Dragon Fate

by Juniper Hart

  She felt like something special was happening.

  “So, what can I expect? Am I going to start having weird cravings or impulses? Weird dreams?” Mia asked. Then she scrunched up her nose. “Will I grow a lot of hair?”

  Jack pressed his lips together, like he was trying to hold back a smile. “No. It’s not like you see in the movies. You won’t experience a gradual change. The transformation is triggered by the next full moon. After the first change, you will be able to change at will. But that is only if you are a wolf.”

  He reached over and gently took her hand in his. “I’ll be here for you every step of the way.”

  Mia looked up at him and smiled. His touch felt so good, nothing like the sickness she had felt with Aaron’s. Although she was terrified, she loved knowing she wouldn’t have to go through this alone—if anything was going to change at all.

  Jack made her feel safe, and she knew in that moment that she trusted him. In fact, she thought she might even be falling for him.

  6

  “Wow,” Jack said, “you look amazing.”

  Mia tried not to blush as she stepped out into the kitchen, but after looking at herself in the mirror, she had to agree that she did look great. Still, it was so much better to hear those words from Jack’s lips.

  Jack pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss to emphasize his point, even adding a bit of a purr to his embrace. She couldn’t help smiling. It was going to be an exciting evening. Even though Mia was exhausted after such a busy day, she was ready to see what amazing surprise Jack had in store for her.

  She had started the day out early, going for a swift hike through the trail located on the edge of town. It was a popular spot that Mia frequently traversed. The hills were brutal on her leg muscles, but Mia loved the pleasurable burn and the feeling of her blood pumping vigorously through her veins. After the workout, she’d stopped and grabbed a breakfast smoothie at The Juiciest, her favorite juice bar. She was addicted to that energy boost first thing in the morning, especially after a good workout.

  After returning home to take a quick shower, she’d studied for most of the afternoon, and then she had gotten ready to meet Jack for their date.

  It was hard to believe it had only been three weeks since Jack had first come into her life. It felt like so much longer. In that time, they had spent every spare moment they had together. However, with her busy schedule, it was not nearly as much time as she wanted.

  Jack wasn’t playing around with her. He didn’t wait days to text or call her back, and he never made her question his interest in her. He was stronger and so much more mature than that.

  After school and work, Mia typically went over to hang out at his place, unless she had a crazy amount of studying to do, and even then, she would usually find a way to study faster or cram more in on her days off. It was a juggling act, but Jack was so worth it.

  Mia knew she was falling in love with him. She had known since the first time he had saved her from Aaron. Neither of them had heard from him since he had broken into her room, but Mia tried not to worry too much—she felt safe with Jack’s protection.

  Jack was everything she had ever wanted. They had a lot in common, such as their love for old horror movies and nineteenth century art. But they still had enough differences that they were constantly surprising each other and building the bond they shared.

  Occasionally, Mia would find herself wondering if she was going to change into a wolf during the next full moon, but she tried to push it out of her thoughts. Jack helped alleviate her worries, and he somehow made her feel like she would overcome any challenges that might come her way.

  Now, Mia wasn’t even all that afraid of the change anymore.

  Jack arrived early, and Mia wasn’t quite ready when he’d arrived. He was taking her to a nice restaurant, and she wanted to look the part. He waited in the living room, while she finished getting dressed and putting on her makeup.

  When she went out to meet him, Jack smiled widely.

  “Are you ready, my lady?” Jack asked with a little bow.

  Mia played along. “Yes, kind sir. I am ready.”

  With that, they left her house and got into Jack’s SUV.

  Mia looked up at the moon, just starting to peak over the mountains in the distance. Immediately, thoughts of Aaron and becoming a werewolf were brought to the forefront of her mind. This time, she didn’t want to suppress them.

  “Have you heard from Aaron?” Mia asked.

  Jack looked at her, concern spreading across his perfectly symmetrical facial features. “I’ve asked everyone in our pack, and no one knows where he’s gone. I expected him to leave town,” Jack told Mia. “I don’t know if I believe he isn’t coming back at some point, though.”

  Jack was troubled that he didn’t know Aaron’s whereabouts. He didn’t have to say it for Mia to realize it, she could tell when his smile to console her didn’t reach his eyes. She tried to push negative thoughts of Aaron out of her head and prayed she never had to lay eyes on him again.

  No. I won’t keep thinking about him anymore. He doesn’t deserve it. I will focus on my time with Jack.

  The restaurant Jack took her to was fantastic. After Mia had told him she loved Thai food, he’d found an upscale restaurant known for having the best Phanaeng curry. As a student, Mia didn’t typically eat out often, especially at such nice restaurants.

  Jack insisted on treating her, as he did every night they spent together.

  Mia had never considered herself materialistic or passionate about making a lot of money, but she had to admit she was starting to get used to Jack’s lifestyle. It was hard not to. She was flattered that he had no qualms about spending both his time and his money to make her feel special.

  Jack was an entrepreneur, and he had opened an international chain of fitness centers that catered to the ultra-wealthy. He had always enjoyed fitness, and he knew a lot about how to run a business. His chosen career path seemed like a natural fit.

