Heartsridge Shifters: Owen (The Protectors Book 1)

by Olivia Arran

  It felt right.

  And he didn’t seem too put off by the idea, his mouth closing over my nipple as he growled, sucking the flesh into his mouth and rolling it with his tongue. “Yes, Ma’am.”

  I shuddered as the vibrations rippled through me, fingers threading through his hair and holding him in place. “You’re truly gifted at talking with your mouth full.”

  His eyes lifted to meet mine and I felt his lips move up into a smirk. “It’s a talent, one I’d like to continue perfecting.”

  “So good,” I whimpered, adding a mumbled, “fine by me.”

  As if on the same brain wavelength, we tumbled out of the truck, hands snatching at each other’s clothes, gasping as we stole kisses and came back together with every removed garment, fitting together so perfectly. My breath caught as he shoved his jeans down, releasing his long cock. Even after already having had this man, he still took my breath away. Never failed to spark a deep throbbing between my legs, and that was just from looking at him. His hard muscles and bulky frame, dark looks and piercing eyes. The short hairs on his stomach that trailed down to wrap around his cock, his heavy sac framed by thick thighs, and big hands that were now reaching for me and helping me with my jeans, peeling them off me until I was pressed skin to skin.

  His hands pressed into my ass, lifting me into his arms as he kissed me hard and deep, his cock brushing against my ass, teasing me as he strode to the back of the truck. “Fuck. So beautiful,” he groaned, yanking the tailgate down. A soft rustling, then I was laid back on a bed of cotton, my legs hanging off the edge as he moved between them, his hands skimming my body with a sense of worship as he teased my flesh, working his way down, pressing kisses and bites to my stomach, nipping at my hips and then sucking the sting away.

  I grabbed for him, petting his hair and sliding my fingers through the silky strands, moaning as he moved even lower, my hips jerking when his tongue stroked through my heat, lapping at my entrance, his fingers joining in to drive me wild. Drive me higher. Filling me and thrusting with a deliberation that made my toes curl and hips jerk.

  “Come for me, sugar,” he growled against me, his free hand finding my nipple and rolling it between his fingers, massaging my breast with a rough, steady hand.

  My fingers clenched in the blanket, pulling it tight against my body as I rocked against him, his large hands cupping my ass and urging me on, until I tipped over the edge, my cries echoing out over the forest and into the sky.

  He surged up onto the truck bed, claiming my mouth with a raw savagery that had aftershocks spinning through my system, his body sliding against mine in a relentless rhythm as his tongue fucked between my lips, an echo of what had just happened between my thighs.

  Yes… I moaned, sliding my hand between our bodies to grip him, loving the feel of him filling my hand, hard and hot to the touch. I wanted him inside me. But I also wanted to taste him.

  A not so gentle shove and some soft urging and I had him where I wanted him, peering down at me with his hands braced against the cab of the truck, his cock hanging directly in front of my more than willing mouth.

  “Bree, you don’t have—” He lost his words to a muffled shout as I licked a path from root to tip, teasing the head with a swirl of my tongue. He tasted so damn good. The scent of soap and man filled my nostrils as I took him in my mouth, plumping my lips and sliding them along his shaft. His hips bucked as he grunted, his biceps bulging as he strained against the metal, jaw rigid with control.

  Well, that won’t do… This was our mating. I wanted dirty and fast and frantic. Raw in a way that made a person lose control, only to find themselves again on the other side.

  Bringing my hands to his ass, I urged him forward, loving the way his slick skin slid into my mouth, straining my jaw. He jerked forward and I groaned around him, digging my nails into his buttocks.

  “Fuck, Bree,” he groaned, pulling back then surging forward again, slow and steady as he watched my face, his own a tortured mask of desire and love.

  Swirling my tongue on his retreat, I urged him on again and again, until his breath became ragged and he wrenched himself away, taking me in a kiss that had the heat churning through me and building into a fever. I wrapped my leg around his hip as he rolled on top of me, his arms braced above me and shaft nudging at my entrance. A thrust of his hips and he was filling me, immediately retreating before sliding back home. Again and again he powered into me, my legs coming up to wrap around him as I met him thrust for thrust.

