Chapter 16
Nix
My mate was magic.
I had adored her from the moment I first met her.
But now, I was remembering everything I’d loved so much about her, full of endless admiration and wonder.
Rowan was impressive; there was no doubt about it.
Over time, after losing Emmeline, I remembered how much I loved her, but some of the little details had become blurry.
Now they were coming back in full force.
Watching her set up the small hospital made me inexplicably proud.
She moved with such assertion, grabbing boxes and lugging things this way and that as she rearranged the old clinic, all with a smile splitting her face.
Most would blanch at such a substantial project.
The building was covered in a thick layer of grime.
It had been used as a dumping ground for leftover boxes for years.
Getting the cabin up and running to the standards of a healer would take a lot of work.
Ma wasn’t going to let Rowan do it alone, though—nor should she.
Within thirty minutes of Rowan saying yes to the building, there were eight dragons at the old clinic, moving boxes and being directed by Rowan.
It didn’t go unnoticed that most of the helpers Ma had tasked with cleanup duty were young male dragons.
They were watching our mate with goo-goo eyes, and as much as I shouldn’t have cared, my scales flustered at the sight of them.
My clan and I were the only ones allowed to make googly eyes at our mate.
Rowan, for her part, didn’t notice them; she was focused on one thing and one thing only—getting her clinic up and running.
Watching Rowan set up a more permanent space made me unspeakably happy.
I was sure she didn't realize it, but the chances of her staying only grew as she put in more effort and interacted with the horde.
If Rowan chose to leave, however, I would follow her, no questions asked.
Would it destroy our horde as we knew it?
Yes, but I couldn't find the strength inside me to care.
As an Alpha, my priority was to take care of everyone, of course, but even higher on the list of priorities was my mate.
And I couldn’t lose her again.
While I helped move the boxes, I never strayed too far from her, keeping a close eye on her every move.
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her. Far from it.
I didn’t trust the assholes eye-groping her.
Young dragons could be notoriously stupid at times, and making a move on my mate would possibly be the dumbest thing they could ever do.
While I was the friendliest of my clan, I would still happily rip the eyeballs out of any dragon who looked at my mate too long.
“Can you put them in the back?” Rowan asked as I took several jars of old dried herbs out of a box.
She looked over the contents, scrutinizing the various crushed leaves and powders with the most adorable little crinkle between her brows.
“I think some of that stuff may actually be useful, so I'm going to put it on the shelf back there.”
“I’m pretty sure some of this stuff is older than me,” I said with a grimace, shaking what looked like dried beans with tiny blue flowers mixed in.
“They probably are. That doesn't mean they aren’t useful anymore. Dried herbs can last decades and still maintain their healing properties.” She plucked one of the jars out of my hand.
“Can we go get lunch?” one of the young dragons—Benjamin, I believed—asked.
I nodded quickly, all too eager to get them away from Rowan. “Go for it. I think we’re almost done with these boxes. Take a break.”
It didn’t take the dragons, who Ma volunteered for cleanup, longer than a few seconds to leave. They rushed out of the room, elbowing and smashing into each other as they fought to be the first out the door, hooting about finally getting food.
Shaking my head, I chuckled low, remembering what it was like to be their age.
And while I should have also been thinking about eating—and would have if it were any other day—all I could think about was Rowan.
She bent down to set the jars from the box on the floor near the overflowing collection she’d made on the back counter.
The curves of her ass were fucking spectacular, always had been.
And it had been so long since I’d been able to sink my teeth into them.
The nights at the lake all those years ago were burned into my memory.
Sharing Emmeline had been… well there weren’t words for how fantastic that had been.
She straightened, and I had to clear my throat, prying my eyes away from her as best I could.
It’d been ages since I’d been with anyone, after all.
I wasn’t about to be with anyone but my mate, but the need to wrap myself around her was getting worse with every passing day.
Keeping myself away was damn near impossible, but I wasn’t about to repeat Orsen’s mistake and freak her out.
