Page 21 of Bound by Fire and Scales (The Dragons of Earis #1)

I woke up slowly, with every inch of me aching all over. The remnants of my heat still pulsed faintly through me, though it was nowhere near the intensity of the night before. I groaned, as the memories from last night began flooding back to me, flashes where I embarrassingly begged for Zephyr’s cock returning to my mind. Gods! How would I even look at him again? I tossed myself around on the bed, turning on my pillow.

And then I saw him.

Zephyr was sitting in the armchair by the window, his tall frame leaning forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees as if he was watching over me for hours. His face was calm, unreadable, but his eyes were locked on me the moment I moved.

“You’re awake.” His words were soft. There was no judgment there, no accusation. Just a simple observation. I looked away, unable to meet his gaze any longer. Facing him after how I had behaved last night? It was too much, too soon.

Oh gods. The things I’d said! The things I’d done!

I could still sense his rough hands on my skin, the way my body had responded to him like sparks draw to dry tinder. Heat. It had been years since the last time I had one. I had always avoided it by using my supplements. I hated the way it made me feel. It turned omegas into irrational, needy, desperate, horny and reckless creatures. And I had been all of those things last night.

“I—” My voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. I swallowed again, trying to push the words past the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry.”

Zephyr didn’t move. He just sat there watching me with that same unreadable expression. “There’s nothing to be sorry for,” he said after a moment, his tone gentle. “You weren’t yourself.”

But that didn’t stop the shame from flooding through me. I pressed a hand to my forehead, squeezing my eyes shut as if that would erase the memories, erase the way I had thrown myself at him, clawing at his clothes, begging him to…

A groan rose in my chest, but I swallowed it down. “I... I didn’t mean for it to be like that,” I choked out, the humiliation burning in my chest. “Last night...”

Zephyr finally moved, leaning back in the chair. His posture relaxed, but his eyes never left mine. “It wasn’t your fault, Sabrina. You were in heat. You couldn’t help it.”

He was right, but that didn’t make me feel any better. Of course I knew that. We both knew that. But knowing didn’t take away the mortifying memories of how I had acted, how needy I had sounded. I could still feel the heat of his body against mine, the taste of his kiss on my lips.

I buried my face in my hands. “I made a fool of myself.”

There was a long pause before I felt the bed dip slightly. Zephyr had moved closer, sitting on the edge of the mattress. His hand hovered near mine, and for a moment I thought he might touch me, but he didn’t. He let his hand fall back to his side.

“You didn’t,” he said quietly. “You didn’t make a fool of yourself.”

I risked a glance at him from between my fingers, and the sincerity in his expression made my heart ache. There was no mockery in his eyes, no amusement at my embarrassment. Only patience. Understanding. That almost made it worse, in a way, because it reminded me that Zephyr wasn’t just any man. He was... different. And I had crossed a line with him last night, one I wasn’t sure we could ever uncross.

“I... I remember what happened,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Not everything. But enough.”

Zephyr nodded slowly, waiting for me to continue. He wasn’t going to rush me, and for that I was grateful.

“I remember how you tried to stop me,” I said, feeling the sting of shame all over again. “And I kept pushing... I kept—”

“You didn’t force me to do anything,” Zephyr interrupted, his voice firm but kind. “I made the choice to stay with you, Sabrina. I wasn’t going to leave you alone like that.”

I shook my head, my hands trembling slightly as I lowered them. “But I–I didn’t want you to stop. I wanted... more.”

Zephyr’s gaze softened, and for the first time, I saw something flicker in his eyes, something that made my pulse quicken. He took a breath and exhaled slowly before speaking.

“Sabrina, last night wasn’t the time for more. You weren’t in the right state of mind. I didn’t want to take advantage of that.”

I stared at him, not expecting that.

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he added softly.

I blinked, taken aback by the tenderness in his voice. The way he said it, like my well-being had been his only concern, made me realize just how much restraint he must have shown. Despite everything, Zephyr had kept his control. Something I clearly hadn’t been able to do .

“I don’t know what to say,” I admitted, feeling helpless. “I just feel... embarrassed.”

Zephyr’s lips quirked into a small, understanding smile. “You don’t need to say anything. Just rest. You’re safe now.”

As Zephyr sat there beside me, I bit down on my lip as fear twisted in my chest. He had been kind, considerate. I had seen what other alphas could do once they smelled an omega in heat and Zephyr had kept himself in control and had chosen not to take advantage of me when it was right to do so.

