Baby steps...
I knew she had bruises. I’d seen some of them. Emlyn told me she was covered in them, but it still surprised me when I saw them on the back of her neck in the shape of fingers. Someone touched her, hurt her, left marks on my mate.I’m working hard to get my anger and Baron’s under control so we don’t scare her, when Reagan has to say something about her hugging me. Yeah, like she wants to hug one of the monsters that did that to her.But then, she surprises me and opens her arms. I don’t give her a chance to change her mind. I rush to her, taking her in my arms carefully, very, very carefully so I don’t leave any marks on her. I don’t want her to ever fear my touch.I bury my face in her neck, taking deep breaths of her sweet pear scent.‘We’ll be in the other room,’ Reagan says in the mind link, and I hear her and Meadow walk into the kitchen.I don’t let go of her, not even when she tells me she’s okay. I still don’t trust myself. I’ve been angry before. I was furious when I saw the
While I take a shower, I try to get my racing heart under control. I know they can hear it, but hopefully they can’t while I’m in the shower.When I’m done, I pull on a pair of jeans, a sweater, and the new boots that I got yesterday. I smile as I look in the mirror. Angel had said that I should get this sweater. It’s bolder than I would normally get. It’s red and it makes me stand out, which is something I usually try not to do. However, I’ll admit that my light blue eyes look more pronounced and my black hair contrasts nicely with it.When I step out of the room, Cayd’s appreciative look makes me glad that I went with Angel’s suggestion.“You look fantastic. Not that you didn’t before, but…wow,” he says. I notice that he’s changed into casual jeans and a tight black t-shirt while I was showering. Talk about wow…I see his nose twitch and I wonder if I smell differently when I’m drooling over him.“Ready?” he asks, holding out his hand and I nod, taking it.“So, dad says you’re planni
I was both pleased and sad when Madelyn became terrified when she thought I was leaving her. I’m sure it’s the same feeling that she had in Alpha Alec’s pack. Her fear, the scent of it, had spiked so quickly and so strongly that I’m pretty sure the entire pack could smell it. And her voice had trembled. I thought she’d be okay with my mother and Emlyn, but she wants me. And that’s where the pleased part comes in. I hate that she’s afraid, but I love that it’s me that makes her feel safe.I really was just going to get Leander, thinking that I would be less intimidating to her if I was holding my young nephew, but this works just as well. I am a little annoyed with my nephew though. He took Madelyn’s hand out of mine, replacing it with his own.I can see Rich chuckling at his son from the corner of my eye, but I let Leander lead us since it seems to be making Madelyn feel more comfortable.“Gamma Gwace, Gampa Ewi, this Madden,” Little Leander introduces her.“Madelyn, I’m Grace Gunner,
This pack is nothing like what I was expecting. Everything is so different here. Besides Cayd and his family not forcing me into some kind of manual labor, they’re all very…sweet. They seem genuinely concerned about me and while I know that several of them are here to interview me, they didn’t push it or rush me into an interview room. They’re giving me time to relax and adjust to being here.Cayd is so funny. First his interactions with his sisters and his exaggerated need for me to rescue him from them, which was sweet, but then his interactions with the sprites was very telling. They weren’t afraid of him at all. On the contrary, they seemed excited to see him and disappointed that he’d found his mate. I can’t imagine Alpha Alec or anyone in his pack being nice to a sprite.And then, there was Alpha Rich. He’s so intimidating, but he’d told the entire pack that I was under his protection. I didn’t even know that I was under his protection and according to Cayd, that means I’m under
Madelyn’s lips and her mouth taste like the sweetest pear I’ve ever tasted in my life. I feel like I could devour her, savoring her taste for hours, days. Her sweet moans, the scent of her arousal scenting the air around us only makes this moment that much more incredible.Both of my brothers have commented, outside of their mates’ earshot of course, that if they thought their mate’s taste was good when they kissed her, it was nothing compared to being between her thighs. I can’t imagine anything tasting better than my mate’s lips, her tongue, her mouth, but the first chance she gives me, I’m going to test my brother’s words. And if her taste really is that delicious, then she’ll be lucky if I ever let her leave the bedroom again.When she starts swaying in my arms, I pull back, both of us sucking in air. Her eyes are glazed when she looks up at me and I suddenly understand my brothers' smug looks when they make their mates speechless from kissing or touching them. Damn, I want to find
Wow. I keep thinking it and it keeps feeling completely inadequate to how I’m feeling, but I don’t know the right word. Cayden is intense, but everything he says resonates deep inside me, like he’s awakening something that was asleep and is now coming to life.It’s scary to know that he would kill someone, that he doesn’t even have to think about it. But it’s also a heady feeling to know that he would do that for me, without ever thinking about it.I’m not sure how, after such a short amount of time, but he’s made me feel safe in ways that I never have. That’s not to say that the violent side of his nature doesn’t scare me, it does. But the loving side, the side where he tells me everything that I mean to him, is addicting. I’ve never known any man, any person, who spoke like that. Unlike Alpha Alec, everything about Cayd says feels truthful, feels right. I feel like that piece of me that is awakening is drawn to him like a magnet, like it would hurt to be torn apart from him.So, when
