by E. J. Waugh
Of course, mating could be forced, as well, but the bond would never be as strong. Jaren knew already that he loved Elston enough for both of them, but he suspected, now, that he didn't have to.
Almost as soon as he said it, he could feel the first of the tingling, heavy sensation that a mating bond was often described as. As though an invisible tether was forming between his heart and Elston's. Judging by the look on Elston's face, he felt it as well.
Needing more contact, Jaren used his strength to hold Elston and pull him with him as he sat up, keeping the other man in his lap. Before Jaren could do it, Elston darted forward and kissed him, bringing their bodies as close together as they ever had been.
The mating bond sealed hard and fast, leaving Jaren with a headache not unlike the one that came from missing a step on a flight of stairs.
He cried out as it took him by surprise, coming without warning. The way Elston's body contracted around him, squeezing so hard it was nearly painful, told him that Elston was having a similar experience.
All Jaren could do was hold him through it and let Elston wriggle into a comfortable position as his knot swelled suddenly.
In the wake of what had just happened, they both sat panting heavily for long moments, trying to get their bearings in a world where they were mated to each other.
Finally, Elston leaned forward and let his head rest on Jaren's shoulder, still trying to catch his breath. Jaren found himself rubbing circles on Elston's back, soothing the shock of how intense mating had been.
If Jaren lived another thousand years, he’d never forget the feeling. If he’d been asked to describe it, he could only say that it was as he imagined being struck by lightning, but without any of the pain.
“I'm exhausted,” Elston complained, his breath tickling Jaren's collarbone.
“Then sleep,” Jaren murmured, turning his head to nuzzle Elston's hair. “And I will be there when you wake. Now and forever.
Elston hummed, and then sighed so hard that Jaren could feel him going limp with the release of tension. “I love you,” he said, shifting minutely closer.
Jaren's heart contracted painfully in his chest. He knew that, of course—Elston had agreed to mate with him—but he was sure he’d never tire of hearing it.
The sacrifice of his immortality was repaid tenfold with every soft breath Elston took against him, and Jaren knew he would not regret this mating for a moment.
Chapter Thirteen
Being mated to Jaren turned out to be much, much more than Elston had expected, but he found himself enjoying every moment of it. Now that Jaren felt he was allowed to display affection toward him, he did so at every possible opportunity. They were rarely parted, and Jaren himself took over many of the tasks Alina had initially been in charge of.
Of these, Elston’s favorite was Jaren’s obsession with braiding Elston’s hair in increasingly complex ways, sometimes spending hours combing his fingers through it and weaving the strands together. Elston found that, between the mating and the pregnancy, he craved Jaren’s touch on a regular basis.
He suspected that Jaren felt the same, hence the insistence on being responsible for much of his personal grooming. Elston would have liked to do the same for him, but Jaren kept his hair short. Instead, he insisted that they bathe together, and paid special attention to washing it for him.
They passed the worst of the winter too caught up in each other to notice much of the passage of time, and it wasn’t until Elston looked out the window and saw the first hints of spring poking through the thinner blanket of snow that he realized how much time had passed.
The knowledge gave him another thought, and he rushed to peel off his winter layers and look at himself naked. Jaren watched him from the bed, still sleepy and obviously not inclined to get up anytime soon.
While Jaren was perfectly attentive and never let even Elston’s faintest whim go unsatisfied, Elston had learned that dragons were fundamentally lazy creatures, who would choose to sleep all the time if they knew their safety was assured. Every time he saw Jaren asleep, Elston felt another pang of love for him, knowing that Jaren trusted him with his life.
To Elston’s delight, his suspicions were confirmed once he could see his body in the light. He hadn’t undressed over the last few days, preferring to snuggle close to Jaren and weather the absolute worst of the cold together, so that they’d both stay warm. Even when he had undressed before, it had been for as brief a period as possible. In that time, the baby had grown enough that now there was the beginning of a bulge to his belly. It would barely have been noticeable if he hadn’t known what his body had looked like before, but it was enough to get him excited.
He raced over to Jaren’s side of the bed and grabbed the other man’s hand, pressing it against his stomach with enthusiasm. Elston grinned at his mate as confusion, and then realization moved his features.
Jaren’s touch remained light, his thumb stroking the curve of Elston’s belly gently, but his eyes said everything. While Elston often felt as though Jaren was in awe of him, he’d never felt it more so than in this moment.
“Oh,” Jaren said softly, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “This suddenly seems much more real.”
Elston laughed. “It’s very real.”
“You’ve never been more beautiful than you are right now,” Jaren said softly. “The baby will come at the beginning of the harvest.”
“That seems so far away.” Elston glanced out the window again. “But the snow’s melting already.”
“Time will fly,” Jaren assured him. He leaned forward to kiss Elston’s belly, making him giggle.
“Hello in there,” Jaren whispered. “You are so well-loved.”
Elston moved his hand to Jaren’s head, running his fingers through Jaren’s hair. “Will it be a dragon?”
“I don’t know.” Jaren looked up at him again. “But I’m very excited to find out.”
