Taming the Kraken (Celestial #5)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

The evening air met them as Alexa led Jared out through the garden doors. Lantern light and laughter still spilled from the castle behind them, everyone lingering after dinner. She kept walking until the sounds faded, until it was only the two of them and the dimming sky.

She’d seen it coming the second he asked to speak with her.

The way he squared his shoulders, the small breath he took before saying her name.

And when the words started spilling out of him right there in the hall, she’d slipped her hand around his arm and steered him outside.

Whatever she said next was going to cut deep, and he didn’t deserve an audience for it.

If she was going to break her friend’s heart, the least she could do was spare his dignity.

They stopped near the edge of the gardens, where the last light was thinning over the treeline. She turned to face him and made herself hold his gaze.

“You know I think you’re a great guy, but …”

“Are you rejecting me? Because of some man you’ve never even met?”

Okay. Hearing that said out loud hurt her more than she thought it would.

“Ken. His name is Ken, and he’s my fated mate. Not just some man I’ve never met.” Alexa kept her voice controlled as she stared back at the young man in front of her.

“A fated mate who wants nothing to do with you.” Jared winced at his own words, not meaning to come across so harsh.

She bit her inner lip. That one really stung because she wasn’t sure it was completely untrue. Her mate had never come to her … not once. All she wanted was one honest conversation, and he’d never bothered to give her even that.

“Please, try to understand. I don’t see you like that—”

“Lex …” His voice softened as he reached out and took her hands.

“I’ve fallen in love with you. I can’t change how I feel.

I want you, and I will cherish you. Just give me a chance.

Don’t turn me down waiting for a ghost. He has no idea what he was blessed with.

He has no idea how incredible you are, but I do. ”

She opened her mouth and stopped, unsure of what to say.

She didn’t want to hurt him. He was a close friend of hers, but she’d never looked at him romantically.

She knew she had a mate out there. Her mate recognized her while she was still a baby in her mother’s womb.

But he had chosen to hide his aura and refused to go to her.

She was told it was for her protection, but she was having doubts about that.

Her father had met with Ken a couple of times.

Her mate had told her father to tell her to move on with her life and find happiness.

That he wouldn’t be claiming her, so she should forget about him.

How could she do that without talking to him?

She was just supposed to never be with her fated mate.

He got to make the decision all on his own.

Well then, he should at least have the decency to give her a formal rejection and break the bond between them.

She wouldn’t be satisfied until he did that.

Him rejecting her was the last thing on her mind.

She could see no reason why they couldn’t be together.

She was a strong, independent young woman who also had a say in her life.

What Ken was doing was unfair. He needed to at least meet with her properly to discuss it.

If at the end of the conversation she felt like he didn’t want her, then she would accept his rejection and move on.

Ken was a deity, the Kraken, and she was only a demigod.

Well, not only a demigod. Her father was a tier-one deity, Leviathan.

Her mother was part werewolf and part fairy, but not just a normal fairy.

Although she wasn’t the reigning queen yet, her mother was the fairy queen, which made Alexa the fairy princess.

She wasn’t exactly a nobody, but … maybe he didn’t want to be with someone like her?

It was this insecurity that made her chest constrict and left her feeling anxious.

Maybe he was trying to do her a favor by not seeing her.

He was trying to spare her the humiliation. She felt so … unwanted. It hurt.

“I will wait for you, Lex. I’ll wait until you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere, and I will prove to you how serious I am.” Jared lifted her hands to his lips and gently kissed her skin.

“Jared, I can’t ask you—”

“You didn’t.” He smiled at her as he caressed her hand with his thumb.

“Don’t say anything else. Promise to be my date at the dragon party, please?

We can talk more about this then. For now, just take this time to think …

about us.” Jared stared into her blue eyes and gave her a faint smile.

“Don’t overthink it. Don’t worry about sparing my feelings either.

All I want is for you to consider us.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips over her forehead, then took a step back.

“I couldn’t continue to pretend anymore.

Don’t feel like I’m pressuring you. I would never. ”

“I know that, Jared. You may be an arrogant dragon who thinks too highly of himself …” She smiled as she teased him. “But you’ve always been someone of high moral standards and a very dear friend to me.”

He frowned slightly when she mentioned the word friend. “I’ll always be your dear friend, but maybe I can also be someone more dear to you.” He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled quietly. “Okay, maybe I should just quit talking now. I don’t want to make this awkward for you.”

“It isn’t. I don’t know if I can give you the answer you want.”

He smiled sweetly and nodded his head.

“I sort of just sprung this on you. I’m sorry for that. Like I said before … just think about it.” He glanced up at the sky and shrugged slightly. “I’ll see you soon, beautiful.”

He shifted into a large, dark green dragon. His beast stared at her for a moment before he flapped his wings, elevating into the sky and flying off toward the Southern Dragon Kingdom. She watched him until he disappeared. Sighing, she looked around in the night air, gazing into the dimming light.

The fireflies had started to light up and dance as the crickets began to play their music.

Not to be outdone, the tree frogs also joined in on the nightly chorus.

Besides these creatures, she was alone. She inhaled the cool air, filling her lungs before slowly letting it all out.

She and Jared were close, but she hadn’t expected a love confession and wasn’t sure what to do with the information.

Her jaw tightened angrily, and her fingers clenched into fists.

“Is this what you really want? Do you actually want me to just take another mate?” She shook her head angrily.

“This isn’t fair of you! We should at least have a proper conversation instead of me talking to myself as if I’m crazy.

” Her nose stung and her eyes watered. She hated this, hated waiting for Ken to show himself.

How long should she wait? Maybe she should really consider Jared.

He was kind, sweet, and strong. Plus, he had a good relationship with her family already.

She did really like him, but she’d never really taken the time to explore those feelings.

The whole situation was frustrating. If she knew there was hope, she would wait for the mate she’d never met.

She looked out into what was now darkness, staring blankly, waiting …

for anything. She felt slightly nauseous at the idea of giving up on her mate.

She wanted what her parents had. What her relatives had.

She wanted the soul-deep connection that fated mates had.

But the idea of being unwanted was making her feel indignant.

“FINE! Just … stay away, if that’s what you want!

You don’t want me? Fine!” Alexa spat out angrily before turning on her heels to head back toward her home.

She was tired of searching for a ghost. There was no trace of Ken.

She didn’t even know if he could hear her.

Yet she would often talk to the darkness, just in case. It was the only thing she could do.

In the darkness, a figure watched her until she headed back inside the western dragon castle. Once he was sure she was safely inside, he turned to leave as well.

“It’s better this way, princess …”