by Bryce Evans
Nolan lowered his head in shame. Taking a deep breath, he explained, “Because Carina is never wrong. She said that I’m going to die, and I didn’t want Skylar to go through that pain if it happened. She deserves so much more than me.”
“But you know that we can change that. Do you know how hard that was for her to do? She told you that you were her mate. You crushed her when you told her that you had slept with someone else!” Thea yelled at him.
Sitting down on the steps, he put his head in his hands.
“You need to fix this, Nolan, before she does something stupid. Her instincts told her that you were her mate, and now you told her that what she was feeling was a lie. She won’t ever trust her judgment again. You better hope you die, because Skylar will never choose another. She will never let another man into her life, no matter what she feels.”
Hearing Thea say that killed him. He deserved to die for bringing her so much pain. He could see it in her eyes all over again: the pain, and the confusion.
Nolan got up to go inside. He couldn’t stand to hear Thea’s accusations, even though he knew they were true. Skylar wouldn’t forgive him. He stopped at the door, not wanting to go inside where she had been. He needed to look for her, but where? And he wasn’t a dragon—he couldn’t fly.
“Thea, he can change it. You know that. You’re not like this, stop being mean. He loved her enough to tell her that so she wouldn’t get hurt. You’ve never seen a shifter when they lose their mate. Nolan has. He did it for her. And Alpha, we wasn’t ease dropping on yours and the Princess’ conversation, but Fisher said we could find some seeds in the barn. We were in the back part of the barn when she walked in and we left when she shifted. I’m sorry about that.” Xavier held his mate as she cried into his chest.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so scared.”
“I know, baby, but you and Sin are both going to be okay. Come on now, it’s been a long day for you. Let’s get you to bed.”
Xavier continued holding her as they got up. Thea stopped and placed her hand on the side of Nolan’s face. “I’m sorry for what I said, but you have to make this right, Alpha. She needs you. We all do.”
“I thought if I said it she would hate me because if I don’t make it then she could die too and I want let that happen Thea. She has to live.”
Nolan watched as they walked inside the house. Thea was right; he needed to fix this. There was still a chance. He ran to the tower. Maybe if he saw her he could shoot off a flare and she would come to him. Stripping off his clothes, Nolan ran toward the cell-phone tower they had put up. Whatever he had to do, he would, even beg her to forgive him.
Skylar couldn’t take the ache in her heart anymore. She wasn’t meant to be the Alpha of her people. She couldn’t even tell lust from the mating pull. She needed a place to think, and there was only one place she could go that was close enough to hide for a while.
How stupid could she be? Even her people thought they were mates. She could see it on their faces. Cry had even told her so.
Never again would she let a man into her heart. Harden your heart, Skylar, she repeated over and over again. She shifted when she made it to the cave, feeling a thousand years old. All she wanted to do was lay down and forget about Nolan Banks. She walked back to her bedroom. Thankfully they’d left the beds and bedding, just in case they needed to come back. Getting under the covers, she closed her eyes and willed herself to stop thinking about him. She wouldn’t give him a second thought. Instead she turned over and cried until she realized that Nolan was lying. He couldn’t even look her in the face when he said it. That wasn’t the type of person he was. He was an Alpha and even if it hurt her feelings he would still look her in the eyes. He couldn’t which meant only one thing, Nolan was lying to her, but why?
Chapter Eleven
Nolan watched the skies, but saw nothing. Then he saw something; it was a dragon, but it wasn’t Skylar, it was Dag. He had gone with the Betas to spread the fire-proofing solution he’d made on the homes and trees. He waved his hands back and forth until the dragon made the turn and came up and grabbed ahold of the side of the tower. “What’s wrong?”
“I had a fuss with Skylar and now she’s taken off.” Nolan couldn’t look Dag in the eye. He felt the shame of what he did.
