Page 105 of The Heart of the Dragon

"Yeah, I guess." She lifted her head and met my gaze. "But I've never found it all that funny. There are plenty of men who still believe that's where women belong."

"Human men. It's not like that here."

It was her turn to arch her brow in disbelief at me. "You really going to tell me that women and men are equal here?"

I bit back my smile at her rising indignation. She was getting fired up for something and I kind of wanted to watch the show. Her cheeks were turning brighter red and her eyes were shining with fire.

"Males and females among fae species are generally considered equal. Fae females can be as strong as males and often times stronger. It depends on their training. But?—"

"I knew there had to be a but. There always is." She frowned, her forehead scrunching up with her dismay.

"But," I continued. "That doesn't mean cross species don't have a fair share of controversy. To the fae, strength equals power, and any weaker fae are considered lesser. But it doesn't matter the gender, if that matters to you."

She seemed to think about what I'd said as she sat there almost thinking out loud. It was so cute to watch her do nothing, it approached ridiculous.

My dragon rippled underneath my skin as awareness prickled my senses.

Mate.

I wasn't sure how to break it to her yet, but the only reason she wasn't pregnant yet was because I'd held back. No breeding could occur without the dragon barb, and holding it back from an omega couldn't last forever. An Alpha's responsibility to give an omega whatever she needed was as ingrained in my DNA as it was in my psyche.

Before I could lock down the dragon's thoughts, a flood of images filled my mind of Rose with her belly swollen from where I'd bred her.

For a long moment, I couldn't breathe, nor was I sure my heart beat as I realized just how much I wanted that with her.

As if my body had a mind of its own, I was across the room with my hands on her hips and pulling her against me.

"Magnus! What are you doing?"

I grinned at the shocked look on her face. I wanted her as off balance as I felt too.

I pressed my nose against her neck and inhaled deep letting her sweet familiar scent envelop me.

"Magnus!" she cried again, this time pushing against my chest as hard as she could.

"It doesn't matter how much you train or what kind of magic you yield, you will never be stronger than a dragon."

"What the hell? What is wrong with you?" She fought against my hold, but anyone could have told her that fighting me ormy dragon was nothing more than an exercise in futility. "I don't understand any of this. The way you're acting…" Her brow furrowed, eyes searching mine. "Who are you?"

My grip tightened as I ran my tongue along the length of her jawline, savoring her unique flavor. The talk of omegas being irresistible to an Alpha had not been an exaggeration.

But it was the slick between her thighs that truly caught my attention. I could still taste it on my tongue, and I had to have more.

"You had better get your hands off of me, dragon, or you will find yourself neutered. Did you really think I would come here unprepared?"

I wasn't sure if it was her threat or the way she'd specifically addressed my dragon, but either way I felt the pressure he'd exerted on me slowly slip away.

Despite the fire in her eyes, luring me closer still, I sensed the underlying tension and fear she tried to hide. It scraped against my brain, leaving an imprint in its wake. Because of that, I managed to release my grip on her and take a small step away. When she followed suit by taking three steps away from me, I winced, guilt twisting my gut, even as I watched the dragon ripple under my skin from the corner of my eye.

"The dragon—it's difficult—” Scrubbing a hand over my face, I let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to scare you." But the pull to her was too strong—too potent. But for her sake, I would fight that part of me that insisted we take what belonged to us.

In other words, I needed to find that part of me that held an ounce of patience. From everything I'd heard, omegas wereas fragile as they were strong, and they needed to trust their partners.

"Tell me," she said through clenched teeth. "I need to know everything."

"I'm struggling. This bond between us—it's powerful, and I'm not always in control of it."

"And that's what scares me."

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