Chapter 10
Konrad
Ithought I knew what exhaustion was. I had been weak and tired after being held captive for however long.
I was wrong. We ended up not making it as far as Aleric had hoped.
At first, I thought it was because I was smaller and not nearly as powerful of a flyer, but Aleric reassured me it was because of the winds and how harshly they were blowing.
The winds were brutal, and I couldn’t imagine trying to cross the ocean while hanging on to Aleric’s neck while in my human form.
My mate had been right. It was cold, and this was certainly no place for a human.
The second day in, I had already decided that if I never saw the ocean again, I would be a very happy person.
It was never-ending, and although I was fascinated with it at first, that ended by midday when we first started over it.
Days upon days of flying over nothing but water.
It was dark and mysterious. More than once, I looked down and saw what was probably what Aleric had mentioned when he told me about things in the water that were larger than us.
I was a dragon, but even I did not wish to meet whatever was in the water.
The longer we flew, the stronger the winds.
I wasn’t sure if it was because my body was tiring or if they were simply picking up.
Either way, I was not a fan of them. The weather had turned colder, telling me we were coming into a season change.
I wasn’t sure what time of year it was, but I was more than ready for a warm bed.
I would even take another cave where I could curl up with my alpha and just sleep.
I was tired and ready for it all to end.
I would never tell my mate that though. I wanted to make him proud and prove to him that I could do this. So I pushed on without complaint.
Now there was nothing but land, and Aleric had reassured me that we were close. But the winds were not cooperating, and with them came dark clouds and snow.
I was flying as close to Aleric as I could, but even with my enhanced sight, it was difficult to see in the storm we were caught in.
Aleric bellowed out, signaling to me we were going downward.
I followed, the wind and swirling snow picking up as we descended.
When Aleric suddenly dropped from what little sight I had, I called out, worried something devastating had happened to my mate.
A replying call sounded, and I dove down, suddenly finding myself in a deep gorge where the snow was still heavy, but the winds were now almost nonexistent.
Here, the snow just seemed to float downward.
I spotted Aleric, flying toward falling water.
Realization hit me suddenly. We were here.
He had spoken often of his sanctuary behind the waterfall.
I flapped my wings harder, determined to catch up, but I needn’t have worried.
Aleric circled around, coming up beside me, then dropping a bit more.
He tucked his wings back and disappeared inside the waterfall.
It was scary to think about, but he reassured me that once you were in front of it, you could see the cave through the water and that it was large enough for him to fit comfortably in his dragon form.
I took a chance, completely trusting my mate.
I circled around, my roundabout smaller, then aimed for where I saw Aleric disappear.
I didn’t need to worry though. A sudden burst of dragon’s flame came from within the waterfall, and I called out before I dove down, tucked my wings, and passed through the water.
I barely remembered to put my feet forward to land but managed to catch myself.
It was an incredibly tight fit until Aleric shifted. When he did, I took another step inside and dropped my satchel beside his.
“Before you shift, wait just a minute. I need to ready the fire, and if you would please light it?”
I nodded in understanding. I would agree to anything at this point. I was so incredibly excited to finally be here.
It took only moments for Aleric to walk to the back of the cave and bring forward an armful of wood. He placed it on a small pile of ashes, and after he had the logs situated as he wanted, he nodded at me.
I called for my fire, letting a short burst out, and when the wood was completely engulfed, I relaxed.
Once I knew the fire had caught, I initiated my shift.
When I was back on two legs once again, Aleric was there, quickly wrapping his strong arms around me.
That was probably a good thing because my body was ready to give out. I was completely drained of energy.
“I am so proud of you, Konrad. I know it’s not much, but this is my cave that I found one day while I was out exploring the area. I thought it might be best to come here first.”
I snorted. I simply could not help myself. I knew exactly why Aleric had brought me here first. I looked around the cave. My alpha had somehow managed to bring a trunk as well as a bed. Although, it was only sticks and rope.
“I have…” Aleric never finished. Instead, he moved to the trunk and opened it.
When he pulled out a thin mattress for the bed, I grinned.
