Chapter Twenty

*Ragnar*

I know the moment that Reggie succumbs to the pleasure of our mating. Her name feels like its own kind of pleasure as it runs through my mind. My translator has finally figured out how to fit the sounds together correctly. It seems almost fitting that it happened during our first joining.

Gently, so as to not wake her, I pull back from her shoulder. Wincing at the wounds left behind, I use my saliva to close the worst of them. They will leave scars. A physical mark of our mating, of my claim upon her. She is beautiful. We do not deserve her. My inner beast murmurs, our thoughts harmonious for the first time since my birth.

Closing my eyes, I absorb the wonder of it all. Gone is the constant itch inside of my mind, the need to maim and destroy. It was like living with a swarm of Earth bees inside of my mind and now it is gone. His whole focus is on our mate, working with me instead of against me. It is something I only ever dreamed of. To have it come to fruition is beyond my wildest imagination. And I owe it all to her.

Murmuring quietly, she tries to turn over. Quickly I grab her, pulling her into my chest so that she can’t move away. The hidden spikes in my cocks have anchored us together. Until they flatten, we are stuck. During sex it feels like swelling. Afterwards she would feel horrendous pain if we were to be separated before they flattened. A shudder of revulsion runs through me at the thought of hurting her in such an intimate manner.

My sweet Reggie. My love and devotion for my mate fills my hearts. Closing my eyes I pull her close enough to bury my snout into her hair, inhaling the scent that is uniquely her. A scent that now holds part of me within it. Any male that crosses paths with her scent would know that she is claimed. That a male protects her. Satisfaction fills me, fed by the baser instincts of my beast. The need to let all know who she belongs to.

A glowing light distracts me, enough so that I crack open my eyes, ready to face any threat. Instead, I am struck by awe and wonder. My true color. I worried in the darkest parts of my mind that I would never experience this with a human mate. The tips of all my spikes and sails are glowing. A vibrant, brilliant green. A perfect match to her stunning eyes. Eyes that haunt my every waking moment. The eyes of my one true mate.

We are one. We owe her everything. I couldn’t agree with him more. Our joining doesn’t just bring me inner peace. It enhances my every sense, making me stronger, faster and better in every sense of the word. Sounds and smells bombard me from every angle. I can hear the beating hearts of my own kind, three of them roving the neighborhood. Close enough to hear but far enough away to provide privacy.

I can hear the creaking of the home we are in, as well as the sounds that Floofy makes scouring the neighborhood for food. All of these senses are honed for one reason. Keeping Reggie safe. I will not let her down. We will get her sister the medicine. Once that is done, we have our whole lives ahead of us. Her world may have changed but I can offer her a new one. A better one. A world where we are together. Forever.

When she gives another pained wiggle, I can’t help but grin. I can admit, if only to myself, that I don’t quite want my spikes to go down. I would remain connected to her for the rest of eternity if I could, but my mate is a stubborn female. She has her own heart and mind, a strong combination. She may say she is alright with me taking care of her, but she also takes care of me. Our size difference doesn’t stop her.

Earlier when she stormed forward to confront Talnag on my behalf, I couldn’t help the swelling of my hearts. Love for the little spitfire nearly overwhelmed me. She is strong. Incredibly so and I can only thank the gods that I was chosen to be her mate. To get to experience life through the lens of her determination. Her devotion to those she loves is her driving force, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.

On one hand, I would love to lock her away in a safe place so that nothing can touch her. On the other hand, that would destroy my little mate and I cannot do that to her. She would wither and die in spirit even though her body was still alive. No, I will love her as she is. I will be her strong arm of safety so that she may experience the world in whatever way she pleases. As exhaustion overcomes me, I resolve to not let anything sway me.

Morning tests that resolve. As much as I want to lay in bed and mate with Reggie, the others are not willing to wait. She has barely opened her eyes before I can hear them outside the house. Reggie hears them too, waking far too quickly for my liking. I wanted to hold her as she awakened but now, I am watching as she shyly dresses in a new outfit, a blush coloring her beautiful face.

“Come on lazy bones, get out of bed. We have to get going.” She whispers to me, another blush tingeing her cheeks. Instead of responding, I climb to my feet to tower over her. She looks up at me trustingly with those gorgeous eyes, eyes that heat my blood and make my cocks swell at just the sight of them.

“I’d much rather stay in bed and rut until the sun disappears from the sky. I have barely begun to worship at the altar of your body, eternity will not be nearly enough.” I murmur, running a claw down her throat to the offending fabric that covers her delightful breasts. A feature that females of my own kind do not have, but that I am quickly realizing I am obsessed with. Her mouth pops open in shock and the perfume of her arousal fills the air.

My eyes roll back in my head as I lean back and sniff the air, taking it into my lungs like the most precious air. One taste of her is not enough. My beast has been tamed but my lust has been unleashed.

“Ragnar…” Reggie begins, her words wobbly. A snarl of frustration threatens to erupt when a howl interrupts what she was going to say. As much as I want to stay in bed with her all day, we cannot. Her safety comes before our pleasure. With a groan, I snag her hand and help her gather her things.

“Do you have everything?” I ask, taking mental note of all her bags. When she nods, I lead her through the house and into the yard. Three big males stand in the street, watching as we approach. Talnag is at the front, his gaze assessing. I can tell the moment they all catch her scent. Their reactions are palpable.

Talnag ducks his head in a show of respect but the other two tense with curiosity. Unwilling to risk Reggie’s safety, I release her hand and shift into my monstrous form. My muscles bulge and my sails rise aggressively. Reggie’s gasp is loud in the ensuing silence. Her gaze is trained on the newly glowing tips, the green resplendent in the sunshine.

“It worked!” She gasps out, trailing the tip of her finger along the sail at the back of my leg. A shiver of pleasure courses through me at the awe in her voice.

“Yes, my mate, it did. For you.” She smiles up at me, radiant in this moment.

“So glad to see that you took my advice.” Talnag quips, reminding me that we are not alone.

“Our mating is not up for discussion.” I snarl, glaring past him to the other two males, the twins. Carbon copies of one another with dark obsidian scales that shimmer in the light, I immediately dislike their presence. Talnag follows my gaze with a toothy grin.

“This is Kan and Kil. They have come to help us. Remember that.” He admonishes gently and I bite back a snarl. These males are risking it all to help me keep my mate safe. I must remember this before I do something stupid. Especially when I catch them staring at my mate, the look in their eyes unreadable.

“Hello Kan, hello Kil!” Reggie chirps, her smile bright as she steps forward to greet the pair. As if they are one unit, their gazes snap to hers at the same time. A shiver of unease trails down my spine at the odd behavior. I turn to Talnag with a questioning glance but he simply shakes his head, denying me the answers I seek.

“Hello human.”

“Hello human.” Their greetings are timed perfectly, one right after the other. Kan speaks first, followed by Kil. The oddity isn’t lost on Reggie, her steps falter for a moment before she stops altogether. Gritting my teeth, I remind myself that this is for my mate. To help save her sister and get safely away from the city. Once we are in the clear, we can leave the creepy copies behind. At least I hope so.