Dragon's MatchMate Agency: A Paranormal Romance Boxset

by Maia Star

Catarina continued to be silent for the rest of the drive, and even when we got upstairs to the apartment. She didn’t say a word, didn’t even look my way before heading towards her bedroom.

  I reached for her arm and grabbed her, but she shook me off with surprising force, shooting me a glare that clearly said, Leave me alone.

  I wasn’t about to give up just yet, though.

  “Catarina, you are not going back to your room before we talk this out. Come sit with me in the living room. I don’t care how mad you are at me. I need you to talk to me.”

  She shook her head.

  “All right, so now you’re just giving me the silent treatment? How is that supposed to do anything? How am I supposed to know how to help you when you won’t tell me how?”

  She gave me an exasperated look.

  “Listen, Kyle, this is the last thing I’m saying to you tonight. I already told you what I needed; you just aren’t being receptive at all. So maybe think about the answers I’ve already given you before asking for different ones when there aren’t any.”

  “Catarina—” I tried again, but she was already stomping down the hallway toward her bedroom.

  I sighed and slumped against the wall. I had tried my absolute best, but it still clearly wasn’t enough to get through to her. And I understood what she was saying, I really did. She needed a break from the status quo, she needed someone to protect her.

  And I’d been trying to provide that. I really had. So what was I doing wrong? Why wasn’t it enough? Why couldn’t I just protect her in the ways I was able when the ways that she wanted me to protect her in spelled out certain doom for both of us?

  Because those were the facts. If I tried to change things, if I tried to stand up to James, if I tried to make her mine like I so desperately wanted to, nothing good would come of it.

  First, they would strip me of my power, turn me into an outcast. They might even arrange for my death for suggesting such things.

  And her?

  Either she would be treated even worse than before, or they would decide that she was defective and dispose of her. It wasn’t a pretty fate, and I wanted to avoid it at all costs. For her sake as much as for mine.

  If I knew some way to change things and avoid that unsavory end at the same time, then I would do it. I would do it in a heartbeat. Catarina just clearly didn’t understand the position that she had put me in.

  Chapter Eleven

  Catarina

  Several weeks passed, and still, Kyle and I did not resolve our argument.

  I stood by my words. I always would. He couldn’t understand where I was coming from, especially since he had never experienced the oppression that I did.

  So instead, we went through life together awkwardly, cooking and eating meals, making tense small talk, and occasionally driving over to James’s house so I could be bred again.

  I continued to be treated terribly in the bedroom and out of it by James. And during the day, I had to take care of the two terrors and listen to their mother scream at me for every little thing (when she wasn’t out having some time to herself). It was a terrible existence, to say the least.

  But that was okay because I had plans to escape.

  I knew that it was only a matter of time before Alpha James noticed that I wasn’t getting pregnant and started to question my fertility. Once that happened, I would be doomed.

  So I had to get out before then.

  When I had time off and Kyle was out of the apartment, I would look around and scope out things of value that I could pawn off. I began to memorize maps of the city near me, started calculating how far I would need to get away before I could shift and fly to somewhere they would never find me.

  I researched communities for Omegas, and found none, so I researched small towns where there were few to no dragon shifters instead. I found some, but it was going to take me a hot minute to figure out how to get there and to establish a life once I did.

  I had never had to fend for myself before, and I didn’t know the first place to start. That was definitely going to be the most difficult part of escaping.

  There was, of course, one more option. I felt foolish for considering it, but I had to try. I wanted to know if Kyle really would help me if it came down to it. I wanted to know if he would consider letting me escape, or even helping me to run away.

  Maybe I could even convince him to run away with me.

  It was a strange thought, especially after our argument and everything that he had said, but I had to admit that it would be nice to have the male dragon-shifter with me. He was strong, he knew what he was doing in this world, and he could get a good deal of money to help us escape. All I had to do was convince him that it was a worthwhile endeavor and that the two of us could make it work together.

  Though it could end badly, there was some part of me that wouldn’t let me leave without at least trying. After all, I didn’t think that he would actively try to stop me from leaving, especially when he was so passive about things like my well-being. He might just decide that it was better for me and let it happen.

  So one evening after the two of us had dinner together, I looked up at Kyle with a very serious expression and said in a meaningful voice, “You know, I’ve been thinking about stuff.”

  Kyle tilted his head, but I could tell there was a sparkle in his eyes. Good, he wanted to make up.

  “Oh yeah? What is it?”

  “Well, I think I have a way for you to make up if you want to.”

  “What do you mean?” He sounded confused. I took a deep breath; here came the difficult part.

  “You know, about how you haven’t been doing anything to help my situation. There might be a way you can help that’s different from everything I said, that would make up for everything that has happened.”

  Kyle interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on his hands. He looked so handsome in this light.

  “All right, let’s hear it,”

  I took a deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about things, and you’re right, there’s no changing the status quo.” Wrong, that wasn’t how I felt, but I had to cater a bit to him here. “However, there is a way to escape it, if you will.”