“I promise my bed in the house is thicker and much more comfortable. I have only ever been the one in here, but I am certain the bed will hold the two of us. It is sturdy.”
“You are rambling, Alpha,” I said, walking over to where he was smoothing out the mattress.
As I got closer, I realized it was simply several blankets sewn together.
There would be no complaints from me. As long as I got to spend time with my alpha here, I was going to be a happy, and hopefully soon claimed, dragon.
“Yes, well, I know what my dragon and I both want, but I also know that I should at least offer you another meal before I—” Aleric shuddered and closed his eyes as I ran my hands down his torso. When I reached his hips, I didn’t stop.
Never before had I been this bold with a lover, but this was my mate. My alpha. If I could not share my most intimate desires with him, then I couldn’t share them with anyone.
My fingers touched wiry hair, and then I found his shaft.
It was hot and velvety soft and rapidly hardening.
I moaned at the thickness, not that this was the first time I’d noticed.
Hardly. I simply had not been given a good opportunity to explore the hard muscles that dipped and rose on my alpha’s body.
I was a dragon shifter, and as such, I was muscular.
But I was an omega, and my build was more slender than that of an alpha’s.
“Konrad. I won’t be able to stop. I’ve denied my dragon for too long, and now that we are here, I am having a difficult time convincing myself that I should wait a bit longer.”
I took the warning for what it was: an opportunity to wait if I was unsure. I had flown for days and days next to this alpha because he was my alpha, and I was more than ready to finally be claimed.
“Aleric, I wish to be yours. I hope to give you many children,” I whispered against his neck. I pumped my hand up and down his now-hard shaft, and Aleric’s hands grabbed ahold of my hips. “I can think of no better place to go through my first heat as a mated dragon than here in your cave.”
That was all it took for me to suddenly find myself picked up. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and legs around his narrow hips, immediately rolling my hips, grinding my own hard shaft against Aleric’s flat stomach.
Aleric’s fingers grabbed my hair, forcing me to meet his gaze, and when I did, my lips parted at the look of desire.
“Have you been with others, Konrad? We never discussed it.”
“I have. Dragon heats can be too much to endure without the help of another, but that is something that I have never experienced. You will be the first and only for that.”
Aleric nodded, seeming to understand. Then again, he had an omega father. I was sure he did understand.
Aleric’s hand in my hair tightened before it pulled my head back.
When my throat was completely exposed, I closed my eyes.
When Aleric’s lips found my neck, I moaned and rolled my hips again.
When sharp teeth carefully nipped at my skin, I shivered in anticipation.
I would have a claiming bite before morning. I was sure of it.
When my alpha’s lips found the spot where my neck and shoulder met, he bit harder but not hard enough to break the skin. The bite turned into a gentle kiss, then harder suction, pulling another moan from me.
“Right there. Soon, you will wear my mark there for all others to see.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“And you will bite me in return.”
“Yes, Alpha.” I would do whatever he asked of me if it meant I got his shaft into me, his knot locking us together and his seed filling me as his teeth sunk into my neck.
We were falling, and then my back hit the bed.
Aleric’s lips and teeth found my shoulder, and I could only hold on to his hair, hoping to finally get a taste of my alpha.
He seemed to have other plans, though, and moved farther down my body.
I had no room to complain. Aleric was slowly working his way down my torso, and I hoped he ended up where I had only experienced once.
Aleric shouldered his way between my legs, and I spread them as far as I could.
My alpha did not disappoint. When his tongue swiped out at my shaft, I sucked in a deep breath and held it in anticipation.
I looked down my body and watched as he lapped at the clear fluid that was leaking from the skin covering the head.
I closed my eyes and dropped my head back when a large hand wrapped around my shaft and gently pulled the skin down.
I should have kept my eyes open. Hot, wet heat suddenly surrounded my shaft, causing my eyes to fly open. I had been blessed with an alpha that gave pleasure. Many didn’t, for they felt it was beneath them and it was the omega’s duty to please the alpha. That wasn’t Aleric though.