Chapter 17

17

N eve woke alone.

It wasn't the first time, though she'd awoken in Pine's embrace more mornings than not in the past weeks. She took off the gown from the night before but hesitated to take off the necklace. She smoothed her hand over the chain and left it in place. It was expensive, and she didn't want to just leave it laying out in Pine's room.

The room she'd been given had a closet full of gorgeous clothes she'd been given since arriving, but her suitcase with her things from Earth was at the foot of the bed, and she slipped on a comfortable pair of pants and one of her favorite tops. It felt a little like armor. She let the necklace sit right against her skin instead of pulling it out to lay on the shirt. She wasn't hiding it, but the feel of the metal against her skin was a reminder that Pine had given it to her.

Or maybe she was beginning to crave gems. Did dragons actually have hoards, or was that another dragon fact she'd have to unlearn?

Pine wasn't in the breakfast room or any other place in the manor that she looked. That's when she started to worry.

Has last night been too much for him?

She'd been consumed by wondering if she'd reached her breaking point that she hadn't considered that he could have reached his.

I'll keep you safe.

Those words had sounded like a vow as she drifted to sleep, but now she wasn't so sure.

Maybe Pine was out flying. If she were a dragon, she'd take to the skies every time she needed to clear her head.

She put on a coat and headed out, walking the same way they'd gone for their second flight. It was a little warmer than it had been over the last two weeks, so her skin didn't feel like it was being picked at with an axe, but it was still chilly. When she tilted her head up to take in the sky, she didn't see any dragons.

What she did see were footsteps in the snow leading to a large building. She recognized it; it was where she'd first arrived. It had seemed farther away then.

She followed the footsteps to the door and let herself in, some instinct telling her that it was where she needed to be.

She found Pine standing on the ramp to what had to be a small spaceship, though it was about the size of a commercial airplane. He was hauling a large crate into the ship. When he turned around and saw her, he froze.

"Are … are you sending me home?" It was their agreement. She knew that going into this. She wouldn't have stayed if he hadn't promised. But she'd thought something had changed last night.

Was she wrong?

A look of horror washed over Pine's face, and he rushed off the ramp, crossing the hangar to her and grasping her hands in his. "Is that what you want?" The words sounded torn out of his throat.

She had a whole life back on Earth she was supposed to want. Parents, a job, a decent apartment. She kept meaning to pick up some kind of hobby, even if it hadn't happened yet. Asking to stay meant never seeing her parents again. Sure, they were a bit self-absorbed. But skipping their Christmas party didn't mean she wanted to cut off all contact forever.

But if she had to choose between them and Pine?

She barely knew him. They'd been together less than two weeks.

He was her mate.

When she opened her mouth, words refused to come out.

Pine cupped her cheek and captured her lips with his own. She fell into the kiss, grateful to surrender, for the reprieve. "I don't want to leave you." The words tumbled out as they separated. "But I can't just abandon everything, can I? We barely?—"

Pine kissed her again, softly this time, and then pulled back, smiling. "I didn't sleep much last night," he admitted.

"And …" She'd fallen asleep in his arms and slept like the dead. Had he been lying there awake for hours?

"And I thought now might be the perfect time to take a trip, to see the galaxy, that sort of thing. But for some places, I might need a guide."

She tried to suppress the smile threatening to bloom, and it didn't work. "Like where?"

"I hear there's this fascinating place called Earth. Did you know they don't even have dragons there?" He was grinning.

"We do have dragons," she countered. "They just don't turn into devilishly handsome lords."

"So you think I'm handsome?"

"You're something."

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, and I want to spend my life with you. What do you say?"

Neve smiled. "When do we leave?" She wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him with everything she had. She wasn't letting her dragon lord go.

Thank you for reading Pine!

I'd appreciate it so much if you would consider leaving a review.

The Detyen Warrior Outcasts series will continue.

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