Page 44 of Naga Healer's Mate

“Mine,” he rumbled against her lips, his scaled chest rising and falling rapidly.The mate bond hummed, electric and alive.His hand traced down her spine, memorizing every curve and every dip of her body.

Her fingers skimmed across his shoulders, exploring the transition between smooth scales and bare skin.“Yours,” she breathed, the word sending a shiver through his powerful form.

His tail tightened as he deepened the kiss further, pouring all his love and protection into the connection.The healer in him wanted to be gentle, but the warrior demanded more.He groaned as she pressed closer, fitting perfectly against him as if she had been made for him alone.

“I will protect you,” he promised against her lips.“No one will ever harm you again.”His scaled arms flexed around her, emphasizing his words.

She pulled back slightly to meet his intense gaze.“I know.”Her hand came up to cup his jaw.“My warrior healer.”

The trust in her eyes nearly undid him.Nirrn captured her lips again, this time with fierce possession.Their bond sang between them, a symphony of belonging and hope.This was exactly what he had waited and hoped for all these years—not just any mate, but this remarkable woman who matched his strength and challenged his heart.

His tail shifted, drawing her impossibly closer as he poured every ounce of his love into their kiss.They had a future now—together.And he would destroy anyone who tried to take that from them.

Nirrn broke their kiss reluctantly, his eyes studying Islae’s flushed face.

“We need to leave Jorvla,” he said, his voice filled with emotion.“Come with me to Nirum.I can protect you there and give you everything you deserve.”His orange scales rippled with intensity as he pulled her closer against his bare chest.“No more hiding, no more running.Just us, building a life together.”

Islae tensed slightly in his arms.“But what about the humans here?They need help…”

“Others can continue your work,” Nirrn rumbled, his protective instincts flaring.His tail tightened around her as memories of her capture flashed through his mind.“I won’t risk losing you twice.On Nirum, you’ll be safe.Respected.We have the finest medical facilities where you can heal without fear.”

He watched her emotions play across her face—uncertainty, longing, and hope.His hand cupped her pale cheek, his thumb stroking her soft skin.“You are my mate.Let me give you the life you deserve.”

The warrior within him demanded she accept, needing her safe and protected on his home planet.Instead, he forced himself to wait and let her choose.

Her fingers traced the orange scales across his chest, sending shivers through him.“Will I be accepted there?A human mate?”

“You will be honored as my chosen one,” he growled possessively, pulling her flush against him.“Any who dare question that will have to answer to me.”

She studied his face for a long moment before a smile curved her lips.“Yes,” she finally whispered.“I’ll go with you to Nirum.”

Relief and joy flooded his chest.Nirrn pulled her flush to his chest, his scaled arms encasing her completely as he claimed her mouth in another fierce kiss.She was completely his, and soon she would be safe on his planet, where he could protect her properly.

Chapter 24

Islae

Sunlightfilteredthroughthesafe house’s small window as Islae pulled her worn tunic over her head.Behind her, Nirrn’s powerful tail made a soft whisper against the worn floor as he rose up from the cot.

“You’re thinking too hard,” he said, his rich, deep voice filling their tiny room.She turned around and his eyes locked intently onto hers with that burning intensity that made her heart flutter.

“My father spent his whole life helping people here on Jorvla.”Her fingers trembled slightly as she adjusted her clothes.“Leaving feels like abandoning everything he worked so hard for.”

Nirrn’s muscled torso flexed as he reached for her, pulling her against his chest.The scales along his shoulders felt smooth beneath her palms.“Your father would want you alive and thriving.”

“But Nirum will be so different,” she said, tracing the line where his scales met skin.“What if—”

“No.”He coiled protectively around her legs.“You will be safe there and live the life you deserve.I will make sure of it.”

The possessive edge in his voice made her shiver.This was the same male who’d torn through the Jorvlen stronghold to save her, who’d transformed from healer to warrior for her sake.Her mate.

The mate bond pulsed in her blood.The recent discovery of Nirrn as her true mate was still very new and thrilling to her.Each touch from him sent fresh sparks through her body, making her understand why she had been drawn to him from the start.His presence filled a void she hadn’t known existed until she met him.

“I never thought I’d have this,” she admitted, pressing closer to his warmth.“Someone who—”

“Who would kill for you?”His hand cupped her face.“Who would die for you?”His thumb brushed her lower lip.“Who belongs to you as much as you belong to me?”

Her heart raced at the raw truth in his words.The mate bond pulsed stronger, and she could feel his determination to keep her safe, his need to protect her at any cost.

---