Dragons of Cinderhollow Bundle

by Hawke Oakley

  After plugging in all the necessary items, Koto booted up the laptop. I peered curiously over his shoulder.

  “How does it work?” I asked cautiously.

  “Here.” He handed me the mouse, which felt strange and plasticky in my hand. “Move the cursor around like this.”

  Koto spent about fifteen minutes showing me the basics of the laptop, which he was obviously excited to do. I got the hang of it pretty quickly, and by the end of his little lesson, I just wanted him to get to the point.

  “Okay, okay, I get it. What’s the big deal?” I asked.

  “You are so sheltered,” Koto muttered. “Hang on. Look.”

  He pulled up a colorful site with multiple portraits in a grid layout. At the top of the page stood the words Panthr.

  “They spelled panther wrong,” I commented.

  “It’s not wrong, it’s the name of the site.” Koto rolled his eyes. “Do you get it yet?”

  I peered closer to the screen, my eyes scanning over every portrait. They were all men I didn’t recognize. “Who are these guys?”

  “Oh, my dear cousin,” Koto said with a sigh, patting me on the back. “This is a shifter dating site. Look, all these people here are single shifters who want to meet a mate.”

  My brows raised curiously. “They want a mate?”

  Koto pointed to the screen as he moved the cursor and selected a new filter. “See, now I got rid of every beta and omega. All these sexy guys on the screen now are alphas.”

  Suspicious, I glared at him. “Are you pranking me?”

  “No!” Koto cried. “It’s a real thing, I swear. See, just because you can’t find a man in the village or - hell, even if you don’t want a guy from the entire rainforest, you can find whoever you want here!”

  Slowly, the plan formulated in my mind. “So, I just have to find an alpha who will agree to my plan to a fake marriage. That’s my ticket to freedom,” I murmured to myself. Then I asked Koto, “But how is he going to find me? What if he’s all the way across the world or something?”

  “Am I supposed to hold your hand through this whole ordeal?” Koto muttered. “Use your imagination, Raja.”

  “Fine,” I said. “How do I… advertise myself to these people?”

  “You just make a profile. Click here.” Koto guided me through the process, helping me take a basic photo with the laptop’s old webcam feature and writing up a profile. It was basic, but there were details I didn’t want to add with my cousin looming over my shoulder. When it was finished, he said, “And that’s it! All you have to do now is wait for suitors to line up.”

  “I see… How long does that take?”

  Koto shrugged. “As long as it takes. There’s always a skewed ratio of alphas, betas and omegas on these sites. You’re an omega, so you’ll probably get a lot of hits right away.”

  That both intrigued and repulsed me. At least I’d have an easier time finding a fake mate with more hits.

  “Alright. What else?”

  “I’m sure you can figure it out yourself."

  “Fine,” I said, waving him off. “Then go away and let me look through these men in peace.”

  Koto grinned. “You can actually keep the laptop for now. I’m not really using it for anything.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  “Sure. You obviously need it more than I do. Now go on and get out of here, I’m fucking tired and ready to pass out.” He shooed me. “Just let me know if you have any questions with it. And tell me if you find any sexy alphas that you want to bang.”

  I picked up the laptop, tucking them under my arm. “I’ll do no such thing.”

  Koto rolled his eyes. “Good luck, Raja.”

  I smiled. “Thanks, Koto.”

  Lugging the laptop and all its bulky accessories to my home among the trees was a bit awkward, but once I made it back, the first thing I did was set it up again. I sat close to the screen, which was the only light in the darkness, and continued toying with my profile. The bland, basic profile I made together with Koto was all but scrapped and replaced with the most flirtatious, tempting one I could imagine. I even replaced the normal profile picture with a racier one.

  There, I thought, hitting the submit button. If that doesn’t get hits, I don't know what will.

  Pleased with myself, I pushed the laptop away. I kept it plugged in and open so that I’d notice any messages instantly. But with the recentness of my profile, I didn’t expect anything right away.

