are you jealous?”

“Because he got to mark you and knot you and I haven’t done either of those.”