His voice carried an accent I never heard before. Maybe he had trouble understanding what I said.
“Interesting,” he said.
“Moonscale,” he said again.
“I heard you. I just always wondered.”
“Wondered what?”
“If you considered yourself a Moonscale or a Hemlock.”
“I’m a dragon,” I rolled my eyes.
“There’s a lot to teach him,” my dragon said. “But make him shut up and claim us.”
My stomach growled.
“I knew you had to be hungry,” Rhett said and pulled something out of his bag. Upon closer examination they were some sort of sandwich. “Last year I took a dragon on a dig and he ate all of our rations the first night.”
I sniffed the air searching out the scent of the food. It was salty and full of things I never smelled before. My mouth watered regardless of my nose. Eating was the thing I missed the most while I was out cold. Before Corden, my carrier set multiple feasts every week. We celebrated life, death, victory, and so much more.
“Ham and cheese,” he held one out to me. “Remove the plastic first.”
“More soft glass,” I shook my head. “It smells funny.”
“Here, let me do it,” he sighed and unwrapped the sandwich.
I was hungrier than I thought. I emptied his bag of sandwiches before I stopped eating. The food was unlike anything I ever tasted, but was yummy, nonetheless. To be honest, it tasted like Rhett dipped the whole sandwich in the sea and dried it back out.
“Salty,” I said and took the water bottle from the floor. I paused before opening the bottle.
“What’s mine is yours,” Rhett nodded. “There’s plenty and if we run out before we leave, I’ll have more shipped in.”
“Before we leave?” My dragon chuckled. “He has more to learn than I thought. We’re not going anywhere. This is our island. This is our territory. We need to rebuild, but our island will rise again.”
“Is there something you dislike about me?” I asked cutting to the chase.
“No,” Rhett shook his head quickly.
“Then why didn’t you claim me the moment you laid eyes on me?” I asked him.
“You were unconscious,” he said reaching out for my hand.
“Not for long, I wasn’t,” I squeezed his hand reveling in the warmth of another being. “We’re true-mates. No magic can stand against that bond.”
“No, it can’t, or I’d never have found you here. I want you,” he glanced at his lap for emphasis, “but only once you’re okay.”
“But I’m fine,” I told him. “I really am. I need to pee and I’m sure the plumbing’s worn out by now, but besides that I’m fine. It was like one long boring night of sleep. Sometimes I was aware of the world. Sometimes I was in the void. Very rarely I dreamt.”
“There’s a bathroom on Seth’s boat if it wasn’t wrecked.”
“Ask him why his brother’s vessel growls,” my dragon insisted. “If we aren’t going to romp we can at least gather information.”
“My dragon would like to know why the boat growls. What did that wolf do to make it so angry?”
“It has a motor. That’s something mechanical that moves it through the water without oars.”
“Well, it sounded pissed off.”
“That might be because it was dragged to shore by a dragon,” Rhett chuckled.
“Hey! You can’t blame us! He was the first person we’d seen in eons. Then he turned out to be your brother! It was the fickle finger of fate that pointed us in his direction. The Moonscale destiny isn’t one anyone can escape. Not you nor me.”
Rhett reached out and touched my face. His long fingers sent a fresh surge of heat down my spine. It landed square between my thighs.
“Well, now you’re just going to have to wait until after I go pee to romp. You had your chance, Alpha, and you used it to fill me up with water,” I rose to my feet.
The bathroom hadn’t fared well. It hadn’t fared at all, actually. The only part of the second floor still held up was my bedroom. My carrier must have enchanted it to protect me for as long as the war carried on. Yawning and stretching I made my way outside. My knees were still wobbly, and my calf muscles felt as if someone strapped them tight to the bone underneath. I twisted at the waist popping my back and brought my wings out. A happy sigh of relief danced over my mouth. Down on the beach below, the other wolf waited next to his boat. He’d be waiting for a while, because I wasn’t letting my mate out of my sight. He might not know about Corden and all he was capable of and until I found a body, I wouldn’t believe he was really dead.
