by Hawke Oakley
His lips crashed into mine, cutting me off. The words died on my tongue. We didn’t have to speak any longer. This was enough.
The kiss was deep and passionate. Our hands roamed. We collapsed into the bed, losing track of time as the pull of physical intimacy took over us both.
I brushed his hair aside and placed my lips on the crook of his neck. At the same time, he held the soft spot of my shoulder and let his leopard fangs brush against it. We bit each other - and it was completely painless. The magic worked its way through us, numbing the pain and intertwining us for life.
The claiming bite was complete. Our bond was forged, and would never be broken.
14
Raja
We left Skrofa clan midmorning. Chief Sotu waved us goodbye as Lorenzo transformed into his dragon and took to the sky. Pardus clan wasn’t very far by flight, and anxiety knotted my stomach.
I did want to come clean. The truth had to come out. I just didn’t want all of the turmoil and feelings and possible smacking that came with it.
My hands rested on my stomach. At only a couple weeks into my pregnancy, there was no physical change to my body yet, but I knew my baby was growing. Would my parents be okay with the baby’s existence, even though I was about to reveal that the wedding was fake? I sorely hoped so. I couldn’t bear to think about them rejecting my child.
“Hey, Lorenzo,” I said suddenly.
“Yes, Raja.”
“What are we going to do if my parents react badly to the baby?”
Lorenzo calmly continued flying. “Then we’ll leave.”
“And go where?”
“We can return to my home, Cinderhollow tribe.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. You never told me more about your tribe. What’s it like there?” I paused. “I mean, not that I want this interaction with my parents to go badly and run away there.”
Lorenzo chuckled. “It’s a nice place. It’s mainly home to dragons, but many other types of shifters live there as well. My brother Dante’s mate is a wolf shifter who ran away from his old pack. We’re quite accepting there.”
“It does sound nice,” I said. “I’d like to visit it someday.”
Lorenzo smiled over his shoulder.
We approached the familiar rainforest of my village and Lorenzo began to descend. My heart leapt into my throat and cold sweat dripped down my skin. Would this really go as planned?
Many people were already waiting for us as we landed. I recognized my cousin, alongside my friends Zumi and Bodi. Lorenzo shifted to human form while Koto ran up to us and gave me a hug. “Hey, you’re back! How was the honeymoon?” He winked and nudged me.
“It was great,” I said. “Um, do you know where my mom and dad are?”
“Sure.” Suddenly Koto gasped. In an increasingly excited voice, he said, “Why? Do you have to tell them something? Did something happen?”
“Give him some space to breath, geez,” Zumi said as she shoved Koto out of the way. She narrowed her eyes curiously at me. “Although… You do seem a bit different. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve done a lot of personal growth.”
“Yeah, right,” Bodi said with a laugh. “You were on your honeymoon. I bet the only thing you did a lot of was - “
Zumi and Koto both shoved Bodi to make him shut up as my parents approached. My mother ran and grabbed me in a huge hug.
“You’re back! Did you have fun? Were the waves big? Were there too many tourists?” she asked without even giving me a break to answer and while crushing me.
“Yes, yes, no,” I squeaked.
She let me go and immediately started fiddling with my hair. “The sun and sea did you good. Lorenzo, too. I hope it was nice.”
“Absolutely, we had a fantastic time,” Lorenzo replied to her with a smile.
“Great!” my mother cried. Suddenly she paused, as if a strong smell wafted towards her. She held me by the shoulders and asked, “Raja, your scent is slightly different.”
I didn’t know if it was the pregnancy or the smell of boar still on me, but I didn’t want to tell her about the baby right here in the middle of the village. “Oh, it’s probably because Lorenzo and I were just at Skrofa clan.”
My father, who had joined us, asked, “Why were you there?”
I exchanged glances with Lorenzo. He wanted me to have the agency to tell the story myself, and I was grateful for that, even though it meant I had to do all of the talking.
“It’s kind of a long story… Can we take this somewhere more private?” I asked.
* * *
My mother poured us tea, then sat across from us at the table. I sipped my tea anxiously. My body was tense and tight, and it wasn’t from the caffeine.
“I would like to know why you were at Skrofa clan,” my father said. It was more of a curious tone than an accusatory one, but it made me nervous anyway.
“Well… Do you remember the poachers that attacked me, before Lorenzo arrived here?” I began.
Immediately, my parents’ expressions turned serious and afraid.
“Did something happen?” my mother cried. My father gripped the head of his cane tightly.
“No, we weren’t hurt,” Lorenzo said quickly. That quelled some of their nerves, but not all of them.
“But they did find us and try to attack us again,” I added.
“Let me clear this up first,” my father growled. “Were these poachers from Skrofa clan?”
“Yes. Chief Sotu knows about them, and dealt with their punishment,” I said. “Apparently, they were banished from Skrofa clan. Without their clan’s help, they quickly went broke and turned to crime to make money…”
My mother muttered a curse or two under her breath.
“Chief Sotu offered us a place to stay for the night, since it was late,” I explained. “He was nothing but nice to us the entire time. And he made it clear that those poachers weren’t going to be out of jail anytime soon.”
