How Not To Fall For A Dragon

How Not To Fall For A Dragon

Kit Bryan · Ongoing · 160.5k Words

562
Hot
9k
Views
600
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

I never applied to the Academy for Magical Beings and Creatures.

Which is why it was more than a little confusing when a letter arrived with my name already printed on a schedule, a dorm waiting, and classes picked out as if someone knew me better than I knew myself. Everyone knows the Academy, it’s where witches sharpen their spells, shifters master their forms, and every kind of magical creature learns to control their gifts.

Everyone except me.

I don’t even know what I am. No shifting, no magic tricks, nothing. Just a girl surrounded by people who can fly, conjure fire, or heal with a touch. So I sit through classes pretending I belong, and I listen hard for any clue that might tell me what’s hidden in my blood.

The only person more curious than me is Blake Nyvas, tall, golden-eyed, and very much a Dragon. People whisper that he’s dangerous, warn me to keep my distance. But Blake seems determined to solve the mystery of me, and somehow I trust him more than anyone else.

Maybe it’s reckless. Maybe it’s dangerous.

But when everyone else looks at me like I don’t belong, Blake looks at me like I’m a riddle worth solving.

Chapter 1

LEXI

Birthdays mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some, it’s all about tearing into shiny wrapped gifts or gathering every single friend they’ve ever had for a big, noisy party. For others, it marks a milestone, the year you’re finally old enough to drive, to drink, to leave home, to start something new. No matter what, birthdays usually represent change, and change is almost always anticipated. You see it coming, you plan for it, sometimes you even chase it down. But for me? Turning twenty-three feels less like a beginning and more like an ending. I’ve almost finished my nursing degree. Three exhausting, sleepless years, so one more to go and then it’s time for the so-called real world with its waiting and endless job applications, awkward interviews, and first-day nerves. That’s a problem for another time. Today is Sunday, and on Sundays, especially when it happens to be my birthday, I have absolutely no intention of being productive. My grand plan? Stay wrapped up in bed like a burrito, maybe binge watch something mindless, maybe eat cake. No resumes, no planning, no stress. Just quiet. At least, that’s the plan. I roll over, nestling deeper into the cocoon of blankets, when the most horrific screeching sound tears through the air. My body reacts before my brain does, jerking me upright, heart thundering against my ribs. What the hell was that?!

Blinking hard, I scan my room with bleary, half-asleep eyes. Nothing seems out of place, my cluttered desk, the pile of laundry in the corner, the soft glow of morning light peeking through my curtains. Then it comes again, sharper this time, accompanied by a loud, deliberate tap tap tap against my windowpane. The glass rattles in its frame, making me flinch. What in the world is going on?! I stumble out of bed, feet tangling in the sheets, and stagger across the room toward the window. On instinct, I snatch up a sneaker from the floor. I’m not entirely sure what for, am I planning to throw it? Wave it around like some kind of ridiculous weapon? Whatever. The point is, something is banging on my window and ruining the peace of my birthday morning, and I am so NOT okay with it. I yank the curtain open and squint into the flood of early sunlight. My frown deepens. There, perched primly on my windowsill like it hasn’t just shattered my eardrums, is a massive black bird. It sits with eerie calm, glossy feathers catching the light, sharp eyes locked on me as though it knows exactly how close I was to launching a shoe at its head.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I groan, tossing the sneaker back to the floor and stomping back toward my bed. I flop down with theatrical defeat, burying myself under the pillows. My alarm hasn’t even gone off yet! it has to be before eight, and that is way, way too early to deal with nature’s alarm clock. But of course, the stupid bird doesn’t care about my suffering. Almost the second I settle in, it unleashes another round of piercing screeches, each one accompanied by the sharp tap-tap-tap of its beak against the glass. The sound drills straight into my skull. Two minutes. Two whole minutes of agonizing, nails on chalkboard screeching later, I snap.

“That’s it!” I growl, dragging myself back out of bed. I march over to the window, fully intending to scare the feathery menace away. But as soon as I get close, it quiets down again, tilting its head at me sweetly. Suspicious. Too suspicious. That’s when I notice it. Clutched tight in one claw is… a piece of paper. No, not just paper, a folded letter. My brain stutters. Who in their right mind sends letters by bird? That’s not a thing. Maybe it stole it? Birds collect shiny things, right? Maybe this one has taken up mail theft as a hobby. Still, curiosity prickles at me, outweighing my annoyance. I inch the window open with the careful slowness of someone diffusing a bomb. 