“Evil never dies. It just inhabits a new body.” At least that’s what my father told me days before his death.
After relieving myself I felt a million pounds lighter. Using my wings, I drifted back up to my bedroom. It felt good to uncoil their tension. Visions of my last cursed dream danced through my mind. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. A bath under my favorite waterfall was the perfect way to get my Alpha naked and ready to claim me.
“Come on,” I took his hand and led him down the path of broken pillars. Alone, I would’ve flew, but he was a wolf without wings.
“Where are we going?” He laughed and scooped up his pack as we passed it.
“Somewhere to wash up. I swear I think a bird tried to nest in my hair.”
“It most certainly did not!” My dragon protested, but Rhett couldn’t hear him yet. That wouldn’t happen until we completed our mating vow.
Shush up and let me get Alpha naked. Then we can both have what we want.
“He smells delicious for a wolf,” my dragon said and flexed his wings like it was mating season. And for us, that’s exactly what it was.
Chapter Nine
Rhett
Unreal shades of blue, green, and red marked the island. With each breath the world felt more surreal. After years of searching and failing to find my true-mate here he was in the flesh. I followed behind Brendan allowing him to pull me this way and that. Arousal and concern for his well-being duked it out in my gut. He looked healthy. He smelled healthy. He acted healthy, but what if he was in shock too?
“We’ll take the long way to the waterfall to avoid your brother. He seemed nice enough, but I don’t want him interrupting us,” Brendan said turning a sharp corner around the edge of the ruined castle.
“Are you sure you should be up and about right now?” I asked.
“I’ve spent the last eon in bed! Moving is the only thing I want to do. Well, besides you,” he said.
“He’s not a shy dragon,” my wolf said.
My eyes settled on his firm round ass moving naked and unashamed through the overgrown foliage. A bird flew at him, but he swatted it away. It swerved and headed back to its tree.
“I’ll have to let them all know I’m back and the island belongs to dragons again. Well, dragons and a wolf. We can build your brother a house too, though. We’ll just build it on the other side of the island so we can have privacy. Does he have a mate? Has he found him yet?” Brendan asked rambling on.
“He found her. Unfortunately, she passed to the Other World a while back,” I hung my head.
I missed Stacy some days too. The fox shifter was always supportive of my search for Brendan even if she didn’t know the driving reason behind my hunt. Seth was never the same after she died. Now, the joy that twisted my stomach seemed a little unfair. My brother would have to live the rest of his life without ever feeling this way again.
Brendan stopped and looked at me.
“I’m sorry, Alpha,” he said.
His scent was still thick with arousal and longing, but sorrow tinged its edges.
“Don’t be. She led a happy life. She died on a boat. She loved the water. I think if she had to go that would be exactly where she wanted to be,” I smiled for him.
“Was it pirates?” Brendan asked.
“She was a storm chaser tracking down and studying s
torms. She hoped her research would enable magi to stop them with magic. Eventually, she met a storm she couldn’t outrun.”
“Did her research help?” Brendan asked.
“Yeah. They can slow them down and give the people on shore more time to relocate,” I nodded.
“Good.” He looked down at his feet. “Can I hug you?”
“I know we’re off to a rough start, but you never have to ask that,” I said and pulled him close to me. With him in my arms I felt whole for the first time in my life. My wolf brushed against my ribs reaching out for Brendan’s scaled inner beast. His warmth spread over me. He wasn’t the first dragon omega I met, but he was the tallest standing eye to eye with me. I was tall for a wolf thanks to my highland heritage. I usually carried a few inches on most omega dragons, but dragons grew for life. Each year they gained a bit of height and eventually, if they lived long enough, even the omegas of the species were taller than the Alphas of most others.
Brendan stooped down to nuzzle into my shoulder. I kissed his neck. The silky sweet scent from his claim gland filled my head, but I held back. Emotions ran high. Grief tinted my mate’s scent.