“What is that smell?” For a moment, I thought one of the jars was leaking its noxious fumes, but Rowan closed her eyes, absently following her nose until she was a foot away from me. “Goddess, is that you?”
I stopped short, walking over to the desk in the far-left corner and setting down the box.
Not so subtly, I raised my shoulder, sniffing at myself.
It wasn’t bad. Sure, I’d sweat a little from carrying things back and forth, but hell, it was nothing compared to those teenagers with their overactive hormones.
“I mean… maybe? Are you sure it’s not—”
But then Rowan was right in front of me, making that face again as she closed her eyes and inhaled. It hit me. That wasn’t disgust on her face or even annoyance. She… liked it?
“It is you. It’s like warmth and sunshine.” Her fingers landed on my forearms as she leaned in, my blood singing as she got so close, heat rising through my entire body. “Holy crap, I… Wow. I mean, I know it’s been a while, but…Goddess, that scent. I want—Oh, jeez.”
The mood in the room had flipped on its head, though I had a feeling I was to blame for that. I mean, I’d been ogling Rowan’s ass, clearly giving off aroused pheromones, and now we were here. I couldn’t say I was upset about that—at all. Still…
Gripping my arms tightly, Rowan began to nuzzle into my chest. My cock kicked behind my zipper, every nerve firing as all of me came online, immediately ready to do whatever she wanted—to please her however she wanted.
I couldn’t stop myself from pulling Rowan closer, dropping my nose to the waves of her hair and drinking in her perfume. And boy, did it pack a punch.
I could smell her arousal, the fragrance of sweetness flaring bright enough to give the sun a run for its money.
Fucking hell.
A rumble escaped my chest as I squeezed Rowan’s shoulders, unknowingly turning us so her back was to the desk.
I slid my hands under her arms, hoisting her up onto the wooden surface.
Rowan squeaked, her eyes lidded as she gazed at me, seemingly drunk on the sudden swell of need.
My hands were still on her hips, and my pulse screamed in my ears.
“Tell me to stop. Tell me to fuck off, and I’ll get out of here faster than you can blink.”
Swallowing, Rowan didn’t speak, her legs spread enough to make room for me.
“But if you want this—”
“I want this.” The words were out so fast, and Rowan blinked, as if realizing what she said. “Oh God, that sounds insane. But… it’s been so long, and being next to you is…”
I pressed against her, cupping her cheek as my lips hovered over hers. “How long? How long has it been, sweetness?” Part of me wanted to know if any other fucker had touched her, but part of me really didn’t.
She trembled slightly in my hold, breathing hard. “I… I don’t remember ever… Not since before I woke up in Kiki’s hut. There’ve been… I could have, I suppose, but it never… It never felt right.”
“And thank fuck for that.”
Without another word, I crashed my lips onto hers, searing us both with the intensity.
Fire roared within me, my inner dragon growling in possessive glee.
I explored Rowan's mouth like it was the first time, sweeping my tongue across the seam of her lips, only to be welcomed past them eagerly.
Our tongues tangled, caresses taking my hands over her entire body.
Nothing in the entire world felt as good as touching my perfect mate.
“Please, Nix,” Rowan begged, the words and tone going straight to my aching cock. “I’ll die if you don’t touch me.”
“Anything, sweet, beautiful Rowan. Absolutely anything for you.”
I pulled her into me, kissing her fiercely as I slid my hand under her shirt, taking her breast in my palm and squeezing as I thumbed her nipple. Rowan moaned, the noise a divine song that drove me wild. God, I needed her. I needed to touch her, to claim her.
Whoa, whoa, pump the brakes, Nix. She’s not going to let you have sex with her this fast.
Then Rowan’s fingers took hold of my wrist, pulling my free hand between her legs.
Fuuuck.
Her hips rocked back and forth, grinding her pussy against my fingers.