“What did you do?” Dag asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Look, I need to make this right, and make her understand that she is mine.” Nolan shook his head and looked off in the distance. “I was scared that I was going to die like Carina said, and I didn’t want her to feel that pain…so I told her something that wasn’t true.” Nolan moved over and stood in front of him. “Help me make it right.”
“Hold on.” Nolan screamed as Dag grabbed him with one of his claws and launched into the air.
“Stop screaming like a girl. You’re an Alpha, for Gods’ sake.”
“Yeah, well, I hate heights and you didn’t give me any time to prepare.”
“You’re mates with a dragon shifter. How’s that going to work?” Silence filled the air as Nolan opened his eyes and looked around. Alpha City was beautiful from above. He could see it all including the meadow, it might all end in. It was like a light bulb went off—suddenly what he needed to do became clear as a bell.
“When I mate with Skylar, will I turn into a dragon?” Nolan craned his neck to look at Dag.
Dag smiled, then laughed. “I didn’t think about that. I bet that would freak Jamal out. He sure as hell wouldn’t expect that, would he?”
“It could change a lot of things,” Nolan said, grinning.
“Then you need to make this right with the princess. You need to tell her how you really feel. I saw your tiger wanting out. He wanted you to claim your mate. My advice to you is to not to give up on her. Keep telling her over and over that she’s your mate, and explain why you lied. Make her understand that she is the one that can save your soul. If she’s mad, then you won’t stand a chance.” Dag dove down. It looked like he was going to hit the side of the mountain, but instead they flew into an opening of a cave. “She’s here, but I can scent how pissed she is. Good luck.”
Before Nolan could get more advice, the damn dragon flew off. Slowly he walked further into the cave. Wow, this place was unreal. He looked around at the walls, wondering how they could make something like this. It was like something out of a story.
Nolan reached up and ran his fingers across the smooth stone surface. The walls were made of rock, but they had been polished, showing off all the vibrant colors inside. He had never seen rocks that looked like this. He had to stop and just take it all in. They must have used fire and water to bring out all the dark blue and green colors to make it so smooth. Occasionally a pop of gold stood out in between the rich colors.
Walking further inside he came to a hallway that came into a living room area equipped with a big-screen TV, the biggest sofa he had ever seen, and several loungers. He inhaled deeply. He could pick up Skylar’s scent, but she hadn’t been in here long. Following her trail, Nolan came to a bedroom and found his mate stretched out on the king-size bed. She hadn’t felt his presence, and as he got closer he could see that she was asleep. Her face was tear-streaked, and there were dark circles underneath her eyes, but she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had to make this right.
He slowly crept up to the bed. Before he could sit down, Skylar bolted upright, jerking him across her. Her claws were at his neck, ready for a killing blow, and her eyes were dragon-like, with long pupils staring back at him. It wasn’t until he said her name that she blinked and pulled away from him. Shaking her head, she glanced away from him, and then back again.
“It’s me, Nolan.”
“How…” Skylar glanced around the room, then narrowed her eyes at him. She clearly wasn’t happy to see him.
“I asked Dag to help me find you.”
“I’ll deal with him later. What do you want, Nolan?”
“You.” Nolan said with a smile, but Sky
lar wasn’t going to make it easy on him. She snorted.
“We’ve had this conversation. Go back to the whorehouse and have your fun. Remember you’ve already been with someone else today. You don’t want me. We both have a lot to do before the turning of the leaves.” Skylar started to get up, but Nolan acted quickly and grabbed her, pinning her down underneath him.
“Get off me, tiger. Now.” Skylar pushed against him but Nolan was just as strong.
“Look at me, Skylar,” Nolan pleaded, but she wasn’t listening. “Then just listen. I…I said some stupid stuff because I thought that it would save you from a terrible heartache if I died. I couldn’t bear that for you. I’ve seen how painful it is for a mate when they lose their one and only, and I’ve already fallen in love with you. I think the moment I saw you, I loved you. I know that sounds odd since we just met but it’s different with shifters. You know this Skylar and I couldn’t let him win and hurt you if I did die in the battle.”
