There certainly seemed to be no love lost between the Dragon and the beta. I took a deep breath and turned to Talakai. “What do you think you will do in your class?”
He raised a dark brow. “They will probably drill us on partials. When and what, as much as how.”
Matt nodded agreement. “Speed on those could be vital in a sudden attack.”
Darius snorted. “Don’t need to practice what I already know.”
I decided that Dragons didn’t have an exclusive on arrogance. Although I wanted to write Darius off as an idiot, there was a cunning gleam in his eyes. I had the uneasy feeling that he wanted me to think he was dumb as a post.
Why would he want me to think that?
The alpha fell silent as he shoveled breakfast into his mouth. Mari babbled into the gap in a slightly nervous tone—offering me the now-expected edibles identification diatribe. When I next glanced at Darius, he was chewing on a hunk of bread as he scanned past Mari, down the length of tables to where the staff sat.
I followed his gaze. The table was full of instructors. Kitani sat with Cody. I’d bumped into Ryan and the twins when I’d taken Trix down to the back field for her bathroom break, and ended up leaving her with them. My dog would, right this minute, be romping happily with the children. For a moment, I imagined that I saw through her eyes, wrestling with lion cubs that, of course, weren’t lion cubs, and hearing their joyful squeals. I experienced a brief pang of envy at the carefree fun she was surely experiencing. It was wonderful that she didn’t have to spend the day shut in a room.
Glancing past them, I noticed that Cara sat beside a man who towered over her.
And he was staring directly at me.
It was as though the rest of the world ceased to exist. He was light to Talakai’s darkness, a man with long, flowing hair the color of steel and eyes so pale they were almost silver. His hair was gray, but his face unlined, almost ageless. Even his clothes were the same color, and they hugged a broad-shouldered, imposing form. As tall as a Dragon, but without the heavy muscle across the upper body. His expression was proud, remote, like a statue’s. But the intense look in his eyes made me shiver. Intense, and yet familiar, but I couldn’t place exactly why.
He broke our stare, turning to speak with Cara. Mari frowned at the tall man. “He must be one of the instructors. I haven’t noticed him before.”
Matt’s eyes narrowed. “There’s only a few I haven’t pegged. The consultant instructors will probably only come for those classes, so they won’t be here yet. That must be the guy they’re using for the group runs and the obstacle skills sessions.”
“Bellati,” Talakai said.
“What?” I asked, finally ripping my gaze away.
“That is what he is,” Talakai stated. “Bellatis train as warriors from birth. He will be a demanding instructor.” His dark eyes flashed to Darius. “I am certain he will find the holes in our abilities.”
Darius’s mouth pulled into a straight line as he stood. “We will see about that.”
Aaron rose with him. “Later, bitch,” he said to me. The two shifters stalked away. As they passed the other tables, the Dires all bowed their heads.
I sighed. Working with that alpha was going to become tiresome pretty damned quickly.
“He’s a right Crikey Mikey, he is,” Matt growled.
“Wyvern,” Talakai muttered.
“What’s a Wyvern?” I asked.
“Like a Dragon, only not a shifter, quite vicious, and inclined to eat their own,” Mari provided helpfully.
“They are nothing like a Dragon,” Talakai protested. “They have no honor.”
I elevated a brow at him before checking the clock on the wall. “Okay. Time to get moving.”
Before Mari and I stood, Talakai was already halfway to the door. I hadn’t even noticed him rise. The guy moved with remarkable stealth for close to seven-feet of scrumptious shifter who just happened to spend time as a Dragon.
“You have a goal in mind?” Matt asked as we followed him.
“We have two hours until we have to run.” I kept pace with him.
Mari glanced back at me as we wove through the tables. She blinked her orange eyes, and said, “I take it we are going to the library.”
“We are going to the library,” I confirmed.
