Page 25

I wasn’t blind. I knew I’d taken things too far when she waved her hand and said she was too tired. My dragon was annoyed and prodded me to at least sheath myself inside her while she slept, to be connected to her .

He would be a problem. He felt the same pain I felt when we lost him, and he didn’t want to experience it again.

Elena wasn’t like him at all. Elena was kind and thoughtful. She taught us things we didn’t know and was understanding about it. She gave us praise and let us touch her. So far, she hadn’t said I was annoying or too touchy.

However, Elena was human. She didn’t understand my dragon’s needs and my culture, like the small things, such as feeding her.

Elena sat in my lap, her blanket covering her perfect breasts. I wanted to demand she drop the blanket, but I had already told her she was mine, that I claimed her and her son, so I would try to take it slow.

The keyword was try, because after waiting so long, I wasn’t sure how long I would hold out.

“Dragons have a need to take care of their females. We need to feed, clothe, and shelter. All the basic needs that our females should have.”

Elena’s eyes widened, and I could see the faintness of her nipples poke through the thin blanket.

“When you fed me at the cabin…” Elena trailed off, her hand pointing to the entrance of the cave.

I nodded, took the fork, and placed it in front of her. “Yes, that officially started my courting. As soon as I saw you, Elena, I knew you were mine. My dragon instantly awoke inside of me, no longer in an endless slumber. You woke him, brought him back to life as you have done to me.”

Her lips parted.

“When I fell to the ground and made all those growling noises, I was trying to keep him under control, so I didn’t scare you. I couldn’t very well just tell you that you were mine then because, well, you had just found out about vampires and shifters. I couldn’t scare you off just yet.”

Elena’s face turned a beautiful, glowing pink. The tips of her ears even turned. “What? You did not claim me—”

“I did, now open.” I shoved another piece of food in her mouth. My dragon hummed, vibrating her body in my lap. Instead of holding the blanket so it wouldn’t fall, she nestled herself closer to me. “The entire club knows not to bother you. I’ve staked my claim.”

Elena did a dramatic swallow. My mate let out a half-cough, half-laugh. Her arousal scent was thickening, and I grabbed her thigh and squeezed. “That’s barbaric.”

I huffed and shrugged my shoulders. “That’s the way things are done around here. Technically, at any MC really. If you want, I can throw you over my shoulder, if you wanna get barbaric.” I wiggled my eyebrows playfully.

Elena slapped my shoulder. “Love at first sight isn’t real.” She shook her head. Her dark, messy hair swung around her bare shoulders. “Maybe lust.” Elena fluttered her eyes playfully.

I shoved another plump, crimson strawberry between her swollen lips.

She eagerly accepted it, her tongue swirling around the ripe fruit before pulling it off the fork with slow, deliberate movements.

My dick pulsed at the sight, my thoughts being consumed by desire as I struggled to remember the purpose of our conversation.

I chortled and looked away from her beauty. “It wasn’t lust, love. My broken soul awakened, healed because of yours calling to me.”

This could have been a step too far, but I was an impatient dragon. I could feel Elena’s emotional pain through the bond we shared. She was lonely, she was tired of being tired. I wanted to alleviate that for her, show her I could be the male she could lean on. To protect her and her family.

My dragon’s strength had grown just by lying next to her through the night. While the darkness of my past was there, I knew it would only be eased by telling her who I really was, what the Iron Fang was at its core, but would I ever truly get rid of it?

It was her past that was stopping her. That fucking bastard. I was lucky she was willing to touch me, for everything he did.

It didn’t help that she has a resentment about soulmates because she thinks her abuela is crazy.

Elena's pout deepened, her fingers digging into the soft fabric of her blanket, as if it were a lifeline.

It took all my willpower not to tear it from her, exposing her bare chest to me.

I craved the closeness of skin on skin, not just for sexual pleasure, but to simply hold her close and feel her warmth against my own.

“You are so needy. I can’t deal with it.” His words came flooding back.

I opened my mouth to take back what I said, to tell her to forget everything and get back to a playful, fun morning, but she stopped me.

“You really mean that?” she whispered. “Is that how you feel?”

I ripped the blanket from her body, and her eyes widened in surprise.

I pulled her into my embrace and had her head tucked under my chin.

My dragon let out a loud humming vibration, similar to a cat’s purr.

It was a sound I heard my parents give each other when I was a young fledgling.

A sound I could never replicate on my own.

“I will tell you every day, until our last breaths, that my soul belongs to you.” I closed my eyes.

“I know this is fast, but I can’t help but speak from the heart.

I’ve always been honest. It’s gotten me in trouble a lot.

Might have gotten punched in the face one too many times, but… it’s just who I am.” I sniffed.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I quickly forced them back.

I couldn't let her see me like this. As the man in our relationship, it was my duty to be strong and hide my emotions.

But deep down, my dragon was roaring with the same pain, struggling to keep me from breaking down completely .

I had wanted to show her how much she meant to me, but now all I could think about was how I had screwed everything up. My mind was a jumbled mess of guilt and regret, and I didn't know how to fix it.

Elena abruptly withdrew from my hold, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

I could feel her eyes scanning me, judging every inch of my appearance.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I attempted to hide the tear that had escaped.

But Elena reached out and gently brushed it away, leaving me conflicted between wanting to push her away and craving her touch

“You said your soul was broken and your dragon was asleep. What do you mean by that? Are they connected?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but that isn’t important right now. I just want you to know that I care for you, and I mean it.”

My mate didn’t look convinced, but what could I have said? My late mate rejected me, broke me, and if you reject me, too, I have no hope? I wanted her to choose me, but not for her pity.

Elena leaned forward, her forehead meeting mine.

I let out a sigh of relief, feeling her touch.

“Oh baby, who hurt you?” she whispered to me.

Elena rubbed her face along my cheek, across my nose, and met the other side of my face.

My dragon purred, reveling that our mate touched us, felt us, comforted us.

Her warm hands pressed to my chest, and her lips landed on mine for a precious kiss. “You are the sweetest person I have ever met. Thank you for being honest with me.”

I held my breath as I waited for the rejection.

“And I am falling for you far faster than I should.”

My breath caught, and my hearts pounded in my chest. Relief suddenly flooded my entire body.