“No. You want my scent, and I want yours. And don’t raise your voice to your Alpha.”
My Alpha.
My whole body floods with liquid heat, but the stubborn part of me, which has grown strong after enduring so many years of his rejection, makes me ball up my fists and beat his shoulders. Stesha walks forward with the dragons following him. As the cave closes over my head, I’m enveloped in cool darkness, and I moan in relief and slump against him.
“You asked when I have been jealous,” he murmurs, still holding me in his arms in the blessed darkness. I try to resist how good his rumbling voice feels against me, but I can’t help pillowing my cheek against his shoulder, even as I’m scowling and pushing at his chest.
“Let me tell you when I’ve been jealous,” he continues in a deep, soft voice. “When your mother was trying to marry you off and people were speaking of Zabriel or Emmeric as your future mate. I hated that. When every dragonrider, every soldier, wingrunner, and every fucking man in Lenhale was staring at you, following you, hungering for you for years and years. Ireallyhated that. When an Alpha in a ruthouse nearly sweet-talked you into his bed. I nearly lost my mind with jealousy that day. Tell me, when have I not been jealous, Zen?”
My arms are locked tight around his neck, and my eyes are wide and staring as I listen to his confession. I don’t know if I believe him, but if he has experienced even one tiny drop of the burning jealousy I’ve known all throughout the Dragon Games, then good.Good.
“I never rubbed your nose in anything like you’ve been doing to me.”
“You think I give a damn about the witch Ravenna? Have I looked once at the witch Ravenna?”
I scream and struggle in his arms, hating even to hear her name in his mouth. “Don’t even speak about her! She’s been waving your colors. Howdareshe.”
He rubs the nape of my neck, and murmurs soothingly, “I’m sorry. I understand. You’re too upset from your heat, my sweet girl. I won’t speak about her. But I will point out that it is your hair ribbons tied around my arm in this silly human tradition. Anyone else’s, and I would have ripped them from my arm. I won the Dragon Games wearing your ribbons. I won them for you. Did you notice?” There’s a curl of amusement in his voice.
“Of course I noticed,” I snarl. “Go back and claim your prize.”
Stesha cups my jaw and draws my face up to his. He smiles at me, one of his rare, devastating smiles. “I already have her.”
While I’m lost in his smile, his mouth descends on mine. Heat explodes through my body. My head swims, but this time with pleasure. The swipes of his tongue are swift and so are the nips of his teeth on my lower lip.
When he pulls away, we’re both gasping. “Sorry, but I must claim my kisses from my furious mate while I can.”
My head clears, and my anger comes rushing back. I don’t believe for one second that he’s changed his mind and wants to mate me. Stesha doesn’t change his mind about anything. I resume struggling. “Put medown.”
Stesha smiles again. “No.”
“Beast.”
“You’ll only run from me, and you need to stay right here, or you’ll make yourself ill. I’ll chase you all over the skies again when you’re stronger. Tell me, did you cheer for me during the games? Did you even once wave white and blue streamers? Even if you were angry with me, at least you could have supported poor Nilak.”
“Everyone in Lenhale was supporting you and Nilak!” I exclaim. “Gods, you should have heard the ridiculous things everyone was saying about you.”
He smirks at me. “What, the women?”
I scream in outrage, grasp the hair at the nape of his neck, and yank it. He hisses in pain and pleasure.
Stesha holds me tighter, lowers his head, and drags his dragines across my throat, making me moan. “My fierce little Omega. I apologize. I’ll stop tormenting you, but how it hurt to see you always flying the queen’s colors and never mine. The whole of Lenhale was cheering for me, but it felt as though everything was silent without your support.”
Can he possibly be sincere? I can’t trust him if he’s in a rut. The last time Stesha gave in to desire for me, he was in a rut, but I can’t smell that he isn’t in one now. His scent is rich, but not musky. “You had enough people cheering for you, and I’m not an Omega.”
Stesha kisses the marks he left on my neck, and he says huskily, “It’s faint. I have to be this close to you to catch it. Your scent is sweet with raspberries, honey, and fresh white linen. The deep woods on a hot summer’s day. All my favorite things,aash’lin. This is an Omega’s perfume, not a Beta’s scent. Your scent was always pretty, but this…” He breathes in deeply. “You’re intoxicating.”
“I said I’m not an Omega.” But I sound less certain now.
His voice grows soft and gentle. “Then why can I smell my mate, and why can I feel her slick soaking through her clothes?” One of his arms is under my thighs. As I press them together, I feel a wet sensation. That’s strange, but it’s just because of… It’s just from…
I can’t think of an explanation.
“But I would know if I’d suddenly turned into an Omega and started perfuming.”
Stesha smiles and presses kisses all over my face. “I knew the day that I caught you in our rooms, stealing my clothes. Gods, I couldn’t believe it. You’re perfuming. Haven’t you noticed the signs? You are sensitive to the light. You cower away from loud noises and open skies. These were never your habits. Tell me why this should be if you are not an Omega.”
Tears well up in my eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t understand anything that’s happening.”
