9. Jade

9

Jade

Alaric blinked. His expression cycled through confusion, relief, and indignation.

"How the hell did you get here so fast?" he demanded.

"Stairs," I said between breaths.

The slight twitch of his mouth indicated he was pleased by that confession, but it didn't last long. He crossed his arms with a haughty huff.

"Well, take them back," Alaric said. "I have no desire to see you right now."

That was blatantly untrue. If the glassy gleam in his eyes wasn't enough to prove his arousal, the slick scent wafting off him proved it. My cock strained with need. A fiery passion burned in my chest, demanding I grab Alaric and claim him. It took a great amount of willpower to restrain myself.

"Tell me the truth," I rasped.

That took Alaric off guard. His eyes widened, searching mine. Then under his breath, he said, "Let's talk inside."

Once alone in his hotel room, my cravings proved even harder to ignore. My instincts wanted him. My civilized nature threatened to dissolve. I was close to devolving into a creature that operated on pure instinct. It was a miracle I kept my composure in the spa room. If we weren't being filmed, I would've lost control a long time ago.

Alaric spun to face me with a frown. "You have a lot of nerve marching in here after what you just—"

Gods, he was so beautiful. I couldn't help myself any longer.

My single remaining thread of control snapped. I crushed my mouth against his, hungry to finally explore and taste him. I was seized by desperation, like Alaric was the first gulp of air after drowning.

He made a muffled sound of surprise when our mouths collided, yet he didn't shove me away. At first he kissed me back stiffly, as if still irritated, but it didn't take him long to mellow out. His sweet tongue twisted with mine, joining together in a velvety wet dance.

My dragon instincts flared to life. I wanted to shred Alaric's robe to tatters, throw him to the floor, and fuck him senseless.

We parted for breath, panting rapidly. Alaric's cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of rose pink. He was gorgeous.

Alaric furrowed his brows, though he obviously wasn't that upset. "Excuse me? You think after all that nonsense you can just barge into my room and kiss me?"

That haughty attitude always made me smile. "Yes. I just did."

He glared daggers, though his shining eyes and flushed cheeks softened the blow. "Hmph. Typical alpha dragon."

A jolt of jealousy pierced me. I leaned in, curling my finger around his collar. "What other alpha dragons do you know? Should I be concerned?"

I watched the bob of his throat as he swallowed.

"Besides your brothers? None," he replied.

My finger hooked tighter on the collar. "Let's keep it that way."

Alaric exhaled a sardonic laugh. "You're so dramatic. But sure, if you insist. I'll refrain from meeting any additional dragons." He paused. An unexpected softness flashed across his eyes. "Besides, the only dragon worth my time is the one in front of me."

His words were an arrow straight to my chest. They slipped past all my defenses and burrowed into my beating heart. No other words ever spoken to me had so much feeling behind them. Alaric awakened me to emotions I didn't know I even possessed.

"Then you didn't mind the kiss?" I asked, just to be sure.

He rolled his mesmerizing blue and green eyes. "No, you fool. I obviously enjoyed it. You should... do it again."

A ripple of excitement danced across my skin. I wasted no time gently pulling Alaric in by the collar and pressing our lips together.

He made the cutest mewling sound, sparking another jolt across my electrified skin. My heart pounded. My nose was full of his scent—that rich omega musk mixed with his baby powder perfume—yet I still wanted more.

My fingers itched to rip his clothes off, but Alaric treated his belongings with care, and I knew he'd turn me into a dragon-hide rug if I did that.

"Strip," I said in a breathy command.

He shivered, but complained, "Oh, now you're bossing me around?"

"You don't have to obey me. But you want to. I can tell."

Alaric narrowed his fiery gaze. Wordlessly, he peeled off his pale blue cardigan without breaking eye contact with me. He was just as meticulous as he'd been with his robe in the spa room. That was one more trait I liked about him. I could never be with a sloppy, disorganized omega. Alaric was like me in the ways that mattered, and different in ways that both comforted and thrilled me.

"I've stripped," Alaric stated. "Now what?"

I glanced to his lower half. "You're still half dressed."

He scoffed. "If you want my pants removed, you're going to have to work harder than that."

A thrill coursed through me. He enjoyed this teasing back-and-forth as much as I did.

"As you wish," I conceded.

I closed the gap between our mouths again. His soft, pillowy lips sucked me in like a siren's song. I couldn't get enough of kissing him.

As our tongues tangled, my hands moved down his chest. Alaric sucked in a gasp as my thumbs brushed across his nipples. I teased him until he whimpered into my mouth. For all his haughty attitude, it didn't take long until he mewled desperately under my touch. But I had a feeling he wouldn't show this side of himself to just anybody—only an alpha he trusted.

I wanted to pleasure him in a more comfortable position. Without stopping, I eased Alaric onto the bed, laying him down before climbing on top of him. His silky white hair spilled across the pillowcase. I removed one hand from his collar and carded my fingers through his hair. It was as soft and smooth as it looked, as wonderful to the touch as a cat's fur.