“Good,” my father grunted. He turned to Lorenzo. “And you protected my son?”
“Yes, sir. I did everything in my power to keep Raja safe,” Lorenzo said seriously.
“He did,” I added. “In fact, he… He saved me from making a really stupid decision.”
Everyone looked at me. Lorenzo’s expression tightened with anticipation. He reached for my hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
“What is he talking about?” my mother asked Lorenzo.
“Mother, Father, I’m about to tell you something, and… I want you to promise to hear everything before you jump to conclusions,” I began carefully.
Immediately, my mother’s eyes widened. She set her jaw. “Okay, Raja.”
Fear welled in my stomach. My hands would have been shaking if Lorenzo wasn’t holding them. My throat felt like it was full of cotton.
“The poachers blackmailed me,” I began slowly. “They wanted to capture me, and they had evidence to use against me.”
“What evidence?” my father asked indignantly.
I couldn’t go back now. I’d gutted the truth and now I had to spill it - all of it.
“It was a recording device. They recorded my voice earlier when I called Lorenzo my fake mate.”
They both blinked slowly. My mother was the first to react, confused. “What? Fake?”
“Yes.” I swallowed hard. “They knew if they came to you and told you our marriage was fake, you would probably disown me. That way, it would be easier for them to capture me, because there would be no retaliation.”
Before I knew what was happening, my mother reached across the table and slapped my arm. Her face twisted in anger and grief, tears falling freely down her cheeks.
Every muscle in my body tensed. She was furious. Abort the plan. I grabbed Lorenzo’s hand, wishing for him to get us out of here and fly us away to the safety of Cinderhollow - before I heard my mother’s words:
“You stupid boy! Why would we disown you!?” she cried.<
br />
My mouth opened, then shut.
“And what are you talking about, that your marriage was fake?” she continued to yell. “I can see the claiming bite right there on your shoulder!”
As she pointed aggressively, I glanced down at the mark. It was visible underneath the collar of my shirt. I assumed Lorenzo had one in the spot where I’d claimed him, too.
“It’s true, we did claim each other,” I explained. “But at the time we had our wedding, we weren’t exactly… together.”
Lorenzo put his hand on my shoulder. “If it’s not clear, we are very much together now. I love Raja, and he loves me.”
My mother’s face changed between relief, confusion and irritation. “I know that, and so does Eka. What we don’t understand is why you’re telling us all of this. Why do you keep saying it was fake?”
“Because it was fake!” I exclaimed. “I was only marrying Lorenzo to get out of the village!”
Shock crossed their expressions, and I was afraid their opinions would quickly turn sour. But they didn’t yell at us to get out. Still, I braced myself, fearing the worst.
“It’s clear that you love each other,” my father said, gesturing to us with his cane. “And you have claimed one another. On top of that, there is my vision. I know the two of you are fated mates.”
I’d forgotten about my father’s vision - of me and a great silver beast. Lorenzo’s dragon.
“Exactly,” my mother said, nodding. “And what makes you think we would believe a poacher’s words over yours!?”
“Because there was evidence,” I said weakly.
“Evidence can be made up. You could have been joking. Anything could have happened,” my mother snapped, waving her hand. “We would never take the word of a disgusting poacher over the words of our own child!”
My cheeks flushed. Suddenly, I felt sheepish and stupid for making a big deal of what turned out to be nothing.
“So, let me get this straight,” I said. “You don’t care that Lorenzo and I’s marriage was fake?”
My parents exchanged a glance. Then, my mother asked, “Did you do all of this so that we would throw you another wedding ceremony?”
“What? No!” I cried.
Lorenzo laughed. I was glad he was having fun, at least.
“All of this aside, Raja, there is still something I want to know,” my father said seriously. “Your scent is different, and it is not just from staying with Skrofa clan overnight… Tell me the truth about it.”
“Oh. That.” I glanced at Lorenzo for support. He nodded and held my hand. “Um… Well, it’s pretty big news. I’m pregnant.”
My parents gasped. My father dropped his cane.
“Raja, are you serious?” my mother asked, her voice low.
Suddenly, my anxiety returned full force. I couldn’t gauge their reactions. Were they upset? Angry?
“Yes,” I said meekly. “I am serious. And Lorenzo is the father, obviously.”
Lorenzo pulled me closer as we braced for their reply.
Suddenly my mother flew across the table and wrapped her arms around me, practically choking the life out of me with the force of her embrace. “You stupid boy! Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant earlier? I wouldn’t have hit you! I’m sorry!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s okay, you just hit my arm.”
Soon, my father joined the hug as well. All my fears and anxieties melted away as we embraced in one big, family hug. I’d been so scared to tell my parents the entire truth, and despite all my fears, it had gone so well. I was relieved beyond explanation.
“How far along are you?” my mother asked with tears in her excited eyes.
“Just a few weeks,” I said. “There’s still months to go.”
“Are you going to stay here with the clan?” she asked.
“We haven’t thought about it yet,” I admitted, exchanging a glance with Lorenzo. “Even if we do go somewhere else, it’s not like I’m going to run off and never see you again, though. You’ll definitely get to meet the baby.”
