Chapter 184
Becca glanced at the marks and didn’t know what to do. He’d marked her. Twice.
“Becca,” Charlotte called from the other side of her door. “Can I come in?”
She threw on a long-sleeved robe and opened the door.
“What’s going on?”
Charlotte gave a sad look.
“I’m sorry about you and Vikter,” she sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I really thought he’d get his shit together and realize it’s better to have you for a short time than not at all.”
Becca frowned.
“Why would I want him for a short time? Am I not worth long-term?”
Charlotte’s eyes widened.
“I… No. That’s not it at all. But you… you know, right?”
Becca shook her head.
“Know what?”
“About his dragon and the mate thing?” Charlotte sat on Becca’s bed and started wringing her fingers. “He needed to find a mate before it was too late. If he didn’t, his dragon would disconnect from him, and soon the dragon would die. And then he would too.”
“What?!” Becca gasped. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, you see, he didn’t find his mate. So that means he’s got very little time left.”
She gaped.
“Why is it so important that he find this mate?”
Charlotte made a frustrated face and shoved long curls over her shoulder.
“Normally, the mate is the one woman he is destined to be with. Only she gets his mark, and she can save him.”
“Mark?” Becca asked, her heart beating at twice the normal speed.
“Yes.” Charlotte folded her legs on top of the bed. “When a dragon mates, he will instantly mark his mate with the mark of his dragon. I’ve been told it’s different for each family, and it looks like a tattoo.”
“You said instantly?” She frowned. The marks had taken days to show up on Becca’s arm and hip. Like a photo being developed, the outline had showed up at first, then the faint color became brighter and the image clearer. Within a week, she had what looked like two brand-new tattoos of a golden dragon on her arm and hip.
“Yep. Anyway, with Vikter dying, I didn’t think he’d be so hard-headed that he’d turn love away to focus on death.” She inhaled loudly and let it out quickly. “You guys are so perfect for each other. Even I can see it.”
Becca wasn’t sure what to do. On the one hand, she was glad she was Vikter’s mate. It meant he wasn’t going to die. He’d mated and marked her, and now that meant he’d live—at least from what she knew that’s what it would mean. On the other hand, she didn’t want to tell him.
He refused to love her because of his situation. If he couldn’t accept his feelings for her without knowing she was his dragon’s mate, then what kind of relationship could they hope to have?
Vikter didn’t know why, but he felt different. His link with the dragon had started to strengthen. Was this what happened at the end? The link helped him think clearer. He wasn’t angry, and his focus shifted to Becca.
His office door burst open, and Razzy marched in with an angry scowl.
“How could you, Vik?”
She slapped her hands on her tiny waist and tapped her booted foot.
“What exactly did I do now?”
“You let her go. You let her go, and you love her,” she said. “Why?”
He’d been debating for days how to approach his need for Becca. It had grown every day she was away from him. It wasn’t even the lust driving his thoughts anymore. It was emotions. His heart ached for her—for her touch, her smile. He missed simple things like being near her.
“It wasn’t fair to keep her when I can’t give her the time she needs,” he said. It hurt him to the depths of his soul, but he knew her attaching to him would be worse later on for her.
The anger in Razzy’s eyes was replaced with sorrow.
“You’re a good man, Vik. But you’re stupid.”
He didn’t get a chance to reply. She whirled around and headed out.
Before she walked away, she stopped at the door.
“I’m going on a picnic with Becca by the giant rainbow tree. She doesn’t feel comfortable coming here any longer.”
Her words stabbed him in the gut. The last thing he’d wanted was Becca to feel uncomfortable in the castle. He paced his office, wondering when the thoughts of her would stop consuming him.
The answer was clear: never.
Becca sighed. On one side, she had Charlotte, Gerri, and Razzy trying to make her feel better about Vikter—and in the process making her feel worse. She didn’t want to talk about him or the fact that the man didn’t want to commit to her, even if he thought he was dying. Then there was Laina making stupid remarks every few moments.
“Aunt Laina…” Razzy grinned. “I said you could join us because I thought you were right. You shouldn’t be punished for what Drayken did, but can you stop trying to defend him every few seconds? We aren’t interested in why he did what he did. He was wrong for abducting Becca. Period.”
Bam! Becca tried not to smile at the polite but firm way Razzy took down her aunt.
“I know, darling, but he is truly a good man,” Laina said, giving Becca a side glare. “Some men just don’t know how to handle rejection.”
Becca’s anger rose.
“Maybe you should have taught him he’s not always getting what he wants,” she snapped. “Instead of looking for excuses for what he did.”
“Really, Razzy,” Laina stood. “You’re not letting some Earth whore speak to me that way, are you?”