  Weary from the day’s stress, I yawned, collapsed into my bed and sprawled my limbs in every direction. I closed my eyes, feeling smug. If this plan worked out, I’d bypass my parent’s weird traditional rules and make a real life for myself without them interfering all the time. All I had to do was wait for the right alpha.

  And then the first message notification rang.

  3

  Lorenzo

  “There he is! There’s my little man!”

  Dante grinned as he threw the door open and reached for his son, Noah, who flailed in my arms. I’d taken on babysitting duty so my brother and his mate, Gabriel, could have a romantic date night without the responsibility of worrying about their young son. Gabriel was a few months pregnant with their second child, so they wanted to take advantage of the precious alone time they had before they had two youngsters running around.

  “Da!” Noah cried happily as Dante cradled him.

  “How was he?” Gabriel asked me. “He wasn’t bad, was he?”

  “Oh, no, of course not,” I said with a weary smile. “He’s never bad.”

  Gabriel frowned in concern. “You look so tired. He kept you up all night, didn’t he?”

  I couldn’t help but wince. “A little bit. But I don’t mind. I knew what I signed up for when I took him on.”

  Gabriel sighed. “He’s at that age now where he just doesn’t sleep! I’m so sorry, Lorenzo.”

  “No, don’t be,” I encouraged, shaking my head. “I enjoy watching Noah.”

  “Unkuh,” Noah said suddenly as he stretched a hand in my direction.

  “That’s right, he’s your uncle.” Dante smiled. “Gods, isn’t he smart? It’s crazy!”

  Gabriel squinted and pointed at something in my hair. “I think you’ve got a little something…”

  “Hm? Oh.” I picked out what Gabriel was pointing out - a large flake of glitter. “We were having an arts and crafts session. I don’t know how that got there.”

  Noah’s omega-father quirked a brow at his naughty son, as if he knew exactly how it got there.

  “Well, thank you again,” Gabriel said with a sigh. “I’m sure watching him makes you glad you don’t have kids of your own.”

  I tried to smile, but found that I couldn’t. Gabriel had unknowingly touched on a sore spot, which he instantly noticed. His expression made it clear that he regretted what he said.

  “What’s up, Lorenzo?” Dante asked, less sensitive about dancing around the issue. “You look kind of upset.”

  I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

  Dante frowned now. “C’mon, bro. I know you well enough to tell that it is a big deal to you. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  Feeling both their scrutinizing gazes on me, I sighed deeply. “The truth is, I do wish I had a child of my own. Watching Noah is great - I love him, and both of you, and I’ll always be here to watch him. But just being a babysitter isn’t enough anymore. Taking care of Noah… I feel like it’s awakened something in me. The need to be a father.”

  Dante was already nodding. He put his hand on my shoulder. “I understand completely.”

  “Oh, Lorenzo…” Gabriel came forward to hug me. We were close as a family and I appreciated their comfort.

  “Well, then it’s obvious what we need to do,” Dante announced with a grin. “We just have to set you up with someone!”

  The thought of being set up like a rare animal in a zoo needing a mate turned me off. I’d always imagined falling in love slowly and carefully, not m
eeting someone with the immediate goal of dating and instantly having a baby.

  “I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of that plan,” I mumbled.

  “Why not?”

  “Love is something that should happen naturally, you know?” I said. “I don’t want to feel like I’m just walking into a grocery store to pick up some fruit.”

  Dante groaned. “Man, you have some weird ideas. It’s nothing like that!”

  I made a noncommittal noise.

  Dante crossed his arms - or at least, as much as he could while holding his son. “Let me ask you something, Lorenzo. When was the last time you met someone new? And an omega at that?”

  Embarrassingly, I answered, “Well, the last new omega I met was Gabriel. And before him… I don’t even remember.”

  “See? That’s what I mean,” Dante continued. “How are you supposed to find love if you aren’t actively meeting new people?”

