Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
DRAGO
I scent the air as soon as I get to the dining hall. But the scent of her heat is long gone, and the scent of her pregnancy doesn’t exist. It didn’t happen. My throat runs dry and my heart sinks. As I take another step, I know in my soul that it’s true. I’d be able to scent her pregnancy by now. She’s not carrying my dragonlings.
With every hollow step I take, my brother’s warning comes back to me. She’ll more than likely never heat again so long as she’s in my presence. The door groans as I open it and I do everything in my power not to show the emotions that riddle their way through me. I’d hoped for dragonlings with her and a future that would carry a legacy. The moment my gaze meets hers, all thoughts of what I once hoped for are quieted. Looking into her gorgeous hazel eyes, a smile plays at my lips and a pull I can’t control soothes my worries. It appears my feelings are one-sided, however. Her eyes are narrowed and her mouth is pursed as she sits at a high table in the corner of the bedroom. Her little ass is still mad. Although it’s sexy as hell, I’m ready for her to be my little pet again. I love her fight; I love her submission to me even more. As the door closes with a resounding click, I decide I will gain her forgiveness if it’s the last thing I do.
She’s the greatest treasure I’ve ever had. I won’t let her go.
In front of her is an empty plate with some sort of sauce smeared and tiny bits of broccoli left over. She already ate. Without me.
“How was dinner?” I ask as sarcastically as I can. She has the decency to at least drop her gaze in what appears to be guilt before lifting her head once again and answering.
“Delicious.” She twists her fingers nervously but gives me hard eyes as she says, “I spent some of your money as well. I needed normal clothing.” She doesn’t keep eye contact and I know she isn’t comfortable with it. But I’m pleased she did. Every step I take toward her is cautious.
“Good.” It’s then that I see she’s in a simple, pale pink dress. She’d look stunning in anything she wore. “You look beautiful. I’m glad you were able to find some things to your taste here.” The tension in the air between us is thick. Kara tenses her shoulders and I’m not sure if it’s because she didn’t enjoy the trip or because I’m getting closer to her. My eyes travel to her neck.
She took off her collar. My body heats with a sense of anger, but also something else. Loss. Fuck, that hurts. My dragon stirs with fire, and I have to pause, uncertain of what to do.
“Did you have a nice time?” I ask, to focus on anything other than the fact that she took off her collar. She’ll be my pet again and begging for my forgiveness as she comes undone on my cock. The thought is calming. I’ll bide my time until then.
“Can you smell anything?” she asks with a clipped tone, staring past me at the closed door. It’s all too obvious she’s planning to leave. No dragonlings. No mate. No Kara.
I won’t allow it. I take another step toward her. “Sorry, my treasure. I can’t tell yet.” I lie to her. I’ll lie for as long as I can so that I can keep her.
“You said it would only take a few days.” Her voice is laced with irritation.
A lump rises in my throat; I hate that she wants to leave me.
I don’t answer her and I don’t have to. She continues speaking. “I heard the women talking. Galen and Cyrus left.” She finally looks back at me with concern rather than anger. “You're going to go to war with Victor, aren’t you?”
I shake my head. “There’s no need to start a war. Galen merely wants an opportunity to court someone they’re hiding from us.”
“But why?” she questions, genuinely interested but also concerned. “I don’t understand why they would do that. Why keep someone from you?” My treasure looks back at me with confusion but also with need for answers. It’s better than the alternative—her silence, her disobedience, her desire to leave—so I nurture her curiosity.
“I’m not sure. It could be to end our line. We are the most powerful shifters. I don’t know why they’d risk it though... There’s no other reason that she would be there that I can think of.” She stares into my eyes as if she’ll find an answer there. I wish I could give her one. I truly do. “Had I not seen her lineage myself, I would think she didn’t exist, and that Victor was merely toying with us.” Anger fumes inside of me at his name on my lips. Once again, my dragon stirs, eager to protect Kara from ever again being harmed.