Skylar turned her head and looked back at him. “You lie. If you were my mate, you wouldn’t have slept with someone else.”
“I lied.” Skylar kicked off him slinging him onto the floor.
“You lied? You told me that you had been with another girl! My mate was with someone else.” Skylar looked like the predator she was as she stalked around the bed. Nolan could see how mad she was, and he wasn’t going to fight with her because that was what she wanted right now.
Holding up his hands, Nolan readied himself and said, “Skylar…now calm down, baby. I lied because I knew that would make you stay away from me. I couldn’t bear the thought—”
“You couldn’t bear the thought of what? Cutting me to the bone? Because that’s what you did, Nolan. You denied me as your mate. You lied about being with another woman. Another woman Nolan. Really, you couldn’t have come up with something more original. I admit I fell for it for a minute then I realized that you’re just stupid because only a stupid shifter would tell their mate that they were with someone else.” Nolan continued to watch as his mate followed him around and around the bed. She was good and pissed, and if she got those claws on him, it was going to hurt.
When she lunged at him, Nolan jumped over her and landed on her back, dragging her to the floor and wrapping his arms and legs around her so she couldn’t move. “I love you, Skylar. I love you more than life itself, because if I only have a few days with you then it would be worth it. I can’t live another moment without you. Yes call me stupid. Call it a lapse in judgement because I couldn’t look at another woman much less touch one. You are it for me.”
Her chest heaved. “I know that you fool, but don’t think for a second that I’m going to make this easy on you. God I hope you’re smarter then this. I thought you were but this is what you came up with. I hope you didn’t come up with any of the plans in battle because if so we are doomed.”
Flipping her over, Nolan sucked in a deep breath as he gazed on the woman who would be the mother of his children. He could see them running around now: two boys with black hair like their mother, and one girl who had blonde hair and curls sprouting out everywhere. She was the youngest and would be just like him. The older boys would protect her fiercely, because they could see how special she would be. Skylar would be the one that would be able to dish it back out to him. She was his mate that was for sure. He could see the fire in her eyes. She made him so hot that…Damn she was fast.
“Ouch! What the hell Skylar?” Nolan landed on his stomach when his mate, the love of his life flipped him right off the bed.
“I’m sorry Skylar. I really screwed this up, but I did it with good intentions. What if Carina said you were going to die and this girl is never wrong? If she told me my hair turned blue, I wouldn’t have to look to make sure. I would know that my hair was blue. Please, please forgive me.” Skylar leaned over him shaking her head. “Give me a break Nolan. You can do better than that. Everyone of your friends would have jumped off a cliff to mate with their one and only and you lied to me. Really?”
“Baby, I really do love you. I didn’t want for you to go through that.” Nolan pleaded, but he was lying on the floor looking up at his angry mate.
“I’m not so sure that you are sorry enough yet. Let’s see what I can ask for.” Skylar leaned her head back like she was in deep thought. “Take your clothes off.”
“Well baby all you had to do was ask and I would—” Skylar placed her finger over Nolan’s mouth stopping him from talking. “Oh no baby, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Skylar brushed her palms together then cracked her knuckles. “You’ve been a bad boy and bad boys get spankings.” Skylar walked over to a barrel sitting by the door and pulled out a piece of wood that looked almost like a paddle.
“Skylar, now I know you’re joking.” Nolan said jumping up when he saw the expression on her face. She wasn’t joking. “Now, baby, let’s be reasonable,” He pleaded.
“Oh I’m being reasonable baby.” Skylar jumped right in front of him and smacked him across the butt with the paddle.
“Ouch! That hurts Skylar.”
“Oh yeah, like being told that your mate just had sex with someone else. That kind of pain?”
“I see your point. It was stupid.” Smack! “Ouch, Skylar that’s enough. Why are you still hitting me?
“Because, you hurt me and you deserved it.” Skylar let out a harsh breath.
“I did and I’m sorry. But you spanked me and I think you proved your point.”
