Page 18 of Naga Warlord's Mate

He grabbed a training staff, testing its weight. “This is about correcting her form. Nothing more.” The lie tasted bitter on his tongue.

A warrior shouldn’t feel this way. He’d commanded armies, led charges into battle, faced down enemies without flinching. Yet here he was, watching the door like some lovesick fool.

The first sun hadn’t even fully risen. Shadows still clung to the corners of the training center, and the morning air held a crisp bite. He’d chosen this time deliberately. No other warriors would arrive for hours. No distractions. No witnesses.

“Foolish,” he muttered, moving through a series of defensive positions. His tail carved elegant arcs across the floor as he worked to focus his mind on anything but her. The way she moved. The defiant tilt of her chin. The fire in those green eyes when she refused to back down.

The mate bond pulsed again, more insistent this time. His grip tightened on the staff until the wood creaked in protest. This wasn’t like him—this loss of control, this... yearning. He was a warlord, not some untested youth ruled by his instincts.

“She’s a human,” he reminded himself harshly. “Fragile. Temporary.” But even as he said the words, he knew they were lies. Nothing was fragile about Priscilla’s spirit. Nothing temporary about the way she’d carved herself into his thoughts.

The sound of approaching footsteps made his whole body go still, every scale tingling with anticipation.

Priscilla slipped into the training center, her golden hair catching the early morning light. The moment she entered, Andear’s scales rippled with awareness. Her scent—a mix of sun-warmed honey and something uniquely her—hit him like a punch to the gut. His tail twitched against the floor as dizziness swept through him.

Since that moment he’d caught her during training, everything about her seemed magnified. The graceful way she moved, the slight sheen of sweat on her skin as she began her warm-up routine, the soft sounds of her breathing—it all threatened to overwhelm his senses.

Andear gripped his training staff harder, forcing himself to maintain distance as she stretched. The mate bond demanded he close the gap between them. He fought it, watching as she attempted a defensive stance.

“Your form needs work.” The words came out rougher than intended.

She glanced over her shoulder at him, her green eyes sparkling. “Then teach me.”

Those three words broke his resolve. In one fluid movement, he was behind her, his broad chest nearly touching her back. His hands found her arms, and electricity shot through him at the contact. Her skin was impossibly soft under his palms.

“Like this.” He adjusted her position, fighting back a groan as she pressed back against him. His primary member throbbed under his training clothes, and he shifted his tail to hide his reaction. “Arms up. Shoulders back.”

Her scent surrounded him, making it hard to think. The mate bond sang between them, urging him closer. His voice dropped to a gravelly whisper. “Your stance is wrong.”

She turned her head slightly, and he caught a glimpse of those green eyes that filled his dreams. His hands tightened on her arms, unable to let go despite knowing he should. The heat of her body seeped into his scales, making them tingle uncontrollably.

“Is this better?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Andear swallowed hard, fighting the urge to pull her fully against him. His scales burned where they touched her skin. The mate bond thrummed between them, a living current thatmade his primary member pulse with desperate need. Her back pressed against his chest, soft and warm, sending sparks of electricity through his entire body. His tail coiled restlessly behind him as he struggled to maintain his composure.

“Keep your arms up,” he growled, his voice rough with barely contained desire. His hands slid along her arms, adjusting her stance. The simple touch sent another wave of heat coursing through him.

Her scent filled his lungs, and his primary member throbbed harder. He shifted his weight, trying to create space between them without actually stepping back.

“Just like this?” She pressed back further against him, and his vision blurred at the edges.

The training center suddenly felt too small and too hot. His scales rippled with excitement as she turned within the circle of his arms, her eyes meeting his. Her lips parted slightly, and the sight of her pink tongue darting out to wet them nearly broke his control.

The mate bond screamed at him to claim her, to press her against the nearest wall and—

No.

“You are dismissed.” The words came out fast and harsh. He stepped back, breaking his contact from her, his tail lashing behind him in agitation.

She blinked, confusion and hurt flashing across her face. “But we just started—”

“I said you are dismissed.” He turned away quickly, unable to look at her, knowing if he did, his control would snap completely. His primary member ached, and his scales felt too tight and too hot.

The sound of her retreating footsteps echoed in his ears, each one both a relief and a torture. Only when the door closed behind her did he let out a deep breath, his massive frame shaking with the effort of restraint.

The mate bond urged him to follow her, to explain, to claim what was his. But he couldn’t. Wouldn’t.

His tail slammed against the floor in frustration as her scent lingered in the air, tormenting him with what he couldn’t have.

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