  A look of wonder crossed his face as he stared down at me, his chest flushed and skin gleaming in the pale moonlight. “You know I love you,” he murmured, dipping down and stealing a kiss.

  That was us all over—the pair with a lot to say about anything that didn’t matter. But, for the real stuff—the stuff that did matter—we didn’t need words. I saw everything I needed to know in his eyes. Felt it in his touch. Heard it whispered in his kiss.

  I placed my hand on his chest, directly over his heart, my nails digging in, as if I was trying to physically force a connection. He was mine, I didn’t need declarations and fancy words. “And you know I love you.”

  He grinned and I couldn’t stop myself from grinning back. Without missing a beat, he reached between us, quirking an eyebrow as he pressed beneath my legs, massaging that little bundle of nerves. My hips bucked, and my mouth fell open on a gasp as he growled the word that sent a possessive shiver running through me, “Mine.” He lunged, his teeth slicing into my skin as he marked me. Claimed me as his mate.

  Clinging to him, I bit into the skin above his shoulder, and the soul bond exploded to life, a physical tug inside my chest as it settled into place. Emotion poured through the bond, confirming everything I already knew, but almost overwhelming in its intensity. Love, lust, adoration. The sweet kind of comfort that feels like coming home, the kind you want to wrap around you like a well-loved blanket and sink into for a while. All his emotions merged and sucked me in, leaving me spinning out of control as we came together, straining and shouting each other’s names, only to crash back down into each other’s arms.

  I stared at the stars in the sky while floating somewhere in the clouds, content to still feel him buried inside me as close as two people could possibly get. His hand brushed my cheek, his fingers lingering, and I followed his hand, pressing my cheek into his palm with a small sigh.

  If I had to, I would choose this man over my beloved sky.

  Because I know he would never ask me to choose.

  Epilogue

  Briana

  Two weeks later…

  “What the fuck do you want?”

  Even from way up in the bedroom, I could hear my mate’s disgruntled roar. Interest piqued, I climbed off the bed and padded downstairs. It wasn’t often Owen got pissed—unless I was deliberately goading him, which was a lot of fun and one of my favorite pastimes—but when he did get angry and it wasn’t my fault, it was always quite the show and I tried not to miss an episode. FYI—make up sex was great, especially with a hot as hell alpha wolf shifter. My dragon was still fanning herself from the last romp around the block.

  Yep, and even when it wasn’t me that was arguing with him, I still got furious sex as a treat afterward. So, I was smiling as I made my way downstairs, like a kid promised a giant sundae. With a cherry on top.

  Furious whispers met my ears.

  Huh. The cherry disappeared from my imaginary sundae and I made a sound of disgust.

  “What’s up, wolf?” I bumped my hip against his, trying to clear his bulk out of the doorway so I could peer past him.

  “Lucky?”

  My stomach churned at the familiar voice.

  The sundae vanished completely as Owen reluctantly shuffled aside when I dug my fingers in his ribs. Overprotective man. “What do you want?” I aimed for bored nonchalance and was pretty sure I pulled it off, giving my adoptive parents a blank stare.

  “You’ve got a death wish coming onto pack land,” Owen gro
wled, not going for bored nonchalance.

  My father cleared his throat. “Can we come in?”

  “Nope.” I delivered the word with the relish it deserved. “I don’t want to see you. I thought I’d made that clear.”

  A hand slammed against the door before I managed to close it. “We know who lied to us.” My mother’s words were a last-ditch attempt at trickery, but the urge to hear them out surged through me. Call me inquisitive or stupid, either way, I wanted to hear it.

  “And?”

  My mother took a deep breath. “Can we please come inside?”

  I looked at Owen, who inclined his head to me. My decision then. “As long as you leave when requested.”

  Once they’d both nodded, they followed me inside and I tried my best not to look at them, to not notice the way their faces bore fresh signs of grief or the way their clothes didn’t fit so well anymore. I tried, but I could feel them slipping past my defenses already.

