Chapter 14 Draven
FOURTEEN
DRAVEN
Draven lay on his side, propped up on one elbow as he watched Lila’s face in the fading light.
Her dark hair spread across the black sand like silk, and her green eyes reflected the twin suns as they began their descent toward the horizon.
The air around them still hummed with the energy of what they’d shared and his mind was completely quiet.
No fire madness. No panic clawing at the edges of my consciousness.
He traced a finger along her bare shoulder, marveling at the smoothness of her skin. “How do you feel?”
Lila turned toward him, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. “Happy. And different somehow, like something shifted inside me.” She paused, studying his face. “What about you? Any... anxiety?”
“Nothing.” The word came out heavier than he intended, weighted with years of desperation. “My head is completely clear, and I feel so calm. You did that, Lila.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “We did that together.”
He couldn’t argue with that. The sex was incredible. But deep down he still wished for more.
She’d let him claim her body, but he needed more. The dragon mark that would seal their bond permanently, ensuring she could never leave him, called to every instinct he possessed.
But he had to exercise patience. She’d said if things kept going well, she’d consider it.
Then I’ll make damn sure things go perfectly.
He pulled her closer, tucking her against his chest as the twin suns painted the sky in shades of purple and pink. “Look,” he murmured against her hair.
Lila sighed contentedly as they watched the spectacular sunset together, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest. Through their strengthened mate bond, he could feel her emotions—satisfaction, wonder, and beneath it all, a growing love that made his dragon rumble with contentment.
She’s falling for me.
“I know the mate bond isn’t complete, but I can already feel the difference,” he said carefully. “Although, I think I’ll still need to continue the therapy sessions and avoid my kingly duties for the full two weeks like you recommended. I can’t get overconfident just because I’m feeling better.”
“I agree.” She tilted her head to look at him. “That shows real insight, Draven. Recovery isn’t linear, and you need to build sustainable coping mechanisms.”
Always the therapist.
But her professional concern warmed something deep in his chest. “If I’m feeling this good after just claiming you...” He let the words hang between them, heavy with implication.
“One step at a time,” she said softly, but he caught the flutter of anticipation through their bond.
As the last traces of sunlight faded, Draven sat up, his muscles pleasantly loose. “We should head back. I want you to meet my mother properly—have dinner with her.”
Lila’s emotional state shifted instantly, anxiety spiking through their mate bond as she reached for her discarded clothes. “Meet the Queen? Tonight?” Her voice pitched higher. “I’m not prepared for—what if she doesn’t—”
“Hey.” He caught her hands as she fumbled with her bra. “Look at me.”
Those beautiful green eyes met his brown ones, wide with worry.
“My mother is going to love you,” he said firmly. “Just like I love you more every minute.” The admission slipped out, but he didn’t regret it when her face softened.
“You love me?” she whispered.
“How could I not? You’re brilliant, beautiful, compassionate, and brave enough to come to an alien planet to help a total stranger.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “My mother will see exactly what I see.”
She stood up and finished dressing, smoothing down her yellow sundress with nervous hands. “What if she thinks I’m not good enough to be—” She stopped abruptly.
“To be what?” he prompted.
“Your... whatever this is we’re doing.”
My mate. My queen.
“She’ll think you’re perfect. I promise.”
He stood up and stretched, his dragon eager to take flight.. “Ready for another ride?”
Despite her nerves, excitement flickered through their bond. “Always.”
The shift came easily, his bones elongating and reshaping as obsidian scales replaced skin. His massive dragon form cast a shadow across the cove as he lowered his head for Lila to climb aboard.
She settled onto his back with growing confidence, her small hands gripping his neck. “Let’s go meet your mother,” she said, though he could feel her heart racing.
Everything’s going to be just perfect.
He spread his dragon wings wide and launched them into the star-filled sky.
The flight back to the castle under Nova Aurora’s twin moons was everything Draven had dreamed of—Lila’s arms wrapped securely around his dragon’s neck and her laughter carried on the wind as they soared through the night.
His dragon roared with joy, wanting to stretch this moment into eternity, and to fly with his mate until the suns rose again.