Alaric shivered as his cheeks darkened. "Wh-who said you could touch my hair?"

"I can touch your nipples, but not your hair?" I asked with a smile. Of course, I'd only touch him in areas he enjoyed, but I knew him well enough to recognize a bratty remark when I heard one.

He swallowed, drawing attention to his creamy pale throat and the black leather collar. "Fine. Keep touching it."

"Would you like me to stop?" I asked.

"No," he spat. Grudgingly, he added, "I like it a lot, okay?"

I grinned. Every admission of pleasure was a success, similar to the ecstasy of adding a new book to my collection.

I followed Alaric's encouragement and threaded my fingers slowly through his hair. His pale eyelashes fluttered shut as he breathed in and out. It struck me that this was a rare luxury few people would ever experience.

As I pet Alaric's hair, he gradually tilted his head towards my touch, then nestled his head into my palm. A few seconds later, I heard a rhythmic, vibrating sound.

"Are you... purring?" I asked.

Alaric's eyes snapped open. "No! You think I'd purr just because I'm a cat?"

I chuckled at his flustered reaction. "It's all right, I was only asking. But if you did purr, that would be very cute."

He cleared his throat. In a small voice, he mumbled, "Fine, then. Maybe I was purring."

Gods, he was adorable.

It didn't take long for Alaric's sassy attitude to melt away under my touch. Soon he was back to whimpering and squirming in pleasure beneath me. Touching him with my hands was no longer enough. I lowered my face to his chest and wrapped my lips around his hard nipple. Alaric squealed, lifting his torso to meet me. My tongue caressed his sensitive flesh until he was panting with need.

"You horrible alpha," he muttered between breaths. "All you do is tease me."

I smiled at him patiently. "It's called foreplay. But if you'd like to skip ahead, I'm perfectly willing to do so."

A flash of excitement lit his eyes before he reined it in. "I suppose this is all right," he said, barely hiding his desire.

I was ready to give Alaric everything he wanted. But did his desire match mine? Doubts lurking in the corners of my mind nagged me. Sex was not romantic partnership. Sex did not make us fated mates. If physical intimacy was all Alaric craved, I would give it to him—but at the end of the day, I wanted a mate for life.

Could Alaric be that mate?

"Hey." The cat omega's voice broke into my darkening thoughts. "Why did you stop?"

"My apologies," I said, putting a smile back on.

I tried to resume my task, but Alaric wasn't having it. He put a hand on my forehead to stop me.

"If you don't want to do this, then don't," he said, a sudden cold undertone to his voice. "I don't want your pity sex."

My eyes widened. He'd taken my hesitation the wrong way. I felt terrible for inadvertently hurting his feelings.

"That's not it," I reassured him. "It was my own personal doubts bothering me. Not you."

His eyes were narrow slits. "What personal doubts?"

The dark thoughts swirled. If it were anybody else, I would've slammed the door to my inner world shut—but Alaric shoved in his foot and didn't leave.

"If you only want sex from me, I'm happy to provide it," I began in a civil tone.

He cut me off indignantly. "What are you talking about? Do you think I go around fucking every alpha in my path?"

My stomach dropped. My anxieties accidentally caused Alaric to spiral, too. I had to be deliberate and honest if I wanted to avoid upsetting him further.

"Not at all, Alaric," I stated. "Please let me explain."

He glared at me expectantly. A barrier of ice formed in front of his previously fiery, passionate eyes.

"I'll be frank with you. I never expected to forge even a single connection with an omega during the Games," I admitted. "I have difficulties making bonds with people. I'm polite to everyone, of course, but—"

Alaric arched a brow. "But secretly, you're a perverted, misanthropic freak."

His brutal statement knocked a laugh out of me. "Yes. Exactly."

Alaric's face softened. "And you don't think any omega will like the real you. Is that it?"

I shouldn't have been surprised that Alaric hit the nail on the head. He understood me in a way nobody else did.

"Precisely," I said.

Alaric rolled his eyes, scoffing loudly. "I'd never let you collar me and kiss me if I didn't like you, idiotic dragon. How dense can you be?"

My heart fluttered. It never fluttered.

I smiled as the unusual sensation lingered in my chest. "Apparently, quite dense."

"I'm here to find my fated mate. Not to fool around," Alaric declared.

There was a hidden question in there: are you my fated mate?

I didn't know the answer to that. Or rather, I was scared to find out if Alaric's answer was no.

A storm of variables raged in my head. What if he found a better alpha—one without outrageous fetishes? I couldn't be the alpha he'd always dreamed of. I was too bizarre.

But I knew he was mine .

My dragon instincts smothered my doubts. Unlike my human soul, my dragon soul lived in the moment—and right now, he craved the omega sprawled beneath me.

With my dragon's awakening, a hint of a growl slipped into my voice. "I don't fool around, either. I'm here because I want to be. Because I want you ."