“Do you think you could come outside with me today?” Elston asked. Jaren did badly in the cold, his energy sapped by trying to keep himself warm in it, but the sun was shining, and Elston wanted desperately to see his mate in the light for once. He’d stuck to short walks around the grounds by himself, but ached to be back with Jaren the moment he left his side.
To think that Jaren had been worried about smothering him seemed ridiculous now. If anything, Jaren’s need for closeness was less pronounced than his own. He wondered if that might fade after the baby came, but he didn’t need it to, as long as Jaren was nearby.
“I can certainly try. As long as you promise to warm me up when we come back in?” Jaren smiled slowly.
Elston had discovered all the joys of sex at Jaren’s hands—and mouth—over the harsh winter, and knew now that this was what mated life was supposed to be like. His first thought when he woke was of Jaren, and his last before sleep was, too. He knew Jaren’s mind worked the same way.
“Promise.” Elston bent down to kiss him, then backed away to dress in warm clothes, admiring the view as Jaren did the same. Everything about Jaren was fascinating to him, his body included.
For once in his life, everything seemed to be going Elston’s way.
Chapter Fourteen
When Jaren first looked out the window, he wasn’t entirely sure what he was seeing. There was some kind of disturbance in the forest, and he imagined it was a bear rising from its winter slumber and frightening other things out of hiding.
At first, he dismissed it, but later decided that no, the disturbance had been too large for that. Something else was happening, and he needed to know what it was.
It wasn’t until he got closer to the window that he realized what he was really seeing. His stomach turned in apprehension as a band of armed men marched up the path toward the castle. Their leader was instantly recognizable.
Torv was coming to finish what he’d started, and he’d brought a much larger force with him, this time. The initial altercation had only deterred him fo
r the length of the winter, when this part of the forest had been inaccessible.
They were coming for Elston, obviously still convinced that he was being held captive.
Jaren had no force of his own, and he would not ask the small number of staff he kept on to fight for him. They hadn’t signed up for that at any point. It was his job to defend Elston, as his mate, and he would do just that.
Leaving Elston to his midday nap, Jaren dressed hurriedly and headed outside to meet the invading force head on.
Torv paused the moment he saw him, squaring his shoulders. This was a man who’d barely flinched at the sight of a dragon, and Jaren would have been a fool to underestimate him.
“I have asked you to leave before,” Jaren called out as the mob began to cross the threshold into his territory. “And yet, you return.”
“We’ve come for Elston,” Torv called back, taking another few steps forward. “Release him, or face your death.”
“I am not holding him. He is under my protection,” Jaren said, trying to keep his tone even. He suspected it would be a mistake to mention that Elston was his mate. Neither Torv nor his party would take kindly to the idea of a dragon taking one of their own. It had been a source of tension between humans and dragons for a long time, though very few dragons claimed an omega as tribute.
Only especially stupid ones like Jaren, who fell in love with them.
Torv looked at Jaren carefully. “Then we need to hear that from him.”
Jaren knew it wasn’t going to be that simple, and that they would never take Elston’s word for it. The fact that he was pregnant only complicated matters further, and made Jaren even more wary of allowing him to face these people. Torv struck Jaren as the kind of man who would insist that if he couldn’t have Elston, no one could.
The risk was far too great, as much as Jaren would have liked to believe that Elston’s word would be all it took.
“He has no interest in speaking to you,” Jaren said. “And I will remind you again that this is my land, and my home. You are not welcome here.”
Torv looked around exaggeratedly. “I don’t see anyone stopping us from going in and getting him.”
Fear gripped Jaren’s heart. He couldn’t let them get to Elston. He’d promised that his mate would be safe for as long as he drew breath.
Considering the size of the force Torv had brought with him this time—twenty or thirty people—that may not have been as long as he’d thought it would be when he said it. All the same, he’d made a promise, and he would die defending Elston and their unborn child if he had to.
In fact, his only regret would be failing to meet his baby and leaving Elston to raise it alone. If Torv insisted, though, he had no other choice.
Jaren saw Torv tense to give the order to attack, and began to shift as quickly as he could. The faster he did it, the more energy it required, but he was too vulnerable in his human form to remain in it.
Even as a dragon he had little hope of fighting off the mob rushing toward him—unless he was willing to kill them—but at least he had some.
Just as Torv reached his position, Jaren heard the front door of the castle open.
“Wait,” Elston called out. Jaren’s heart sank. Elston was in mortal danger because of him, now, which was the last thing he’d wanted.
The rush stopped. Jaren could hear Elston approaching him, and soon felt the other man’s hand resting on the scales of his belly. Though he was still afraid for both of their lives—all three of their lives, in fact—the knowledge that Elston was comfortable with touching him in this form was soothing. He always felt loved by his young mate, but never more so than in this moment.
“You can’t hurt him. Please,” Elston said softly. “Please, if any of you have ever cared about me at all, you won’t hurt him.”
“All he needs to do is release you, and we’ll leave peacefully.”
