Page 8 of Alpha Dragon's Wings of Love

He put his front paws on my chest, and I lifted him and tucked him under my arm like a football. “Let’s go be animals together. You won’t be scared of him, will you? I promise he’s already your biggest fan.”

He snuggled into my side, and I hoped that meant he felt good about meeting my dragon officially. He had barely been conscious before, and we hadn’t been able to reach his mind at all. Would it go better now? I didn’t know, but his warm little body already felt better, livelier than earlier, and I was willing to put off summoning a healer as long as he continued to improve.

Outside, I set him down on the top step and kissed his nose again. I wasn’t going to be able to stop doing that, I feared, ever. I’d have to ask him whether it was offensive, but he didn’t shy away or anything. Just like a baby’s diapered butt needed a pat, that little nose needed a kiss. Mother Nature insisted on it. I moved out into the yard. My dragon wouldn’t fit on the covered porch.

Stepping out of my shorts, I watched him watching me with dull eyes. My dragon didn’t care in the least about nudity, and I doubted his dog did either. I’d never heard of an animal impressed or otherwise by a human without clothes. They were more likely to be puzzled as to why we even bothered to wear them when the weather didn’t demand it. And often pitied us for our vulnerable skin instead of fur or feathers or scales.

But as soon as the change began, the dog’s eyes lit up, and he sat up higher on the porch and gave awhuff. My dragon’s wings unfurled, arching out to the sides, and he thrust his chest out, letting the sunlight glint off his scales. My dragon was nothing if not vain, but he had a lot to be vain about. Someone had taken a picture of our first shift before we left home, and I couldn’t believe such a stunning creature wanted any part of an ordinary person like me. Even his eyes held the extraordinary amethyst of his wings.

You’re magnificent.That voice was not my dragon. But it did make the winged one preen even more. My mate could speak to us!

And you are the most adorable beagle ever born. Fate really smiled down on me when she chose you.

You can hear me.His voice held so much joy.I thought I was going to die there by the river, and then I saw the dragon coming, and I was too weak even to run.

You didn’t know it was me? Your mate?

I wasn’t conscious enough to know anything until you were close enough for me to scent you. Ocean and lilacs. How did you find me?

My dragon—he followed your scent all the way from home.

Will you fly for me?

My proud dragon didn’t have to be asked twice to show off even more for his mate, and he lifted off and flew big circles, higher and higher into the sky, going higher than we’d ever gone before. We were pointed toward a big white cloud, with no signs of slowing.

Can we do this?I asked, a little nervous and trying to hide it. Not that I could hide anything from my dragon. I’d known that right from the start.

Shh. Our mate is watching.And listening… Not everyone could speak in their mind to their mate, and I was beyond thrilled that we could. So far, in beast form, but that was amazing. As I was marveling about this, our speed slowed, just under the cloud, and my dragon pulled his wings in tight to his sides, hovering for a fraction of a second before tilting downward and plummeting toward the earth.

Showing off was one thing, but I sure hoped he wasn’t going to get us killed right after we finally met our mate!

Trust!he bit out, and I quelled my fear as much as possible. If our mate could hear us, he might also be able to feel that, and I wanted him to have all the confidence in the world in his alpha. In me.

But we were still falling, faster and faster, spinning now, everything moving so fast the only thing I knew for sure was that we were going down. And I didn’t know what to do to stop it. Nothing. That’s what I could do. For the second time in the same day, I ceded control of everything to my dragon.

And then, our wings snapped outward and we stopped. Stopped falling, stopped spinning…stopped everything. The ground was inches below us, and we hung there, not moving, leaving me wondering just what my dragon was capable of.

We settled to the ground, and I heard yipping. Our mate had left his perch on the porch and was at our feet…talons, barking his beagle head off.

That was…Our mate’s mental voice faded then came back.Incredible. Can I do that with you?

Apparently, he was not scared.

Next time, okay?Which would be a good while because I did trust my dragon, but that had terrified me.Ready to shift with me so we can get to know one another?

I’ll try.

Okay. We all have challenges in life.Searching for him had been one of mine.Would you like to see if we can do it together?

He didn’t reply right away, head cocked to the side; he closed his eyes then, finally, opened them. I didn’t even know a dog had “dubious” in their list of expressions until I saw it on my mate’s.I will do my best.

That’s all anyone can ask. Ready?

The dog swelled, and even though I was dying to see my mate in his other form, I shifted because I said we’d do it together. And when my vision cleared, he was right there in front of me. My mate. And he was as handsome as his beast was adorable.

“I’m Casey,” he said, offering a shy smile. “And you must be my mate.”

“Nolan.” I smiled back. “Wait until I tell you how I first knew you existed.” We had a lot to talk about.

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