“Thank you for not claiming me when you could have,” I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest.

“I would never do that to you.”

The words hit me like a wave, knocking the breath from my lungs.

“Being free, choosing your own path, that’s something I respect.” He gazed at me again. “You may not believe it, but I truly think everyone deserves to find their mate. Dragons believe in fated bonds, forged through the moons, and that every living being across Earis has one. And I know you’ll find your fated mate one day, Sabrina. I truly wish you that happiness.”

For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. My whole life, I had been told over and over again that omegas had no control, that we were destined to submit. And here was Zephyr, an alpha, telling me he wouldn’t take my freedom from me. Not only that, but he wanted me to find another alpha that wasn’t him.

“Zephyr…” The visions that the fire had showed me flashed through my mind. Both of us happily mated. Our child. Our happy little family. He didn’t want that for us?

“Ha–have you found your fated mate yet?” I asked, my voice trembling with the fear of what his answer could be. “Is there someone out there you think might be?” Zephyr looked at me with a quiet intensity, and for a moment, I couldn’t read his expression. Was it confusion? Sadness? Or something else entirely?

“I can’t have one, Sabrina,” he confessed with a small sad smile that almost broke my heart. What did he mean? “I don’t deserve one.”

“What?” I asked, outraged that someone had put that idea into his head. “Who told you that?”

His clear green eyes were on me, a defeated look on his face as he continued. “My dragon blood is poisoned with dark magic. I’m not worthy of having a fated mate. The moons wouldn’t give me such a gift.” My eyes widened, finally understanding why he had gone after a fake mate. He didn’t think he would ever find his true mate because he thought he hadn’t one. But the Gods and the moons had brought us together for a reason.

How could I tell him what the fire had shown me? How could I make him see I was his fated mate?

“What if I told you, you could have a fated mate, Zephyr?” I asked.

He frowned, his eyes searching for something in my face before he shook his head, getting up from the bed to stand in front of me.

“It’s not possible Sabrina,” he said, his voice clipped, eyes turned to the floor as if he couldn’t face me.

I got up from the bed, grabbing the sheets to cover my naked body as I got up to approach him.

“What if I told you that your blood being touched by dark magic doesn’t matter? The fire—”

“Don’t tempt me Sabrina,” he growled, his voice barely restrained with want. “Don’t play with my feelings.”

“I’m not playing Zephyr… I… What if I told you I saw something in the fire that could change that?”

His eyes flickered between mine, longing visibly clear in them. For a moment, he looked like a lost man who had finally found a safe place.

“Oh Sabrina, don’t–don’t play with me. You don’t know how much I've prayed to the Gods, to the Moons, to be graced with you as my fated mate. If I was worthy enough of you, I would worship you for all eternity. I would burn all of Earis for you if you asked me to. I would fight the stars if they dared to dim your light. Every breath, every heartbeat I have would be yours. ”

His gaze locked with mine, hands curling into fists at his sides as if he were holding himself back. “I want you more than the air in my lungs, but I can’t be your fated mate, because I’m not worthy of it.”

“Zephyr…” I said, fighting back the tears in my eyes. “You’re such a stupid, big, stubborn dragon!” Before I could second-guess myself, I grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him for a kiss.

I didn’t care. I didn’t care if he still thought he couldn’t be my fated mate. I didn’t care about his wrong ideas of what the Gods and the Moons wanted for him. All I knew was what the fire had allowed me to see, a glimpse of our future together and I would fight tooth and nails until we got to that part.

The moment Zephyr’s lips touched mine, everything else seemed to fade away. The room, the weight of my fears, even the burning memories of last night, none of it mattered. This was different. There was no desperation in this kiss, no heat pulling us together. It was soft, slow and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was in control.

His hand rested lightly on my waist, the touch more of an anchor than a claim. He wasn’t pulling me in; he was giving me space to decide. My heart raced, but it wasn’t from fear—it was from something else entirely. Something that made my body tingle with anticipation.

I pulled back, just enough to look into his eyes. Zephyr was watching me closely, his gaze dark but steady, his breath shallow. There was a fire behind his eyes, but he was still holding back, waiting for my permission.

It was strange, feeling this level of trust with an alpha. My whole life, I had been taught that alphas took what they wanted. That they were ruled by their instincts and their desire to claim and to dominate. But here was Zephyr, restraining himself. He was giving me the power to decide, and I realized how much that meant to me.

