Fire and Opals (Beasts of the UK)

Chapter Eight

Wren -Then

I didn’t mean to spy on her. It was something I told myself over and over again but there could be no denying that I made a point of keeping an eye on her. Not openly. There was already enough talk about my infatuation with her and I didn’t want to add fuel to the fire.

But I tried to stay close.

Apart from today, today I had needed to fly . To feel the wind against my face as I took to the air and soared amongst the clouds. What I hadn’t expected was to find her sat alone in the meadow. The tall grass would have hidden her from anyone looking from the ground but from my place in the sky I spotted her easily. I think my dragon would have sensed her even if I couldn’t see her. He was more in tune with her than any other person I had ever met.

And it was my dragon that forced us to land, my shift almost complete before I had even touched the ground.

Shocked she watched me come towards her, her eyes trained on my face and not on my nakedness. If she was embarrassed it didn’t show. But she didn’t let her eyes drop any lower than my chin.

“Sir.” She was scrambling to her feet, her legs tangling in her long skirts. “I wasn’t …. She was stumbling over her words . Her brows high on her face. “I have free time.. no work to do….”

I came to a halt in front of her, my fingers reaching for her chin so I could look into her eyes. “I don’t care…” Why was being this close to her sending my dragon insane. He wanted to touch her and I realised with a start that I did too.

But it was more than just s****l attraction. I wanted to protect this woman, love and cherish her.

The realisation hit me like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t stay away from her. I wanted to protect her.

“You work too hard Opal…” I softened my voice. “You are allowed some free time. And you looked very peaceful….” My hand slipped from her chin to her cheek and I cupped it.

She was my mate.

It was glaringly obvious now I admitted it to myself. It was the reason I couldn’t stay away from her. The reason that even the feel of her cheek under my palm made my d**k jump against my stomach.

“Sir.” She sucked in a breath as I stepped into her space fully. Her eyes darting every which was but down towards my d**k that was pressed against her stomach.

“Wren.” I was going to kiss her, maybe not today but soon, very soon. “Call me Wren , Opal. I am hoping we can become friends.”

“Friends?” She seemed genuinely confused by the idea. As if a dragon and a human woman couldn’t be friends. And I understood it. The women here didn’t exactly have the best time. They lived in fear that they would be taken, forcefully. Of course there were some that found happiness. Some who were happily mated and in love with their dragon consort.

I wanted that for us which meant I couldn’t rush things. Opal was afraid. I could see it in her drawn face.

“Yes Friends Opal.” I smiled down at her. “you have nothing to fear from me. I will never force myself on you.”

She blinked several times and this time her eyes did dart downward. “Sir.” Her cheeks flamed.

“Wren.” I corrected her softly.

“Wren , you are naked and holding me and we are alone… it’s not proper.”

I stepped away instantly. She was right , I should not have embraced her.

“My clothes are….” I shook my head. My clothes were miles away and there was no way I was going to leave her out here in protected.

She would never be unprotected again.

“Here.” Carefully she unwrapped the tattered shawl from around her shoulders , passing it to me with a blush. And for a se one I stared at it.

Our fingers touched as I finally took it. And sparks went up between us. She cried out, stumbling backwards and only my quick reflexes caught her in time.

My hands slipped around her waist and this time I didn’t think twice about pulling her flush against my body.

“What was that?” She whispered , her hands fluttering against her throat like a nervous butterfly.

“You don’t know?” I rubbed my cheek against her hair. How was it possible that she didn’t know? Because there was no doubt in my mind.

Opal was my mate. That lightening spark between us was the bond flaring to life.

“No…I….”

“It was the bond… my …”

“No…” she pushed against my chest , her face stony. And for a second I was shocked by the venom in her words. “No it can’t be… I don’t want to be mated….”

“Opal I am not going to force myself on you right this second but there is no denying it.” Carefully I wrapped her shawl around my hips, covering my swollen member from view. “What we felt was the spark. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you from the moment you fell into my arms and it’s only going to be worse. I know you have felt it too. “ I reached for her and this time she shied away. As if my touch disgusted her. I knew it didn’t . I knew I didn’t disgust her. What ever she was feeling had very little to do with me and more to do with her feeling trapped. I knew it deep down but her rejection still hurt. “It will only grow now…Opal stop.” My hand curled around her bicep as she started to walk away. “Where are you going?”

“Away,” She was crying, fat tears rolling down her face. And my heart shattered. Had I caused those tears. I couldn’t bare it. “I just want to be free….”

“I can give you that Opal, we can have a million adventures together. Spend lifetimes exploring the world...” I knew I had said something she liked, her eyes widened. “I don’t want to be forced into a mating Wren.”

Letting go of her arm, I held my hands up in surrender. “I would never force you to be mine Opal, my dragon has chosen you but that doesn’t mean we have to rush.”

I wanted to rush but I knew I couldn’t. She was scared. If I pushed the matter she would bolt. And if she ran from the castle they would put her to death. Not even my claim could stop that fate.

“Then what do we do?” She sounded small and scared.

“We sit and talk. As for tomorrow I don’t know. Maybe we sit and talk some more.”

Her eyes searched my face. “Just talk?”

“Just talk.” I launched myself into the grass, my huge frame sprawled out but I was careful to keep myself covered.

She sat next to me, her legs crossed. “Ok, I can talk for a while.”

“Good.” I smiled up at her. I would take anything she wanted to give to me.

She was my love

My mate.