“I…” Elston looked at the crowd in front of him. “He’s not holding me prisoner. I’m choosing to be here of my own accord.”
Torv took a step forward, closer to Elston. Elston backed up into Jaren’s chest, and Jaren could feel him trembling. He held Torv’s gaze, though.
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing with this monster, but you were promised to me, and I intend to take what I am owed. I will not weep over a dragon if I have to kill it,” Torv said, too softly for anyone else to hear.
“You would murder a creature who’s never done you any harm out of envy, and he’s the monster?” Elston asked. Jaren appreciated the sentiment, but felt that angering Torv further wasn’t wise.
Torv snorted. “Who do you think they’ll believe?” Torv jerked his head in the direction of the mob of townspeople behind him. “The alpha who brings in trade, settles their disputes, and provides for their children, or the omega who’s lived with a dragon all winter and is clearly not in his right mind?”
Torv’s tone made it clear that he didn’t believe that for a second, but Jaren knew the people would follow him. He also knew that Elston was smart enough to realize it, as well.
“Either come with us willingly, or I will kill your dragon,” Torv said.
Elston turned and looked up at Jaren, tears in his eyes. He pressed his head against Jaren’s chest and let them fall, shoulders heaving with every sob.
They both knew how this was going to end.
“I will always love you.” Elston sniffed. “But I can’t let you die for me. Not like this. Not for nothing.” He stroked Jaren’s scales gently, letting his fingers run between the grooves.
Jaren bowed down to rub his cheek against Elston’s. He didn’t dare draw attention to the baby, which Torv had clearly not noticed. He wasn’t sure what Elston would do about it, but if it was obvious who it belonged to, then both of them were in even more danger.
Elston stroked his face, then pulled back to look at him. “You’re so beautiful like this,” he said. “I will come back. Whatever it takes.”
Though Jaren wanted to believe that, he knew Torv would never let Elston go. The man was no longer interested in Elston as a mate, but as a possession. He’d spent a lot of social capital to convince this many people to come with him, and in order to rebuild that, he would need to keep Elston close.
This was goodbye, and Jaren could already feel his insides turning to stone. He was going to die to protect Elston after all, though the protection he’d provided wasn't nearly enough.
He gave Elston a gentle nudge, wanting him gone before he could realize Jaren was dying. There was nothing to be done about it now, and he didn't want that on Elston's conscience.
He had said that whatever time he could have with a mate would be worth his inevitable death, and he realized, as he watched Elston being marched away, that he still meant it. The few months he’d had of unconditional, complete love had been enough for him.
When the group disappeared into the trees, Jaren lay down and curled up, ready for his life to end as his body slowly gave up. At least Elston would live.
Chapter Fifteen
The further he got from Jaren, the more uneasy Elston began to feel, until he descended into outright panic. He couldn’t bear being separated from his mate, and especially not forcibly, like this. He’d thought to escape when he got back to the village, run straight back to the castle and beg Jaren to go far away with him, but he knew now that he couldn’t wait that long.
Instead, he formed an alternative plan. It wasn’t sophisticated, nor did it seem entirely safe, but it was the best he could do at short notice and with limited resources.
Elston waited until the group paused to make camp to strike. He drew Torv’s sword from his belt and swung around, holding the point of it against his neck.
Though he didn’t want to, if it became necessary, he’d kill him where he stood.
One by one, the men who’d come for him stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes on him.
“This is the man who takes your sons and daughters from you wi
th the promise that he’ll take care of them forever, and discards them within a year. He claims part of your income and tells you it’s for protection. He rules you with the fear that your homes will be destroyed if you disobey him, and then dares to call a man who has quietly protected us for centuries, without ever asking anything in return, a monster.”
The mood of the onlookers changed, just enough that Elston had hope that he was getting through to them. The next thing he was going to say was a risk, but it would either pay off, or he’d have to kill Torv.
In either case, he would gain his freedom. If that had to be by force, he knew Jaren would still love him. Jaren might not have wanted to hurt anyone, but Elston did not feel the need to hold to that.
“I ran from him when I was told I’d been offered as his mate. Jaren took me in and provided for me, protected me when Torv first came for me.”
Elston realized belatedly that his father wasn’t with the party. That could only mean that he’d died. A pang of sadness hit him square in the chest, but he had no time to grieve now. His father would be equally dead later, and Elston wasn’t ready to forgive him, yet, either.
However, it did mean that it was unlikely anyone else would speak in his defense. His father might, possibly, have been swayed, though he too had viewed Elston as property.
“I begged him to take me as his mate, and he did so because he’s kind, and gentle, and worthy of the title of alpha. He’s more human than Torv ever will be, and more alpha than any of you if you insist on going along with him.” Elston nudged Torv’s throat with the blade, drawing blood.
“And now I’m carrying his child, and none of you can take that away from me. I am my own man, and I will kill Torv where he stands if I have to in order to keep that status. He brought you out here to lay claim to an omega he doesn’t want and can never truly have, because you let him. You keep letting him. He bullies all of us, and you’ve all been too weak to do anything about it. And now an omega is going to beat you to it.”
