Chapter 11
Verrian was glad that their drive through the dark, quiet roads was uneventful. Lisa had given him a lot to think about when she’d said that winning the battle against Ultrima was far more important than how they won it.
The answer he was looking for was in there, he just wasn’t sure where.
And he was having far too much trouble trying to convince himself to search for it.
He couldn’t help thinking more about the other conversation he’d had with Lisa. About their mate bonding.
No matter how much he went over what she’d said, he couldn’t figure out if she regretted it or not.
He should have asked more before they mated. He should have pushed for answers until he was sure that she really wanted to be mated to him.
He’d used the fact that they were in a rush to excuse doing exactly what he wanted to—claim her as his mate.
But what if that wasn’t what she’d wanted?
She’d said it was done now, implying that there was no point in discussing whether it was what she’d wanted or not.
He could kind of see her point. Even if she hadn’t wanted it, they couldn’t undo it now.
They could only move forwards. She’d said they could make this work, but Verrian wanted so much more than that.
He wanted to shout his love for her from the cliff tops. To make sure all his clan knew that he’d chosen her because he thought she was wonderful and amazing.
But he couldn’t do that if she didn’t feel the same way.
Lisa said that it didn’t matter how the battle was won, so long as you won. But relationships weren’t like that. Not if you weren’t sure the other person loved you as you loved them.
Trying to force someone to love you was where Ultrima had gone wrong. Love didn’t work that way. It had to be given freely or it was worth nothing.
He hadn’t forced Lisa into anything. Not directly. Not like Ultrima had.
External forces had pushed them together. Forces beyond their control, true, but he could have taken another path.
Another path that would have destroyed any hope at a relationship with Lisa.
No matter how many times he went over the situation, he’d had no choice.
But he did have a choice over what he did now. He needed to step back, to give Lisa some space. He needed to wait until she came to him, until she admitted that she cared about him.
He wanted her to choose him freely, even if she was already his.
Could she even realise that now, with the mate bond clouding her thoughts? Of course she would want to be with him now they were mated. Maybe even believe that was love.
Did he have any hope of them ever having a true relationship?
Should he just accept what they had? Awesome sex and getting along was more than most people had, wasn’t it?
Verrian bit back a sigh. He wasn’t the sort to settle for what most people had. He wanted the whole thing.
He wanted Lisa to choose him out of all the possible options. He wanted to be sure she wanted to be with him, not just that she couldn’t bear to see him hurt. He wanted to know that she was completely his—heart, body, and mind.
He didn’t want to settle for anything less.
That didn’t mean he had to walk away. He could take what they had, and keep working on it. He could spend the rest of his life doing everything he can to make her feel that way about him.
“We’re nearly there.”
Lisa’s words interrupted his thoughts, and brought him back to the present. He should have realised before she told him. The moon had risen, illuminating the area with its silver light. Even though the rough road through the bush had changed with the passage of time, the cliff face though, towering above them like a wave of stone, was unmistakable.
Home.
His lair.
His clan.
He’d been waiting for this moment since Lisa had first woken him days ago, or was it weeks?
And yes, his heart still swelled with happiness at being home, but not as much as he’d expected it to.
The reality was, Lisa’s home had felt like home to him too.
Because she’d been there.
Verrian gave himself a shake. When had he turned into a mushy wind dragon?
He might not be a fire or lightning dragon, but he was a prince. No matter how besotted he was with his new mate, his clan was at war. He needed to focus on that right now.
With that in mind, he climbed out of the car and glanced around.
There was only one way up to the lair. A way that made him rather nervous with all the attention they’d been getting recently.
But they’d seen no one for a long time.
And they had no choice.
Verrian swiftly began to undress.
“Oh,” Olivia gasped softly, and quickly turned away.
Raven did too.
Lisa though, didn’t move. Well, it wasn’t like she hadn’t seen him naked plenty of times.
He handed her the clothes. “I’ll need these once we get up top.”
She grinned. “Yeah, probably.”
He could hear her heart thumping. It sounded the same as his own.
Adrenaline flooded through him. He was going to fly up to his lair. With his mate on his back. While danger lurked who knew where.
This was what life was about.
Taking a step back, Verrian let his body change and shift. The mild discomfort of his skin stretching and his bones transforming was almost a welcome feeling. This was who he really was. In his dragon form, he was powerful and strong.
In theory, anyway.
Lisa’s eyes widened as his dragon form emerged. Olivia took a peek as well. And Raven outright stared.
Any of the doubts he’d had after so long stuck in human form faded away. This was who he was. This was what he was meant to be.
He bent one knee. “You will be the first, my mate.” His voice may have had a slight crooning note. It was hard to tell in his own head.
Lisa blushed, but she didn’t hesitate. She shoved his clothes under one arm, turned to Olivia and Raven for a second and said, “Verrian will be back for you,” then she stepped up onto his knee and threw her leg over his back.
It wasn’t the first time he’d flown with her on his back, but this time was different.
This time, she was his mate.
Verrian rose gently, hoping she could hold on, half afraid she’d fall off.
But her knees were firm against his sides, and her hands on his scales were sure. Her voice, when she said, “Let’s go,” wasn’t afraid.
Verrian could take off into the air, and soar up to his home without the slightest concern.