Page 8 of Ember's Dragon
“No,” he sighed. “But I can’t wait for you to show me. Are you a dragon as well? From the colors it looks like you could be a fire dragon?”
There were different kinds of dragons? That was the one thing my mind latched onto and now I had to know. “Wait, what sort of dragon are you?”
“Water dragon,” he announced proudly.
“Oh, that’s cool.” Then I thought about how to tell him about my form but decided to show him instead. I scootedforward and stood, feeling his hunger for me as my butt was right there in front of him.
“You ready to get dry?” he asked, sounding a tad unsure. He likely felt my nerves as I prepared to shift.
“No,” I said, smiling softly over my shoulder. He would be the first one I willingly showed my form to and not one I was forced to shift in front of like my parents had often made me do for their friends.
I sat on the edge of the tub and let the change take over, feeling my body shimmer until I was back in my phoenix form, my burning feathers glowing against all the gleaming surfaces.
Awe, devotion, happiness, and pride came from my alpha as he sat engulfed in bubbles and eyed my shifted form with clear excitement. “We can fly together,” River whispered, edging closer to where I sat. “Can I touch you? Or will it burn my fingers if I do?”
“You can touch me,” I said, feeling awfully nervous about someone touching me. I’d made everyone believe they’d get burned if they did, simply because it was one thing to be forced to shift in front of them. It was entirely different having their hands on me as well without my consent. I wanted River to touch me, though, wanted my alpha to accept this part of me as well. He’d clearly not known of my form and his first words had been excitement over us flying together. It was rather cute; I had to admit that.
My alpha’s hands carefully reached forward, touching my feathers with such care and devotion, I felt myself flutter mywings in response. My phoenix rarely showed any kind of emotions, only anger, and with my temper that meant I got angry easily, a thing my mother was certain came from my form and she hated me for it.It was one of the many things she hated me for.
“You’re so beautiful,” River whispered, erasing my mother’s hate from my mind and letting me bask in the moment. I was a mated omega now, no matter how unreal that felt, and I had an alpha dragon who was clearly devoted to me. I could feel his happiness and blooming love for me, that couldn’t be faked. I knew as much. It seemed my life had taken a turn for the better and for the first time in my life, I now looked forward to my first heat.
Chapter Seven
River
My omega was magnificent. I’d thought it before and I would keep thinking it over and over it seemed. Ember was a phoenix shifter, the very first I’d ever seen in person. He was also slowly coming around and accepting our bond. After he’d shown me his phoenix, it was as though all of his fears had evaporated, and now we could finally move forward as mates.
I began drying Ember’s skin which was slightly tanned, likely from the sun, and I had to ask, “What did you do for a living at the royal palace?”
He froze and a hint of fear and trepidation came over me. I knew he hadn’t serviced anyone sexually, so that sort of work wasn’t what had him so nervous. “I was a farmer,” he whispered as I continued to dry him.
“That explains the tan,” I smiled, kissing his stomach.
“You don’t mind it?” he asked, sounding surprised. I also felt his disbelief.
“That you were a farmer?” I asked and he nodded. “No, why would I mind that?”
“Well, you likely thought I was someone important when you picked me up, didn’t you?”
I shrugged. “You are important, you’re my omega.”
He sighed like I was irritating him, but I also felt his happiness at my words.
“What were you doing at the palace if you worked as a farmer?” I asked instead, feeling intrigued. We never had any farmers here at the palace, only on those days where we welcomed them in for a feast for all of their hard work.
“I was sold to the fae crown prince,” he whispered, and I felt his determination as he spoke the words. He didn’t want there to be secrets between us. “I was to be bred by him so he could have phoenix shifter children.”
My horror must’ve been felt and seen, because Ember gave me a shy smile. “I’m not proud to admit my family sold me off, but you saved me before my heat, and for that I’m thankful.”
“Fuck, so am I,” I breathed. To think my omega had been so close to being bred like he was nothing more than a womb to them. “I hope you know that isn’t something I plan for us.”
“What do you mean?” Ember asked, tilting his head. He was fully dry now and watched me as I hurriedly dried myself with the same towel.
“I mean, you and I won’t be having kids for four hundred years at least.”
He crossed his arms and glared at me, anger evident in his feelings. My omega wanted children here and now. I should’ve foreseen that.
“What if I don’t want them at all? Or isn’t that something that works with your four-hundred-year plan?” he sniped.
