Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Bella stepped out of Alexa’s room and her beast immediately confirmed that Brian was her mate.
Had she really been suppressing her dragon all this time?
That couldn’t have been the case. It was more likely that the longer she was around Brian, the natural pull began to work.
And that was when the urges began to show up …
while she was suppressing the truth. All dragons have the ability to suppress their beasts to a certain extent, similar to suppressing your urges.
However, Bella had more control over this as it was a skill she had worked on.
Deep down, she had trained herself to suppress the mate pull.
Mate! Bella’s inner beast stirred as she met his concerned hazel eyes.
“Bella, are you alright? You didn’t change?” Brian studied her face. Her eyes were slightly red as if she had been crying. His eyes darted up to see that Alexa had a faint smile on her lips. She nodded to him that everything was okay. And his gaze went back to his mate.
Bella clasped her fingers together and bit the inside of her lip hard enough to draw blood.
The pull toward Brian pressed in on her from all sides, squeezing the air from her lungs until every breath came up short.
His scent found her next, and a lifetime of careful suppression slipped its leash like it had never been trained at all.
She couldn’t tell whether she wanted to bolt for the door or close the space between them, only that keeping her feet planted took all she had.
The wanting itself was what frightened her.
She’d never let herself feel it this loudly before.
Bella could see he was still staring at her, waiting for her to say something. But her mouth suddenly felt too dry to speak. She tried to swallow, but her dry mouth made it stick in her throat. She felt Alexa’s hand land on her shoulder. She turned her head to see an encouraging smile on her face.
“Remember what we talked about.”
Bella nodded her head slowly as she listened to Alexa’s voice.
She remembered, but she’d felt much braver a moment ago, behind closed doors.
It was different now that she was allowing her beast out of suppression.
She could see the concern in Brian’s eyes, and she felt a pang in her chest, something that made her feel like she needed to protect him.
“Brian,” Bella murmured as she tried to ignore the liquid desire that was flooding through her. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” A warm smile spread across his face. He nodded and reached for her hand.
“Sure, come on. I’ll show you my office.
How does that sound?” Brian watched her curiously as she stared at his hand, as if it were a deadly creature.
Then she slowly reached her hand out, placing just her fingertips in his.
He watched as her lips pursed together tightly, and she looked like she was in pain.
He glanced up at Alexa again, worried, but she only nodded her head at him to go on.
Brian felt slightly annoyed that Alexa was dismissing Bella’s issues so casually.
But he knew that if it was anything serious, she wouldn’t be so relaxed about it.
He held her fingers gently and led her back down the stairs where they had come from.
Bella stayed quiet the whole way. He led her into his office and then stopped to shut his door.
Bella took a few steps away from him as she tried to focus on the room around her.
She was trying to ignore how every breath she took was like inhaling the aphrodisiac that was Brian’s sweet scent.
She turned to look at him and caught his golden gaze wandering over her before his eyes returned back to their hazel color.
It looked like he was also struggling to rein in his beast. This reassured her and gave her the courage she needed to finally try to speak.
“Brian, I—I can feel the mate pull.” She chewed on her inner lip as she watched his eyes flash with color.
“But I’m—I’m scared of it.” The moment she mentioned she was scared, his hazel color took over.
Stepping toward her, he wrapped his arms around her.
Immediately, sweet sparks erupted over her body as the tingles threatened to fuse them together.
It felt like all her strength had been drained from her in that moment.
She relaxed against him and rested her head on his chest, inhaling the smell that was made just for her.
“You don’t have to be afraid, Bella. You don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready for.
We can take our time and get to know each other if that’s what worries you.
I’m here for you. Tell me how I can help.
” Brian leaned his head on top of hers. He smiled as he felt his beast calm from having her in his arms.
“Are you sure you want me as your mate? Because having a crystal dragon as a mate can be—” Bella explained everything she had told Alexa.
She appreciated how Brian let her say everything that was on her mind.
He just quietly held her and sifted his hand through her hair.
When she was finally done, she waited in silence for what he was going to say.
“I want you. I don’t care if having you puts a target on my back.
It’s one that I would gladly bear. A fated mate is a blessing.
You’re looking at it the wrong way. This isn’t someone you’re forced to have.
It’s the primitive cry of your beast telling you this is the person compatible with your soul.
It’s the person you can share a beautiful trust with.
” Brian ran his nose in her hair as he breathed in her scent.
“You’re everything, Bella. You’re everything I have ever wanted and everything I didn’t even know I needed. ”
Bella pulled back as her fingers began to tremble. She looked up at his face and then her eyes settled on his lips. Maybe if she could at least taste them, she would calm down. Brian seemed to sense her need, and his head lowered, his mouth closing on hers.
Bella was surprised by the gentle quality of his searing hot kiss.
Her lips parted easily under his gentle, persuasive pressure, and his tongue moved into her mouth.
He made a rough sound in his throat as he adjusted her in his arms. He pressed her to him, his hand sliding down her back to her hips.
He applied pressure to her, arching her into the power of his loins and thighs.
Instinctively, Bella’s fingers gripped the front of his shirt.
She was responding to the heated pleasure that began to flare deeply within her, an almost primitive call that beckoned her, and she became aware of his masculine attraction.
Her beast was straining to answer the call and respond to her mate.
His lips forcefully parted from hers as he took in a shuddering breath.
“Maybe I should get you to your room …”
Bella was panting, her breath ragged as she looked at him in confusion. Had she done something wrong? She felt his fingers tremble as he closed his eyes.
“I don’t think … I’m not going to be able to control myself.