Goddess save me from younger, annoying sisters.I race upstairs, trying to connect with first Reagan, then Malin or Quinn, and finally connecting with my mother.‘She’s fine, Cayd. We aren’t going to hurt her,’ my mother says. But I can see Madelyn through my mother’s eyes and I can see that she’s overwhelmed walking into the room with everyone already there.I rush to pull on a shirt and the concern for my mate has my erection falling away quickly. I couldn’t help that. Madelyn touching me, exploring my body in such a sweet way had my body responding.“Sweetheart, your heart is beating as fast as a hummingbird’s wings,” I hear my mother say as she takes my mate’s hands. Through our bond, I feel her pushing her calm into Madelyn. I see my Aunt Grace and Aunt Cara step up to her, smiling at her and each putting a hand on Madelyn’s shoulder, adding to my mother’s calm.“You’re very brave for talking to us. Brave for helping to make sure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Aunt Grac
I thought sitting in Cayd’s lap would make me feel self-conscious and uncomfortable, but it was actually very calming, especially when Baron would purr. The gentle vibrations and rhythmic feel of it is very relaxing. I was a bit surprised that no one questioned how Cayd and Baron were acting toward me. They didn’t give him questioning looks or make comments about me being in his lap, or Baron’s purring, not even Reagan.After everyone agreed that they need to figure out how Alec knew I was in foster care, the conversation switched to Alpha Alaric and how he approached me and Angel. I watched, impressed at how Angel answers their questions.“Mom used to be on the council,” Cayd whispers in my ear. Angel must hear him, though, because she turns and smiles at me before continuing. Actually, as I look around the room, I realize that all of them, everyone in this room is impressive.It makes me sad to think that I have nothing to offer someone like Cayd. He says I’m his mate, but what if he
We have lunch with Luna Grace, who told me to call her Aunt now that I’m part of the family, Alpha Eli, who told me to call him Uncle, Alpha Emerson, and Quinn. Quinn insists that I’m her sister, so I shouldn’t call her Luna and Emerson told me whatever made me most comfortable was fine with him.I’m pretty sure they asked more questions about our time in Araphyra than I did about the trial tomorrow. Everyone was shocked that there were two prophecies about me and Uncle Eli and Emerson asked Cayd a lot of questions about us bringing the return of the dragons. I could tell Cayd was proud that he was mentioned in my prophecy, but honestly, if he’s my mate, who else would have been mentioned?Because it’s winter and we stayed for several hours, the sun was beginning to set before we left and I had a chance to see all of the sprites' witchy lights begin to glow in the forest.“We definitely need lots of lights,” I tell Cayd as he walks behind me, wrapping his arms around me.“Should we get
I could feel Madelyn’s sadness as we left Araphyra and I wanted to make it go away. It occurred to me that this decorating thing might make her happy again, and I was right. I’ll decorate my entire apartment if it will keep my mate happy. Hell, I decorate the whole damn building if it makes her happy.I may be more like my mother than my father, but I learned from my father and my brothers that you’ll never be happier than when you make your mate happy. And they are right. Feeling Madelyn’s sadness turn to happiness makes me feel like the king of the world.While I drive, Madelyn turns on the car radio. She begins singing along to the songs. I don’t know any of the words, but I dance along as she sings happily. She’s still singing as we pull up to the entrance of Safe Haven. I stop at the guard gate.“Can you let Alpha Emerson and my sister know that Alpha Cayden and his mate, Madelyn, are here to visit?” I ask the guard.“Go ahead, Alpha. I’ll let them know you’re coming.”“Thank you
I can feel Cayd’s pride in me. There’s so much goodness in him. His heart is gentle and kind. I know that others described him that way, and I knew it from our interactions. But knowing it and feeling it are very different. Everything about Cayd is warm and inviting, drawing me in and making me want more.“So, Madelyn, tomorrow at 10am, you need to be ready to face Alpha Alec and maybe some of his pack members. I’m also expecting that he’ll bring other Alphas with him since we killed his father,” Lily says.“Those Alphas are probably in league with him,” Cayd says.“I’d bet money on it, which is why all of the Guardians are invited to attend tomorrow. We shouldn’t need them since Riley, Leana, and I will be there along with Mehira and Ennata.”“Well that covers the big factions, and it will be interesting to see how these Alphas feel about a council of all females making judgements about them,” Cayd smirks.“I doubt they’re going to like it very much,” Lily says, her smile a bit more v
