Page 130 of Hoarded By the Dragon

Kalos catches my expression and pulls away, huffing a laugh at himself. “It’s my own fault that you’re surprised. Allow me to clear any misunderstandings.”

He straightens, his claws threading through my hair to tilt my face up to his. The tickle of talon points against my scalp has a sensual shiver chasing the remnants of my pain away.

“Katarina, mate of my heart and by bond, my queen.” He watches his talon tip brush over my lower lip before lifting his gaze to mine, his eyes burning with purpose. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of our lives together whether we succeed in strengthening the bond between us to the point that gives you my lifespan or not.”

I’m stunned by his confession.

“Will you be brave for me?” he asks. “Will you push back and demand from me what you deserve?” He swallows as if nervous. “Will you choose to be my mate?”

Himaskingme now, despite us already being connected and me carrying his child, makes my breath catch. But memories threaten this moment.

“You’d choose me?” I ask softly. “Not just your dragon?”

His words in the cavern are a distant pang, but they still cut. I hesitate to put myself in that situation again without knowing.

Kalos winces, his face falling, but he doesn’t look away. “I was wrong to say what I did. I am my dragon. What I said was in conflict with my deepest desires. I… didn’t want to experience the pain of losing you, and somehow leaving before that could happen felt like the easier option.”

And I understand. Perhaps more now than I would have before. He was full of fear. The same fear that is trying to keep me from claiming all the things I’ve wanted.

But I won’t allow it to steal from me.

I’m a thief, an artist, a mother, and… his mate. Nothing will take that from me, especially not fear.

“Yes,” I say, cutting the last hesitating doubt from this moment. This is my place. My home. “I’ll be your mate.”

Kalos hugs me to him with a growl, and I laugh before he cuts it off with a heated kiss. I moan at his taste. Each hour that I’ve missed him comes to life without the chains of guilt and terror holding me back.

I place my hands against the scales on either side of his face, taking every flavor of him that I’ve missed. My hunger as craven as my empty body.

His ardor responds to mine. His cocks hardening under my ass, and his skin heating to my touch.

He breaks the kiss, eyes glinting. “And will you accept all of me as a mate? My mating bite and carry the future babes I sire?”

I snort a disbelieving laugh, dizzy at his words and the desperate kisses. “Getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you? Perhaps we should just focus on the one we’re having first.”

He stands, cradling me in his arms and strides toward the bed. “You underestimate my need for you, my queen. I’ll never have enough of you or filling you with my young. I’ll prove to be a very convincing mate and keep you hungry for me.”

“I already am hungry for you,” I scoff as my face heats. “Whether or not you try to sneak future babies in.”

This conversation is ridiculous and a distraction from the achy need of my lower body, but it’s the promise of a future. A future where Kalos wants me and what we could create together.

He places me on my feet in front of our massive bed, and I gasp as his talons shred the serviceable dress I’m wearing to pieces. It makes me wetter, and I expect him to descend on me in a fiery rush, but he doesn’t. I claw at his robe, but he captures my hands.

His smile is sexy and arrogant. “There will be no sneaking. You’ll beg for me to make your body swell each and every time my heat comes around.”

My face heats with the memories of his last heat. We’ll be doing that every year.

I shake my head, grasping for logic. “But we’re not having a kid every time.”

“We’ll see what you beg for.”

The brush of his words against my ear and the thought of him filling me, attempting to breed me at every opportunity, has a shiver of forbidden pleasure cascading down my spine. I want that. I want his cocks, his knot.

Kalos hums. “The scent of your arousal is so sweet. I don’t think it will be much work to convince you to accept my seed during my heat. I think you enjoy being swollen with my child as much as I enjoy seeing it.”

An embarrassed sound catches in my throat because he’s right. I pull at his robe to try and distract him from details that have my cheeks burning. The idea of creating a family with Kalos is a tender one, but the thought ofmakingthat family has me kissing him with a moan.

I press my body against his, my belly getting in the way, but his hand slides between us, his fingers stroking gently through my folds. He growls against my mouth.

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