I took a shaky breath, my hand still resting against his chest. I could feel the steady beat of his heart under my palm, grounding me. “I want this,” I whispered, my voice trembling slightly .

Zephyr’s hand tightened just slightly on my waist, but his voice remained calm. “You do not know how much I want this too, Sabrina. How much I want you.”

Slowly, I leaned back in, pressing my lips to his again. This time, the kiss deepened, and I felt a surge of warmth spread through me, but it wasn’t the same uncontrollable heat from before. It was a more intentional need. My hands slid up his chest and around his neck, pulling him closer as I let myself get lost in the moment.

Zephyr responded in kind, his lips moving against mine with a slow, deliberate tenderness that sent shivers down my spine. His hands remained gentle, one resting on my waist and the other brushing lightly against my back, as if he was afraid of breaking the fragile balance between us.

My hands roamed over his broad shoulders, feeling the strength in his body but also the way he held back, letting me guide the pace. His fingers, too, explored with care, tracing the curve of my back, the line of my hips. The tension between us crackled in the air, thick and electric, but it wasn’t rushed.

We moved slowly, letting it build without giving in to the urgency that had overwhelmed us the night before. I deepened the kiss, massaging our tongues together in a slow, convoluted dance. I felt Zephyr’s hands gripping my hips harder, making me gasp.

He pulled back, his breathing ragged as he looked down at me. His eyes searched mine urgently. “Sabrina, if you want to stop, just say the word.”

I nodded, my body already tingling with the anticipation of more. I wanted him. I let the bed sheets that had been covering my torso fall, revealing my bare breasts to him. Zephyr’s eyes darkened as he watched, but still, he didn’t move until I gave him a slight nod.

And then he kissed me again, crushing our lips in a hard and demanding kiss, his hands sliding across the bare skin of my arms. This time, his touch was more precise, sending jolts of electricity through me. My body responded instinctively, arching into him, craving more of the heat that simmered between us .

Zephyr’s hands moved over my skin, each touch deliberate, as if he were memorizing every inch of me. His lips trailed down my neck, gentle but insistent, and a soft gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. I could feel the way he restrained himself, holding back the full force of his desire, and that made me want him more.

Something in me wanted to break his control. I arched into him, feeling the heat rise in my body before I pulled back, just enough to look up at him. His eyes met mine, dark and full of want, but also patient. He was waiting for me to lead, to give him permission to continue. I swallowed, trying to steady my breath.

“I don’t want to stop,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Zephyr’s eyes flashed with something primal, but he still didn’t move until I leaned forward, pressing my body against his, silently telling him I was ready. His hands slid to my hips, pulling me closer as his mouth found mine again, and this time the kiss was deeper, more urgent. My breath hitched as his hands explored further, his fingers lightly touching the sides of my breasts. “You’re perfect,” he rasped, his eyes never leaving my body.

I reached for him, tugging at the fabric of his shirt, and he quickly obliged, pulling it off and tossing it aside. My hands roamed over his broad chest, feeling the tension in his muscles, the control he was still exercising to keep things at my pace. I felt a swell of emotion I wasn’t prepared for. I had spent so long thinking I couldn’t trust anyone with this part of me. That being an omega meant losing control, losing my freedom. But Zephyr was proving me wrong in every touch, every kiss. He wasn’t here to claim me, to take. He was giving me the space to choose, and that made all the difference.

I pulled him closer, my heart racing as his hands found my waist again, his touch growing bolder now that I had given him permission. The tension between us was electric, and I could feel the pull between us intensifying. Zephyr’s lips found mine again, and the kiss deepened, the heat between us building steadily. I felt his hand trace a line down my back, sending shivers through my body, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It was like we were in sync, moving together in a way that felt natural, right.

“I want this,” I whispered against his lips, the words slipping out before I could second-guess them.

Zephyr pulled back, his breath heavy as he met my gaze.

“And I need you, Sabrina,” he said, his voice deeper than I had ever heard before, making my clit throb with need.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. “Then don’t stop.”

With those words, the last of the hesitation between us dissolved. Zephyr’s hands moved with more certainty now, and I responded in kind, letting myself get lost in the sensations, the warmth of his touch, the heat of his breath against my skin. It was all-consuming, but not in the way I had feared. This wasn’t about losing control, it was about giving in to what we wanted, without fear or regret.

