Chapter 14 Poppy #2
Warmth rushed to all corners of my body. I felt like I couldn’t think about it for too long or I’d get overwhelmed with emotion. Heck, I was already so keyed up that I couldn’t shift back to human form. If I became any happier, my fur might explode.
“So,” Alaric drawled, his odd eyes darting back and forth between Viol and me. “You two seem... different this morning.”
Viol smirked. He relaxed deeper into the couch, stroking my chest fur languidly with his fingers. “Yeah? How so?”
Alaric arched a thin brow. Even he seemed at a loss for words, which was highly unusual for our resident chatty cat. He cast a probing glance at Taylor and Rorik, but the two stoic omegas remained silent as they stared at us, as if unable to believe their eyes.
Only Muzo had the courage—or innocence—to speak up.
He poked his narrow head around my chest to speak directly to Viol.
“It’s ‘cause you never show up to breakfast, and when you do, it’s always with a spooky atmosphere,” he said, wriggling his front paw for emphasis.
“But today, you’re super cheery. I think it’s freaking people out. ”
Viol grinned at him. “I think so, too.” He leaned in playfully and asked under his breath, “Should I do it more?”
Muzo snickered, nodding vigorously. “Yeah, do it!”
“All right.” Viol craned his neck towards the other side of the kitchen and called, “Yo. Brothers. Check this out.”
Cobalt, Jade, Crimson, and Saffron—who had been pretending not to eavesdrop this whole time—eagerly spun around at Viol’s command. When he was certain he had their attention, Viol gently grasped the underside of my snout and pressed a big, dramatic kiss to my cheek.
Everyone stared in silent disbelief except for Alaric, who squealed loudly in shock before slapping a hand over his mouth, and Saffron, who burst out laughing.
“AHA!” Saffron cried, jumping up and down. “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! Oh, I’m gonna go tell Aurum right now—”
He bolted out of the kitchen.
When he left, nobody made a sound except for me because my tail kept swishing against the couch cushion. Then a second tail-swishing sound joined in beside me.
“Aw, I’m so happy for you guys!” Muzo exclaimed. “I mean, this kinda came out of nowhere, but still.”
Taylor sighed, though he couldn’t stifle a smile as broad as his shoulders. “No, it didn’t, Muzo. It’s been a long time coming.”
“Huh? Since when?” Muzo asked.
Rorik’s dark eyes softened until he resembled a giant teddy bear. He glanced at Viol, then at me. “Since before you met either Viol or Poppy,” he explained. “It’s been fifteen years, hasn’t it?”
“Give or take,” Viol agreed.
My heart clenched at the length of time. That was too long to spend apart. But it was finally over, and now I felt freer than ever.
Unable to contain my bursting feelings, I whined softly and leaned against Viol. His protective, possessive hand kept petting my fur in soothing strokes. A physical reminder that he was here, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
Suddenly, Alaric stood in front of Viol with crossed arms and a narrowed gaze. “You’re serious about this, I presume?” he asked haughtily. “If you dare to hurt Poppy—”
“Alaric,” Viol said in a low growl. “Look at me.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Viol’s expression. Stark. Intense. It made me shiver in a good way.
A second later, Alaric cleared his throat. The tension in his shoulders vanished. “I see. Well, I was just checking.” He flipped his hair over his shoulder and began to strut over to Jade. “By the way, don’t think I didn’t catch you sniffing Poppy’s scent on my clothes that one time...”
Viol snorted knowingly.
I watched the corner of Taylor’s mouth curve into a small smile.
I knew he felt the same way as Alaric. He’d always been one of my closest friends, and deeply protective of me.
But Taylor judged actions, not words. He could see with his own eyes how much Viol cared.
He had no reason to doubt Viol’s affection for me was real.
When I turned to Rorik and saw his stoic but genuine smile, I knew he had a deeper sense of what was going on. Out of everybody, he’d known both of us the longest. He was familiar with the good—and the bad.
I immediately shut that thought down. I didn’t want to think about it. Not when everything was so beautiful. Not when my life was perfect.
“Congratulations.”
Jade pulled me back to reality. He stood before us with a smile. The rest of Viol’s brothers remained in the kitchen, giving him space they knew he appreciated—though that didn’t stop the grins on their faces.
Viol grunted, blushing. “Thanks.”
“Oh?” Jade’s brows rose. “What for?”
Rolling his eyes, Viol muttered, “Cut the crap, Jade. You know what I mean.”
“Ah, but I enjoy hearing it.”
Viol flipped him off and said, “Thanks for inviting Poppy to the island, even though I didn’t want to deal with the bullshit Dragonfate Games. You asshole. There. Happy now?”
