#13 The Dragon King and his Werewolf Princess

I clenched and unclenched my fists, staring blankly at my mate. My infuriating, stubborn, determined, beautiful mate. I had two options: stare coolly at her and stay silent, or lose my complete and total shit. Either way, my sanity was out the window. She wanted to leave not only me, but the entire realm. She wanted to fight her way out tooth and nail. She wanted to flee.

And I needed her to stay.

“River,”

Everytime I say her name it surprises me at how beautiful it sounds, how intimate it feels to say it, and how much it affects me,

“I cannot apologize enough for everything that has happened to you since you stepped foot inside my realm. I don’t know how to make up for it, but I swear that I won’t stop trying.”

River glared at me, her deep blue eyes scrutinizing me. I waited for her to speak, but she didn’t, her mouth clamped tightly shut. The first time she spoke more than a few broken words to me, I nearly lost it all. The sound of her voice was overwhelming to me, all-consuming, and it scared the hell out of me.

“Okay, I’m going to tell you something personal about me in hopes that it helps you to understand,” I sighed deeply, “I had a mate once before.”

River’s eyes widened and her plump lips formed a small O of surprise.

“I’m your second chance mate?” She asked.

“I guess? We don’t have a term for it here because it doesn’t usually happen. Dragons mate for life. When one dies, the other follows quickly behind them. There have only been a handful of times in our history that someone has gotten another mate.” I said,

“What happened?” River asked.

“She had another lover. I found out the night before our wedding.” I confessed, keeping my expression blank and my tone even.

“Calix.” She breathed my name in sympathy and I realized I was wrong before, so very wrong.

I thought her name from my lips was the most amazing sound in all the realms. No, it was hearing my name from her lips that was unfathomable. I actually had to adjust myself, my pants straining against my manhood. I hadn’t been even remotely turned on since before my last mate and I was shocked that a single name from this woman’s lips could make me feel all of those feelings again.

“I’m so sorry, Calix,” Have mercy….she said it again, “That’s horrible.”

“It’s alright. I’m glad I found out before I pledged my life to her and made her my Queen. For us, marriage is forever and binding; there is no undoing it and, therefore, no undoing her coronation.” I explained.

“I don’t understand how anyone could do such an awful thing to their mate.” She shook her head in disbelief.

“You believe in the matebond, then?” I asked, fearing that she wasn’t a believer in its sacredness like I was.

Maybe werewolves don’t take it as seriously as dragons? I didn’t know.

“Oh, yes, absolutely,” She nodded her head vigorously, “My parents are Goddess given mates, all three of them.” She smirked and I was momentarily distracted by her smile.

Wait, did she say…..

“Three?”

“My dads are identical twins and my mom is mates to both of them.” She said,

“What are your parents’ names?” I asked curiously.

“Sebastian, Alexander, and Stella,” She smiled brilliantly as she thought about her family, “And my brothers are Rohen and Rodrick.”

“I’m sorry that you were taken from them. You must miss them terribly.” I sighed.

“I do,” She nodded thoughtfully, “A hundred years ago, my great-great grandparents, Austyn-Rose and Leo Storm, helped lead an army of wolves against the Werewolf Council. The reason for their attack was the matebond.”

“Why? What happened?” I asked, my eyes pinching together in wonder.

“The Council didn’t think that werewolves should mate outside of the species, especially Alphas. They went to war over the matebond, so, yes, I believe in it very strongly.” She looked at me fiercely.

“Then, why do you want to leave?” I queried.

“Because my parents are in another realm? Because I was a prisoner here? Because half your guards have seen me naked? Because you want to force me to stay? Pick a reason.” She spat at me bitterly, her attitude suddenly changing.

And she had every right to her anger and bitterness.

“River,” I sighed her name again, mainly because I didn’t know what else to say.

I wasn’t a man who apologized often and I’d already done it more times today than in the past two centuries of my life. I would do it again and again, don’t get me wrong, but I was starting to think that it had little effect on this woman.

“What do you want me to do, River? Blind all the guards who saw you? Burn the Tower to the ground? Get down on my knees and beg you not to leave me? Rip down the wall between our realms and move your family here? Merge our kingdoms? I’ll do it, any of it, all of it.” My voice got more desperate as my list went on, more emotions straining against my face than ever before.

