Lorien’s POV
But it was easier said than done. I was on fire.
Even after days of suppressing my rut, it still clawed at my insides, refusing to be ignored. The concoction I had been taking was strong-potent enough to keep me from losing control completely-but it was a temporary solution. The longer I held back, the worse the backlash would be. And now, as I sat here, drenched in sweat, my body trembling from the strain, I could feel the inevitable collapse of my self-control creeping closer.
Dragons weren’t meant to endure ruts alone. It was pure, unrelenting torture.
I laid back down, trying to take deep breaths, helplessly hoping it could do something to wither this unbearable heat clawing at my insides.
My cocks ached, swollen and twitching against the fabric of my pants, painfully hard with no release. My body had been preparing for this for years, storing my clutch, ensuring that when the time came, I would be at my peak-stronger, more virile, primed to breed. The only thing missing was her.
Kamrynn.
She was supposed to be in my bed right now, beneath me, her body accepting mine, taking my eggs, becoming what she was always meant to be. My perfect breeder.
But instead, I was here. Alone. Struggling against instincts so deeply ingrained they might as well have been etched into my bones.
I had never expected it to be this hard. Never imagined that I would feel this… bad about claiming her. She was mine-I had ensured that. I had saved her, given her everything she needed, given her me. So why was I hesitating? Why did I find myself resisting something that should have been as natural as breathing?
I told myself it was because I wanted her to come to me willingly. That once she realized this was where she belonged, she would submit without resistance.
But deep down, I knew the truth.
I wanted her. Not just as a breeder. Not just as a vessel to carry my clutch.
Previously, I believed in no gods but Kamrynn… She’s made me a believer. Making me fall helplessly for her whims, going against my own beliefs, warring against instincts.
I squeezed my eyes shut, jaw clenching as I forced myself to focus on anything other than the unbearable heat searing through me. But no matter how hard I tried, her scent still wrapped around me, thick and intoxicating. Sweet, soft, perfect. It called to me, teased me, made me ache.
And then, I heard her.
I kept my eyes closed, steadying my breathing as I listened to the quiet sounds of her moving in the next room. Her footsteps were light, hesitant. She was awake.
For a moment, I considered calling out to her, but I knew better. In this state, I couldn’t trust myself.
I heard her enter the kitchen. The soft sound of water being poured, then silence.
I almost let myself relax.
Then, the sound of her fingers brushing against metal.
I went rigid.
It was subtle, but my senses were too sharp to miss it. The distinct scrape of steel against wood, the way her heartbeat quickened just slightly, the quiet inhale of breath as she steadied herself.
As a dragon, my sense of hearing was far superior to any other creature’s. I could hear for miles, so much that I usually had to tune out the noise to keep it from becoming overwhelming. That was why I had noticed her heartbeat this afternoon when I first returned home-too fast, too loud, thrumming like the frantic wings of a trapped bird.
She was holding a knife.
Could that have something to do with the way she had reacted to my appearance this afternoon, like a rat cornered?
A slow, icy feeling crept up my spine, cutting through the unbearable heat of my rut.
Was this it?
Had she figured it out?
A part of me had always known this moment would come, that she would start to question everything. Maybe she had seen something she wasn’t supposed to. Maybe she had simply grown suspicious. But whatever the reason, she was cautious now-approaching me as though I was a threat.
The realization stung in a way I hadn’t anticipated.
I stayed still, keeping my breathing even, waiting. I needed to be sure.
She moved carefully, each step slow, deliberate. I could hear the slight tremble in her breath, the way she was trying to steady herself.
She wasn’t certain.
If she were, she wouldn’t be hesitating.
But the fact that she was doing this at all…
A growl rumbled low in my throat, though I kept it silent.
I had been patient. I had been gentle.
And yet, here she was, sneaking up on me with a blade, ready to slit my throat while I slept.
The betrayal burned through me, sharp and unforgiving.
Did she really think she could kill me? That a frail little wolf like her could so much as scratch me?
She had no idea who she was dealing with. I would have to teach her a lesson, one she would never be able to forget.
I remained perfectly still, waiting until she was close enough-until she was right where I wanted her.
Then, the moment the cold steel of the blade hovered over my throat, I snapped my eyes open.
Kamrynn gasped.
Before she could react, I moved.
In a flash, I had her pinned beneath me, the knife ripped from her grasp and flung across the room. Her body was trapped against the couch, her breath coming in sharp pants as she stared up at me, wide-eyed and trembling.
I let out a slow breath, my heart hammering against my ribs.
“Kamrynn,” I murmured, my voice rough with exhaustion, frustration, and something darker.
She flinched at the way I said her name.
Something inside me snapped.
I had given her everything.
Shelter. Comfort. Me.
And yet, she still didn’t trust me.
Fine. If words wouldn’t convince her, then I would show her the truth in the only way I knew how.
My rut was at its peak. My body had been screaming for her for days.
I had fought it. Had suffered for her sake.
But now?
Now, I was done holding back.
Dragons may not have mates, but we had something far more powerful.
Initiative.
It was a gift only my kind possessed-one that ensured a willing partner, no matter the species.
When in rut, a dragon could release pheromones-potent, inescapable, overwhelming, they worked like the strongest brand of aphrodisiac. The scent alone was enough to drive any female into a heat of her own, stripping away logic, leaving only the desperate, instinctual need to be bred.
It was a failsafe. A guarantee.
And now, I would use it.
She wouldn’t fight me after this.
She wouldn’t want to. She would become pliant, willing, even beg me to take her over and over again.
I tightened my grip on her wrists, pressing my forehead against hers as I let the first wave of pheromones pour from me, saturating the air between us.
Her breath hitched.
Her body tensed.
Then, she shuddered.
I felt it the moment it took effect.
Her pulse quickened, her pupils dilating ever so slightly. A flush crept up her neck and her cheeks burned, her lips parting as she let out a tiny, confused sound. At the same time, I snaked a hand up her thigh, leaning in closer, pressing my arousal against her.
It wouldn’t take long now.
I had waited long enough.
She would submit.
She would beg.
And I would finally take what was mine.