  Mia loved Jack’s passions, and she was impressed that he had built a lucrative career out of his hobby. She hoped to do the same one day.

  When they left the restaurant, Mia didn’t want the night to end, and she was relieved to find that neither did Jack. He suggested going for a walk in a park that was close to her house.

  It was a beautiful evening, having cooled down from the heat of the day. A gentle breeze billowed through Mia’s hair, and the scent of freshly-cut grass filled the air.

  Jack held her hand in his as they walked along, neither one of them speaking a word. It was just nice to be comfortable in silence and enjoy each other’s company without forcing a conversation.

  Emotionally, Mia needed the tranquility that surrounded them. The stress from the past few weeks had affected her more than she had realized. The quietness was wonderful for her.

  After several minutes of walking in silence, Jack turned to her. “Mia, I want to tell you something.”.

  Mia looked at him and smiled. “Okay. You have my full attention.”

  “I realize we’ve only known each other a short while, but I feel I should tell you that you mean a lot to me. I mean, what we have…” Jack made a small pause. “I think it is really becoming something special.”

  Mia bit down on her lower lip. “I agree.”

  Jack continued. “I’ve never actually been in love before. It’s hard when you shift into a wolf every full moon. It seemed like my only options were other pack members, but those women never appealed to me. I always thought no human would be able to accept my true form. I’ve always dreamt of the day I could truly connect with someone, but to be honest, I never thought it would happen—until I met you.”

  “Honestly,” Mia said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “if you had told me that I would just accept that my boyfriend is a wolf, I would have thought you were crazy. But everything about this seems right.”

  “Exactly,” said Jack, his lips curling into a smile. “And maybe th
at is a part of the reason why I feel so close to you after such a short time. I feel that you know my biggest, darkest secret, and yet I can just be myself. I love that I don’t have to hold anything back.”

  “I like that,” Mia said. “I’m glad I’m getting to know the real you.”

  Jack Stopped walking and reached out to grab her other hand so he was holding both of hers in his. “I can honestly say that I can see myself having a future with you.”

  Mia felt a sudden knot in her throat, and she had to take a deep breath before speaking. “So do I,” she replied.

  Jack pulled her close to him, and his strong presence loomed over Mia. She felt so safe with him, so protected, as if nothing in the world could harm her when she was by his side. That was the way it was supposed to feel, right? When you were with the man you loved?

  Love… Did she really feel that way? Was this love? Was it possible this soon? She’d heard of love at first sight, but she’d never known it or truly believed in its existence. Well, maybe this was really it. It was confusing to think about, but Mia wouldn’t let her mind dwell on it right now. It wasn’t important to throw a label on what this was or how she felt. She just wanted to surrender to her feelings and allow herself to enjoy them.

  Jack kissed her softly on the mouth, which then turned into a deep kiss filled with passion as Mia kissed him back. He pulled her even closer to him, rubbing his hands on her back in small, comforting circular motions. It felt so good.

  “Want to go to my place?” he asked, his voice low and raspy.

  “Yes,” she answered breathlessly.

  The drive to his house was a blur, and Mia could hardly wait to feel Jack’s eager touch, to feel him all around her, to feel him inside of her. At least, she hoped that would happen.

  When Jack’s hand—which had been resting on her knee—began to move up her thigh, Mia was pleasantly surprised, glad to know that Jack wanted the same thing she did.

  His hand slid under her dress and found her panties, and he lightly massaged her most sensitive area through the fabric. Mia’s body responded to Jack’s touch; the heat intensified in her core, and she felt the cotton lining of her thong get saturated with her own wetness.

  Jack’s teasing was maddening. Mia wanted more, so much more. Oh, she wanted Jack so badly…

  She quickly took matters into her own hands and pulled her panties down to her knees and over her black stilettos. Jack didn’t waste a second, and he pushed one thick, long finger inside of her.

  Mia’s body shuddered when he added a second finger, and her hands clenched her seat. Jack expertly moved his fingers, his pace slow and very controlled, going inside of her deeply and then massaging her tight nub, inciting a beautiful ebb and flow of pleasure that washed throughout her entire nether region.

  Every nerve in her bundle was on fire with sweetness.

  Within minutes, Mia’s muscles tensed up as she reached her release. Her whole body was overcome by a rush of endorphins and pleasure she had not known in such a long time.

  She looked over at Jack, who had his eyes on the road but wore a confident smirk. The pace of his fingers inside of her remained slow and controlled, as if he wanted to draw this out for as long as he could, and they soon pulled up to his large, two-story modern home, designed with clean, stark lines, and a natural color palette.

  Once Jack had stopped the car, he opened the door to his black SUV and walked around to Mia’s door to open if for her. Instead of grabbing her hand to help her out, he lifted her from her seat and carried her into the house, straight up to his bedroom so that he could place her on his bed.

  Without hesitation, he pulled off his shirt and removed his pants before lifting Mia’s dress over her head and taking off her bra, tossing their clothes onto the floor.

  Jack stood before her, and Mia drank in the sight of his nude figure. His hard, rippling body was tanned and rugged. He looked majestic, almost God-like. His rock-hard member was completely erect, extending from his body like a thick spear. It was perfect. He was perfect.

