Lorien’s POV
Kamrynn let out a soft, breathy whine, shifting slightly in my lap. “Lorien… don’t tease me,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with embarrassment.
A chuckle rumbled in my chest. I pressed a lingering kiss to her temple before finally letting her go, releasing my grip on her waist as I pulled back.
“Finish your meal, little one,” I said, standing up. “I’ll be back.”
Her cheeks were still flushed, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she only gave a small nod and focused back on her plate.
I turned on my heel, striding out of the dining area and heading straight for the bathroom.
The moment the door shut behind me, I exhaled sharply, bracing my hands against the sink and staring at my reflection in the mirror. My pupils were still blown wide, my irises burning molten gold-an undeniable sign of my arousal.
I scoffed. Pathetic.
Turning on the faucet, I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would cool the heat simmering beneath my skin.
It didn’t.
My hard-on refused to go away.
I clicked my tongue in irritation, straightening up. This was ridiculous. I had far too much self-control to be affected this much by a mere shewolf. With the Ostracylle, she was nothing more than a human girl-
I swallowed hard.
No. Not just any human girl.
I scowled at my reflection before stripping off my clothes and stepping into the shower, turning the water on full blast.
The warm spray cascaded over my body, washing away the remnants of the day, but my mind was still preoccupied. I leaned my forehead against the cool tile, letting the water run down my back.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.
The plan had been simple.
Breed Kamrynn. Make her carry and hatch my eggs.
That was it.
But somehow-somehow-it had gotten so complicated.
I clenched my jaw, my claws unsheathing involuntarily before retracting just as quickly.
Like Sherelle had predicted, Kamrynn’s blood had been the key to curing the virus that had plagued me for years. The same illness that had slowly been eating away at me, weakening my body, threatening my very existence.
A few drops of her precious blood, combined with rare and powerful materials, and the life-saving potion had been created.
And just like that, I was whole again.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the undeniable strength coursing through me.
For the first time in years, my body was at optimal health. My bloodline could be restored, my power had returned tenfold, and now-
Now I could finally produce strong, healthy eggs.
Eggs that would be able to withstand growing inside a non-draconian body.
And yet-
I ran a hand through my wet hair, frustrated.
Despite everything… I hadn’t touched Kamrynn. Not in the way I was meant to.
I had so many chances.
She was always close-clinging to me, trusting me, depending on me in every way imaginable. Oblivious. Vulnerable.
And yet, I hadn’t done it.
It certainly wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to her.
Gods, my body craved her in a way I couldn’t even put into words.
She had this scent-this intoxicating scent that wrapped around me like a drug, messing with my senses. Sweet Osmanthus, delicate and warm, yet dizzying enough to make my head spin.
I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a slow breath.
Then why?
Why hadn’t I taken what was supposed to be mine?
The answer settled deep in my chest, heavy and unwelcome.
Because I had started caring for her.
Because she had somehow… become more than just a means to an end.
I gritted my teeth.
I couldn’t tell when it started.
Maybe it was the way she looked at me-with those wide, trusting eyes, as if I held the entire world in my hands.
Maybe it was the way my name sounded on her tongue, soft and sweet, like I was someone worthy of such tenderness.
Or maybe it was the little things.
How she still cooked for me, even though she knew I didn’t need food to survive. How she listened-really listened-as I told her stories of my fallen race, her gaze glinting with marvel as I spoke of the once-mighty Solarian Draconians.
Maybe it was because, despite everything, she had coaxed me into fully transforming in front of her.
Not just partially shifting-fully.
She had seen me in my true form, towering, monstrous, my body lined with obsidian scales and massive wings capable of blotting out the sun.
And she hadn’t been afraid.
Not even for a second.
Instead, she had reached out. Touched me.
Then, somehow, she had convinced me to let her ride me.
I had taken her into the skies, soaring above the world, the wind rushing past us as she clung to my back with unrestrained joy, laughing like she belonged there.
Like she belonged with me.
I swallowed hard, gripping the wall for support as something aching twisted in my chest.
What the hell was wrong with me?
How had this girl who was nothing to me merely a month ago unraveled me like this?