I could do this forever. Just her and me above the world and all its complications.
But duty called, and more importantly, he wanted his mother to meet the woman who would hopefully become her daughter-in-law. The woman who had already saved him in ways that went far beyond healing his fire madness.
When they landed in the castle gardens, Lila climbed off his dragon’s back and he shifted back to human form.
Draven pulled on his discarded black button-down and slacks from their earlier departure, the fabric feeling foreign after the freedom of flight.
But Lila’s admiring gaze as he dressed made the restriction worthwhile.
“Ready to meet the Queen officially?” he asked, though anxiety gnawed at his confidence.
Lila situated her yellow sundress, her nervousness spiking again. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
As they walked through the castle toward the dining room, Draven’s mind raced. His mother would sense the half-completed mate bond immediately—dragon shifters couldn’t hide such things from each other. The claiming scent would be all over both of them, marking them as undeniably paired.
She’ll know we crossed every professional boundary that existed.
His dragon side growled with satisfaction at the thought. His mate should be acknowledged, protected, and claimed openly. Hiding their mate bond felt like betraying everything primal and right about what they’d found together.
But his rational mind whispered warnings. Lila still saw herself as his therapist first, his potential mate second. She’d crossed lines she’d never crossed before, and he could sense the guilt already eating at her.
What if Mother disapproves of the situation? What if she thinks Lila took advantage of my vulnerability?
The possibility made his jaw clench. He’d been trying to control every variable for eighteen years, orchestrating outcomes to protect the Dominion and himself. Lila had told him to stop trying to control everything, but old habits died hard.
I just need this to be perfect. I need Mother to love her as much as I do.
They reached the dining room doors, and Draven paused. “Whatever happens in there, know that you’re exactly where you belong.”
Lila squeezed his hand. “Stop overthinking. We’ll handle whatever comes together.”
God, I love her strength.
Queen Serenya was already seated at the head of the long obsidian table, her silver-streaked hair swept into an elegant updo. Her golden-brown eyes sharpened the moment they entered the room.
“Mother.” Draven guided Lila to the chair beside the Queen, then took a seat next to Lila. “I’d like you to properly meet Dr. Lila Reyes.”
“Your Majesty.” Lila’s voice remained steady despite her racing heart. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home.”
His mother’s smile was warm but assessing. “The pleasure is mine, Dr. Reyes. I’m curious to hear how my son’s treatment is progressing.”
Here we go.
“Draven’s treatment is going better than I expected. He’s making great progress already,” Lila replied with growing confidence.
“That’s so wonderful to hear,” his mother said with approval.
After that, dinner continued with safe topics—Lila’s work on Earth, her observations about dragon psychology, and her impressions of Nova Aurora.
The Queen listened intently as Lila spoke about trauma therapy and complex mental health issues, occasionally asking pointed questions that revealed her sharp intelligence.
“I’ve found that humans and dragon shifters aren’t so different mentally,” Lila explained, cutting into her perfectly prepared steak. “The core emotions, the responses to trauma—they’re remarkably similar. Although, your son is particularly stubborn about accepting help.”
His mother laughed, the sound rich and genuine. “That he gets from his father. Never met a more pigheaded dragon in my life.”
They’re getting along. Thank God.
As the meal progressed, Draven watched his mother’s approval grow. Lila’s calm intelligence, her genuine care for others, and her quiet strength—all of it was exactly what a dragon queen should possess.
She’s perfect for this role. She just doesn’t know it yet.
When the kitchen staff poured the second round of Sidaii wine, Draven felt the moment arrive. His dragon demanded acknowledgment, and his heart demanded honesty.
“Mother, there’s something you should know.” His voice carried the weight of finality. “As you suspected, Lila is my fated mate. I unofficially claimed her today, and she’s willing to give our relationship a chance. Hopefully, in the near future, she’ll accept my mate mark.”
His words floated in the air for a long moment. Lila’s face flushed crimson, her emotions a tangle of gratitude and mortification through their bond.
His mother’s gaze sharpened, then softened almost immediately. She studied Lila with new intensity, as if seeing her for the first time not as a healer, but as her potential daughter-in-law and future queen.