Ludovic loomed in front of Ella, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly. She struggled to no avail.
"Get off of me, you oaf," she said, but his hands were like vises. There was no escape.
"You will bow to my will, or you will suffer," the dragon said.
"Suffer how? By being locked in a room with no outside contact? By being bullied by a dragon with an ego the size of Texas? Gosh, feel me tremble, you prick!" Ella was almost snarling at the dragon.
Ludovic’s eyes widened at her behavior. His hands loosened a smidge, and it was enough for Ella to reach in and punch him in the face.
His head reared back at the blow. Ella screeched with pain and cradled her hand against her chest. Ludovic grabbed her by the shirt and was just lowering his face to hers when an alarm sounded throughout the room.
Ludovic’s grip tightened for a moment as his face registered a host of emotions. He settled on anger as he stared at Ella.
"So they’ve come," he said, almost resigned. Ludovic released her, raised his hand, and backhanded her across the face. "You stupid bitch. You could have had it all, and you called them?"
Pain bloomed across her cheek. She put a shaky hand on her mouth and when she pulled it away, bright red blood trickled down her fingers. Rage coursed through her as she contemplated the man standing above her.
Ella had not called them. She tried, but no one heard her. She was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, though. She turned and a glint of silver caught her eye. Ella stilled for a moment, turned and scooted closer to the item and further away from Ludovic. She reached behind her, and her fingers closed over something metal.
The dragon stalked over to her and pulled her up by the hair. She screamed in pain and anger, and stabbed at Ludovic’s face with whatever she had in her hand.
The blow landed true. Ludovic roared with pain and his hands flew to his face as blood poured out of one of his eyes. Ella fell to her knees and scrambled to get away.
When she looked back at him, a silver letter opener protruded from his left eye.
Holy. Shit.
She’d never been more glad the United States Postal System existed.
But she’d never open a letter the same way again.
Shuddering, she struggled to get to her feet just as the door burst open.
Daegal, Sebastian, Edvard, and Gregor rushed into the room. A sob burst from Ella as she saw him.
Her mate.
Whatever the hell that meant. She rushed to him and he gathered her into his arms for a moment. But it was too brief. He pushed her away gently.
"Go with them," he said. "I will follow."
He claimed her lips in a fierce kiss before Sebastian took her from his arms.
"No," she said and struggled against the other dragon’s grip.
"Take her to safety," Gregor said. His wings snapped from his back and he turned to face Ludovic.
Sebastian and the other dragons rushed out of the room.
12
Gregor
Gregor winced when he saw what Ella had done to Ludovic. Seconds later, a wide grin formed over his face.
"My mate," he said, "is a warrior."
"Your mate is a weak whore," Ludovic said. His eyes was a ruined mess. Blood poured from the empty socket. He trembled from the pain.
"Coming from a man with a letter opener sticking out of his eye, that seems to be the embarrassment talking."
A burst of magic flew from Ludovic’s fingers. Gregor barely ducked in time. He flew at the dragon and tackled him to the floor. Even with a ruined eye, Ludovic’s power was astonishing.
They grappled with each other, neither able to get the upper hand, when Ludovic slipped from his grasp and burst through the wall to the outside.
Gregor followed immediately, shifting into dragon form in pursuit.
Ludovic’s dragon form was terrifying to behold, but Gregor was too angry to notice. Concentrating, Gregor sent shards of ice from his claws directly at the other dragon’s wings.
They tore through the membrane, sending Ludovic plummeting for a moment before he righted himself.
He flew up to the top of the parapets of the castle and waited for Gregor. He circled around the evil dragon trying to see through whatever plans he had.
An idea, a terrible one, slowly formed in his mind. Dragons were notoriously hard to kill, but if he were to be overpowered and kept that way, his strength would drain.
Gregor was exhausted, physically and mentally. The loss of a mate took a toll. He was still recovering from the last wound he’d taken from Ludovic, so getting this battle over and done in minimum time would ensure his survival.
He just had to lure the other dragon to the right place.
Gregor flew straight at Ludovic. They tumbled in a tangle of claws and scales and crashed onto a flat portion of the roof. Gregor held Ludovic down for a moment and slashed at his face with his claws.
Ludovic screeched in pain, his ruined face a rictus of agony.
But Gregor abruptly let him go and flew away. He only had one chance.
Out of Ludovic’s sight, Gregor began to weaken the stone of the castle with his water magic. He conjured the sea surrounding them and flooded the foundations of the castle, sending shards of ice careening through the stone. When the entire structure began to tremble, Gregor flew back up to the roof. Ludovic was still there, crawling over to the edge. His wings were mangled and drooped behind him.
Gregor didn’t think the dragon could fly anymore, which worked perfectly for him. He landed on top of the dragon and held him there.
When Ludovic felt the building tremble again, his eyes widened.
"Gregor! This is suicide!"
Gregor loomed over his former brother. "Then you and I shall go together," he sneered. "Your death is the only thing that will avenge the treatment you’ve shown my mate."
The first bricks began to tumble into the sea.
"Don’t do this!" Ludovic shouted.
Gregor leaned down into Ludovic’s face. "I will gladly die if it means I take you with me."
The dragon struggled against the inevitable, but Gregor’s strength and rage were no match. He held the dragon down and as the first shift of the roof came, he closed his eyes and thought of Ella.