Smack, smack, smack. “Skylar?” Nolan grabbed her hand and pulled her until she was laying on the bed laughing.
“It’s not funny, that did hurt.” Nolan said laughing with her.
“It was funny to me, but I guess I can forgive you, now that I’ve got my frustrations out.” Skylar said still smiling. Both of them were heaving and her breasts were brushing against his chest. He couldn’t stop staring at her. Her eyes were wide and intense fierce even. She was so damn sexy.
“You’re beautiful and you’re my mate.” Nolan watched the smile slide from her face.
“Do you really mean it?”
He stilled his body. He had to make her believe him. Because he loved her more than anything and he never wanted to be without her again. “I love you Skylar and I plan to spend the rest of my life with you, if you’ll have me.”
It felt like an eternity before she said it back. “Yes.”
Smiling, Nolan leaned down and kissed her lips. “Now you’re mine, Skylar, and you always will be.”
Nolan watched as tears slipped from her closed eyes. “Don’t cry, my sweet girl. I only wanted to keep you safe.” Then his lips crashed against hers.
Pulling away, Skylar whispered, “About time, you big ass.”
Releasing her hands, Nolan started kissing and licking down her neck. “Gods, you smell good. All I want to do is eat you up.”
He slid his hands between her thighs, bending down and nipping between her legs until she finally opened them up. Her body was on fire as Nolan’s talented tongue and lips made their way down her body. A soft purring sound emanated from Nolan when he found the place she so wanted him to touch.
One lick from the man’s tongue removed any doubt that Nolan was a master at this. It only took a couple more strokes and sucking on her nub to bring Skylar arching off the bed. Placing his hands on her stomach and chuckling, Nolan pushed her down and continued to bring her to the brink of insanity until she went off.
He licked her like he was licking ice cream on a hot day. The man used his tongue as a weapon. She would tell him everything he wanted to know, all her secrets spilling from her mouth. She had no clue whatsoever of what she was saying, but her skin grew hotter as he slowly tortured her with his tongue, gliding it in and out. Not just any kind of lick, but the nice, long kind where you don’t let one drop of the ice cream fall to the ground. She could feel how slick and aroused she was as he pressed a finger in. It was so smooth of a transition she almost came. All she could think about was how i
t all felt as his tongue flicked against her clit, and how she needed just a little bit more, just a little more, as her hips lifted so slightly…and bingo! She screamed out his name. “Nolan! Oh yes, Nolan!”
“Gods, woman you are driving me crazy. You taste so good. You’re trembling, baby.” Nolan said between soft wet kisses and small bites, moving up her body and stopping at her lips. “I think I can die and go to heaven now that I’ve tasted you.” Skylar smiled as Nolan leaned forward and softly kissed her. Her toes curled as his words and lips brushed over hers. “You’re my mate, Skylar, and you’re stuck with me now. I’ve got you embedded into my soul.”
“I need you now.” Everything felt ramped up more with his words. She needed him inside of her now. She couldn’t wait another second as he lingered over her, smiling. And just like that, Nolan stopped hesitating and gave her what she asked for, thrusting inside of her making them one together. Her wetness allowed him to slip right in, and holy smokes she was so wet. Her fingernails slid down his back as he hit the perfect spot.
Nolan groaned. “You’re not playing fair, my love, but don’t stop,” he muttered as his hips slapped against hers. Wrapping her legs around him, Skylar pushed back as they found the ultimate pace that quickly brought her to another orgasm.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Skylar screamed out. Leaning forward, she bit into his shoulder, holding on tighter. She tasted the iron as she licked his wound clean, closing it up.
“Bite harder,” Nolan muttered as he grabbed ahold of her ass and fucked her harder until he found his own release, biting into her shoulder and completing the mating.
They couldn’t seem to get enough of each other as Nolan started playing with her again. He loved every sound, every touch, and every taste of her body. Panting, she grabbed his hair and screamed out his name.
