Page 35 of Driven by Dragonblood (Blood Born #3)

Primrose

W hile our alpha may have experienced euphoria while beginning the bonding process among the three of us by speaking the ancient words, an underlying discomfort radiated off Patrick, making similar feelings trickle down my spine.

I still floated from my orgasm, my body lax and pressed against Jaxon’s warmth, but a sense of Patrick refusing to give in completely caused my stomach to clench. His inner dragon had spoken, but I had a feeling our alpha wasn’t pleased he’d lost his humanity briefly to his beast.

Tilting my head to the side, I watched him suck my cum off Jaxon’s fingers, and a spasm clenched my pussy with renewed desire.

The hard length pressing against my ass and the lust-filled energy ripping between us let me know Jaxon felt the same, regardless of the unease I sensed swirling beneath Patrick’s need.

He stared straight ahead, hands clasped on the steering wheel, and I struggled to vocalize what he needed to hear, what would settle his mind over the bonding he’d begun among us.

Perhaps fucking it out of his system, as Jaxon had said, would work.

Once more feeling inept at relationships and choosing to trust my beta, I closed my eyes, basking in the scents of my mates and the warmth cradling my body that grew heavier with every passing mile.

Jaxon soothed his hands down my thighs, drawing my legs closed as he nuzzled in my neck, attentive and aware of my spiraling emotions as always.

“This is only the beginning of our dreams coming true,” he whispered into my ear as if to assure me Patrick would eventually give in without holding back.

“Ask your questions, Doc,” he stated after a quick nibble on my lobe.

Patrick readjusted his hold on the wheel but still didn’t glance our way at Jaxon’s suggestion. “I can’t process all of this right now.”

I pressed my lips tight, wishing with an ache in my chest for our alpha to work through the emotions battling in his head.

“I didn’t speak those words—whatever they were—willingly,” he finally said what I’d been sure about, his voice low. “It’s only fair that you both know.”

Jaxon’s disappointment slammed into me like a brutal winter wind, stealing my breath.

A feeling of dread beneath the desire for fulfillment overshadowed us all.

“It can’t be taken back,” I whispered, hating that I needed to give my alpha the truth when I’d been desperate for him to understand everything for days on end.

He nodded as though accepting my words, but his discomfort grew. “How long will this…this driving desire for you two continue to own my thoughts?”

I swallowed as Jaxon tensed beneath me. He knew the answer—we’d discussed everything about three fated dragonblood mates. “It will lessen over time,” I finally answered, “but only after we’ve bonded fully. ”

“Meaning?” he pressed, his tone tight.

“You began the process, and unless we complete it, desire for each other will heighten until our human bodies submit to our dragon halves into performing the act—whether your human half wants it or not.”

“Fuck.” Patrick rubbed a palm down over his mouth. “What the fuck did that damn thing set into motion?”

Both Jaxon and I held our silence, the wind buffeting Patrick’s car as he sped southward.

I curled against my beta, needing comfort and our alpha to ease the emotional pain both of us experienced, and yet fearing he wouldn’t.

Once we arrived at Patrick’s house, tears clogged my throat from an array of emotions I hadn’t expected after the beginning of our bonding.

Nothing in the histories of our people mentioned or even suggested this kind of heartache accompanied a connection destined by fate. The difficulty hurt, terribly.

Jaxon’s arms offered what I longed for, but he wasn’t enough, just as I wasn’t enough for him.

We required our alpha to complete us, to fill the gaping hole that suddenly seemed larger than before.

But we also needed for him to do so willingly , out of desire to be one with us, or our entire existence would be riddled with misery from his human half having been manipulated.

Without a word, Patrick pulled into the garage attached to his house and hit a button to close the door behind the car. He climbed out, and Jaxon followed suit, keeping me in his arms as he followed our alpha to the door leading into the house.

Patrick clicked on a light, tossed his keys on the kitchen counter, and turned, hands fisted at his sides.

His dark blue eyes, troubled and hurting, reflected the emotions simmering in the energy linking us.