“Easy there, birdie, just… don’t attack my face.” I mutter under my breath. The instant there’s enough of a gap, the creature barrels forward with a rush of wings. I yelp and duck as it swoops into the room, circling overhead like some feathery hurricane. My heart slams against my ribs. It’s definitely enjoying this. Oh yes, this demon bird knows exactly how much it’s freaking me out, and it’s loving every second! Sharp claws, gleaming beak, sure, it’s just a bird, but those little talons look like they’d make short work of my skin. I crouch and throw my arms over my head as it makes another pass, feeling the whisper of air as it swoops low enough to ruffle my hair. Finally, the bird drops the letter onto my floor. Then, as if to drive home its point, it sweeps directly over my head, so close I feel the wind of its wings against my neck, before darting back out through the open window. I rush after it and slam the glass shut with far more force than necessary. 

“Absolutely not. Not again.” I glare after it. For a moment I just stand there, breathing hard, adrenaline still buzzing in my veins. Then my eyes fall to the envelope lying innocently on the carpet. It could be nothing, it probably is nothing. It’s most likely something stolen, something random. But I’m too curious to leave it alone now. I scoop it up and collapse back onto my bed, holding the letter carefully between my fingers. My pulse is still racing, but a spark of anticipation slips through the fog of irritation. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s junk. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s something interesting. It had better be worth the freak out that bird just gave me, because there is no chance I’m falling back asleep now!

The envelope feels heavier than I expected, the paper thick and luxurious, definitely not the kind of cheap junk a bird could have plucked from somebody’s letterbox by mistake. I run my fingers over the surface. Smooth, weighty, expensive. The only time I’ve ever touched paper like this was at a wedding, when some distant cousin sent out ridiculous embossed invitations with gold filigree. I flip it over, expecting nothing, and then freeze. There it is. My name. Alexis Elle. Written in the kind of elegant, flowing script you only ever see on calligraphy TikToks or in old movies. For a moment, all I can do is stare. So the bird really WAS a messenger bird. And the letter really IS meant for me.

“Great, but why send a demon-bird-from-hell instead of, I don’t know, the postman? Or an email? It’s the twenty-first century, people.” I mutter under my breath, although I’m more curious than angry. I rub the last of the sleep grit from my eyes, half worried I’m still dreaming, and carefully ease the flap open. The paper is too nice to rip. It feels almost… sacred. A faint smell of ink and something sweet, like pressed flowers, drifts up as I slide the contents free. Something metallic clinks onto my blanket. A key? And not a boring modern one either, but old fashioned, ornate, the kind you’d expect to unlock an ancient chest or a castle door. Its surface gleams silver, polished but clearly aged, the pattern on the top intricate and curling. A delicate chain threads through the loop, long enough to wear around my neck. I swallow. A necklace. A key. What in the actual hell? With trembling fingers, I pull the folded sheet of paper free. The script matches the writing on the envelope, flawless, elegant and completely intimidating.

Congratulations Alexis Elle,

You have been accepted into the Institute for Magical Beings and Creatures for this academic year.

Please present yourself at the Academy gate no later than 9am on Monday the fifteenth of February.

Please find enclosed your room key. Food, clothing, and all other necessities will be provided. Please only bring the items which you cannot be without.

We look forward to meeting you and working with you.

Signed,

Ms Sherry Istvan - Principal

I gape at the letter, read it again, then drop it onto the floor as if it might burn me. A second later, I’m scrambling to pick it back up, reading every word like maybe the message will change if I check enough times. Spoiler, it doesn’t. The Institute for Magical Beings and Creatures… I know what it is, everyone knows. It’s the most prestigious magical school in the country, the kind of place that people with real power and magic go. And the number one rule is no non-magical creatures allowed. And me? I’m… human. Normal. Ordinary. At least… I think I am. But even if I wasn’t, even if there was some tiny shred of weirdness about me, I never applied! You don’t just get into the Institute. There are waiting lists that stretch generations. People sign their babies up before they can even crawl, just in case. The rest? They buy their way in with enough zeroes on a check to make my bank account cry. And yet here it is. A letter with my name on it. An acceptance. A key. Panic crawls up my throat. My pulse hammers. This has to be some kind of mistake. Taking a deep breath that doesn’t help even a little. So I do the only natural thing.

“MUUUUUUM!”

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

Omega Bound

Omega Bound

1.4m Views · Completed · Veronica White
Ayla Frost is a beautiful, rare omega. Kidnapped, tortured, and trafficked to rogue clans and corrupt alphas to do with as they pleased.  Kept alive in her cage, broken and abandoned by her wolf, she becomes mute and has given up on hope for a better life until one explosion changes everything. 

Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life. 

Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms

1.2m Views · Ongoing · Louisa
[Dear readers, if you loved this book, be sure to read my new recommended read: Cheating Husband, Vengeful Me.]
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.

On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...

Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.

George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.

His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"

Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.

When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.