  As much sense as he made, I didn’t want to admit that he was right. “I always assumed I’d fall in love with somebody I’d already known for a while.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but that’s clearly not happening,” Dante said with brutal honesty. “No offense, bro. You know I love you.”

  I sighed. “None taken. You’re not wrong.”

  “Say,” Gabriel said suddenly, a twinkle in his eyes, “have you heard of that new shifter dating site?”

  “Oh, no,” I said instantly. “Anything but a dating site.”

  “What?” Dante cried. “Why not?”

  I shook my head. “It’s only for people wanting a hookup. Nobody on those sites wants a meaningful long-term relationship. And there’s nothing wrong with that, but… It’s just not what I want.”

  “Oh, come on, you don’t know that for sure,” Dante argued. “I’m sure that for all the one-night stands out there, there must be some people seeking a real relationship. Maybe there’s even a nice omega who got bullied into making a profile by his family, just like you.” He grinned.

  “Unlikely,” I muttered.

  “I think it’s worth a try,” Gabriel offered with a gentle smile. “If you don’t like it, you can always delete your profile. No harm done.”

  Both of them watched me, nearly bursting with curiosity and excitement. They seemed like two little kids, and I suddenly felt very old.

  But what did I have to lose? Gabriel was right. Deleting my profile was always an option if I didn’t enjoy the outcome, and I couldn’t deny that Dante was right about me never meeting any new people. To be honest, I was starting to feel left behind compared to all the new couples around me. If they could all find their fated mate - or hell, even just a single date - why couldn’t I?

  With hesitation, I sighed and said, “Okay. I agree to your scheme, Dante.”

  My brother’s face lit up. “Yes! Oh, man, can we set up a profile right now? This is so exciting!”

  Blushing at his enthusiasm, I said, “I can create a dating profile without my annoying younger brother’s help, thank you.”

  My remark didn’t deter Dante’s grin. “Fine, fine, I believe you. Just don’t make yourself sound boring, okay? None of that long walks on the beach stuff.”

  I frowned. “I do like long walks on the beach.”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Gabriel said, waving his mate off. “Just put yourself out there, Lorenzo. You’re an amazing guy and a great alpha. I’m sure you’ll find the omega that’s right for you.”

  I smiled at Gabriel’s warm encouragement. With him on my side, this whole idea seemed less ridiculous. “Thanks.”

  Dante scooted towards me and pulled up his phone, showing me a colorful site. “Here, listen. There’s a new site that Ryu told me about that apparently all the single shifters are using. It’s called Panthr. Ooh, make sure to mention you’re a sexy alpha dragon,” Dante said, flashing a grin at Gabriel. “Omegas love that stuff.”

  Gabriel rolled his eyes and elbowed his mate. “Oh, shut up.”

  We said our goodbyes, including a big wet kiss from baby Noah, and parted ways. As soon as they left, I slunk back into my home and leaned on a white pillar with a sigh.

  A dating site... Was I really contemplating this? The Lorenzo from a few months ago would have absolutely refused, but now, after watching my younger brother find the love of his life and start a family, I wasn’t so sure. Despite my dragon immortality, I still felt like I was running out of time. I didn’t want to be passive in my search any longer. Dante was right. If I wanted a mate, I needed to put myself out there and just find one.

  I cracked my knuckles, grabbed a sparkling water, and opened Panthr.

  Name: Lorenzo Drakinus

  Species: Other (Dragon)

  Rank: Alpha

  Seeking: Omega

  Age: 31

  Preference:

  I frowned at the vulgar question and the similarly vulgar answers in it’s click-down menu. Was asking my sexual preference really necessary in a basic dating profile? At least there was a Prefer not to answer option. I clicked that one before scrolling down to the written portion.

  About Me: I am an alpha looking for love.

  After letting that sit for a moment, I erased it.

  About Me: Alpha seeks Happily Ever After.

  I smiled, pleased. That set a better tone of what I was after.