I almost feared the true bond snapping into place, revealing every last bit that our alpha felt and thought.

The rejection would be unbearable, and his human side’s desire for freedom would sink like a knife into my chest. Knowing how Jaxon would react would only heighten my misery.

A pained noise escaped my throat as Jaxon slowly set me on my feet, and I grasped his hand, desperate for something solid to hold onto.

Patrick glanced from him to me, over my body and back up, heating me through with a need that overshadowed my fear and disappointment over how my childhood dream was turning out. “You scared the fuck out of me tonight,” he said, shifting his focus to Jaxon.

“Can’t say I’m sorry, so don’t bother asking for an apology.”

Patrick’s eyes narrowed as his shoulders seemed to broaden, his height increased. His chin tipped upward, and he peered down his nose at our beta. “Strip.”

In his haste to obey, Jaxon stumbled sideways into the island, and I bit the inside of my lip to keep from laughing regardless of the hurt still lancing through me.

“I’m going to take what I want,” Patrick stated, slowly unbuckled his belt, drawing it from the loops. I swore he thought to say more, but he held his silence.

Regardless of unsaid words, a rush of wetness slickened my core, and Jaxon groaned, his cock thick and dripping.

“Upstairs, boy,” Patrick ordered, his tone firm. Unyielding.

Jaxon started toward a set of stairs, and I glanced at Patrick, wondering what he wished from me. Our alpha tipped his head after Jaxon, and I scurried along, my backside tingling from his stare, my pussy pulsing from the arousal-filled energy behind me .

Jaxon hesitated at the landing but turned toward the door on the left. I followed on his heels, the scent of Patrick’s cologne and brimstone coming strongest from that room.

Through the dimness, I could make out a bed against the wall, four corner posts jutting upright toward the ceiling.

Jaxon moved forward and grasped the two at the foot, his back toward me, arms stretched out wide.

Patrick’s presence behind me sent a rush of tingles over my skin.

“Mmm.” His low growl of approval of our beta’s actions slickened my thighs. “On the bed, girl.”

I scurried to obey, sliding against the headboard as Patrick closed first one blind then the other before turning on dimmed lights overhead.

My gaze flitted from Jaxon’s parted lips to Patrick’s glare as he took in our beta, who had offered himself up in a delicious pose of submission.

I wondered at Jaxon’s ability to expect what Patrick wanted, but he seemed to have gotten our alpha’s desire correct.

Patrick unbuttoned his shirt, revealing tanned skin over prominent pectorals that were bare from hair.

A silver chain graced his neck, and tattoos snaked around his side from his back, ending before inking the ridges of muscle lining his core.

Gaze locked on Jaxon’s ass, he stalked close, looped belt gripped in his right hand.

He pressed against Jaxon, and our beta sagged, closing his eyes and groaning at the contact, knuckles white where he grasped the bedposts.

“You know what I’m going to do,” Patrick whispered in his ear, sending a shudder through Jaxon.

“Yes.”

“Do I have to tie you in place?”

“No—Sir. ”

“Mmm,” Patrick hummed his approval, reaching around to cup Jaxon’s groin.

Our beta grunted but held still.

“If you take your punishment for scaring the shit out of me like a good boy,” Patrick growled against his ear, “I’ll reward you.”

Jaxon swallowed and nodded, his eyelids sliding open. Our gazes latched, and the desire simmering between us caused my breath to catch.

“Give him something to focus on, girl,” Patrick said to me while stepping back. “But no coming.”

Patrick hadn’t entirely submitted to his dragon side, but his instincts still led him to fulfill his role in gifting his mates pleasure—this time, through pain.

A heavy sigh left me as I widened my legs and ran my fingers down over my pubis. Ignoring my throbbing nub to keep from coming like my alpha had stated, I stroked through the soaked mess between my legs.

Jaxon groaned, his gaze glued to my pussy as I slid two fingers deep inside my aching core.

Patrick drew his arm back and let loose with the belt.