“Good. We better,” my mother said with a bittersweet smile.
After another round of tea, we left my parents with a weight lifted off our shoulders. I exhaled a huge sigh of relief.
“That went so much better than I expected,” I said. “Anyway, what are we doing now? We’ve got time to kill while waiting for this baby.”
“It’s completely up to you, but I have a suggestion. Would you like to visit my home?” Lorenzo asked. “I’d love for you to see where I live and meet my family.”
I perked up, a thrill jolting my blood. A chance to finally explore the world outside the village? Outside of the island? I realized with buzzing excitement that this was the entire reason I’d gone through this whole ordeal in the first place, and I hadn’t yet explored any of the possibilities.
I threw my arms around Lorenzo and cried, “Hell yes!”
15
Lorenzo
The trip took about a week of casual flying. We made multiple stops along the way for eating, sleeping and physical intimacy - but we weren’t in any rush. Raja enjoyed the uplifting sense of freedom and experiencing all that the outside world had to offer.
When we neared Cinderhollow, the familiar glint of the barrier welcomed me. It was a massive translucent layer that shone like a soap bubble in the sunlight.
“What is that?” Raja asked
“That’s the barrier. Remember how I explained clear magic to you earlier? That’s what it’s made of.”
Raja’s eyes were wide in awe. Still in my dragon form, I flew closer to the barrier and touched it with my claw. The magic pulsed through my body and transferred to Raja, allowing us inside. Once we passed it, he peered over my shoulder to look at it again.
I uttered the usual incantation that allowed an outside to cross inside. “Raja Kesuma, you will now be known as Raja Kesuma of Drakinus.”
“Whoa… What does that do?” he asked.
“I gave you the blessing of my last name, which allows you safe passage through the barrier. But the barrier itself keeps intruders out and keeps those inside of Cinderhollow safe,” I explained.
Raja snorted. “You’re a bunch of dragons who live far up in the mountains. I wouldn’t exactly picture this place as unsafe.”
I chuckled. “You’re not wrong about that. It’s just an extra step of precaution, I suppose.”
The wind beneath my wings felt familiar and warm. As much as I enjoyed spending time in Raja’s village and in the rainforest, I’d missed my home as well. I hoped he liked it here as much as I did.
“There’s so many shifters flying around!” Raja exclaimed. “And you said not all of them are dragons, right?”
“That’s right. It’s a very diverse tribe,” I explained, then pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Especially now that we have a black panther among us.”
Raja mumbled and playfully batted me away in a cat-like manner.
Finally, my home stood in sight. Like my brother and many other dragons’ homes, it was a tall tower with a sturdy landing strip near the top with easy access to the master bedroom. I landed and allowed Raja to disembark before shifting to human form and gesturing for him to come inside. His eyes flitted in every direction in awe, curiously taking in his surroundings.
“Wow… This is nothing like my place back home,” he said. “It’s about a million times bigger.”
I smiled, embarrassed by his compliment. “Do you like it?”
“Of course I do! I’d be crazy not to like it!” he exclaimed before throwing himself onto my bed. “Oh, it’s so soft…”
I chuckled and sat on the bed next to him. “If you’re tired, take a nap. I want you to be rested up before you meet my family tonight.”
Raja perked up. “No, I’m not that tired. How could I be when there’s so much to see here? And I want to meet your family! You said you had a brother, right?”
“Yes, Dante,” I said. “His mate,
Gabriel, is from outside the tribe also. They have a child together, Noah, and another one on the way - just like you.”
Raja smiled softly and ran his hand over his belly, which was still the regular size. He wouldn’t show for a while.
“My father will likely want to meet you as well,” I mused.
If Raja was in his panther form, the fur on his chest would have fluffed up as he exclaimed, “Well, what are you waiting for? Call them now!”
* * *
Plans were made for an evening dinner at my home. Everyone was excited to meet Raja, and he felt the same way - except now he was pacing anxiously around the kitchen.
“Do you think they’re gonna like me?” Raja asked as he absentmindedly stirred the wooden spoon in the tomato soup.
“Of course,” I said. I gently brushed him aside and added some more salt to the pot. “Actually, when Dante introduced Gabriel to us, he was just as nervous as you were.”
“And? How’d it go?”
“Wonderfully.” I smiled and kissed his forehead. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Raja sighed and stepped away from the stove. “Okay, if you say so…”
The doorbell rang and Raja nearly leapt out of his skin.
“They’re here!” he cried, running to the door. I quickly lowered the heat on the stove and joined him.
The door opened and Dante threw his arms around me. “Hey, bro! It feels like I haven’t seen you in ages!”
I clapped him on the back. “Good to see you, too. Where’s your better half?”
Dante grinned and put his hand on his mate Gabriel’s back. He held Noah in his arms. “Right here.”
“Nice to see you, Lorenzo,” Gabriel said. With a mischievous glance at Raja, he said, “I take it your trip went well.”
I chuckled and laced Raja’s fingers with mine. “You could say that.”
Raja was still a bit nervous, but was determined not to be shy. “Hi. Are you Gabriel? And Dante?”