How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 16 16- Never Invite Him Into Your Space
LEXI
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Blake is… Furious on my behalf. Not irritated, not mildly offended. Furious. It vibrates off him like heat from a furnace, restrained only by whatever thin layer of self–control he’s clinging to. And weirdly… It’s kind of sweet. I guess most decent people would get upset for me, but there’s something about the way Blake reacts, sharp, immediate, protective in a dark, dangerous way that hits differently. It’s the kind of anger that says ‘this should never have happened to you and if I had been there, he would have regretted everything.‘ My dad would probably be down for torching Jarad’s house too, if he knew. Which he doesn’t. My parents never knew. They only saw the aftermath, me drifting through years of university like a ghost, always studying, never socialising, always exhausted, always pretending I didn’t notice when people avoided me. They thought I was just shy or overwhelmed. They don’t know it was because of one guy. One lie. One humiliation that stuck to me like tar. I completely misunderstood him. And that still stings. It was a real blow. I’m usually so confident in my ability to tell when someone is being honest. I just know. Except… There’s a loophole to that intuition. And Jarad… He never lied. Not at the beginning. That was the problem. He didn’t LIE. He just wanted things I didn’t want to give. You can be honest and still have awful intentions. That’s a lesson I learned the hard way. Jarad told the truth when he flirted, when he said he wanted to take me out. He probably DID mean it. He just also meant to take more than I was willing to give. Lesson learned, I guess. And now I’m here, starting over. A new place, new people, no history hanging around my neck. I like that idea, being someone other than the lonely, ignored girl who ate lunch alone behind the library. And yes, okay, somehow I managed to alienate an entire wolf pack on my first day, but honestly?
Worth it. Because I also made a friend. A real one.
Blake hasn’t flattered me or tried to impress me. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t pretend. He even admits openly that he has a darker, more violent side, and somehow that makes him easier to trust. It feels like he’d rather be hated for who he is than liked for who he isn’t.
“Where were you back then? I could have used a friend.” I sigh dramatically. Blake shrugs, casual but not dismissive.
“I studied online for the last couple years. No judging supernaturals or non–supernaturals there. No friends either.” He responds. Apparently deciding to take my question super literally. He pauses.
“At least you had your parents, though? They seem nice. From what you’ve said.” He adds, almost awkwardly. I smile despite myself.
“They’re the best. They adopted me when I was little, I don’t remember anything before them. They’ve been my best friends for years.” I admit. I hesitate, then nudge the conversation gently.
“What about you? You haven’t mentioned anything about your family.” I prompt. His expression shutters slightly, but he answers.
“My parents have always been too busy for me.” He says eventually.
“They’re… Too focused on building their hoard. Too lost in their obsessions.” His voice is flat, practiced, like he’s said it a hundred times
to himself.
“They’re not the type from those old legends, burning towns, stealing gold, killing anyone who gets close. But they don’t have patience for anything that distracts them from their hoard. That includes me.” He finishes. His expression blank.
“Oh… I’m sorry.” 1 mumble, wincing at how useless the words sound. But what else am I supposed to say to that? I didn’t mean to make
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Chapter 16 16- Never Invite Him Into Your Space
him sad, I just wanted to shift the topic away from Jarad before Blake changed his mind and actually left to start a fire somewhere.
“It’s fine. I’m used to it.” Blake says. I feel the need to point out to him that being used to being treated badly does not make that treatment fine. But I just told him not to go off about ME being treated badly. So it would be a little hypocritical. Still, that familiarity
with neglect… It makes something ache in my chest.
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“You might be used to it. But it must have been lonely for you. Are all dragons like that?” I ask. He snorts.
“Neglectful parents? No. Mine are just… Special. They’ve forgotten the whole point of having a hoard.” He grumbles. My curiosity sparks
immediately.
“Oh? And what is the point?” I ask.
“To provide for your family and to prove you can protect them.” He says without hesitation.
“It’s instinctive. Collect and protect rare or precious things. It proves you can protect and provide. A demonstration of power, wealth, and
caring.” He explains, gesturing vaguely with one hand, like this is all obvious.
“Still, some dragons, like my parents, get carried away with their obsessions. They lose control. Their lives revolve around their hoards. It’s how we ended up with such a terrible reputation. Dragons getting too obsessed. Losing perspective.” He continues. I blink. Dragons don’t hoard because they’re greedy. They hoard like… Parents saving for their kids‘ futures? Like nesting birds building something safe? That’s… Okay, if I say adorable, he’ll probably combust.
“Your hoarding suddenly is oddly cute.” I say anyway. Blake’s face contorts.
“I’m not cute.” He objects, legitimately offended. I burst out laughing.
“Sure you are. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone your secret. Wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation.” I tease. Blake snorts, but there’s
real amusement in it this time.
“Right. We wouldn’t want to do that.” He says sarcastically.
When we finally stop laughing, there’s a warm, comfortable quiet between us. Not awkward. Not strained. Just… Easy. I lean back on my
bed and pat the space beside me.
“Movie?” I offer. Blake hesitates for a fraction of a second, the way someone might hesitate before stepping somewhere they’re not sure they’re allowed. His gaze flicks from me, to the bed, to the laptop, then back to me again. But whatever internal debate he’s having, he
keeps hidden behind a neutral expression.
“Alright.” He says finally. He sits beside me, not close enough to touch, but close enough that I’m aware of him. He’s careful, almost overly precise in how he positions himself, like he’s making sure he doesn’t accidentally crowd me… Or maybe making sure he doesn’t appear too comfortable either. I can tell that he is still super aware of the incident I shared with him earlier. He doesn’t want to cross a line that he shouldn’t and I appreciate that. The movie plays. But honestly… I don’t absorb a single frame. I’m too busy noticing things about Blake. Like how he doesn’t move much. How his posture is alert even while pretending to relax. How he keeps glancing occasionally at the door, as if expecting someone to burst in and demand what he’s doing there. How he laughs at parts of the movie I didn’t expect
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Chapter 16 16- Never Invite Him Into Your Space
him to understand, and stays silent at parts I thought he would. It feels… Nice. I do have to wonder though, if Blake actually is as dangerous as he keeps hinting, as uncaring as everyone claims, then this, sitting on my bed eating popcorn and pretending we’re normal friends, is probably the closest thing he gets to softness. And I don’t quite know what to do with that. By the time the credits roll, he actually seems legitimately relaxed.
“I should go. Tomorrow will come too early.” He says quietly as he rises. I can already see him slipping back toward the version of himself he lets the school see. Distant, controlled, dangerous in a way that isn’t quite threatening but definitely not harmless either. I walk him
out.
“Night, Blake.” I say cheerfully. He pauses in my doorway, half–turned toward his room, half–turned toward me. For a moment, he looks like he’s deciding whether to say something at all.
“Good night, Alexis.” He answers, then hesitates.
“And… Thank you.” He adds. I blink.
“What for?” I ask. He doesn’t fidget. Doesn’t look away. Doesn’t soften. He just answers with the same unyielding honesty he’s had since
the moment I met him.
“For… Everything. For talking to me. For trusting me.” His voice dips slightly.
“People don’t usually do that.” He finishes. I shrug, but it’s not dismissive, it’s warm.
“Thank you for being so easy to trust. I’ll see you in the morning.” I tell him. Something flickers across his face, something guarded, something pleased, something he shuts down almost instantly. He nods once and slips into his room: I watch the door close behind him before heading back into mine. As soon as I crawl into bed and my head hits the pillow, exhaustion crashes over me all at once. My eyes
close before I can think another thought.
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I love how the magic school moved her room close to his. Makes it so much easier for them to be together.
3 days ago
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
