Chapter 15 You're mine now
Plop!
I jumped into the lake, and dove for the bottom. It was impossible to resist a smile at how cool, how good, the water felt after such an exercise.
If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up.
I had shifted. Raced with the Alpha. Tussled with him for half an hour where he made me eat dirt for my insolence.
But it was all thrilling. Too damn thrilling because I had gotten my body back.
And as long as I stayed alert, this might all just be fun.
A splash behind me upset the water, clouding my vision for a minute.
Swimming around, I saw his silhouette, dark against the rising sun as he dove further to the bottom of the lake where I was standing.
He stopped before me and stared deep into my eyes, bubbles frothing between our noses.
My momentary happiness shriveled.
The memories came rushing back, tightening my chest. The guilt, the tears, the hurt.
I waited, breathless. Waited for him to rage, yell, curse me out now that we were finally alone, away from everyone.
He raised a hand up, and I winced, but he circled my neck and pulled me to his chest.
My body crumbled against him, my throat catching on a sob. He hugged me even closer.
Even underwater like this, my tears burned my eyes.
This was going to be all the more difficult because of him. How can I guard my heart from him too?
There was also this guilt that was eating me alive. That made me want to run, and run. That made me think maybe what Gianna did to me was karma after all.
Someone as sweet as he was, should never have suffered what I put him through.
“I’m sorry.” I mouthed in the water, tasting its flatness with a hint of mineral.
Gently pulling away, he sleeked my hair back with all the tenderness I remembered. Smiling sadly.
When he pulled me closer again, our naked bodies melded with familiarity and Rhea let out a throaty whine, happy as a kitten.
Hale kicked once, and we broke the surface, our heads bobbing above the water.
“Thank you, Finn,” he stared behind me.
My head jerked around. Finn was barefoot on the lawn, at the edge of the lake.
Our eyes locked as he stretched a bathrobe out. There was a bruised look in his eyes that made me feel wretched, a betrayer.
He spun away, making sure to walk in the shadow of the trees to avoid the direct glare of the rising sun.
I turned back around to find Hale watching me.
My heart stopped. He had noticed the silent exchange between us.
“So you’ve met him?”
I turned, swimming out of the water. “Yes,” I responded over my shoulder.
How could I explain that the man I met for the first time last night did not feel like a stranger?
And three hours with him in this garden left me feeling like he was the closest person to me in the world.
How could I describe the pain that had twisted my heart, pounded against it, as I listened to him tell me about his father?
There was no way I could describe the comfort I felt at the anger in his eyes when I told him all about Ginna and the Grunder family dynamic.
The Hearthrown Alphas would consider that cheating.
I dropped my hands on the rocky rim of the lake and hopped out. Hale floated up to my knee as I sat on the edge, feet dangling in the water.
“Is there something you are hiding, Lys?”
I felt a sudden, strange pricking at the back of my neck and looked up to find the Dragon on the balcony of the fourth floor. Staring down at us.
He nodded once, but did not look away.
“Is there something we are hiding, you mean.” I took the bathrobe from his outstretched hand and shrugged it on.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hale said flatly.
“Lying is so unlike you.”
“So is obedience and tears for you.”
“You sound like your Draki now.”
“Do you hate, Daine?” He frowned in surprise, eyes narrowed as the sun rising behind me cast golden light on his face. He looked unbelievably breathtaking like this. Hair shining like polished silver.
“He hates me.” I rose to my feet, and Hale burst into laughter.
“You're awful at reading people.” He fell in steps beside me. Naked. “Daine has never been this smitten with anyone since after Finn.”
I stumbled, but Hale caught me before I could hit my face on the floor.
“Finn?” My heart thudded as I waited for a response.
That erotic dream returned to me. Me with all three of them at the same time. Moon’s mercy!
Hale’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, and I hurriedly masked my curiosity.
There was no logical way I could explain such deep interest in their Protégé and Chef.
But my chest was hurting. Last night, I believed we told each other everything there was to know about ourselves.
Naive Lys. Why would I even hope to be close friends with someone after just one night?
Turning away from Hale, I hurried towards the mansion. “I have to be at the academy at 10:00.”
We were under the courtyard gallery now with its wide doors.
“Academy?” Hale sounded surprised. “You just started walking.”
“The more reason I should get back to practice immediately,” I froze, remembering the Dragon’s words.
“If it’s OK with you both.” My eyes found his. “I cannot afford to miss one more day.”
He stared at me, with the familiarity he had tried so hard to hide since yesterday in that living room.
I turned immediately, and sprinted into the mansion.
“Oh.” I stopped dead in the bathroom. The Dragon turned around slowly, and our eyes met.
He kept his gaze on me from under the steaming shower, that black, black hair flowing past his shoulder, down to his waist and clinging to his body.
I swallowed. He was mesmerizing, eyes hypnotic. But as usual, he looked angry.
He stared at me like he wanted to eat me, literally. Yet, I was unable to tear my eyes away from him, despite my rapidly accelerating heartbeats.
“You blush a lot.” That deep voice vibrated round the bathroom. My clit pulsed like a heartbeat.
“And boy, does she shiver.” Hale whispered right in my ears. I jumped, spinning around with wide eyes.
How did he walk in soundlessly, how long had he been standing there?
“Sit.” The Dragon’s voice was a quiet command.
He flicked the shower off and wrapped a towel around his waist. My heartbeats returned to a normal rate.
“Here, fairy.” Hale gestured to the shower bench by the wall. And smiled at the Dragon, who leaned in to steal a kiss as he walked past him.
Taking careful steps on the wet floor, I lowered to sit on the very-wet bench. When I raised my head up again, they were towering above me just like they did at that cave.
Standing so close that their wide shoulders brushed. The palatial-sized bathroom suddenly felt too small with two mostly-naked men staring down at me with hot, predatory eyes.
Their lean, well toned abs were right in front of my face.
“You’re mine now.” The Dragon exhaled. It was not a question, but I nodded.
“And you consented to this many times.”
Again, I nodded. Licking my lips nervously as my heart started to race again.
I agreed to give them my body and obedience. Holding nothing back. As for my heart, that was mine and mine alone.
“Back against the wall,” he said then.