Chapter 30

"Are you paying attention, Flora?"

"Umm… yep!"

Liliana looks at me like she knows that's not true. A growl from Sebastian stops her from actually scolding me though.

Sebastian is currently leaning over me protectively, like I'm in any danger from the Monster on the other end of the video call. I'm sitting on a bar stool in my kitchen, the laptop open in front of me on the kitchen island.

I'm getting mandatory PR training from the label. Apparently, Liliana is the best of the best. I was supposed to be doing the call on my own, and Sebastian was supposed to be waiting in my bedroom so I could have privacy.

Once he overheard Liliana reprimand me the first time though, he stomped into the room, demanding to speak with her. Our compromise? Him leaning over me like this while I tried to learn.

The problem was that I kept getting more and more distracted. He would breathe a little too heavily, the breath on my neck a tingle that went straight to my pussy. I'm a horny mess when he's this close to me. My body reacting to his warmth and the memories of how good he feels inside me…

"Flora!" Liliana snaps. "I'm done here. You've taken in whatever information you seem to be capable of. Sebastian, just do the talking for both of you. If you must speak, Flora, please try not to say anything that could get the label in trouble. We're toeing the line here, this is a tough situation to navigate and we need the image to represent the label's interests."

Shame drips down my neck, cold and slimy. I tear up a little, but I refuse to show her that she's gotten to me.

Sebastian stiffens, "Liliana. If you speak to Flora like that again, I'm getting you fired."

He exits the call before Liliana can respond.

"I'm going to do so bad," I sniffle.

"No you're not," he picks me up, holding me in his arms as I wrap my legs around him. "You're going to do great. I'll be there, and I will look after you."

We have an interview with the biggest Monster radio station this evening. We're going to have to go into the studio, and there will be a performance of the song. Sebastian got the call with the invite pretty soon after we woke up.

So our day has been spent sitting on the floor of my spare room turned office. We practiced our song as we ate our breakfast, and even after. Sebastian kept the coffee coming and it was actually such a perfect morning. I needed to drink a lot of water and pop some painkillers though, feeling emotionally exhausted from the last twelve hours.

My phone dings and brings me back to the present, my lips moving against Sebastian's as he sets me down to sit on the counter. It's a text to let me know that wardrobe and makeup are here to get us ready.

The radio studio is pretty cool, memorabilia of different famous Monster musicians covering the walls.

I'm asked to be the first Human to sign their wall, and it's honestly such an honor. They ask me to place it next to Sebastian's signature, which he had done years ago. There's a photo op of us doing the signing, and then also of us getting a tour of the studio.

It really is a big deal that we're here together, presenting a unified front for Humans and Monsters. Our performance goes really well. I play piano, Sebastian is on guitar. Nereus, the drummer from Sebastian's band, joins us too. It's so fun to perform with them.

We're making our way into the sound booth now to meet with the DJ. He is a slim and handsome Satyr male with a warm smile and a gentle handshake.

"I'm loving the song, you guys," he greets us as the recording of our single plays for the listeners at home. "Take your seats there and we'll start the interview once the song is over."

I move to sit in my chair, wringing my hands in my lap. Sebastian kisses my forehead gently.

"You're going to do great." He tells me, before sitting in his own seat.

"Welcome back to 98.7, where we play your favorite hits!" The DJ calls, and I quickly slip on my headphones, moving forward to the microphone. "I'm your host, Hedy, and I'm joined by two special guests.

"Monsters," he lowers his voice. "For the first time in 98.7 history, and the history of Monster radio, we are joined by a Human artist. Flora, our special guest, is joined by none other than our very own Sebastian Orville. The pair have been making appearances for the past few months, but yesterday they made history with the first song ever released by a Monster and a Human.

"Flora, can you tell us a little bit about what that felt like?"

I look at Sebastian, and he gives me an encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, I answer, "Well, Sebastian and I both surprised ourselves by even writing the song in the first place! So to see it come to life like that and be received so well has been amazing."

"Incredible! And the credits for the production only lists the two of you also. Was anyone else involved in the making of the track, or was it an intimate experience?"

"I have to say," Sebastian says, donning a charming chuckle. "The production was all Flora. I honestly can't take much credit for that, she's a machine when it comes to tech in a way I will never be. Trust me, I've tried!"

Blushing, I turn back to Hedy.

"To answer the rest of your question," I add. "We worked on it on our own. And we debated on whether or not we even wanted to release it. But in the end, we wanted people to know that Humans and Monsters can get along and create beautiful things together."

"That they can, it really is a beautiful piece." Hedy takes back control of the interview. "Can I ask you both a bit about your relationship?"

"That depends on what you want to know," I gently tease.

"Well, I think we were all surprised about how you two even met! Tell us about how you started dating."