“Let’s go to the waterfall,” he pulled away and took ahold of my hand. “I hope it’s still there.”
We walked through the high grass in silence. I watched for snakes or other critters that might chomp on my nude mate, but Brendan paid them no mind.
“Tell me about the world. How is it now?” He asked.
I told him about all the advancements that came to mind. I gave him only the slightest overview of all the wars and scrimmages that passed since around the time I estimated he fell into his cursed sleep. I told him of the novelty of the internet and how it mimicked the constant exchange of information between packs, pards, and flights. He chuckled and shook his head.
“I guess the unaligned need help too.”
“Packs make use of it as well to share information with other groups. The world is a lot more unified. At least, more so than it was during your heyday.”
“Hey! My heyday is still going on, thank you very fucking much,” he stopped and put his hands on his hips.
The muscles of his chest flexed. The cursed sleep hadn’t worn him thin. His nipples hardened under my gaze.
“I just met my true-mate and we’re going to reclaim Moonscale Isle in the name of my family!”
“Your family has grown quite a bit. At least, the family who shares your surname,” I laughed.
“Good. I’ll look them up on that inter-pack link thing sometime, but first,” he grabbed my hand again and pulled his wings into his back. “Let’s take a bath. I haven’t sunk into water for Frost only knows how damn long.”
“Lead the way, mate,” I pointed to the trees in front of us.
“I will and you better watch my ass as I do it!” He turned around.
His scent was nervous, but heat clung to its molecules. It filled my nostrils and circled my brain. He could have led me off the edge of a cliff and I wouldn’t have realized it until the ground fell from beneath my feet.
“That’s not how true-mates work,” my wolf tutted his tongue. “He wouldn’t hurt us anymore than we’d hurt him.”
Shut up. I know that.
“Just jump him already and you’ll feel better.”
He was right and I planned to, but not until the nervousness eased off Brendan’s scent. It set both me and my inner beast on edge and made me prepare to rip apart a threat more than claim my true-mate. Protect then claim. It was a motto as old as time.
Chapter Ten
Brendan
Scenes of parties, feasts, and battles danced through my head as they awoke from my memories. Everyone was probably gone by now, but their legacy would carry on through me.
“Stop focusing on the past. We’ll have a ceremony for them later. Right now, let’s focus on him,” my dragon said.
His usual snark returned to his tone. My eyes shifted allowing him to see out. He turned my head and glanced over my shoulder at Alpha. Rhett grinned, but a tinge of sorrow clung to his woodsy scent. Maybe we could help each other forget our losses for a while.
“How are you feeling?” Rhett asked breaking the silence.
“I’m okay. I’ll deal with everything else later. Right now, I want to celebrate. That’s the Moonscale motto, you know? Celebrate before your door comes.”
“Your door isn’t coming for a long time,” Rhett tightened his grip on my hand. “I just found you. One drunk night I stumbled into the Other World and met a shaman who told me about you. He said this was my third and final try for a while. I haven’t told anyone else about the trip. They’d all think I was crazy, but I haven’t stopped looking for you.”
I stopped in my tracks. In all my time spent in a sleeping pity party I never considered if someone from the outside world was looking for me or not. It seemed impossible. Moonscale Island was closed off from the outside world drifting where the currents took it. A mobile island offered ancient nomadic protection for the domesticated dragons of my time.
“I’m sorry I was so hard to find,” I said when I finally found my voice.
Rhett opened his mouth to speak but was at a loss for words. His crystal blue eyes raked over my body as if committing my nude form to memory. Goose bumps rose on my arms and I rubbed them away. Heat stirred in my belly and I stepped closer to him. New mates always stay really close and now I knew why.
“You’re shocked that you found me at all,” I said as Rhett pulled me into his strong muscular arms.
“I am. I wouldn’t have discovered the island on my own. I wasn’t due to come out to Moonstruck for a few weeks yet. If Seth hadn’t been fishing…” his words trailed off.
“Fate conspires in our favor, Alpha,” I grinned up at him.
