Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

K ari felt the warmth of the sun filtering through the room, and when she moved to snuggle deeper into her pillow, everything from the night before came rushing back.

The firm pillow under her head wasn't a pillow at all, and she tightened her grip around Evander's waist at the same time he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

"Morning." She raised her head up to kiss his chin, and the look on his face made her pause. "What's wrong?"

"I've made a decision," he said, staring at the ceiling, "and you're not going to like it."

Is he going to dump me now?

God! She was such an idiot.

After last night, she wasn't sure she could handle him leaving, so she laid her head back down on his chest, and glanced down their bodies. He was still fully dressed, minus his shoes, and she was wearing the same pajamas that he'd seen her in the day he'd tracked her down.

Last night, after she cried all over him, he'd declared that he was staying, and ushered her off to take a shower. Then they'd talked late into the night about what his plans were for this weekend. He was taking her to his home so she could get to know his clan, run in the forest, and see that she didn't have to worry about fitting in.

He'd said he wanted to show her his space, then he answered all of her questions about his dragon, and explained what would happen once they completed the mating bond.He also told her about Zane, the Alpha of a nearby wolf and bear clan, and promised to watchover her while she ran in the nearby forest that was inhabited by both shifters and full animals.

It had all sounded too good to be true, but she was starting to trust him, and she desperately wanted everything he was offering.

Eventually, they had kissed again, but even though she'd wanted to do more, he'd been the one to end things and encourage her to get some sleep.

Now though, he'd made some grand decision, and she felt like she was going to cry all over again.

"Don't you want to know what it is?" He asked.

"No."

She didn't want to know, because knowing would break the tiny bit of happiness she was desperately trying to hold on to. She knew better than to want a man who didn't want her anymore —that could only lead to more heartbreak—but so far, he hadn't said the words, and she could pretend for a little while longer.

She hugged him tighter, thankful that he didn't push her away, and closed her eyes. His arms came around her, his hands clasping together, and she didn't understand his movements. These weren't the actions of a man getting ready to dump someone... were they?

"We need to get up now, sweetheart," he said, nuzzling her head. "Anton and Sabine are leaving in an hour, and we have to get everything packed."

It wasn't going to take her two hours to pack a bag for the weekend. Hell, it probably wouldn't take her that long to pack up everything in this place that actually belonged to her. Was that what he was trying to do? Not get rid of her, but force her to move in with him?

She leaned back to look at him, and yes, that was exactly what he was trying to do.

She scowled at him, but he just laughed before releasing her and moving to sit up.

The twin bed didn't have a lot of extra room for one person, but having Evander next to her only made it more cozy. At least for her.She was pretty sure he felt cramped on the thing, but the night before, he'd slid in next to her easily, and had seemed content to have her plastered against his side.

Which was exactly what she'd needed.

And now, after promising a weekend away, he was trying to force her to move in with him instead, and she wasn't exactly mad. She did wonder what his motives were, though, because Evander didn't seem to do anythingwithout thinking everything through.

She moved to sit by his side.

"Why?"

"Because last night was loud, and there were gun shots a couple of floors down. Your body jolted at every single noise, but you didn't wake up once, which tells me you've heard it so often that you're just used to it, and that's not good. Not only does it mean that you aren't getting the rest that you should, but that you might not wake up if there is a real emergency. I can't handle that, Kari. I need you safe, and there's no place safer for you than by my side, in the castle."

He lived in a castle?

"Castle?"

The word came out on a squeak, and he shrugged and grabbed her hand.

"The place has like twenty rooms, and the outside has architecture resembling a castle."She was pretty sure he hadn't meant to let that little piece of information escape, but she was glad he wasn't lying to her. "The inside is very modern, though. I think you'll like it a lot. And I'm not saying you have to turn in your keys and give notice here if you're not ready for that, yet, but you're bringingeverything, and never coming back."