River’s eyes went wide and they started to shimmer with unshed tears. My dragon was banging against the confines of my mind, enraged that I had made our mate cry, again.

“You’d do all that for me?” She whispered and I realized that the tears weren’t from sadness.

“I’d do anything for you, River.” I replied simply.

River took a deep breath and then held it in, her face scrunching up and her eyes turning black. I guessed she was speaking to her wolf. A few seconds later, she released a rush of air and blinked her eyes clear.

“Like you said, right now there’s nothing else to do but stay. One day at a time.” She had a determined look on her face.

I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the short-term plan, the idea that she could decide to up and leave at any given moment scared me stiff. But, I had to give her whatever she wanted.

“One day at a time.” I nodded in agreement.

She gave me the privilege of a small smile directed right at me.

“What now?” She asked in an unsure voice.

“You need to get better.” I said and she laughed quietly at me.

“Lavender healed me. I am better.” She declared.

I cocked an eyebrow at her as if to say, prove it and she accepted the challenge. River threw the quilt off her lap and her legs over the side of the bed, hopping up onto her own two feet. She stretched out her arms and wiggled her toes, smirking at me smugly.

“See?” She grinned, “I’m a royal werewolf, Calix. Lavender is strong.”

“Of course she is. You’re a Queen.” I said, rising up to stand in front of her.

“In my own right.” She said, looking at me like she was daring me to argue.

“Yes, that’s what I meant.” I agreed, because I did. With or without me, she was a Queen, “You aren’t tired or weak or dizzy?” I studied her face closely.

She shook her head and twirled in front of me,

“Nope.”

Holy hell, she was adorable.

My dragon pecked at my mind again and I felt my eyes heat up.

“When Lavender speaks to me or gets excited, my eyes turn black,” River said as she looked into my eyes, “Your dragon really doesn’t have a name?”

“No.” I grunted.

“Well, I can’t just call him the dragon, that’s weird, and Lavender wants a name for her mate.” River said with a precious puzzled expression.

“I’m sure you can name him, he wouldn’t mind.” I shrugged, knowing for a fact that my dragon wouldn’t be bothered one bit at being named by his werewolf mate.

River cocked her head to the side, staring at me intently, and I knew very distinctly in that moment that I would do anything for this woman. The way her cautious eyes watched me and her petite nose scrunched up in curiosity had me reeling.

She reached out a shaking hand and brushed her fingertips against my face. I resisted the urge to flinch away in surprise or nuzzle into her hand for more, instead I stayed frozen. Her eyes were locked with mine and it was like she was trying to see inside me and catch a glimpse of the dragon for herself.

“Beau Feu.” She finally said, dropping her hand.

“Beautiful fire?” I echoed her words and her eyes snapped back to mine.

“You know French?” She asked.

“I know many languages.” I replied simply.

“Hm,” She looked impressed, “Your eyes are the color of fire and it’s beautiful and French is a beautiful language, so I’ll call him Beau Feu.” She declared, looking proud of herself.

“As you wish.” I cleared my throat, struggling to keep my emotions at bay.

“My mother is French, her mother came from a small village on the cliffside,” She said randomly, “She taught my brothers and I from the time we were babies.”

“We’re taught so many languages in school and about all the cultures that go with them. I imagine our information is quite outdated by now, but it’s good to learn about what’s outside our realm.” I said and was surprised when she laughed at me, “What?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head, covering up her smile with the back of her hand.

“What’s funny?” I demanded to know, my voice coming out a little too harshly.

She rolled her eyes at me,

“No patience,” She tsked, “I just noticed how you speak like you’re reading from a book.”

“Oh.” I grumbled, “I don’t mean to.”

“I know,” She shrugged, “Everything is just so different here and I’ve barely seen anything. It’s like the old world meets modern technology.”

“I don’t know what that means.” I admitted and she laughed again,

“I’ll teach you,” She offered, “About what’s outside this realm, if you teach me about what’s in it.”

“You want to learn about my realm?” I attempted to keep my enthusiasm from bleeding through my voice.

“I do, but only if you stop doing that.” She pointed to my face.

“Doing what?” I asked, confused.

“Faking this blank stare and acting like you don’t feel anything. I’m not sure if it’s a dragon thing, a King thing, or a Calix thing, but it’s gotta stop.” She said,

“I don’t know what you mean.” I lied.

“I think that you do.” She challenged me, leveling me with an accusing gaze.