Charlotte, Gerri, and Razzy jumped to their feet. Becca was the last to rise.
“Whore?” Becca asked between gritted teeth. “Where the hell are you getting your information, you old hag?”
“I knew you had no shame,” Laina spat. “I knew you were letting Vikter manhandle you under the table. We all knew.”
“Mother!” Drayken yelled, coming into view from between the trees. “I didn’t ask you to bring her here for this.”
Laina rushed off to Drayken’s side.
“I’m sorry, son. I don’t understand what you see in her. Vikter’s already had her. He didn’t want her.”
“Say another thing, you crazy bitch, and I’ll forget you’re almost twice my age and show you what an Earth ass-whoopin’ feels like,” Becca promised. “Go on. Say one more thing.”
“Becca,” Drayken said, taking a step toward her.
Gerri and Charlotte rushed to stand in front of her. Razzy moved ahead of the line to get in front of them.
“I promise I won’t hurt you,” he said.
Razzy turned to look over her shoulder at Becca.
“He’s being honest. We’d know if he was lying.”
Becca met Charlotte’s worried gaze and Gerri’s angry one.
“It’s your decision,” Charlotte said.
“But if he tries anything,” Gerri added, “we’re right here.”
Razzy nodded.
“I can fly.”
They were trying so hard to make her feel better, but Becca knew it was unnecessary.
She took a few steps forward and stopped some feet away from the others. She waited for him to approach her.
“I’m sorry, Becca,” Drayken said, marching toward her. “I let my frustration and anger control me. What I did was wrong.”
She nodded.
“I appreciate the apology, but let’s just forget it.”
He took another step.
“I was hoping you’d forgive me. I’d like to start again.”
He offered her a hand.
She met his gaze.
“I’m not looking for a relationship, Drayken. I’m not the one for you.”
He closed the distance between them.
“Just give me a chance. I can be your friend first, if that makes you feel better. We can start slow.”
She shook her head and stepped away.
“You don’t understand. I already love someone else.”
Anger brightened in his red eyes.
“He doesn’t want you,” he spat. “He’s going to die.” He continued closing in. “I want you. I want you for myself. Fuck Vikter. Once he’s gone, you and I can rule together.” He shot a hateful look at Razzy. “She’s no competition. I can take her out, and we can own Dragosland.”
“Are you fucking crazy?” she gasped.
He grasped at her arms.
“Let me show you what it means to be appreciated. I will make you my queen. Vikter’s going to die, and I’ll be there to replace him when he does.”
She didn’t struggle. Not when her anger had gone through the roof.
“You think his dying will change my mind? That doesn’t make any difference where emotions are concerned,” she said. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
He started to squeeze her arms when Vikter showed up. He marched forward, yanked Drayken off Becca, and hooked a left—catching Drayken’s jaw and sending him flying in a full turn. He landed on his ass, bleeding from his lip.
“Stay away from her,” Vikter growled. “She’s mine.”
“Vikter, you don’t want her,” Drayken yelled. “Besides, you’re as good as dead.”
Vikter dropped to the ground, picked Drayken up by his collar, and tossed him against a tree.
“Next time you touch her, I’ll kill you.”
A collective gasp went through the women.
“Hang on a fucking second here,” Becca retorted. “You can’t claim I’m yours and do your He-Man session, then tell me you don’t want me.”
Laina rushed to Drayken, screaming. She turned to them, her voice filled with fury.
“This family is a disgrace. It would be too soon if I never see any of you again.”
Drayken wiped the blood from his lips and leaned on his mother.
They left, the others staring behind them.
Vikter took his sweet time turning around to look at Becca. When he did, she was waiting for his answer.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Razzy, Charlotte, and Gerri quietly moving back to give them space.
“Rebecca,” he said, running his fingers through his hair, “I can’t stay away from you.”
“Nice way to get this going,” she said, raising a brow.
“What do you want to hear? That I love you?” he growled. “Yes, I love you. I don’t know when or how, but I couldn’t stop the emotion from taking control of my heart. I tried to do what was best for you by keeping you away.”
She shoved her hands into her loose-knit pants.
“Why was that best for me? I would think if you loved me, being with you is the best thing for me.”
He shook his head.
“I do love you. Totally. So fully it hurts my soul to know I’ll leave you alone.” He glanced at his hands, then back to her face. “I’m dying.”
She cleared her throat, emotion clogging her airways and making he
r eyes well up with moisture.
“No, you’re not.”
He nodded.
“I couldn’t find my dragon’s mate.” He shrugged. “But none of that matters, because I found the woman I love. I found someone to fill my heart with love.”