  Owen’s made me soft.

  Then his hand slipped into mine and I felt complete again, the strength to deal with this filling me up and bolstering me.

  I wasn’t the same woman they’d spoken to a couple of weeks ago. I’d had time to deal with their reappearance, figure out my shit. I had also been working on my poker face, just in case. Good thing, too.

  After we were seated in the living area—no refreshments offered, of course—I waved a hand for them to get on with it.

  My mother cleared her throat, her fingers worrying at the bracelet she always wore, twisting it around and around. “We don’t blame you for hating us, Lucky.”

  “It’s just Briana now.”

  “Right, of course.” She bowed her head, taking a deep breath. “Where to start … Right, uh, well, we took you in as a baby. We couldn’t have children of our own and you were the gift we never dared to hope for.” She paused and when I didn’t speak, she continued, “We knew of your parents, of course, and one of the reasons you were secretly placed with us was for your own safety. Not all of the older dragon females can conceive, a lingering side effect of surviving the sickness, but the younger generation are fit and healthy, which made you a target.”

  “All the more reason to protect her,” Owen growled, tensing at my side.

  “Which is why we trained Briana to be strong and powerful. How to fight and lead.” Her eyes glimmered with pride as she looked at me. “And you became the woman I knew you could be.”

  Despite promising myself that I’d stay silent, I couldn’t help myself from asking, “Then, why?” Pretty broad question, but I wanted to hear everything.

  “We knew that if your true lineage was discovered then you would be sought out and courted, so we encouraged you to embrace a life without a man at your side, hoping it would give you the strength to see through the lies that would be thrown your way once you were interested in dating. Dragons can’t always wait for their fated mates because not enough of us survived.”

  I gritted my teeth, biting my tongue. But, hell in a hand basket, it was hard.

  “What do you mean, lineage?”

  I was glad Owen asked, because that one had slipped straight past me.

  “The Bloodstone line were the least affected by the sickness. They seemed to possess some kind of natural immunity, though some accused them of being behind the disease.” She chuffed, her jaw tight. “They couldn’t get it through their thick skulls that it was more likely a sign of your clan’s pure blood, and then it was too late. Your clan was gone, murdered. One of the three ruling bloodlines, destroyed.”

  Ah, yes, the whole ancient bloodline thing. Sounded more like a curse than a blessing from where I was standing. Okay. Let’s store that little nugget away for more morbid assessment later. “Carry on.” If I wasn’t so pissed, I’d feel a bit like a queen, waving my hand around and issuing orders.

  “Do you remember that day when we visited the council chambers?”

  I rolled my eyes and my father tutted, unable to help himself, obviously. But it was my house, my rules, and if I wanted to roll my eyes like a teenager, then so be it. “You’ll have to be a little more specific.”

  “It was summer and we’d been called in for an emergency session to discuss rumors that the humans had caught images of us on camera.”

  Ah, that one. I nodded.

  “Talk of building an army took place that day, calling all able dragons in to fight if a war started between shifters and humans.”

  Now that I didn’t know.

  “It was one of your first official outings as one of our bodyguards and they saw you. The other council members—the other shifters—they asked why your name wasn’t on the list we’d just drawn up. They didn’t care about our women being nearly wiped out or that you were my daughter. We couldn’t tell them who you really were, because then the pressure for you to mate and rebuild your bloodline would have begun. But they said if you were capable of service then you would be called to fight.” She blinked, as if peering into the past. “So, I took you out of service. Forbade you to fight and kept you out of their sight.”

  My father carried on when my mother fell silent, “We told them that you had suffered an injury and had decided to settle down and start a family. As long as it appeared that we were telling the truth, you would be safe.”

  “But I would have fought!”

  My mother leaned forward, as if to pat my hand, but she restrained herself at the last moment. “I know. There was another reason too. Once the council had made their list, it was to be passed out to all the alphas. Even not knowing the truth of who you really are, your full name would have been revealed as a Skyjade, our only daughter, and the claims would have begun. The fighting. The attempts at snatching.”