I was so hard I thought I would burst. Claiming her in a kiss again, I scooped her closer to me, perching Rowan's ass on the edge of the desk.
As my tongue slid around hers, I angled to the side, dragging my fingers over her fabric-covered folds, only to stuff them under the waistband of her leggings.
“Yesss,” Rowan breathed, her eyes rolling back as she gave her weight to me, which filled every corner of my being with pride and hunger.
Sliding down, down, down, so wet for me already. My cock jerked again, precum smearing across the inside of my boxers. But this wasn’t about me. Not now. This was about giving Rowan everything she needed, showing that I could pleasure her, make her feel incredible and wanted and worshipped.
“You are so damn wonderful,” I murmured against her lips. “I’ve missed you so much, sweetness.”
I teased her gently, circling my finger around the sensitive bud before dipping my finger into her, swirling slowly.
Rowan’s thighs tried to clamp around my hand, but I kept her open for me with my knee between hers.
Repeating the dance, I worked Rowan's clit, slowly building up speed until I sank two fingers deep into her pussy, pumping in and out.
I was going to make Rowan remember just how good we were together. Making her need me like I desperately needed her.
“Ugh!” She rocked her hips with me, urging me deeper.
“That’s my sweet girl. God, you feel fucking fabulous.”
Some part of me knew we were still in the old healer’s cabin, liable to be discovered by someone at any second.
But I didn’t care. Hell, part of me almost loved it, the idea that we were so lost in passion that we couldn’t wait for a bedroom.
Not to mention it would keep any other dragon from thinking she was remotely available.
Her walls clenched around my fingers, her clit pulsing as I rubbed it with my thumb.
Rowan was so close, and I internally beamed, over-fucking-joyed that I made her feel so good, that I could get her off like this.
It was everything, and I was damn close to coming with her, despite the fact that she wasn’t doing more than kissing me.
The feeling of her falling apart on my fingers was more than enough.
“Come for me, princess. My sweet mate. Let me feel you.” I thrust my fingers deeper, faster, rubbing my aching cock against her leg as more arousal dripped from me, likely leaving a mark on my pants. “You feel so damn good, Rowan. You’re gonna have me ruining these pants.”
Her eyes fluttered up to meet mine, wonder and desperation painted over her gorgeous features.
She worked herself on my fingers all the more, clinging to me hard enough to turn her knuckles white.
Within moments, she began to jerk, eyes rolling back once more, and her pussy surged, rhythmically clenching around me as she came.
“That’s… it… fucking hell, sweetness.”
My erection throbbed. The little bit of attention it was getting, together with the euphoria of Rowan’s slick pussy coming for me, had me spilling over the edge, even though I was still trapped inside my boxers.
I growled, nuzzling Rowan’s neck, where it took everything not to sink my teeth into her.
And then the room got really fucking quiet.
Post nut clarity.
Fuck.
Rowan’s eyes opened, those beautiful green irises I was addicted to. Her body froze, going from soft and pliable against me to rigid.
It broke my heart to see her panic. My mate should never fear me or worry about anything while I was around.
“I… uhh… I need to go,” she said, gently pushing at my chest.
I wanted to keep her there, sitting on the desk, pressed against me. Her face was flushed beautifully, her pupils blown wide from the release.
Sadly, this wasn’t the time. I couldn’t keep her there, so I slowly slid my fingers out, taking a moment to suck them into my mouth, reveling in her taste, something I’d missed for so damn long.
Rowan’s eyes flared, a fresh wave of arousal hitting me. But just like that, she shook her head, visibly shoving all of it down.
Stepping back, I let her right herself and slide off the desk. My hands itched to help, but I knew Rowan was upset, and I didn’t want to make it any worse. Ensuring Rowan knew that I would give her space was essential.
“I…” Rowan didn’t finish. Instead, she slipped past me, a little clumsy and off-balance, and hurried out the door, leaving me in boxers full of cum and desperately wanting more.