  About Me: Alpha seeks Happily Ever After. I am a dragon shifter looking for my fated mate. Open to all types of omegas. A little bit about me… I enjoy cooking, interesting conversations and, yes, long walks on the beach. Apologies, but not interested in one night stands. Please contact me with any questions.

  Sighing, I wondered if my profile was too serious. Would I get any hits at all? I wasn’t familiar with how any of this worked. Still, Gabriel and Dante had reassured me I would find somebody. I supposed for now I just had to believe them.

  As a final touch, I sat up straight and smiled, then added a photo of myself from the webcam. When it was finished, I sighed with the fatigue of somebody who had just been through something arduous and difficult.

  The loud ping of a message notification startled me. Brief excitement took over until I read the message itself.

  Alphaluvvr445: omg r u rly a dragon lmao

  The excitement turned to disappointment. That wasn’t the warm welcome I hoped to receive. Not wanting to be rude, I typed out an answer despite not being interested in this person at all.

  Mrsilverdragon: Yes, I am.

  Alphaluvvr445: how big

  Mrsilverdragon: Excuse me?

  Alphaluvvr445: how big is ur cock lmao

  With a gasp, I exited the conversation and blocked Alphaluvvr445.

  Unfortunately, my evening got worse from there. Many more people contacted me with invasive and rude questions along the same line. It was mind-boggling how many people were online at this very moment and all with only one thing on their minds - sex.

  Eventually, I stopped answering to be polite and instantly blocked anyone who approached me with vulgar questions. Maybe weeding out the instant no population would pave the way for an actually usable dating site. But the weeds popped up faster than I could block them. Frustration built quickly. In my anger, I redirected my irritation to Dante, who had recommended this site to me in the first place. Had he just been pranking me?

  Doubt crept into my mind. Perhaps my brother really didn’t believe I could find someone and only encouraged me to use this dating site as a last resort.

  A new notification pinged.

  Sexxydragon: hey man

  Intrigued by the lack of sexual comment in the first sentence, I glanced at Sexxydragon’s profile. I quickly realized it was my brother. My brows furrowed. I was still annoyed with him, but spared him a reply.

  Mrsilverdragon: Hello, Dante. What do you want?

  Sexxydragon: hows the search going

  Sexxydragon: find anyone? ;)

  Mrsilverdragon: You must be joking. This site is full of horny frat boys. I’m this close to de
leting my profile and it’s only been an hour. And does Gabriel know you’re on this site??

  Sexxydragon: omg relax hes right here with me

  Sexxydragon: we both wanted to know the scoop :)

  Mrsilverdragon: Well, there is no scoop. Nobody worth talking to has contacted me.

  Sexxydragon: not even me??? :( Im crying lorenzo

  I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help a small smile. Despite his bad advice, at least Dante still cared enough to ask how my online expedition was going - even if it was going horribly.

  Sexxydragon: Lorenzo this is Gabe. Please don’t give up!! Its only been an hour

  Sexxydragon: yeah bro. u should check out the list of online omegas and try talking to ones without sex related shit in their profiles

  Sexxydragon: Dante stop hogging the keyboard

  Sexxydragon: no :P

  Mrsilverdragon: Okay, I’ll give it one last shot. But to be honest Dante, this hasn’t been a great experience.

  Sexxydragon: sorry :(

  Sexxydragon: if u dont find someone not-horny by the end of the night, ill eat my own shoe

  I chuckled.

  Mrsilverdragon: Fine. Don’t eat your shoe. I’ll try Gabriel’s advice.

  The list of online omegas was surprisingly short compared to the number of alphas and betas. I realized that most of the contacts I’d blocked were betas, judging by their profiles. I narrowed my search parameters to omegas only. There had to be at least one omega on this gods-forsaken site that wasn’t only interested in sex.

  Right?

  Filled with a new defiant determination, I scrolled through the list of omegas. Then a notification popped up out of nowhere. Focused on my search, I assumed it was another spam message and almost irritably closed it, but then the message itself took me by surprise.