"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"

George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother

1.9m Views · Ongoing · Harper Rivers
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother.

"What is wrong with me?

Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?

It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.

He’s my boyfirend’s brother.

This is Tyler’s family.

I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.

**

As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.

Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.

When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.

I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.

**

I hate girls like her.

Entitled.

Delicate.

And still—

Still.

The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.

Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.

I shouldn’t care.

I don’t care.

It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.

It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.

I’m not here to rescue anyone.

Especially not her.

Especially not someone like her.

She’s not my problem.

And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.

But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
The Prison Project

The Prison Project

976.7k Views · Ongoing · Bethany Donaghy
The government's newest experiment in criminal rehabilitation - sending thousands of young women to live alongside some of the most dangerous men held behind bars...

Can love tame the untouchable? Or will it only fuel the fire and cause chaos amongst the inmates?

Fresh out of high school and suffocating in her dead-end hometown, Margot longs for her escape. Her reckless best friend, Cara, thinks she's found the perfect way out for them both - The Prisoner Project - a controversial program offering a life-changing sum of money in exchange for time spent with maximum-security inmates.

Without hesitation, Cara rushes to sign them up.

Their reward? A one-way ticket into the depths of a prison ruled by gang leaders, mob bosses, and men the guards wouldn't even dare to cross...

At the centre of it all, meets Coban Santorelli - a man colder than ice, darker than midnight, and as deadly as the fire that fuels his inner rage. He knows that the project may very well be his only ticket to freedom - his only ticket to revenge on the one who managed to lock him up and so he must prove that he can learn to love…

Will Margot be the lucky one chosen to help reform him?

Will Coban be capable of bringing something to the table other than just sex?

What starts off as denial may very well grow in to obsession which could then fester in to becoming true love…

A temperamental romance novel.
From Substitute To Queen

From Substitute To Queen

1.1m Views · Completed · Hannah Moore
For three years, Sable loved Alpha Darrell with everything she had, spending her salary to support their household while being called an orphan and gold-digger. But just as Darrell was about to mark her as his Luna, his ex-girlfriend returned, texting: "I'm not wearing underwear. My plane lands soon—pick me up and fuck me immediately."

Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.

Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.

In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?

From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate

Alpha Nicholas's Little Mate

981.3k Views · Ongoing · Becky j
"Mate is here!"
What? No—wait… oh Moon Goddess, no.
Please tell me you're joking, Lex.
But she's not. I can feel her excitement bubbling under my skin, while all I feel is dread.
We turn the corner, and the scent hits me like a punch to the chest—cinnamon and something impossibly warm. My eyes scan the room until they land on him. Tall. Commanding. Beautiful.
And then, just as quickly… he sees me.
His expression twists.
"Fuck no."
He turns—and runs.
My mate sees me and runs.
Bonnie has spent her entire life being broken down and abused by the people closest to her including her very own twin sister. Alongside her best friend Lilly who also lives a life of hell, they plan to run away while attending the biggest ball of the year while it's being hosted by another pack, only things don't quite go to plan leaving both girls feeling lost and unsure about their futures.
Alpha Nicholas is 28, mateless, and has no plans to change that. It's his turn to host the annual Blue Moon Ball this year and the last thing he expects is to find his mate. What he expects even less is for his mate to be 10 years younger than him and how his body reacts to her. While he tries to refuse to acknowledge that he has met his mate his world is turned upside down after guards catch two she-wolves running through his lands.
Once they are brought to him he finds himself once again facing his mate and discovers that she's hiding secrets that will make him want to kill more than one person.
Can he overcome his feelings towards having a mate and one that is so much younger than him? Will his mate want him after already feeling the sting of his unofficial rejection? Can they both work on letting go of the past and moving forward together or will fate have different plans and keep them apart?
Surrendering to Destiny

Surrendering to Destiny

685.3k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
Catherine is not only a rogue half-breed, she is also the result of mate-bond infidelity, was abandoned as a baby and, to top it off, she can only shift during the full moon. When Catherine left the only pack she'd ever known in order to escape the new alpha, the last thing she expected was to find her mate... let alone for him to be the mouth-watering, heavily tattooed, lead warrior of the most feared lycan pack on the continent.

Graham MacTavish wasn't prepared to find his mate in the small town of Sterling that borders the Blackmoore Packlands. He certainly didn't expect her to be a rogue, half-breed who smelled of Alpha blood. With her multi-colored eyes, there was no stopping him from falling hard the moment their mate bond snapped into place. He would do anything to claim her, protect her and cherish her no matter the cost.

From vengeful ex-lovers, pack politics, species prejudice, hidden plots, magic, kidnapping, poisoning, rogue attacks, and a mountain of secrets including Catherine's true parentage there is no shortage of things trying to tear the two apart.