"We met on the shoot with Noma," Sebastian takes this one. "I saw Flora and instantly knew that she was mine. She was, is, breathtaking, and I knew that I wanted to be with her. I was very lucky that we are both represented by Fortune Records, and I managed to get her number. It took a lot of convincing, but we spent some time together, deciding to go public quite quickly. But it was actually working on this song that truly showed me her beautiful spirit.

"I wish you could all witness her creative process, it's truly something to behold. I count myself lucky every day that she stays with me."

I gulp, Sebastian looking me in the eyes with such an intensity. His eyes seeming to say that he means his words.

"How remarkable," Hedy says. "Well, we will all count ourselves lucky too, if you two keep making music like this.

"That's all the time we have today. Thank you for tuning into 98.7."

I slip off my headphones, trying my best to avoid jumping into Sebastian's arms.

"That was delicious," I say, licking my lips and setting my fork down on my plate.

Sebastian knocked it out of the park with dinner tonight. He said he wanted to cook something nice for me to celebrate our success.

"I'm glad you think so," he moves around to me, pulling my chair back and lifting me out of my seat.

I giggle as he shifts me and I'm draped in his arms, bridal style. My giggles turn into a moan though when he whispers in my ear.

"Are you going to be a good girl for me?"

"Yes, Alpha." I say slowly and suggestively. He walks us up the stairs and lays me in his nest.

He unzips my dress and slips it down my body so I'm bared before him in my bra and panties. Those are removed pretty quickly, too.

I prop up my head and lazily tease my nipples as he strips off his own clothes. They're tossed to side in a haphazard pile with my own.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he grunts the words, lifting me onto his lap. "Be a good girl and kiss your Alpha like you mean it."

I groan, immersing my hands in his hair and pulling him down to meet me. I part his lips quickly with my tongue, letting it dart inside his mouth and explore. He takes over the kiss pretty quickly, unable to help himself from claiming me. I rub my pussy against his hard cock, the scales there teasing me into a frenzy.

Sebastian breaks our kiss, leaning back a little to look at me. "Flora?" his eyes search mine, breaking the scene a little.

"Yes, Sebastian?" I use his name to signal that I too am stepping back from our roles. I pause in my movement, giving him my attention.

"What's up?" I ask, when he remains silent.

"I love you."

My heart stops, a joy filling my chest. Three simple words and everything changes.

"I'm not sure when it happened, exactly." He continues. "But I wanted you to know, even if you don't feel the same way."

"I love you so much, you idiot." I chuckle, a few tears escaping my eyes.

Sebastian grins, cupping my face and swiping my tears away with his thumbs.

"I've been in love with you since before we kissed." I tell him. "I've been trying to play it cool. Didn't want to come on too strong, you know?"

We both laugh, clinging to one another. My heart is light and I feel like I'm floating.

"We're mates, Flora." He sighs, relief on his face as he tells me, like it's a big secret off his chest. "I smelled it when I first met you. I'm sorry that I didn't say anything. But at first I didn't want to believe it, and then I didn't want to scare you when I realized that you didn't know."

"Um.. Sebastian? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Do Humans not have anything sacred?!" He sighs, running his hand through his hair. "It means we're fated to be together. Everyone has a mate or mates, but that doesn't mean that they will ever meet them. You can love another Monster and marry them, but mating comes above all that. Especially for Shifters."

"So… we're destined to be together?" I tease, tickling his neck playfully.

"Yes." He says, very seriously. "It's why you went into heat too. You can only go into heat for your fated Alpha."

"Oh." It would explain the strange pull I have always felt around him. Even at the fashion shoot when we met, I had felt it then too. No man had ever made me feel like that. It also probably explains why I always felt so strongly about him, even when that feeling was anger.

"There's something that Dragon Shifters do when they officially claim their fated mates. I'm not asking you to do it right now, I want you to understand the commitment properly before, if, you say yes."

"OK," I trust him, whatever it is. "What is it?"

"I would bite your neck, right here." He nips my neck with his teeth gently. "I'd have to shift a little to do it. Grow my fangs so I could pierce your skin."

He licks over the spot, before whispering directly into my ear.

"Then I would drink your blood, just a little. I'd knot you and claim you as mine, you'd tell me that you belong to me…"

My pussy is soaking, the image he is painting turning me on so much.

"Fuck, yes." I say, reaching down between us and fitting his cock inside me.

He groans as I move on him. "Not now, though. You need to think about it properly. Right now, you're going to be a good girl and take your Alpha's knot."

Sebastian moves us so that I am laying on my back. He kisses me as he slowly thrusts his cock in and out of my pussy.

"I love you," he tells me as he picks up pace. "I love you so much, Flora."

His knot expands inside me and we cum together. He quickly turns us over, so that I'm draped over his chest.

Sebastian throws a blanket over us, kissing and cuddling me. He strokes my hair and tells me he loves me over and over as I orgasm on his knot.