I stare at my mate’s mark on my neck. I understand now why she wanted me to see it. She wasn’t worried that I wouldn’t like it, it’s just unlike any mate mark I’ve ever seen before.I stand from the water, turning to my mate. I’m not sure what she sees on my face, but she frowns, just a moment, before I take two steps and have her in my arms, devouring her mouth in a possessive kiss.I think I understand the power that I felt now when she bit into me. She gave me her dragon’s magic. Much like she will be stronger with my mark, I’m now stronger with hers. And maybe it’s because I’m a shifter that I feel it more than she has , but damn, dragon magic is very powerful magic.I pour my love and appreciation of the gift my mate has given me into the kiss.When I pull back, we’re both breathless and I can feel her dizziness from the power and emotions in my kiss. I’ll never get tired of this feeling.“I’ll never get tired of it either,” she says, her eyes still closed.I frown at my mate.‘Ca
I could feel Cayd’s body shaking with the control he was exerting in order to go slowly with me. I appreciate it, but something about his touch continues to light something inside me. The more he touches me, the more I want and need his touch. It's like my body is drawing him into me.I begin to feel a possessiveness, a need to have this man in my life, to have his mark on my neck for the world to see. And even more than that, I need the world to know that he is mine, only mine.When his canines enter my neck, and I feel like I’m going to explode with the pleasure inside me. It’s like the light inside me needs a place to exit, as if it’s expanding and is about to burst. My body jerks with the orgasms that Cayd has given me, one after another, but it hasn’t released the light inside me.It isn’t until I feel him release inside me, feel the warm jets of his cum coating my insides that I find my outlet. Something stings my gums and going solely on instinct, I bite down on Cayd’s neck, the
“Are you going to mark me tonight?” Madelyn asks me as soon as we get to our room.I look at her a moment. “Come sit with me," I say and rather than letting her sit in her own chair, I pull her into my lap. I wrap an arm around her waist and take her hand in my free one. This is the moment of truth.I take a deep breath, but then focus on her when I feel her nervousness, her fear that I don’t want to mark her, that maybe I've been putting her off because I had no intention of ever marking her. I quickly put my hands on her face, turning her head so she's looking at me. I am not Alec.“That’s not it at all, Madelyn. I would hope, after everything that we’ve been through here, that you realize that I will never, ever betray you. I will never leave you. I will never want any woman other than you, ever. You are it for me. What you saw was me preparing for YOU to not want this. Because you have to know that once it’s done, that’s it. There is no going back. There is do-over, there is no div
My mate still has no idea how incredible she is or how much power she has. Thankfully, she uses her powers for good.I tune into her mind as Baron runs. She loves riding on his back and howling with him. When we pass the trench with the giants, she howls at them and they raise their giant fists into the air, pumping in their version of a hello, I guess.Once we’ve passed the trench, the woodland creatures join us and my mate, my wolf, and all the woodland creatures begin howling again.When we get close enough to the castle, I hear Hera, Lily’s wolf, howling a welcome to us and we all howl again.My mate is laughing as Baron slows to a stop, letting her slide off our back. Lily smiles at her as I shift and pull on clothes.“Did you have a nice time?” Lily asks.“We did,” Madelyn says.“You could have told me that you’ve been sparring with Hope much more frequently,” I growl at Lily.“Where’s the fun in that?” Lily asks, unable to hide her smile. I knew she did it on purpose, hoping I’d
The giants are sweet. Okay, they’re a little scary, but I can feel their excitement to have a dragon in their midst again.A dragon. I guess I’ve accepted that I have dragon blood. It’s hard not to here, where everything feels magical and safe and loving. Okay, maybe that’s mostly Cayden that feels that way, but it still adds to the overall magic of Araphyra.When I’m done, Cayd shifts back into Baron and I wave at my new friends, the giants. Then I climb onto Baron’s back and howl. That’s another silly thing that I love doing. Howling with Baron. His answering howl is instantaneous and I grip his fur as he takes off again.This time, there are no woodland creatures flying with us. Cayd mentioned that Hope lives if the taboo land and no fae go there, not even Lucero, who stays back as we run forward. When Baron slows down, it’s eerily quiet. Unlike the woods in Araphyra and even back in Cayd’s family’s pack, the aren’t any sounds in the forest. No birds, no crickets, nothing. Just quie
I can tell that all of this is beginning to overwhelm Madelyn. It was a lot to begin with and it just keeps piling on.“Hey, why don’t we go for a run. We can go see the giants and Hope. Baron would love to run with you on his back again,” I say, watching her face. She might need some rest instead of an invigorating run, but she seems happy with anything that will get us out of this room.I see Buppig and Lily about to argue, but Madelyn has had enough for the day.“Why don’t you two speak to Aolis and Ailduin about what we’ve discussed, get their impressions. Madelyn needs to step away. Remember, she’s learning all of this about herself in just a couple of days. It’s a lot," I tell them.“Of course, Madelyn. You must think I’m a terrible Queen,” Lily says to her.“Not at all. I think you’re everything a queen should be, smart and beautiful and caring,” Madelyn says.Lily smiles. “I can see why King Ailduin was so taken with the dragons. You really do have a pure soul, don't you? Hopef