So he was being demanding, but still giving her something to hold on to. She honestly wasn't sure she needed this place anymore. She wanted to live with Evander, she'd known that before last night, and it was only fear of the unknown keeping her from accepting his offer.

"What about my job?"

Even if she eventually decided to quit, she couldn't leave without giving her boss notice. They weren't best friends or anything, but the man had been kind to her over the years, and she didn't feel right just ghosting on him and the rest of the staff.

"It's up to you. If you decide to keep it, then I drive or fly you back-and-forth every day. You don't need to work—I wasn't joking about that—but I understand why you might want to. There aren't a lot of jobopportunities in Emerald Haven, so if you like where you're at, and want to stay there, then we'll make it work."

She nodded, happy that he wasn't trying to force her to quit her job. She was pretty sure he wanted to, though, and she had no doubt that he would if he didn't deem the sports bar safe, but right now he was giving her a choice, and she loved him for it.

Love?

God! She couldn't love him already... could she?

She glanced at his profile, and when he turned to look at her, her breath caught. Beneath the surface, her wolf sat very still, as if waiting for her human side to catch up to what the animal knew all along. Evander was her mate, there was no denying the fact, and even though he was a dragon, she trusted him.

He was giving her everything she ever wanted—love, family, and freedom—and she would be stupid not to take it.

"Okay." She leaned over and brushed her lips against his. It was the first time she'd kissed him first, and a huge smile spread across his face. He was gorgeous, and perfect, and... hers. "Thank you, Evander."

"You never have to thank me for anything, sweetheart. Does that 'okay', mean you're going to move in with me?"

"Yes. And I will keep my job, at least for now. I can't just disappear on my boss. It wouldn't be right."

"Totally understandable," he nodded. "Okay, let's get this place packed up."

A few hours later, Kari laid her head on Evander's shoulder and closed her eyes.

They'd just finished a late lunch, and when her eyes started to droop, Evander lifted her off the couch and carried her to his bed as if she weighed nothing at all. She'd found it strangely comforting to be in his arms that way, and when he slid into the bed next to her, everything felt right.

And it had been that way the whole day.

Anton and Sabine had shown up in two SUVs, and after they packed her few belongings in one, the couple had left, and she and Evander had made the drive back to Winged Mountain alone.

Along the way, he'd explained the hierarchy of his clan, and about the Royal titles they used. Though she was glad that he was telling her ahead of time, she wished he would have done so back at her old apartment.

Except, she knew exactly why he didn't.

It would have given her a reason to back out, and he didn't want to take her choices away.

When they reached Emerald Haven, he drove down Main Street to give her a tour of the tiny town, and pointed out the places she would most likely find the Alpha and Beta of that clan if she sought them out on her own. She doubted Evander would let her have a meeting with either of the other men alone, but she knew what he was doing, and she appreciated it.

Once again, he was giving her back some of her freedom and letting her know that she had choices.

They also passed the year-round Christmas Shop that Holly, Bastian's mate, owned, and though they didn't stop to check it out, she couldn't wait to visit the festive place. She hadn't really celebrated Christmas since the old couple she used to live with had died, but she loved looking at the decorations, and was excited to see what Christmas would be like in the castle.

Which... was actually a castle.

After the tour of Emerald Haven, Evander had driven them right up to—and into—Winged Mountain.

Magic kept the entrance to the castle hidden, and she'd been shocked when, after sniffing the air, Evander seemingly driven through the rock wall that turned the road into a dead-end. Later, she learned that it was some kind of magic-induced optical illusion, and only those invited were allowed to drive through the barrier.

There was also a walk-up entrance, but the magic worked the same way there, and only those invited could find their way into the little alcove that hid an elevator in the rock. She'd also learned that their home was hidden from the rest of the world by the magic, and while they saw a castle, the rest of the world only saw a tall, imposing mountain in the middle of the forest.

