Page 41 of Kidnapped Plus-Size Mate

I haven’t come to grips with this sick twist of fate in the trajectory of my life. Without prior knowledge of the existence of dragons, I’m forced to accept their existence and the fact that I’m supposed to be Stryker’s mate, all thanks to some cube that knows more than I do.

Clearly, it doesn’t know anything about morals, like how it isn’t respectful to kidnap someone and force them into being a baby-making machine for a rare species.

Scoffing, I decide to give up on glaring at the door. Every time Stryker makes an appearance, it’s long enough only to see his arm slip through the door before it’s gone.

I know… I could easily catch up to him if I braved what was outside that door. I’d call him back and demand that he take me home. If he doesn’t agree, I’ll spit venous words at him again.

But is that all I really want?

To exact some kind of revenge on him, wielding a steely tongue…

In some ways, I’m relieved that I haven’t seen his face over these past few days.

I don’t want to face the undeniable attraction I feel. It’s preposterous to become aroused by the dragon shifter I hate so much for what he did to trick me.

Blowing out a frustrated breath, I climb into bed and close my eyes as soon as my head hits the pillow. I’d rather lose myself to my dreams than have to face the reality of being kept prisoner on a remote island against my better judgment.

As the weight of my situation hangs heavy on my soul, I welcome in the darkness that comes from the first stirrings of slumber.

***

“Destiny…”

The word rings out like an echo in the open expanse of my private dreamland. Olivia was wrong. The island in my dreams was always better than being a fantasy. I

I can deal with what I know, and what I’ve been taught about my whole life. Like vivid dreams stemming from one’s subconscious mind, not existing in the real world.

Until the dragon in my dreams visited me, I always felt like I was in control of my dreams. Like right now, as the vines disappear and open up to the lush land ahead, I can feel how strong I am, willing away the thought of the dragon so he doesn’t appear in the dream.

My sanctuary land is my own again, where I’m free to explore the pretty flowers as I make my way toward the body of crystalline waters in the distance. My lips curl to a smile, my heart filling with the joy I thought I lost when I was kidnapped.

But something in the water catches my eye and freezes me to the spot when the surface of the pool ripples with movement.

Panic slowly and steadily thumps in my chest as the usually bright dream turns sinisterly dark, as if a veil covers the starlit sky. The movement in the water becomes two black balls that grow bigger until they become heads that rest on shoulders covered in black cloaks.

The two emerging figures don’t have faces, but I can tell they’re human when a voice rings out and repeats the word, “Destiny.”. They don’t walk out of the water but float across the surface, their levitating forms eerie in the darkness that clouds the dream.

I’m not doing this.

There’s no way I’m in control of such a ghastly dream.

This is a nightmare. One that grows more sinister as the two black figures approach me. Panicking, I try turning my face away but can’t move. I can barely breathe, my throat scratching with dryness with the fear that follows the figures’ movement as they come closer.

I want to scream. I want to run. But I can do neither. All I manage is a frightened whimper as my vision clouds, and I hear my name being called.

“Camilla!”

I recognize Stryker’s voice the second I’m abruptly pulled out of the nightmare. He stares at me with wide eyes full of horror, clutching my shoulders as he supports me in a seated position.

Relief floods me when I realize I’m not dreaming anymore, the influx of that pure relief forcing me into Stryker’s arms as I weep from the fear of what I am seeing.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Stryker holds me tightly to his chest and gives me a safe space to let out my emotions. Now that I’m awake, the nightmare feels so real, even though it was far from it. The looming dread that hung over my dream-like shoulders and had me paralyzed felt like a dark cloud weighing me down right now. Reality is even worse than the dream because I feel everything right now in my physical body. Thetrembling fear, quaking through me with every staggered breath through my sob.

“Shh…” Stryker tenderly soothes me, stroking the back of my head as he keeps me pressed to his strong chest. “You were dreaming. You’re awake now. You’re safe.”

Moved by his words, the fear I’m feeling disappears as I feel the safety of his arms. It’s not just his voice that calms me, but the warmth exuding from his being, enveloping me in protection, that has me forgetting how angry I was before as I look up and stare into his eyes.

A fleeting frown passes my brows as I become confused by the way I’m feeling. Though I’m calmer, my heart races with pattering beats that draw me closer to Stryker, pushing aside all my prior anger and inhibitions to recall what it felt like to be in these very arms before.

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