In one fluid motion, he pinned me to the mattress, and I relished the sensation of his hard, muscular body pressing deliciously against mine. My breath hitched, the shock of it paralyzing me for a split second before I felt the warmth of his breath on my lips, the intensity of his presence overwhelming every sense.

His hands were on my hips, strong, commanding, as though they were the only thing keeping me grounded while the rest of the world spun out of control. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, feeling the hardness of his cock pressing against my stomach.

His lips claimed mine again in a breathtaking kiss. It wasn’t soft or hesitant, it was fierce, urgent, like he had been holding this in for too long and couldn’t wait another second. I gasped against his mouth, the sudden intensity catching me off guard, but I didn’t pull away. Instead, I leaned into him, my hands sliding up to his broad shoulders, then his neck, pulling him closer.

I could feel the tension in his muscles, the way his body tensed and relaxed with every touch, every movement. His hands slid up from my hips to my waist, then higher, his fingers splayed against my back, pulling me impossibly close until there wasn’t even a breath of space between us.

His kiss deepened, and I felt like I was falling, my body melting into his, the world tilting on its axis. He pressed me harder into the mattress with a bruising grip that made me gasp, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was the way his mouth moved against mine, the taste of him, the smell of him, the way his rough, large hands gripped my body as though he was afraid I might slip away.

“Zephyr,” I breathed his name, my voice barely over a whisper, lost in the space between us. I wasn’t even sure if I had meant to say it out loud, but he heard me. His lips left mine for just a second, his forehead resting against mine as we both tried to catch our breath. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked onto mine, and for a moment, neither of us said anything.

Zephyr’s lips traced a fiery path down my neck, and I tilted my head back, a soft moan escaping my lips. My fingers dug into his shoulders, silently begging, needing more. He sucked gently at first, drawing soft, shuddering breaths from me, before increasing the pressure, his tongue teasing and circling with deliberate slowness. My hands found his hair, tugging him closer, needing more, urging him to give me what I was craving. His hands grabbed my tits with urgency and roughness and I relished the rough touch. I moaned out loud when his fingers found my pert nipple and pinched it, sending waves of pleasure through my throbbing pussy. I wanted more. I wanted all of it.

My body felt as if it was burning up with every little touch of his. I needed more, more of his touch, more of his fire, more of his hardness on me and inside of me. I needed him closer. But my brain was a mess and I couldn’t muster one coherent phrase, only moans and gasps .

I was thrown out on the bed, his body covering mine soon, not giving me time to react to the surprise. His mouth was everywhere, kissing my lips urgently, his expert tongue exploring my mouth and leaving me gasping for air. His mouth slowly licked down my neck and finally reached my nipples again, his fingers taunting it, pitching it slightly, making me let out a needy moan. He chuckled darkly at my reaction and pinched it again harder, making me scream in pleasure. His wet and warm tongue swirling around the hardened nipple and finally taking it into his mouth, making my eyes roll out in pleasure.

“Oh my gods, Zeph…” I moaned when his mouth engulfed my breast, biting it lightly, while the other hand teased my nipples. “I can’t take it anymore. I need you.” I didn’t want to beg but every little touch of his, not only made my body burn in need and my clit throb hard, but it was making me lose my mind.

“Not yet, I need to taste you first,” he rasped, forcing my trembling legs open and exposing my pussy to the cold air. He let out an urgent groan, his fingers touching my wet entrance. I felt his warm breath on my entrance at the same time my pussy gushed out slick. Probably the remains of my heat.

His tongue slowly tortured me by lapping at my wet pussy lips. He groaned against my clit, his voice vibrating against my skin, his fingers found my clit and worked slow circled movements before applying pressure on it, making me moan.

I moaned out loud when two of his fingers slipped in. I needed more. He was playing with my body, taking me to the brink of insanity, making me crave for him, for his cock inside of me. His tongue was on my clit, sucking on it, making me see stars, while his fingers worked hard inside of me, his pace intense and merciless, opening me up, getting me ready for him. For his cock.

His tongue replaced his fingers inside of me, licking at my entrance, and he groaned, lapping my wetness. “So sweet, so wet,” he groaned. He delved his tongue inside, getting in and out of my pussy and playing with my juices. I could feel it coming, the pressure in my inner core letting me know I was almost there.

Swiftly, he opened up his pants, letting his heavy erection free. My eyes widened at the vision.