  “Where are you going with this?” Kyle’s eyebrows came together in a look of suspicion. I hoped that I wouldn’t regret what I was about to say.

  “Maybe we’re not on good terms right now, but I do believe that there is something connecting us. And I don’t want to lose that, but I also can’t stay here. It’s going to kill me.” They were going to kill me when they found out that I was infertile. “So run away with me. Let’s go somewhere far from here where this kind of status quo doesn’t exist and we can just be ourselves instead of a Beta and Omega entangled in fate.”

  For a moment, Kyle looked as if he was considering things. Then he straightened up and shook his head. “There’s no way that would work, Catarina, for a variety of reasons, and you know it. Besides, you can’t just ask me to leave my entire life behind.”

  “Do you really have much of a life here to speak of?” I demanded. “You don’t have a mate, you’re bossed around by James, and I haven’t met or heard of any friends. Sure, you have a cute apartment and a lot of money, but that’s not what makes a life. Don’t you want to escape the pressure of being in a clan?”

  “My clan is my family.”

  I stood and walked over to him, jabbing a finger into his chest. “Well, I haven’t seen either you or them acting like it at all. Face it, the person you’re closest to right now is me. And I would say that’s sad, and it kind of is, because I just came into your life several weeks ago, but I think I make a pretty great friend, or even maybe more.”

  “Catarina, what you’re suggesting is treason, betrayal, plain and simple.”

  I couldn’t help but notice that he was staring at my lips the whole time I was speaking.

  “Besides—” I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his for a second, then pulled away. “—don’t you want mor
e of this?”

  He laughed. “Oh, Catarina, you know I do.”

  “Then do it. Help me. Run away with me. Let’s live life together and fall in love and say fuck it to societal norms and expectations. I can make you happy, and I know you can do the same for me.”

  “Catarina, you know that’s one of my deepest dreams. But it’s deep for a reason.” He kissed me again then, winding his fingers through my hair and pulling down so that my head tilted up and he had better access to my lips.

  “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to fuck you. Doesn’t mean I don’t want you. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t claim you in a heartbeat if I could.”

  “Then prove it,” I insisted. “Show me that you can take that chance when it presents itself to you all tied up with a little bow on top.”

  Kyle let out a deep growl, his arm snaking around my waist and gripping me tight. “Little angel, you don’t know what you do to me. I’d love to see you all tied up with a bow on top.”

  In spite of myself, his words sent shivers through my body.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Oh yes.” He kissed me, hard, taking my bottom lip between his teeth and sucking. “I’m gonna make you mine, even if I can’t claim you. I’m going to fuck you so hard and so good that you come for me and me alone. No one else is going to make you feel like I do, my good girl.”

  “I’m not your good girl,” I said, glaring up at him.

  “Oh, but you will be. I’m gonna fuck you until you’re a dripping mess. And then you’ll be good for me, won’t you?”

  “I guess it depends. You gonna take me up on my offer?”

  “I’ll think about it. But for now, I’m gonna show you all the things I want to do to you, if you will let me.”

  I smiled at him. He was turning me on so much, I couldn’t even begin to describe it.

  And this wasn’t like that time before when things had been hazy and it probably shouldn’t have happened. No, there would be no apologizing after this was over. Because we both clearly wanted it.

  “Guess what?”

  “What, little angel?”

  I bit my bottom lip and looked up at him. “One, I’m not good enough to be your angel. Two, I am very, very wet right now.”

  “Oh yeah?” He raised his eyebrows and grinned, then tugged on my hair again, making me gasp. “How about my princess, then? You’ve always reminded me of Snow White.”

  “How so?”

  “You’re just as beautiful as her. I would wake you from sleeping death any day of the week, then take you to my castle and fuck you good. But let’s get back to the second part of that statement. Mind showing me, princess?”

  God, that nickname sent shivers through my body. I hated to admit it, but I absolutely loved it.

  “Okay, but you’re gonna have to let me go for a moment.”

  “Am I?” He grinned, then moved the hand that was on my waist down and under my skirt. He began to rub me through the thin fabric of my panties and I couldn’t help it. My head tilted back in pleasure and my hips went forward, wanting more pressure.

  “Oh yes, princess, I can feel you, even through your panties. You’re so wet for me.”

  I whined. “Please take them off.”

  “What was that?”

  “Take them off, I want them off, I want you to touch me there.”

  “Is that so, princess?” He leaned in to whisper in my ear. “You want me to touch you like this? Is that it?”

  I moaned as he slid my panties to the side and began rubbing my clit with his thumb.

  “Yes, please.”

  “Let’s move to the couch, princess,” he said, grabbing both of my legs and wrapping them around his waist. I held onto his neck as he walked the two of us over to the couch and then laid me down on it.

  “You’re so perfect, princess. I’m gonna undress you now. Is that okay?”

  I nodded. “Please, I want you to do it.”

  “Good girl. See, you are my little angel, after all.”

  I scoffed. “Only because you’ve hardly asked anything of me yet.”