The outside of the castle was completely covered in stone, andeach corner of the massive building had a turret that served as a stairwell that allowed access from both floors to the roof. The main entrance was made up of two, dragon-sized, wooden doors, but they were mostly for show. Apparently, it was very rare that anyone actually entered the building that way, and the doors usually remained closed.

Still, for the full effect of the tour, Evander opened them for her, and they entered the building through the grand hallway.

After that, he showed her everything. She was pretty sure there were more than twenty rooms, but she'd stopped counting after seeing the huge double kitchens. The first floor housed the family room, thekitchens, the King's office, the healer's office, Evander's office, and the throne room.

It also held the bedrooms for the King and Queen, Eron, and Bastian and Holly.

The second floor held the bedrooms for Anton and Sabine, Marcus and Clara, and herself and Evander. There were also several empty and guest rooms on that floor, and she was glad that Evander hadn't offered for her to stay in one of those. If she was moving in with him, then she wanted to go all in, and she definitely didn't want to sleep in this huge house full of dragons alone.

Not that she was afraid they would hurt her. In fact, the exact opposite was true. She didn't completely understand it, but the castle felt like home, and she felt safe with everyone inside.

She met the King and Queen first, and though Alric was much more imposing than Evander, the King had welcomed her with kindness in his amethyst eyes. The Queen had been completely opposite of what she'd expected, too, and up close, she realized that the woman was around her age. When Petra suggested a girl's night for all of them to get to know each other better, she'd hastily agreed, even as trepidation swamped her.

She'd never had girl friends to hang out with before, and she really wanted the other women in the house to like her, so she hoped she didn't mess anything up.

Things had gone well with Sabine, at least she thought they had, and the same had been true for Clara.

Marcus, the healer, wasn't as severe as the other men, but she knew he was no less possessive of his mate. Clara was definitely the more vocal of the two, but the wayMarcus stood by her side, offering a quiet, unwavering support, reminded her of a classic love story.

The healer was powerful, too, and somehow, his presenceput her at ease. When they parted ways withthe couple, Marcus gave Evander a pointed look, and her mate nodded once in return. She knew that they were exchanging some kind of message, and later found out that Marcus wanted Evander to bring her in for a complete exam.

Fear had initially swamped her at theidea of being poked and prodded by a stranger, but most of it had dissipatedwhen her mate had explained Marcus' job in more detail.The man took his role as their healer very seriously, and did routine check-ins with everyone to see where they stood both mentally and physically. Because she was Evander's mate, she was now part of the clan, and Marcus would be bugging her—Evander's actual words—just like he did the rest of them.

The only pair she hadn't met yet were Bastian and Holly, and she would see them at dinner.

The tour of the castle had ended in the kitchens, and Eron had taken over there. The huge space had two identical kitchens set up on each side of a long table that could seat at least twenty people, and after showing her everything, Eron got her to admit that pizza was her favorite food.

After grilling her about toppings, he'd given them a bag packed witha massive lunch, and sent them away.

It had been a great day so far, and after their nap, it could only get better because they were having homemade pizza for dinner.

E vander laughed along with everyone as Kari snatched the final piece of pepperoni pizza from the pan as soon as she saw Bastian reaching for it. Of course, there was another pizza with the same toppings further down on the table, but Bastian still frowned and let out a huge huff before plopping back into his chair.

Kari's behavior, along with Bastian's mock anger, was enough to get everyone laughing simultaneously, and when Kari looked away, Bastian stole her plate.

"Hey!" She tried to make her voice firm, but failed miserably through the giggles. "That's cheating."

"I told you they couldn't be trusted," he said, placing his plate in front of her. It also held a slice of pepperoni that he'd taken just in case, and he was glad he'd thought ahead.

"Thank you," she said, kissing him on the cheek while guarding her plate with her arm.

Normally, his clan didn't actually steal people's food—unless it came to cinnamon rolls—but Eron had gone way overboard with the pizza, and there was plenty to go around. The teasing had started almost as soon as they all sat down to dinner, but it was lighthearted and meant to help Kari feel at home.