I tilted my head back, letting the water pour over me.
She wasn’t supposed to matter.
She was supposed to be nothing more than a vessel.
And yet-
She curled up against me at night, her body warm and small, fitting so perfectly against mine.
She whispered my name in her sleep.
And every single time she did… my heart would cartwheel in my chest, warmth spreading like butterflies.
I slammed a fist against the tile, my breath coming out heavier than before.
This was dangerous.
This was not supposed to happen.
I pressed a hand against my face, feeling the heat spreading down my neck, across my chest.
Gods, what had she done to me? My heart was going to beat out of my chest.
The heat crawling up my neck, spreading down my chest, was unbearable. I exhaled sharply, tilting my head back under the shower’s spray, but the water did nothing to cool the fire raging inside me.
Had I ever blushed like this before?
None that I could recall.
Draconians did not believe in love.
We did not believe in mates.
Those were fickle things-weak, useless attachments for those that walked the ground.
We believed in strength.
Natural selection.
Taking a worthy mate and producing the most powerful offspring.
It was about duty. Legacy. Ensuring that the bloodline remained strong, that the next generation would be greater than the last.
And yet-
I pressed a hand against my chest, feeling the rapid, erratic thrum of my heart beneath my ribs.
This-whatever this was-felt like something else entirely.
Kamrynn had ruined everything.
Perhaps the concept of mates wasn’t so ridiculous after all.
Perhaps-
Perhaps love wasn’t such a weak, ephemeral thing.
Perhaps it was something worth indulging in.
I let out a slow breath, my body thrumming with an unfamiliar sensation.
I would live for a long time.
Maybe…
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.
Just then, a soft knock sounded against the bathroom door.
“Lorien?”
Kamrynn’s voice was gentle, hesitant.
“Are you alright?”
My grip on the wall tightened.
The sound of her voice sent a shudder down my spine.
I swallowed hard, the heat in my gut spreading lower, coiling tight.
The urge-
The sheer, primal urge-
To rip open the door.
To drag her inside, pin her against the cold tiles, and shred her clothes with my claws.
To take her.
Here.
Now.
To press her body against the wall, spread her open, and make her scream my name until her throat was raw.
To claim her.
To mark her.
To make love to her until she came apart around me, until she was writhing beneath me, until-
I gritted my teeth, forcing the thought away.
The weight between my legs was unbearable, my arousal straining against me, growing harder by the second.
Gods.
I clenched my jaw, pressing another hand against the wall for stability.
This was dangerous.
This was insanity.
She was right outside.
Waiting for me.
Trusting me.
I forced myself to breathe, to think.
I could easily exploit her trust.
She depended on me.
She believed in me.
It would be so easy.
So simple.
But-
I didn’t want to.
Was it guilt?
No.
I wasn’t capable of such a deprecating emotion.
Then what was it?
I let out a bitter, humorless chuckle.
Perhaps it really was love.
The kind of love that was not about possession.
The kind that wasn’t forced.
Because true love-
Wasn’t that about wanting someone to choose you?
To love you back-for who you were-and not because you were forcing them into a life they never wanted?
I winced.
Even in my own mind, the thought sounded pathetic.
I turned the water colder, bracing against the icy sting.
My arousal throbbed against my palm, desperate for relief, but I ignored them.
As a dragon, I had too much pride to relieve myself with my own hand.
My seed was precious.
It was not meant to be wasted in such an unsightly manner.
I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling deeply.
My restraint wouldn’t last much longer.
I knew it.
I could feel it.
Because my rut-
Was coming.
A dragon’s rut only occurred once every five years.
And when it came-
We were nothing but horny, feral creatures.
There was no reasoning.
No rationality.
Just instinct.
Just hunger.
Days and nights filled with nothing but raw, unrelenting pleasure.
Nonstop, wild, wet, messy sex.
And worst of all-
The chances of impregnation during a rut were one hundred percent.
I let out a ragged breath, gripping my hair in frustration.
This was bad.
Very bad.
Because Kamrynn had no idea.
And neither did I.
Not about how long I could hold myself back.
Or if I even wanted to.