I want you too badly, Bella,” Brian said roughly, his voice shaking with the force of his desire.
“I think it’s best to remove the temptation from me.
” A dark chuckle escaped his lips. “I think you should probably slap me. If you knew the thoughts going through my mind … you’d be within your rights to slap me. ”
Bella smiled and reached out, her fingers brushing over his chest. The beckoning tingles erupted as a purr of pleasure echoed from his throat. “Maybe I want you to show me the thoughts in your mind.”
“No.” Brian had his eyes closed as he enjoyed her touch. “You aren’t ready for all of this, Bella.”
Bella could feel his body tense and tremble with need.
He was doing everything in his power to hold himself off for her.
She could feel the mate pull, but because she had voiced that she wasn’t ready, he was holding back …
for her. It was like a light switched on in her head.
She wasn’t confused anymore, and she knew exactly what she wanted.
“Brian,” Bella watched as his eyes fluttered open. “Take me to your room tonight.”
“Bells,” Brian whispered out in a ragged breath.
“Brian, I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. I want my mate. Mark me, Brian.”
The last bit of restraint from Brian was gone. His lips crashed down on hers. He lifted her body against his as he took control of her. He parted her lips for the invasion of his tongue as he moved them from his office.
Bella felt delirious with the pleasure of his kisses, and at that moment, she felt like she could die of contentment.
His lava tongue entangled with her own, bringing a warm sensation over her whole body.
During his feverish kisses, she heard the clicking sound of a door.
She opened her eyes as he slid her down his chest. She looked around to see that somehow they’d managed to make it to another room.
Brian’s room, she guessed. She turned her gaze back to his to see him standing there with clenched fists.
“Bells, are you sure? After this point … I won’t be able to stop.
” Brian’s eyes were fixed on her as she smiled at him.
She crossed her hands in front of her and grabbed the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head.
An inarticulate sound of hunger ripped through his throat as he hastily discarded his own.
He kicked his pants off next as she did the same.
He stepped toward her, his eyes trailing over her body.
Moving his hand to her back, he unsnapped her bra, baring her breasts.
He wrapped a strong arm around her and lowered his head to the soft flesh.
His tongue snaked out to capture her taut bud and he drew it into his searing, moist mouth.
A strangled cry of surprise and exhilarating pleasure escaped Bella’s throat.
Brian lifted her and carried her to his bed, continuing to devour her and trace his tongue over her bud.
He lowered her onto the bed and settled over her.
His hand then made the journey downward.
He hooked his fingers around her panties and tugged them off her.
Then his hand traced back over her leg, making the journey back to her moist center.
She arched into him as his hand slipped between her inner thighs.
Bella lifted her hips again as she felt an aching desire for him.
He slipped two fingers inside her as electric pleasure surged through her, her entire body shuddering.
His fingers moved against her wetness as her body readily accepted him.
She arched into his fingers as his head moved over to take in her other bud.
She moaned from the heated pleasure as she bucked against his hand.
She let out a cry as her body gripped his fingers and shook with her climax.
Brian kicked off his boxers and moved up to brush his lips over hers.
“My Bells,” he whispered, his breath hot as he moved his lips to her neck.
He licked her skin, where her pulse throbbed beneath the surface.
His lips moved over the frantic rhythm that continued to increase in anticipation of what was coming.
He began to suck on her neck, singeing her with the heat of his beast. At the same time, he moved himself between her legs.
The probing of his maleness found her moist and surrendering.
She arched into him readily, and he took her easily.
Bella felt surging electric pleasure flowing all through her body.
The hot ember pushing into her neck and the jolting pleasure from her center was madness.
He slowly moved against her as she took ragged breaths.
She arched into him, finding the rhythm in their passionate dance.
She had never experienced anything like this.
There were so many tingling sensations rippling through her body.
It wasn’t long until the wildly surging pleasure began to peak again, sweeping through her as she gripped onto him tightly, pulling him closer.
Moments later, she felt his body tighten as he too surrendered to pleasure.
A hoarse cry came from him as he relaxed against her.
After a long minute, he stirred, rising onto his elbows to look at her. He kissed her mouth and feathered her face with soft, intimate kisses, then tilted his head to admire the mark he’d left on her neck. A tired smile reached his lips as he looked down at it proudly. He had marked his mate.
“Brian,” Bella smiled as his gaze returned to hers. “I feel you.” She tapped her chest lightly. “I feel our connection.”
“And it will never leave you. Just like I won’t.” Brian leaned down and captured her lips, gently moving against them. “My sweet Bells.” He moved his nose into her cheek as he gave her a soft kiss before rolling over beside her. He pulled her into his arms and curled into her side.
He felt a strong sense of possessiveness wash over him as their connection fastened tightly together, and he smiled as he kissed the top of her head. He felt her stir slightly beneath his touch, and her breathing slowed to a sweet, quiet rhythm, showing she had already drifted off to sleep.
Brian closed his eyes as he breathed in her comforting scent. This feeling was greater than anything he could have ever imagined. He had his mate. She was marked. And she was his.
Then his eyes opened widely. Oh shit. He had forgotten during the heat of everything that he still had a role to play.
He still had to pretend to be Alexa’s mate.
He reasoned he could still do it. And now that Bella was marked, it would keep other dragons away from her.
Until everything was sorted out with Erebus, they could stay upstairs in the spare room Bella was going to stay in.
They would still be able to put on their charade. Alexa had her mate, and he had his.
He closed his eyes again as he let himself be lulled to sleep by the soothing scent of his mate.