Ludovic’s roar of fear made him smile.
13
Ella
Ella sat on the couch, paralyzed by terror. Sara had shoved a cup of coffee into her hands what felt like hours ago, and it had since gone cold. Shivers racked her body as she thought about her mate and his decision to stay behind.
When she questioned the others about it, all of them grew grim and stoic. Daegal finally answered by telling her simply, "Gregor chose to stay and defend your honor. We have our codes and we do not violate them. Nor do we insult his strength by insisting we stay."
Ella had stared at him open-mouthed. "That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!"
Daegal shrugged then. "He chose it. When he told us to take you away, he claimed dominion over Ludovic. What happens now is out of our hands."
Sara’s disapproving glare cowed her husband, but he did not go back for him. Eventually, he sent Edvard back, but all of them wondered if it was to claim his body.
So she sat vigil, hoping against all the odds that Gregor was okay. Ella shut her eyes, tears leaking from the sides, and thought about him.
She’d never thought gray eyes were warm before. Not until she’d met him. He was comfort and hope and … home. He had to come back.
The door burst open and Edvard stepped in. In his arms was a mountain of a man, bloody and beaten beyond all recognition.
A sorrowful moan came from Ella as she rose from the couch. She reached out to touch him and drew her fingers back. "Is he alive?" she asked quietly.
"Barely," Edvard said. He brushed past her and made his way back to the guest room where he lay Gregor down.
Sebastian rushed in afterward and began removing his brother’s armor until he lay mostly uncloth
ed, his body a crisscross of scars and new wounds.
Ella choked out a sob and fell to her knees by the edge of the bed. "Gregor," she whispered. "It’s me. Please wake up."
Daegal entered the room and when he saw his friend, he shut his eyes for a brief second before he began to bark orders.
Her mate lay silent and unmoving on the bed. Three days had passed since Edvard had come in carrying his body. Gregor was clean and clothed in a pair of his favorite sleep pants and a soft T-shirt. His pallor was still pale, but his chest was rising and falling steadily now.
Daegal did not know how long it would take him to recover. Dragons were fast healers, but the internal damage he’d taken was severe.
She’d temporarily moved back into Sara’s so she could sit beside him and hold his hand. Beside her on the nightstand rested all of her Harry Potter books. She read at least one chapter to him each night and curled against him when it got too late. Every morning, she woke up praying he would pull her closer, but he hadn’t.
Today, she was reading from The Goblet of Fire when she saw the sheets twitch. Holding her breath, she put the book down and waited.
Another twitch. She took her hand in his and kissed it. "Please come back to me," she whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut and sent a prayer up to the heavens.
"Always," Gregor whispered.
Her eyes flew open in surprise.
"Gregor." Her voice broke.
His fingers squeezed hers. "Let me tell you about mates," he said, his voice hoarse. "And how they never give up on each other."
Ella’s lips trembled. "I adore you, you big lug. Always and forever."
Epilogue
Gregor sent the final screw into the bookshelf and stood back, admiring his handiwork. His wife and mate, Ella, stood beside him, one small hand resting on her enormous stomach.
"It looks wonderful," she said.
"It really does," Gregor said.
Ella snorted. "So humble."
"Dragons are not humble, my lady. You wouldn’t like us if we were."
Daegal, prince of the dragons, stood behind both of them. "If you want something to eat, you better hurry up. Sebastian and Edvard are over there like garbage disposals. The food won’t last for long."
Ella turned and watched the two dragons piling their plates high with barbecue and potato salad. Keanu, Sara and Daegal’s son, rode on top of Sebastian’s shoulders and pounded his head with a wooden spoon Ella had given him earlier.
To his credit, Sebastian didn’t seem bothered at all.
Jillian and Carrie sat in the living room. Carrie was busy plowing through her food, but Jillian’s eyes were on Sebastian. Ella caught her watching the other dragon all the time, but this was the first time she’d noticed something … more in her eyes.
She nudged her husband. "Do you think…" Her voice trailed off.
Gregor’s gaze went to Jillian and then his brother. "That is going to be an epic disaster," he declared. "Two people that hotheaded?" He shook his head. "I feel sorry for both of them if it happens to be true."
What Gregor didn’t tell his mate was he already saw the first signs of the mating bond growing between them.
He wasn’t sure who he felt sorrier for. Sebastian was a bastard sometimes, but he was deep and sensitive. Gregor was one of the few who knew that about him.
Jillian was either going to be wonderful for him or shatter his heart into a million pieces.
He snagged his wife around the waist. "Don’t worry about them. Spend all your attention to me."
Gregor brushed his lips over Ella’s. "Come, woman, let’s feed ourselves and retire to our rooms to work some of it off."
Ella slapped him on the shoulder. "Dirty dragon," she said fondly.
"You love it, wife."
And the truth was, she did.
Thank you for reading The Alpha Dragon’s Mate. I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, may I ask you to please write a review HERE!
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About the Author
Brittany White is the author of hot paranormal romance. She began writing short stories for family and friends. Her vivid imagination and love of mysteries and romance eventually led her to follow her dreams to become a published author.
She is a mother of two beautiful girls who are obsessed with chocolates and donuts. She loves taking vacations and spending quality time at home with her family and friends.
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Brittany White
The Alpha Dragon's Mate (Dragon Shifters of Kahului Book 2) Page 10
