Page 29 of Naga Warlord’s Mate (Nagas of Nirum #3)
Andear
Andear watched as Priscilla stirred in his arms, her golden hair spilling across his red scales. His tail curled possessively around her legs, keeping her close against his chest. The mark on her neck—his mark—stood out against her pale skin, a permanent symbol of their bond. A warmth spread in his chest at the sight of it.
Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his gaze. The sunlight streaming through the high windows caught the green of her irises, making them shine like precious stones. His mate. Forever. The thought sent a surge of satisfaction through him.
“You are forever mine now, little warrior,” he rumbled, his voice rough with sleep and contentment. His hand traced the curve of her hip, reveling in the softness of her skin against his battle-hardened scales.
Priscilla’s fingers found the bite mark on her neck, touching it with a reverence that made his chest tighten. The mate bond reverberated between them, strong and unbreakable. He felt her emotions through it—wonder, joy, and belonging.
“I’m not lost anymore,” she whispered, pressing closer to him. Her small form fit perfectly against his larger frame. “I belong here. With you.”
Andear’s tail tightened around her legs instinctively. He had spent so long fighting against this—against wanting her, against needing her. Now, with her marked as his, he couldn’t remember why he had resisted for so long.
A smirk curved her lips as she looked up at him. “And you are forever mine.”
The words sent a rush of heat through him. His warrior woman, claiming him as boldly as he had claimed her. He growled low in his throat, rolling to pin her beneath him.
“Yes,” he agreed, his fangs grazing her neck. “All yours. Every inch of me.”
He claimed her mouth in a kiss that was both tender and fierce. The mate bond throbbed between them, making his scales tingle where they pressed against her soft skin. His hands cupped her face as he deepened the kiss, tasting the sweetness that was uniquely her.
Through the bond, he felt her complete surrender, her absolute trust in him. It humbled him, made his warrior’s heart clench with a protective instinct he’d never known before. This small, fierce human had become his world.
His fangs grazed her lower lip, careful not to break skin. The mark on her neck—his claim—stood out proudly against her pale throat. Mine , the primitive part of him growled. The part that had fought wars, led armies, and now found its greatest victory in her arms.
“My little warrior,” he breathed against her lips, his voice rough with emotion. His tail tightened possessively around her legs as she arched into him.
He’d spent centuries believing warriors didn’t need softness, that mates were earned through strength alone. Yet here she was, proving him wrong with every breath. She had earned him—not through battle but through her unwavering spirit.
Her smile was radiant. “Someone had to challenge the mighty warlord.”
Andear’s eyes blazed with possession and pride. He captured her lips again, pouring all his devotion into the kiss. The mate bond sang between them, a symphony of belonging and forever.
A sharp knock cut through their intimate moment. Andear’s tail curled protectively around Priscilla as his head snapped toward the door. His warrior instincts flared, even though he knew they were safe within his den.
“Wait here,” he growled softly, reluctantly unwinding himself from her warmth.
He slipped on his ceremonial armor, the black metal gleaming against his scales. The weight felt right after so many battles. His tail whispered across the floor as he approached the door.
A young messenger stood there, practically vibrating with nervous energy as he faced the imposing warlord. “The council requests your presence, sir. Both of you.”
Andear’s jaw tightened. Of course they did. His mate mark on Priscilla’s neck would change everything—a human bearing a warlord’s claim. He dismissed the messenger with a curt nod.
Turning back to the bed, he watched Priscilla dress in the formal attire he’d had made for her a while ago—a deep crimson fabric that matched his own ceremonial markings, cut to accommodate her agile human form. His chest swelled with pride at how she carried herself, no longer the lost soul who had wandered into his training grounds seeking purpose.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked, moving closer to her. His tail brushed against her legs as he reached out to touch the bite mark on her neck. “They will not all approve.”
Priscilla met his gaze steadily, her green eyes bright with determination. She covered his hand with her own, pressing it more firmly against the mark. “For once in my life... yes.”
The mate bond thrummed between them, strengthening his resolve. Let them disapprove. She was his, claimed and marked. His tail wrapped possessively around her waist as they moved toward the door.