He'd been worried about her reaction at first, but he shouldn't have been. His clan—his family—was amazing, and they were teasing each other as well as his mate. It wasn't until later, after she had eaten enough and let her guard down, that the food stealing began.

Of all of them, Bastian was definitely the most severe, but any apprehension rolling off Kari dissipated within the first ten minutes of the meal. He was proud of his clan for helping make his mate feel at home, but he was more proud of his mate for dining with a room full of dragons.

The fear she'd blasted into him that first day was long gone, and though she was cautious when first meeting everyone, she hadn't been trembling with fear.

The conversation had somehow turned to Kari's first run in the forest, and he watched in awe as she described their earlier adventure. Kari had spent over an hour running while he watched from above, and though no one could see him while his beast was invisible, no other animals or shifters had bothered her.

He'd shown her his dragon on the roof of the castle, and even though they'd already talked about the color of his scales, she'd been excited to see and touch the dark purple skin. He was almost twelve-feet tall in his dragon form, but Kari had stayed by his side despite the fear he felt rolling off of her. It wasn't particularly strong, but it was there, and the fact that she'd trusted him in his beast form had made him proud.

Kari was still talking about one of the caves she found, and the only other thing he'd heard her getthis passionate about had been the brand-name pencils he'd bought her.Unfortunately, she'd called to thank him for the gift, so he hadn't gotten to experience her joy face-to-face. And that was a tragedy,because when the wariness and sadness were gone, his mate transformed into something even more beautiful than he already believed she was.

He wanted to see that look on her face often, and was already trying to think of more gifts he could bring her.

"What do you think?"

He looked down to see her gazing up at him, and everyone at the table had gone silent.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said. "I zoned out for a minute."

"It's okay," she said, smiling up at him. "Can we go look at Holly's store tomorrow?"

"Of course. We can do whatever you want."

He kissed her then, just a quick brush of his lips against hers,and the returning smile on her face made his dick go rock hard. So far, they had only kissed, and he knew she wasn't ready for more, but... damn! He wanted his mate in every way, and that look made it seem like she wanted him, too.

As if reading his mind, she squeezed his thigh and thenturned back to thegroup to finalize her plans with Holly.

His mate was in his home, with his clan, and the sudden urge to throw her over his shoulder and stomp to their room rode him hard. His dick throbbed at the thought of sliding into her perfect cunt, and he forced himself to think about something—anything—else.

Unfortunately, nothing worked, and he knew he needed to shift and take a long flight before they laid down together. But first, he would follow the flight with an ice-cold shower,because even though they were sharing a bed, he would never take what she wasn't willing to give.

Having his mate by his side was enough.

A bout an hour later, Evander held Kari's hand as they walked down the hallway toward their bedroom.

The meal had wound down shortly after the pizza-stealing incident, and then everyone did their part to help clean up. At first, Kari had just watched them all from the edge of the room, unsure what to do, but he didn't let that last long. There were no specific jobs for anyone to do, so they just all pitched in where needed. Once the table was cleared, he'd grabbed her hand, and together they wiped down the surface.

By the time they were done, almost everyone had dispersed. After she thanked Eron and gushed over his pizza, they headed for their room with a clear container holding a cinnamon roll that the other man had apparently saved for Kari.

As they got closer to their room, his dick started to swell again, and he was glad he'd thought ahead and brought her a distraction. He could control himself around his mate—he wasn't a crazed animal—but it would be much easier to hold her all night if he were too exhaustedto think about sex.

His dragon growled, and before he could stop it, the sound rumbled through his chest.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at Kari and hated that the huge smile she'd had plasteredon her face for most of the night was now gone.

"Nothing, sweetheart," he said, shaking his head as he walked over to the table and picked up thephone. "I need to take off for a little bit, but I wanted to give you this first. I've already programmed in everyone's phone numbers, and loaded up your account with some money, but the rest is up to you. You can get apps, movies, music, search the web, or whatever. And if you need more cash in your account, just let me know."

