Ally couldn’t keep the smile off her face the next morning. Jared had woken her up with his face between her thighs. He took his time licking and sucking on her core until she was screaming in pleasure. That was when he finally took her. Hard and all consuming, she lost count of how many times she came that morning. When he finally joined her, she thought she would pass out from the pleasure.

She must have fallen right to sleep afterwards but woke to find a tray with toast and fruits plus a note telling her to make herself comfortable and he would be home soon. Ally ate as much as she could before sliding into one of his shirts and bringing her plates to the kitchen. She shook her head, surprised at the mess he’d left. She rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher before making herself a cup of coffee.

Armed with a full cup, Ally went back to the little private patio and tucked her feet under her. As she sipped her brew she heard a light chuckle and jumped at the sight of Chad walking around the patio. He was dressed in the same suit he’d worn on their date, it seemed. So wrinkled she wondered if he had been sleeping in it since Jared had thrown him out in the street.

“Chad, what are you doing here?” Ally asked nervously. He was a wolf and so much stronger than she was.

“Ally, you look nervous. Has your bodyguard left you all alone?” His voice was a growl as he stepped closer, his lip curling in disgust, while he looked her over.

“Chad, I am sorry, I…”

When he held up his hand she jumped almost spilling her coffee. Her hand was shaking as she put the cup down.

“You’re what? Sorry you used me to get close to the pretty boy guard? Couldn’t get that rich guard, to come to heel so you what? Thought you would use me to get him jealous? How long after you found out how much money his family had did it take you to come up with a plan to make him jealous?”

Ally blinked looking up at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jared is just a guard. I didn’t even know I was his mate until after––”

Her words trailed off as he laughed at her. “Right. You’re trying to tell me you didn’t know Jared came from the second richest dragon family? Couldn’t get him to sleep with you and claim your spoiled ass, so you came up with a plan, huh? Should have known my small pack didn’t have enough money to interest a stuck-up bitch like you!”

Ally felt his words like a punch to the gut. Her mind reeling, she didn’t notice him stepping closer until he picked her up by her shoulders. “I watched you two this morning. I wonder if you will scream like that when I take you.”

She opened her mouth to scream when he suddenly dropped her and she watched him fly off the porch. She heard Jared growl and follow Chad to the patch of grass he had tossed him onto. She stood shaking as she watched the two circle each other.

“Couldn’t stand the spoiled bitch until she started flirting with someone else, huh?” Chad said, taunting him.

“Shut your mouth,” Jared said before lunging at him.

Ally watched as the two traded blows as she took a step toward the edge of the patio. Chad laughed as he landed a punch to Jared’s jaw. “I get it. If she were my mate I wouldn’t have claimed her either. No wonder you waited.”

As he got those last words out Jared landed a right jab combo knocking him to the ground. Jared stood over him, his fist clenched as she watched him. “Leave and never come back and I will forget to tell my King how you like to attack women. If you ever step foot on this side of the Atlantic, or I hear how you assaulted another female, I won’t only tell my King but I’ll beat you so bad that not even your wolf will be able to heal you.”

As she watched Chad she thought at first he was going to get up and fight again. He must have realized he would never win and that one word to Viktor about him attacking his mate’s sister would be signing his own death warrant. Viktor was known for being a kind generous king, but ruthless when it came to protecting the dragons and his family.

Finally Chad nodded, scrambled to his feet, and quickly left. Ally watched him go, reeling from the things she had heard. She knew that dragons didn’t know for sure about their mates until they marked them with a bite. She had heard some of the guards in training joking that is why they sleep with everyone and bite them just to be sure, but she also knew most admitted to being extremely attracted to their mates. As if they were being pulled to them. Ally looked at Jared wondering if he had avoided her because he didn’t want anything to do with her.

Jared seemed to know what she was thinking and the look on his face was definitely one of worry. Without breaking eye contact she watched him walk towards her then stand on the stair below to keep them at eye level.

His hand came up and she felt his thumb brush across her cheek as he cupped it. “Did he hurt you?”

Ally felt a lump form in her throat. She wanted to cry. It was no secret that Jared wasn’t a fan of hers, she knew he thought she was spoiled. To be fair that was the part she learned to play a long time ago. She almost laughed out loud. Her sister had told her that it would eventually bite her in the ass, she just didn’t believe her. “Did you know I was your mate?” she finally asked when she was able to catch her breath.

Jared slowly shook his head. “I was attracted to you. Wanted you since the moment I saw you fall into Viktor’s arms when we saved you from Lazzaro. I wanted to rip you from his arms. But no, I didn’t know.”

Ally felt her cheeks heat up. No wonder he wanted nothing to do with her. She had acted a fool and it might have cost her everything. “Was he telling the truth? Are you rich? “

There was no denying the long pause that followed her question. It seemed to stretch on forever before he finally answered, “I do okay, but yes my family is rich. When I announced I wanted to be a King’s Guard, and protect our people, my parents threatened to cut me off. They try to tempt me with money to leave the guard but…”

She nodded biting her lip, “Did you not tell me because you think I’m that shallow that I would try to make you quit the guard?”

Jared cupped her cheeks with both hands forcing her to look deep into his eyes. “Ally, I didn’t tell you because that’s my family’s money. Not mine.”

Ally searched his face and for the most part she thought he might be telling the truth but she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Is that the only reason?”

He let out a sigh and she watched as he shook his head, no. “I thought you might already know. It wasn’t a secret but I didn’t bring it up because I needed to know that I was enough for you. That if all I had to offer you was me, would you stay with me, Princess?”

There was a vulnerability to his words. She wanted to be mad at him. If it were anyone but him she would be. She knew the way people perceived her, which was her own fault. It had taken a few thousand years but she’d found a man who would cherish her always.

Ally didn’t realize how long she had been quiet until she saw him release a deep breath. Before he could say anything, she blurted out, “Why do you call me Princess?”

Jared chuckled and stepped closer to her. His hand came up and gently brushed the few strands of hair that had escaped, then he tucked them behind her ear. “At first it was a way to keep you at arms lengths and deny I wanted you.”

“And now?” she asked feeling breathless as she watched the way his eyes darkened.

“Now it’s because you’re my Princess.” Those words were a husky promise as he brought his lips to hers in a deep heated kiss. Ally felt her hands slide into his thick hair as she held him to her. So lost in the kiss she didn’t feel him shift and bend down to pick her up. When her feet left the ground she broke the kiss and a squeak escaped before she started laughing.

“Come on Princess, I have a few days of you to myself before Viktor plans on telling your sister and your mother that you belong to me.”

Ally smiled, kissing his neck and loving the way it sounded. “I belong to you, huh?” She asked as he lowered her to the bed.

Jared followed, settling between her thighs as his met hers. A nervous giggle escaped her when he didn’t answer her question and she pulled his head down to hers. “Are you mine, Jared? Do you crave my touch?”

He growled and she felt his cock slide between her wet folds as his shirt gathered up around her hips. “I’ve been yours since that first day I saw you.”

“That is all I’ve ever wanted,” she admitted on a sigh, as she pulled his face to hers kissing him with all the desire she felt. For the first time she felt fully treasured and adored, and excited for what was to come next.