The vulgar gesture and words didn’t affect Jade. He looked pleased as ever, and I could tell it was genuine because his smile reached his eyes.
“Very much so,” he said politely. “Now, I’m going to stop Saffron from waking up the entire household with the wonderful news.”
Just as Jade finished his sentence, we heard Aurum shout so loud it echoed downstairs: “VIOL AND POPPY ARE WHAT?”
Jade sighed. “Oh dear. I was too late.”
Viol quickly shuffled me outside before the rest of the family smothered us in their congratulations. He knew they meant well, but he could only take so much spotlight at once. Thankfully, Jade promised to hold everybody off so we could take a breather together.
We strolled down from the castle to the secluded beach for some private time.
Still buoyed with happiness, I remained in my wolf form.
My tail hadn’t stopped wagging since I woke up, and the warm sand felt nice beneath my paws.
In fact, everything from the sun to the breeze to the salty air felt incredible.
The world seemed brand-new and wonderful.
Viol grinned as he watched me prance along the beach. “You’re too cute, Poppy.”
“You’re cute,” I shot back.
“Nope. You.”
I slapped my front paws against the sand. “You are, too!”
He chuckled. “No. You’re the cutest one. Way cuter than me. What are you gonna do about it, huh?”
Huffing, I headbutted his leg. “Don’t say you’re not cute because it’s not true.”
Viol kept laughing, unaffected. “What, you think that dinky headbutt’s gonna stop me? I said you’re the cutest, and that’s final, little wolf.”
I let out a sound halfway between a growl and a whimper. Finally, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I leapt up at Viol, pawing at his chest. He playfully pretended to fall, but then lost his balance and fell on his bum for real.
“Oof,” he said, landing against the sand.
Feeling guilty for knocking him down, I rushed over. “Are you okay?”
Viol cackled before throwing his arms around me and pulling me into a hug. I yelped in surprise before it transformed into laughter. He rolled around in the sand, pressing me against his chest the whole time.
“I got you now,” Viol teased. “There’s no escape.”
“Eek!”
I cracked up as Viol wriggled in the sand like a worm, carrying me with him. He pressed his forehead against mine and growled in a playful, wolfish way. I would’ve growled back at him, but I was giggling too hard.
Finally, Viol rolled onto his back so I was lying on top of him. I took a second to catch my breath in between straggling laughs.
“Sorry there’s sand in my fur,” I said.
“Don’t care. Worth it.” Viol beamed up at me. “Besides, I’m the one that put it there.”
I rested my chin on his chest, then crept forward so I could lick his face. Just like my tail wagging, once I started, I couldn’t stop. Soft whimpers escaped me as I covered Viol’s jaw in wolf kisses. He didn’t complain once, even though his face was now slobbery and wet.
“Sorry,” I cried once I’d finally pulled back. “I couldn’t stop!”
He just flashed a grin. “It’s fine, Poppy. What, you think I’ll get bent out of shape because my mate kissed me?”
My fur fluffed up in surprise. It sent a ribbon of bliss through me every time he called me that.
“Mate,” I whined quietly.
Viol stroked my fur, staring deep into my eyes. His gaze was gentle and overflowing with love. “That’s right. We’re fated mates. You and me.”
I whined harder when he said fated mates. My tail whacked against my flanks, back and forth like a whirlwind.
The emotion was too much for my body to contain. Suddenly, I leapt off Viol’s chest and started running in circles. He sat upright and laughed.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“Running!”
“Why?”
“I have to!”
Sand flew up in my wake as I ran back and forth, chasing my own wagging tail. I ran with the exuberance of a puppy in springtime, totally unashamed and free.
Viol stood up and dusted off his hands. “Shit, that looks like too much fun not to join in...”
He shook his head, and in an expanding vortex of purple, emerged as his dragon self. The majestic creature took my breath away every time I saw it. He was a vision, the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen—rarer than any precious stone or exotic flower.
He was my Violet.
I was caught in a new wave of euphoria. Energy surged through my body as I bounded towards Viol’s dragon form, brushing against his front legs and nuzzling his face when he leaned down to greet me. I couldn’t stop whimpering happily like a pup.
“I love you,” I declared. “I love you, I love you!”
A low rumble like a purr sounded in Viol’s long throat. His dragon voice took on a rich, gravelly tone. “I love you more, Poppy,” he growled back.
I found it difficult to believe that was possible, but I gave up arguing. Just hearing that he loved me filled me with inexplicable joy. My body felt so light and airy that I imagined I could fly.
“Run with me,” I urged.