She glanced at the smartphone in his hand and shook her head.

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

He thought she would be okay staying in the castle for a couple of hours without him, so the sadness rolling off her surprised him.

"I need to shift and fly for a little bit, that's all. You'll be safe here, and no one will come in this room unless you ask them to."

"I'm not afraid. I just thought... Why do you have to shift again?"

He sighed and moved closer so he could wrap his arms around her. He pulled her close, knowing she would be able to feel his hard cock pressing into her middle.

"I want you, sweetheart," he kissed the top of her head, "and I know you're not ready for that yet, so I need to burn off a little energy. I'll only be gone about an hour, and then I'll shower and join you in bed, okay? I know it's been a long day, so you don't have to wait up for me if you don't want to, but if you do, then the phone is a good distraction."

"I'm not ready to mate yet, but… I am ready to have sex. If you want that, too."

He pulled back to study her face.

"Are you sure, sweetheart? You know you don't owe me anything, right? Because I have no problem waiting until you're ready. I'll wait forever for you if I have to, although I'm not going to lie. I hope it won't be that long."

She laughed at his joke and put her head back down on his chest.

"Evander, I'm a twenty-five-year-old virgin, and I'm holding my mate in my arms. I don't know why I'm not ready to complete the bond yet. Most likely because I'm still a little bit nervous about this lasting forever, but I do know that Idon't want to be a virgin anymore, and I was hoping you could help me with that."

His whole body stilled at her seemingly innocent confession, but he quickly recovered.

"It would be my honor, sweetheart."

She pulled back to look at him, and in that moment, he knew he would do anything for her. Even let her go if that's what she really wanted. Luckily, she was asking for something much more enjoyable.

He lowered his head slowly, giving her time to change her mind, and he was grateful when she fisted his shirt in her hands and tried to pull him closer. She wasn't strong enough to move him, but he had no problem letting her see how much she owned him.

Their lips met in a soft, chaste kiss, but the tiny moan that escaped as she wrapped her arms around his neck was too much, and he crashed his lips down on hers. Her tiny gasp was all he needed to shove his tongue inside her mouth, and his dick seemed to swell even more when she tightened her hold around his neck and met his tongue stroke for stroke.

He could smell her arousal, and the sweet vanilla scent seemed to wrap around him. He needed to taste her more than he needed his next breath, and he tore his mouth away from hers and started a path of kisses down her chin and neck. He threw the phone on the couch and tightened both hands on her hips, loving the way it felt to hold her.

Kari's fingers threaded through his hair, and when he reached her covered shoulder, he slid his hands down over her ass, bent his knees, and lifted her off the ground. She yelped and tightened her arms around his neck as her legs came around his waist. Hermovements caused his dick to come in contact with her heated core, and even though they were both fully dressed, his first step faltered.

"Oh my god, Evander!" She yelped again. "I'm way too heavy. Put me down."

Instead of loosening her grip, she held onto him tighter, and beneath the surface, his dragon preened. Despite her words, his mate knew he was strong, and she trusted him not to let her fall.

"You're not too heavy," he growled, "but your hot little pussy feels amazing against my dick."

He started walking toward the bedroom, and every step caused her pussy to slide up and down his cock.

"Wha... oh."

Another blast of her arousal filled the room, and he was grateful they were so close to the bed.

He laid her down close to the edge, and then knelt down between her legs and reached for the button on her jeans. He could feel a tiny thread of nervousness circlingaround her, but she didn't stop him, so he pulled the denim and panties down her legs and threw the material across the room.

She laughed at the way the fabric hit the wall, but her humor died as soon as he looped her knees over his shoulders and leaned in to place a kiss on her mound. Her hands immediatelyfisted the blanket underneathher, and her whole body tensed.

