may have been jealousy in my chest. I was disappointed that they'd shared such a significant moment without me, which was stupid because it couldn't have been helped. Besides, I'd left them once since then, anyway. I didn't have the right to feel left out about anything.
“Tradition says the Alpha goes first, followed by your mates in the order they arrived when we first felt called to you.”
“Okay.” I shrugged. “I've never tried the healing thing before. What if I can't do it?”
“You can,” Ezra replied with such absolute confidence that it bolstered my own. “Don't overthink it.”
He kneeled in front of the fireplace, looking at me expectantly. I sucked in my cheeks to stop myself from smiling. I don't know why his arrogance had become one of his most attractive features rather than the thing that made me want to claw his face off. Perhaps it was because all that arrogance was on my side now.
I crossed the room to join him, dropping to my knees to face him with the burning fire on one side and my other four mates crowded around the other. The air was thick with a mixture of nerves and anticipation.
Ezra held up his right hand, and I watched intently as his pale skin shimmered and rippled, black scales sprouting from his wrist and shooting up his hand, his fingers morphing into a deadly three-pronged claw.
“Your left hand,” he murmured, nodding at the hand resting on my lap. It took me longer, I had to focus intently to start the shift and pulled back in a panic when the delicate golden scales spread to my elbow.
“You've got this,” Ezra breathed, navy eyes focused unblinkingly on me. The conviction in his voice refocused me, and my left hand morphed into an elegant golden claw.
“Now the cut,” Levi said softly from somewhere nearby.
I mimicked Ezra's movements, running one talon down the center of my palm, watching in fascination at how easily my skin parted. It was even more effective than the obsidian. There was something exhilarating about knowing I could transform my body into a deadly weapon.
Ezra held his palm up, blood trickling down his wrist, and I pressed my hand flat against it, mesmerized by the sight. Ezra's magic flared — he could have tapped into any of the elements, but I wasn't surprised when fire roped around his wrist, moving like a snake.
The flames barely brushed my skin, they were warm, almost ticklish. Instinct took over as my urge to take his pain away manifested as a small dust cloud of gold exploding from my wounded hand. It coated his hand in a glittering sheen that dissolved away to reveal his smooth, flawless palm underneath. Ezra inspected his healed hand while I examined my still bleeding one.
“It's intent,” he murmured, catching my confused expression. “You didn't intend to heal your own wound yet. Hiram,” he called suddenly, standing to make room for my air dragon. Ezra's fingers ghosted over my cheek as he moved away, and I leaned into the unexpectedly tender gesture.
Hiram took the space Ezra had just vacated, grinning at me as he bit the corner of his lip, shifting his hand into a glimmering silver claw without an ounce of hesitation and slicing his palm. I pressed our hands together with more confidence this time, giggling as his air magic danced around us, lifting my hair. Hiram's magic was as mischievous as he was.
As my healing magic took effect, Hiram leaned forward to kiss the tip of my nose, but I tilted my head back at the last moment so our lips brushed together. Hiram sucked in a breath, but didn't pull away. He pressed his mouth harder against mine, enough to make my stomach flutter.
“My turn,” Levi announced, sounding like he was holding back laughter. He shoved a grinning Hiram to the side and took his place, partially shifting and slicing his hand in one quick movement, like he couldn't wait any longer. I smiled like an idiot, some of the intensity of the moment broken.
“Hi,” Levi whispered, holding up his bleeding palm. The corner of his mouth tipped up and his dark eyes watchful. I knew he was discreetly checking on me, making sure I was okay with everything.
“Hi yourself,” I breathed, pressing my palm to his. I'm okay. I think I might be happy.
I squealed a little in surprise as vines seemed to sprout from nowhere, wrapping around our wrists and binding us together. They vanished as quickly