  “Oh? Do you consider yourself a little brat then? Don’t worry, I can take care of that.” He grinned. “I bet you haven’t gotten to explore that side of yourself yet, but I would love to do it with you.”

  He was right. I was always too afraid to talk back during sex. And I had never enjoyed it until him. But now there were things that I wanted to explore.

  “Yes. I want to explore it with you,” I said. “But are you sure you can handle me?”

  “Oh, I know I can, princess. I’m not afraid to use force, as long as you’re okay with it.”

  I was very surprised that this whole encounter was turning me on as much as it was. I hadn’t planned for this, hadn’t known that this would be one way I would be trying to convince Kyle. Or was I even worried about convincing him anymore? All that I knew was that I wanted him to fuck me and I wanted him to do it now.

  Kyle began to slide my skirt down my legs, then tossed it to the side. Next came my panties, as he maintained eye contact with me the entire time.

  “Are you gonna be good for me, princess?” he asked.

  I giggled. “Maybe. I guess you’ll just have to see.”

  “Well, for now, all I want is for you to let me touch your pretty little pussy. You think you can handle that?”

  “I want nothing more.”

  “Good.” He began to rub my clit with two of his fingers. I arched my back into it, sighing and moaning as he increased the pressure. “Oh, you like that, huh? You’re making me so hard, the way your perfect little pussy is so wet for me.”

  He moved his fingers down and slipped one into me, then the other. Slowly he began to finger me, then increased the speed.

  Pressure began to build up inside of me, a delicious pressure. He made me feel so good. I lost the ability to think as he kept fingering me, hitting my g-spot.

  Then he began to rub at my clit at the same time, and I just about lost it.

  I could no longer form a coherent thought or even a word. All that was on my mind was the pleasure, all that was on my lips were moans.

  I didn’t even notice him taking out his dick until it slid into me. Then I arched my back and screamed out his name.

  I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole apartment complex knew, but I didn’t care.

  It just felt too good not to announce it to the whole world as orgasm washed over my body.

  Chapter Twelve

  Kyle

  I knew that Catarina wanted me to run away with her, but I hadn’t made up my mind just yet.

  What was I supposed to do? Just say yes and go along with it? Even if it succeeded, where would we go? What would we do? How would we support ourselves?

  And if we were caught?

  It would be certain death for both of us.

  There was one possibility, though. If I could convince Alpha James to make sure that Catarina was treated better, then maybe she would put this whole thing out of her mind and agree to stay here with me where our lives were still guaranteed.

  Then after she had a child for Alpha James, I could have her mostly to myself, even if she was working as a nanny. James wouldn’t keep her all to himself, surely.

  Even though the thought of her with him made my blood boil and my fists clench.

  Maybe we could come to some sort of agreement. Maybe she could be mine after all. It wasn’t impossible. I just had to hope that I could explain it to James in a way that would make sense, that wouldn’t be seen as taboo, that wouldn’t get us killed.

  So one day while I was on my break, I called up Alpha James and asked if I could come over.

  “Hello?” he said when he picked up the phone. “You rarely call me, Kyle. What is this about?”

  “Awww, can’t I just check in on you?”

  “I don’t recall ever asking you to that, or a time when you’ve done that before, so I’m assuming that’s not what this is about.”

  “It’s
not. There’s something I need to talk to you about. Do you mind if I come over? I feel like this would be better said in person.”

  “What, don’t tell me you’re planning on leaving the clan,” James teased. “Nah, I know that’s not what you want to talk to me about, so feel free to come over. I’ll be waiting to hear what it is that you have to say.”

  “I’ll be right over,” I said, then hung up.

  I headed over to his apartment, and when I exited the elevator, he was waiting for me on the couch.

  “Sit, sit,” he said, gesturing to the seat across from him. “Now, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “It’s about Catarina,” I started, realizing now that I had no idea how to phrase it at all.

  “What about Catarina? Has she been misbehaving? Is she doing okay with her job?”

  “No, she’s doing absolutely lovely, and you see, that’s the problem.”

  James gave me a strange look. “And how exactly is that a problem? I would assume that that’s more what you want, rather than what you don’t want, unless you’re looking for an excuse to punish her? I didn’t know that you were into that sort of thing.”

  I shook my head. “No, not at all. See, the problem is not that she’s been good. It’s that she’s been good and she’s still being treated badly. The family she helps out treats her awfully and I’m sure you’ve seen the way everyone looks at her at parties, the things that they say to her.”

  James laughed. “All right, so what you’re telling me is, you’ve developed a soft spot for our little Omega and you want her to be treated better.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far—”

  “Oh, don’t even bother denying it. I can see it written all over your face. But you see, Kyle, that’s not how this works. She’s an Omega, and she should be treated as such. If we don’t treat her like that, then she’ll get too cocky and start demanding more and more power. She’s been good because she’s being treated as she is. The moment we stop, she’ll start to misbehave.”

  His logic made absolutely no sense and I wanted nothing more than to smack him upside the head to knock some sense into him. Every dragon-shifter deserved to be treated with the same base level of decency and respect, even if they were an Omega.