Alaric's eyes rounded. His wariness dissolved as he took my words to heart. It wasn't an admission of love—we were both too absorbed by lust and snared by our own anxieties for that yet—but my dragon instincts roared it to the heavens.

Him, him, him.

Claim him.

Alaric's frustrated groan only highlighted his taut anticipation. "Ugh, enough already. Keep touching me. You've tortured my cock enough for one day."

My inner dragon bristled eagerly. We both wanted Alaric to feel good.

"Very well," I murmured.

I captured his lips, kissing him like we'd never stopped. Alaric moaned and arched his back. I felt his throbbing erection press into my thigh. It was about time I took care of that. Snaking my hand between his legs, I cupped his cock through his pants. He gasped and bucked desperately into my palm. He was close, but I wanted to prolong his pleasure.

I drew my hand away, earning an annoyed groan from Alaric.

"Have I earned the right to remove your pants yet?" I asked.

"Yes, pervert. Go ahead."

They were gone in a flash. Alaric's nude body was a piece of art. I couldn't stop staring at him as desire simmered in my belly. I fantasized about how stunning he'd look tied up in ropes...

He noticed me staring at him. "I'm no pool toy, but I hope you enjoy the view."

I chuckled. Even now he couldn't avoid taking a shot at my fetishes. Not that I minded—they were playful and warm coming from him.

"Trust me, you're more gorgeous than any inflatable toy," I told him.

He smirked. "Would you say I blow them out of the water?"

I snorted, then nestled between his legs. "I'll let that one slide, but only because your cock looks so delectable."

Any incoming comebacks died on Alaric's tongue as I took his erection into my mouth. He threw his head back, moaning. His body writhed beneath me like a taut spring.

The taste of him flooded my senses. A lightning strike of pleasure bolted down my spine, swirling into a hot pool of lust between my thighs. As if I wasn't turned on enough already, the sights, scents, and sounds of Alaric poured gasoline on my fiery arousal.

He hissed through his teeth and clawed the sheets. I felt the thrum of his rapid pulse through his skin; his cock throbbed in rhythm with it.

"Jade," he whimpered.

His vulnerable cry clenched my heart like a vise. I would've done anything he asked. I kept going, sucking him harder and faster until Alaric was a writhing, sweaty mess. His back arched, thrusting deeper into my mouth. The pressure of his cock hitting the back of my throat was beautiful, like the sweet pain of digging my thumb into a bruise.

With the speed and force of a predator on its prey, I grabbed his narrow hips. He mewled in satisfaction, bucking his hips wildly, using my mouth for his own pleasure.

Alaric suddenly tensed. I felt his cum shoot down my throat a split second before he cried out, his voice raw and dripping with ecstasy.

The wanton sound did me in. Without myself myself once, I came at the same time as Alaric.

When his high finally ended, Alaric's shaky body dropped to the bed. He gasped for air, panting for a few long moments until he caught his breath enough to speak.

"You..." He shuddered. "You should do that more often."

I grinned, pleased at his invitation. "I take it you enjoyed yourself?"

"Did you not?" he shot back.

"Oh, believe me, I did. And I've got the stain in my undergarments to prove it."

Alaric snorted, but it was fonder than it was derisive. He sighed contentedly as he relaxed against the bed. "So, what now?"

I took a deep breath. The room smelled like him, now with an added dash of sweat and sex. I never wanted to leave his scent's embrace.

Unfortunately, reality shattered my dream.

"I shouldn't stay," I said, wishing it weren't so.

Disappointment soured Alaric's face. "You're not supposed to stay with contestants overnight. Is that it?"

I nodded solemnly. "I'd be a hypocrite if I admonished my brothers for doing so, only to do it myself. Holy Drake knows I scolded them enough times, and even punished them for it."

Alaric's jaw tensed like he wanted to argue with me, but he just huffed. "Fine. Leave. It's not like I won't see you tomorrow."

My body dragged like a thousand-pound weight as I hauled myself to my feet. "I'm sorry, Alaric."

"It's fine. I understand," he said, sighing as he curled up on his pillow. But he still threw in a teasing barb. "You're too much of a slut for the rules to break them."

I chuckled. "You may be right." As if moving with a will of its own, my hand slipped to fondle Alaric's collar. "But I'm not the only one. You didn't break my rules either, kitten."

Alaric's lashes fluttered as he blinked rapidly, then scowled. "We had a deal. I rarely make promises, but when I do, I keep them."

My heart squeezed with affection. He was special. So special.

It felt right, so I leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Goodnight, Alaric. Sleep well."

It happened so fast he barely had a chance to become flustered.

"Night," he mumbled.

As I stood up, I noticed a familiar shirt tucked beneath his pillow. It was the one I'd lent him the other day that he never returned. Warmth blossomed in my chest, making my whole self feel light and airy. That was the cherry on top of a nearly perfect evening.

Next time, I vowed to stay with him overnight. That would be truly perfect.