  Jack gently pushed her down until her back was against the plush material of the duvet cover, which was placed neatly on top of his pillowtop mattress. It felt like she was sinking into a cloud. This was only beginning, and it was already turning out to be better than any dream Mia could’ve conjured up.

  Mia pulled her knees up and then spread her legs, ready for Jack to enter her. He crawled onto the bed and positioned himself between her legs. He leaned forward to kiss her, his hands gently cradling her jaw, and slowly pressed himself inside her.

  Mia gasped as he entered, triggering a flood of pleasure and wetness throughout her center. She tightly wrapped her legs around his taut, muscular waist and held on as he began to pump in and out of her in deep thrusting motions.

  Mia knew she was on the verge of climaxing, and she desperately wanted to finish with Jack, but her body was impatient. She felt powerless to stop it, and this realization somehow made the need stronger. Her second orgasm was twice as strong as the first. Having Jack on top of her and deeply inside of her brought her carnal instincts to the surface, and the muscles in her tight sex pulsated around his huge shaft as he continued his onslaught inside of her.

  Jack kissed her hard on the mouth, muffling her screams of passion. He tasted so sweet—his mouth was strong against hers, and his tongue licked into her mouth as his lips clamped tightly over hers. He began to thrust into her harder than before, and Mia could feel his rod getting thicker as well. She knew that he was close, but he seemed to be waiting to release himself.

  She wasn’t sure why until she felt the heat inside her core again, her climax rapidly approaching once more. She couldn’t believe it was going to happen again.

  Above her, Jack smiled at her, as if he sensed what was about to happen. His thrusts became harder, and he groaned loudly as he released at the same time Mia’s body was wracked with her third orgasm.

  She was exhausted, and it didn’t take long to fall asleep in his strong, comforting arms, their bodies wrapped tightly around each other’s.

  She slept soundly… until the dreams began.

  7

  While Mia slept, her dreams brought her back to the happier days of her relationship with Aaron, even when they hadn’t been a couple anymore.

  She was taken back to a time when she smiled at the thought of seeing him. After the day she’d had, it was going to be wonderful to cuddle up on the couch with Aaron, despite the fact that they were only friends now. He had mentioned ordering a pizza and watching a movie on Netflix. That sounded pretty much like heaven in that moment, even though Mia was exhausted from school and work. She would probably fall asleep halfway through the movie, but Aaron was used to it.

  Part of her couldn’t help wondering if this was a good idea. She had ended things with Aaron some time ago, but the chance to get back together with him wasn’t completely off the table just yet.

  Mia had met Aaron through a mutual friend, and the two of them had really hit it off. He was the only one who ever seemed to truly understand her sometimes, and it was nice just being with someone who did not judge her or try to question her every move. He respected her drive and ambition, and he was not scared off by it, unlike most of the men she’d dated.

  It was refreshing.

  But Aaron, of course, was not without his issues. The two of them had had their share of difficulties.

  They had been dating for almost three months when Mia first realized that Aaron was a heavy drinker. He’d tried to hide it from her at first, but the more time she began to spend at his place, the more she noticed the fact that he always seemed to have a drink in his hand.

  And then it had gotten to a point where he was hammered every time she stopped by his place after work. Even worse, Aaron was a bit of an angry and emotional drunk. Mia had tried to fool herself into believing that she could handle it, that he would change, but his problems were more severe than she’d thought.

  The final straw
was the day he almost hit her across the face during an argument while he was drunk. She tried to grab the bottle from him, and it ended up falling out of his hand and breaking on the floor. He yelled and then rose his hand to smack her across the cheek. But he didn’t, which was why Mia couldn’t claim domestic abuse when she tried to get a restraining order later on.

  Aaron was mortified that he had even risen his hand against her, and he was instantly sorry, collapsing and crying on her lap. But Mia was done.

  She told him to seek treatment, and he only did it with the condition that she attend meetings with him.

  Mia felt compelled to help him, and although their romantic relationship was over, they remained friends for a while, and she supported Aaron in his time of need.

  It was rough at first, but soon she saw the change in him. She even considered getting back together with him, and she told him that if he continued to make progress, she could possibly see a future with the two of them together again.

  One night after work, Mia agreed to meet Aaron at his place, since he had something he wanted to discuss with her. The streets were quiet that time of night as she drove across the business section of Peoria.

  Mia was thankful that she had worked late and missed the insanity of the rush hour traffic. She arrived at Aaron’s house about twenty minutes after leaving work. She sat in the car for a minute before getting out, struggling with a sudden, overwhelming, and unexplainable reluctance to see him.

  She reminded herself that Aaron really was trying to improve himself. He had lived off of his trust fund for a long time, but after getting help for his alcoholism, he had also enrolled in online classes to earn his degree in business.

  Mia admired his spirit and determination, and she hoped that he would be able to accomplish his goals.

  She grabbed her phone and checked the security alarm for the animal clinic, double checking that it was still armed and there were no issues. Everything was fine, though, and she felt like an idiot for checking it. If there were any problems, then she would have been notified instantly, along with Dr. Vogel.