Despite the hardships, a burning desire and willingness to trust will help forge a strong bond between the two... but no bond is unbreakable. When the secrets kept close to heart are slowly revealed, will the two be able to weather the storm? Or will the gift bestowed upon Catherine by the moon goddess be too insurmountable to overcome?
The mafia princess return

The mafia princess return

695.3k Views · Completed · Tonje Unosen
Talia have been living with her mother, stepsister and Stepfather for years. One day she finally get away from them. Suddenly she learn she have more family out there and she have many people that actually love her, something she have never felt before! At least not as she can remember. She have to learn to trust others, get her new brothers to accept her for who she is!
Invisible To Her Bully

Invisible To Her Bully

374.5k Views · Ongoing · sunsationaldee
Unlike her twin brother, Jackson, Jessa struggled with her weight and very few friends. Jackson was an athlete and the epitome of popularity, while Jessa felt invisible. Noah was the quintessential “It” guy at school—charismatic, well-liked, and undeniably handsome. To make matters worse, he was Jackson’s best friend and Jessa’s biggest bully. During their senior year, Jessa decides it was time for her to gain some self-confidence, find her true beauty and not be the invisible twin. As Jessa transformed, she begins to catch the eye of everyone around her, especially Noah. Noah, initially blinded by his perception of Jessa as merely Jackson’s sister, started to see her in a new light. How did she become the captivating woman invading his thoughts? When did she become the object of his fantasies? Join Jessa on her journey from being the class joke to a confident, desirable young woman, surprising even Noah as she reveals the incredible person she has always been inside.
Shattered Girl

Shattered Girl

828k Views · Completed · Brandi Rae
Jake's fingers danced across my nipples, squeezing gently and making me groan in pleasure. He lifted my shirt and stared at my hardened nipples through my bra. I tensed, and Jake sat up and moved back on the bed, giving me some space.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Was that too much?” I could see the worry in his eyes as I took a deep breath.

“I just didn’t want you to see all my scars,” I whispered, feeling ashamed of my marked body.


Emmy Nichols is used to surviving. She survived her abusive father for years until he beat her so severely, she ended up in the hospital, and her father was finally arrested. Now, Emmy is thrown into a life she never expected. Now she has a mother

who doesn't want her, a politically motivated stepfather with ties to the Irish mob, four older stepbrothers, and their best friend who swear to love and protect her. Then, one night, everything shatters, and Emmy feels her only option is to run.

When her stepbrothers and their best friend finally find her, will they pick up the pieces and convince Emmy that they will keep her safe and their love will hold them together?
The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride

546.1k Views · Ongoing · Riley Above Story
On the day Evelyn thought Liam would propose, he shocked her by getting down on one knee—for her stepsister, Samantha. As if that betrayal wasn’t enough, Evelyn learned the cruel truth: her parents had already decided to sell one daughter’s future to a dangerous man: the infamous War God Alpha Alexander, who was rumored to be scarred and crippled after a recent accident. And the bride could’t be their precious daughter Samantha. However, when the "ugly and crippled" Alpha revealed his true self—an impossibly handsome billionaire with no trace of injury—Samantha had a change of heart. She was ready to dump Liam and take Evelyn's place as the family daughter who should marry Alexander.
Yet Alexander made his decision clear to the world: “Evelyn is the only woman I will ever marry.”
Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully

Oops, Wrong Girl to Bully

213.5k Views · Completed · Xena Kessler
An original story by Xena Kessler
My back hit the desk. Pain exploded through my skull.
"Girls like you don't get to dream about guys like Kai." Bella's breath was hot on my face. "You don't get to write pathetic love letters."
She shoved me again. Harder.
"Maybe if you weren't such a desperate little—"
I fell. My head cracked against the corner.
Warmth trickled down my neck. Blood.
Their laughter turned to gasps.
The door slammed.
I tried to stand. Couldn't. The room was spinning, fading to black.
Someone... please...
Angelina, the most powerful Alpha who conquered forty-nine packs, dies in a yacht explosion—only to wake up as Aria Sterling, a fifteen-year-old Omega's daughter who just died from bullying.
The original Aria's life was a nightmare. Humiliated when golden boy Kai Matthews posted her love letter online, then shoved to death by his girlfriend Bella Morrison. But that's not all her family faces:
"You got until Monday," the tattooed gangster sneered at Aria's mother. "Ten grand cash. Or I'm taking collateral—your kids' organs fetch top dollar. That pretty daughter of yours? She could make us money another way too."
Now Angelina's lethal combat skills awaken in this fragile body. No more hiding. No more fear.
Armed with an Alpha's ruthlessness and a mysterious blood-red pendant, she'll dismantle everyone who hurt this family—one calculated move at a time.