Our lips hovered inches apart. His warm breath fanned the flames of desire in my belly. My toes curled into the dirt and grass steadying myself for the hard kiss to come. His strong hands trailed down my back and settled on my ass. He squeezed and massaged my flesh as our lips met. Rhett’s still hard cock pressed against my belly. I ground against him. My dragon pressed against the front of my body forcing me closer to him. He wouldn’t unite with his mate until the claiming ceremony.
I parted my lips hungry for another taste of him. My fingers traced the well-defined muscles of his shoulders finding his flesh warm to the touch. Despite the heat raging inside of me, Rhett’s warmth still pulled me in.
“We’re almost there,” I said breathlessly when the kiss broke.
“Already? It has been a long time for you, huh?” Rhett smirked.
“Hey!” I growled and bit his nipple through the ripped fabric of his shirt.
He growled, but it morphed into a moan. Rhett stepped forward and I stepped back. A second later, we were on the ground with him on top of me. He pressed his hips into mine and kissed me. His body a pleasant weight that I wanted more of. I wrapped my legs around him. Our cocks pressed together with only his pants separating us.
“Alpha, we have a problem,” I looked up at him when he stopped kissing me.
“What’s that?” Rhett looked around alert for danger.
“You’re still wearing clothes,” I said as I slid my fingers into his belt loops and tugged.
“I can fix that,” he grinned and kissed me again.
I wanted to tell him to fix it right this second, but soon surrendered to his warm lips conquering mine. I sank into the kiss and wrapped my arms around his shoulders holding him tight. Afraid if I let go, he might dissolve like all my dreams did.
Desperate for more of his flesh on mine, I squeezed a hand between us and found the button on his pants. After a few seconds of maneuvering I managed to undo it. His mouth on mine made it hard to think and my fingers weren’t cooperating.
“Just rip his damn pants off,” my dragon growled.
My fingernails shifted to claws and Rhett pulled away.
“No ripping my pants. I’m not walking back to the cas
tle butt naked,” he said and booped me on the nose.
“Don’t boop my nose!” I rubbed the tip of it careful not to poke my eye out with a claw. “If you’d take them off, I wouldn’t have to rip them.”
“Let’s get in the water. It’s close enough to hear,” he said and held out a hand to help me up.
“Pants,” I held out my hand once I was on my feet. “I’m not going a step further until you’re just as naked as I am. The next time you throw me to the ground you’re going to claim me, mister!”
Rhett laughed and shook his head.
“Put those claws away before someone loses a body part,” he said as he unzipped his pants.
“Don’t worry. It wouldn’t be that body part,” I pointed at his crotch. “That’s where my eggs are going to come from.”
“Eggs? In the plural. You seem to have plans,” he smirked.
“What? Don’t tell me you don’t want children.”
My claws retracted back into my fingers and I stood akimbo.
“I do,” he nodded. “Just didn’t think you’d want them right out the door.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it while I was asleep. I want a house full of hatchlings or pups,” I added the pups realizing all of our children might not be dragons like me. “What if we have cute little furry hatchlings when our heritages mix?”
“You’re really sexy when you get that look in your eyes,” Rhett said and stepped closer to me.
“I’m thinking about making babies,” I said.
Rhett stepped out of his pants and underwear releasing his long thick cock from its fabric prison.
Color dotted my cheeks. Moonscale Island was always clothing optional but mating and romping was something I had little knowledge of. Outside of the smutty novels I read during my teen years I had no clue what to expect.
“Let me lead you,” my dragon said. “I know exactly what to expect. Look at how big he is! He could almost pass for a dragon.”
Shut up!
I sprinted towards the waterfall without double checking that Rhett was following me. The breeze carried his scent and his feet fell heavy on the ground. I ran the familiar path and stopped at the water’s edge. The blue lake was just as crystal clear as I remembered it. Brightly colored fish swam beneath the surface. Unhunted by shifters for so long, they thrived in their aquatic eco-system.
The Sleeping Omega Prince Page 4