"Relax, sweetheart," he said, his warm breath an inch away from her cunt. "If you want to stop, then we stop, okay?"

"I don't want to stop. Please put your mouth on me."

He leaned forward and dragged his tongue from her pussy to her clit. Her hole was wet, and the taste of her honey on his tongue nearly short-circuited his brain. He repeated the action, this time swirling his tongue around the edge of her hole, and she moved her feet to his shoulders, trying to open her legs wider.

He smiled at how eager she was, and jabbed his tongue inside her channel. Her honey tasted amazing, and he filled her two more times before her fingers fisted the short strands of his hair and she raised her hips off the bed.

"Evander, please," she breathed.

Her pussy started pulsing around his tongue, and he pulled his mouth away and closed his lips around her clit at the same time he slid a thick finger into her hole. Her pussy convulsed around the digit, and his cock throbbed, desperate to sink inside her tight channel.

He couldn't yet, though. His mate wasn't ready for that, so he added another finger and moved them in and out as he stroked her clit with his tongue. Every noise that came from her mouth pushed him harder, and when he felt her walls tighten around him, he placed the flat of his tongue on her clit and pressed down hard.

Kari screamed his name as the orgasm tore through her body, and he'd never seen or heard anything so beautiful.

Honey gushed out of her core, soaking his hand, and he continued to stroke her even as he tried to lap up all her juices. The orgasm seemed to go on and on, and when she let go of his hair, he tore his mouth away and stripped off all of his clothes.

He crawled onto bed on top of her, and her arms immediately came around him as he pulled her to the center of the mattress.

"That was amazing," she said, brushing her lips against his. "I like tasting myself on you."

"Have you licked your fingers after making yourself come, sweetheart?"

"Yes." She said the word in whisper as he pushed the head of his cock into her pussy.

"Will you show me one day?"

She blinked at him, and he pushed his cock in a little deeper.

"Yes."

Fuck!

He slid the rest of the way in, and she stilled.

Fucking hell!

She was tight and perfect, and the way her walls were clenching down on him told him he wouldn't last long, but he wouldn't move until she was ready. He was a big guy, and though he loved knowing that he was the first—and last—one who would ever touch her sweet cunt, he didn't want to hurt her.

"Evander?"

"Yeah, sweetheart."

"I'm good, but I need you to move."

He pulled his dick out slowly, then sank back in at the same maddening pace. He wanted nothing more than to pound into her hard and fast, but it was her first time, and he didn't want to hurt or scare her. He could feel the familiar tingling at the base of his spine, but he ignored his need and concentrated on his mate.

He refused to come before her, and luckily, he knew it wouldn't be long. Her pussy was already tightening around him, and when he slid one hand between them and pressed on her clit, she was gone.

The scream that came out of her mouth pushed him over the edge, and he clenched his jaw and kept up the slow and steady pace. Three strokes later, he stiffened and roared his release. He kept his weight on his forearms, barely, while their breathing returned to normal, and then he collapsed on the bed beside her.

"Was that... okay?" She asked, quietly.

He opened his eyes and saw that she'd turned toward him but hadn't moved in closer. There was too much space between them, and he didn't like it at all.

Had he hurt her? He didn't think he did, but it seemed like she was putting up a wall between them, and he didn't like it at all.

"That was amazing," he said, scooting closer and pulling her against his chest. "Did you like it? Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I loved it," she said, snuggling against his chest. "And no, you didn't hurt me. When can we do it again?"

His dick was still half hard, but it swelled to the point of pain at her words.

"Whenever you're ready," he laughed.

She reached one hand between them and gently tightened her fingers around him.

"That's impressive," she smiled. "Shower sex seems fun. Do you want to try it?"

"Yes."

He jumped up from the bed, scooped her up in his arms, and practically ran to the bathroom even though it was only a few steps away. Kari laughed the whole way, and a few minutes later, he was holding her up against the wall, moving in and out of her soaking wet cunt while she urged him to go faster.