His cock was huge.

As an alpha I knew he would be bigger, but there was no way that all of it would fit inside of me. Yet, my mouth watered at the vision, longing to feel every inch of his veiny length inside of me, spreading me open just for him and breeding me.

He played with my wet folds, pressing his hot cock between them, teasing me, making me tremble with need. I felt my pussy aching for him, crumpling at the emptiness. He directed his tip right against my entrance and filled me in one deep thrust. I felt my tight walls straining to accommodate him, stretching around his hard cock. I felt so full. So complete.

I moved my hips slightly, giving him a sign that it was alright to move. And then he moved, slowly at first, small thrusts, in and out of my wet core. He was making me frustrated by treating me like a frail little thing. I wanted more. I needed more. I dug my nails in his shoulders and moved my hips faster, impaling myself on his cock. He groaned, his voice a deep low rumble. His hands were on my hips in an instant, giving me exactly what I wanted, his hips meeting mine at a brusque and hard pace.

“Oh Gods,” I cried out. My back arched, feeling his cock brush against something that made my vision turn. “Zeph—” His hand grabbed underneath my neck, bringing us chest against to chest. “Yes!” His other hand worked its way down my body, stroking my clit. I never wanted him to stop.

“Cum for me, Sabrina,” he told me, his voice rough and urging a feral reaction from me. I wanted to please him, to cum for him and on his cock. To mark his cock with my juices. “Cum on my cock,” I clamped on him, tightening up around the hardness inside of me and grounded against him, desperate to reach that feeling again.

I screamed when he lost control, his hands gripping me tighter as I felt his fingers pressing against the soft skin of my hips, of my butt. That was going to leave bruises, but I didn’t care. I finally made the dragon lose control. He pounded into me relentlessly, his balls slapping against my butt, the slapping of skin against skin urging me on to keep the rough pace.

And then, I screamed as the world exploded around me in a hot supernova. I felt him give a last thrust, reaching deep inside of my pussy, hitting a dangerous spot that made the world around me explode in hot white light. He sunk his sharp teeth into my shoulder and I felt as he emptied himself in me, the bulbous head of his cock splurging hot streams of cum, filling me up with his hot seed, breeding me.

I gasped, my chest heaving hard while I tried to get myself to breathe properly. I was still feeling the aftereffects of my double orgasm when I felt it. He was still hard inside of me when I felt the base of his cock swelling inside of me, twitching inside of me. I moaned, feeling my wet walls trying to keep him inside of me.

“Damn it,” he cursed under his breath as he pulled himself out of me. The gush of his seed came out of me, slipping through my folds and into the bed under me.

He sat by my side on the large bed, his hands running through his red locks and looking away from me, as if he was ashamed. I was confused until my eyes fell on his cock. His cock was still hard, huge, and the base of his cock had reddened and swollen. And then it hit me.

That was the knot.

I didn’t know much about it, but I knew that this could happen during sex with alphas.

I gulped, feeling my hands twitching to touch it. I was ashamed to feel my pussy twinkle at the view. I wanted to have that knot inside of me.

I reached out only to have my wrist caught by Zephyr, who stared at me sternly.

“Don’t,” he rasped, his tone careful and serious.

I whimpered. “I just wanna touch it,” I said, hearing the longing in my voice. After the mind blowing sex and two full orgasm’s that this dragon had given me, I had gotten greedy. I wanted to have it all, to experience all the pleasure that Zephyr could give me. Even if it meant to have his knot .

“No.” He pushed my hand aside. “You don’t know how dangerous it is to use my knot,” he said, but I could see how hard he was fighting himself. Maybe if I pushed him a little bit more I could get what I wanted.

“How dangerous could it be? You’re already breeding me,” I said, taking my fingers towards my entrance and taking some of his white seed that was still gushing out of me. Damn. He really had filled me up. I took my wet fingers to my mouth, hearing Zephyr groan in frustration, his green eyes watching my lips while I sucked on my fingers.

“I could lose control and bite you, Sabrina. It’s only done between mates, especially because the alpha could lose control and mark the omega.”

I stared at him, taking on his words.

I knew it was a risk, but my pussy throbbed thinking about him, about being taken by his cock again and this time taking on his knot. My body was still pulsing with want and need.

I needed to have him again.

“I want your knot,” I said, opening up my legs and spreading my pussy lips to him, offering myself completely to him.