“Then we face them together,” he rumbled, his voice thick with pride and possession. “As equals.”
They stepped outside, her small hand finding his larger one. Andear kept his head high, his warrior’s presence filling the space around them. His mate walked beside him, matching his pace, her steps sure and confident.
Not just warlord and human anymore but true mates, bound by choice and fate alike.
Andear’s tail whispered across the polished floor as he entered the council’s chamber, Priscilla matching his pace beside him. His mate mark stood proud on her neck, impossible to miss against her pale skin. Pride surged through him as several council members’ eyes widened at the sight.
Mila and Brivul stood near the front of the chamber, and Andear felt Priscilla’s joy through their bond at seeing her sister. His tail curled possessively around her waist as they took their places before the council.
“Warlord Andear,” the head elder spoke, his scales gleaming in the morning light. “Your mate stands before us as more than just a human. She has proven herself a warrior of Nirum.”
Andear’s chest swelled with pride, but he kept his expression stern. Through their bond, he felt Priscilla’s mix of surprise and determination.
“The council acknowledges her role in our victory against the Xirath,” another Elder added. “Without her intelligence and courage, we might have fallen to their deception.”
Mila beamed at her sister while Brivul nodded in approval. Andear’s tail tightened slightly around Priscilla’s waist, supporting her as she stood tall under the council’s scrutiny.
The head elder leaned forward. “We offer you, Priscilla Hess, an official position as advisor to the council on human affairs and integration. Your perspective would be... invaluable.”
Andear felt the surge of emotion through their bond—joy, purpose, and belonging. His mate had found her place, just as he’d always known she would.
“I accept,” Priscilla said, her voice clear and strong. “Nirum is my home now. My true home.”
The mate bond hummed, and Andear couldn’t suppress his satisfied smirk. His little warrior had carved her own path, earned her place not just as his mate, but as a respected member of Niri society.
The head elder nodded, a small smile on his lips. “Then it is settled. Welcome, Advisor Hess, to the council of Nirum.”
Andear moved silently as they exited the council’s chamber, his mate mark on Priscilla’s neck catching the light. Pride surged through him as she walked beside him, her steps light and confident. Through their bond, he felt her joy radiating like sunlight.
“My fierce little advisor,” he rumbled as they made their way to the celebration hall. The mate bond hummed with contentment as she leaned into his touch.
Mila and Brivul followed close behind, their own mate bond evident in the way they moved together. Andear’s chest swelled with satisfaction. Both Hess sisters had found their place among the Niri, claimed by strong warriors who would protect them fiercely.
The celebration hall blazed with warmth from the fire pits, the scent of roasted meats and spiced wine filling the air. Andear’s tail whispered across the floor as he guided Priscilla to the high table, keeping her close against his side.
“To think,” Mila said, settling beside her sister with a bright smile, “my little sister, now a council advisor.”
Brivul’s chest rumbled with approval. “She earned it. As did you both.”
Andear watched as Priscilla’s cheeks flushed with pleasure.
“Of course she earned it,” Andear growled, his voice laced with pride. “My mate fears nothing, not even the Xirath themselves.”
The servers brought platters of food, and Andear’s protective instincts flared as he filled Priscilla’s plate first. The mate bond thrummed with her amusement at his possessive care.
“You’re hovering,” she teased, but her eyes sparkled with affection.
“A warlord provides for his mate,” he rumbled back, his eyes intense as he watched her take the first bite.
Mila laughed, the sound bright and free. “She’s found her match in you, warlord. Someone as stubborn as she is.”
Andear’s chest swelled with joy as he observed both sisters—once slaves, now members of Niri society. His tail moved restlessly across the floor as he remembered how close they’d come to losing everything to the Xirath. But they had prevailed, and now his mate sat beside him, marked and claimed, her future secure.
Through their bond, he felt Priscilla’s complete contentment. She had found her purpose, her home, her place at his side. His tail coiled around her, protective and possessive.
“My fierce little warrior,” he whispered against her ear, making her shiver. “Now everyone will know your true worth.”