  Owen held up a hand. “Wait, what? Snatching?”

  “An old tradition that most don’t observe anymore.” My mother snorted. “If they’ve got any decency left, anyway. They believe that if a dragon has enough wit and strength to snatch an unmated woman out of her own home, then he can claim her.”

  Ah, crapola. Right. That little factoid was tucked away right along with the kind of bedtime stories that were used to scare a kid into behaving themselves.

  Yeah, she didn’t have to spell it out. My adoptive parents were powerful and wealthy, not to mention the fact that they were both on the shifter council. I’d have been quite the catch.

  “We were trying to protect you until you were older and stronger, until you could protect yourself. We thought you might fall in love and chose your own mate. Our faults lie with loving you too much to see you put at risk,” my father said in a gruff voice, smoothing his hands over his pants, back and forth in a nervous gesture.

  If they’d just explained things to me… “And then you thought, screw it, I’ll just give her to someone?”

  “No! We were told that you had fallen in love, but that you wanted to protect your reputation and refrain from seeing him before your mating night.”

  I made a rude noise. How the hell could they even think that was what I would have wanted? “And you didn’t think to speak to me about it?” My sarcasm was just sparkling today.

  “You ran before I got the chance to have the birds and the bees talk, Briana.” Lucky for her, I didn’t detect a hint of sarcasm.

  “Because I overheard you planning it!”

  “I wanted to surprise you with the plans because we thought that’s what you wanted! We were going to do the big reveal that weekend, giving us a couple of weeks to spend together as a family while you prepared for your new life with your mate. Who we foolishly believed you loved.”

  My mind was warped, trying to fit everything together and coming up with a crocheted blanket. “Who told you?” I had to know.

  “Your Uncle Geddard.” Tears fell from her eyes as she stared at me.

  Huh. I hadn’t really known my uncle that well, so why did he want to get rid of me?

  My mother was still sobbing, her shoulders shaking as she struggled to get the w
ords out, “I believed my brother without a thought and I’m desperately sorry. I was foolish and it was unforgivable and I’m going to mourn losing my daughter from our lives for the rest of my time here on earth.”

  My father nodded, his eyes glistening as he gripped his mate’s hand. “We thought that you’d been snatched. Then when you didn’t resurface, we couldn’t stop ourselves from thinking the worst had happened. Seeing you here, happy with your new mate, living the kind of life that we’d hoped for you is everything we could have dreamed of.”

  Wait? They were okay with Owen being my mate? That I hadn’t chosen another dragon, seeing as how I had this super special blood swimming through my veins, I’d kinda thought they might not be on board with the idea. Repopulating the species, and all that jazz.

  He continued, oblivious to my inner ramblings, “We just wanted you to know that your uncle confessed and is being punished for his crime against you. He will be banished and his wings clipped.”

  Holy shit. That was a harsh punishment. I waited to feel a speck of remorse, but my heart was hardened to the uncle I’d barely known. My parents were badasses, and they certainly didn’t take prisoners when it came to people who hurt their family. Even when it was family.

  Taking a moment, I let the new knowledge sink in. How they’d gotten the confession was best left to my overactive imagination, but I was betting it wasn’t pleasant. But… “How did he think he’d get away with it? Surely he must have known that I would have refused.”

  “They thought you, a silly girl, would welcome the advances of an influential and rich man. If you’d have said no, he was planning on snatching you with your uncle’s help. Silly men, thinking they’d be able to sneak into my house when I would be expecting them? Not even proper alphas, either, the pair of them. Not a full set of balls between them.” She growled and my father flashed a grin that was more teeth than lips. “Your uncle was paid for his involvement, just in case you were interested in his motivation and the kind of man he really is.” Mother curled her lip in disgust, smoke curling out of her nose. Oh, yes, she was furious. The kind of scary that made other alphas look like wusses. And she’d kicked my uncle—her own brother’s—ass for me.